F SWI	Wiff and Dirty George: the Z.E.B.R.A. Incident (age 9-12) by Stephen R. Swinburne adventure ... humor ... science fiction Publisher Comments: Blimey! It's the Zipper Extraction Button Removal Atom-smasher! Something bizarre is happening in London's Paddington Station. A powerful gravitational force has taken control of passengers, causing zippers to unzip, buckles to unbuckle, and trousers to fall down, revealing more polka-dotted underwear than ever imagined. Among the victims are Wiff and Dirty George. When a man disguised as a rabbit jumps from the train, the boys give chase. Little do they know they are about to battle Basil King, a master criminal, who leads an army of rabbit-costumed thugs and mad scientists determined to take over Britain. Set in the Beatlemania 1960s, here is the outrageous adventure of Wiff and Dirty George, who must stop one of the most dastardly plots unleashed on England.
F CAR	Floors Series (age 9-12) by Patrick Carman mystery ... adventure ... fantasy Publisher comments: Charlie had his chocolate factory. Stanley Yelnats had his holes. Leo has the wacky, amazing Whippet Hotel. The Whippet Hotel is a strange place full of strange and mysterious people. Each floor has its own quirks and secrets. Leo should know most of them - he is the maintenance man's son, after all. But a whole lot more mystery gets thrown his way when a series of cryptic boxes are left for him . . . boxes that lead him to hidden floors, strange puzzles, and unexpected alliances. Leo had better be quick on his feet, because the fate of the building he loves is at stake . . . and so is Leo's own future! title: Floors
F BUC	NERDS Series (age 9-12) by Michael Buckley adventure ... action ... humor ... brilliant protagonist Publisher comments: NERDS combines all the excitement of international espionage with all the awkwardness of elementary school, and the results are hilarious. A group of unpopular fifth graders run a spy network from inside their school. With the help of cutting-edge science, they transform their nerdy qualities into incredible abilities! Their enemies? An array of James Bond–style villains, each with an evil plan more diabolical and more ridiculous than the last. title: NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society
F CHI	The Secret Zoo Series (age 9-12) by Bryan Chick adventure ... action ... mystery ... animals Publisher comments: Noah, his sister Megan, and their best friends, Richie and Ella, live next door to the zoo. Megan is the first to notice the puzzling behavior of some of the animals. One day Megan disappears, and her brother and their friends realize it's up to them to find her. Their only choice is to follow a series of clues and sneak into the zoo. But once inside, will they discover there's much more to the Clarksville City Zoo than they could ever have guessed? title: The Secret Zoo
F WES	The Books of Elsewhere Series (age 9-12) by Jacqueline West adventure ... spooky ... fantasy Publisher comments: When eleven-year-old Olive moves into a crumbling Victorian mansion with her parents, she knows there's something strange about the house - especially the odd antique paintings covering the walls. And when she puts on a pair of old spectacles, she discovers the strangest thing yet: She can travel inside the paintings, to a spooky world that's full of dark shadows. Add to that three talking cats, who live in the house and seem to be keeping secrets of their own, and Olive soon finds herself confronting a dark and dangerous power that wants to get rid of her by any means necessary. It's up to Olive to save the house from the dark shadows, before the lights go out for good. title: The Shadows
F MCM	The Unwanteds Series (age 9-12) by Lisa McMann adventure ... science fiction ... fantasy Publisher comments: Quill prevails when the strong survive. Using this notion as the core of their society, the people of Quill partake in a yearly ceremony, wherein children at the age of thirteen are divided into three categories--the Wanteds, the Necessaries, and the Unwanteds. Wanted children will move on to schooling and training to join the Quillitary and fufill their roles in maintaining an efficient life for all, while Necessaries will take on farm work and similar duties. Any child who has shown a propensity toward emotion or creativity is deemed Unwanted, and sent for elimination. Thirteen-year-old Alex tries his hardest to be stoic when his fate is announced as Unwanted, even while leaving behind his twin, Aaron, a Wanted. Upon arrival at the destination where he expected to be eliminated, however, Alex discovers a stunning secret--behind the mirage of the "death farm" there is instead a place called Artime, where every Unwanted child has been welcomed by a man named Mr. Today. Artime is a special place full of art, music, theater, and magic, where each child is taught to cultivate their creative abilities and learn how to use them magically, weaving spells through paintbrushes and musical instruments. Everything Alex has ever known changes before his eyes, and it's a wondrous transformation. But it's a rare, unique occurence for twins to be separated between Wanted and Unwanted, and as Alex and Aaron's bond stretches across their separation, a threat arises for the survival of Artime that will pit brother against brother in an ultimate, magical battle. title: The Unwanteds
F WAT	Star Wars, Jedi Quest Series (age 9-12) by Jude Watson war ... science fiction ... adventure ... action Fourteen-year-old Anakin Skywalker is strong in the ways of the Force. His lightsaber skills are exceptional, and his piloting is legendary. He should be an ideal Jedi apprentice. And yet, there is so much he still has to learn. It is up to Obi-Wan Kenobi to teach him these things. But on a mission to a planet threatened by a toxic disaster, Obi-Wan and Anakin are separated. Anakin and three other apprentices ¿ one of them his rival ¿ must work together in order to survive. Anakin's instincts are clear...but are they right? Anakin Skywalker's destiny will determine the future of a galaxy. These are the events that form his fate. title: The Way of the Apprentice title: The Trail of the Jedi title: The Shadow Trap title: The Changing of the Guard title: The False Peace title: The Final Showdown title: The School of Fear
F REI	Guns for General Washington: A Story of the American Revolution (age 9-12) by Seymour Reit war ... historical ... action ... adventure Catalog: Frustrated with life under seige in George Washington's army, nineteen-year-old Will Knox and his brother Colonel Henry Knox undertake the task of moving 183 cannons from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston in the dead of winter.
F VAN	A Hidden Magic (age 9-12) by Vivian Vande Velde humor ... fantasy ... adventure ... princesses Publisher comments: Once upon a time there was a very nice but very plain princess named Jennifer, who, following proper fairy-tale protocol, fell for a very handsome but very conceited prince named Alexander. When Alexander offends a powerful witch, it falls to Jennifer to save him. In the course of doing so, she meets a wizard and soon wonders if shes such a proper fairy-tale princess after all--a good little princess would love Alexander, but does she?
F SHE	The Little Riders (age 9-12) by Margaretha Shemin war ... adventure ... historical Publisher comments: "Take care of the little riders," says Johanna's father to the eleven-year-old when he leaves her with his parents for an extended vacation in their Dutch village. And Johanna does. She loves the twelve metal figures on horseback who ride forth each hour from the clock on the ancient church tower. She would do anything to protect them, anything. And on night she risks her life to prove it. Set during the Second World War when the German army occupied Holland, The Little Riders is an exciting, moving adventure story.
F HIA	Scat (age 9-12) by Carl Hiaasen mystery ... adventure ... nature ... humor Publisher comments: Bunny Starch, the most feared biology teacher ever, is missing. She disappeared after a school field trip to Black Vine Swamp. And, to be honest, the kids in her class are relieved. But when the principal tries to tell the students that Mrs. Starch has been called away on a "family emergency," Nick and Marta just don't buy it. No, they figure the class delinquent, Smoke, has something to do with her disappearance. And he does! But not in the way they think. There's a lot more going on in Black Vine Swamp than any one player in this twisted tale can see. And Nick and Marta will have to reckon with an eccentric eco-avenger, a stuffed rat named Chelsea, a wannabe Texas oilman, a singing substitute teacher, and a ticked-off Florida panther before they really begin to see the big picture. That's life in the swamp, kids.
F HOL	Turtle in Paradise (age 9-12) by Jennifer Holm adventure ... growing up ... historical Publisher comments: Life isn't like the movies, and eleven-year-old Turtle is no Shirley Temple. She's smart and tough and has seen enough of the world not to expect a Hollywood ending. After all, it's 1935, and jobs and money and sometimes even dreams are scarce. So when Turtle's mama gets a job housekeeping for a lady who doesn't like kids, Turtle says goodbye without a tear and heads off to Key West, Florida, to stay with relatives she's never met. Florida's like nothing Turtle has ever seen. It's hot and strange, full of wild green peeping out between houses, ragtag boy cousins, and secret treasure. Before she knows what's happened, Turtle finds herself coming out of the shell she has spent her life building, and as she does, her world opens up in the most unexpected ways.
F TWA	The Prince and the Pauper (age 9-12) by Mark Twain adventure ... humor Publisher comments: Beloved classic follows the thrilling adventures of Tom Canty, a poor beggar boy, and Edward, Prince of Wales, after they exchange identities. Humor, excitement, and a plot that twists and turns track the lives of the changelings until the rightful prince appears to claim his crown.
	Choose Your Own Adventure Series (age 9-12) authorship ... action ... adventure You decide the outcome of each of these breathtaking adventures. title: By Balloon to the Sahara by Douglas Terman F TER title: Escape by R. A. Montgomery F MON title: Lost on the Amazon by R. A. Montgomery F MON title: Prisoner of the Ant People by R. A. Montgomery F MON title: Space and Beyond by R. A. Montgomery F MON title: Trouble on Planet Earth by R. A. Montgomery F MON title: Secret of the Ninja by Jay Leibold F LEI title: Terror on the Titanic by Jim Wallace F WAL title: War With the Evil Power Master by R. A. Montgomery F MON title: The Lost Jewels of Nabooti by R. A. Montgomery F MON title: The Brilliant Dr. Wogan by R. A. Montgomery F MON title: The Abominable Snowman by R. A. Montgomery F MON title: Tattoo of Death by R. A. Montgomery F MON title: Return to Atlantis by R. A. Montgomery F MON title: Race Forever by R. A. Montgomery F MON title: Journey Under the Sea by R. A. Montgomery F MON title: House of Danger by R. A. Montgomery F MON title: Forecast from Stonehenge by R. A. Montgomery F MON title: Beyond Escape! by R. A. Montgomery F MON title: The Case of the Silk King by Shannon Gilligan F GIL title: Struggle Down Under by Shannon Gilligan F GIL title: Cup of Death by Shannon Gilligan F GIL title: Inca Gold by Jim Becket F BEC
F BAB	The Eyes of the Amaryllis (age 9-12) by Natalie Babbitt fantasy ... spooky ... adventure When the brig Amaryllis was swallowed in a hurricane, the captain and all the crew were swallowed, too. For thirty years the captain's widow, Geneva Reade, has waited, certain that her husband will send her a message from the bottom of the sea. But someone else is waiting, too, and watching her, a man called Seward. Into this haunted situation comes Jenny, the widow's granddaughter. The three of them, Gran, Jenny, and Seward, are drawn into a kind of deadly game with one another and with the sea, a game that only the sea knows how to win.
F BAR	Peter Pan (age 9-12) by J. M. Barrie fantasy ... adventure Welcome to Neverland! For three lucky children living in London, nothing could seem better than a faraway world where you were free to play all day. In this magical world, there would be no school. And no parents to tell you to brush your teeth. Or to sit up straight, or to eat your vegetables. Best of all, in this make-believe world no one would ever grow up. Children would remain children forever. As Wendy, John, and Michael and are about to discover, this faraway land is not so very far away after all. In fact, it is but a short dream away. On a world within a cloud called Neverland. It truly is a dream come true! But no dream lasts forever. Every child has to grow up eventually. Unless, of course, that child is named Peter Pan.
F WES	Zorgamazoo (age 9-12) by Robert Paul Weston adventure ... fantasy ... poetry Publisher comments: Are You a Believer in Fanciful Things? In Pirates and Dragons and Creatures and Kings? Then sit yourself down in a comfortable seat, with maybe some cocoa and something to eat, and I'll spin you the tale of Katrina Katrell, a girl full of courage (and daring, as well ), who down in the subway, under the ground, saw something fantastical roaming around . . . What was it she saw? I'd rather not say. (Who's ever heard of a Zorgle, anyway?) But if you are curious, clever and brave, if intrepid adventure is something you crave, then open this book and I'll leave it to you to uncover the secret of ZORGAMAZOO.
F APP	The Poisons of Caux Series (age 9-12) by Susannah Appelbaum humor ... adventure ... action ... friendship ... fantasy Publisher comments: There's little joy left in the kingdom of Caux: the evil King Nightshade rules with terrible tyranny and the law of the land is poison or be poisoned. Worse, eleven-year-old Ivy's uncle, a famous healer, has disappeared, and Ivy sets out to find him, joined by a young taster named Rowan. But these are corrupt times, and the children, enemies of the realm, are not alone. What exactly do Ivy and Rowan's pursuers want? Is it Ivy's prized red bettle, which, unlike any other gemstone in Caux, appears impossibly to be hollow? Is it the elixir she concocted, the one with the mysterious healing powers? Or could it be Ivy herself? Told with wry humor, The Hollow Bettle is the first installment in the Poisons of Caux trilogy, an astonishing tale of herbs and magic, tasters and poisoners. title: The Hollow Bettle
F HOR	My One Hundred Adventures (age 9-12) by Polly Horvath family ... growing up ... adventure Publisher comments: Jane is 12 years old, and she is ready for adventures, to move beyond the world of her siblings and single mother and their house by the sea, and step into the "know-not what." And, over the summer, adventures do seem to find Jane, whether it's a thrilling ride in a hot-air balloon, the appearances of a slew of possible fathers, or a weird new friendship with a preacher and psychic wannabe. Most important, there's Jane's discovery of what lies at the heart of all great adventures: that it's not what happens to you that matters, but what you learn about yourself.
F PRI	The Magic Thief (age 9-12) by Sarah Prineas adventure ... fantasy ... magic Publisher comments: In a city that runs on a dwindling supply of magic, a young boy is drawn into a life of wizardry and adventure. Conn should have dropped dead the day he picked Nevery's pocket and touched the wizard's locus magicalicus, a stone used to focus magic and work spells. But for some reason he did not. Nevery finds that interesting, and he takes Conn as his apprentice on the provision that the boy find a locus stone of his own. But Conn has little time to search for his stone between wizard lessons and helping Nevery discover who--or what--is stealing the city of Wellmet's magic.
F BUR	The Incredible Journey (age 9-12) by Sheila Every Burnford nature ... animals ... adventure ... survival Publisher comments: Instinct told them that the way home lay to the west. And so the doughty young Labrador retriever, the roguish bull terrier and the indomitable Siamese set out through the Canadian wilderness. Separately, they would soon have died. But, together, the three house pets faced starvation, exposure, and wild forest animals to make their way home to the family they love.
F FEI	Mystery at Manzanar: A WWII Internment Camp Story (age 9-12) by Eric Fein adventure ... historical ... mystery Catalog: Fifteen-year-old Tommy, having been forced into a Japanese internment camp with the rest of his family, investigates when another internee is attacked.
F GUN	Fire and Snow: A Tale of the Alaskan Gold Rush (age 9-12) by Jessica Gunderson adventure ... historical Publisher comments: The rivers of Alaska are flowing with gold, so Ethan and his family leave their comfortable home to seek their fortune. They must brave an avalanche, cross an icy river, and battle a deadly fire before they can decide if the hunt for treasure is worth the risk.
F GUN	Ropes of Revolution: The Tale of the Boston Tea Party (age 9-12) by Jessica Gunderson adventure ... historical Publisher comments: The Sons of Liberty are planning a protest on British taxes. They're going to dump shiploads of British tea into Boston Harbor. Fifteen year old Benjamin and his friend, Joseph, want a part of the action!
F GUN	Secret Weapons: A Tale of the Revolutionary War (age 9-12) by Jessica Gunderson adventure ... historical Publisher comments: The British are coming! Fourteen-year-old Daniel wants to join the militia and fight against the redcoats. His father wants him to stay in Concord, Massachusetts, and help run the blacksmith shop. Daniel thinks the job is pointless, until he finds a secret stash of weapons in the shop's back room. Now, he must protect the weapons from the British, or the American Revolution could be over before it begins.
F GUN	The Last Rider: The Final Days of the Pony Express (age 9-12) by Jessica Gunderson adventure ... historical Publisher comments: Matt Edgars hungers for adventure. The Pony Express is the answer to his dreams. Riding fast, riding far, he brings the mail to settlers scattered across the Nevada and Utah deserts. Matt can handle the punishing sun and the poisonous rattlesnakes, but he's worried about rumors of a war with the Paiute nation. Then someone begins setting the Express stations on fire. Are these the last days for the young riders?
F LEM	Captured Off Guard: The Attack on Pearl Harbor (age 9-12) by Donald B. Lemke adventure ... historical Publisher comments: While camping out, Hank and his best friend James hear loud explosions. Pearl Harbor is under attack James wants to hide out, but Hank wants to capture the battle on his trusty camera. Will this he risk his life for the snapshot of a lifetime?
F LOW	The Willoughbys (age 9-12) by Lois Lowry family ... adventure ... humor Publisher comments: Abandoned by their ill-humored parents to the care of an odious nanny, Tim, the twins, Barnaby A and Barnaby B, and their sister, Jane, attempt to fulfill their roles as good old-fashioned children. Following the models set in lauded tales from A Christmas Carol to Mary Poppins, the four Willoughbys hope to attain their proscribed happy ending too, or at least a satisfyingly maudlin one. However, it is an unquestionably ruthless act that sets in motion the transformations that lead to their salvation and to happy endings for not only the four children, but their nanny, an abandoned baby, a candy magnate, and his long-lost son too. Replete with a tongue-in-cheek glossary and bibliography, this hilarious and decidedly old-fashioned parody pays playful homage to classic works of children's literature.
	The 39 Clues (age 9-12) historical ... action ... adventure ... mystery Minutes before she died Grace Cahill changed her will, leaving her decendants an impossible decision: "You have a choice: one million dollars or a clue." Grace is the last matriarch of the Cahills, the world's most powerful family. Everyone from Napoleon to Houdini is related to the Cahills, yet the source of the family power is lost. 39 clues hidden around the world will reveal the family's secret, but no one has been able to assemble them. Now the clues race is on, and young Amy and Dan must decide what's important: hunting clues or uncovering what REALLY happened to their parents. title: The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan F RIO title: One False Note by Gordon Korman F KOR title: The Sword Thief by Peter Lerangis F LER title: Beyond the Grave by Jude Watson F WAT title: The Black Circle by Patrick Carman F CAR title: In Too Deep by Jude Watson F WAT title: Vespers Rising by Rick Riordan F RIO title: Into the Gauntlet by Margaret Peterson Haddix F HAD title: The Viper's Nest by Peter Lerangis F LER title: The Emperor's Code by Gordon Korman F KOR title: Storm Warning by Linda Sue Park F PAR title: Cahills vs. Vespers: the Medusa Plot by Gordon Korman F KOR
F TRU	Standoff: Remembering the Alamo (age 9-12) by Lisa Trumbauer adventure ... historical While traveling across the Texas countryside, fifteen-year-old Cal and his mother spy thousands of Mexican soldiers approaching, but when they reach the safest place that they can find--the Alamo--Cal worries that such a small group of soldiers will not be able to fight off an entire army.
F HOO	This Time of Darkness (age 9-12) by H. M. Hoover adventure ... survival ... science fiction Although both know it is forbidden, Amy and Axel hope that by following the countless ramps leading upward they can escape from their filthy subterranean world.
F TOL	The Great Skinner Getaway (age 9-12) by Stephanie Tolan adventure ... family ... humor Fifteen-year-old Jennifer recounts more adventures of the Skinner family as they set off on a vacation across the United States in a motor home.
F TWA	The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (age 9-12) by Mark Twain adventure ... growing up ... humor The adventures of a mischievous young boy and his friends growing up in a Mississippi River town in the nineteenth century.
F PAR	Liza, Bill and Jed Mysteries (age 9-12) by Peggy Parish action ... adventure ... realistic ... mystery Who or what is taking the kitchen scraps from the garbage every night? What starts out as a puzzle becomes a mystery. Every night Grandma leaves table scraps in a wrapped plastic bag in the garbage can where, according to plan, the McNellis children pick them up to feed their kittens. But the plan changes when the bag is gone in the morning. The twins, Liza and Bill, and brother Jed decide to investigate the matter. First the children discover Liza's missing red sweater in a part of the woods she hadn't been to before, next they read about runaway children in the newspaper, and then their new puppy is lost. Finally they find a teepee in the woods with what seems to be Indians in warpaint dancing and shooting arrows! The young detectives must put all the clues together and solve the mystery. title: Key to the Treasure
F 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!
F CUR	Elijah of Buxton (age 9-12) by Christopher Curtis bigotry ... adventure ... historical It's 1860, and eleven-year-old Elijah is a first-generation freeborn child. His Canadian town of Buxton, located just across the border from Detroit, serves as a haven for runaway slaves and their children, where Blacks can live free and govern themselves away from the horrors of pre-emancipation America. When the town's corrupt preacher steals money from a citizen who's been saving to buy his family's freedom, Elijah sets off for Detroit in pursuit. He encounters a group of captured runaway slaves; unable to save them all, he escapes with the youngest--a baby--and returns to Buxton a hero.
F CHR	The Sword of the Spirits Trilogy (age 9-12) by John Christopher voyages/journeys ... science fiction ... adventure Thirteen-year-old Luke has no reason to suspect that anything will ever change in the primitive society of the future in which he lives. He will soon find out that he is instrumental in the upheaval to come. title: The Prince in Waiting title: Beyond the Burning Lands title: The Sword of the Spirits
F BRI	Who Knew There'd Be Ghosts? (age 9-12) by Bill Brittain adventure ... spooky Three spunky youngsters join forces with two lively ghosts to save a historic mansion from being destroyed by a crooked antique dealer.
F LAI	The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (age 9-12) by Diedre Laiken historical ... adventure the story of a boy who escapes from his evil, drunken father and befriends a runaway slave. Together they float towards freedom on a raft down the Mississippi River. Adapted from the classic novel by Mark Twain.
F VER	Around the World in 80 Days (age 9-12) by Jules Verne adventure In 1872 Phileas Fogg wins a bet by traveling around the world in seventy-nine days, twenty-three hours, and fifty-seven minutes.
F FLE	Chancy and the Grand Rascal (age 9-12) by Sid Fleischman adventure ... humor A tall tale about swindlers, liars, and cheats...and optimism that sustains them.
F GRA	The Wind in the Willows (age 9-12) by Kenneth Grahame adventure ... fantasy When Mole goes boating with the Water Rat instead of spring-cleaning, he discovers a new world. As well as the river and the Wild Wood, there is Toad's craze for fast travel, which leads him and his friends on a whirl of trains, barges, gipsy caravans and motor cars, and into a lot of trouble.
F IBB	Journey to the River Sea (age 9-12) by Eva Ibbotson historical ... adventure Maia, an orphan, is sent from England to live with unfamiliar cousins on a rubber plantation in South America. The brave, curious girl and her fierce but kind governess arrive in their new home, each with secret hopes of adventure. These are immediately quashed by the Carters, who hate their adopted land and its inhabitants. They are obsessed with re-creating England in the forest, right down to the watery puddings. It is only through friendship with a mysterious Indian boy and a runaway child actor that Maia and Miss Minton, her governess, find the excitement they longed for: an unexpected expedition into the heart of the Amazon, in search of a lost tribe and the legendary giant sloth.
F VER	20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (age 9-12) by Jules Verne voyages/journeys ... science fiction ... adventure A French professor and his two companions sail above and below the world's oceans as prisoners on the fabulous electric submarine of the deranged Captain Nemo.
F FAR	The Black Stallion Series (age 9-12) by Walter Farley survival ... adventure ... animals A shipwreck leaves young Alec stranded on a deserted island with a wild stallion. Dependent on each other for survival, boy and horse learn to trust and love each other as they establish an amazing friendship that lasts a lifetime. title: The Black Stallion title: The Island Stallion title: The Young Black Stallion
F SPE	Call It Courage (age 9-12) by Armstrong Sperry adventure ... survival ... folklore Relates how Mafatu, a young Polynesian boy whose name means Stout Heart, overcomes his terrible fear of the sea and proves his courage to himself and his people.
F SNY	The Trespassers (age 9-12) by Zilpha Keatley Snyder adventure ... mystery ... spooky It all starts the summer after Neely finishes fifth grade. She is trying to entertain her little brother, Grub, when they accidentally find a way to sneak into Halcyon House, a magnificent mansion that has been deserted for years. Inside they discover a wonderful surprise, a playroom full of fabulous old-fashioned toys. Despite the spookiness of the house and the rumors about a ghost that haunts it, and despite the fact that they don't belong there, the playroom becomes their secret hideaway.
F RAW	Where the Red Fern Grows (age 9-12) by Wilson Rawls adventure ... animals ... illness/loss A young boy living in the Ozarks achieves his heart's desire when he becomes the owner of two redbone hounds and teaches them to be champion hunters.
F 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.
F PEC	Soup (age 9-12) by Robert Newton Peck humor ... adventure ... friendship The adventures and misadventures of two boys growing up in a small Vermont town.
F O'D	Island of the Blue Dolphins (age 9-12) by Scott O'Dell survival ... adventure ... historical In the Pacific, there is an island that looks like a big fish sunning itself in the sea. Around it blue dolphins swim, otters play, and sea birds abound. Karana is the Indian girl who lived alone for years on the Island of the Blue Dolphins. Hers is not only an unusual adventure of survival, but also a tale of natural beauty and personal discovery.
F HOL	Paddle-to-the-Sea (age 9-12) by Holling C. Holling historical ... adventure A toy canoe with an Indian figure is launched in Lake Nipigon and finally travels through the Great Lakes, to the St. Lawrence River, and the Atlantic Ocean.
F HAD	Shadow Children Series (age 9-12) by Margaret Peterson Haddix adventure ... family ... science fiction Luke has never been to school. He's never had a birthday party, or gone to a friend's house for an overnight. In fact, Luke has never had a friend. Luke is one of the shadow children, a third child forbidden by the Population Police. He's lived his entire life in hiding, and now, with a new housing development replacing the woods next to his family's farm, he is no longer even allowed to go outside. Then, one day Luke sees a girl's face in the window of a house where he knows two other children already live. Finally, he's met a shadow child like himself. Jen is willing to risk everything to come out of the shadows; does Luke dare to become involved in her dangerous plan? Can he afford not to? title: Among the Hidden title: Among the Impostors title: Among the Betrayed
F HAD	Running Out of Time (age 9-12) by Margaret Peterson Haddix science fiction ... adventure ... illness/loss Believing herself to be a frontier child in 1840, Jessie is shocked when her mother reveals a secret--it's really 1996. After a diphtheria outbreak strikes the village children, Jessie must venture out into the modern world where she faces a wealth of confusing 20th century innovations and the sinister man who will stop at nothing to make sure the village residents remain locked in their 19th century world.
F TAY	Ice Drift (age 9-12) by Theodore Taylor adventure ... historical ... survival The year is 1868, and fourteen-year-old Alika and his younger brother, Sulu, are hunting for seals on an ice floe attached to their island in the Arctic. Suddenly they hear the terrible sound of the floe breaking free from land. The boys watch with horror as they start drifting south--away from their home, their family, and everything they've ever known. Throughout their six-month-long journey down the Greenland Strait, the boys face bitter cold, starvation, and vicious polar bears. And yet, in this moving testament to the bond between brothers, Alika and Sulu remain hopeful that one day they'll be rescued.
F CRE	The Wanderer (age 9-12) by Sharon Creech identity ... adventure ... family ... illness/loss ... voyages/journeys "The sea, the sea, the sea. It rolled and rolled and called to me. Come in, it said, come in." Thirteen-year-old Sophie hears the sea calling, promising adventure and a chance for discovery as she sets sail for England with her three uncles and two cousins. Sophie's cousin Cody isn't sure he has the strength to prove himself to the crew and to his father. Through Sophie's and Cody's travel logs, we hear stories of the past and the daily challenges of surviving at sea as The Wanderer sails toward its destination, and its passengers search for their places in the world.
F 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 title: Into the Mist
F BEL	The Treasure of Alpheus Winterborn (age 9-12) by John Bellairs adventure ... mystery After stumbling upon a clue in the public library, Anthony searches for the treasure long rumored to have been hidden by a wealthy, eccentric citizen of their small town.
F COO	The Boggart (age 9-12) by Susan Cooper folklore ... humor ... spooky ... adventure When Emily and Jess Volnik's family inherits a remote, crumbling Scottish castle, they also inherit the Boggart: an invisible, mischievous spirit who's been playing tricks on residents of Castle Keep for generations. Then the Boggart is trapped in a rolltop desk and inadvertently shipped to the Volniks' home in Toronto, where nothing will ever be the same, for the Volniks or the Boggart. In a world that doesn't believe in magic, the Boggart's pranks wreak havoc. And even the newfound joys of peanut butter and pizza and fudge sauce eventually wear thin for the Boggart. He wants to go home, but his only hope lies in a risky and daring blend of modern technology and ancient magic.
F NAP	The King of Mulberry Street (age 9-12) by Donna Jo Napoli adventure ... enterprise ... survival ... historical In 1892, nine-year-old Dom's mother puts him on a ship leaving Italy, bound for America. He is a stowaway, traveling alone and with nothing of value except for a new pair of shoes from his mother. In the turbulent world of homeless children in Manhattan's Five Points, Dom learns street smarts, and not only survives, but thrives by starting his own business. A vivid, fascinating story of an exceptional boy, based in part on the author's grandfather.
F 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 Blue Djinn of Babylon title: The Cobra King of Kathmandu
F SPE	The Sign of the Beaver (age 9-12) by Elizabeth George Speare survival ... adventure Until the day his father returns to their cabin in the Maine wilderness, twelve-year-old Matt must try to survive on his own. Although Matt is brave, he's not prepared for an attack by swarming bees, and he's astonished when he's rescued by an Indian chief and his grandson, Attean. As the boys come to know each other Attean learns to speak English while Matt becomes a skilled hunter. Though many months have passed, there's no sign of Matt's family. Then Attean asks Matt to join the Beaver tribe and move north. Should Matt abandon his hopes of ever seeing his family again and move on to a new life?
F WHI	Stuart Little (age 9-12) by E. B. White family ... adventure The debonair mouse, Stuart Little, sets out into the world to seek out his dearest friend. Born to a family of humans, he finds more adventure than he bargains for.
F SMI	The Captain's Dog: My Journey With the Lewis and Clark Tribe (age 9-12) by Roland Smith adventure ... historical ... animals Born the runt of his litter and gambled away to a rusty old riverman, the Newfoundland pup Seaman doesn't imagine his life will be marked by any kind of glory-beyond chasing down rats. But when he meets Captain Meriwether Lewis, Seaman finds himself on a path that will make history. Sharing the curiosity and strength of spirit of his new master, Seaman proves himself a valuable companion at every turn. This is the thrilling tale of America's greatest journey of discovery, as seen through the keen, compassionate eyes of a remarkable dog.
F 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
F ROD	Dragons of Deltora Series (age 9-12) by Emily Rodda adventure ... fantasy ... knights/castles/dragons In the first book of this series, Dragon's Nest, the evil Shadow Lord has been banished, but famine still stalks Deltora, and only monsters thrive. As the starving people weaken, Lief, Jasmine and Barda discover a terrible secret. The Enemy left the seeds of death behind him. Four vile creations of sorcery called the Four Sisters are hidden in the land. They are slowly killing it while the Shadow Lord gloats, awaiting his triumphant return. The companions must find the deadly Sisters and destroy them. Their only clue is a fragment of an ancient map. Their only hope of help lies with 7 unlikely allies - the last of Deltora's dragons. title: Dragons Nest title: Shadowgate title: The Sister of the South title: Isle of the Dead
F 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
F O'D	Sing Down the Moon (age 9-12) by Scott O'Dell adventure ... historical On a warm spring day in the Southwest, Bright Morning, a young Navajo, is taking her sheep to pasture. The sky is a deep blue against the red buttes of the canyon, and the fields and orchards promise a good growing season and a rich harvest. Happy at the beauty around her, she gazes across the peaceful valley that her tribe has called home for hundreds of years. Then, lifting her eyes toward the aspen grove, she sees two men. Spanish slavers. They are riding straight toward her.
F LAS	The Journal of Augustus Pelletier: the Lewis and Clark Expedition (age 9-12) by Kathryn Lasky adventure ... historical ... letters/journal A fictional journal kept by twelve-year-old Augustus Pelletier, the youngest member of Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery.
F KEL	The Trumpeter of Krakow (age 9-12) by Eric Kelley adventure ... folklore ... historical A Polish family in the Middle Ages guards a great secret treasure and a boy's memory of an earlier trumpeter of Krakow makes it possible for him to save his father.
F 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 title: Peter and the Secret of Rundoon title: Peter and the Sword of Mercy
F AVI	The Good Dog (age 9-12) by Avi family ... adventure ... animals McKinley, a malamute, is torn between the domestic world of his human family and the wild world of Lupin, a wolf that is trying to recruit dogs to replenish the dwindling wolf pack. As McKinley and his boy try to save the wolf from a vicious man, no one can foresee what will happen.
F APP	Animorphs Megamorphs Series (age 9-12) by K. A. Applegate action ... growing up ... animals ... science fiction ... adventure Fans of the original Animorphs series will love these heart-pounding adventures, told from each character's point of view. title: The Andalite's Gift title: In the Time of Dinosaurs title: The Hork-Bajir Chronicles
F APP	Animorphs Series (age 9-12) by K. A. Applegate action ... growing up ... animals ... science fiction ... adventure This fantastic, unpredictable, edge-of-your-seat series can best be described as an ``X-Files'' for kids--plus a whole lot more! Jake, Rachel, Cassie, Tobias, and Marco are the Animorphs--five kids who can change into any animal they touch. title: The Invasion title: The Visitor title: The Encounter title: The Message title: The Capture title: The Stranger title: The Alien title: The Secret title: The Android title: The Forgotten title: The Reaction title: The Change title: The Warning title: The Underground title: The Decision title: The Pretender title: The Suspicion title: The Exposed title: The Experiment title: The Sickness title: The Reunion title: The Conspiracy title: The Separation title: The Illusion title: The Extreme title: The Escape title: The Discovery title: The Solution title: The Threat title: The First Journey
F OPP	The Silverwing Trilogy (age 9-12) by Kenneth Oppel growing up ... action ... adventure Shade is a young Silverwing bat, the runt of his colony. But he's determined to prove himself on the long, dangerous winter migration to Hibernaculum, millions of wingbeats to the south. During a fierce storm, he loses the others and soon faces the most incredible journey of his young life. Desperately searching for a way to rejoin his flock, Shade meets a remarkable cast of characters. But which ones are friends and which ones are enemies? In this epic story of adventure and suspense, Shade is going to need all the help he can find, if he hopes to ever see his family again. title: Silverwing title: Sunwing title: Firewing
F LAS	Legends of the Ga'hoole (age 9-12) by Kathryn Lasky action ... adventure ... fantasy It is a time of Legends and a time of chaos. Warlords vie for power and marauding outlaws roam the land. Good King Hrath and his queen, Siv, noble Spotted Owls struggle to keep peace in their kingdom. Grank, noble Spotted Owl, friend and supporter of King Hrath, has exiled himself to Beyond the Beyond, where he has developed his firesight and learns how to work with embers, fire and how to forge metals. He is the First Collier. Deep in a volcano in the farthest reaches of Beyond the Beyond, he discovers a magical Ember but fears its awful powers will be misused and hides it again. title: The First Collier title: The Coming of Hoole title: To Be a King
F LAS	Guardians of the Ga'hoole Series (age 9-12) by Kathryn Lasky adventure ... fantasy In the first book in the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series The Capture, readers meet Soren, a barn owl who discovers a great evil in the owl kingdom which he must work to vanquish. title: The Capture title: The Journey title: The Rescue title: The Siege title: The Shattering title: The Burning title: The Hatchling title: The Outcast title: The Golden Tree title: The River of Wind
F KON	From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (age 9-12) by E. L. Konigsburg realistic ... the arts ... mystery ... adventure Claudia knew that she could never pull off the old-fashioned kind of running away...so she decided not to run FROM somewhere, but TO somewhere. And so, after some careful planning, she and her younger brother, Jamie, escaped right into a mystery that made headlines!
F GEO	My Side of the Mountain (age 9-12) by Jean Craighead George survival ... animals ... nature ... adventure Runaway Sam Gribley is surviving in the Catskill Mountains with only a penknife, a ball of cord, 40 dollars, and some flint and steel. Along the way, he learns about courage, danger, and independence during his year in the wilderness, a year that will change his life forever. sequel: On the Far Side of the Mountain
F FUN	The Thief Lord (age 9-12) by Cornelia Funke family ... adventure Welcome to the magical underworld of Venice, Italy, where hidden canals and crumbling rooftops shelter runaways and children with incredible secrets. Prosper and Bo are orphans on the run for their cruel aunt and uncle. The brothers decide to hide out in Venice, where they meet a mysterious thirteen-year-old boy who calls himself ``the Thief Lord.''
F ROB	Henry Reed Adventures (age 9-12) by Keith Robertson realistic ... adventure ... humor ... enterprise Henry Reed has a talent for making things happen, and with his neighbor Midge in on the action, there's nothing they can't do. title: Henry Reed's Think Tank
F NOR	The Borrowers Series (age 9-12) by Mary Norton fantasy ... adventure ... family A family of tiny people live underneath the boards of an English home and ``borrow'' what they need. title: The Borrowers
F NIM	Children of the Red King (Charlie Bone) Series (age 9-12) by Jenny Nimmo adventure ... fantasy ... school This series chronicles Charlie's mysterious adventures at Bloor's Academy. title: Midnight for Charlie Bone title: Charlie Bone and the Beast title: Charlie Bone and the Castle of Mirrors title: Charlie Bone and the Hidden King title: Charlie Bone and the Invisible Boy title: Charlie Bone and the Time Twister
F O'B	Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (age 9-12) by Robert C. O'Brien adventure ... brilliant protagonist Mrs. Frisby, a widowed mouse with four small children, must move her family to their summer quarters immediately, or face almost certain death. But her youngest son, Timothy, lies ill and must not be moved. Fortunately, she encounters the rats of NIMH, an extraordinary breed of highly intelligent creatures, who come up with a brilliant solution to her dilemma. And Mrs. Frisby in turn renders them a great service. sequel: RT, Margaret, and the Rats of NIMH by Jane Leslie Conley F CON
F LEW	The Chronicles of Narnia (age 9-12) by C. S. Lewis war ... family ... fantasy ... adventure In the first book of this series, ``The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe'', Lucy is the first to find the secret of the wardrobe in the professor's mysterious old house. At first, no one believes her when she tells of her adventures in the land of Narnia. But soon Edmund and then Peter and Susan discover the Magic and meet Aslan, the Great Lion, for themselves. In the blink of an eye, their lives are changed forever. title: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe title: The Magician's Nephew title: The Horse and His Boy title: Prince Caspian title: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader title: The Silver Chair title: The Last Battle
F JUS	The Phantom Tollbooth (age 9-12) by Norton Juster adventure ... humor Ten-year-old Milo travels through a magical tollbooth and embarks on a journey to the Kingdom of Wisdom, where he and a ``watch'' dog named Tock try to end the feud between numbers and words.
F IBB	The Secret of Platform 13 (age 9-12) by Eva Ibbotson adventure ... fantasy A forgotten door on an abandoned railway platform is the entrance to a magical kingdom--an island where humans live happily with mermaids, ogres, and other wonderful creatures--and is only accessible for nine days every nine years. When the island's prince is captured, it's up to a strange band of rescuers to save him. But can they do it before the door closes for another nine years?
F IBB	Island of the Aunts (age 9-12) by Eva Ibbotson adventure ... fantasy When the kindly old aunts decide that they need help caring for creatures who live on their hidden island, they know that adults can't be trusted. What they need are a few special children who can keep a secret; a secret as big as a magical island. And what better way to get children who can keep really big secrets, than to kidnap them! (After all, some children just plain need to be kidnapped.)
F FLE	By the Great Horn Spoon! (age 9-12) by Sid Fleischman historical ... adventure ... enterprise A gentleman's gentleman from Boston flees to the wilds of California during the Gold Rush and becomes a hero.
F DAH	Danny the Champion of the World (age 9-12) by Roald Dahl humor ... adventure ... family Danny's life seems perfect: his home is a gypsy caravan, he's the youngest car mechanic around, and his best friend is his dad, who never runs out of wonderful stories to tell. And when Danny discovers his father's secret, he's off on the adventure of a lifetime. Here's Roald Dahl's famous story about a 9-year-old boy, his dad, and a daring and hilarious pheasant-snatching expedition. Just as important, it's the story of the love between a boy and his father who, in Danny's own words, is ``the most marvelous and exciting father a boy ever had.''
F COL	Artemis Fowl Series (age 9-12) by Eoin Colfer math/science/technology ... mystery ... adventure ... science fiction ... brilliant protagonist ... adventure ... action ... fantasy Artemis Fowl, a charming but villainous twelve-year-old, takes on the dangerous world of the Fairy People in this unforgettable story. Full of unexpected twists and turns, Artemis Fowl opens up a riveting world of fantasy and mystery where anything, literally, is possible. title: Artemis Fowl title: The Artemis Fowl Files
F CLE	A Week in the Woods (age 9-12) by Andrew Clements identity ... survival ... adventure ... school The fifth-grade Week in the Woods is a beloved tradition of Hardy Elementary, where Mark Chelmsley (the Fourth) is pretty much killing time before his parents send him off to an exclusive prep school. But then Mark realizes the Week might be a chance to prove to Mr. Maxwell that he's not just another of the slacker kids the teacher can't stand.
F BAB	Tuck Everlasting (age 9-12) by Natalie Babbitt adventure ... fantasy The Tuck family is confronted with an agonizing situation when they discover that a ten-year-old girl and a malicious stranger now share their secret about a spring whose water prevents one from ever growing any older.

Escondido Elementary School, Sat Aug 25 11:55:29 2012 Other themes and genres