May Bird and the Ever After by Jodi Lynn Anderson (fantasy/adventure)
In this, Book One, of a new trilogy, May Bird, an unpopular loner, finds herself in the woods, a reassuring place until she falls into the lake. Crawling out, she discovers everything has changed, that she’s surrounded by unearthly creatures, all terrified of the Bogey, who’s drawing closer each second after her. She must get out fast and enter the Ever After to get the Book of the Dead. Scary!
Book 2 is May Bird Among the Stars and book 3 is May Bird : Warrior Princess
Golden & Grey: The Nightmares That Ghosts Have by Louise Arnold (ghost story)
Tom Golden, a lonely boy, and Grey Arthur a well-meaning ghost, are back for another humorus glimpse into Ghost World where Grey Arthur resides. Tom is the only human able to see ghosts and just as he becomes accustomed to seeing ghosts around they appear to be vanishing. It is up to Golden and Grey and the group of Invisible Friends to uncover what’s behind the sudden disappearances. This is a ghost story with gusto. It is not necessary to read the earlier book Golden & Grey: An Unremarkable Boy and a Rather Remarkable Ghost first but it is equally enjoyable.
Grooves: A Kind of Mystery by Kevin Brockmeier (adventure/humor)
Here’s a zany laugh-out-loud winner! Don’t even try to find the logic, just go with geeky seventh grader, Dwayne and his buddies Kevin and Emily after Dwayne discovers that an antique
victrola needle scratched on his jeans and potato chips is releasing cries for “Help!”. The trio, learning that millionaire industrialist Howard Thigpen is holding prisoners in his factory, embark on a set of bizarre, fast-paced, and hilarious adventures.
Wabi: A Hero’s Tale by Joseph Bruchac (adventure)
This adventure fantasy is related by Wabi, a young owl that watches a Native American clan deep in the forest. Guided by his great-grandmother he chooses to become human as some of his ancestors had done but his search for his true identity is full of danger. He has a faithful companion, Malsumsis, a wolf pup he had saved from starvation. The story is rich with details of Native American folklore and mythical beasts.
Half-Moon Investigations by Eoin Colfer (mysterey/humor)
Fletcher Moon, an aspiring junior high private investigator is hired by April Devereux to prove that Roddy Sharkey, of the notorious criminal Sharkey family, is guilty of stealing her prized swatch of hair from teen recording idol Shona. With sidesplitting humor Full Moon, as he is known at school undertakes an investigation that lands him in the hospital, in jail, while fleeing midnight attackers and confronting an unlikely set of criminals. His ally in these matters is none other than Red Sharkey, Roddy’s older brother. A word of caution, don’t drink milk while reading this book it will come spurting out of nose as you erupt in peals of laughter.
Swordbird by Nancy Yi Fan (fantasy)
The forest has been taken over by the fierce warlord hawk Turnatt. His war plan to trick the bluejays and the cardinals to fight each other is foiled by Miton, a captured robin, who overhears the
plan and escapes to worn the tribes. Milton and Aska, of the Bluewing tribe undertake the dangerous quest in search of the ritual items to call up the spirit of Swordbird, a mythical defender of peace. This exciting fantasy is the first novel by Nancy Yi Fan, a 12-year-old Chinese American. The sequel Sword Quest is being published January 2008.
The 7 Professors of the Far North by John Fardell (science fiction)
Nonstop action, suspense, invention, and laugh-out-loud humor fill this exciting story, in which eleven-year-old Sam jumps into a rescue effort of unimaginable proportions when his visit to family friend, eccentric Professor Ampersand goes amok. The professor and five of his colleagues are kidnapped for the second time by the henchmen of the seventh evil Professor Murdo. Sam and his buddies have three days to rescue the professors and save the world. Can they do it? Watch for the sequel The Flight of the Silver Turtle.
Blood Red Horse by K.M. Grant (historical fiction)
The story begins in England just before a Crusade lead by King Richard and follows two brothers and
a magnificent chestnut horse as they travel across Europe and the Mediterranean Sea to Jerusalem. There they encounter fierce battles and grapple with deep personal struggles before they return home as greatly altered individuals. The characters are memorable, the action gritty, and there are2 sequels already, Green Jasper and Blaze of Silver .
The Homework Machine by Dan Gutman (humor)
Four classmates, their teacher and parents give accounts at the police station of events surrounding Brenton Damagatchi’s invention, a homework machine. At first no one believed it existed until Brenton demonstrated the machine. The very different personalities of the
four classmates make reading about their predicament intriguing.
The Coming of Dragons by A.J. Lake (fantasy)
A violent storm destroys their ship casting Edmund and Elspeth on the rocks where Aagard rescues them. But the safety of his cave is small comfort when the children learn of an ancient prophecy about a crystal sword and the Ripente, those with the gift of second sight. Both Edmund and Orgrim, an evil traitor, have the dangerous ability to see events through the eyes of another being. But will Edmund escape the curse of this mystical gift? This exciting and action packed story is book 1 in the Darkest Age series, book 2 is The Book of the Sword .
A Dog’s Life: The Autobiography of a Stray by Ann M. Martin (animal story)
This is a moving narrative by an owner-less dog, Squirrel. Born of a wild mother, Squirrel and her brother, Bone, live carefree until the day Mother does not return. On their own the twosome, begin a journey of wonder, loneliness, hunger, danger, fear and hope. (There’s a “happy ending.”)
The Roman Conspiracy by Jack Mitchell (historical fiction)
After the murder of his uncle, Aulus travels from his estate to Rome where he hopes to convince Cicero, the Protector for his region to take immediate action to put a stop to the crimes of Manlius. The crimes may just be a prelude to his attempts to take over all of Rome. Can Aulus from a coalition with enough power to save Rome and his own family? A great adventure set in an intriguing time period.
Endymion Spring by Matthew Skelton (adventure)
Part mystery, part fantasy, part historical fiction, this book takes the reader across time and across Europe following a mysterious book with surprising abilities. A young apprentice smuggles the book from the workshop of Johann Gutenberg as he is at work on his printing press to a deep underground chamber in a world famous library in Oxford, England. In the present time another young man seems to be singled out by the book. Blake Winters is uncertain about the role he’ll play in this mystery and fearful of the danger to his family.
The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer (mystery)
Everyone knows of the Holmes brothers, Sherlock and Mycroft but now their younger sister Enola takes center stage in this action packed mystery. On her 14th birthday Enola’s mother disappears. It appears that she left voluntarily and as Enola sets off to find her mother she becomes involved with another runaway, the 12-year-old Viscount of Tewskbury. There are clues to unearth, ciphers to solve and decisions to be made. Enola is just the girl for the job. Keep on reading about Enola Holmes in The Case of the Left Handed Lady .
Southpaw by Rich Wallace (sports)
Another sports focused entry in the Winning Season series that is a homerun for baseball fans. Jimmy Fleming and his father have moved from rural Pennsylvania to the Jersey City area after the divorce. Jimmy has always been on his local team but now he has to work hard to make the team as a reliever. Even though the team plays well the season is 0-4. Can Jimmy overcome his worries, control his pitches and help the team win? Plenty of sports action on the field for fans. Other titles in the Winning Season series are
The Roar of the Crowd ,
Technical Foul ,
Fast Company ,
Double Fake ,
Emergency Quarterback ,
Dunk Under Pressure ,
Takedown ,
Curveball , and
Second-String Center .
The Unvisibles by Ian Whybrow (school/humor)
Class showoff and troublemaker, Oliver, twelve years old, becomes invisible after using an ancient Indian incantation; alas, he lacks the knowledge to reverse it. He seeks out classmate, Nicky, quiet and deliberate, to help him undo the change. Life with an invisible troublemaker can be unbearably unpredictable and dangerous, but there’s outrageous hilarity for readers as Oliver changes the tune for bullies and others, including the new father candidate that Nicky can’t stand.
Pick Me Up Stuff You Need To Know by Dorling Kindersley Publishers (general)
Stuff You Need To Know- That’s the subtitle for this great book. The book is crammed with information, there is something about everything you might have a question about. The collection of information is divided into 8 major sections, many topics include a page reference to another page for expanded details on the topic. This book is a browser’s delight.
Oh, Rats! by Albert Marrin (animals)
Here’s the factual good, bad, and sometimes gross about the coexistence and interrelationship of humans and rats through the ages. Their prolific reproduction and survival skills enabled them to “rat” the earth the way humans “people” it, living everywhere and contributing to both disease and cures. Expressive scratch board illustrations in black and white with red highlights can be scary. Brief listings of both nonfiction and fiction books about rats appear at the end.
Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon by Catherine Thimmesh (space)
This amazing book demands that you read the text as well as devour the photographs, because there is so much to discover about the diverse efforts contributed by thousands of people and the really scary life-threatening risks encountered by so many start to finish during the Apollo 11 Mission . Persevere with the end matter that offers a compendium of rich sources for the book, quotations, visuals and further reading.
97 ways to make a Dog Smile by Jenny Langbehn (dogs)
Dogs and their people will never have more fun than when sharing some of the activities gathered together here by a veterinary nurse. There are suggestions for massages and scratches in places we usually miss, for ways to surprise pets with treats, to enjoy active recreation, to sing and talk, and much more.
Gadgetology by Rebecca Gilpin (cooking)
This book is serious about having fun in the kitchen. From the very first recipe, Apple Cupcakes with Carmel Frosting, readers are in for a mouth- watering experience. Along with each recipe there ‘s the description of a kitchen tool that is an aid in the preparation. Clear instructions, inviting pictures and clever suggestions for craft activities using the kitchen tools make this a winner.
Wizard, Pirate and Princess Things to Make and Do by Rebecca Gilpin (crafts)
This craft book contains everything you need to have a celebration around one of these exciting themes. From invitations to decorations and just about everything in between. Follow the simple steps to make all kinds of things from bouncing bats and pirate hats, to dancing princesses in beautiful dresses.
Arithmetricks: More than 100 AMAZING Math Tricks by Jeri S. Cipriano (math games)
The fun and excitement of math fill the pages in this powerhouse of tricks that includes math riddles, magic squares, animal math facts, human math facts, mental math tricks, and tips for hosting a Math-a-thon. Visuals spark interest and help explain how the math works.
Elvis Lives and other Anagrams by Jon Agee (word fun)
For centuries anagrams have been a source of mystery, wit, and frustration for word lovers. Anyone can produce an anagram, just rearrange the letters of a word or phrase into a new word or phrase, using each letter only once. There are many famous ones such as ELEVEN PLUS TWO – TWELVE PLUS ONE. Read this and then you can try own some of your own.
Escape: The Story of the Great Houdini by Sid Fleischman (biography)
“Phenomenal” is the only word that truly describes this death-defying, ego-driven magician, who traversed the world continuously outperformimg all others and even himself with a renaissance range of astounding feats. Sid Fleischman, whom Houdini’s widow befriended when he was a teenage magician, tells all with wit and authority and includes his own unique photos.
Counting Coup: Becoming a Crow Chief on the Reservation and Beyond by Joseph Medicine Crow (biography)
Here’s the captivating biography of a Sioux youth trained by his grandfather as a warrior in the pre-reservation times of his people and who then adjusted to reservation life and living among white people. As a soldier in WWII he “counted coup” with brave deeds, drawing upon the strength of his early training. He survived to return a hero to his own people.
Akira to Zoltan: Twenty-Six Men Who Changed the World by Cynthia Chin-Lee (biography)
This companion book to Amelia to Zora presents an A-B-C book with compelling brief biographies of men who overcame obstacles to bring about change in peaceful ways. The men are in order according to their given names (with 2 exceptions). The book’s design and mixed media illustration are stunning; you will not be able to set it aside.
What Athletes Are Made Of by Hanoch Piven (biography)
Kids who know some of the 23 athletes presented in this unique picture book will get a hoot out of the imaginative illustrations that use items related to the athlete’s sport, name or personal life to depict face and body features. For example, Mia Hamm’s eye is a soccer ball and her eyebrow is a hammer. Each athlete also receives a special “made of what” descriptor. A recap of each athlete’s statistics and career highlights is included at the book’s end.