Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse, 2005

The power of this story lies in its form, the verse novel. Where it might be sentimental or overdone if it were written as prose, the emotion of the work lies in the negative space around the words--or what the author/narrator doesn't say, forcing the reader to read between the lines.

Olive's Ocean by Kevin Henkes, 2003

This book perfectly captures the depth and breadth of being twelve in a profound way. What I enjoyed most about this book was the beauty in collecting the jar of ocean water--Martha's gesture of friendship towards a dead girl and her grieving mother--then painting Olive's name over and over on the front step until the water was all gone and the name evaporated.

Far and Few by David McCord, 1925

Children's poetry: a cross between Robert Louis Stevenson and Shel Silverstein. Topics mostly pertain to nature.

Dinky Hocker Shoots Smack! by M.E. Kerr, 1972

A story of Tucker Woolfe, Dinky (Susan) Hocker, Natalia Line, and P. John Knight. Young love, teen angst, inattentive parents, ends with Dinky spray-painting "Dinky Hocker Shoots Smack!" all over sidewalks, buildings, cars in the neighborhood when her mother is being awarded the Good Samaritan award for her volunteer work with rehabilitated drug addicts.

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein, 1974

One of those books that I missed as a kid. Inventive and amusing poetry with drawings to go along.

Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry, 1947

This horse-story tells the true tale of Paul and Maureen Beebe who plan to buy a pony. In the annual pony penning, Paul corrals Misty, a new foal, as well as her mother, Phantom, a mare that has escaped penning for the previous two years. Paul and Maureen both instantly love Misty and want to buy both Phantom and Misty, but the fire chief instead sells them to someone else. However, the buyer ends up winning a different pony, so the Beebe children get to buy them after all. They gentle the ponies and train them, but eventually they allow Phantom to go back with Pied Piper, the stallion of her herd. While the story is fine, it's difficult to get past the annoying dialect, which turns these characters into complete hicks.

Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik, 1957

Stories of Little Bear: What Will Little Bear Wear?, Birthday Soup, Little Bear Goes To the Moon, and Little Bear's Wish.