Need a good book fast? Here are some of the best titles on many homeschool book lists. Here you'll find beloved children's stories, engaging fantasies, and gripping historical fiction, sorted from youngest readers to high school students.

Your children will delight in this classic story of Little Sal and Little Bear who go Blueberry picking with their mothers on Blueberry Hill in Maine. When they wander away from their mothers, each mistakes the other's mother for its own! With simple illustrations, childlike humor, and just enough suspense for young children, this book will be a family favorite for years to come! Recommended for ages 2 to 6. A 1949 Caldecott Honor book.

In 1707, young Sarah Noble and her father traveled through the wilderness to build a new home for their family. "Keep up your courage, Sarah Noble," her mother had said, but Sarah found that it was not always easy to feel brave inside. The dark woods were full of animals and Indians, too, and Sarah was only eight! The true story of Sarah's journey is inspiring. And as she cares for her father and befriends her Indian neighbors, she learns that to be afraid and to be brave is the greatest courage of all. Recommended for ages 7 to 10. A 1955 Newbery Honor book.

Irene’s mother, dressmaker Mrs. Bobbin, isn’t feeling well and can’t possibly deliver the beautiful ball gown she’s made for the duchess to wear that evening. It’s up to plucky Irene to get the gown to the palace in time, despite the fierce snowstorm that’s brewing. Brave Irene overcomes many obstacles, including the wiles of the wicked wind, her most formidable opponent, to complete her mission and receive the warmhearted thanks of a grateful duke and duchess. This 1986 New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year will inspire readers young and old to continue to persevere when faced with challenges. 32 pages, softcover. Ages 5 and up.

Corduroy is in for a Big adventure! Corduroy has been on the department store shelf for a long time. As soon as Lisa sees him, she knows he's the bear she's always wanted - even though he's a little shopworn. Corduroy knows that with a bit of work, he can tidy himself up - so it's off through the store in search of a new button! Recommended for ages 3 to 8.

A shark accuses Cyrus of cowardice because he won't sink any ships. The kindly sea serpent almost succumbs to peer pressure, but learns at last to be himself. 48 pages. Paperback. Ages 4-8.

Amos the mouse and Boris the whale: a devoted pair of friends with nothing at all in common, except good hearts and a willingness to help their fellow mammal. They meet after Amos sets out to sail the sea and finds himself in extreme need of rescue. And there will come a day, long after Boris has gone back to a life at sea and Amos has gone back to life on dry land, when the tiny mouse must find a way to rescue the great whale.  32 pages. Paperback. Ages 8-11.

When Miss Rumphius was little, she would sit on her grandfather's lap and listen to his stories of faraway places-and she would say "When I grow up, I too will go to faraway places, and when I grow old, I too will live beside the sea." However, her grandfather gives her a third charge-to do something that makes the world more beautiful. And Alice grows up to do just that. She takes a job as a librarian far away from the salt air, travels to distant locations, and moves back by the sea. However, she knows she must still do something to make the world more beautiful. After watching the Lupines grow by her house, she has a wonderful idea.

A picture book full of meaning, the gorgeous paintings capture the very essence of New England by the sea and the many stops of her life along the way. Winner of the American Book Award. Softcover.

Someone is planning to kill George Washington, and young Phoebe Fraunces is trying to save his life. Phoebe works as George Washington's housekeeper, but her real job is to work as a spy. She listens and watches very carefully, and she meets her father every day to tell him what she has learned. One day Phoebe's father tells her that Washington is planning to leave town in a few days, and the person plotting against him will act before then. Phoebe is very frightened, but she is determined to figure out who is after Washington before it's too late! "This episode drawn from the Revolutionary War is related with historical accuracy and suspense and illustrated with finesse."(School Library Journal).  48 pages, softcover. Ages 8 and up.

Little Willy's grandfather is sick, and it's up to Willy to save their farm from tax collectors. Their only hope is the prize money for the National Dogsled Race. But a lot of other people want to win the race, too, including Stone Fox, who has never lost a race in his life.

Do Willy and his dog Searchlight stand a chance against the toughest racers around? Can they win the race to save that farm--and Grandfather--before it's too late? Recommended for ages 7 to 11.

A kindly spider, a crafty rat, a wise farmer, a loving little girl named Fern, a humble-yet-terrific pig, and a miracle. No wonder it's a favorite! You and your 8- to 12-year-old readers will hang on every word. This 60th anniversary edition includes the beloved illustrations by Garth Williams and a foreword by Newbery Medal-winner Kate DiCamillo. 184 pages, softcover from HarperCollins.

Jemmy is a poor orphan boy who once lived on the streets but was plucked up and taken to the palace to be the prince's whipping boy. The prince, also known as Prince Brat, misbehaves constantly and is always in need of punishment, but because he is the prince he can't be whipped, spanked, or thrashed so instead Jemmy is whipped in his place.
When the prince decides that he wants to run away, he drags Jemmy with him and the two find themselves kidnapped and held hostage and must learn to trust and rely on each other. A Newbery Medal winner.

An exciting, easy-to-read telling of the story of John Ross, the chief of the great Cherokee Nation. John Ross is looking at his home for the last time. All around him, people are loading wagons for the long journey west. The Cherokee people do not want to leave their land, but they have no choice. Today is their first day on the Trail of Tears. Step 5.

Never out of print since its 1944 publication, this tender story offers readers of all ages a timeless message of compassion and understanding. At its heart is Wanda Petronski, an immigrant girl in an American school, who is ridiculed for wearing the same faded blue dress every day. When she tells her classmates that she has one hundred dresses at home, she unwittingly triggers a game of teasing that eventually ends in a lesson for all.

In restoring the reproduction of Louis Slobodkin's artwork, this new edition recaptures the original vivid color. And to celebrate the book's enhanced beauty, Helena Estes, the daughter of the author, has written a new letter to readers about the true story behind The Hundred Dresses.

The star of her school’s running team, Sadako is lively and athletic…until the dizzy spells start. Then she must face the hardest race of her life—the race against time. Based on a true story, Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes celebrates the courage that makes one young woman a heroine in Japan.  80 pages. Paperback. Ags 8-12.

In this laugh-out-loud, classic tale set in rural Sascatchewan, young Billy rescues two injured Great Horned Owls and adopts them into his growing menagerie of dogs, birds, snakes, and other small creatures. Readers will follow along as Billy and his two best friends train Weeps and Wol, take them to school, participate in an animal parade, and wrangle all his other animals. Even more hilarious adventures ensue that try the patience of his long-suffering mother, father, and, well, the entire neighborhood. 91 pages, softcover. Ages 8 and up.

It is 1943 in Denmark, when ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen's family takes in her best friend Ellen, and poses her as a member of the family. Ellen is Jewish and Jewish people all over the country, and Europe, are being taken by the Nazis and put into Jewish ghettos and concentration camp. This Newbery Medal winner chronicles the life of this family, the hardships they must face and the heroic decisions that they are forced to make.

The Golden Goblet by Eloise Jarvis McGraw is a historical fiction novel about an Egyptian boy named Ranofer who tries to reveal an evil crime and reshape his life. Ranofer lives his life in fear of his half-brother Gebu, who beats him and forces him to work as a porter, the lowest rank in the goldsmith, even though Ranofer has skill in goldsmithing that he learned from his father. When Ranofer finds a rare golden goblet in Gebu's room, he is determined to right Gebu's wrongs and change his own life for the better. A 1962 Newbery Honor Book. Recommended for ages 8 years and older.

Tree-ear is an orphan boy in a 12th-century Korean village renowned for its ceramics. When he accidentally breaks a delicate piece of pottery, he volunteers to work to pay for the damage. Putting aside his own dreams, Tree-ear resolves to serve the master potter by embarking on a difficult and dangerous journey, little knowing that it will change his life forever. 152 pages. Paperback. Ags 8-12.

In One Crazy Summer, eleven-year-old Delphine is like a mother to her two younger sisters, Vonetta and Fern. She's had to be, ever since their mother, Cecile, left them seven years ago for a radical new life in California. But when the sisters arrive from Brooklyn to spend the summer with their mother, Cecile is nothing like they imagined.

While the girls hope to go to Disneyland and meet Tinker Bell, their mother sends them to a day camp run by the Black Panthers. Unexpectedly, Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern learn much about their family, their country, and themselves during one truly crazy summer.

This novel was the first featured title for Marley D’s Reading Party, launched after the success of #1000BlackGirlBooks. Maria Russo, in a New York Times list of "great kids' books with diverse characters,

Mrs. Frisby, a widowed mouse with four small children, is faced with a terrible problem. She must move her family to their summer quarters immediately, or face almost certain death. But her youngest son, Timothy, lies ill with pneumonia and must not be moved. Fortunately, she encounters the rats of NIMH, an extraordinary breed of highly intelligent creatures, who come up with a brilliant solution to her dilemma. And Mrs. Frisby in turn renders them a great service.

Adolf Hitler's ominous statements seem only a distant threat to 11-year-old Rudi Kaplan. But when the Nazi forces invade Poland and bomb his home city of Warsaw, Rudi finds out that he is Hitler's enemy not only because he is a Pole but also because he's a Jew--and a Christian.

The next few years change Rudi's life forever. With only his imprisoned father's promise that they will be reunited after the war, Rudi must learn how to survive in hiding, how to be truly brave, and how to overcome the hatred of his enemies. He must learn to die to himself and to trust the God who is mightier than any army. Recommended for ages 9 to 12.

More than a work of fiction, this is a story culled from Mildred D. Taylor's own family's life and it stands as an important record of an African-American experience from our country's complicated and not-so-distant past. Though fictionalized, the novel draws great strength from a foundation of real-life events - and yet, remarkably, its honest portrayal of harsh truths have lead some to seek to remove the book from the library shelves and school reading lists. Ms. Taylor eloquently addresses this important issue in her inspiring new forward for the anniversary edition.

Translated into scores of languages, this monumental novel remains as meaningful and universal as when it was first published in 1976. Recommended for ages 10 and up. The 1977 Newbery Medal winner.

Far off the coast of California looms a harsh rock known as the island of San Nicholas. Dolphins flash in the blue waters around it, sea otter play in the vast kep beds, and sea elephants loll on the stony beaches. Here, in the early 1800s, according to history, an Indian girl spent eighteen years alone, and this beautifully written novel is her story. It is a romantic adventure filled with drama and heartache, for not only was mere subsistence on so desolate a spot a near miracle, but Karana had to contend with the ferocious pack of wild dogs that had killed her younger brother, constantly guard against the Aleutian sea otter hunters, and maintain a precarious food supply.

One stormy night a strange visitor comes to the Murry house and beckons Meg, her brother, Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin O'Keefe on a most dangerous and fantastic journey - a journey that will threaten their lives and our universe. This edition, published 40 years after its original publication date, is completely redesigned with bonus material from Anna Quindlen, a new interview with Madeleline L'Engle, and the author's Newbery Medal acceptance speech. Recommended for ages 9 and up. The 1963 Newbery Medal winner.

It’s 1936, in Flint, Michigan. Times may be hard, and ten-year-old Bud may be a motherless boy on the run, but Bud’s got a few things going for him:
1. He has his own suitcase full of special things.
2. He’s the author of Bud Caldwell’s Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself.
3. His momma never told him who his father was, but she left a clue: flyers advertising Herman E. Calloway and his famous band, the Dusky Devastators of the Depression!!!!!!
 
Bud’s got an idea that those flyers will lead him to his father. Once he decides to hit the road to find this mystery man, nothing can stop him—not hunger, not fear, not vampires, not even Herman E. Calloway himself. 256 pages. Paperback. Ages 8-12

The Big Wave is the powerful novel by Nobel Prize-winning author Pearl S. Buck, about two friends who must face the pain of losing everything—and how to face their grief with courage. 

Kino lives on a farm on the side of a mountain in Japan. His friend, Jiya, lives in a fishing village below. Everyone, including Kino and Jiya, has heard of the big wave. No one suspects it will wash over them, until the rushing water sweeps away the whole village—including Jiya's family.

As Jiya struggles to overcome his sorrow, with the help of Kino and his father, he comes to understand that it is only in the presence of danger that one learns to be brave, and that even in the face of terrible tragedy, life and love are stronger than death. 64 pages. Paperback. Ages 8-12.

Come away to a fantastical world where ice prairies sparkle, sea dragons sing by moonlight, and lost legends come to life! Penned and partially illustrated by Peterson, this adventure-filled tale takes you to the land of Skree where the Igiby children are pursued by the evil Gnag after they stumble upon a cache of precious jewels. Recommended for ages 8 to 12 years.

Johnny Tremain is a talented apprentice at a silversmith in colonial Boston when a horrible accident leaves his hand disfigured and his future forever changed. Since he is no longer able to be a silversmith, his life takes him on a new path that will bring him into touch with Paul Revere, John Hancock and other Boston patriots and help him to discover a new dream that will allow him to be a part of American history.

Bilbo Baggins was a respectable hobbit, who never had any adventures-or didn't, until Gandalf persuaded him to go along with Thorin Oakenshield and his company of Dwarves to retrieve the Arkenstone treasure. During his journey, Bilbo finds a magic ring, helps the dwarves to escape from giants and wood-elves, and plays an increasingly important role in the relations between the five armies that gather in order to attempt to take their fair share of Smaug the Dragon's horde, returning to the Shire with plenty of stories to tell.

255 pages, hardcover, with color original dust-jacket illustrated by Tolkien. This text contains all revisions and corrections that have been made since the original publication, and conforms to the British Fourth Edition published by George Allen & Unwin in 1978.

In this incredible debut novel comes the richly entertaining story of Ella of Frell, who at birth was given the gift of obedience by a fairy. Ella soon realizes that this gift is little better than a curse, for how can she truly be herself if at anytime anyone can order her to hop on one foot, or cut off her hand, or betray her kingdom'and she'll have to obey? Against a bold tapestry of princes, ogres, giants, wicked stepsisters, and fairy godmothers, Ella's quest to break the curse once and for all and discover who she really is is as sharply funny as Catherine, Called Birdy, as richly poignant as Beauty, and has all the marks of a classic in the making. Recommended for ages 8 and up, 232 pages, softcover. A 1998 Newbery Honor Book.

Since The Book of Three was first published in 1964, young readers have been enthralled by the adventures of Taran the Assistant Pig-Keeper and his quest to become a hero. Taran is joined by an engaging cast of characters that includes Eilonwy, the strong-willed and sharp-tongued princess; Fflewddur Fflam, the hyperbole-prone bard; the ever-faithful Gurgi; and the curmudgeonly Doli, all of whom have become involved in an epic struggle between good and evil that shapes the fate of the legendary land of Prydain. Released over a period of five years, Lloyd Alexander's beautifully written Prydain Series not only captured children's imaginations but also garnered the highest critical praise. Ages 8 and up.

Unavailable for several years, Virginia Hamilton’s award-winning companion to The People Could Fly (not included, sold-separately), traces the history of slavery in America in the voices and stories of those who lived it. Leo and Diane Dillon’s brilliant black-and-white illustrations echo the stories’ subtlety and power, making this book as stunning to look at as it is to read. 160 pages. Paperback. Ags 8-12.

• Nathaniel Bowditch grew up in a seafaring world, when tall-masted ships from foreign ports crowded the wharves. Too small to be a mariner, he studied the ocean's ways until he could chart a course in any weather, then penned The American Practical Navigator, stunning the sailing community with his nautical expertise. Ages 10 and up. 256 pages, softcover from Houghton Mifflin.

Uriah the Hittite has found refuge from the Greeks in the Canaanite city of Tyre. Now the decision by Jotham, the Hebrew, to save a child from being sacrificed to Moloch forces Uriah to choose life over reverence of Tyre's fearsome god. The three escape to the hill country of Judea, where Deborah and Barak are mustering the Hebrews to fight the Canaanites. This meticulously researched novel is set in the time of the Judges, and incorporates Biblical facts with a gripping story, set against the wide background of ancient civilizations.

A loving trio of friends, Old Dan, Little Ann, and Billy ranged the hills and river bottoms of Cherokee country. Old Dan had the brawn, Little Ann had the brains, and Billy had the will to train them to be the finest hunting dogs in the valley. Glory and victory were coming to them, but when tragedy overcomes these determined hunters, Billy must learn for himself that hope can come from despair. 304 pages, softcover. Ages 10 and up.

Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time she lands in a new school, she is able to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions.  She is afraid to ask for help; after all, how can you cure dumb? However, her newest teacher Mr. Daniels sees the bright, creative kid underneath the trouble maker. With his help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of. As her confidence grows, Ally feels free to be herself and the world starts opening up with possibilities. She discovers that there’s a lot more to her—and to everyone—than a label, and that great minds don’t always think alike. Includes discussion questions. 320 pages, softcover. Grades 9 and up.

This is the unforgettable story of young Jethro Creighton who comes of age during the turbulent years of the Civil War. Recommended for ages 8 to 12. A 1965 Newbery Honor book.

It was the time of the French Revolution...a time of great change and great danger. It was a time when injustice was met by a lust for vengeance, and rarely was a distinction made between the innocent and the guilty. Against this tumultuous historical backdrop, Dickens' great story of unsurpassed adventure and courage unfolds...

Thirteen year old Brian Robeson survived the plane crash. . .but now was alone, in the middle of the woods of Canada, with only a hatchet. The story of how he stayed alive for 54 days---finding food, getting water, escaping animals, building a shelter, constructing a bow---has riveted young readers and become a modern young-adult classic. 30th anniversary edition; pocket sized and water resistant, it can accompany readers on their adventures. Recommended for ages 10 to 14 years.

Princess Irene has discovered a secret winding stairway in her castle which leads to a bewildering labyrinth of unknown passages with closed doors....and more stairs. What lies at the top? And what plot is brewing far below? 272 pages, softcover.

After witnessing his father's crucifixion by Roman soldiers, Daniel bar Jamin is fired by a single passion: to avenge his father's death by driving the Roman legions form the land of Israel. Consumed by hatred, Daniel joins the brutal raids of an outlaw band living in the hills outside his village. Though his grandmother's death slows his plans by forcing him to move home to care for his sister, he continues his dangerous life by leading a group of boy guerrillas in spying and plotting, impatiently waiting to take revenge.

In nearby Capernaum, a rabbi is teaching a different lesson. Time and again Daniel is drawn to the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, only to turn away, disappointed and confused by Jesus' lack of action in opposing the Romans. Devoid of tenderness and forgiveness, headstrong Daniel is also heedless of the loyalty of his friend Joel; the love of Joel's sister, Malthace; and the needs of his own disturbed sister, Leah, dragging them down his destructive path toward disaster.

Elisabeth George Speare won the 1962 Newbery Medal for this magnificent novel of Daniel's tormented journey from a blind, confining hatred to his acceptance and understanding of love. Booklist called it "a dramatic, deeply felt narrative whose characters and message will be long remembered." Recommended for ages 9 and up. The 1962 Newbery Medal winner.

The little prince lives alone on a tiny planet no larger than a house. He owns three volcanoes, two active and one extinct. He also owns a flower-unlike any flower in all of the wide galaxy-of great beauty and inordinate pride. It is this pride that runis the serenity of the little princes's world and starts him on the interplanetary travels that bring him to Earth, where he learns, finally, from a fox, the secret of what is truly important in life. A story full of life and light, this is a book that changes the world forever for its readers.

When her grandfather dies, Katherine "Kit" Tyler is forced to leave a carefree life on Barbados to go to her aunt, the only family that she has left. Kit arrives in Connecticut Colony in April of 1687 and is dismayed by the bleak landscape. Her misgivings deepen as she is introduced to the Puritan ways of her new family, and she soon finds herself at odds with Aunt Rachel and Uncle Matthew--and the entire community. When she tries to escape the oppressive surroundings of her new home, Kit encounters the Widow Tupper, a Quaker who is believed to practice witchcraft. The friendship between Kit and Widow Tupper grows, but not without consequences. Kit is accused of being a witch simply because of her association with the widow, known to all as the Witch of Blackbird Pond. 256 pages, softcover. Grades 5-8.

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin, is a highly inventive mystery that begins with sixteen unlikely people gathered for the reading of the very strange will of the very rich Samuel W. Westing. If they play the game right they could become millionaires. The game is tricky anddangerous. As they play on through blizzards, burglaries,and bombings, the discordant group realizes that Sam Westing may be dead but that won't stop him from playing one last game. 240 pages, softcover. Ages 8 and up.

In this compelling love story, Margaret Hale must leave her idyllic, rural home in Hampshire, when her father resigns his position in the Anglican Church. They move to Milton, a northern industrial town where she sees, firsthand, the poverty and poor working conditions of the mill workers. When she strives to relieve the suffering of her new friends, she runs into fierce opposition from mill owner and self-made man, John Thornton, but their conflict masks a deeper attraction. In North and South, Gaskell creates an original and inspiring Victorian heroine, and delves into themes of geographical, economic, and class differences; the clash between the pursuit of profit and humanitarian ideals; and the male and female roles that are entrenched in English culture. 480 pages, softcover.