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 |
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 False Peace |
RYS |
Search Behind the Lines
(age 9-12) by E. Ryss adventure ... historical ... war Catalog: Two children face the perils of the German occupation of Russia during World War II. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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: Secret of the Ninja by Jay Leibold F LEI title: The Brilliant Dr. Wogan by R. A. Montgomery F MON title: The Abominable Snowman by R. A. Montgomery F MON title: Journey Under the Sea 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 | |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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: 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 | |
KOR |
Swindle Series (age 9-12) by Gordon Korman adventure ... humor After a mean collector named Swindle cons him out of his most valuable baseball card, Griffin Bing must put together a band of misfits to break into Swindle's compound and recapture the card. There are many things standing in their way...a menacing guard dog, a high-tech security system, a very secret hiding place, and their inability to drive...but Griffin and his team are going to get back what's rightfully his, even if hijinks ensue. title: Swindle |
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. |
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. |
LOW |
Us and Uncle Fraud
(age 9-12) by Lois Lowry family ... humor ... adventure Mysterious things begin to happen after Uncle Claude comes to stay with his sister's family. Is Uncle Claude a thief, an imposter, or just a dream weaver? |
RUB |
Children of the Seventh Prophecy
(age 9-12) by Amy Kateman Rubin adventure ... fantasy Klig, the troll prince, enlists Alice and Bernard to help fight the dark forces which are attempting to bring about the fulfillment of the Seventh Prophecy. |
WHY |
The Unvisibles
(age 9-12) by Ian Whybrow adventure ... friendship ... family ... humor Two very different boys live next door but have taken pains to avoid each other. Oliver is rowdy and loud and doesn't mind being in constant trouble one bit. Nicky is so quiet and self-effacing that he is nearly invisible. One day Oliver finds himself in desperate need of help from his next-door neighbor. |
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. |
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 |
HEL |
Horns and Wrinkles
(age 9-12) by Joseph Helgerson adventure ... humor ... fantasy How can you tell if a river's under a spell? River trolls, rock trolls, blue-wing fairies--the usual suspects--the stretch of the Mississippi where Claire lives has rumors of them all, not that she's ever spotted any. But then Claire's cousin Duke takes a swim and sprouts a horn--a long, pointy, handsome thing. After that, Claire doesn't have much choice but to believe that something rivery is going on, especially since she's the only one who can help Duke lose his new addition. In the tradition of grand river adventures, Joseph Helgerson's tale is as twisty and unpredictable as the Mississippi River itself, while an unusual cast of characters adds pepper to the pot. Readers of all ages will enjoy getting in--and out of--trouble with Claire and Duke in this nimble, sharp, and funny fantasy. |
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! |
FLA |
The Ranger's Apprentice Series (age 9-12) by John Flanagan fantasy ... adventure ... action He had always wanted to be a warrior. The Rangers, with their dark cloaks and shadowy ways, made him nervous. The villagers believe the Rangers practice magic that makes them invisible to ordinary people. And now fifteen year-old Will, always small for his age, has been chosen as a Ranger's apprentice. What he doesn't realize yet is that the Rangers are the protectors of the kingdom. Highly trained in the skills of battle and surveillance, they fight the battles before the battles reach the people. And as Will is about to learn, there is a large battle brewing. The exiled Morgarath, Lord of the Mountains of Rain and Night, is gathering his forces for an attack on the kingdom. This time, he will not be denied.... title: The Ruins of Gorlan title: The Burning Bridge title: The Icebound Land title: The Battle For Skandia title: The Sorcerer of the North title: The Siege of Macindaw |
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. |
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 |
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. |
WYS |
The Swiss Family Robinson
(age 9-12) by Johann Wyss family ... adventure ... survival For six days and nights, a storm tosses the Robinson family's ship around on the sea, before dashing it on the rocks off a deserted island. All the sailors are gone. The family is alone! But nothing can keep the cheerful Swiss family Robinson down for long. The family quickly settles into their new home--mining the shipwreck for supplies, discovering valuable resources on the island and animal friends, and even turning the treetops into their own lofty aerie. Life is a nonstop adventure with the Swiss Family Robinson! |
LOF |
The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
(age 9-12) by Hugh Lofting animals ... adventure ... fantasy When his colleague Long Arrow disappears, Dr. Dolittle sets off with his assistant, Tommy Stubbins, his dog, Jip, and Polynesia the parrot on an adventurous voyage over tropical seas to floating Spidermonkey Island. |
MAR |
A Dog's Life: the Autobiography of a Stray
(age 9-12) by Ann Matthews Martin adventure ... survival ... animals Squirrel and her brother Bone begin their lives in a toolshed behind a summer house. Their mother nurtures them and teaches them the many skills they will need to survive as stray dogs. But when their mother is suddenly taken from them, the puppies are forced to make their own way in the world, facing humans both gentle and brutal, busy highways, other animals, and the changing seasons. When Bone and Squirrel become separated, Squirrel must fend for herself, and in the process makes two friends who in very different ways define her fate. |
MCA |
Mistmantle Chronicles (age 9-12) by M.I. McAllister fantasy ... adventure The start of an exciting new trilogy, Urchin of the Riding Stars is an epic, Shakespearian story of murder, treachery and revenge set on the island of Mistmantle, a world of squirrels, otters, and moles. title: Urchin of the Riding Stars title: Urchin and the Heartstone title: The Heir of Mistmantle |
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. |
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. |
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 title: Son of the Black Stallion |
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. |
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. |
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. |
GIP |
Old Yeller
(age 9-12) by Fred Gipson adventure ... historical ... growing up ... friendship In the late 1860s in the Texas hill country, a big yellow dog and a fourteen-year-old boy form a close, loving relationship. |
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. |
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: Into the Mist |
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? |
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. |
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 |
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 |
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 |
O'D |
Zia
(age 9-12) by Scott O'Dell adventure ... historical A young Indian girl, Zia, caught between the traditional world of her mother and the present world of the Mission, is helped by her aunt Karana whose story was told in ``Island of the Blue Dolphins.'' |
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. |
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. |
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. |
FOR |
Johnny Tremain
(age 9-12) by Ester Forbes war ... adventure ... historical A story filled with danger and excitement, Johnny Tremain tells of the turbulent, passionate times in Boston just before the Revolutionary War. Johnny, a young apprentice silversmith, is caught up in a dramatic involvement with James Otis, John Hancock,and John and Samuel Adams in the exciting currents and undercurrents that were to lead to the Boston Tea Party and the Battle of Lexington. |
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 |
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. |
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 |
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 |
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 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 title: Exile |
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! |
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. |
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.'' |
STE |
Abel's Island
(age 9-12) by William Steig voyages/journeys ... survival ... adventure Cast away on an uninhabited island, Abel, a very civilized mouse, finds his resourcefulness and endurance tested to the limit as he struggles to survive and return to his home. |
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 |
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 |
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 Castle of Mirrors title: Charlie Bone and the Hidden King title: Charlie Bone and the Invisible Boy title: Charlie Bone and the Time Twister |
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: Racso and the Rats of NIMH by Jane Leslie Conley F CON sequel: RT, Margaret, and the Rats of NIMH by Jane Leslie Conley F CON |
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: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader title: The Silver Chair |
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. |
JAN |
The Moomintroll Stories (age 9-12) by Tove Jansson humor ... fantasy ... adventure ... family Adventures of the members of this family center around the Hobgoblin's tall black top hat and the Valley of the Moomins. title: Comet in Moominland |
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? |
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.) |
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. |
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.'' |
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 |
BOS |
The Children of Green Knowe
(age 9-12) by L. M. Boston spooky ... adventure ... fantasy This is the first thrilling and chilling tale of Green Knowe, a haunted manor deep in an overgrown garden in the English countryside. sequel: The River at Green Knowe sequel: A Stranger at Green Knowe sequel: An Enemy at Green Knowe sequel: Treasure of Green Knowe |
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. |