Star Jumper: Journal of a Cardboard Genius by Frank Asch

Self-styled genius Alex has had it with his little brother. Jonathan is always hanging around–asking weird questions, messing with Alex's stuff, and generally being a pest. Mom says it's all just normal sibling rivalry, but Alex decides there is only one thing to do–leave Earth–and Jonathan–forever. Using his astounding scientific ability–plus lots of grocery boxes, duct tape, and assorted bits of junk, Alex designs the Star Jumper. This advanced cardboard spacecraft will take him across the galaxy to a brother-free planet–if only he can keep the first grader out of the way until liftoff.

Year of the Dog by Grace Lin

A lighthearted coming-of-age novel with a cultural twist. Readers follow Grace, an American girl of Taiwanese heritage, through the course of one year–The Year of the Dog–as she struggles to integrate her two cultures. Throughout the story, her parents share their own experiences that parallel events in her life. These stories serve a dual purpose; they draw attention to Graces cultural background and allow her to make informed decisions. She and her two sisters are the only Taiwanese-American children at school until Melody arrives. The girls become friends and their common backgrounds illuminate further differences between the American and Taiwanese cultures.

The Homework Machine by Dan Gutman

Fifth-grader Brenton is a computer genius, but the other three members of his work group think he's a nerd. So, when he tells them that he has invented a machine that does homework, they taunt him until he agrees to demonstrate. The machine actually works, and Kelsey, Sam, and Judy convince him to let them use it. At first, they are delighted with their freedom, but things quickly get out of hand. Their teacher is suspicious of the suddenly errorless work, and other friends resent the time that they spend together. How will it all turn out?

Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate

Kek, a young Sudanese refugee, is haunted by guilt that he survived. He saw his father and brother killed, and he left his mother behind when he joined his aunt's family in Minnesota. In fast, spare free verse, this debut novel by nonfiction writer Applegate gets across the immigrant child's dislocation and loss as he steps off the plane in the snow. He does make silly mistakes, as when he puts his aunt's dishes in the washing machine. But he gets a job caring for an elderly widow's cow that reminds him of his father's herds, and he helps his cousin, who lost a hand in the fighting. He finds kindness in his fifth-grade ESL class, and also racism, and he is astonished at the diversity. The boy's first-person narrative is immediately accessible.

Champ by Marcia Thornton Jones

RILEY is awful at sports. He wants to quit the baseball team, but his dad won't let him give up. So when one bad swing brings a three-legged dog into his life, Riley feels like he's been thrown a curveball. How can he take care of a dog and make his dad proud?

CHAMP is a former champion show dog. But when the accident that leaves him with Riley also leaves him with three legs, this dog has to learn some new tricks. Can Champ show Riley that winning doesn't always mean coming in first?

Together, Riley and Champ make a great team, but not everyone thinks so. Could they be separated?