The Indian in the Cupboard 
by Lynne Reid Banks
Do you like a little magic mixed with every day characters? Do you like books that weave adventures in while teaching about friendship and historic events? If you do, you should read the Indian in the Cupboard series by Lynne Reid Banks. 

One of my favorite read aloud books is The Indian in the Cupboard. This bok is set in Modern Day England and folllows the life of an average preteen. He discovers a magical key, that when used, allows inanimate objects to come alive. In this first book, the main character, Omri, learns about friendship, responsibility, American history,  and also takes you on an adventure though time.  It's one of the few books that ends with cliffhangers almost every chapters and drew the attention of ALL my students. Many wonderful discussions would arise from the story, including good vs. bad, friendships, slang in other countries, and race/culture relations. My students would relate the fight between the "cowboys and Indians" to the fighting of local gangs. Because it is set in England and follows characters from different parts of the world, many words were unfamiliar. This gave us an opportunity to find contextual meaning and it exposed the students to a variety of language examples. It's wonderful that it's in a series because after reading it, many of my students would read the sequels and share them with classmates. Also, showing the parts of the movie gave them a chance to see another interpretation and compare the two versions. It's a personal favorite for me and a great teaching opportunity!
-Christine Cook