Book Discussion Collection
The Book Discussion Collection includes 10 – 20 copies of each book title. We have books of interest for kids in grades K-12. Books check out for 6 weeks with no renewals. Holds cannot be placed online. For information about grades K-5 book discussion books, call Youth Services at 630-978-1272 and for grades 6-12, call Young Adult Services at 630-978-1655
Some book discussion books have guides. To view the guide, click on the book title. Guides may contain key elements of the plot.
Book Discussions Recommended for Grades K-5 |
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Title |
Author |
Interest by Grade Level |
Library Campus |
| 8 Class Pets + 1 Squirrel / Dog = CHAOS | Vivian Vande Velde | 2-4 | Oswego |
| Adventures of a South Pole Pig | Chris Kurtz | 4-8 | Montgomery |
| Andrew Lost: In the Bathroom | J.C. Greenburg | 2-4 | Oswego |
| Andrew Lost: On the Dog | J.C. Greenburg | 2-4 | Montgomery |
| The Apothecary | Maile Meloy | 6-9 | Montgomery |
| Arthur and the World Record | Marc Brown | 2-4 | Montgomery |
| Balloons Over Broadway | Melissa Sweet | K-3 | Montgomery |
| Because of Mr. Terupt | Rob Buyea | 4-8 | Montgomery |
| Because of Winn-Dixie | Kate DiCamillo | 4-6 | Montgomery |
| The Beloved Dearly | Doug Cooney | 3-6 | Montgomery |
| Biblioburro | Jeanette Winter | K-2 | Oswego |
| Bink and Gollie | Kate DiCamillo | 1-3 | Oswego |
| Blast to the Past: Bell’s Breakthrough | Stacia Deutsch | 4-6 | Oswego |
| Bookstore Mouse | Peggy Christian | 5-6 | Montgomery |
| The Borrowers | Mary Norton | 3-6 | Oswego |
| Boxes for Katje | Candace Fleming | PreK-3 | Montgomery |
| Breaking Stalin’s Nose | Yelchin, Eugene | 5-8 | Montgomery |
| Bridge to Terabithia | Katherine Peterson | 4-8 | Oswego |
| Brothers at Bat | Audrey Vernick | 1-3 | Oswego |
| Bud not Buddy | Christopher Paul Curtis | 5-8 | Oswego |
| The Buddha’s Diamonds | Carolyn Marsden | 4-8 | Oswego |
| Building Our House | Jonathan Bean | K-3 | Montgomery |
| Bunnicula | Deborah Howe | 4-8 | Oswego |
| Caleb’s Story | Patricia MacLachlan | 2-4 | Montgomery |
| Calli Be Gold | Michele Weber Hurwitz | 4-7 | Montgomery |
| Cam Jansen and the Sports Day Mystery | David A. Adler | 1-3 | Montgomery |
| Candle Man | Glenn Dakin | 4-8 | Montgomery |
| The Chameleon Wore Chartreuse | Bruse Hale | 2-4 | Montgomery |
| Charlotte’s Web | E.B. White | 2-5 | Oswego |
| Children of the Longhouse | Joseph Bruchac | 4-8 | Montgomery |
| Cosmic | Frank Cottrell Boyce | 4-8 | Oswego |
| Crenshaw | Katherine Applegate | 4-8 | Oswego |
| Darby | Jonathon Scott Fuqua | 6-8 | Oswego |
| Dear Primo | Duncan Tonatiuh | K-3 | Montgomery |
| Deep in the Sahara | Kelly Cunnane | K-3 | Oswego |
| The Dot | Peter Reynolds | K-3 | Montgomery |
| Drama | Raina Telgemeier | 5-8 | Montgomery |
| Drita, My Homegirl | Jenny Lombard | 3-6 | Montgomery |
| Duck at the Door | Jackie Urbanovic | K-3 | Montgomery |
| Dying to Meet You | Kate Klise | 4-8 | Oswego |
| Each Kindness | Jaqueline Woodson | K-3 | Oswego |
| The Earth Dragon Awakens | Lawrence Yep | 3-6 | Oswego |
| The Egypt Game | Zilpha Keatley Snyder | 6-8 | Montgomery |
| Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library | Chris Grabenstein | 4-8 | Oswego |
| Extra Credit | Andrew Clements | 5-7 | Oswego |
| Fair Weather | Richard Peck | 5-8 | Montgomery |
| The Family Under the Bridge | Natalie Savage Carlson | 4-8 | Montgomery |
| Frindle | Andrew Clements | 3-6 | Montgomery |
| The Gold-Theaded Dress | Carolyn Marsden | 4-8 | Montgomery |
| The Great and Only Barnum | Candace Fleming | 4-8 | Oswego |
| Hank Zipzer: Niagara Falls, Or Does It? | Henry Winkler | 3-6 | Oswego |
| Helen’s Big World | Doreen Rappaport | K-3 | Oswego |
| Henry Huggins | Beverly Cleary | 3-6 | Montgomery |
| Holes | Louis Sachar | 4-8 | Montgomery |
| The Horse and His Boy | C.S. Lewis | 4-8 | Montgomery |
| How to Eat Fried Worms | Thomas Rockwell | 2-4 | Montgomery |
| I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic | Lauren Tarshis | 4-8 | Oswego |
| I Want My Hat Back | Jon Klassen | PreK-3 | Montgomery |
| In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson | Bette Bao Lord | 4-6 | Oswego |
| Incredible Journey | Sheila Every Burnford | 4-6 | Oswego |
| The Josefina Story Quilt | Eleanor Coerr | 1-4 | Oswego |
| Knucklehead | Jon Scieszka | 4-8 | Oswego |
| Landry News | Andrew Clements | 4-6 | Oswego |
| The Lemonade War | Jacqueline Davies | 3-5 | Montgomery |
| Like Bug Juice on a Burger | Julie Sternberg | 3-5 | Oswego |
| Lily’s Crossing | Patricia Reilly Giff | 4-8 | Montgomery |
| Lincoln’s Grave Robbers | Steve Sheinkin | 4-8 | Montgomery |
| The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe | C.S. Lewis | 4-8 | Oswego |
| Little Women | Louisa May Alcott | 4-8 | Oswego |
| A Long Walk to Water | Linda Sue Park | 5-9 | Oswego |
| Loser | Jerry Spinelli | 4-7 | Oswego |
| Love That Dog | Sharon Creech | 3-8 | Oswego |
| Lowji Discovers America | Candace Fleming | K-3 | Oswego |
| Maniac Magee | Jerry Spinelli | 4-7 | Montgomery |
| Marvin Redpost: Alone in His Teacher’s House | Louis Sachar | 2-4 | Montgomery |
| Masterminds | Gordan Korman | 4-8 | Montgomery |
| Me… Jane | Patrick McDonnell | K-3 | Oswego |
| Mieko and the Fifth Treasure | Eleanor Coerr | 3-5 | Mongomery |
| Miracle Mud | David A. Kelly | K-3 | Oswego |
| Mockingbird | Kathryn Erskine | 4-8 | Montgomery |
| Moo | Sharon Creech | 4-8 | Montgomery |
| The Mozart Question | Michael Morpurgo | 4-8 | Oswego |
| Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle | Betty Bard MacDonald | 1-4 | Montgomery |
| Muggie Maggie | Beverly Cleary | 3-6 | Oswego |
| My Father’s Dragon | Ruth Stiles Gannett | 3-5 | Oswego |
| Navigating Early | Clare Vanderpool | 6-8 | Oswego |
| Night of the Spadefoot Toads | Bill Harley | 4-8 | Oswego |
| Nory Ryan’s Song | Patricia Reilly Giff | 4-8 | Oswego |
| Number the Stars | Lois Lowry | 4-6 | Montgomery |
| Once on this Island | Gloria Whelan | 4-7 | Oswego |
| The One and Only Ivan | Katherine Applegate | 3-6 | Oswego |
| One Crazy Summer | Rita Williams-Garcia | 4-8 | Oswego |
| One For the Murphys | Lynda Mullaly Hunt | 4-8 | Oswego |
| Out of My Mind | Sharon Draper | 4-8 | Montgomery |
| Pie | Sarah Weeks | 4-6 | Oswego |
| The Prince of the Pond | Donna Jo Napoli | 3-6 | Montgomery |
| Planting the Trees of Kenya | Claire Nivola | K-3 | Montgomery |
| Ramona and Her Father | Beverly Cleary | 3-6 | Montgomery |
| Ramona’s World | Beverly Cleary | 3-6 | Oswego |
| The Red Bicycle | Jude Isabella | 2-4 | Oswego |
| Regarding the Fountain | Kate Klise | 4-8 | Oswego |
| Roller Girl | Victoria Jamieson | 4-8 | Oswego |
| Rump | Liesl Shurtliff | 4-8 | Oswego |
| Runt | Marion Dane Bauer | 3-6 | Oswego |
| Sarah, Plain and Tall | Patricia MacLachlan | 2-4 | Montgomery |
| Sea Mosters Don’t Ride Motorcycles | Debbie Dadey | 2-4 | Montgomery |
| Seaglass Summer | Anjoli Banerjee | 3-5 | Montgomery |
| A Sick Day for Amos McGee | Philip C. Stead | K-2 | Oswego |
| Sign of the Beaver | Elizabeth George Speare | 4-6 | Montgomery |
| Simon Bloom, the Gravity Keeper | Michael Reisman | 4-8 | Oswego |
| Skylark | Patricia MacLachlan | 2-4 | Montgomery |
| Slob | Ellen Potter | 4-7 | Oswego |
| Soup | Robert Newton Peck | 4-6 | Oswego |
| Stone Fox | John Reynolds Gardiner | 3-7 | Montgomery |
| Swirl by Swirl | Joyce Sidman | K-3 | Montgomery |
| The Tale of Despereaux | Kate DiCamillo | 4-7 | Montgomery |
| Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing | Judy Blume | 3-6 | Montgomery |
| Tiger Rising | Kate DiCamillo | 4-7 | Montgomery/Oswego |
| Titanic: Voices from the Disaster | Deborah Hopkinson | 4-8 | Oswego |
| Toad Rage | Morris Gleitzman | 3-6 | Montgomery |
| The Trolls | Polly Horwath | 3-6 | Montgomery |
| The True Meaning of Smekday | Adam Rex | 4-6 | Oswego |
| Waiting for the Magic | Patricia MacLachlan | 3-5 | Oswego |
| Walking to the Bus Rider Blues | Harriette Robinet | 4-6 | Montgomery |
| Where the Mountain Meets the Moon | Grace Lin | 4-8 | Oswego |
| The Whipping Boy | Sid Fleishman | 3-6 | Montgomery |
| Who Stole the Wizard of Oz | Avi | 4-6 | Montgomery |
| Wonder | R.J. Palacio | 4-8 | Montgomery |
| Wonderstruck | Brian Selznik | 6-10 | Montgomery |
| A Year Down Yonder | Richard Peck | 5-8 | Oswego |
| The Year of the Dog | Grace Lin | 4-8 | Oswego |
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Book Discussions Recommended for Grades 6-12 |
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Title |
Author |
Interest by Grade Level |
Library Campus |
| Accidental Hero, Book 1 | Matt Myklusch | 5-8 | Montgomery |
| Almost Home | Joan Bauer | 4-8 | Oswego |
| The Alchemyst | Michael Scott | 4-8 | Oswego |
| As Easy as Falling Off the Face of the Earth | Lynne Rae Perkins | 6-9 | Montgomery |
| Bamboo People | Mitali Perkins | 6-8 | Montgomery |
| The Bomb | Theodore Taylor | 6-8 | Montgomery |
| The Boy Who Dared | Susan Campbell Bartoletti | 6-10 | Oswego |
| Crash | Jerry Spinelli | 5-8 | Montgomery |
| Crispin, the Cross of Lead | Avi | 4-6 | Montgomery |
| Down the Rabbit Hole | Peter Abrahams | 6-8 | Montgomery |
| The Fault in Our Stars | John Green | 9-12 | Oswego |
| Feed | M.T. Anderson | 7-10 | Oswego |
| Fever, 1793 | Laurie Halse Anderson | 6-8 | Oswego |
| The Gadget | Paul Zindel | 6-8 | Montgomery |
| The Giver | Lois Lowry | 6-8 | Montgomery/Oswego |
| Golden Boy | Tara Sullivan | 9-12 | Oswego |
| The Graveyard Book | Neil Gaiman | 5-8 | Montgomery |
| The Green Glass Sea | Ellen Klages | 5-8 | Montgomery |
| H.I.V.E The Overlord Protocol | Mark Walden | 6-8 | Montgomery |
| Hope Was Here | Joan Bauer | 7-8 | Montgomery |
| Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key | Jack Gantos | 4-7 | Montgomery |
| Johnny Tremain | Esther Forbes | 5-8 | Oswego |
| Legend | Marie Lu | 9-12 | Oswego |
| The Lions of Little Rock | Kristin Levine | 5-8 | Montgomery |
| Lord of the Flies | William Golding | 9-12 | Montgomery/Oswego |
| No Passengers Beyond This Point | Gennifer Choldenko | 5-8 | Montgomery |
| The Outsiders | S.E. Hinton | 7-8 | Oswego |
| Petey | Ben Mikaelsen | 7-8 | Oswego |
| Red Kayak | Priscilla Cummings | 6-10 | Montgomery/Oswego |
| The Roar | Emma Clayton | 4-8 | Oswego |
| Running Out of Time | Margaret Peterson Haddix | 5-8 | Oswego |
| Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief | Wendelin Van Draanen | 4-7 | Montgomery |
| Saving Zasha | Randi G. Barrow | 3-7 | Oswego |
| Shark Girl | Kelly Bingham | 9-12 | Oswego |
| Shooting the Moon | Frances O’Roark Dowell | 4-8 | Oswego |
| Sign of the Beaver | Elizabeth George Speare | 4-6 | Montgomery |
| Slave Dancer | Paula Fox | 5-8 | Oswego |
| The Squire’s Tale | Gerald Morris | 5-8 | Montgomery |
| Stranded | Ben Mikaelsen | 6-8 | Montgomery |
| Tangerine | Edward Bloor | 6-8 | Oswego |
| Three Times Lucky | Sheila Turnage | 4-8 | Oswego |
| Walk Two Moons | Sharon Creech | 4-8 | Oswego |
| The Westing Game | Ellen Raskin | 5-8 | Oswego |
| White Cat | Holly Black | 9-12 | Oswego |
| Williwaw | Tom Bodett | 5-8 | Montgomery |
| Will in Scarlet | Matthew Cody | 4-8 | Oswego |
| Words in the Dust | Trent Reedy | 6-8 | Oswego |
| Zach’s Lie | Roland Smith | 6-8 | Montgomery |
| Zero Tolerance | Claudia Mills | 6-8 | Montgomery |