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CAR
The Longest Home Run (age 9-12)
by Roch Carrier
magic ... sports
``The longest home run in the history of baseball was hit by a girl.'' So begins a baseball misadventure in the village of Ste. Justine. This time, a strange girl named Adeline shows up at the daisy field where Roch and his friends play baseball all summer. She proceeds to hit a towering home run...right through the window of the crankiest man in town. Adeline has other powers as well, which Roch and the boys discover at a magic show. But without the baseball, the game cannot go on. When Adeline literally disappears, who do you think has to get the ball back?
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SNY
The Bronze Pen (age 9-12)
by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
brilliant protagonist ... humor ... friendship ... magic ... family ... authorship
Twelve-year-old Audrey Abbott dreams of becoming a writer, but with her father's failing health and the family's shaky finances, it seems there is no room for what her overworked mother would surely call a childish fantasy. So Audrey keeps her writing a secret. That is, until she meets a mysterious old woman who seems able to read her mind. Audrey is surprised at how readily she reveals her secret to the woman. One day the old woman gives Audrey a peculiar bronze pen and tells her to "use it wisely and to good purpose." It turns out to be just perfect for writing her stories with. But as Audrey writes, odd things start happening. Did Beowulf, her dog, just speak to her? And what is that bumping under her bed at night? It seems that whatever she writes with the pen comes true. However, things don't always happen in the way that she wants or expects. In fact, it's quite difficult to predict what writing with the pen will do. Could the pen be more of a curse than a gift? Or will Audrey be able to rewrite the future in the way that she wishes---and save her father's life?
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SNO
The Ratbridge Chronicles (age 9-12)
by Alan Snow
humor ... fantasy ... magic
Welcome to Ratbridge. But beware, for there is skulduggery afoot. Young Arthur has fallen foul of the appalling outlaw, Snatcher, and is trapped alone in the town with every way home sealed. Meanwhile Snatcher and his men are working tirelessly in secret on a fiendish and dastardly plan to take over, and destroy, the entire town. With the help of Willbury Nibble, QC; some friendly boxtrolls and cabbageheads; Marjorie the frustrated inventor; and the rats and pirates from the Ratbridge Nautical Laundry, can Arthur thwart Snatcher's evil plans, and find his way home?
title: Here Be Monsters! An Adventure Involving Magic Trolls and Other Creatures
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FUN
Igraine the Brave (age 9-12)
by Cornelia Funke
princesses ... knights/castles/dragons ... adventure ... fantasy ... magic
Princess Igraine dreams of becoming a famous knight just like her great grandfather, but the truth is, life at the family castle is rather boring. Until the nephew of the baroness-next-door shows up. He's got a dastardly plan to capture the castle and claim as his own the wonderful singing spell books that belong to Igraine's magician parents. To make matters worse, at the very moment of the siege, her mom and dad botch a spell, turning themselves into pigs! Aided by a Gentle Giant and a Sorrowful Knight, it's up to Igraine to be brave and save the day--and the books!
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HAN
King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table (age 9-12)
by Joshua Hanft
magic ... knights/castles/dragons ... folklore
A specially adapted version of a story of kings and knights in a time of magic, evil and witchcraft.
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NIM
The Magician Trilogy (age 9-12)
by Jenny Nimmo
family ... fantasy ... magic
On his ninth birthday Gwyn is given a brooch and told to cast it to the wind. What returns to him as a result is an amazing fantasy story about the fight between good and evil, sorrow and joy, friendship and betrayal.
title: The Snow Spider
title: Emlyn's Moon
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MAC
The Light Princess (age 9-12)
by George MacDonald
princesses ... magic ... fantasy ... folklore
The princess at her christening is cursed by a wicked witch with lightness. She floats blissfully about the castle all day long and, as one can imagine, gets into all sorts of adventures. Gravity, weight, sorrow, suffering ... all of this the princess misses, but with all of these she misses love, for what is love without weight, without falling?
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SAG
Septimus Heap Series (age 9-12)
by Angie Sage
magic ... fantasy ... humor ... action
Septimus Heap, the seventh son of the seventh son, disappears the night he is born, pronounced dead by the midwife. That same night, the baby's father, Silas Heap, comes across an abandoned child in the snow ... a newborn girl with violet eyes. The Heaps take her into their home, name her Jenna, and raise her as their own. But who is this mysterious baby girl, and what really happened to their beloved son Septimus?
title: Magyk
title: Flyte
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SAI
Varjak Paw (age 9-12)
by S. F. Said
adventure ... action ... spooky ... magic
Varjak Paw is a Mesopotamian Blue kitten. He lives high up in an old house on a hill. He's never left home, until his grandfather tells him about the Way ... a secret martial art for cats. Now Varjak must use the Way to survive in a city full of dangerous dogs, cat gangs, and strangest of all, the mysterious Vanishings.
sequel: The Outlaw Varjak Paw
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CLE
The Nutcracker (age 9-12)
by David Clement-Davies
traditions ... magic ... folklore
Catalog: After hearing how the toy nutcracker that she and her brother received for Christmas got his ugly face, Marie helps break the spell he is under and watches him change into a handsome prince. Illustrated notes throughout the text explain the historical background of the story.
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BRI
The Wish Giver: Three Tales of Coven Tree (age 9-12)
by Bill Brittain
enterprise ... fantasy ... magic
When a strange little man comes to the Coven Tree Church Social promising he can give people exactly what they ask for, three young believers-in-magic each make a wish that comes true in the most unexpected way.
sequel: Dr. Dredd's Wagon of Wonders
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ALM
Skellig (age 9-12)
by David Almond
magic ... family ... spooky
Ten-year-old Michael was looking forward to moving into a new house. But now his baby sister is ill, his parents are frantic, and Doctor Death has come to call. Michael feels helpless. Then he steps into the crumbling garage....What is this thing beneath the spiders' webs and dead flies? A human being, or a strange kind of beast never before seen? The only person Michael can confide in is his new friend, Mina. Together, they carry the creature out into the light, and Michael's world changes forever.
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VOR
The Troll King (age 9-12)
by John Vornholt
folklore ... fantasy ... magic
When a power-hungry sorcerer decides to bridge the Great Chasm and conquer the elves and fairies who live on the other side, he inadvertently enables a gentle troll to reach for a much nobler dream.
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SNY
The Witches of Worm (age 9-12)
by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
friendship ... magic ... spooky
A lonely twelve-year-old is convinced that the cat she finds is possessed by a witch and is responsible for her own strange behavior.
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SNY
Black and Blue Magic (age 9-12)
by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
growing up ... magic
You'd think that someone with a name like Harry Houdini Marco would be deft and skillful, but Harry could only occasionally catch even an easy fly ball without making some dumb error. On top of that, most of his friends' families were moving to the suburbs. It would have been a long, dreary summer, but then a Mr. Mazeeck showed up and turned out to be more than he seemed.
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PUL
I Was a Rat! (age 9-12)
by Philip Pullman
magic ... folklore ... humor
I Was a Rat! So insists a scruffy boy named Roger. Maybe it's true. But what is he now? A terrifying monster running wild in the sewers? The Daily Scourge is sure of it. A victim of Rodent Delusionâ The hospital nurse says yes. A lucrative fairground freak? He is to Mr. Tapscrew. A champion wriggler and a budding thief? That's what Billy thinks. Or just an ordinary small boy, though a little ratty in his habits? Only three people believe this version of the story. And it may take a royal intervention, and a bit of magic, to convince the rest of the world.
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PUL
The Firework-Maker's Daughter (age 9-12)
by Philip Pullman
voyages/journeys ... magic ... adventure
In a country far to the east, Chulak and his talking white elephant Hamlet help Lila seek the Royal sulphur from the sacred volcano so that she can become a master maker of fireworks like her father.
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CAR
The Land of Elyon Series (age 9-12)
by Patrick Carman
adventure ... magic ... voyages/journeys ... fantasy
Inquisitive twelve-year-old Alexa Daley is spending another summer in the walled town of Bridewell. This year, she is set on solving the mystery of what lies beyond the walls. Legend says the walls were built to keep out an unnamed evil that lurks in the forests and The Dark Hills. But what exactly is it that the townspeople are so afraid of? As Alexa begins to unravel the truth, pushing beyond the protective barrier she's lived behind all her life, she discovers a strange and ancient enchantment, and exposes a danger that could destroy everything she holds dear.
title: The Dark Hills Divide
title: Beyond the Valley of Thorns
title: The Tenth City
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STR
The Specter from the Magician's Museum (age 9-12)
by Brad Strickland
magic ... adventure ... spooky
When the evil sorceress Belle Frisson ensnares Rose Rita Pottinger in a magic web in order to steal her life force, Lewis Barnavelt must risk his own life to save his friend.
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KER
Children of the Lamp Series (age 9-12)
by P. B. Kerr
magic ... adventure ... fantasy
Meet John and Philippa Gaunt, twelve-year-old twins who one day discover themselves to be descended from a long line of djinn. All of a sudden, they have the power to grant wishes, travel to extraordinary places, and make people and objects disappear. Luckily, the twins are introduced to their eccentric djinn-uncle Nimrod, who will teach them how to harness their newfound power. And not a moment too soon, since John and Philippa are about to embark on a search to locate a monstrous pharaoh named Akhenaten and his eerie tomb.
title: The Akhenaten Adventure (Children of the Lamp)
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WOO
The Christmas Doll (age 9-12)
by Elvira Woodruff
traditions ... magic ... enterprise ... historical
Lucy and her sister Glory have only each other to lean on as they labor day after day in the workhouse. When they flee to escape a deadly fever, they find an old, discarded doll...but this is no ordinary toy. This story of love, hope, and redemption finds magic in the least likely places.
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SNY
The Headless Cupid (age 9-12)
by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
spooky ... mystery ... magic ... friendship
When the four Stanley children meet Amanda, their new stepsister, they're amazed to learn that she studied witchcraft. They're stunned to see her dressed in a strange costume, carrying a pet crow, and surrounded by a pile of books about the supernatural. It's not long before Amanda promises to give witchcraft lessons to David, Janie, and the twins. But that's when strange things start happening in their old house. David suspects Amanda of causing mischief, until they learn that the house really was haunted a long time ago. Legend has it that a ghost cut the head off a wooden cupid on the stairway. Has the ghost returned to strike again?
sequel: The Famous Stanley Kidnapping Case
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ROW
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (age 9-12)
by J. K. Rowling
fantasy ... animals ... magic
The definitive guide to the care and handling of mythical beasts, for all Harry Potter fans.
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ROW
Quidditch Through the Ages (age 9-12)
by J. K. Rowling
fantasy ... sports ... magic
The definitive guide to Quidditch, for all Harry Potter fans.
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ROW
The Harry Potter Series (age 9-12)
by J. K. Rowling
fantasy ... adventure ... family ... school ... magic
As the first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone opens, all Harry Potter knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley, a great big swollen spoiled bully. Harry's room is a closet at the foot of the stairs, and he hasn't had a birthday party in eleven years. But all that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to an incredible place that Harry (and anyone who reads about him) will find unforgettable.
title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
title: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
title: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
title: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
title: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
title: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
title: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
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ROD
Deltora Shadowlands Series (age 9-12)
by Emily Rodda
adventure ... fantasy ... magic
In the first book of this series, Cavern of Fear, the Shadow Lord's evil tyranny over Deltora has ended. He and the creatures of his sorcery have been driven back across the mountains. But thousands of Deltorans are still enslaved in the Shadowlands, the Enemy's own terrifying and mysterious domain. To rescue them, Lief, Barda and Jasmine, heroes of the quest for the Belt of Deltora, must find a weapon powerful enough to combat the Shadow Lord's magic on his own ground. According to legend, the only thing the Shadow Lord fears is the fabled Pirran Pipe. But does the mysterious Pipe still exist?
title: Cavern of the Fear
title: The Isle of Illusion
title: The Shadowlands
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BAR
Peter and the Starcatchers Series (age 9-12)
by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
adventure ... magic ... humor
In this fast-paced (and often hilarious) adventure on the high seas and on a faraway island, an orphan boy named Peter and his mysterious new friend, Molly, take on bands of pirates and thieves in their quest to keep a fantastical secret safe and save the world from evil.
title: Peter and the Starcatchers
title: Peter and the Shadow Thieves
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PEA
Tom's Midnight Garden (age 9-12)
by Philippa Pearce
magic ... fantasy
Tom is furious. His brother, Peter, has measles, so now Tom is being shipped off to stay with Aunt Gwen and Uncle Alan in their boring old apartment. There'll be nothing to do there and no one to play with. Tom just counts the days till he can return home to Peter. Then one night the landlady's antique grandfather clock strikes thirteen times leading Tom to a wonderful, magical discovery and marking the beginning of a secret that's almost too amazing to be true.
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BEL
The House With a Clock in Its Walls (age 9-12)
by John Bellairs
spooky ... magic ... mystery
A boy goes to live with his magician uncle in a mansion that has a clock hidden in the walls which is ticking off the minutes until doomsday.
sequel: The Figure in the Shadows
sequel: The Ghost in the Mirror
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YOL
Wizard's Hall (age 9-12)
by Jane Yolen
fantasy ... magic ... school
Poor Henry. It's not enough that his mother has sent him away from home to learn magic. It's not enough that everyone at his new school calls him Thornmallow because he's ``prickly on the outside, squishy within''. It's not enough that the only talent he shows at Wizard's Hall is an ability to make messes of even the simplest spells. He finds himself with more responsibility than he knows how to bear.
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WIN
The Castle in the Attic (age 9-12)
by Elizabeth Winthrop
magic ... knights/castles/dragons ... fantasy
A gift of a toy castle, complete with silver knight, introduces William to an adventure involving magic and a personal quest.
sequel: The Battle For the Castle
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NOR
Bed-Knob and Broomstick (age 9-12)
by Mary Norton
magic ... fantasy
The Magic Bed-Knob and Bonfires and Broomsticks in one volume. These are the exploits of the three Wilson children; Miss Price, the apprentice witch; and the flying bed. A tale of a witch-in-training and trouble of the most unforgettable kind.
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NES
The Enchanted Castle (age 9-12)
by E. Nesbit
magic ... fantasy
Four English children find a wonderful world of magic through an enchanted wishing ring.
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MAZ
The Accidental Witch (age 9-12)
by Anne Mazer
magic ... fantasy ... friendship
Ten-year-old Phoebe is thrilled when she accidentally becomes a novice witch but soon wonders if she will ever develop and control her powers.
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FLE
The 13th Floor (age 9-12)
by Sid Fleischman
magic ... humor ... historical
There's a mile-long word for the fear (and magic) of the number thirteen: triskaidekaphobia. In this comic fireworks of a novel, newly orphaned Buddy Stebbins stumbles onto the 13th floor of a shabby old building and finds himself transported aboard a leaking pirate ship in a howling storm--300 years in the past!

Barron Park Elementary School, Sat Aug 25 11:55:26 2012
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