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SNY |
Fool's Gold
(age 10+) by Zilpha Keatley Snyder realistic ... adventure ... friendship Publisher comments: For as long as he can remember, people have warned fourteen-year-old Rudy and other kids in the neighborhood not to play in Pyramid Hill's abandoned gold mines. Even Rudy's best friend, Barney, a true daredevil, won't go near those cavernous death traps. That is, until Tyler Lewis moves in from L.A. Ty's determined to go in, and he's got a map. |
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HUN |
Warriors Super Edition (age 10+) by Erin Hunter war ... adventure ... fantasy Publisher comments: There is peace at last between the warrior Clans, and all four are thriving. Then Firestar, legendary leader of ThunderClan, discovers a shocking secret: StarClan, the warrior ancestors who guide his paw steps, have lied to him. Firestar must embark on a perilous quest to discover a long-forgotten truth. Whatever he finds at the end of his journey, he’s sure of one thing: Nothing will ever be the same again. title: Firestar's Quest |
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HOR |
The Alex Rider Series (age 10+) by Anthony Horowitz brilliant protagonist ... math/science/technology ... mystery ... action ... adventure They told him his uncle died in a car accident. Fourteen-year-old Alex knows that's a lie, and the bullet holes in his uncle's windshield confirm his suspicions. But nothing prepares him for the news that the uncle he always thought he knew was really a spy for MI6 ... Britain's top secret intelligence agency. Recruited to find his uncle's killers and complete his final mission, Alex suddenly finds himself caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse. title: Stormbreaker |
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COL |
The Supernaturalist
(age 10+) by Eoin Colfer spooky ... science fiction ... adventure ... action Publisher comments: In futuristic Satellite City, fourteen-year-old Cosmo Hill escapes from his abusive orphanage and teams up with three other people who share his unusual ability to see supernatural creatures. Together they determine the nature and purpose of the swarming blue Parasites that are invisible to most humans. |
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ALE |
The Iron Ring
(age 10+) by Lloyd Alexander action ... voyages/journeys ... humor ... magic ... adventure ... fantasy Driven by his sense of "dharma," or honor, young King Tamar sets off on a perilous journey, with a significance greater than he can imagine, during which he meets talking animals, villainous and noble kings, demons, and the love of his life. |
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BAR |
The Lost Years of Merlin Series (age 10+) by T. A. Barron magic ... identity ... folklore ... adventure ... fantasy A young boy who has no identity nor memory of his past washes ashore on the coast of Wales. Only after a series of fantastic adventures does he find his true name. title: The Lost Years of Merlin title: The Seven Songs of Merlin title: The Fires of Merlin title: The Mirror of Merlin title: The Wings of Merlin |
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BEL |
The Rescue of Ranor
(age 10+) by Wilanne Schneider Belden magic ... adventure ... fantasy Having no magic powers of his own, Sven Pentalion enlists the help of a white witch and her familiar, a goblin demon, to help rescue his brother from a powerful Black Enchanter. |
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AIK |
Black Hearts in Battersea
(age 10+) by Joan Aiken humor ... fantasy ... adventure Simon, the foundling from The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, arrives in London to meet an old friend and pursue the study of painting. Instead he finds himself unwittingly in the middle of a wicked crew's fiendish caper to the good King James and the Duke and Duchess of Battersea. With the help of his friend Sophie and the resourceful waif Dido, Simon narrowly escapes a series madcap close calls and dangerous run-ins. In a time and place where villains do nothing halfway, Simon is faced with wild wolves, poisoned pies, kidnapping, and a wrecked ship. This is a cleverly contrived tale of intrigue and misadventure. |
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AIK |
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase
(age 10+) by Joan Aiken humor ... fantasy ... adventure Bonnie and her cousin Sylvia don't know the trouble in store for them when Bonnie's parents leave them in the care of the terrible Miss Slighcarp. |
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BAR |
Great Tree of Avalon Series (age 10+) by T. A. Barron magic ... adventure ... folklore ... fantasy Publisher comments: Long ago, the great wizard Merlin planted the seed that would become the peaceful world of Avalon. Now, though, Avalon is suffering from mysterious droughts. Then the very stars begin to lose their light, and it seems that the Lady of the Lake's dire predictions are about to come true. The fate of Avalon now rests with Tamwyn, a wandering wilderness guide; Elli, an apprentice priestess; and Scree, a young eagleman. One of them is the true heir of Merlin, the only person who can save Avalon, and one of them is the dreaded child of the Dark Prophecy, fated to destroy it. title: Child of the Dark Prophecy |
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GRE |
Football Genius Series (age 10+) by Tim Green adventure ... action ... sports Publisher comments: Troy White has a phenomenal gift. He can predict football plays before they happen. Any position. Any player. Any team. When Troy's single mom gets a job working in public relations for the Atlanta Falcons, Troy figures it's his chance to prove what he can do. But first he has to get to the Falcons, and with tight security and a notoriously mean coach, even his mom's field passes aren't much help. Then Troy and his best friends devise a plan to get the attention of star linebacker Seth Halloway. With Seth's playing and Troy's genius, the Falcons could be unstoppable, if they'll only listen. title: Football Hero |
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HAU |
The Bloodwater Mysteries (age 10+) by Pete Hautman adventure ... humor ... mystery Publisher comments: When high school student Alicia Camden suddenly disappears, the small town of Bloodwater is in shock. And it's up to Roni Delicata, reporter for the school's Bloodwater Pump, and her brilliant sidekick, Brian Bain, to figure out whats going on. With suspects all around them and suspicions high, Roni and Brian risk their lives, and a few groundings from their parents, to get to the bottom of things. But can they find Alicia and solve the mystery before its too late? Full of suspense and humor, readers will love to watch the hilarious relationship between Roni and Brian as they save the day. title: Snatched |
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NIX |
Keys to the Kingdom Series (age 10+) by Garth Nix adventure ... action ... fantasy Publisher comments: Seven days. Seven keys. Seven virtues. Seven sins. One mysterious house is the doorway to a very mysterious world, where one boy is about to venture and unlock a number of fantastical secrets. This is another thrilling, triumphantly imaginative series from Garth Nix. title: Grim Tuesday |
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HUN |
The Seekers Series (age 10+) by Erin Hunter adventure ... fantasy Publisher comments: From the author of the Warriors books comes a brand-new animal fantasy series. Three young bears from different species (black, polar, and grizzly) are separated from their families when they are just young cubs. They find themselves brought together on a perilous journey. Fate is about to change all these bears lives forever, setting their paws on a path toward a future they cannot yet imagine . . . title: The Quest Begins title: Smoke Mountain title: The Last Wilderness title: Fire in the Sky title: Spirits in the Stars |
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REE |
The Larklight Series (age 10+) by Philip Reeve science fiction ... action ... adventure Arthur (Art) Mumsby and his irritating sister Myrtle live with their father in a huge and rambling house called Larklight...that just happens to be traveling through outer space. When a visitor called Mr. Webster arrives for a visit, it is far from an innocent social call. Before long Art and Myrtle are off on an adventure to the furthest reaches of space, where they will do battle with evil forces in order to save each other, and the universe. A fantastically original Victorian tale set in an outer space world that has a unique gravitational pull all its own. title: Larklight: Or the Revenge of the White Spiders! Or to Saturns Rings and Back! a Rousing Tale of Dauntless Pluck in the Farthest Reaches of Space |
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SHE |
Canned
(age 10+) by Alex Shearer mystery ... realistic ... adventure Fergal Bamfield doesn't collect stamps like normal kids. He's an oddball (his mother prefers to call him "clever"), and his collection is as strange as everything else about him. Fergal Bamfield collects tin cans. Then one day he finds a can without a label. What could be in it? Peaches, soup, perhaps revolting spam? But instead it's something gruesome: a human finger. Then Fergal finds another can, this time containing a one-word message, HELP! Now Fergal and his friend Charlotte are knee-deep in an adventure, and they're about to learn something horrible: Everybody has an expiration date. |
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WIL |
Danger Boy Series (age 10+) by Mark London Williams action ... adventure ... science fiction Hitch a ride through time on the Danger Boy adventures These rich, action-filled fantasies about a reluctant time-traveler and his unusual sidekicks will keep readers on the edge of their seats. The year is 2019, and a secret government agency is forcing Eli's dad to continue with his time-travel experiments, even though Eli's mom has just disappeared in one. Now Eli has a ridiculous new code name, and a gravely important mission. In DANGER BOY: ANCIENT FIRE, a lab accident sends Eli sprawling through the Fifth Dimension, where he hooks up with the amiable Clyne, an evolved dinosaur from an alternate Earth who just wants to finish his homework. Clyne's timeship lands them in ancient Alexandria, Egypt, just as a great fire rages through the city and the girl scientist Thea is fleeing an angry mob who thinks she's a witch. As if that's not enough, in the present-day world, a deadly pox is on the loose, and bizarre things are starting to happen to the fabric of time itself. title: Ancient Fire title: Dragon Sword title: Trail of Bones title: City of Ruins |
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GEO |
The Talking Earth
(age 10+) by Jean Craighead George adventure ... survival ... folklore ... nature Billie Wind ventures out alone into the Florida Everglades to test the legends of her Indian ancestors and learns the importance of listening to the earth's vital messages. |
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SNY |
Song of the Gargoyle
(age 10+) by Zilpha Keatley Snyder the arts ... adventure A strange sound awakens thirteen-year-old Tymmon in the dead of night. In a blink of an eye his father, the court jester of Austerneve, is mysteriously kidnapped and the terrified boy must slip away secretly to avoid capture himself. Hiding in the dreaded forest nearby, Tymmon is adopted by a huge, furry, dog-like creature--a gargoyle--who has the loyalty of a dog and the fearsome powers of an enchanted being. Together, hungry, the two make their way to town, where Tymmon earns a living by playing his flute and learns to be happy. At least as happy as he can be without his father. Will he ever find a way to rescue him and be with him again? |
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CLI |
A Month of Seven Days
(age 10+) by Shirley Climo war ... adventure ... historical When twelve-year-old Zoe's Georgia home is taken over by Union soldiers, she uses all her ingenuity to drive them away. |
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BLO |
London Calling
(age 10+) by Edward Bloor war ... historical ... science fiction ... adventure ... action Martin Conway comes from a family filled with heroes and disgraces. His grandfather was a statesman who worked at the US Embassy in London during WWII. His father is an alcoholic who left his family. His sister is an overachieving Ivy League graduate. And Martin? Martin is stuck in between--floundering. But during the summer after 7th grade, Martin meets a boy who will change his life forever. Jimmy Harker appears one night with a deceptively simple question: Will you help? Where did this boy come from, with his strange accent and urgent request? Is he a dream? It's the most vivid dream Martin's ever had. And he meets Jimmy again and again--but how can his dreams be set in London during the Blitz? The people and the scenes Martin witnesses have a profound effect on him. And he begins to believe that maybe he can help Jimmy. Or maybe that he must help Jimmy, precisely because all logic and reason argue against it. This is a truly remarkable and deeply affecting novel about fathers and sons, heroes and scapegoats. About finding a way to live with faith and honor and integrity. And about having an answer to the question: What did you do to help? |
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STO |
Five Ancestors Series (age 10+) by Jeff Stone identity ... adventure ... action ... historical Twelve-year-old Fu and his temple brothers Malao, Seh, Hok, and Long don’t know who their parents were. Raised from infancy by their grandmaster, they think of their temple as their home and their fellow warrior monks as their family. Then one terrible night, the temple is destroyed by an army led by a former monk named Ying, whose heart is bent on revenge. Fu and his brothers are the only survivors. Charged by their grandmaster to uncover the secrets of their past, the five flee into the countryside and go their separate ways. Somehow, Grandmaster has promised, their pasts are connected to Ying’s. Understanding that the past is the key to shaping the future, the first book in the series follows Fu as he struggles to find out more and prove himself in the process. Fu’s name literally means “tiger,” for he is the youngest-ever master of the fierce fighting style modeled after that animal. title: Tiger title: Monkey title: Snake title: Crane title: Eagle title: Mouse title: Dragon |
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STE |
The Mysterious Benedict Society Series (age 10+) by Trenton Lee Stewart friendship ... science fiction ... brilliant protagonist ... adventure ... school "Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?" When this peculiar ad appears in the newspaper, dozens of children enroll to take a series of mysterious, mind-bending tests. (And you, dear reader, can test your wits right alongside them.) But in the end just four very special children will succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and resourceful children could complete. To accomplish it they will have to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. As our heroes face physical and mental trials beyond their wildest imaginations, they have no choice but to turn to each other for support. But with their newfound friendship at stake, will they be able to pass the most important test of all? title: The Mysterious Benedict Society |
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SMI |
Peak
(age 10+) by Roland Smith family ... adventure ... action ... growing up ... survival After Peak Marcello is arrested for scaling a New York City skyscraper, he's left with two choices: wither away in Juvenile Detention or go live with his long-lost father, who runs a climbing company in Thailand. But Peak quickly learns that his father's renewed interest in him has strings attached. Big strings. He wants Peak to be the youngest person to reach the Everest summit--and his motives are selfish at best. Even so, for a climbing addict like Peak, tackling Everest is the challenge of a lifetime. But it's also one that could cost him his life. Roland Smith has created an action-packed adventure about friendship, sacrifice, family, and the drive to take on Everest, despite the incredible risk. |
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CHE |
Tales of Gom in the Legends of Ulm Series (age 10+) by Grace Chetwin magic ... adventure ... fantasy Gom, the son of a poor woodcutter and his wife, grows up with his father after his mother leaves home and his siblings go to stay with townsfolk and discovers he has unusual abilities which bring him trouble, yet lead him to envision a different sort of life for himself. title: Gom on Windy Mountain title: The Riddle and the Rune title: The Crystal Stair title: The Starstone |
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CHR |
The Tripods Series (age 10+) by John Christopher adventure ... action ... science fiction Young Will Parker and his companions make a perilous journey toward an outpost of freedom where they hope to escape from the ruling Tripods, who capture mature human beings and make them docile, obedient servants. title: The White Mountains title: The City of Gold and Lead title: The Pool of Fire title: When the Tripods Came |
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CHR |
A Dusk of Demons
(age 10+) by John Christopher adventure ... action ... voyages/journeys ... science fiction Ben, like many others, has heard the stories of the Demons--those being summoned by the Dark One. But they exist only in his nightmares until his father, the Master, dies mysteriously and Ben is told the Demons are responsible. Then the Demons set fire to Ben's home on Old Isle and he and his stepsister must flee their homeland to find their family. Along the way, they face imprisonment, gypies, and terrified countrymen who are seeking a sacrifice to save themselves from the Dark One. |
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BLO |
Letters From the Corrugated Castle: a novel of Gold Rush California, 1850-1852
(age 10+) by Joan W. Blos adventure ... letters/journal ... historical "Dear Cousin Sallie, I begin with words I never thought to write: I am not an orphan!" Thirteen-year-old Eldora has always believed that her mother died when she was very little, and for nine years she has lived with people that she calls Aunt and Uncle. The year is 1850, and all three have exchanged their quiet lives in New Bedford, Massachusetts, for new ones in San Francisco, the rapidly growing city that is the heart of the California Gold Rush. Shortly after their arrival, they receive a letter from an unknown woman who believes she is Eldora's mother. She is eager to meet her long-lost daughter, and a visit is arranged. As Eldora deals with her conflicting feelings about this news, she must also adjust to the challenges ... and dangers ... of living in a brash and growing city. She finds herself teaching English to two Mexicano children and beginning to learn Spanish, and an unlikely friendship with a boy named Luke introduces her to the hard, sometimes humorous, and often violent world of the mining camps. Every day seems to bring something different and new to consider. But can Eldora discover where ... and to whom ... she belongs? |
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AND |
The May Bird Series (age 10+) by Jodi Lynn Anderson princesses ... spooky ... action ... adventure ... fantasy Most people aren't very comfortable in the woods, but the woods of Briery Swamp fit May Bird like a fuzzy mitten. There, she is safe from school and the taunts and teases of kids who don't understand her. Hidden in the trees, May is a warrior princess, and her cat, Somber Kitty, is her brave guardian. Then May falls into the lake. When she crawls out, May finds herself in a world that most certainly does not feel like a fuzzy mitten. in fact, it is a place few living people have ever seen. Here towns glow blue beneath zipping stars and the people (people?) walk through walls. Here the Book of the Dead holds the answers to everything in the universe. And here, if May is discovered, the horrifying evil Bo Cleevil will turn her into nothing. May Bird must get out. Fast. title: May Bird and the Ever After title: May Bird Among the Stars |
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GRE |
Out of Many Waters
(age 10+) by Jacqueline Dembar Greene bigotry ... family ... adventure ... historical Kidnapped from their parents during the Portuguese Inquisition and sent to work as slaves at a monastery in Brazil, two Jewish sisters attempt to make their way back to Europe to find their parents, but instead one becomes part of a group founding the first Jewish settlement in the United States. |
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LOW |
Taking Care of Terrific
(age 10+) by Lois Lowry humor ... adventure Taking her overprotected young charge to the public park to broaden his horizons, fourteen-year-old baby sitter Enid enjoys unexpected friendships with a black saxophonist and a bag lady until she is charged with kidnapping. |
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TOL |
The Lord of the Rings Series (age 10+) by J. R. R. Tolkien voyages/journeys ... fantasy ... adventure Sauron, the Dark Lord, has gathered to him all the Rings of Power except one ... the One Ring that rules them all ... which has fallen into the hands of the hobbit Bilbo Baggins. Young Frodo Baggins finds himself faced with an immense task when Bilbo entrusts the Ring to his care. Frodo must make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the Ring and foil the Dark Lord in his evil purpose. title: The Fellowship of the Ring, Being the First Part of the Lord of the Rings title: The Two Towers, Being the Second Part of the Lord of the Rings title: The Return of the King, Being the Third Part of the Lord of the Rings |
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TWA |
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
(age 10+) by Mark Twain adventure ... humor While floating down the Mississippi River in the nineteenth century, a boy and a runaway slave experience many adventures, involving a feuding family, two scoundrels pretending to be royalty, and Tom Sawyer's aunt, who mistakes him for Tom. Sequel to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. |
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LON |
The Call of the Wild
(age 10+) by Jack London historical ... adventure ... nature ... animals The Call of the Wild centers on Buck, a dog bred for a life of ease on a California estate, who is kidnapped and sold to Klondike gold hunters. To survive the biting cold and his ruthless masters, Buck must listen to the Call and learn the ways of his wolf-ancestors who guide him from within. |
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LON |
White Fang
(age 10+) by Jack London adventure ... nature ... animals White Fang tells the story of a half-wolf, half-dog nearly destroyed by the vicious cruelty of mankind. Brought to the very brink of his existence, White Fang is lucky enough to experience the one thing that can save him ... human love. Slowly, the ferocious White Fang grows into a creature capable of bravery, loyalty, and affection. |
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LEV |
The Two Princesses of Bamarre
(age 10+) by Gail Carson Levine princesses ... adventure ... fantasy ... magic ... illness/loss When a plague strikes Bamarre, Princess Addie must save her sister. Brave and adventureous, Princess Meryl dreams of fighting dragons and protecting the kingdom of Bamarre. Shy and fearful, Princess Addie is content to stay within the safety of the castle walls. The one thing that the sisters share is their unwavering love for each other. The tables are turned, however, when the Gray Death leaves Meryl fatally ill. To save her sister, meek Princess Addie must find the courage to set out on a dangerous quest filled with dragons, unknown magic, and death itself. Time is running out, and the sisters' lives ... and the future of the kingdom of Bamarre ... hang in the balance. |
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MCC |
Harper Hall Trilogy (age 10+) by Anne McCaffrey folklore ... the arts ... fantasy ... adventure Forbidden by her father to indulge in music in any way, a girl on the planet Pern runs away, taking shelter with the planet's fire lizards who, along with her music, open a new life for her. title: Dragonsong title: Dragonsinger title: Dragondrums |
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HIA |
Flush
(age 10+) by Carl Hiaasen humor ... adventure ... nature Noahs dad is sure that the owner of a casino boat is flushing raw sewage into the harbor. Now Noah is determined to succeed where his dad had failed, and do whatever it takes to prove that the boat owner is dumping illegally. |
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PAO |
The Inheritance Series (age 10+) by Christopher Paolini adventure ... action ... magic ... fantasy Fifteen-year-old Eragon believes that he is merely a poor farm boy ... until his destiny as a Dragon Rider is revealed. Gifted with only an ancient sword, a loyal dragon, and sage advice from an old storyteller, Eragon is soon swept into a dangerous tapestry of magic, glory, and power. Now his choices could save ... or destroy ... the Empire. title: Eragon title: Eldest title: Brisingr, or, the Seven Promises of Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira Bjartskular |
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COL |
Jump Ship to Freedom
(age 10+) by James Lincoln Collier adventure ... historical Catalog: In 1787 a fourteen-year-old slave, anxious to buy freedom for himself and his mother, escapes from his dishonest master and tries to find help in cashing the solidier's notes received by his father for fighting in the Revolution. |
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BUR |
Wrango
(age 10+) by Brian Burks bigotry ... historical ... adventure The War Between the States is over, and George McJunkin and his family are among the slaves who've won their freedom. Trouble is, the McJunkins still live in a tiny shack, and the money George's father brings in barely keeps food on the table. George's parents say the times are changing. They say someday in Rogers Prairie, Texas, there will be a school for black children. They say someday the family will own the blacksmith shop where George's father still toils for the man who used to own them. But George isn't so sure about someday. Between 1867 and 1895, more than five thousand black cowboys helped drive ten million cattle up the Chisholm Trail from Texas. One such cowboy was George McJunkin, who set out from Rogers Prairie for the adventure that would change his life. |
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STE |
Kidnapped: the Adventures of David Balfour
(age 10+) by Robert Louis Stevenson historical ... adventure A sixteen-year-old orphan is kidnapped by his villainous uncle, but later escapes and becomes involved in the struggle of the Scottish highlanders against English rule. |
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SPE |
The Bronze Bow
(age 10+) by Elizabeth George Speare adventure ... folklore A young boy seeks revenge against the Romans for killing his parents, but is turned away from vengeance by Jesus. |
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O'D |
The Black Pearl
(age 10+) by Scott O'Dell nature ... spooky ... adventure From the depths of a cave in the Vermilion Sea, Ramon Salazar has wrested a black pearl so lustrous and captivating that his father, an expert pearl dealer, is certain Ramon has found the legendary Pearl of Heaven. Such a treasure is sure to bring great joy to the villagers of their tiny coastal town, and even greater renown to the Salazar name. No diver, not even the swaggering Gaspar Ruiz, has ever found a pearl like this! But is there a price to pay for a prize so great? When a terrible tragedy strikes the village, old Luzons warning about El Diablo returns to haunt Ramon. If El Diablo actually exists, it will take all Ramons courage to face the winged creature waiting for him offshore. |
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FLE |
Dragon Chronicles (age 10+) by Susan Fletcher knights/castles/dragons ... fantasy ... adventure In Dragon's Milk, the first of the series, Kaeldra, an outsider adopted by an Elythian family as a baby, possesses the power to understand dragons and uses this power to try to save her younger sister, who needs dragon's milk to recover from an illness. title: Dragon's Milk title: Flight of the Dragon Kyn title: Sign of the Dove |
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ADA |
Watership Down
(age 10+) by Richard Adams voyages/journeys ... survival ... adventure This stirring tale of adventure follows the journey of a group of brave creatures from their once-idyllic home to a place they hope will offer them a safer life. |
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RIO |
Percy Jackson and the Olympians (age 10+) by Rick Riordan action ... folklore ... fantasy ... adventure Percy, expelled from six schools for being unable to control his temper, learns the truth from his mother that his father is the Greek god Poseidon, and is sent to Camp Half Blood where he is befriended by a satyr and the demigod daughter of Athena who join him in a journey to the Underworld to retrieve Zeus's lightning bolt and prevent a catastrophic war. title: The Lightning Thief title: The Sea of Monsters title: The Titan's Curse title: the Battle of the Labyrinth title: The Last Olympian |
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PAU |
Hatchet
(age 10+) by Gary Paulsen growing up ... survival ... adventure Thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson is on his way to visit his father when the single engine plane in which he is flying crashes. Suddenly, Brian finds himself alone in the Canadian wilderness with nothing but his clothing, a tattered windbreaker, and the hatchet his mother has given him as a present and the dreadful secret that has been tearing him apart ever since his parents' divorce. But now Brian has no time for anger, self-pity, or despair it will take all his know-how and determination, and more courage than he knew he possessed, to survive. sequel: The River |
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HUN |
Warriors: Omen of the Stars (age 10+) by Erin Hunter war ... adventure ... fantasy Publisher comments: Four warrior Clans have shared the land around the lake as equals for many moons. But a prophecy foretells that three ThunderClan cats will hold the power of the stars in their paws. Jayfeather and Lionblaze know that they are two of the cats in the prophecy. Now the brothers must wait for a sign from StarClan to discover the identity of the third cat. Meanwhile, Dovekit and Ivykitkin of the great leader Firestarare poised to become ThunderClan apprentices. Soon one sister will have an ominous dreamand will begin to realize that she possesses mystical skills unmatched by any other cat. In the midst of a cruel season that threatens the lives of all four warrior Clans, bonds will be forged, promises made, and three young cats will start to unravel the secrets that bind them together. title: The Fourth Apprentice title: Fading Echoes |
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HUN |
Warriors, Power of Three Series (age 10+) by Erin Hunter war ... adventure ... fantasy In a troubled time for the Clans, three young cats, grandchildren of the legendary Firestar, begin their training as warriors and, in the course of many adventures, discover their true destiny. title: The Sight title: Dark River title: Outcast title: Eclipse title: Long Shadows title: Sunrise |
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HUN |
The Warriors Series (age 10+) by Erin Hunter war ... adventure ... fantasy In the first book, Into the Wild, Rusty starts out as an ordinary house kitten, but his travels deep into the forest involve him in the epic battles of the cat warrior clans who roam (and rule) the wild. With a new name, Firepaw, and a position as a ThunderClan apprentice, our feline hero faces his destiny, struggles with issues of friendship, honour, courage, and betrayal, and learns what it truly means to be a warrior. title: Into the Wild title: A Dangerous Path title: The Darkest Hour title: Dawn title: Forest of Secrets title: Sunset title: Twilight title: Midnight title: Moonrise title: Rising Storm title: Starlight title: Warriors Field Guide: Secrets of the Clans title: Code of the Clans |
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ALE |
The Westmark Trilogy (age 10+) by Lloyd Alexander adventure ... fantasy A boy fleeing from criminal charges falls in with a charlatan, his dwarf attendant, and an urchin girl, travels with them about the kingdom of Westmark, and ultimately arrives at the palace where the king is grieving over the loss of his daughter. title: Westmark title: The Kestrel title: The Beggar Queen |
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ALE |
The Vesper Holly Series (age 10+) by Lloyd Alexander fantasy ... adventure Publisher comments: About The Illyrian Adventure, first in the series: It's 1872, and adventurous Vesper Holly and her guardian set out for the tiny country of Illyria on a quest for its legendary treasure. But once Vesper and Brinnie arrive, they are plunged into a fierce struggle between rebel forces--and someone is out to kill the two of them. About The Jedera Adventure: Returning a library book is simple-unless the library is in North Africa and the book is Vesper Holly's! She organizes a library-bound caravan, deals with feuding desert tribes, rough terrain, and slave traders-but then is faced with the evil Dr. Helvitius. title: The Illyrian Adventure title: The El Dorado Adventure |
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ALE |
The Arkadians
(age 10+) by Lloyd Alexander folklore ... fantasy ... adventure To escape the wrath of the king and his wicked soothsayers, an honest young man joins with a poet-turned-jackass and a young girl with mystical powers on a series of epic adventures. |
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FAR |
The Sea of Trolls
(age 10+) by Nancy Farmer action ... folklore ... fantasy ... adventure ... historical Jack was eleven when the berserkers loomed out of the fog and nabbed him. ``It seems that things are stirring across the water,'' the Bard had warned. ``Ships are being built, swords are being forged.'' ``Is that bad?'' Jack had asked, for his Saxon village had never before seen berserkers. ``Of course. People don't make ships and swords unless they intend to use them.'' The year is A.D. 793. In the next months, Jack and his little sister, Lucy, are enslaved by Olaf One-Brow and his fierce young shipmate, Thorgil. Nancy Farmer has never told a richer, funnier tale, nor offered more timeless encouragement to young seekers than ``Just say no to pillaging.'' |
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SNY |
The Egypt Game
(age 10+) by Zilpha Keatley Snyder spooky ... adventure ... friendship The first time Melanie Ross meets April Hall, she's not sure they'll have anything in common. But she soon discovers that they both love anything to do with ancient Egypt. When they stumble upon a deserted storage yard behind the A-Z Antiques and Curio Shop, Melanie and April decide it's the perfect spot for Egypt Game. Before long there are six Egyptians instead of two. Everyone thinks it's just a game, until strange things begin happening to the players. Has the Egypt Game gone too far? sequel: The Gypsy Game |
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PAU |
Tucket Adventures Series (age 10+) by Gary Paulsen historical ... adventure ... survival In the first book, Mr. Tucket, Fourteen-year-old Francis Tucket is heading west on the Oregon Trail with his family by wagon train. When he receives a rifle for his birthday, he is thrilled that he is being treated like an adult. But Francis lags behind to practice shooting and is captured by Pawnees. It will take wild horses, hostile tribes, and a mysterious one-armed mountain man named Mr. Grimes to help Francis become the man who will be called Mr. Tucket. title: Mr. Tucket title: Call Me Francis Tucket title: Tucket's Gold |
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OPP |
Darkwing
(age 10+) by Kenneth Oppel fantasy ... action ... adventure As the sun sets on the time of the dinosaurs, a new world is left in its wake. . . . Dusk. He alone can fly and see in the dark, in a colony where being different means being shunnedor worse. As the leaders son, he is protected, but does his future lie among his kin? Carnassial. He has the true instincts of a predator, and he is determined that his kind will not only survive, but will dominate the world of beasts. |
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TAY |
The Cay
(age 10+) by Theodore Taylor voyages/journeys ... friendship ... bigotry ... adventure ... historical When the freighter on which they are traveling is torpedoed by a German submarine during World War II, an adolescent white boy, blinded by a blow on the head, and an old black man are stranded on a tiny Caribbean island where the boy acquires a new kind of vision, courage, and love from his old companion. sequel: Timothy of the Cay |
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MCK |
The Hero and the Crown
(age 10+) by Robin McKinley fantasy ... adventure Aerin is the only child of the king of Damar, and should be his rightful heir. But she is also the daughter of a witchwoman of the North, who died when she was born, and the Damarians cannot trust her. But Aerin's destiny is greater than her father's people know, for it leads her to battle with Maur, the Black Dragon, and into the wilder Damarian Hills, where she meets the wizard Luthe. sequel: The Blue Sword |
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L'E |
A Wrinkle in Time / The Time Quintet (age 10+) by Madeleine L'Engle adventure ... fantasy ... science fiction Meg Murry and her friends become involved with unearthly strangers and a search for Meg's father, who has disappeared while engaged in secret study of the fifth dimension of time travel. title: A Wrinkle in Time / The Time Quintet title: A Wind in the Door title: A Swiftly Tilting Planet title: Many Waters |
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JAC |
The Redwall Series (age 10+) by Brian Jacques fantasy ... humor ... adventure Each dazzling story in the Redwall series is packed with wit, wisdom, humor, and blood-curdling adventure. title: Redwall title: Mossflower title: Mattimeo title: Mariel of Redwall title: Salamandastron title: Martin the Warrior title: The Bellmaker title: Outcast of Redwall title: Pearls of Lutra title: Marlfox: a Tale of Redwall title: The Legend of Luke title: Lord Brocktree title: Triss: a Tale From Redwall title: Taggerung: a Tale From Redwall |
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GIF |
Nory Ryan's Song
(age 10+) by Patricia Reilly Giff survival ... historical ... adventure As the potato blight that leads to the Irish Famine takes its toll on her family, 12-year-old Nory Ryan must summon the courage and ingenuity to find food, to find hope, and to find a way to help her family survive. sequel: Maggie's Door |
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GEO |
Julie of the Wolves
(age 10+) by Jean Craighead George identity ... survival ... nature ... adventure To her small Eskimo village, she is known as Miyax; to her friend in San Francisco, she is Julie. When her life in the village becomes dangerous, Miyax runs away, only to find herself lost in the Alaskan wilderness. |
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FUN |
Inkheart Series (age 10+) by Cornelia Funke authorship ... magic ... fantasy ... adventure ... action Publisher comments: One cruel night, Meggie's father reads aloud from a book called Inkheart, and an evil ruler escapes the boundaries of fiction and lands in their living room. Suddenly, Meggie is smack in the middle of the kind of adventure she has only read about in books. Meggie must learn to harness the magic that has conjured this nightmare. For only she can change the course of the story that has changed her life forever. title: Inkheart title: Inkspell title: Inkdeath |
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DUP |
The Book of Ember Series (age 10+) by Jeanne Duprau survival ... action ... adventure ... fantasy ... science fiction Publisher comments: Built as an underground refuge for the human race, the city of Ember begins to deteriorate as its lights start to flicker. When Lina finds part of an ancient message, she's sure it holds a secret that will save the city. She and her friend Doon must decipher the message before the lights go out on Ember forever. title: The City of Ember title: The People of Sparks title: The Prophet of Yonwood |
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COO |
The Dark Is Rising Series (age 10+) by Susan Cooper folklore ... action ... adventure ... fantasy On holiday in Cornwall, the three Drew children discover an ancient map in the attic of the house that they are staying in. They know immediately that it is special. It is even more than that...the key to finding a grail, a source of power to fight the forces of evil known as the Dark. And in searching for it themselves, the Drews put their very lives in peril. Begin with "Over Sea, Under Stone." title: Over Sea, Under Stone title: The Dark is Rising title: Greenwitch title: The Grey King title: Silver on the Tree |
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BYN |
Molly Moon Series (age 10+) by Georgia Byng identity ... mystery ... magic ... adventure ... friendship ... family Molly Moon is no ordinary orphan. When she finds a mysterious old book on hypnotism, she discovers she can make people do whatever she wants. But a sinister stranger is watching her every move, and he'll do anything to steal her hypnotic secret... title: Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism title: Molly Moon Stops the World title: Molly Moon's Hypnotic Time Travel Adventure |
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AVI |
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
(age 10+) by Avi adventure ... historical ... voyages/journeys Thirteen-year-old Charlotte Doyle, the only passenger aboard a seedy ship on a transatlantic voyage from England to America in 1832, becomes caught up in a feud between the murderous captain and his mutinous crew. |
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ALE |
The Prydain Chronicles (age 10+) by Lloyd Alexander folklore ... humor ... fantasy ... adventure In the first book of the Prydain Chronicles, Taran, Assistant Pig-Keeper to a famous oracular sow, sets out on a hazardous mission to save Prydain from the forces of evil. title: The Book of Three title: The Black Cauldron title: The Castle of Llyr title: Taran Wanderer title: The High King |