Please share your favorite little-known children's (gr. 4-8+) literary gems.

[ereks mom]

Now that we're on summer break, and I have more time to read the boards, I've been reading threads in which people have mentioned their favorite children's books. Some are books that I've never heard of, in spite of the fact that I am a children's book aficionado. I google the ones that sound most interesting, and lo and behold, some of these are books that I just know would be big hits around here. I only wish I'd heard of them before!

 

So, what little-known literary gems are there among your favorite books for grades 4-8+ ? And please share a blurb about them.

 

Here's one of mine:

 

Good-bye, My Lady is a coming of age novel by James H. Street, published in 1954. It is based on Street's short story "Weep No More, My Lady", which was published in the 6 December 1941 issue of The Saturday Evening Post. In the book, a 14 year old orphan named Skeeter finds a dog in the swamps where he lives with his Uncle Jesse, and the story centers around his relationships with his uncle and the dog. A film version of the novel, starring Brandon de Wilde as Skeeter, Walter Brennan as Uncle Jesse, and Sidney Poitier as neighbor Gates Watson was released in 1956. The movie was filmed on location here in Georgia, and the story's setting was changed to Georgia, but otherwise remained faithful to the novel.

[Imprimis]

While I have seen Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazons series mentioned on these boards, it's probably a little less known than some children's series.

 

Originally published in the 1930s-1940s, they are delightful books. My son has read and reread them.

[Forget-Me-Not]

Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher and The Betsy-Tacy Series by M.H. Lovelace. Probably a little better known on this board, but I find myself recommending them all the time :)

[FloridaLisa]

One of our favorites (coming from a Florida native, but still a prize-winner):

 

The Yearling, Marjorie Kinan Rawlings

 

There are few others books with the setting and lifestyle of the turn-of-century Florida cracker. Also, it's a great coming of age story and, of course, based in large part on real characters and events Rawlings met and experienced in rural Florida.

 

Lisa

[Mrs. A]

:bigear:

[milovany]

The Island of the Fish in The Trees by Eva Lis Wuorio -- a charming story of two little girls traipsing around the island they live on one day, looking for the village doctor because their mother is not feeling well. It's a sweet story that's fun to read.

[MariannNOVA]

For the closer to eighth grader group (although I did this as a read aloud with my 4th grade twins and 6th grader)

 

PETEY by Ben Mikaelson:

 

http://www.benmikaelsen.com/books_petey.html

 

You Are A Child Of The Universe No Less Than The Trees And The Stars . . . In 1920, a baby was born with cerebral palsy. His parents did everything they could to care for him, but they finally had to make a difficult choice - the infant, Petey, was given into the care of the state. Petey was misdiagnosed as an idiot and sent to live in a mental institution. His life within the boundaries of the institution was unimaginable by modern standards. Yet still, the boy touched many who knew him, amazing them with his joy and zest for life.

 

In 1990, Petey is an old man. He hides within himself, mistrustful of people. So many people have come and gone in his life. So many promises have been broken. Until one day he trusts a teenage boy, Trevor. Through Trevor, Petey just might have another chance in the world.

 

Petey is a touching story of friendship, discovery, and the domination of the human spirit over physical obstacles.

 

THE CREATION OF PETEY . . by Ben Mikaelsen

During a chance conversation at a Montana barn dance, I first heard of Petey Corbin (his real name was Clyde Cothern). I found that in 1922, Petey Corbin was born with cerebral palsy. Though mentally acute, his affliction left him locked inside a grotesque and twisted body unable to communicate. He was misdiagnosed with idiot-stage retardation and committed to the Montana Insane Asylum.

 

Despite a limited, degrading and frightening life, Petey possessed an irrepressible happiness. Initially, I was merely curious how anyone could exist locked inside their body. After meeting the real-life Petey, however, I became entranced by the depth of his perceptions and appreciations-considering he came from the time-warp isolation of an insane ward. I discovered that for fifty-five years Petey had been befriended by a slightly retarded, clubfooted boy.

 

The two had developed a close, life-long bond-becoming islands of hope for each other in a chaotic, insane world. Their close relationship was severed in 1973 when modern institutional reform discharged them to different locations. After several years, they gave up hope of ever seeing each other again. Realizing the tragedy of their separation, I became obsessed with locating Petey's friend and reuniting them. That effort changed my life forever. I uncovered a world filled with tales of murder, courage, fear, heart-breaking love, and separation.

 

When I decided to write Petey, people came from every conceivable source to help me piece together the haunting jigsaw. Slowly I gleaned a rough and astonished comprehension of Petey's life. My main concern writing this book was that I might be digging up ghosts of a past best left buried. These concerns were swept aside by a flood of gratifying events. I fictionalized the story first for liability reasons. Also, I could never pretend to know all that happened. For brevity, I combined the more important aspects of several people into single characters. Fictionalizing gave me license in reconstructing much of the dialogue and events. I let research and Petey's recollections guide my efforts. The story of Petey is 90% a true story. I have tried to remain true to the spirit of the real life Petey, Clyde Cothern. I hope each word helps convey the triumph, hope, and joy this special man found in life. Clyde Cothern did become my real life Grandpa Petey.

 

Ordering information

[Ellie]

Understood Betsy

The Little White Horse

The Chestry Oak

[Emerkaza]

Onion John by Joseph Krumgold

 

Onion John is an unusual man: a European immigrant who lives in a hut made of stone and furnished with bathtubs. He befriends young Andy Rusch, the only person in Serenity who can understand his speech. As Andy comes to know Onion John (so named because he grows the best onions in town, and eats them like apples), he finds that the man believes some odd things. In Onion John's world, friendly spirits live in the clouds, and evil spirits can be banished by smoking them out. His needs are few, since the townspeople are happy to give him castoff clothing after someone dies, and he earns a little money by doing odd jobs around Serenity.

[Halcyon]

Quite well known, but still, my son loved it: Hatchet.

[Alphabetika]

Last year we discovered a book called The Alley by Eleanor Estes. I was not a big fan of Ginger Pye and never felt compelled to read any of the other ones in that series. But this is one GREAT book. (It has a sequel that we tried to read but weren't engaged by.)

 

http://www.amazon.com/Alley-Eleanor-Estes/dp/0152049185/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1306360463&sr=8-1

 

I'm also very fond of The Wolves Chronicles by Joan Aiken. Many have read the first book, Wolves of Willoughby Chase, but not many (that I've met anyway) know there are several more books in the series, featuring a character named Dido Twite who is connected with a character who shows up only briefly in WoWC. This series is a bit on the odd side, so not for everyone, but intriguing and creative, IMHO.

[nmoira]

Some of these are more obscure than others, and some are more "literary" than others. :tongue_smilie:

 

The Little Grey Men and its sequel Down the Bright Stream, and Brendon Chase by BB

Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie

Summerland by Michael Chabon (especially enhanced by a solid grasp of Norse mythology)

Joan Aiken's Wolves Chronicles (The Wolves of Willoughby Chase is the first)

Skellig by David Almond

The Lost Years of Merlin series by T.A. Barron

Carrie's War by Nina Bawden

The Secret World of Og by Pierre Burton

Green Knowe series by L.M. Boston (Children of Green Knowe is the first)

Hobberdy Dick by K. Briggs (who literally wrote the encyclopaedia on boggarts, sprites and fairies)

Kevin Crossley-Holland's Arthur Trilogy (The Seeing Stone is the first)

Peter Dickinson

Margaret Mahy

Momo by Michael Ende (and of course The Neverending Story)

Nancy Farmer

Charlotte Sometimes by Penelope Farmer (this is a good edition)

Leon Garfield -- Black Jack, Smith, John Diamond, The Strange Affair of Adelaide Harris

Alan Garner

The Family from One End of the Street by Eve Garnett

Blue Willow by Doris Gates

Rumer Godden

Elizabeth Goudge (anything you can find)

The House of Dies Drear by Virginia Hamilton (the victim of a forced class reviews... oh, how I hate those) and the Mystery of Drear House

Frances Hardinge

Cynthia Harnett

Polly Horvath

Keeper of the Isis Light trilogy by Monica Hughes

Mollie Hunter

Randall Jarrell

Alberic the Wise and Other Journeys by Norton Juster

The Hall Family Chronicles by Jane Langton (The Diamond in the Window is the first)

Astrid Lindgren (so much more than Pippi)

Good Night, Mr Tom by Michelle Magorian

Walter Moers

Garth Nix (not obsure by any means... but worth emphasizing)

The Hounds of the Morrigan by Pat O'Shea

The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series by Paver (again, not obscure, but worth it... first is Wolf Brother)

Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce

Philip Reeves Hungry City Chronicles/Mortal Engines Quartet (same series) -- these are in print in the UK and worth ordering through book depository (first is Mortal Engines)

Mennyms series and Space Race and sequels by Sylvia Waugh

The Little Broomstick by Mary Stewart (yes, that Mary Stewart)

 

ETA: Marianne Dreams by Catherine Storr (reviews here)

Edited May 26, 2011 by nmoira

[sewpeaceful]

Follow My Leader

 

hands down. Phenominal story of personal triumph... and it is a true story. My kids were mesmerized and it taught so much to all of us.

[myfunnybunch]

The Children of Green Knowe, Lucy Boston.

(And the rest of the series, absolutely charming, and beautifully written too.)

 

Cat

[leeannpal]

Up a Road Slowly and Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt

[Chris in VA]

The Singing Tree and The Good Master by Seredy.

 

Cinnabar, The One O'Clock Fox, by Marguerite Henry.

 

For 8th graders and above--Cross Creek by Majorie Rawlings (it's the story of her time in FL onwhich she drew for her book, The Yearling.) Beautiful writing--I actually read it aloud to myself! LOL Her writing just begged to be heard.

[stripe]

Charlotte Sometimes by Penelope Farmer (this is a good edition)

 

Which edition IS this? I emailed the NY Review of Books and got a vague answer (something like, the one the author said was acceptable -- ?). I ended up finding both versions used.

[Elizabeth in MN]

the Moomintroll series by Tove Jansson (she's Finnish)

 

I would try the more recently published version because I believe they are new translations that can make a bit more sense :D

[nmoira]

 

Which edition IS this? I emailed the NY Review of Books and got a vague answer (something like, the one the author said was acceptable -- ?). I ended up finding both versions used.

You know what... I'm not sure now. I was told it was the original version (with the parcel at the end), but that's not coming up in the google books search using key words from my edition. I have the Red Fox Classics edition. I'll change the link above until I can check it out at Powell's. Which editions do you have? Edited May 26, 2011 by nmoira

[leeannpal]

Last year we discovered a book called The Alley by Eleanor Estes. I was not a big fan of Ginger Pye and never felt compelled to read any of the other ones in that series. But this is one GREAT book. (It has a sequel that we tried to read but weren't engaged by.)

 

http://www.amazon.com/Alley-Eleanor-Estes/dp/0152049185/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1306360463&sr=8-1

 

I'm also very fond of The Wolves Chronicles by Joan Aiken. Many have read the first book, Wolves of Willoughby Chase, but not many (that I've met anyway) know there are several more books in the series, featuring a character named Dido Twite who is connected with a character who shows up only briefly in WoWC. This series is a bit on the odd side, so not for everyone, but intriguing and creative, IMHO.

 

I loved the Moffatt series as a girl

[MamaT]

The Lion's Paw by Robb White. I think it is OOP, but it is a great story about some kids who run away from an ophanage and sail around Florida on a sloop. It has lots of adventure and a great ending.

[plain jane]

Not really that unknown, but certainly not as popular, is Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls. My kids and I really enjoyed this one.

Edited May 26, 2011 by plain jane

[MeaganS]

 

The Pushcart War by Jean Merrill. It is still one of my favorite books from childhood, and it is just so funny! It's also a great example about how wars tend to work, with media and battles and everything, without the blood and gore and high stakes. I went back and reread it as a political scientist, and it was really fascinating how accurate a lot of it is. Even without that, though, it was very clever.

[HollyDay]

Follow My Leader

[dangermom]

I'm going to say Elizabeth Goudge's children's books, esp. The Little White Horse.

[stripe]

You know what... I'm not sure now. I was told it was the original version (with the parcel at the end), but that's not coming up in the google books search using key words from my edition. I have the Red Fox Classics edition. I'll change the link above until I can check it out at Powell's. Which editions do you have?

 

I've got this one that has the original ending, I think,

http://www.amazon.com/Charlotte-Sometimes-Puffin-Penelope-Farmer/dp/0140305629/ref=tmm_pap_title_1

[nmoira]

I've got this one that has the original ending, I think,

http://www.amazon.com/Charlotte-Sometimes-Puffin-Penelope-Farmer/dp/0140305629/ref=tmm_pap_title_1

It must, as it was published before 1985.

[MamaBearTeacher]

The Iron Ring by Lloyd Alexander

 

I was surprised how good this book was since I don't see it mentioned a lot.

[ereks mom]

Thank you all so much, and please keep posting! I've read through some of the responses, and I've already read quite a few, and I even own several of them. I need to go check my copy of Charlotte Sometimes to see which edition it is...

[Susan in TN]

I loved Eight Cousins and Rose in Bloom by Louisa May Alcott

 

Also the Melandy Family series by Elizabeth Enright - The Saturdays, The Four-Story Mistake, Then There Were Five, and Spiderweb for Two. They were out of print for many years, but are now back in print in paperback.

[mandymom]

I had a fabulous reading teacher in 7th grade. I absolutely loved some of the books we and remember them fondly. My children have read/will read them as well.

 

Summer of my German Soldier by Bette Green

 

Death Be Not Proud by John Gunther

 

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes (the novel, not the short story)

 

The Forgotten Door by Alexander Key (I actually read this in 6th grade...not as "literary" but still a very memorable book for me)

 

I'm a huge fan of all the Madeline L'Engle books as well, although they are fairly well know. My favorite was A Wind in the Door.

[stripe]

It must, as it was published before 1985.

Okay, I double checked my editions of Charlotte Sometimes. I have ISBN 0140305629, which is the older one (mine says reprinted 1976), and ISBN 0140324526, which has a different ending. There are a couple used copies of the older one available online.

 

I looked up my email from the NY Review of Books. They said it contains the "complete text" and that they consulted with Penelope Farmer, who said it was the "preferred edition." I didn't know what to make of that, so I just bought a used copy, which was cheaper, although is a flimsy old paperback instead of their snappy hardcovers.

 

Thanks to Eliana, I read Palmer Brown's Beyond the Pawpaw Trees. I was delighted to be able to tell her, and all of you, that the NY Review of Books is reprinting this in October. It's quite sweet too.

[saraha]

We just read a couple of great books that I stumbled on at the library. Evangeline Mudd and the Golden-Haired Apes of the Ikkinasti Jungle, and Evangeline Mudd and the Great Mink Escapade. They are cute stories that showcase a great vocabulary. My kids really wish they could brachiate now!

[momma aimee]

:lurk5:

 

your beloved book list addict ....

[nmoira]

There's one DD the Elder and I read not long ago called Nacky Patcher & the Curse of the Dry-Land Boats by Jeffrey Kluger (Apollo 13). It was a compelling read, unlike anything I've ever read before.

[Jan in SC]

The Mad Scientists' Club

The Great Brain series

 

They are such fun stories, though geared toward the younger end of your age group.

[WIS0320]

M.M. Kaye's The Ordinary Princess is magical for the 4-8 age range.

 

ETA: Sorry, I read age 4-8, not GRADE 4-8. My recommendation is not suitable after all.

[Carol in Cal.]

The Diamond In the Window

In Place of Katya

Number the Stars

 

and for the older end of the age range:

An Old-Fashioned Girl

[LibraryLover]

Eva Ibbottson novels.

[nmoira]

M.M. Kaye's The Ordinary Princess is magical for the 4-8 age range.

 

ETA: Sorry, I read age 4-8, not GRADE 4-8. My recommendation is not suitable after all.

Sure it is; it's a good book. :001_smile:

[piraterose]

I don't know how "unknown" these are but most people I know haven't read or hear of these.

 

The Shoes books

Lisa and Lottie (the book The Parent Trap is based on)

The Neverending Story

The Girl Who Owned a City

The Secret Language

The Girl With The Silver Eyes

Silver Woven in My Hair

Laura: The Life of Laura Ingalls Wilder (obviously not lit, but loved reading it at that age)

The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man in the Moon Marigolds

[ereks mom]

M.M. Kaye's The Ordinary Princess is magical for the 4-8 age range.

 

ETA: Sorry, I read age 4-8, not GRADE 4-8. My recommendation is not suitable after all.

 

My 6th grader (reluctant reader, reading below grade level) read The Ordinary Princess as part of her literature/reading for school this year. We loved it! And Scholastic.com says that its Lexile® measure is 1090L and 6.5 reading level. (I think that's a bit high, but I would say it's 4.0 or so.)

Edited May 26, 2011 by ereks mom

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Half Magic by Edward Eager. A quartet of children discover a magic charm. However, it has a mind of its own and strange adventures ensue as they try to figure out how to use it. (In the style of E. Nesbit, who was much beloved, but is now seldom read. Eager wrote several sequels to Half Magic, which are also good.)

 

Understood Betsy. I've seen this one recommended on homeschool boards but seldom other places. My kids really loved it.

 

The Phantom Tollbooth. Lots of funny wordplay and odd situations with a boy who is bored, and who ends up driving to a fantasy land.

 

Swallows and Amazons. When we finally got around to reading this, we really enjoyed it.

 

I also like The Rescuers (and sequels) by Margery Sharp and 101 Dalmations, both of which are much better than the movie versions.

[lmrich]

For the younger side of that, my dd said her three favorite books this year were:

The Penderwicks

Where the Mountain meets the Moon

Mandy

[momma aimee]

Thanks everyone