Intermediate Golden Sower Nominees (Chapter books)
Hold Fast
by Blue Balliet AR Level: 5.2, 9 points
On a cold winter day in Chicago, Early's father disappeared, and now she, her mother and her brother have been forced to flee their apartment and join the ranks of the homeless--and it is up to Early to hold her family together and solve the mystery surrounding her father.
Sky Jumpers
By Peggy Eddleman AR Level: 5.4, 9 points
Twelve-year-old Hope lives in a post World War III town called White Rock where everyone must participate in Inventions Day, though Hope's inventions always fail. Her unique skill set comes in hand when a group of bandits invades the town.
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library
By Chris Grabenstein AR Level: 4.5, 9 points
Twelve-year-old Kyle gets to stay overnight in the new town library, designed by his hero (the famous gamemaker Luigi Lemoncello), with other students but finds that come morning he must work with friends to solve puzzles in order to escape.
Charlie Bumpers vs.Teacher of the Year
By Bill Harley AR Level: 3.5, 3 points
Charlie Bumpers is sure he does not stand a chance of getting along with his fourth grade teacher and despite his best efforts to be neat and well-behaved, he always seems to be in trouble until he discovers her secret.
Darling: Mercy Dog of WWI
By Alison Hart AR Level: 4.4, 3 points
In Cosham, England, in 1917, Darling, a mischievous collie, must leave the children who love her when she is chosen for training as a mercy dog, seeking out injured soldiers on the battlefield and leading medics to them.
A Snicker of Magic
By Natalie Lloyd AR Level: 4.7, 10 points
The Pickles are new to Midnight Gulch, Tennessee, a town which legend says was once magic--but Felicity is convinced the magic is still there, and with the help of her new friend Jonah the Beedle she hopes to bring the magic back.
Half a Chance
By Cynthia Lord AR Level: 4.5, 6 points
Lucy, with her mother and her photographer father, has just moved to a small rural community in New Hampshire, and with her new friend Nate she plans to spend the summer taking photos for a contest, but pictures sometimes reveal more than people are willing to see.
Rump: The True Story of Rumplestiltskin
By Liesl Shurtliff AR Level: 4.4, 9 points
Relates the tale of Rumpelstiltskin's childhood and youth, explaining why his name is so important, how he is able to spin straw into gold, and why a first-born child is his reward for helping the miller's daughter-turned-queen.
The Girl from Felony Bay
By J.E. Thompson AR Level: 5.7, 12 points
Abby’s father falls into a coma, which leaves her to live with her Uncle Charlie, who isn’t a great role model. A new family moves into the plantation, and Bee, the girl, is just as curious as Abby about the No Tresspassing signs and holes being dug in Felony Bay. It may go back to a Civil War mystery and might have something to do with Abby’s father.
The Blossoming Universe of Violet Diamond
By Brenda Woods AR Level: 4.3, 6 points
Violet is biracial, but she lives with her white mother and sister, attends a mostly white school in a white town, and sometimes feels like a brown leaf on a pile of snow. Now that she’s eleven, she feels it’s time to learn about her African American heritage, so she seeks out her paternal grandmother. When Violet is invited to spend two weeks with her new Bibi (Swahili for "grandmother") and learns about her lost heritage, her confidence in herself grows and she discovers she’s not a shrinking Violet after all.
Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch
By Anne Isaacs AR level: 5.3, 0.5 point
In 1870, Tulip Jones, a wealthy, self-reliant widow from England, acquires the By-Golly Gully Ranch in Texas and soon finds herself saddled with 1000 suitors.
