Books for Boys Entering Third Grade
 

(Summaries are taken from School Library Journal, Publisher's Weekly, and Amazon.com reviews and Library of Congress summaries.)

Fiction:

Pencil of Doom, by Andy Griffiths
Henry McThrottle has discovered a very dangerous pencil at Northwest Southeast Central School. At first, he thinks it's a normal, everyday pencil, but when the things it draws start to come true, like mean things that pose certain doom for Henry and his friends, he begins to take it seriously!

The Sloppy Copy Slipup, by DyAnne DiSalvo
Fourth-grader Brian Higman worries about how his teacher Miss Fromme--nicknamed The General--will react when he fails to hand in a writing assignment. But how can he make her understand that his impossible five-year-old-brother, a rock band rehearsal at his house, and the disappearance of his entire life savings all kept him from doing his homework?

Captain Jake, by Shannon Stewart
Jake loves to hunt for treasure, so when the famous pirate Captain Kidd asks him to be his cabin boy, he can't refuse. But Jake soon learns that bringing home an invisible pirate can be a real disaster, particularly when the pirate is mortally terrified of his teenage sister. There are many rules of the sea, and Captain Kidd's own cabin boy, Richard Barleycorn, teaches Jake how to face his biggest fear, Boris Baxter, the meanest boy in the whole school.

Dog Diaries, by Betsy Byars
At the first annual meeting of W.O.O.F. -- Words of Our Friends -- assorted dogs preserve their heritage by sharing tales of canines throughout history.

Dear Max, by Sally Grindley
When nine-year old Max writes a letter to his favorite author, he has no idea what is in store for him.

The Giggler Treatment, by Roddy Doyle
A talking dog, the Mack children and the small elf-like Gigglers themselves must try to stop the prank that the Gigglers have mistakenly set in motion to punish Mr. Mack for being mean to his children.

Joe Sherlock, Kid Detective by David Keane
A fourth-grade super-sleuth solves local mysteries.

Secret of the Spiritkeeper (Dungeons& Dragons: Knight of the Silver Dragon, book #1), by Matt Forbeck
In the first book in the Knights of the Silver Dragon series, two young brothers join forces with a brave girl to discover what has happened to the eldest boy's magic teacher.

The Toothpaste Millionaire, by Jean Merrill
A young girl describes how her school friend made over a million dollars by creating and marketing a cheaper and better toothpaste.

Friendship According to Humphrey, by Betty Birney.
When Humphrey the hamster returns to Mrs. Brisbane's class after the winter break, he finds a new class pet.

Stink and the Super Galactic Jawbreaker, by Megan McDonald.
Seven-year-old Stink Moody, having discovered that he can get free samples by writing letters of complaint to companies, gets so caught up in his letter writing campaign that he misses his best friend's birthday, and must plan a super surprise to make up for his mistake.

Night of the Living Gerbil, by Elizabeth Levy
Sam and his brother Robert fear their new neighbor is a zombie and plans to bring their dead pet gerbil back to life.

Buffalo Before Breakfast, by Mary Pope Osborne
The magic tree house takes Jack and his sister Annie to the Great Plains where they learn about the life of the Lakota Indians.

Jackson Jones and the Mission Greentop, by Mary Quattlebaum
His plot in a community garden brings 10-year-old Jackson Jones more zucchini than he cares to see and the unwanted attention of a bully, but when a company plans to destroy the garden, Jackson turns his attention to trying to save it.

Ziggy and the Black Dinosaurs: Lost in the Tunnel of Time, by Sharon M. Draper
Ziggy, Rashawn, Jerome, and Rico -- the Black Dinosaurs -- are thrilled to discover that their hometown was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Even more exciting, their new friend Mr. Greene has given them an old map that shows a secret passage, dating back to the days of the Railroad, right under their own school!

Scramble! by Don Patterson
Scramble is the first book in a series of six books that tell the story of 12 year old Harry Winslow who is growing up during World War II in the English countryside next to an RAF airfield.

Minnie and Moo and the Seven Wonders of the World, by Denys Cazet
Two cows try to save their farm by creating seven wonders and asking the other animals for donations to see them, but there is a wondrous and frightening creature in the woods that could foil the plan.

Amulet, by Kazu Kibuishi (Book One of The Stonekeeper series)
After a family tragedy, Emily, Navin, and their mother move to an ancestral home to start a new life. On the family's very first night in the mysterious house, Em and Navin's mom is kidnapped by a tentacled creature. Now it's up to Em and Navin to figure out how to set things right and save their mother's life! A beautifully-illustrated graphic novel.

Frindle, by Andrew Clements
When he decides to turn his fifth grade teacher's love of the dictionary around on her, clever Nick Allen invents a new word and begins a chain of events that quickly moves beyond his control.

I Jack, by Patricia Finney
Jack, a Labrador Retriever, tells about his daily life of food, walks, and the "apedogs" and "funny-looking dogs" (cats) in his pack, as well as how everything changes when a pretty girl dog moves into the neighborhood. Includes explanatory footnotes written by the cats.

Jack and Rebel, the Police Dog, by Patricia Finney
Jack the labrador retriever tells the tale of his adventures at home and with his old friend Rebel, the police dog, and how the two of them broke up a burglary ring that had been robbing houses while police were occupied with political protests. Includes explanatory footnotes written by the cats, and a glossary explaining Jack's terminology.

A House Called Awful End, by Philip Ardagh
When eleven-year-old Eddie Dickens's sickly parents become "a bit crinkly round the edges," he is taken in by his great-uncle and great-aunt, Mad Uncle Jack and Mad Aunt Maude, and embarks on adventures that involve strolling actors, St. Horrid's Home for Grateful Orphans, and a carnival float shaped like a giant cow.

Superfudge, by Judy Blume
Eleven-year-old Peter describes the highs and lows of life with his four-year-old brother, Fudge.

The Golden Age of Pirates: An Interactive History Adventure, by Bob Temple
You are sailing on a merchant ship loaded with treasure, OR you are a pirate searching for riches and a better life, OR you are a member of England’s navy, fighting aganst pirates. You decide what you do next in this choose-your-own adventure book.

Mr. Popper’s Penguins, by Richard Atwater
The unexpected delivery of a large crate containing an Antarctic penguin changes the life and fortune of Mr. Popper.

Jack Plank Tells Tall Tales, by Natalie Babbitt
When a pirate ship falls on hard times, Jack Plank is let go because he is not very good at plundering. Left in the Caribbean town of Saltwash, he has a bit of good luck to temper the bad.

Stone Fox, by John Gardiner
Willie hopes to win the purse in a sled-dog race in order to pay the back-taxes on his grandfather’s farm.


Non-fiction:
Odd Boy Out: Young Albert Einstein, by Don Brown.
Albert Einstein, a subject uncommon to young readers, is introduced in this picture book that portrays how his brilliance often caused him to be the odd boy in school and in life.

Why Do Dogs Have Wet Noses? by Stanley Coren.
Everything you want to know about how dogs think, talk, and see the world can be found in this short, illustrated book in a question and answer format.

Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship, by Isabella Hatkoff.
Baby hippo Owen and 130- year-old giant tortoise Mzee bond and become unlikely, but fast friends at Haller Park in Kenya.

Strange Mysteries From Around the World, by Seymour Simon
Describes nine strange natural phenomena and possible explanations for them. Includes the day it rained frogs, an atomic explosion that occurred 40 years before the atom bomb, and an eerie crystal skull.

You Wouldn't Want to Be a Pirate's Prisoner: Horrible Things You'd Rather Not Know, by John Mallam  (and other You Wouldn't Want To... books)
This book looks through the eyes of a fictional captain of a treasure ship sailing in the Spanish main who is about to become a pirate's prisoner.

You Wouldn't Want to Be at the Boston Tea Party: Wharf Water You'd Rather Not Drink, by Peter Cook
Like the many other books in the "You Wouldn't Want To" series, this book presents historical events through humorous cartoons and shocking descriptions. Here, readers assume the role of a poor young man living in Boston who is too short to join the British Army.

The Top of the World: Climbing Mount Everest, by Steve Jenkins
Describes the conditions and terrain of Mount Everest, attempts that have been made to scale this peak, and general information about the equipment and techniques of mountain climbing. Outstanding illustrations.

Surfer of the Century: The Life of Duke Kahanamoku, by Ellie Crowe
A brief biography of Hawaiian Duke Kahanamoku, five-time Olympic swimming champion from the early 1900s who is also considered worldwide as the 'father of modern surfing'.