Level 4 Extended Literature Set

The Bravest Dog Ever: The True Story of Balto tells the story of Balto the sled dog who lived in Nome, Alaska, in 1925. When children in Nome become sick with an illness called diphtheria, the doctor realizes they need help. However, closest medicine available is in the city of Anchorage over 800 miles away. The only way to retrieve the medicine and save the children's lives is to transport it with sled-dogs. The town plans for the medicine to travel by dog sled relay with each team waiting at a different stop. By the time the medicine gets to Balto and his owner Gunnar, the delivery was running behind. Balto and the sled dog team head towards Nome with the medicine, but face many dangers along the way. Through it all, Balto leads the sled dog team fearlessly and his courage leads to the delivery of the medicine in time to save the children of Nome. As students read about the historic delivery of the medicine that saved Nome, they will celebrate bravery and learn more about Balto, a figure that continues to live on in American memory.

The Long Way to a New Land tells the story of Carl Erik and his family who travel as emigrants from Sweden to America. In Sweden, Carl Erik's family cannot grow crops because of the lack of rain, and after receiving a letter from an uncle in America, his family decides to move to America. However, the trip is far from easy. Carl Erik and his family must sell their belongings, travel in a crowded ship, and live through storms and sickness on the way to their new home. Yet, when they finally arrive in New York, Carl Erik and his family are hopeful for a better life in their new country.

Greg's Microscope, Greg really wants a microscope. When he finally gets one, he begins to look at everything underneath it. He looks at sugar and salt, dog hair and human hair, leaves and onions. He learns all about cells and how they make up everything. Greg loves his microscope, and so does everyone else!

Dr. Seuss: The Great Doodler tells the story of Theodor "Ted" Seuss Geisel and how he became the famous children's book author and illustrator known around the world as Dr. Seuss. From his childhood living by a zoo doodling animals to his creation of the classic character, the Cat in the Hat, and his rise to fame, students will enjoy reading about how a young boy who loved to draw imaginary animals became a world-famous author of over forty-four books.

From the publisher:

"There are no bears on Hemlock Mountain, no bears at all..." Or so young Jonathan is told by the grown-ups as he sets out alone over Hemlock Mountain. But as Jonathan discovers on that cold winter night, grown-ups don't always know... And there are bears on Hemlock Mountain!

Encyclopedia Brown: Boy Detective is the first book in the celebrated series about everyone's favorite boy detective. Leroy Brown, often called "Encyclopedia" because of his knack for remembering random facts, solves mysteries for his friends in the town of Idaville. In this first book in the series, Encyclopedia solves ten mysteries, including the case of the scattered cards, the case of the knife in the watermelon, and the case of the champion egg spinner. Join Idaville's boy detective as he takes on these puzzling cases!