I'd recommend Mr. Popper's Penguins (which I still have)
We did a performance of this at my library when I was in like 3rd grade! I loved that library and the totally indulgent librarian. My best friends and I spent hours and hours of (unsupervised except by the librarian) time there, in the summer especially.
My coworker suggested I do a book to movie thing with Dr. Dolittle -- and I said may be if my book club was high school aged. But I have 4th thru 6th graders
Dr. Dolittle the book is definitely pitched at 4-6th graders, maybe even younger. I don't know about the movie.
obviously, the Little House books
megan beat me to it!
Also, Johnny Tremain, Strawberry Girl, any of the Marguerite Henry horse books (especially Misty of Chincoteague), Charlotte's Web, and The Witch of Blackbird Pond are all favorites from my childhood.
I re-read
The Twenty-One Balloons
about a year ago, and it holds up beautifully, and enchantingly.
Actually, now I may have to go home and re-read it yet again this very night.
I love so many Newbery winners. From those time periods, there are, of course, the Little House and Marguerite Henry books.
Roller Skates, Gone-Away Lake
(honor) and
Johnny Tremain
are among my favorite books period. I really liked
The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Rifles for Watie,
the wonderful
Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, The Wheel on the School, Miss Hickory, Strawberry Girl, Adam of the Road, Blue Willow
(honor) and
Caddie Woodlawn.
I think most of those would be suitable for middle schoolers, except perhaps
The Witch of Blackbird Pond and
Rifles for Watie,
mostly because they're about older teens and they have kissing in them.
I think most of those would be suitable for middle schoolers, except perhaps The Witch of Blackbird Pond
I know I read this well before high school. And that was back in the innocent days.
I was using a "Books for Girls" book as a reference for gift-giving to my niece and I gave Blackbird to her when she was 10 (based on whatever age range they had).
That was a good guide; I almost wish I hadn't given it away in the move.
I think I was 9 or 10 myself, but my reading was so eclectic that I don't really know what age group reads what.
We read Witch of Blackbird Pond in school in sixth grade.
I STILL love
The Witch of Blackbird Pond.
Also
Caddie Woodlawn
and
Roller Skates
and
Strawberry Girl.
Wow, now I wish I had all of my childhood books right here to page through.