Favorite Childhood Books of NCCS Faculty and Staff: When They Were In Early Childhood and Lower School

For Milo, everything’s a bore. When a tollbooth mysteriously appears in his room, he drives through only because he’s got nothing better to do. But on the other side, things seem different. Milo visits the Island of Conclusions (you get there by jumping), learns about time from a ticking watchdog named Tock, and even embarks on a quest to rescue Rhyme and Reason. Somewhere along the way, Milo realizes something astonishing. Life is far from dull. In fact, it’s exciting beyond his wildest dreams! Grade 3-7 (Lexile: 1000)

Join Darrell and her friends in their adventures. There are new friends to make, sporting matches to be won, tempers to control and tricks to play on teachers!

Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte's Web, high up in Zuckerman's barn. Charlotte's spiderweb tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur's life when he was born the runt of his litter.

Rhymed text and illustrations invite the reader to play "I Spy" with a variety of Mother Goose and other folklore characters.

The Big Friendly Giant is one of Dahls most lovable characters. Whether galloping off with Sophie nestled next to his ear; speaking his delightful, jumbled, squib-fangled patois; or whizzpopping for the Queen, he leaves an indelible impression of bigheartedness. Grade 3-7 (Lexile: 720)

Matilda is a sweet, exceptional young girl, but her parents think she’s just a nuisance. She expects school to be different, but there she has to face Miss Trunchbull, a kid-hating terror of a headmistress. When Matilda is attacked by the Trunchbull, she suddenly discovers she has a remarkable power with which to fight back. It will take superhuman genius to give Miss Trunchbull what she deserves, and Matilda may be just the one to do it! Grade 1-4 (Lexile: 840)

When Claudia and Jamie plan to run away from home, they decide that the Metropolitan Museum of Art would be a very comfortable place to live. So they settle in and soon find themselves in the middle of a controversy over the authenticity of a new statue. Grade 3-7 (Lexile: 700)

When Kristy Thomas has the great idea to form a baby-sitters club--a chance to earn money and spend time with her friends, all while doing something they each love to do--she has no idea how much the club will change everything.

Crank calls, uncontrollable toddlers, wild pets, untruthful clients . . . running a business is hard work! Kristy and her co-founders, Mary Anne, Claudia, and Stacey, are sure they can handle anything. But only if they stick together . . .Grade 3-7

The little house first stood in the country, but gradually the city moved closer and closer. Grade Pre-3

Over fifty years ago, a small bear set out on the adventure of a lifetime. With nothing but a suitcase, several jars of marmalade, and a label around his neck that read, "Please look after this bear. Thank you," he crossed the ocean heading for England. When he arrived at London's busy Paddington Station, he was discovered by Mr. and Mrs. Brown. As luck would have it, the Browns were just the sort of people to welcome a lost bear into their family—and their lives would never be the same. Grade PreS-3 (Lexile: 650)

A rollicking story of Pippi who lives without any grownups in a little house at the edge of the village. The matter-of-fact way in which her absurd adventures are related is one of the chief charms of this story. Grade 3-7 (Lexile: 870)

Since 1926, Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends—Piglet, Owl, Tigger, and the ever doleful Eeyore—have endured as the unforgettable creations of A.A. Milne, who wrote this book for his son, Christopher Robin, and Ernest H. Shepard, who lovingly gave Pooh and his companions shape.

These characters and their stories are timeless treasures of childhood that continue to speak to all of us with the kind of freshness and heart that distinguishes true storytelling. Grade 3-7 (Lexile: 790)

Based on the real-life adventures of Laura Ingalls Wilder, the award-winning Little House books have charmed generations of readers, and now this collectible box set brings together the first four books in the series: Little House in the Big Woods, Farmer Boy, Little House on the Prairie, and On the Banks of Plum Creek.

In these books, Laura Ingalls travels with her family from the Big Woods of Wisconsin, to the prairies of Kansas, and up to Minnesota--all while facing the challenges of life on the frontier. And in Farmer Boy, Almanzo Wilder lives with his brother and sisters on a big farm in New York State. Grade 3-7

Celebrate the 25th anniversary of Goosebumps with the five all-time bestsellers in the series with their original covers in an exclusive tin! Contains "Monster Blood, Why I'm Afraid of Bees, A Night in Terror Tower, The Beast From the East, " and "Legend of the Lost Legend. Grade 3-7

Four adventurous siblings—Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie—step through a wardrobe door and into the land of Narnia, a land frozen in eternal winter and enslaved by the power of the White Witch. But when almost all hope is lost, the return of the Great Lion, Aslan, signals a great change . . . and a great sacrifice.

Open the door and enter a new world! The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is the second book in C. S. Lewis's classic fantasy series, which has been captivating readers of all ages with a magical land and unforgettable characters for over sixty years. Grade 3-6 (Lexile: 940)

After being sent unjustly to a boys' detention center, Stanley is forced by the warden to dig holes everyday. While the warden claims it's to build character, it doesn't take Stanley long to realize there's more than character improvement going on at Camp Green Lake. Stanley decides he needs to dig up the truth about what the warden is looking for. Grades 4-8 (Lexile 660).

When the other engines refuse, the Little Blue Engine tries to pull a stranded train full of toys and good food over the mountain. Grade PreS - 2 (Lexile:540)

This story of a boy who grows to manhood, and of a tree that gives him her bounty through the years, is a moving parable about the gift of giving and the capacity to love. Grade 2 + (Lexile: 530)

Anne Shirley is an eleven-year-old orphan who has hung on determinedly to an optimistic spirit and a wildly creative imagination through her early deprivations. She erupts into the lives of aging brother and sister Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, a girl instead of the boy they had sent for. Thus begins a story of transformation for all three; indeed the whole rural community of Avonlea comes under Anne's influence in some way. We see her grow from a girl to a young woman of sixteen, making her mistakes, and not always learning from them. Intelligent, hot-headed as her own red hair, unwilling to take a moral truth as read until she works it out for herself, she must also face grief and loss and learn the true meaning of love. Part Tom Sawyer, part Jane Eyre, by the end of Anne of Green Gables, Anne has become the heroine of her own story. Grade 3-8 (Lexile:590)

A true classic with a timeless message, The Story of Ferdinand has enchanted readers since it was first published in 1936. All the other bulls would run and jump and butt their heads together. But Ferdinand would rather sit and smell the flowers. So what will happen when our pacifist hero is picked for the bullfights in Madrid? Grade Pre-K+ (Lexile: 760)

In the first novel from Newbery Medal–winning author Beverly Cleary, boys and girls alike will be charmed instantly by an average boy whose life is turned upside down when he meets a lovable puppy with a nose for mischief.

Just as Henry Huggins is complaining that nothing exciting ever happens, a friendly dog sits down beside him and looks pleadingly at his ice-cream cone. From that moment on, the two are inseparable. But when Ribsy's original owner appears, trying to reclaim his dog, Henry's faced with the possibility of losing his new best friend. Has Klickitat Street seen the last of rambunctious Ribsy? Grade 2-7 (Lexile: 670)

Though scoffed at by Harold the dog, Chester the cat tries to warn his human family that their foundling baby bunny must be a vampire.

A little creature tries and tries to do something special for his mother but something always seems to go wrong.

A boy offers a passing mouse a cookie, prompting the need for a glass of milk, then a straw, a look in the mirror--until the exhausting activities require a glass of milk and a cookie.

Fourteen-year-old Johnny Tremain, an apprentice silversmith with a bright future ahead of him, injures his hand in a tragic accident, forcing him to look for other work. In his new job as a horse-boy, riding for the patriotic newspaper The Boston Observer and as a messenger for the Sons of Liberty, he encounters John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and Dr. Joseph Warren. Soon Johnny is involved in the pivotal events of the American Revolution, from the Boston Tea Party to the first shots fired at Lexington. Powerful illustrations by artist Michael McCurdy bring this classic to life.

In this classic of modern children's literature, beloved by generations of readers and listeners, the quiet poetry of the words and the gentle, lulling illustrations combine to make a perfect book for the end of the day.

A simple dot can be the start of a circle or a straight line and a combination of these can produce many interesting shapes, including faces, houses, towns, and the world.

Get ready to laugh about the world’s funniest kindergartner! Grade 1-4 (Lexile: 380)

Black Beauty is a handsome, sweet-tempered colt with a strong spirit. As a young colt he is free to gallop in the fresh green meadows with his beloved mother, Duchess, and their kind master. But when his owners are forced to sell him, Black Beauty goes from a life of comfort and kindness to one of hard labour and cruelty. Bravely he works as hard as he can, suffering at the hands of men who treat animals badly. But Black Beauty has an unbreakable spirit and will, and is determined to survive . Grade 3-7 (Lexile: 1020)

It's Omri's birthday, but all he gets from his best friend, Patrick, is a little plastic Indian toy. Trying to hide his disappointment, Omri puts the Indian in a metal cupboard and locks the door with a mysterious skeleton key that once belonged to his great-grandmother. Little does Omri know that by turning the key, he will transform his ordinary plastic Indian into a real live man from an altogether different time and place! Omri and the tiny warrior called Little Bear could hardly be more different, yet soon the two forge a very special friendship. Will Omri be able to keep Little Bear without anyone finding out and taking his precious Indian from him? Grade 3-7 (Lexile 780)

To her small Eskimo village, she is known as Miyax; to her friend in San Francisco, she is Julie. When her life in the village becomes dangerous, Miyax runs away, only to find herself lost in the Alaskan wilderness.

Miyax tries to survive by copying the ways of a pack of wolves and soon grows to love her new wolf family. Life in the wilderness is a struggle, but when she finds her way back to civilization, Miyax is torn between her old and new lives. Is she Miyax of the Eskimos—or Julie of the wolves? Grade 3-7 (Lexile: 860)

The Poky Little Puppy was one of the original twelve Little Golden Books published in 1942, and went on to become the bestselling picture book of all time. The story of a curious puppy, who digs holes under fences and who has to go to bed without any strawberry shortcake, has delighted families for generations. it is, quite simply, an icon. Delightful to read aloud, The Poky Little Puppy is a cherished story that every child should know. Grade Baby - 3 (Lexile: 640)

This rollicking rhyme tells the story of a very important house--the house that Jack built--around which wacky things happen to animals and people alike. It's a shining example of how one event can spawn a whole series of mishaps.

While walking to school one day, Andy meets a lion and soon makes a new friend. A tale of gratitude and helping out our neighbors, children of all ages will love this retelling of the classic folktale “Androcles and the Lion.” Gradee 3-7 (Lexile: 510)

This very funny story is Henry's straight-faced journal of his summer activities. Henry, who has an interest in nature and a talent for making things happen, establishes the firm of Henry Reed, Inc., Research, and with neighbor Midge as an ally, engages in a series of projects usually profitable to them, but often hazardous to the adults involved. Grade 3-7 (Lexile: 880)

n the Manhattan bank of the Hudson River, a small lighthouse--made of steel and painted bright red--proudly protects boats with his faithful beam. One day a great expanse of gray steel, which also shines a bright light into the fog and darkness, is built over it. The little red lighthouse feels insignificant and useless in comparison but soon learns that . . . small can be mighty! Grade PreS - 3 (Lexile: 530)

A poetry collection that is outrageously funny and deeply profound. Come in . . . for where the sidewalk ends, Shel Silverstein's world begins.

You'll meet a boy who turns into a TV set, and a girl who eats a whale. The Unicorn and the Bloath live there, and so does Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout who will not take the garbage out. It is a place where you wash your shadow and plant diamond gardens, a place where shoes fly, sisters are auctioned off, and crocodiles go to the dentist. Grade 1-3

n merry verse and illustrations, Marvin is asked to leave by every conceivable means of transportation. Grade K-1 (Lexile: 280)

The Velveteen Rabbit or How Toys Become Real is a classic children's novel written by Margery Williams and illustrated by William Nicholson. It chronicles the story of a stuffed rabbit and his quest to become real through the love of his owner. The book was first published in 1922. Grades K-4 (Lexile: 1050)

No description available.

A large art museum introduces the reader to some of the various media and subjects of the works it contains, and speculates on what would happen if they came alive when the museum closed

On her journey by car from Ohio to Idaho with her grandparents, 13-year-old Salamanca Hiddle tells the story of her friend Phoebe, who receives a message from a "lunatic" and who must cope with the disappearance of her mother. But beneath this story is Sal's own story, and that of her mother, who left home one day and never returned. Grade 3-7 (Lexile: 770)

Two friends play the game of naming their favorite things. Grade 2-3

There's an enslaved dragon on Wild Island, and young Elmer Elevator is determined to free him--despite hungry tigers, cranky crocodiles, and other challenges.

Chaos can ensue if you give a moose a muffin and start him on a cycle of urgent requests.

Scott O'Dell's Newbery Medal-winning classic is a gripping tale of survival, strength, and courage. Based on the true story of a Nicoleño Indian girl living alone on an island off the coast of California, Island of the Blue Dolphins has captivated readers for generations. Grade 3-7 (Lexile: 970)

Berenstain Bears' storybook includes ten classic stories created by Stan and Jan Berenstain! Boys and girls ages 3 to 7 will love the heartwarming stories in this hardcover collection! Featured stories include: The Berenstain Bears' New Baby, The Berenstain Bears Go to School, The Berenstain Bears and the Sitter, The Berenstain Bears Go to the Doctor, The Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist, The Berenstain Bears' Moving Day, The Berenstain Bears Get in a Fight, The Berenstain Bears Go to Camp, The Berenstain Bears In the Dark, and The Berenstain Bears and the Messy Room.

When an eldest son fell into a well and too much time was spent trying to pronounce his name instead of being spent in getting help, the Chinese, according to legend, decided to give all their children short names. An adaptation of a Chinese folktale.

eroy Brown, aka Encyclopedia Brown, is Idavilles ten-year-old star detective. With an uncanny knack for trivia, he solves mysteries for the neighborhood kids through his own detective agency. Grade 3-7. (Lexile: 560)

The Secret of the Old Clock is the mystery that began it all for America's favorite teenaged slueth. The accidental rescue of a little girl who lives with her two great-aunts leads to an adventurous search for a missing will. Mrs. Quisgard enjoyed many books in this series.

The Bears explore night as their adventures take them "in, on, around" and "out." Grades: PreS - 1

When a lion comes to the library one day, no one is sure what to do. There are no rules about lions in the library. When something terrible happens, the lion quickly comes to the rescue in the only way he knows how. Grade PreS -3 (Lexile: 470)

Four young orphans discover an abandoned boxcar and move in, embarking on a life of self-reliance and hard work — but they also enter a world of freedom and adventure. Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny are afraid of the grandfather they've never met, and to escape his custody they set out on their own, working odd jobs to make money for necessities. When Violet falls ill, they're forced to take her to a doctor . . . and risk losing their independence. Grade 2-5 (Lexile: 580)

Mrs. Mallard was sure that the pond in the Boston Public Gardens would be a perfect place for her and her eight ducklings to live. The problem was how to get them there through the busy streets of Boston. But with a little help from the Boston police, Mrs. Mallard and Jack, Kack, Lack, Nack, Ouack, Pack, and Quack arive safely at their new home.This brilliantly illustrated, amusingly observed tale of Mallards on the move has won the hearts of generations of readers. Awarded the
Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children in 1941, it has since become a favorite of millions. Grade PreS - 2

The Borrowers—the Clock family: Homily, Pod, and their fourteen-year-old daughter, Arrietty, to be precise—are tiny people who live underneath the kitchen floor of an old English country manor. All their minuscule home furnishings, from postage stamp paintings to champagne cork chairs, are “borrowed” from the “human beans” who tromp around loudly above them. All is well until Pod is spotted upstairs by a human boy! Can the Clocks stay nested safely in their beloved hidden home, or will they be forced to flee? Grade 3-7 (Lexile: 780)

The Little Mailman, a chipmunk, leads a charming cast of animal characters, in a story in which letters unite a community in friendship.

A little boy who loves horses gets a special birthday present. Ms. Vitti enjoyed the whole series!

The adventures of an eleven-year-old tomboy growing up on the Wisconsin frontier in the mid-nineteenth century.