Summer+Reading+2013

Fantastic Fiction

Here are my picks for great summer reading. Some of these books are old favorites. Others are "hot off the presses". There are books on this list from many genres; animals, fantasy, multicultural, sports, mystery, realistic fiction, graphic novels, and historical fiction. There are wonderful read-alouds for the whole family. Happy Reading!

Some books have video features. Place the cursor over any book cover. It will change to a hand icon if a video link is available.

By Candace Fleming ; illustrated by Eric Rohmann.
 * Oh, no.**

Ages 4-8. Young children will delight in repeating the refrain "OH, NO!" as one animal after another falls into a deep, deep hole in this lively read-aloud.

By Jacqueline Kelly, illustrations by Clint Young.
 * Return to the Willows**

Ages 5-9. In this sequel to Kenneth Grahame's classic "The Wind in the Willows," the escapades continue for four animal friends who live along a river in the English countryside--Toad, Mole, Rat, and Badger.

By Tammi Sauer, illustrated by Michael Slack.
 * Nugget & Fang: Friends Forever-Or Snack Time?**

Ages 5-9. In the deep ocean, tiny Nugget and big, toothy Fang get along swimmingly—until Nugget’s first day of minnow school. There Nugget learns that minnows are supposed to be afraid of sharks! To regain Nugget’s trust, Fang takes desperate (and hilarious) measures. But it’s not until his big sharp teeth save the entire school that minnows learn this shark is no foe.

By Rukhsana Khan, illustrated by Sophie Blackall
 * Big Red Lollipop.**

Grades K-2. What is a big sister to do when she has to take her little sister along to the very first birthday party she has been invited to in the United States?

By Marla Frazee
 * Boot and Shoe**.

Grades K-2. This is a charming and very funny story of two dogs who share their daily routine until a squirrel mixes things up.

By Monica Brown, illustrated by Sara Palacios
 * Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match/Marisol McDonald No Combina**.

Grades K-2. Marisol is Peruvian, Scottish, and American. She has brown skin and red hair and loves peanut butter and jelly burritos in her lunch box!

By Hena Khan; Illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini. Ages 3-7. Magnificently capturing the colorful world of Islam for the youngest readers, this breathtaking and informative picture book celebrates Islam's beauty and traditions. From a red prayer rug to a blue hijab, everyday colors are given special meaning as young readers learn about clothing, food, and other important elements of Islamic culture, with a young Muslim girl as a guide. Sure to inspire questions and observations about world religions and cultures, Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns is equally at home in a classroom reading circle as it is being read to a child on a parent's lap.
 * Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns: A Muslim Book of Colors.**

By Barbara DaCosta. Illus. by Ed Young. Ages 1-6. A ninja stealthily goes about his mission until his mother catches him and puts him to bed. A dark palette of cut paper and mixed-media illustrations intensify the story's intrigue.
 * Nighttime Ninja.**

By Eric Litwin; Illustrated by James Dean. Ages 4-8. A blue mellow-eyed feline keeps losing his groovy buttons. But does he cry? Goodness no! For after all, it’s all good! (A 2013 Geisel Honor Book) Other Pete the Cat books include: Pete the Cat Rocking his School Shoes and Pete the Cat, I love My White Shoes.
 * Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons.**

By Ethan Long
 * Up, Tall and High**.

Grades K-2. 2013 Recipient of the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award! Three side-splitting stories in one great picture book! In three laugh-out-loud situations, an irresistible cast of colorful birds illustrate the concepts of "up," "tall" and "high." First, a short peacock proves that he may not be tall, but he definitely isn't small. Then, a resourceful bird helps his penguin friend find a way to fly. Finally, two birds want to live in the same tree, but what goes up must come down! Each short story features a flap that reveals a surprise twist. With fun fold-outs, easy-to-read text, and a hilarious cast of characters, these stories beg preschoolers and emerging readers to act them out again and again.

By Cece Bell; Illustrated by the author. Grades K-3. Rabbit and Robot disagree about everything on Rabbit’s “To Do” list at their sleepover, including Robot’s insistence for pizza toppings of nuts, bolts, and screws. And everything comes to a halt when Robot’s batteries run low. (A 2013 Geisel Honor Book)
 * Rabbit and Robot: The Sleepover.**

By Kevin Henkes. Ages 4-8. Softly rendered illustrations in this beginning reader reveal Penny's determination to find the perfect name for her doll. Other books in the series include: Penny and her Song and Penny and her Marble.
 * Penny and Her Doll.**

__ Novels and Series __

By Hilary McKay.
 * Lulu and the Duck in the Park.**

Grades 2-4. Lulu loves animals. When Lulu finds a duck egg that has rolled out of its nest, she takes it to class to keep it safe. Lulu isn't allowed to bring pets to school. But she's not really breaking the rules because it's just an egg. Surely nothing bad will happen. The second book in the series is Lulu and the Dog From the Sea. When Lulu goes on vacation, she finds there's a stray dog living on the beach. Everyone in the town thinks the dog is trouble. But Lulu is sure he just needs a friend. And that he's been waiting for someone just like her.

By Judith Viorst.
 * Lulu Walks the Dogs.**

Grades 1-3. The stubbornly hilarious Lulu has decided it’s time to buckle down and earn some cash. How else can she save up enough money to buy the very special thing that she is ALWAYS and FOREVER going to want? After some failed attempts at lucrative gigs (baking cookies, spying, reading to old people), dog walking seems like a sensible choice. But Brutus, Pookie, and Cordelia are not interested in making the job easy, and the infuriatingly helpful neighborhood goody-goody, Fleischman, has Lulu at the end of her rope. And with three wild dogs at the other end, Lulu’s patience is severely tested. Will she ever make a friend—or the money she needs?

In this standalone sequel to Lulu and the Brontosaurus, Judith Viorst and Lane Smith once again prove that even the loudest, rudest, and most obstinate of girls can win us over.

By Tamera Will Wissinger and Matthew Cordell
 * Gone Fishing: A novel in verse.**

Grades 1-4. Nine-year-old Sam loves fishing with his dad. So when his pesky little sister, Lucy, horns in on their fishing trip, he’s none too pleased: “Where’s my stringer? / Something’s wrong! / The princess doll does not belong!” All ends well in this winsome book of poems—each labeled with its proper poetic form, from quatrain to tercet. Together the poems build a dawn-to-dusk story of a father-son bond, of sibling harmony lost and found—and most of all, of delicious anticipation. Charming line drawings animate the poetry with humor and drama, and the extensive Poet’s Tackle Box at the end makes this the perfect primer to hook aspiring poets of all ages.

By David A. Kelly
 * Ballpark Mysteries #6: The Wrigley Riddle (A Stepping Stone Book)**

Grades 1-3. Next up to the plate—book #6 in our early chapter book mystery series, where each book is set in a different American ballpark! Ivy-covered walls—they're the most famous part of the Chicago Cubs' historic ballpark, Wrigley Field. Mike and Kate can't wait to get down on the field to see the ivy for themselves. But when they do, they're horrified to discover patches of the ivy have been ripped away! Who would want to sabotage the stadium? Is it someone trying to curse the Cubs? Or is the rumor of a treasure hidden under the ivy tempting greedy fans? //The Wrigley Riddle// includes a fun fact page about Chicago's Wrigley Field.

Cross Ron Roy's A to Z Mystery series with Matt Christopher's sports books and you get the Ballpark Mysteries: fun, puzzling whodunits aimed at the younger brothers and sisters of John Feinstein's fans.

By Derrick Barnes
 * Brand New School, Brave New Ruby**

Grades 2-4. Eight-year-old Ruby Booker is the baby sis of Marcellus (11), Roosevelt (10), and Tyner (9), the most popular boys on Chill Brook Ave. When Ruby isn't hanging with her friend, Theresa Petticoat, she's finding out what kind of mischief her brothers are getting into. She's sweet and sassy and every bit as tough as her older siblings. She sings like nobody's business; she has a pet iguana named Lady Love; her favorite color is grape-jelly purple; and when she grows up, she's going to be the most famous woman animal doctor on the planet. She's the fabulous, oh-so-spectacular Ruby Marigold Booker!

In Book 1, Ruby is leaving her old school and headed to a new one where nobody knows her--and where her older brothers rule. But that's about to change, because Ruby Booker has BIG plans! Although things don't go according to plan, Ruby manages to grab the spotlight when she sings a song over the P.A. system during announcements. By the time school lets out, one thing is clear: Ruby Booker isn't "the Booker Boys' baby sis" anymore.

By Sally Warner. Grades 2-4. EllRay Jakes is tired of being bullied by fellow classmate Jared Matthews. But when EllRay tries to defend himself, he winds up in trouble. Then his dad offers him a deal: If he stays out of trouble for one week, they'll go to Disneyland! EllRay says he can do it. But saying it and doing it are two very different things.
 * Ellray Jakes is not a Chicken.**

Other books in the series include: Ellray Jakes is a Rock Star, Ellray Jakes Walks the Plank, Ellray Jakes the Dragon Slayer, and Ellray Jakes and the Beanstalk.

By Rachel Vail and Matthew Cordell
 * Justin Case: School, Drool, and Other Daily Disasters.**

Grades 2-4. It’s the start of the school year, and nothing feels right to Justin. He didn’t get the teacher he wanted, he’s not in the same class as his best friend, and his little sister, Elizabeth, is starting kindergarten at his school. Elizabeth doesn’t seem nervous at all. Justin is very nervous about third grade. And to top it off, he’s lost his favorite stuffed animal, but he can’t tell anyone, because technically he’s too old to still have stuffed animals. Right?

Here is third grade in all its complicated glory—the friendships, the fears, and the advanced math. Acclaimed author Rachel Vail captures third grade with a perfect pitch, and Matthew Cordell’s line art is both humorous and touching.

By Rachel Vail and Matthew Cordell
 * Justin Case: Shells, Smells, and the Horrible Flip-Flops of Doom.**

Grades 2-4. Justin is going to start fourth grade—but first, he has to survive the summer. He “gets” to go to camp every day on a bus. He “gets” to experience all sorts of new things: Bugs. Mess hall food. Flip-flops (they hurt the space between his toes and they’re hard to walk in). And (gulp!) swimming.

Justin’s little sister, Elizabeth, seems to deal with camp just fine. So do his friends. Justin is trying very hard not to be a worried kid anymore, especially when it comes to making friends at camp, including a new kid who is kind of. . . rough. After all, Justin is going to be in fourth grade. It’s time to be brave. Right?

by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
 * Platypus Police Squad: The Frog Who Croaked**

Grades 2-6. Platypus Police Squad: The Frog Who Croaked is the first in a series of zany, action-packed middle-grade mysteries featuring platypus police detectives Rick Zengo and Corey O’Malley.

When a call comes in about a crime down at the docks involving a missing schoolteacher and a duffle bag full of illegal fish, Zengo and O’Malley are going to have to learn to set their differences aside if they want to get to the bottom of this. Especially when the clues all point to Frank Pandini Jr., Kallamazoo’s first son and its most powerful, well-respected businessman.

Fans of Adam Rex, Jon Scieszka, and Jarrett J. Krosoczka’s own Lunch Lady graphic novels will flip for Jarrett’s new series.

By Jerry Spinelli ; illustrations by Jennifer A. Bell.
 * Third Grade Angels.**

Grades 3-5. The prequel to FOURTH GRADE RATS George, aka "Suds," has just entered third grade, and he's heard the rhyme about "first grade babies/second grade cats/third grade angels/fourth grade rats," but what does this mean for his school year? It means that his teacher, Mrs. Simms, will hold a competition every month to see which student deserves to be awarded "the halo" - which student is best-behaved, kindest to others, and, in short, perfect. Suds is determined to be the first to earn the halo, but he's finding the challenge of always being good to be more stressful than he had anticipated. Does he have to be good even outside of school? (Does he have to be nice to his annoying little sister?) And if Mrs. Simms doesn't actually see him doing a good deed, does it even count?

By Jerry Spinelli
 * Fourth Grade Rats.**

Grades 3-5. Last year Suds was a Third Grade Angel, but now... it's time to be a Fourth Grade Rat! Fourth graders are tough. They aren't afraid of spiders. They say no to their moms. They push first graders off the swings. And they never, ever cry. Suds knows that now he's in fourth grade, he's supposed to be a rat. But whenever he tries to act like one, something goes wrong. Can Suds's friend Joey teach him to toughen up... or will Suds remain a fourth grade wimp? Now with brand-new illustrations, this sequel to Jerry Spinelli's THIRD GRADE ANGELS is a classic story of fitting in (or not) and friendship.

By Simon Cheshire.
 * The Curse of the Ancient Mask and Other Case Files: Saxby Smart, Private Detective: Book 1.**

Grades 3-5. Saxby Smart is no ordinary ten-year-old. He’s the best detective in the world, or at least the best one who also happens to be in elementary school. With the help of his Thinking Chair and his two best friends, Saxby proves that age makes no difference when it comes to saving the day. As Saxby solves three of his most puzzling cases, the reader solves the mystery alongside him, getting peeks at pages of his casebook as the crimes unfold, and searching for clues rather than letting the main character do all the work and have all the fun. This book contains 3 different cases.

By Simon Cheshire
 * The Pirate's Blood and Other Case Files: Saxby Smart, Private Detective: Book 2.**

Grades 3-5. Saxby Smart is no ordinary ten-year-old. He’s the best detective in the world, or at least the best one who also happens to be in elementary school. In this third volume of the Saxby Smart: Private Detective series, Saxby solves three more daunting cases: The Pirate's Blood, The Mystery of Mary Rogers, and The Lunchbox of Notre Dame. With the help of his Thinking Chair (located in his headquarters/parents' tool shed), his sharp mind, and his two best friends, Saxby proves once again that age makes no difference when it comes to cracking the case.

By Tim Kehoe
 * Vincent Shadow, Toy Inventor.**

Grades 3-5. Eleven-year-old Vincent Shadow, inspired by the ideas of the inventor Nikola Tesla, has always kept his many unusual toy inventions secret from his family until he enters a contest whose prize is to spend a summer working with the eccentric Howard G. Whizz of Whizzer Toys.

By Tim Kehoe
 * The Top Secret Toys.**

Grades 3-5. More toys, more pressure, and more mystery in this exciting sequel to Vincent Shadow: Toy Inventor! After winning the annual Whizzer Toys Invention Contest, twelve-year-old Vincent Shadow can't wait to start his once-in-a-lifetime internship with the renowned Mr. Whiz. Vincent wants to come up with an idea that will make toy history-but he can't even think of one that will impress his little sister! In this sequel to Vincent Shadow: Toy Inventor, toys and trouble go hand in hand as Vincent faces the ultimate test: Save Whizzer Toys or disappoint kids everywhere.

By Blue Balliett
 * Hold Fast.**

Grades 3-6. Where is Early's father? He's not the kind of father who would disappear. But he's gone. . . and he's left a whole lot of trouble behind.

As danger closes in, Early, her mom, and her brother have to flee their apartment. With nowhere else to go, they are forced to move into a city shelter. Once there, Early starts asking questions and looking for answers. Because her father hasn't disappeared without a trace. There are patterns and rhythms to what's happened, and Early might be the only one who can use them to track him down and make her way out of a very tough place.

Blue Balliett weaves a story that takes readers from the cold, snowy Chicago streets to the darkest corner of the public library, on an unforgettable hunt for deep truths and a reunited family.

By Emma Kennedy
 * Wilma Tenderfoot: The Case of the Frozen Hearts.**

Grades 3-up. "Nothing and nobody stops Wilma Tenderfoot!" (If she does say so herself.) Wilma Tenderfoot, a tiny, brash, and determined ten-year-old orphan, dreams of becoming a worldfamous detective so she can find out who her parents are. Wilma discovers that her new next-door neighbor is the renowned detective Theodore P. Goodman, and he has a new case. Wilma is set on becoming Mr. Goodman's apprentice, so with the help of her beagle, Pickle, she makes deductions, follows leads, and scouts out suspects. She's sure she'll win the famous detective over and crack the case, as soon as Pickle stops eating the clues. With wicked humor, dastardly villains, red herrings, and a setting that would make Sherlock Holmes proud, this mystery is just like Wilma-funny, feisty, cheeky, and charming.

By Andrea Cheng; Illustrated by Abigail Halpin.
 * Year of the Book.**

Grades 3-5. In Chinese, peng you means friend. But in any language, all Anna knows for certain is that friendship is complicated. When Anna needs company, she turns to her books. Whether traveling through A Wrinkle in Time, or peering over My Side of the Mountain, books provide what real life cannot—constant companionship and insight into her changing world. Books, however, can’t tell Anna how to find a true friend. She’ll have to discover that on her own.

By Andrea Cheng
 * The Year of the Baby.**

Grades 3-5. Last year, Anna learned how to be a good friend. Now that her family has adopted a baby girl from China, she wants to learn how to be a good sister. But the new year proves challenging when the doctor warns that the baby isn’t thriving. Can Anna and her best friends, Laura and Camille, create a science project that saves the day? In this heartwarming sequel to The Year of the Book, readers will be just as moved by Anna's devotion to her new sister as they will be inspired by her loving family and lasting friendships.

By Mike Lupica
 * Game Changers: Book 1**

Grades 3-6. Ben McBain is every football team's dream player. He's a jack-of-all-trades guy that can handle almost any position. When the game is on the line, Ben's number is the one being called for the final play. But Ben wants to be the starting quarterback and the one thing standing in his way is the coach's son.

Shawn O'Brien looks the part. He has been groomed by his father, a former professional quarterback. But despite his size and arm strength, Shawn is struggling.

Ben is torn between being a good teammate and going after his own dream. As Ben finds out, Shawn isn't the easiest person to help. And when Ben gets an unexpected opportunity, the entire game will change for the both of them.

By Mike Lupica
 * Game Changers: Book 2**

Grades 3-6. Still living large off their incredible football championship win just weeks before, Ben McBain and his crew must now prepare for basketball season. Ben is known as the best point guard throughout the league. And now that Shawn O'Brien has joined their team, they are a shoo-in to win it all. But there is a new kid in town, Chase Braggs, a point guard like Ben who seems to be better, stronger, and faster. Refusing to let his team down, Ben hits the courts hard to practice. Ben's rivalry with Chase seems to take the fun out of playing ball with his best friends. Will Ben be able to pull it together for his team and for himself?

By Tim Green
 * Force Out **

Grades 3-6. When two friends compete, one of them will be forced out. Joey and Zach have always been best friends. They're also two of the best baseball players in their league, and shoo-ins for the all-star team at the end of the season. Their dream is to play together on the Center State select team, and they will do anything to help each other get there. So when Zach is forced to go on an extra-credit field trip that would make him miss the championship game and his chances to move on, Joey comes up with a risky plan to bail him out. Everything should be fine—as long as no one finds out what they did. Then the unthinkable happens: The boys learn there's only one open spot on the select team. Suddenly Joey and Zach go from being best friends to biggest rivals, and Joey has to decide his next move. He can play the biggest game of his life, or he can use their secret to force Zach out. How far should Joey go to win?

By Cal Ripken, Jr.
 * Cal Ripken, Jr.'s All-Stars: Hothead**

Grades 4-6. Connor Sullivan is an All-Star shortstop on his Babe Ruth team, the Orioles. He can hit and field with the best of them, but he's got one big problem: his temper. When he strikes out or makes an error, he's a walking Mt. Vesuvius, slamming batting helmets and throwing gloves. His teammates are starting to avoid him, even his best friend Jordy. His coach is ready to kick him off the team.

To make matters worse, things aren't much better at home. His dad is having trouble finding a new job after being laid off. Money is tight. Connor's dream of attending the prestigious Brooks Robinson Baseball Camp this summer seems like just that now - a dream.

When the sports editor of the school paper threatens to do a big story on his tantrums - complete with embarassing photos - Connor realizes he has to clean up his act. But can he do it in time to regain his teammates' trust and help the Orioles win the championship against the best team in the league?

By Maribeth Boelts
 * The PS Brothers.**

Grades 4-6. Russell and Shawn call themselves the PS Brothers: P is for poop, S is for scoop, and Brothers is because they’re best friends. Scooping poop is the fastest way to earn money to buy a puppy. These two are crazy about dogs. And they’re sure that once their puppy grows into a tough dog, no one will ever pick on them for being weak or poor again. Unfortunately, getting a puppy is not that easy. Russell and Shawn don’t count on uncovering a dog-fighting ring—and that can bust apart a dream faster than a dog can sniff out a bone. But doing the right thing might still get them what they want—and maybe even more.

By Amy Ignatow.
 * The Popularity Papers: Research for the social improvement and general betterment of Lydia Goldblatt & Julie Graham-Chang**

Grades 5-7. Lydia and Julie are best friends with one goal: to crack the code of popularity. Lydia’s the bold one: aspiring theater star, stick-fighting enthusiast, and human guinea pig. Julie’s the shy one: observer and artist, accidental field hockey jock, and faithful recorder. In this notebook they write down their observations and carry out experiments to try to determine what makes the popular girls tick. But somehow, the harder Lydia and Julie try to imitate the popular girls, the farther they get from their goal—and each other. Amy Ignatow understands friendship and the fifth grade, and she knows just how to wring humor out of ordinary and extraordinary moments. Other books in the series include: The Long-Distance Dispatch Between Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang, Words of (Questionable) Wisdom from Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang, and The Rocky Road Trip of Lydia Goldblatt & Julie Graham-Chang

By Lauren Childs Grades 3-up. It’s the worry you hadn’t even thought to worry about that should worry you the most. At least that’s how it looks to Clarice Bean, who has been writing her worries in a notebook — things like Worry no. 1: infinity, or Worry no. 3: change. And now that her worst never-imagined worry has happened — her utterly best friend is moving away forever — Clarice doesn’t even care about her tickets to the Ruby Redfort, girl detective, movie premiere. That is, unless something happens to change things again. . ..
 * Clarice Bean Don't Look Now**

By Lauren Child
 * Ruby Redfort, Look Into My Eyes.**

Grades 5-up. Everyone knows that Clarice Bean is exceptionordinarily keen on the Ruby Redfort books. Now in her own starring role, Ruby, a genius code-cracker and daring detective, along with her sidekick butler, Hitch, work for a secret crime-busting organization called Spectrum. Ruby gets into lots of scrapes with evil villains, but she’s always ice-cool in a crisis. Just take a classic screwball comedy, add heaps of breathtaking action, and multiply it by Lauren Child’s writing genius, and what have you got? Only the most exciting new middle-grade series since, like, ever.

By Lauren Child
 * Ruby Redfort, Take Your Last Breath.**

Grades 5-up. Everyone’s favorite girl detective is back for a second mind-blowing installment, packed with all the off-the-wall humor, action, and friendship of the first book. This time, though, it’s an adventure on the wide-open ocean, and Ruby is all at sea. . . . Can she crack the case of the Twinford pirates while evading the clutches of a vile sea monster as well as the evil Count von Viscount? Well, you wouldn’t want to bet against her.

By Tim Federle
 * Better Nate Than Ever.**

Grades 5-up. A small-town boy hops a bus to New York City to crash an audition for E.T.: The Musical. Nate Foster has big dreams. His whole life, he’s wanted to star in a Broadway show. (Heck, he’d settle for seeing a Broadway show.) But how is Nate supposed to make his dreams come true when he’s stuck in Jankburg, Pennsylvania, where no one (except his best pal Libby) appreciates a good show tune? With Libby’s help, Nate plans a daring overnight escape to New York. There’s an open casting call for E.T.: The Musical, and Nate knows this could be the difference between small-town blues and big-time stardom.

By Matthew Cody
 * Powerless.**

Grades 3-5. Twelve-year-old Daniel, the new kid in town, soon learns the truth about his nice—but odd—new friends: one can fly, another can turn invisible, yet another controls electricity. Incredible. The superkids use their powers to secretly do good in the town, but they’re haunted by the fact that the moment they turn thirteen, their abilities will disappear—along with any memory that they ever had them. Is a memory-stealing supervillain sapping their powers?

The answers lie in a long-ago meteor strike, a World War II–era comic book (Fantastic Futures, starring the first superhero, Johnny Noble), the green-flamed Witch Fire, a hidden Shroud cave, and—possibly, unbelievably—“powerless” regular-kid Daniel himself.

By Matthew Cody
 * Super.**

Grades 3-5. In this sequel to Powerless, Daniel Corrigan is as regular as can be, especially when compared to the Supers: kids in his new hometown with actual powers like flight and super strength. But Daniel's not powerless. Only he was able to stop the Shroud, a supervillian bent on stealing his newfound friends' powers. And thanks to him, his friends got to keep those powers.

Now Daniel himself is starting to display powers, while at the same time, his friends are losing theirs. His friend Eric thinks Daniel is just becoming a Super himself, a late-blooming one. But Daniel worries there may be something more sinister at work, since his power-stealing ability is uncomfortably like the Shroud's. Of course, the Shroud is gone now. . . or is he? And could Daniel himself be his new vessel?

By Matthew Cody
 * The Dead Gentleman.**

Grades 5-up. The Dead Gentleman is a wild ride between parallel New York City timestreams—1901 and today. Eleven-year-old Tommy Learner is a street orphan and an unlikely protege to the Explorers, a secret group dedicated to exploring portals—the hidden doorways to other worlds. But while investigating an attercop (man-eating spider) in the basement of an old hotel, Tommy is betrayed—and trapped. And it's then that his world collides with that of modern-day Jezebel Lemon, who, until the day she decides to explore her building's basement, had no bigger worries than homework and boys. Now, Jezebel and Tommy must thwart the Dead Gentleman, a legendary villain whose last unconquered world is our own planet Earth, a realm where the dead stay dead. Until now. Can two kids put an end to this ancient evil and his legions of Gravewalkers?

By Rita Garcia-Williams
 * One Crazy Summer.**

Grades 3-5. Eleven-year-old Delphine has it together. Even though her mother, Cecile, abandoned her and her younger sisters, Vonetta and Fern, seven years ago. Even though her father and Big Ma will send them from Brooklyn to Oakland, California, to stay with Cecile for the summer. And even though Delphine will have to take care of her sisters, as usual, and learn the truth about the missing pieces of the past. When the girls arrive in Oakland in the summer of 1968, Cecile wants nothing to do with them. She makes them eat Chinese takeout dinners, forbids them to enter her kitchen, and never explains the strange visitors with Afros and black berets who knock on her door. Rather than spend time with them, Cecile sends Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern to a summer camp sponsored by a revolutionary group, the Black Panthers, where the girls get a radical new education. Set during one of the most tumultuous years in recent American history, One Crazy Summer is the heartbreaking, funny tale of three girls who travel to Oakland, California, in 1968 in search of the mother who abandoned them.

By Rita Garcia-Williams
 * P.S. Be Eleven.**

Grades 3-5. Rita Williams-Garcia’s much-anticipated middle-grade novel P.S. Be Eleven is the sequel to her New York Times bestseller **//One Crazy Summer//**, a Newbery Honor Book and winner of the Coretta Scott King Award.

Eleven-year-old Brooklyn girl Delphine feels overwhelmed with worries and responsibilities. She’s just started sixth grade and is self-conscious about being the tallest girl in the class, and nervous about her first school dance. She’s supposed to be watching her sisters, but Fern and Vonetta are hard to control. Her uncle Darnell is home from Vietnam and seems different. And her pa has a girlfriend. At least Delphine can write to her mother in Oakland, California, for advice. But why does her mother tell her to “be eleven” when Delphine is now twelve?

This historical novel, set in the 1960s, features vivid characters, insight into family relationships, and a strong sense of place.

By Shannon Hale
 * Princess Academy.**

Grades 3-5. Miri lives on a mountain where, for generations, her ancestors have quarried stone and lived a simple life. Then word comes that the king's priests have divined her small village the home of the future princess. In a year's time, the prince himself will come and choose his bride from among the girls of the village. The king's ministers set up an academy on the mountain, and every teenage girl must attend and learn how to become a princess.

Miri soon finds herself confronted with a harsh academy mistress, bitter competition among the girls, and her own conflicting desires to be chosen and win the heart of her childhood best friend. But when bandits seek out the academy to kidnap the future princess, Miri must rally the girls together and use a power unique to the mountain dwellers to save herself and her classmates.

By Shannon Hale
 * Princess Academy: Palace of Stone.**

Grades 3-5.. Coming down from the mountain to a new life in the city is a thrill to Miri. She and her princess academy friends have been brought to Asland to help the future princess Britta prepare for her wedding. There, Miri also has a chance to attend school-at the Queen's Castle. But as Miri befriends students who seem sophisticated and exciting she also learns that they have some frightening plans. Torn between loyalty to the princess and her new friends' ideas, between an old love and a new crush, and between her small mountain home and the bustling city, Miri looks to find her own way in this new place.

Picking up where Princess Academy left off, and celebrating the joys of friendship, romance and the fate of fairy tale kingdoms, this new book delivers the completely delightful new story that fans have been waiting for.

By Brandon Mull
 * The Candy Shop War.**

Grades 4-up. Welcome to the Sweet Tooth Ice Cream & Candy Shoppe, where the confections are a bit on the. . . unusual side. Rock candy that makes you weightless. Jawbreakers that make you unbreakable. Chocolate balls that make you a master of disguise. Four young friends--Nate, Summer, Trevor, and Pigeon--meet the grandmotherly Mrs. White, owner of the Sweet Tooth, and soon learn about the magical side effects of her candies. In addition, the ice cream truck driver, Mr. Stott, has arrived with a few enchanted sweets of his own. But what about the mysterious man in the dark overcoat and fedora hat? Why are all these "magicians" trying to recruit Nate and his friends? Who should they trust? The mystery deepens and the danger unfolds as the four youngsters discover that the magical strangers have all come to town in search of a legendary, hidden treasure--one that could be used for great evil if it fell into the wrong hands. The kids, now in over their heads, must try to retrieve the treasure first. And so, the war begins. ..

By Brandon Mull
 * The Candy Shop War, Book 2: Arcade Catastrophe.**

Grades 4-up. The long-awaited sequel to The Candy Shop War. In The Candy Shop War, friends Nate, Summer, Trevor, and Pigeon met the evil magician Belinda White, whose magical confections enabled the kids to do incredible feats of strength and magic. In the sequel, Nate and his friends meet Mrs. White’s brother, Mr. White who owns Arcadeland, a local amusement center. At Arcadeland, kids can play games and earn thousands of tickets, which are redeemable for one of four kinds of stamps: jets, tanks, subs, and racecars. Could it be true that these stamps allow kids to fly through the air? Or breathe underwater? Or run faster than a car? But Mr. White is hiding a secret: when all four clubs are filled, he will be able to retrieve perhaps the most powerful talisman ever. For Nate and his friends, it will take more than candy to fight and win this war!

By Jerry Spinelli
 * Hokey Pokey.**

Grades 5-up. Welcome to Hokey Pokey. A place and a time, when childhood is at its best: games to play, bikes to ride, experiences to be had. There are no adults in Hokey Pokey, just kids, and the laws governing Hokey Pokey are simple and finite. But when one of the biggest kids, Jack, has his beloved bike stolen—and by a girl, no less—his entire world, and the world of Hokey Pokey, turns to chaos. Without his bike, Jack feels like everything has started to go wrong. He feels different, not like himself, and he knows something is about to change. And even more troubling he alone hears a faint train whistle. But that's impossible: every kid knows there no trains in Hokey Pokey, only tracks.

Master storyteller Jerry Spinelli has written a dizzingly inventive fable of growing up and letting go, of leaving childhood and its imagination play behind for the more dazzling adventures of adolescence, and of learning to accept not only the sunny part of day, but the unwelcome arrival of night, as well.

By Lisa Graff
 * A Tangle of Knots.**

Grades 3-5. Told in multiple viewpoints, A Tangle of Knots is a magnificent puzzle. In a slightly magical world where everyone has a Talent, eleven-year-old Cady is an orphan with a phenomenal Talent for cake baking. But little does she know that fate has set her on a journey from the moment she was born. And her destiny leads her to a mysterious address that houses a lost luggage emporium, an old recipe, a family of children searching for their own Talents, and a Talent Thief who will alter her life forever. However, these encounters hold the key to Cady's past and how she became an orphan. If she's lucky, fate may reunite her with her long-lost parent.

By Lisa Graff
 * Double Dog Dare. **

Grades 3-5. What would you do to win a dare war?

In a humorous and insightful novel reminiscent of her award-winning titles The Thing About Georgie and Umbrella Summer, Lisa Graff tells the story of fourth-graders Kansas Bloom and Francine Halata, who start out as archenemies, until--in a battle of wits and willpower--they discover that they have a lot more in common than either would have guessed.

This dual-perspective novel will appeal to girls and boys alike--and to anyone who has ever wanted anything so badly that they'd lick a lizard to get it.

By Gordon Korman.
 * Ungifted.**

Grades 4-up. The word gifted has never been applied to a kid like Donovan Curtis. It's usually more like Don't try this at home. So when the troublemaker pulls a major prank at his middle school, he thinks he's finally gone too far. But thanks to a mix-up by one of the administrators, instead of getting in trouble, Donovan is sent to the Academy of Scholastic Distinction (ASD), a special program for gifted and talented students. It wasn't exactly what Donovan had intended, but there couldn't be a more perfect hideout for someone like him. That is, if he can manage to fool people whose IQs are above genius level. And that becomes harder and harder as the students and teachers of ASD grow to realize that Donovan may not be good at math or science (or just about anything). But after an ongoing experiment with a live human (sister), an unforgettably dramatic middle-school dance, and the most astonishing come-from-behind robot victory ever, Donovan shows that his gifts might be exactly what the ASD students never knew they needed.

By Tom Angleberger
 * Fake Mustache.**

Grades 3-5. Regular kid Lenny Flem Jr. is the only one standing between his evil-genius best friend—Casper, a master of disguise and hypnosis—and world domination. It all begins when Casper spends money from his granny on a spectacularly convincing fake mustache, the Heidelberg Handlebar #7. With it he’s able rob banks, amass a vast fortune, and run for president. Is Lenny the only one who can see through his disguise? And will he be able to stop Casper from taking over the world?

By Barbara Wright
 * Crow.**

Grades 5-up. The summer of 1898 is filled with ups and downs for 11-year-old Moses. He's growing apart from his best friend, his superstitious Boo-Nanny butts heads constantly with his pragmatic, educated father, and his mother is reeling from the discovery of a family secret. Yet there are good times, too. He's teaching his grandmother how to read. For the first time she's sharing stories about her life as a slave. And his father and his friends are finally getting the respect and positions of power they've earned in the Wilmington, North Carolina community. But not everyone is happy with the political changes at play and some will do anything, including a violent plot against the government, to maintain the status quo.

One generation away from slavery, a thriving African American community—enfranchised and emancipated—suddenly and violently loses its freedom in turn-of-the-century North Carolina when a group of local politicians stages the only successful coup d'etat in US history.

By Jewell Parker Rhodes
 * Sugar.**

Grades 4-up. Ten-year-old Sugar lives on the River Road sugar plantation along the banks of the Mississippi. Slavery is over, but laboring in the fields all day doesn't make her feel very free. Thankfully, Sugar has a knack for finding her own fun, especially when she joins forces with forbidden friend Billy, the white plantation owner's son.

Sugar has always yearned to learn more about the world, and she sees her chance when Chinese workers are brought in to help harvest the cane. The older River Road folks feel threatened, but Sugar is fascinated. As she befriends young Beau and elder Master Liu, they introduce her to the traditions of their culture, and she, in turn, shares the ways of plantation life. Sugar soon realizes that she must be the one to bridge the cultural gap and bring the community together. Here is a story of unlikely friendships and how they can change our lives forever.

From Jewell Parker Rhodes, the author of Ninth Ward, here's another tale of a strong, spirited young girl who rises beyond her circumstances and inspires others to work toward a brighter future.

By Marianne Malone and Greg Call
 * The Sixty-Eight Rooms (The Sixty-Eight Rooms Adventures).**

Grades 3-up. Fans of magic, mystery, and adventure will love the first exciting Sixty-Eight Rooms Adventure—the perfect next step for kids who loved the Magic Tree House series, and readers who love Chasing Vermeer, The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, and Wonderstruck! Almost everybody who has grown up in Chicago knows about the Thorne Rooms. Housed in the deep inside the Chicago Art Institute they are a collection of 68 exquisitely crafted miniature rooms. Each room is set in a different historic period, and every detail is perfect. Some might even say, the rooms are magic. Imagine—what if on a field trip, you discovered a key that allowed you to shrink so that you could sneak inside and explore the rooms' secrets? What if you discovered that others had done so before you? And that someone had left something important behind?

By Marianne Malone and Greg Call
 * Stealing Magic: A Sixty-Eight Rooms Adventure.**

Grades 3-up. Fans of magic, mystery, and adventure will love this rollicking sequel to The Sixty-Eight Rooms—a perfect next step for kids who love the Magic Tree House series, and just right for readers who love Chasing Vermeer, The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, and Wonderstruck. Sixth graders Ruthie and Jack thought their adventures in the Thorne Rooms were over, until miniatures from the rooms start to disappear. Is it the work of the art thief who's on the loose in Chicago? Or has someone else discovered the secret of the Thorne Rooms' magic? Ruthie and Jack's quest to stop the thief takes them from modern day Chicago to 1937 Paris to antebellum South Carolina. But as more items disappear, including the key that allows them to shrink and access the past worlds, what was once just an adventure becomes a life and death race against the clock. Can Ruthie and Jack catch the thief and help the friends they meet on the way before the magic—and the rooms—are destroyed forever?

By Marianne Malone and Greg Call
 * The Pirate's Coin: A Sixty-Eight Rooms Adventure.**

Grades 3-up. Fans of magic, mystery, and adventure will love the third The Sixty-Eight Rooms Adventure—a perfect next step for kids who love the Magic Tree House series, and just right for readers who love Chasing Vermeer, The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, and Wonderstruck. Sixth Graders Ruthie and Jack return to the Art Institute of Chicago's magical Thorne Rooms. During a school presentation, Ruthie and Jack discover that their classmate Kendra is descended from Phoebe Monroe, the young slave they befriended when they traveled to 19th-century South Carolina. Kendra tells them that long ago her family lost their good name and their business selling herbal remedies when mobsters accused them of stealing the recipes! Only Ruthie and Jack know the truth--because only they know about the secret ledger that Phoebe wrote the recipes in long ago! Ruthie and Jack's mission to clear Kendra's name takes them back to the Thorne Rooms, where a mysterious old coin leads them to 1753 Cape Cod and to Jack's own ancestor. . . the pirate Jack Norfleet! But playing with history can be dangerous! Suddenly, Jack's very existence is in jeopardy! Can Ruthie and Jack find the proof they need to help Kendra? And can they fix the past and save Jack's future. . . before it's too late.

By Katherine Applegate, illustrated by Patricia Castelao
 * The One and Only Ivan. **

Grades 3-5. When Ivan, a gorilla who lives in a down-and-out circus themed mall, meets Ruby, a baby elephant new to the menagerie, he decides that he must find her a better life. 2013 Newbery Award Winner.

By Sheila Turnage
 * Three Times Lucky.**

Grades 5-up. Rising sixth grader Miss Moses LoBeau lives in the small town of Tupelo Landing, NC, where everyone's business is fair game and no secret is sacred. She washed ashore in a hurricane eleven years ago, and she's been making waves ever since. Although Mo hopes someday to find her "upstream mother," she's found a home with the Colonel--a café owner with a forgotten past of his own--and Miss Lana, the fabulous café hostess. She will protect those she loves with every bit of her strong will and tough attitude. So when a lawman comes to town asking about a murder, Mo and her best friend, Dale Earnhardt Johnson III, set out to uncover the truth in hopes of saving the only family Mo has ever known.

Full of wisdom, humor, and grit, this timeless yarn will melt the heart of even the sternest Yankee.

By Jessica Day George
 * Tuesdays at the Castle.**

Grades 3-5. Every Tuesday Castle Glower takes on a life of its own-magically inventing, moving, and even completely getting rid of some of its rooms. Good thing Princess Celie takes the time to map out these never-ending changes. Because when the castle is ambushed and Celie's parents and oldest brother go missing, it's up to Celie to protect their home and save their kingdom.

By Jessica Day George
 * Wednesdays in the Tower**

Grades 3-5. A castle that is constantly rearranging itself, and a young royal family sworn to protect it... Celie, Rolf, and their beloved Castle Glower are back in this exciting sequel.

When her brother Rolf dares her to catch magical Castle Glower creating a new room, Princess Celie takes the challenge! No one knows the Castle better than she does. But as usual, the Castle has ideas of its own.Celie finds the new room first, and inside it is hidden a giant egg. It looks like The Castle wants Celie to care for the egg and whatever creature it hatches! Celie hadn't bargained for a pet, and caring for this one will prove to be especially tricky, once Celie and her siblings realize what else the Castle is hiding....

By Siena Cherson Siegel; Illustrated by Mark Siegel
 * To Dance: A Ballerina’s Graphic Novel.**

Grades 3-5. The true story of the author’s travels from her home in Puerto Rico to the stage of the New York City Ballet.

By Nathan Hale
 * Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales: One Dead Spy**.

Grades 3-5. Just before Nathan Hale is hung as a spy in the Revolutionary War, he tells a British soldier and the hangman some American history.

By Jason Shiga
 * Meanwhile.**

Grades 3-5. In this choose-your-own-adventure-style graphic novel, a boy’s choice of chocolate or vanilla ice cream leads to wild adventures.

By Trenton Lee Stewart; illustrated by Carson Ellis
 * The Mysterious Benedict Society.**

Grades 3-5. After passing a series of mind-bending tests, four children are selected for a secret mission that requires them to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. Book 1 in the series.

By Dan Santat
 * Sidekicks.**

Grades 3-5. When Captain Amazing announces that he will hold tryouts for a new sidekick, his pets decide they want a chance to help save the world.

By Uma Krishnaswami; Illustrated by Abigail Halpin
 * The Grand Plan to Fix Everything**.

Grades 3-5. Eleven-year old Dini loves movies—watching them, reading about them, trying to write her own—especially those oh-so-fabulous Bollywood movies where you don’t need to know the language to get what’s going on. But when her mother reveals some big news, it does not at all jibe with the script Dini had in mind. Her family is moving to India. And not even to Bombay, which is the “center of the filmi universe” (and home to Dini’s all-time most favorite star, Dolly Singh). No, they’re moving to a teeny, tiny town that she can’t even find on a map: Swapnagiri. It means Dream Mountain, a sleepy little place where nothing interesting can happen.... But wait a movie minute! Swapnagiri is full of surprises like rose petal milk shakes, mischievous monkeys, a girl who chirps like a bird, and...could it be…Dolly herself?

By Linda Urban
 * The Center of Everything.**

Grades 4-8. For Ruby Pepperdine, the “center of everything” is on the rooftop of Pepperdine Motors in her donut-obsessed town of Bunning, New Hampshire, stargazing from the circle of her grandmother Gigi’s hug. That’s how everything is supposed to be—until Ruby messes up and things spin out of control. But she has one last hope. It all depends on what happens on Bunning Day, when the entire town will hear Ruby read her winning essay. And it depends on her twelfth birthday wish—unless she messes that up too. Can Ruby’s wish set everything straight in her topsy-turvy world?

By Sherri Winston
 * The Kayla Chronicles**.

Grades 5-up. Kayla Dean, junior feminist and future journalist, is about the break the story of a lifetime. She is auditioning for the Lady Lions dance team to prove they discriminate against the not-so-well endowed. But when she makes the team, her best friend and fellow feminist, Rosalie, is not happy.

Now a Lady Lion, Kayla is transformed from bushy-haired fashion victim to glammed-up dance diva. But does looking good and having fun mean turning her back on the cause? Can you be a strong woman and still wear really cute shoes? Soon Kayla is forced to challenge her views, coming to terms with who she is and what girl power really means.

Narrated with sharp language and just the right amount of attitude, The Kayla Chronicles is the story of a girl's struggle for self-identity despite pressure from family, friends and her own conscience. Kayla's story is snappy, fun and inspiring, sure to appeal to anyone who's every questioned who they really are.

By Ellen Potter
 * The Humming Room.**

Grades 4-8. Hiding is Roo Fanshaw’s special skill. Living in a frighteningly unstable family, she often needs to disappear at a moment’s notice. When her parents are murdered, it’s her special hiding place under the trailer that saves her life.

As it turns out, Roo, much to her surprise, has a wealthy if eccentric uncle, who has agreed to take her into his home on Cough Rock Island. Once a tuberculosis sanitarium for children of the rich, the strange house is teeming with ghost stories and secrets. Roo doesn’t believe in ghosts or fairy stories, but what are those eerie noises she keeps hearing? And who is that strange wild boy who lives on the river? People are lying to her, and Roo becomes determined to find the truth. Despite the best efforts of her uncle’s assistants, Roo discovers the house’s hidden room—a garden with a tragic secret.

Inspired by The Secret Garden, this tale full of unusual characters and mysterious secrets is a story that only Ellen Potter could write.

By Christopher Paul Curtis
 * Bucking the Sarge.**

Grades 5-up. Luther T. Farrell has got to get out of Flint, Michigan. As his best friend Sparky says, “Flint’s nothing but the Titanic.” And his mother, a.k.a. the Sarge, says, “Take my advice and stay off the sucker path.” The Sarge milked the system to build an empire of slum housing and group homes. Luther’s just one of the many people trapped in the Sarge’s Evil Empire—but he’s about to bust out.

If Luther wins the science fair this year, he’ll be on track for college and a future as America’s best-known and best-loved philosopher. All he’s got to do is beat his arch rival Shayla Patrick, the beautiful daughter of Flint’s finest undertaker—and the love of Luther’s life. Bucking the Sarge is a story that only Christopher Paul Curtis could tell. Once again the Newbery Award–winning author of Bud, Not Buddy and The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 gives us a whole new angle on life and a world full of unforgettable and hilarious characters.

By Trina Robbins and Tyler Page
 * ChicagoLand Detective Agency 1: The Drained Brains Caper.**

Grades 4-up. Raf knows Megan is trouble from the moment she steps into his mom's pet food store asking for a tarantula. But there's one thing you can count on in Chicagoland: weird things happen several times a day. Megan is a vegetarian, manga-reading haiku writer. She definitely doesn't fit in at Stepford Academy, her new summer school. The other students are happy to be in class. Too happy. And everyone looks and acts exactly alike. That's weird. Megan is determined to dig into Stepford's secrets, but soon she's in way too deep. Raf may be the only human being she knows who can help. But with zombified students, very mad scientists, and the school psychiatrist on their trail, they're going to need a whole lot more help. We did say that Chicagoland is weird...

By Trina Robbins
 * Chicagoland Detective Agency 2: The Maltese Mummy.**

Grades 4-up. A friend has vanished, a mummy's amulet is missing, and there's a weirdo out there looking for human brains and hearts. The Chicagoland Detective Agency--run by Megan, Raf, and his talking dog Bradley--have more than enough cases on their hands (and paws). But where to start? Megan's too busy for private-detecting. Her haikus won her tickets to meet the drop-dead gorgeous rock star Sun D'Arc. Raf is sure that Sun is too good not to be really bad. He must be involved in one of their cases. And what about Sun's suspiciously familiar manager? Or the pushy new girl at school? Can Bradley, dog genius, pull his team together and sniff out what suspect goes with which case?

By Trina Robbins
 * Night of the Living Dogs (Chicagoland Detective Agency).**

Grades 4-up. A friend has vanished, a mummy's amulet is missing, and there's a weirdo out there looking for human brains and hearts. The Chicagoland Detective Agency--run by Megan, Raf, and his talking dog Bradley--have more than enough cases on their hands (and paws). But where to start? Megan's too busy for private-detecting. Her haikus won her tickets to meet the drop-dead gorgeous rock star Sun D'Arc. Raf is sure that Sun is too good not to be really bad. He must be involved in one of their cases. And what about Sun's suspiciously familiar manager? Or the pushy new girl at school? Can Bradley, dog genius, pull his team together and sniff out what suspect goes with which case?

By Richard Peck and Kelly Murphy
 * Secrets at Sea.**

Grades 3-up. The adorable tale of a family of mice stowaways on an adventurous ship's journey. In the beloved tradition of The Borrowers, The Tale of Despereaux, and The Cricket in Times Square, here is an irresistible adventure story about the tiny creatures who secretly live among us humans, as only Newbery Medal winner Richard Peck could imagine it. Set on a grand cruise ship to England in 1887, this beautifully illustrated tale of a charming family of mice is full of laughs, near misses, and surprises. Multiple-award-winning author Richard Peck at his best and most playful!

By Christopher Healy and Todd Harris
 * The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom.**

Grades 4-8. Prince Liam. Prince Frederic. Prince Duncan. Prince Gustav. You’ve never heard of them, have you? These are the princes who saved Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White, and Rapunzel, respectively, and yet, thanks to those lousy bards who wrote the tales, you likely know them only as Prince Charming. But all of this is about to change. Rejected by their princesses and cast out of their castles, the princes stumble upon an evil plot that could endanger each of their kingdoms. Now it’s up to them to triumph over their various shortcomings, take on trolls, bandits, dragons, witches, and other assorted terrors, and become the heroes no one ever thought they could be.

By Christopher Healy and Todd Harris
 * The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle.**

Grades 4-8. Prince Liam, Prince Frederic, Prince Duncan, and Prince Gustav, the charming princes from the fairy tales of Cinderella, Rapunzel, Snow White, and Briar Rose, saved the countryside from an evil witch in The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom. And now, they have to save the day again, by keeping a magical object from falling into the hands of power-mad warlords who would use it for evil.

The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle is the second in Christopher Healy’s funny and action-packed middle-grade series, the perfect pick for kids who love the Shrek movies and readers who like their fantasy adventures with a heaping helping of humor.

By Patricia Reilly Giff
 * Hunter Moran Saves the Universe.**

Grades 3-5. Twins Hunter and Zack have a small problem to solve: they must save their town from a diabolical dentist who is planning to blow it to smithereens. But first they have to hold a funeral for an incriminating report card before it breaks their mother’s heart, hide a cello that has been demolished, and keep their father from finding out what they did to his laptop. None of this is going to be easy with their busybody older sister, Linny, watching their every move; older brother, William, just waiting to get them in trouble; five-year-old brother, Steadman, tailing them; and baby Mary banging her spoon like a maniac so no one can think. Before the book is over, a vintage airplane, a hot-air balloon, and a borrowed fire engine will all play parts in the unfolding mystery. This novel is filled with whimsical characters, lots of mischief, and plenty of heart.

By Mark Goldblatt
 * Twerp**

Grades 5-8. It's not like I meant for Danley to get hurt. . ..

Julian Twerski isn't a bully. He's just made a big mistake. So when he returns to school after a weeklong suspension, his English teacher offers him a deal: if he keeps a journal and writes about the terrible incident that got him and his friends suspended, he can get out of writing a report on Shakespeare. Julian jumps at the chance. And so begins his account of life in sixth grade--blowing up homemade fireworks, writing a love letter for his best friend (with disastrous results), and worrying whether he's still the fastest kid in school. Lurking in the background, though, is the one story he can't bring himself to tell, the one story his teacher most wants to hear.

Inspired by Mark Goldblatt's own childhood growing up in 1960s Queens, Twerp shines with humor and heart. This remarkably powerful story will have readers laughing and crying right along with these flawed but unforgettable characters.

by Leanne Statland Ellis
 * The Ugly One**

Grades 5-8. I had always been ugly, as far back as I could remember. Micay has a deep scar that runs like a river from her right eye to her lip. The boys in her Incan village bully her because of it, and most of the adults ignore her. So she keeps to herself and tries to hide the scar with her long hair, drawing comfort from her family and her faith in the Sun God, Inti. Then a stranger traveling from his jungle homeland to the Sacred Sun City at Machu Picchu gives her a baby macaw, and the path of her life changes. Perhaps she isn’t destined to be the Ugly One forever. Vivid storytelling and rich details capture the life and landscape of the Incan Empire as seen through the eyes of a young girl who is an outsider among her own people.

by Ari Goelman
 * The Path of Names**

Grades 5-8. Dahlia Sherman loves magic, and Math Club, and Guitar Hero. She isn't so fond of nature walks, and Hebrew campfire songs, and mean girls her own age.

All of which makes a week at summer camp pretty much the worst idea ever.

But within minutes of arriving at camp, Dahlia realizes that it might not be as bad as she'd feared. First she sees two little girls walk right through the walls of her cabin. Then come the dreams -- frighteningly detailed visions of a young man being pursued through 1930s New York City. How are the dreams and the girls related? Why is Dahlia the only one who can see any of them? And what's up with the overgrown, strangely shaped hedge maze that none of the campers are allowed to touch? Dahlia's increasingly dangerous quest for answers will lead her right to the center of the maze -- but it will take all her courage, smarts, and sleight-of-hand skills to get her back out again.

by Maile Meloy
 * The Apprentices**

Sequel to The Apothecary.

Grades 4-8. It’s 1954, and Janie Scott is in boarding school in New Hampshire, trying to make a new life. Two years have passed since she last saw the mysterious apothecary—or his defiant son, Benjamin. All she knows is that her friends are out there somewhere, trying to keep the world safe in an age of mounting atomic power. On the other side of the world, Benjamin is treating the wounded in a jungle war, and experimenting with a magical new formula that will let him communicate with Janie across the globe.

But Janie has her own experiment underway, and it’s attracting interest from sinister forces. Benjamin calls on their friend Pip for help, and they have to race to find one another, and to unravel the mystery of their powerful new enemies. Grades 6-9

By Valerie O. Patterson
 * Operation Oleander.**

Grades 5-up. Ninth-grader Jess Westmark had the best of intentions when she started Operation Oleander to raise money for a girls’ orphanage in Kabul. She named her charity for the oleander that grows both in her Florida hometown and in Afghanistan, where her father is deployed. But on one of her father's trips to deliver supplies to the orphans, a car bomb explodes nearby and her father is gravely injured. Worse, her best friend’s mother and some of the children are killed, and people are blaming Operation Oleander for turning the orphanage into a military target for the Taliban. Is this all Jess’s fault?

By David Fleming
 * The Saturday Boy**

Grades 6-9. If there's one thing I've learned from comic books, it's that everybody has a weakness—something that can totally ruin their day without fail. For the wolfman it's a silver bullet. For Superman it's Kryptonite. For me it was a letter.

With one letter, my dad was sent back to Afghanistan to fly Apache helicopters for the U.S. army. Now all I have are his letters. Ninety-one of them to be exact. I keep them in his old plastic lunchbox—the one with the cool black car on it that says Knight Rider underneath. Apart from my comic books, Dad's letters are the only things I read more than once. I know which ones to read when I'm down and need a pick-me-up. I know which ones will make me feel like I can conquer the world. I also know exactly where to go when I forget Mom's birthday. No matter what, each letter always says exactly what I need to hear. But, just when Derek needs advice most, his dad’s letters stop.

By Wendy Mass
 * Pi in the Sky**

Grades 3-5. Joss is the seventh son of the Supreme Overlord of the Universe, and all he gets to do is deliver pies. That's right: pies. Of course these pies actually hold the secrets of the universe between their buttery crusts, but they're still pies.

Joss comes from a family of overachievers, and is happy to let his older brothers shine. But when Earth suddenly disappears, Joss is tample job of bringing it back. With the help of an outspoken girl from Earth named Annika, Joss embarks on the adventure of a lifetime sked with the not-so-siand learns that the universe is an even stranger place than he'd imagined.

By Ron Berman
 * The Kid from Courage - Touchdown Edition (Dream Series)**

Grades 5-up. When fifteen-year-old Bryan Berry, a promising junior tennis player, begins to train with Henry Johnson, people at the local club laugh and dismiss the partnership as a crazy idea. After all, Henry is nothing more than an old, washed-up, former teaching pro...isn't he? As it turns out, Bryan's new coach becomes a cherished friend and mentor who serves up memorable lessons about life as well as tennis. Come along on Bryan's amazing journey and find out what happens when The Kid from Courage competes against the best juniors in America at the Super National Championships.

by John Feinstein
 * Rush for the Gold: Mystery at the Olympics**

Grades 5-9. Bestselling sportswriter and Edgar Award winner John Feinstein is back with another sports mystery featuring Stevie Thomas and Susan Carol Anderson—this one set at the summer Olympics in London. In this book, Susan Carol isn't a reporter—she's an Olympian, competing as a swimmer at her first Olympic games. Stevie is both proud and envious of her athletic prowess. And he's worried by the agents and sponsors and media all wanting to get up close and personal with Susan Carol. But the more disturbing question becomes—how far might they go to ensure that America's newest Olympic darling wins gold?

by John Feinstein
 * The Rivalry: Mystery at the Army-Navy Game**

Grades 5-9. Teen sportswriters Stevie Thomas and Susan Carol Anderson are thrilled to be covering "America's Game." The Black Knights of Army and the Midshipmen of Navy have met on the football field since 1890, and it's a rivalry like no other, filled with tradition. But this year, the match-up is also filled with intrigue.

For weeks, Stevie and Susan Carol have been spending time at Annapolis and West Point, getting to know the players, and coaches. And the secret service agents. Since the president will be attending the game, security will, of course, be tighter than tight. As the game draws nearer Stevie and Susan Carol can tell that the agents are getting tenser.

But as usual when Stevie and Susan Carol cover a big event--nothing is quite as it seems, and the coaches aren't the only ones calling plays...

By Mike Lupica
 * True Legend**

Grades 5-up. There's a reason teammates call him "True." Because for basketball phenom Drew Robinson, there is nothing more true than his talent on the court. It's the kind that comes along once in a generation and is loaded with perks--and with problems.

Before long, True buys in to his own hype, much to the chagrin of his mother, who wants to keep her boy's head grounded--and suddenly trouble has a way of finding him. That is, until a washed-up former playground legend steps back onto the court and takes True under his wing.

In this age of street agents promising riches to kids barely out of elementary school and college programs being taken down because of recruiting violations, //True Legend// is a resonant and inspiring novel in the Lupica tradition.

By Holly Black
 * Doll Bones**

Grades 5-8. Zach, Poppy, and Alice have been friends forever. And for almost as long, they’ve been playing one continuous, ever-changing game of pirates and thieves, mermaids and warriors. But they are in middle school now. Zach’s father pushes him to give up make-believe, and Zach quits the game. Their friendship might be over, until Poppy declares she’s been having dreams about the Queen—and the ghost of a girl who will not rest until the bone-china doll is buried in her empty grave.

Zach and Alice and Poppy set off on one last adventure to lay the Queen’s ghost to rest. But nothing goes according to plan, and as their adventure turns into an epic journey, creepy things begin to happen. Is the doll just a doll or something more sinister? And if there really is a ghost, will it let them go now that it has them in its clutches?

By Sharon Draper
 * Panic.**

Grades 7-up. This gripping and chillingly realistic novel from New York Times bestselling author Sharon Draper shows that all it takes is one bad decision for everything to change.

Diamond knows not to get into a car with a stranger. But what if the stranger is well-dressed and handsome? On his way to meet his wife and daughter? And casting a movie that very night—a movie in need of a star dancer? What then? Then Diamond might make the wrong decision. It’s a nightmare come true: Diamond Landers has been kidnapped. She was at the mall with a friend, alone for only a few brief minutes—and now she’s being held captive, forced to endure horrors beyond what she ever could have dreamed, while her family and friends experience their own torments and wait desperately for any bit of news. This is a riveting exploration of power: how quickly we can lose it—and how we can take it back.

By Sharon Flake
 * Pinned**

Grades 6-up. Award-winning author, Sharon G. Flake, presents a powerful novel about a teen boy and girl, each tackling disabilities.

Autumn and Adonis have nothing in common and everything in common. Autumn is outgoing and has lots of friends. Adonis is shy and not so eager to connect with people. But even with their differences, the two have one thing in common--they're each dealing with a handicap. For Autumn, who has a learning disability, reading is a painful struggle that makes it hard to focus in class. But as her school’s most aggressive team wrestler, Autumn can take down any problem. Adonis is confined to a wheelchair. He has no legs. He can't walk or dance. But he’s a strong reader who loves books. Even so, Adonis has a secret he knows someone like Autumn can heal.

In time, Autumn and Adonis are forced to see that our greatest weaknesses can turn into the assets that forever change us and those we love.

By Derrick Barnes
 * We Could Be Brothers**

Grades 6-up. Two thirteen- year-old African-American boys become friends during a three day stint in an after school suspension. They were both involved in two unrelated incidents with the same person, the resident menace at Alain Locke Middle School, **Tariq Molten**.


 * Robeson Battlefield** is from a two parent household, where both parents are highly successful and educated. Academic achievement, social consciousness and responsibility are reinforced daily in the Battlefield household.

During this three day span, the young men visit each others home, and "chop it up" on a multitude of subjects including respect of self and Black women, the dire state of hip-hop music, the use of the dreaded "N" word, and masculinity. Before long, the three boys are on a collision course. And when they do intersect, their lives are changed forever.
 * Pacino Clapton** comes from a single parent household; his mom works two fulltime jobs. Pacino has a ton of responsibilities, including cutting hair to help pay bills, and taking care of his twin five- year-old sisters.


 * We Could Brothers** addresses the presence and lack of positive male leadership in the home, and how it dictates the way young African American men view themselves, each other, and the world around them. Mentorship, brotherhood, and an emphasis on that old adage "each-one-teach-one" are very real and tangible themes in this new YA literary masterpiece.