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UPD
Johnny Swanson (age 8-11)
by Eleanor Updale
adventure ... historical ... enterprise ... mystery
Publisher comments: The secret to instant height? Stand on a box. Want to make your money go further? Roll it down a hill. The answer to smelly feet? Wear a clothes pin on your nose. Eleven-year-old Johnny Swanson is in business. He's raking in the money with his advertising scams and his advice columnist persona, who offers advice on absolutely anything in return for a shilling. But his money-making schemes are getting him in too deep with the wrong kinds of people. Everything is spiralling out of control, and now his own mother is in mortal danger. There's only one thing to be done: Johnny must assume another role as undercover detective!
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WAR
Between Two Ends (age 8-11)
by David Ward
authorship ... adventure ... fantasy
Publisher comments: When Yeats and his parents visit his grandmother's creepy old house, Yeats reunites a pair of pirate bookends and uncovers the amazing truth: Years ago, Yeats's father traveled into The Arabian Nights with a friend, and the friend, Shari, is still stuck in the tales. Assisted by the not-always-trustworthy pirates, Yeats must navigate the unfamiliar world of the story of Shaharazad--dodging guards and tigers and the dangerous things that lurk in the margins of the stories--in order to save Shari and bring peace to his family.
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EPS
The Familiars (age 8-11)
by Adam Jay Epstein
animals ... adventure ... fantasy ... magic
Publisher comments: When Aldwyn, a young alley cat on the run, ducks into a mysterious pet shop, he doesn't expect his life to change. But that's exactly what happens when Jack, a young wizard, picks Aldwyn to be his magical familiar. Finally off the tough streets, Aldwyn thinks he's got it made. He just has to convince the other familiars—the know-it-all blue jay Skylar and the friendly tree frog Gilbert—that he's the telekinetic cat he claims to be. But when Jack and two other wizards in training are captured by a terrible evil, it will take all of Aldwyn's street smarts, a few good friends, and a nose for adventure to save the day!
title: The Familiars
title: Secrets of the Crown
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CHE
Saxby Smart, Private Detective Series (age 8-11)
by Simon Cheshire
adventure ... mystery
Publisher comments: Saxby Smart is no ordinary ten-year-old. He's the best detective in the world, or at least the best one who also happens to be in elementary school. With the help of his Thinking Chair and his two best friends, Saxby proves that age makes no difference when it comes to saving the day.
title: The Pirate's Blood and Other Case Files
title: The Curse of the Ancient Mask and Other Case Files
title: The Treasure of Dead Man's Lane and Other Case Files
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ORR
Rainbow Street Shelter Series (age 8-11)
by Wendy Orr
realistic ... adventure ... animals
Publisher comments: Logan is moving from the farm to the city. He'll miss all the things he's leaving behind, but at least he has Bear. He loves Bear more than anything else in the world, because Bear is his dog. Hannah lives in the city. What she wants, more than anything else in the world, is a dog of her own. At the Rainbow Street Shelter, Logan and Hannah find a talking parrot, an old black Labrador, a three-legged goat, a puppy that looks like a peanut, and a Surprise that just might be the best thing in the world.
title: Lost! a Dog Called Bear
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GAI
Odd and the Frost Giants (age 8-11)
by Neil Gaiman
magic ... adventure ... folklore ... traditions
Publisher comments: In this inventive, short, yet perfectly formed novel inspired by traditional Norse mythology, Neil Gaiman takes readers on a wild and magical trip to the land of giants and gods and back. In a village in ancient Norway lives a boy named Odd, and he's had some very bad luck: His father perished in a Viking expedition; a tree fell on and shattered his leg; the endless freezing winter is making villagers dangerously grumpy. Out in the forest Odd encounters a bear, a fox, and an eagle—three creatures with a strange story to tell. Now Odd is forced on a stranger journey than he had imagined—a journey to save Asgard, city of the gods, from the Frost Giants who have invaded it.
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MAC
Miss Pickerell Series (age 8-11)
by Ellen MacGregor
adventure
Miss Pickerell takes on issues of the day in these charming adventures from the 1970s.
title: Miss Pickerell Harvests the Sea
title: Miss Pickerell Goes to the Arctic
title: Miss Pickerell Tackles the Energy Crisis
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KOR
I Want to Go Home! (age 8-11)
by Gordon Korman
adventure ... humor
Summer camp is nothing like Rudy Miller imagines.
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KOR
The Deep Series (age 8-11)
by Gordon Korman
realistic ... survival ... adventure ... action
Publisher comments: Four kids are on a marine expedition for the summer, diving to explore an underwater habitat that's just been altered by a seismic event. What they find, though, is much more than fish - it's sunken treasure. Can they salvage it without anyone else getting to it first? Will the prospect of wealth set them against one another? And what about those sharks? Dive is another action-packed trilogy from Gordon Korman.
title: The Discovery
title: The Deep
title: The Danger
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OCO
The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis (age 8-11)
by Barbara Oconnor
realistic ... adventure ... humor
Publisher comments: Nothing ever happens in Fayette, South Carolina. That's what Popeye thinks, anyway. His whole life, everything has just been boring, boring, boring. But things start to look up when the Jewell's Holiday Rambler makes a wrong turn and gets stuck in the mud, trapping Elvis and his five rowdy siblings in Fayette for who knows how long. Popeye has never met anyone like Elvis Jewell. Hes so good at swearing he makes Uncle Dooley look like a harp-strumming angel, and he says "So what?" like he really means it. Then something curious comes floating down the creek, a series of boats with secret messages, and it sends Popeye and Elvis into the big world on the hunt for a small adventure.
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EDW
The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles (age 8-11)
by Julie Andrews Edwards
adventure ... humor ... magic ... fantasy
Publisher comments: The Whangdoodle was once the wisest, the kindest, and the most extraordinary creature in the world. Then he disappeared and created a wonderful land for himself and all the other remarkable animals — the ten-legged Sidewinders, the little furry Flukes, the friendly Whiffle Bird, and the treacherous, "oily" Prock. It was an almost perfect place where the last of the really great Whangdoodles could rule his kingdom with "peace, love and a sense of fun" — apart from and forgotten by people. But not completely forgotten. Professor Savant believed in the Whangdoodle. And when he told the three Potter children of his search for the spectacular creature, Lindy, Tom, and Ben were eager to reach Whangdoodleland. With the Professor's help, they discovered the secret way. But waiting for them was the scheming Prock, who would use almost any means to keep them away from his beloved king. Only by skill and determination were the four travelers able to discover the last of the really great Whangdoodles and grant him his heart's desire.
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BIR
Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs (age 8-11)
by Betty Birney
family ... identity ... adventure
When Eben McAllister reads about the Seven Wonders of the World, he longs to escape the small farming community of Sassafras Springs and do some exploring o his own. No one else ever seems to want to leave Sassafras even his best pal, Jeb...and so, for now, Eben figures he's stuck on the farm with Pa and Aunt Pretty until he grows up. All that changes when his pa, tired of Eben's moping, challenges him to find Seven Wonders in Sassafras Springs that can stang up to the real Seven Wonders of the World. And if he does? Then Eben will get the adventure he's been craving for ... a trip out West. Eben doesn't reckon he'll have any luck ... he can't think of even one thing that would be called interesting, let alone wonderous, in Sassafras, but he figures he'll give it a try; there's nothing else to do in Sassafras anyway. But what he finds will take him on the adventure of his life.
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HIC
The Alvin Fernald Series (age 8-11)
by Clifford B. Hicks
math/science/technology ... adventure ... humor ... brilliant protagonist
Alvin Fernald: politician, environmentalist, television personality, inventor. Alvin Fernald: 12 year old kid. Watch his ``Magnificent Brain'' get him, his sister, and his best friend into trouble, action, and fun.
title: Alvin's Secret Code
title: Alvin's Swap Shop
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CRE
Time Out (age 8-11)
by Helen Cresswell
science fiction ... adventure ... magic
Twelve-year-old Tweeny and her parents, servants in a London house in 1887, use a book of magic spells to travel forward in time 100 years and find the England of 1987 to be an astonishing place.
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VAN
The Great Googlestein Museum Mystery (age 8-11)
by Jean Van Leeuwen
humor ... adventure ... the arts
Three adventurous mice escape from their home at Macy's department store and spend an exciting week in the Guggenheim Museum, creating a sensation in the art world.
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VAN
The Great Cheese Conspiracy (age 8-11)
by Jean Van Leeuwen
adventure ... humor
Fed up with the slim-pickings in their movie-theater home, Merciless Marvin the Magnificent and his mouse gang decide to hit the big time and pull a heist at a cheese store.
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WIL
The Danny Dunn Series (age 8-11)
by Jay Williams
humor ... adventure ... math/science/technology
Danny Dunn: inventor, technological wizard, headstrong kid... Join Danny and his friends on adventure after adventure.
title: Danny Dunn, Invisible Boy
title: Danny Dunn, Scientific Detective
title: Danny Dunn, Time Traveler
title: Danny Dunn and the Smallifying Machine
title: Danny Dunn and the Swamp Monster
title: Danny Dunn and the Voice From Space
title: Danny Dunn and the Weather Machine
title: Danny Dunn on the Ocean Floor
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SLO
The Three-Seated Space Ship (age 8-11)
by Louis Slobodkin
adventure ... science fiction
Catalog: When the departure of their plane from New York to Albany is delayed for an hour and a half, a little boy, his grandmother, and his friend from outer space use the time to take a quick trip to London in the friend's space ship.
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COL
Gregor the Overlander Series (age 8-11)
by Suzanne Collins
action ... adventure ... fantasy
Publisher comments: When Gregor falls through a grate in the laundry room of his apartment building, he hurtles into the dark Underland, where spiders, rats, cockroaches coexist uneasily with humans. This world is on the brink of war, and Gregor's arrival is no accident. A prophecy foretells that Gregor has a role to play in the Underland's uncertain future. Gregor wants no part of it...until he realizes it's the only way to solve the mystery of his father's disappearance. Reluctantly, Gregor embarks on a dangerous adventure that will change both him and the Underland forever.
title: Gregor the Overlander
title: Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods
title: Gregor and the Marks of Secret
title: Gregor and the Code of Claw
title: Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane
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BAN
The Adventures of King Midas (age 8-11)
by Lynne Reid Banks
adventure ... humor ... folklore ... magic
King Midas' obsession with gold takes some unexpected turns in this fun retelling of the classic Greek myth.
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APP
Terror on the Moons of Jupiter (age 8-11)
by Victor Appleton
adventure ... science fiction
Tom Swift and his friends Ben and Anita travel with their new robot, Aristotle, to the moons of Jupiter where they encounter a sinister rival.
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AMA
The Riot Brothers Series (age 8-11)
by Mary Amato
short stories ... adventure ... humor ... school
Orville and Wilbur Riot have no shortage of daily adventures. Sometimes they are undercover detectives. Other times they challenge each other to see who can get the most underwear on his head in exactly thirty seconds. Having trouble keeping up with Wilbur and Orville? Follow the Riot Brother Rule Number 4: Run, do not walk, whenever possible.
title: Snarf Attack, Underfoodle, and the Secret of Life: The Riot Brothers Tell All
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AVI
The End of the Beginning, Being the Adventures of a Small Snail (and an Even Smaller Ant) (age 8-11)
by Avi
adventure ... voyages/journeys ... authorship
Avon the snail has never had an adventure. And adventure, he has heard, is the key to a happy life. So with his new friend Edward the ant, Avon sets out on a journey to find the excitement his life has been missing.
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BAU
A Bear Named Trouble (age 8-11)
by Marion Dane Bauer
adventure ... family ... animals ... nature
Based on a true story, this novel is the story of a young boy in Alaska who sets out to get even with the wily bear cub that has accidentally killed the boy's favorite animal.
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BAR
The Never Land Series (age 8-11)
by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
princesses ... war ... adventure ... magic ... humor
Little Scallop should be happy. She's a princess of the Mollusk tribe, rulers of beautiful Mollusk Island. And she has two fun friends, Aqua and Surf, who just happen to be mermaids. But Little Scallop is bored. Her warrior brothers are allowed to do exciting things, and Little Scallop longs to have a real adventure, too. So late one night, she sneaks off into forbidden waters with Aqua and Surf. That's when the trouble starts. The question is: can she and her friends get out of it?
title: Escape From the Carnivale: a Never Land Book
title: Cave of the Dark Wind: a Never Land Book
title: The Bridge to Never Land
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FER
Born to Fly (age 8-11)
by Michael Ferrari
adventure ... identity ... historical
Publisher comments: Born to Fly tells the story of eleven-year-old tomboy Bird McGill. Ever since she can remember, Bird has loved flying in small propeller airplanes with her mechanic dad. When the local airstrip is turned into a military flight school, Bird is in heaven. But when a young Japanese American student named Kenji Fujita joins Birds class, the entire school seems to be convinced that hes a spy, or at the very least, that he and his uncle want the Japanese to win. Bird is wary of Kenji, not just because hes Japanese, but because he steals her flight-related topic for a school report and leaves her to write about the deadly boring local marsh weed. But on Birds first trip to the marsh, she and Kenji accidentally discover real spy activity in the area. Bird realizes that Kenji is actually a stand-up guy and she and Kenji begin an adventure that will shake the town and may even change the future of the United States.
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AVI
Hard Gold: the Colorado Gold Rush of 1859: a Tale of the Old West (age 8-11)
by Avi
action ... adventure ... historical
Publisher comments: Early Whitcomb's family needs a miracle. Their Iowa farm has been in the family for generations, but a long drought has withered their savings and left them in debt. Meanwhile, the great Chicago and Northwestern Railroad wants their land, and if the Whitcombs can't pay their loans, the local banker, Judge Fuslin, will foreclose and sell the farm as his own. Early's uncle (though he's more like a brother), Jesse, thinks he has the solution: to head West and dig for gold. Early is wild to go with him, as much for the adventure as for the gold. But the journey costs money--more than the boys can afford--and when Jesse flees during the night, after being accused of a robbery, Early doesn't know what to believe. When Jesse sends an electrifying message--that he has found gold, but his life is in danger-- Early knows he must do whatever it takes to find him, even if it means running away and joining a wagon train with a strange family. The journey is dangerous and full of hardships, and the closer the travelers get to their destination, the more ruined lives they encounter--lives consumed by the hunt for gold. Then to his horror, Early learns that Jesse has been accused of another, much bigger crime and has fled to a secret place in the mountains. Somehow, Early must get to him without leading Jesse's pursuers right to his door. And even if he succeeds, Early will still have to make the hardest choice of his life.
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BLE
Tracks in the Snow (age 8-11)
by Lucy Jane Bledsoe
adventure ... survival
Catalog: Erin and her science project partner Tiffany become lost in the snow-covered Sierra mountains when Erin leads them on a trek to find her missing babysitter.
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BUL
Viking Adventure (age 8-11)
by Clyde Robert Bulla
historical ... adventure
This exciting adventure portrays Viking life and legendary explorations of the North Sea.
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BLU
Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters (age 8-11)
by Lesley M. M. Blume
adventure ... authorship ... friendship
Publisher comments: Eleven-year-old Cornelia is the daughter of two world-famous pianists, a legacy that should feel fabulous, but instead feels just plain lonely. She surrounds herself with dictionaries and other books to isolate herself from the outside world. But when a glamorous neighbor named Virginia Somerset moves next door with her servant Patel and a mischievous French bulldog named Mister Kinyatta, Cornelia discovers that the world is a much more exciting place than she had originally thought.
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KLI
The Dragon Keepers Series (age 8-11)
by Kate Klimo
humor ... adventure ... fantasy
Publisher comments: Ten-year-old cousins Jesse and Daisy have always wanted something magical to happen to them. So it's a wish come true when Jesse's newly found thunder egg hatches and a helpless, tiny, but very loud, baby dragon pops out. Soon the two kids are at the dragon's beck and call, trying to figure out what to feed her. An Internet search leads them to the library, which leads them back to the Internet, where they find a very strange Web site called foundadragon.org. Here the cousins discover that the dragon's hatching has designated them "Dragon Keepers." Not only do they have to feed the dragon, whom they named Emmy, but they also have to keep her safe from the villainous Saint George, who has kept himself alive over centuries by drinking dragons' blood!
title: The Dragon in the Sock Drawer
title: The Dragon in the Driveway
title: The Dragon in the Library
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GUT
Nightmare at the Bookfair (age 8-11)
by Dan Gutman
humor ... adventure ... action
Publisher comments: Trip Dinkleman hates to read. Hates, hates, hates it. All he wants to do is play lacrosse. So when the president of the PTA asks Trip to help her out on his way to tryouts, he is not happy. He is even more not happy when a stack of books tumbles onto his head and knocks him out cold. And he is even more not happy when he wakes up and has absolutely no idea where he is. Now all he wants to do is get home. But after encountering a haunted house, aliens, talking animals, and much, much more, he realizes getting home might be just a little bit harder to do than he thought.
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ROD
The Rondo Series (age 8-11)
by Emily Rodda
action ... adventure ... fantasy ... magic
There are three rules to the old painted, music box: Wind the box three times only. Never shut the box when the music is playing. Never move the box before the music stops. Leo wouldn't dream of breaking these rules, but does his stubborn cousin Mimi listen? She winds the box four times, and suddenly the paintings on its side come to life and a powerful witch is released. Now its up to Leo and Mimi to stop the witch, if only they can find the key to the music box, and the magical world it controls.
title: The Key to Rondo
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STI
The Goodbumps Series (age 8-11)
by R. L. Stine
spooky ... adventure
Spooky, scary adventures, sure to amuse you.
title: The Scream of the Haunted Mask
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DOT
Summer Pony (age 8-11)
by Jean Slaughter Doty
adventure ... animals
Disappointed with the half-starved and unkempt pony she has rented for the summer, Ginny hesitantly tries to help her.
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DOT
Winter Pony (age 8-11)
by Jean Slaughter Doty
adventure ... animals
Ginny is looking forward to a fun winter with her new pony Mokey, which includes learning to drive a sleigh under the close supervision of Michael, but when Ginny and her friend Pam decide to hitch up Mokey and take the sleigh out on their own, they find themselves in danger.
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FLE
Jingo Django (age 8-11)
by Sid Fleischman
adventure ... humor
An orphan boy resolves to follow a treasure map he finds inscribed on a whale's tooth.
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HOO
The Sign Painter's Secret: The Story of a Revolutionary Girl (age 8-11)
by Dorothy Hoobler
adventure ... historical
When the Redcoats occupy her house in Philadelphia, young Annie MacDougal finds a way to help General Washington's troops at Valley Forge.
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HUT
Follow That Bus! (age 8-11)
by Pat Hutchins
adventure ... school ... mystery
Two bank robbers find that a group of second graders visiting a farm are more than they bargained for.
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JAM
Smoky the Cow Horse (age 8-11)
by Will James
adventure ... animals
Smoky knows only one way of life: freedom. Living on the open range, he is free to go where he wants and do what he wants. And being a smart colt, he learns what he must in order to survive. He can beat any enemy whether it be a rattlesnake or a hungry wolf. He is as much a part of the Wild West as it is of him, and Smokey can't imagine anything else. But then he comes across a new enemy, one that walks on two legs and makes funny sounds. Smoky can't beat this enemy like he has all the others. But does he really want to beat it? Or could giving up some of his freedom mean getting something else in return that's even more valuable?
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ROB
Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Job (age 8-11)
by Willo Davis Roberts
mystery ... adventure
A baby sitter and her three willful charges make a formidable team to outwit their surprised kidnappers.
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ENR
Gone-Away Lake (age 8-11)
by Elizabeth Enright
spooky ... adventure
Summer has a magic all its own when Portia and her cousin Julian discover adventure in a hidden colony of forgotten summer houses on the shores of a swampy lake.
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YEP
The Earth Dragon Awakes: the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 (age 8-11)
by Laurence Yep
action ... historical ... adventure ... survival
When the quake subsides, Chin and Henry and their families are lucky to be alive. But now they must escape the fires that have broken out and find their way to safety, before it's too late. Based on actual events and told from the alternating perspectives of two young friends, The Earth Dragon Awakes is a suspenseful novel about the 1906 San Francisco earthquake by Newbery Honor author Laurence Yep.
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UMA
Solomon Snow and the Silver Spoon (age 8-11)
by Kaye Umansky
identity ... adventure ... humor
Prepare, dear reader, for the tale of Solomon Snow, his bossy friend Prudence, and the insufferable Infant Prodigy as they set out in search of Solly's rightful inheritance, despite some woeful misadventures along the way.
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STE
Far-Flung Adventures (age 8-11)
by Paul Stewart
math/science/technology ... adventure ... fantasy ... humor
Fergus Crane has an almost ordinary life, having lessons taught by rather odd teachers on the school ship Betty Jeanne and helping his mother in the bakery. But then a mysterious flying box appears at the window of his waterfront home and Fergus is plunged headlong into an exciting adventure! The box is followed by a winged mechanical horse that whisks him off to meet his long-lost uncle and his penguin helpers, Finn, Bill, and Jackson. Fergus finds out that his teachers are not quite what they seem: they're actually pirates! Can Fergus and his winged horse save his schoolmates on the far-off Fire Island? And who else will he find there?
title: Corby Flood
title: Hugo Pepper
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SAN
Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians (age 8-11)
by Brandon Sanderson
adventure ... fantasy ... humor
A hero with an incredible talent...for breaking things. A life-or-death mission...to rescue a bag of sand. A fearsome threat from a powerful secret network...the evil Librarians. Alcatraz Smedry doesn't seem destined for anything but disaster. On his 13th birthday he receives a bag of sand, which is quickly stolen by the cult of evil Librarians plotting to take over the world. The sand will give the Librarians the edge they need to achieve world domination. Alcatraz must stop them!...by infiltrating the local library, armed with nothing but eyeglasses and a talent for klutziness.
sequel: Alcatraz Versus the Scrivener's Bones
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REI
The Golden Hamster Saga (age 8-11)
by Dietlof Reiche
humor ... adventure ... brilliant protagonist
Freddy is not happy with his boring treadmill life at the pet store. He continaully embarrasses himself in an attempt to get adopted. Freddy believes he will have a more civilized and exciting life as soon as he has a home. After a series of funny misadventures (including encounters with a fierce tomcat and two guinea pigs who speak in Shakespearean couplets) he teaches himself to read and write. He then pens his witty and heartwarming autobiography that tells of his journey to self discovery. A hamster has never been smarter or funnier in telling the tale of his exceptional life.
title: Freddy in Peril
title: Freddy's Final Quest: Book Five in the Golden Hamster Saga
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PRI
The Lily Quench Series (age 8-11)
by Natalie Jane Prior
knights/castles/dragons ... adventure ... fantasy
As a family of dragon slayers, the Quenches of Ashby have always been burning successes... until the evil Black Count invades, and the family's fortunes go into a downward spiral. Then a dragon unexpectedly arrives and Lily, the last of the Quenches, is called upon to fight it. Soon she finds herself on a desperate, magical quest to save Ashby from destruction and restore the lost heir to his throne....
title: Lily Quench and the Dragon of Ashby
title: Lily Quench and the Treasure of Mote Ely
title: Lily Quench and the Lighthouse of Skellig Mor
title: Lily Quench and the Magicians Pyramid
title: Lily Quench and the Hand of Manuelo
title: Lily Quench and the Search for King Dragon
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LET
The Misadventures of Benjamin Bartholomew Piff (age 8-11)
by Jason Lethcoe
adventure ... fantasy ... magic
On his eleventh birthday, sad, orphaned Benjamin Bartholomew Piff accidentally adheres to all of the wishing rules - and, in placing his limitless wishes, he unknowingly sets into a motion a chain of events that threatens to disrupt the balance between the magical realm of wishes and curses. Before long, Benjamin has been recruited by the Wishworks Factory to fight the evil henchmen of the Curseworks Factory. In the process, Benjamin will reclaim his original wish, giving new credence to the old adage: "Be careful what you wish for... "
title: You Wish
title: Wishful Thinking
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LEC
Sticky Burr: Adventures in Burrwood Forest (age 8-11)
by John Lechner
fantasy ... adventure
Welcome to Burrwood Forest, where a village of seed pods are busy having adventures There are friends like Sticky Burr and Mossy Burr, who stick together, and bad seeds like Scurvy Burr, who irritates them every chance he gets. Watch out for wild dogs and maze trees, loyal insects, and escapes on the fly in a gently quirky graphic storybook that readers are sure to get stuck on.
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JON
Emmy and the Home for Troubled Girls (age 8-11)
by Lynne Jonell
adventure ... fantasy ... friendship ... humor
Publisher comments: Emmy Addison is an ordinary girl...almost. If you don't count the fact that her parents are rich (very), her best friend is a boy (and a soccer star), and she can talk to rodents (and they talk back), she's very ordinary indeed. But she hasn't been that way for long. It was only a few weeks ago that Emmy and her friends Ratty and Joe got rid of the evil Miss Barmy, the nanny who had nearly ruined Emmy's life, and the lives of five other girls who went missing. Miss Barmy is now a rat. How much harm can she do?
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JON
Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat (age 8-11)
by Lynne Jonell
adventure ... fantasy ... friendship ... humor
Publisher comments: Emmy was a good girl. At least she tried very hard to be good. She did her homework without being told. She ate all her vegetables, even the slimy ones. And she never talked back to her nanny, Miss Barmy, although it was almost impossible to keep quiet, some days. She really was a little too good. Which is why she liked to sit by the Rat. The Rat was not good at all . . . Hilarious, inventive, and irresistably rodent-friendly, this is a fantastic first novel from acclaimed picture book author Lynne Jonell.
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CHE
The Magic Series (age 8-11)
by Ruth Chew
adventure ... magic ... fantasy
A great deal of trouble often accompanies a little bit of magic.
title: Summer Magic
title: The Trouble with Magic
title: Last Chance for Magic
title: The Magic Cave
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BYA
The Night Swimmers (age 8-11)
by Betsy Cromer Byars
adventure ... family
With their mother dead and their father working nights, Retta tries to be mother to her two younger brothers but somehow things just don't seem to be working right.
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BOS
Series: The Name of This Book Is Secret (age 8-11)
by Pseudonymous Bosch
mystery ... adventure ... action ... humor
Publisher comments: Warning: this description has not been authorized by Pseudonymous Bosch. As much as he'd love to sing the praises of his book (he is very vain), he wouldn't want you to hear about his brave 11-year old heroes, Cass and Max-Ernest. Or about how a mysterious box of vials, the Symphony of Smells, sends them on the trail of a magician who has vanished under strange (and stinky) circumstances. And he certainly wouldn't want you to know about the hair-raising adventures that follow and the nefarious villains they face. You see, not only is the name of this book secret, the story inside is, too. For it concerns a secret. A Big Secret.
title: The Name of This Book Is Secret
title: If You're Reading This, It's Too Late
title: This Book Is Not Good For You
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BON
The Extraordinary Adventures of Ordinary Boy (age 8-11)
by William Boniface
science fiction ... adventure ... action ... humor
YIKES! Professor Brain-Drain is on the loose! This supervillain menaces the fine supercitizens of Superopolis, concocting evil-genius schemes and draining everyone's brainpower! (And in this town, there's not a whole lot of that to begin with.) NEVER FEAR! The AMAZING INDESTRUCTO will save the day! He is indestructible! He cannot be harmed by anything! He is the town's greatest superhero! Collect all sixty-four of his trading cards! BUT WAIT! A mystery is afoot in Superopolis. Why is it so hard to get a complete set of the collectible cards? Where is the last card hiding? Who is the real mastermind behind this sinister plot, and what is he planning? Forget the regular superheroes. In a city where everyone is extraordinary, this might just be a job for . . . ORDINARY BOY.
title: The Hero Revealed
title: The Return of Meteor Boy?
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BAR
The Magic Half (age 8-11)
by Annie Barrows
adventure ... magic ... family
Magic is just a way of setting things right... Miri is the non-twin child in a family with two sets of them ... older brothers and younger sisters. The family has just moved to an old farmhouse in a new town, where the only good thing seems to be Miri's ten-sided attic bedroom. But when Miri gets sent to her room after accidentally bashing her big brother on the head with a shovel, she finds herself in the same room...only not quite. Without meaning to, she has found a way to travel back in time to 1935 where she discovers Molly, a girl her own age very much in need of a loving family.
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TIT
Basil of Baker Street (age 8-11)
by Eve Titus
adventure ... mystery
Basil--famous sleuth of mousedom--lived in the cellar of Sherlock Holmes' house. A devoted admirer of the great detective, he had learned his craft by listening at the feet of Holmes himself. The Mystery of the Missing Twins was one of the strangest cases in Basil's career. He had only a few crumbs of clues with which to find solutions to such baffling questions as: Who had masterminded the plot? Where were the twins, Angela and Agatha, being kept?
sequel: Basil in Mexico: a Basil of Baker Street Mystery
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SHE
Spirit of Iron (age 8-11)
by Janice Jordan Shefelman
adventure ... historical
When Mina learns that Amaya, her Lipan Apache friend, has been kidnapped by a band of marauding Comanches, she disguises herself as a boy and follows the Texas Rangers to search for Amaya. Sequel to "A Paradise Called Texas."
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LIN
Ronia, the Robber's Daughter (age 8-11)
by Astrid Lindgren
family ... adventure ... action ... folklore
Ronia, who lives with her father and his band of robbers in a castle in the woods, causes trouble when she befriends the son of a rival robber chieftain.
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WAL
Peppermints in the Parlor (age 8-11)
by Barbara Brooks Wallace
family ... adventure ... mystery
Emily Luccock is looking forward to living at Sugar Hill Hall....She remembers her aunt and uncle's grand old mansion well, with its enormous, elegant parlor, marble fireplace, and white china cups filled with hot chocolate. But this time things are different. Her aunt's once bright and lively home is now dead with silence. Evil lurks in every corner, and the dark, shadowed walls watch and whisper late at night. And no one ever speaks. Everything's changed at Sugar Hill Hall, and Emily knows something awful is happening there. What's become of Uncle Twice? Why is Aunt Twice a prisoner in her own home? Emily is desperate to uncover the truth. Time is running out, and she must find a way to save the people and home she cares so much about.
sequel: The Perils of Peppermints
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WOO
Awfully Short for the Fourth Grade (age 8-11)
by Elvira Woodruff
magic ... fantasy ... adventure ... school
Noah Murphy carries his plastic "little guys" everywhere. One day, while sitting on the school bus with his younger brother, Jess, Noah makes a wish using magic powder from the toy machine. Noah looks at his little guys--Commander Falcon and Sergeant Gordy and three headless green aliens. "Let them all come to life, all my guys. And let me be their size, so I can have an adventure with them." That's when the bus hits a bump and strange things start to happen. Will the fourth grade at Roosevelt School ever be the same again?
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LAW
Captain Kidd's Cat: Being the True and Dolorous Chronicle of WM Kidd, Gent and Merchant of New York, Late Captain of the Adventure Galley of the Vicissitudes, Attending His Unfortunate Cruise in Eastern Waters of His Incarceration in Newgate Prison of His Unjust Trial and Execution (age 8-11)
by Robert Lawson
humor ... historical ... voyages/journeys ... animals ... adventure
McDermot the cat sails aboard the Adventure with the infamous pirate and his crew, presenting an inside view of life on the high seas along with surprising revelations about his notorious master.
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KNI
Lassie Come-Home (age 8-11)
by Eric Knight
adventure ... animals
A collie undertakes a 1000-mile journey in order to once again meet her former master at the school gate.
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FLE
Bandit's Moon (age 8-11)
by Sid Fleischman
bigotry ... friendship ... adventure ... historical
Newly orphaned, young Annyrose escapes from the villainous O.O. Mary and falls under the protection of a proud and fearless Mexican bandit, regarded as the Robin Hood of the California Gold Rush. Annyrose wants only to search for her older brother who had run off to the gold diggings, but she finds herself galloping beside the celebrated outlaw in his own quest. He is hunting down the last of a band of "Yankee" riffraff who wronged him, an event that turned the innocent young Mexican into an avenging terror of the roads.
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ENR
Thimble Summer (age 8-11)
by Elizabeth Enright
historical ... adventure ... magic ... animals
When Garnet finds a silver thimble in the sand by the river, she is sure it's magical. But is it magical enough to help her pig, Timmy, win a blue ribbon on Fair Day?
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FIE
Hitty: Her First Hundred Years (age 8-11)
by Rachel Field
historical ... fantasy ... adventure
When Phoebe Preble brings her special doll, Hitty, with her everywhere she goes, Hitty experiences wonderful adventures and makes a lot of new friends.
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GOU
The Time Soldiers Series (age 8-11)
by Robert Gould and Kathleen Duey
survival ... adventure
Six young friends become Time Soldiers when they stumble onto a secret time portal, leading them to an ancient world of dinosaurs and danger. The Time Soldiers fight to survive, to escape the T-Rex's fury ... and to make it home alive. By the time they do, young readers can't wait for the next adventure. Students and teachers flip over this exciting series!
title: Rex
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HOB
Sheep (age 8-11)
by Valerie Hobbs
adventure ... animals
After a fire destroys the farm where he was born, a young border collie acquires a series of owners and learns about life as he seeks a home and longs to fulfill his life's purpose of shepherding sheep.
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LOV
The Puppeteer's Apprentice (age 8-11)
by D. Anne Love
adventure ... the arts ... historical
Mouse, a timid orphan growing up in medieval England, has little happiness in the world. But then, when she comes across a puppeteer so talented that he can make the puppets talk and dance as if they were little humans, Mouse realizes that true happiness is within reach ... and the key is learning how to make the puppets dance! What she doesn't realize, however, is just how much she and her prospective mentor have in common and how much, one day, they will share.
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NAY
The Fear Place (age 8-11)
by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
family ... action ... adventure
For Doug's brother, Gordie, the ridge with its spectacular view is a magical, special place, but for Doug, it's The Fear Place. Two years ago, Doug hiked to the ridge during his family's annual camping trip, and he vowed never again to cross the narrow ledge from which the earth dropped away six hundred feet to the canyon below. But now Doug and Gordie are alone in the wilderness. After one of their seemingly endless fights, Gordie has stomped away from their campsite. When Girdle doesn't return, Doug fears the worst. Doug knows he has to go after his brother, and he knows where he will find him. What he can't imagine is the surprising source of the courage to overcome his fears.
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TOW
The Secret Room (age 8-11)
by Hazel Townson
war ... adventure ... historical
When Adam enters a secret cupboard at his school, he is transported through time to 1942, into the middle of a World War II air raid.
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FLE
The Whipping Boy (age 8-11)
by Sid Fleischman
folklore ... humor ... adventure ... growing up
A Prince and a Pauper. Jemmy, once a poor boy living on the streets, now lives in a castle. As the whipping boy, he bears the punishment when Prince Brat misbehaves, for it is forbidden to spank, thrash, or whack the heir to the throne. The two boys have nothing in common and even less reason to like one another. But when they find themselves taken hostage after running away, they are left with no choice but to trust each other.
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EDM
The Matchlock Gun (age 8-11)
by Walter D. Edmonds
war ... adventure ... historical
In 1756, during the French and Indian War in upper New York state, ten-year-old Edward is determined to protect his home and family with the ancient, and much too heavy, Spanish gun that his father had given him before leaving home to fight the enemy.
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KIN
Harry's Mad (age 8-11)
by Dick King-Smith
adventure ... animals
Harry's legacy from his great-uncle, a talking parrot, proves to be a much more exciting gift than he ever imagined.
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IBB
The Great Ghost Rescue (age 8-11)
by Eva Ibbotson
humor ... adventure ... spooky
Humphrey is a small ghost with a big problem. His family has lost their home, and they're off to find a new haunting ground. But soon Humphrey and his parents discover that ghosts all over the country are being turned out as dank castles are converted to cheerful tourist hotels. Humphrey knows something must be done to help the homeless ghosts. And with the help of a sympathetic schoolboy named Rick, maybe he can do something to aid all the ghosts of England after all. . . .
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STE
Fergus Crane (age 8-11)
by Paul Stewart
voyages/journeys ... science fiction ... school ... humor ... adventure
Fergus Crane has an almost ordinary life, having lessons taught by rather odd teachers on the school ship Betty Jeanne and helping his mother in the bakery. But then a mysterious flying box appears at the window of his waterfront home and Fergus is plunged headlong into an exciting adventure! The box is followed by a winged mechanical horse that whisks him off to meet his long-lost uncle and his penguin helpers, Finn, Bill, and Jackson. Fergus finds out that his teachers are not quite what they seem ... they're actually pirates! Can Fergus and his winged horse save his schoolmates on the far-off Fire Island? And who else will he find there?
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COW
How to Be a Pirate (age 8-11)
by Cressida Cowell
adventure ... humor
Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third is now a pirate in training. The Hairy Hooligan tribe is off on another spine-tingling adventure, to find the long-lost treasure of his ancestor Grimbeard the Ghastly. Braving death, indentured servitude, and the ire of his shipmates, Hiccup proves himself the true heir of Grimbeard.
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FIT
The Great Brain Series (age 8-11)
by John D. Fitzgerald
adventure ... humor ... brilliant protagonist ... enterprise
The best con man in the Midwest is only ten years old. Tom, a.k.a., the Great Brain, is a silver-tongued genius with a knack for turning a profit. When the Jenkins boys get lost in Skeleton Cave, the Great Brain saves the day. Whether it's saving the kids at school, or helping out Peg-leg Andy, or Basil, the new kid at school, the Great Brain always manages to come out on top ... and line his pockets in the process.
title: The Great Brain
title: More Adventures of the Great Brain
title: Me and My Little Brain
title: The Return of the Great Brain
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COL
The Adventures of Pinocchio (age 8-11)
by Carlo Collodi
identity ... adventure ... folklore
Catalog: Pinocchio, a wooden puppet full of tricks and mischief, with a talent for getting into and out of trouble, wants more than anything else to become a real boy.
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COH
The Orphan Game (age 8-11)
by Barbara Cohen
adventure ... family
Catalog: Vacationing at Long Beach Island, four cousins engage in a variety of activities, including pretending to be orphans, raising money for a trip to Atlantic City, and avoiding a whiny cousin named Miranda.
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CLI
Help I'm a Prisoner in the Library (age 8-11)
by Eth Clifford
humor ... mystery ... adventure
Catalog: Two girls spend an adventurous night trapped inside the public library during a terrible blizzard.
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BRO
The Freddy The Pig Series (age 8-11)
by Walter R. Brooks
adventure ... humor
Adventure and misadventure are in the air when Freddy the Pig joins the action.
title: Freddy and the Space Ship
title: Freddy Goes Camping
title: Freddy Goes to Florida
title: Freddy Goes to the North Pole
title: Freddy the Cowboy
title: Freddy the Detective
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BAG
Animal Ark Pets Series (age 8-11)
by Ben M. Baglio
adventure ... animals
Mandy and James don't just work with animals at the Animal Ark Veterinary Hospital, they love their pets, too.
title: Cat Crazy
title: Duckling Diary
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BAG
Animal Ark Series (age 8-11)
by Ben Baglio
animals ... adventure
Meet Mandy, the daughter of two veterinarians who own the Animal Ark Veterinary Hospital. Whenever an animal is in trouble, Mandy and the vets at the clinic are there to help.
title: Kittens in the Kitchen
title: Pony on the Porch
title: Puppies in the Pantry
title: Goat in the Garden
title: Ponies at the Point
title: Bunnies in the Bathroom
title: Squirrels in the School
title: Dolphin in the Deep
title: Tabby in the Tub
title: Cats at the Campground
title: Terrier in the Tinsel
title: Husky in a Hut
title: Fox in the Frost
title: Raccoons on the Roof
title: Beagle in a Backpack
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BRI
Caddie Woodlawn (age 8-11)
by Carol Ryrie Brink
family ... identity ... adventure ... historical
Caddie Woodlawn is a real adventurer. She'd rather hunt than sew and plow than bake, and tries to beat her brothers' dares every chance she gets. Caddie is friends with Indians, who scare most of the neighbors...neighbors who, like her mother and sisters, don't understand her at all.
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BAI
Miss Hickory (age 8-11)
by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey
adventure ... friendship
Miss Hickory is very worried. Her owner has moved to Boston, and how can Miss Hickory survive a harsh New Hampshire winter all alone? After all, she is just a doll whose body is an apple-wood twig and whose head is a hickory nut, and whose house is made out of corncobs. But Miss Hickory has ingenuity, and the help of neighbors like Crow, Bull Frog, and Ground Hog to see her through. And near the end of those cold, dark months, something unexpected happens to Miss Hickory--something even more welcome than the coming of spring.
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WIS
Christopher Mouse: the Tale of a Small Traveler (age 8-11)
by William Wise
adventure ... friendship ... animals
After being sold to an unscrupulous pet store owner, a young mouse lives with several owners and has many adventures, before ending up with an appreciative family.
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SER
Stinker From Space (age 8-11)
by Pamela F. Service
humor ... adventure ... science fiction
Catalog: An agent of the Sylon Confederacy, fleeing from enemy ships, crash lands on Earth, transfers his mind to the body of a skunk, and enlists the aid of two children in getting back to his home planet.
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PUL
The Scarecrow and His Servant (age 8-11)
by Philip Pullman
adventure ... humor
A scarecrow and his boy servant, Jack, set off on a dangerous adventure as they try to outwit the crooked Buffaloni family and stake their claim to valuable Spring Valley.
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HIL
Toughboy and Sister (age 8-11)
by Kirkpatrick Hill
nature ... adventure ... survival
The death of their father strands ten-year-old Toughboy and his younger sister at a remote fishing cabin on the Yukon River near Ruby, Alaska, where they spend a summer trying to cope with dwindling food supplies and hostile wildlife.
sequel: Winter Camp
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DIC
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (age 8-11)
by Kate Dicamillo
adventure ... friendship ... voyages/journeys
Someone will come for you, but first you must open your heart. Once, in a house on Egypt Street, there lived a china rabbit named Edward Tulane. The rabbit was very pleased with himself, and for good reason: he was owned by a girl named Abilene, who treated him with the utmost care and adored him completely. And then, one day, he was lost. Kate DiCamillo takes us on an extraordinary journey, from the depths of the ocean to the net of a fisherman, from the top of a garbage heap to the fireside of a hoboes' camp, from the bedside of an ailing child to the bustling streets of Memphis. And along the way, we are shown a true miracle, that even a heart of the most breakable kind can learn to love, to lose, and to love again.
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DIC
The Tale of Despereaux (age 8-11)
by Kate Dicamillo
princesses ... adventure ... fantasy ... voyages/journeys
Welcome to the story of Despereaux Tilling, a mouse who is in love with music, stories, and a princess named Pea. It is also the story of a rat called Roscuro, who lives in the darkness and covets a world filled with light. And it is the story of Miggery Sow, a slow-witted serving girl who harbors a simple, impossible wish. These three characters are about to embark on a journey that will lead them down into a horrible dungeon, up into a glittering castle, and, ultimately, into each other's lives. What happens then? As Kate DiCamillo would say: Reader, it is your destiny to find out.
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BAN
Harry the Poisonous Centipede (age 8-11)
by Lynne Reid Banks
animals ... humor ... adventure
Harry is a young centipede longing for adventure and excitement and burning with curiosity about the forbidden "Up-Pipe" and the "no-top" world it leads to. In spite of his mother's dire warnings, Harry and his friend George venture into the dangerous world above, where the dangerous "Hoo-mins" live. Harry's big adventure turns out to be even more terrifying than he thought, in this inventive and entertaining tale.
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AVI
Perloo the Bold (age 8-11)
by Avi
voyages/journeys ... fantasy ... adventure
A scholarly, shy member of the rabbit-like Montmers, Perloo is content sipping myrtle tea and reading his history books in his warm burrow. Until the day Perloo's quiet life is interrupted by a mysterious summons from the Montmer leader. What follows is an incredible journey that will take Perloo over snowy mountains, through underground tunnels, and into enemy territory - and will alter history forever.
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BIR
The Penderwicks Series (age 8-11)
by Jeanne Birdsall
friendship ... adventure
This summer the Penderwick sisters have a wonderful surprise: a holiday on the grounds of a beautiful estate called Arundel. Soon they are busy discovering the summertime magic of Arundel's sprawling gardens, treasure-filled attic, tame rabbits, and the cook who makes the best gingerbread in Massachusetts. But the best discovery of all is Jeffrey Tifton, son of Arundel's owner, who quickly proves to be the perfect companion for their adventures. The icy-hearted Mrs. Tifton is not as pleased with the Penderwicks as Jeffrey is, though, and warns the new friends to stay out of trouble. One thing's for sure: it will be a summer the Penderwicks will never forget.
title: The Penderwicks: a Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy
title: The Penderwicks at Point Mouette
title: The Penderwicks on Gardam Street
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GLE
Toad Heaven (age 8-11)
by Morris Gleitzman
humor ... nature ... adventure
Limpy is on a quest to find toad heaven. A place where cane toads won't be blown up with bike pumps or bashed over the head with folding chairs. Limpy's determined to find this place if it takes him the rest of his life, but his plans are waylaid when he's kidnapped by some sinister-looking humans and tossed into a bucket. Will Limpy be able to save cane toads? Will he be able to find toad heaven? First he has to get out of the bucket . . . in this hysterically funny sequel to Toad Rage.
sequel: Toad Away
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GLE
Toad Rage (age 8-11)
by Morris Gleitzman
humor ... nature ... adventure
Limpy's family reckons humans don't hate cane toads, but Limpy knows otherwise. He's spotted the signs: the cross looks, the unkind comments, the way they squash cane toads with their cars. Limpy is desperate to save his species from ending up as pancakes. Somehow he must make humans see how fabulous cane toads really are. Risking everything, he sets off on a wart-tinglingly dangerous and daring journey to . . . the Olympics?
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AND
M. T. Anderson's Thrilling Tales (age 8-11)
by M. T. Anderson
mystery ... adventure ... humor ... science fiction ... authorship
What sort of madman would unleash an army of stilt-walking, laser-beaming, thoroughly angry whales upon the world? Who cares! All that matters is that his dastardly plan be foiled. Lucky for Lily Gefelty, her two best friends are the intrepid stars of their own middle-grade series novels: Jasper Dash (better know as the Boy Technonaut) and Katie Mulligan (beloved by millions as the heroine of the Horror Hollow series). It's going to take all their smarts to stop this insane, inane plot from succeeding. Start with the first thrilling tale, Whales on Stilts.
title: Whales on Stilts
title: The Clue of the Linoleum Lederhosen
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WAL
Upchuck and the Rotten Willy (age 8-11)
by Bill Wallace
adventure ... friendship ... animals
Chuck the cat wants to save his friend Willy from getting caught by the dog catcher, but he is afraid that some new cats in the area will be upset when they find out his best friend is a dog.
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RYA
Riding Freedom (age 8-11)
by Pam Munoz Ryan
adventure ... historical
A fictionalized account of Charley (Charlotte) Parkhurst who ran away to California in the mid-1800s disguised as a man, and who eventually became the first woman to vote in the United States.
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ROD
Deltora Quest Series (age 8-11)
by Emily Rodda
action ... adventure ... fantasy ... magic
In the first book of this series, Forest of Silence, the evil Shadow Lord is plotting to invade the land of Deltora and enslave its people. All that stands against him is the magic Belt of Deltora with its seven stones of great and mysterious power. In secrecy, with only a hand-drawn map to guide them, two unlikely companions set out on a dangerous quest. Determined to find the lost stones and rid their land of the Shadow Lord, they struggle toward their first goal--the sinister Forests of Silence.
title: The Forests of Silence
title: The Lake of Tears
title: City of the Rats
title: The Shifting Sands
title: Dread Mountain
title: The Maze of the Beast
title: The Valley of the Lost
title: Return to Del
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PEN
Dumbstruck (age 8-11)
by Sara Pennypacker
adventure ... family ... humor
When ten-year-old Ivy's parents disappear on the darkest night of the year, she tries to find them with the help of an orphan and her eccentric Aunt Zilpa.
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NAY
The Grand Escape (age 8-11)
by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
humor ... adventure ... animals
It's a scary world out there. If only Marco hadn't read a newspaper article about a ranch and become determined to see one. If only Polo hadn't found himself longing for the mother he barely remembered as a soft-warm-wiggle-purr-milk-tongue. Then the two tabbies might have been content to remain pampered house cats forever. But when their owners leave a door open, Marco and Polo can't resist the temptation to escape to the outside world.
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MOR
Kavik the Wolf Dog (age 8-11)
by Walt Morey
friendship ... nature ... survival ... adventure ... animals
Following instinct alone, a wolf-dog embarks on a fantastic journey over 2000 miles from Washington to Alaska to return to the boy who once saved his life.
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HAR
Star in the Storm (age 8-11)
by Joan Hiatt Harlow
adventure ... animals
All non-sheepherding dogs have been outlawed from the rocky coastal village where Maggie lives. Unwilling to give up her beloved Newfoundland, Sirius, Maggie defies the law and hides Sirius away. But when a steamer crashes into the rocks during a violent storm and starts to sink with a hundred passengers on board, Maggie faces a difficult choice. She knows Sirius can help rescue the people trapped on the ship, but bringing him out of hiding would put his own life in jeopardy. Is Maggie's brave dog a big enough hero to save the desperate passengers, and himself?
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FLE
Jim Ugly (age 8-11)
by Sid Fleischman
adventure ... mystery ... animals ... humor
Twelve-year-old Jake is thrown into an uneasy alliance with proud, one-man dog, Jim Ugly, when the dog's owner, Jake's father, suddenly disappears. Confident that Jim Ugly can pick up Jake's father's trail, boy and dog set out on the adventure of their lives.
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AVI
Poppy (age 8-11)
by Avi
survival ... adventure
Poppy, a timid dormouse, is a loyal, obedient subject of Ocax, the hoot owl who rules Dimwood Forest--until she sees Ocax devour her fiance. To prove that the intimidating ruler who promised to protect mice is a phony, Poppy embarks on a dangerous and eye-opening quest, which ends with her one-on-one battle with Ocax.
sequel: Ereth's Birthday
sequel: Ragweed
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MAR
The Doll People (age 8-11)
by Ann Matthews Martin
friendship ... adventure ... fantasy
Annabelle Doll is eight years old; she has been for more than a hundred years. Not a lot has happened to her, cooped up in the dollhouse, with the same doll people, day after day, year after year...until one day the Funcrafts move in.
title: The Doll People
title: The Meanest Doll in the World
title: The Runaway Dolls
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STE
Dominic (age 8-11)
by William Steig
voyages/journeys ... adventure
Dominic, the dog, finds many exciting adventures and great danger fighting the Doomsday Gang after he decides to see the world.
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ROD
The Rowan Series (age 8-11)
by Emily Rodda
magic ... fantasy ... adventure ... knights/castles/dragons
Because only he can read the magical map, young, weak and timid Rowan joins six other villagers to climb a mountain and try to restore their water supply, as fears of a dragon and other horrors threaten to drive them back.
title: Rowan of Rin
title: Rowan and the Ice Creepers
title: Rowan and the Keeper of the Crystal
title: Rowan and the Travelers
title: Rowan and the Zebak
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KIN
A Mouse Called Wolf (age 8-11)
by Dick King-Smith
adventure ... enterprise ... the arts
Wolfgang Amadeus Mouse (``Wolf,'' for short) has a big name for such a little mouse. But the name fits. His favorite pastime is listening to Mrs. Honeybee, the lady of the house, play the piano. If only he could sing along to the music! One day, to his surprise, out of his mouth comes a perfect melody. It's not long before Wolf is singing everything he can imagine, all to Mrs. Honeybee's accompaniment. Then an accident leaves Mrs. Honeybee in danger, and it's up to Wolf to save her...the only way he knows how.
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HEN
Stormy: Misty's Foal (age 8-11)
by Marguerite Henry
enterprise ... adventure ... animals
A raging storm slashes across Assateague and Chincoteague islands. Water is everywhere! The wild ponies and the people must battle for their lives. In the midst of the storm, Misty-the famous mare of Chincoteague-is about to give birth. Paul and Maureen are frantic with worry as the storm rages on... will Misty and her colt survive? This is the thrilling story of the hurricane that destroyed the wild herds of Assateague, and how strength and love helped rebuild them.
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HEN
Misty of Chincoteague (age 8-11)
by Marguerite Henry
enterprise ... adventure ... animals
Nobody could capture the Phantom, the wildest mare on the island. Paul and Maureen had their hearts set on owning her. They worked hard to earn the money she would cost. On Pony Penning Day, Paul not only brings in the Phantom, but her newborn colt as well. Can Paul and Maureen possibly earn enough to buy them both?
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HEN
King of the Wind (age 8-11)
by Marguerite Henry
adventure ... animals
This is the classic story of Sham and his friend, the stable boy Agba. Their adventures take them from the sands of the Sahara to the royal courts of France and, finally, to the green pastures and stately homes of England. For Sham was the renowned Godolphin Arabian, whose blood flows through the veins of almost every superior Thoroughbred. Sham's speed, like his story, has become legendary.
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GAR
Stone Fox (age 8-11)
by John Reynolds Gardiner
adventure ... enterprise
Ten-year-old Willy needs to win the big dogsled race in order to pay the back taxes on his grandfather's farm, but that means beating the huge Indian mountain man, Stone Fox.
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EAG
Knight's Castle (age 8-11)
by Edgar Eager
magic ... fantasy ... adventure
Four cousins, Roger, Ann, Eliza, and Jack, have an extraordinary summer when, after an old toy soldier comes to life, they find themselves transported back to the days of Robin and Ivanhoe.
sequel: The Time Garden
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EAG
Magic or Not? (age 8-11)
by Edgar Eager
magic ... fantasy ... adventure
When the family moves to Connecticut, twins James and Laura make new friends and begin a series of unusual adventures after discovering an old well that seems to be magic in their backyard.
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EAG
The Well-Wishers (age 8-11)
by Edgar Eager
magic ... fantasy ... adventure
Six children relate their experiences with an unpredictable old wishing well that involves them in some magical adventures during an eventful autumn.
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EAG
Seven-day Magic (age 8-11)
by Edgar Eager
magic ... fantasy ... adventure
A seven-day book of magic proves to be fractious for five children, who must learn the book's rules and tame its magic.
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EAG
Half Magic (age 8-11)
by Edgar Eager
knights/castles/dragons ... magic ... fantasy ... adventure
Four children looking forward to an ordinary summer enjoy a series of fantastic adventures by double-wishing on an ancient coin.
sequel: Magic by the Lake
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DUB
The Twenty-One Balloons (age 8-11)
by William Pene Dubois
enterprise ... adventure ... voyages/journeys
Publisher comments: When Prof. William Waterman Sherman was found adrift in the Atlantic clinging to the debris of twenty-one balloons, all America was rocked with curiosity.
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BLA
The Spiderwick Chronicles (age 8-11)
by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi
adventure ... family ... fantasy
Publisher comments: The Grace kids (twins Jared and Simon and their older sister, Mallory) move into their great-aunt's creepy old mansion with their mother. Strange goings-on lead them to an old book filled with pictures of fanstastic creatures. It holds clues to recent odd events, and the key to an even bigger mystery: the disappearance of the children's great-uncle Arthur Spiderwick generations before...
title: The Field Guide
title: The Seeing Stone
title: Lucinda's Secret
title: The Ironwood Tree
title: The Wrath of Mulgarath
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DIT
The Spiderwick Chronicles (age 8-11)
by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
adventure ... family ... fantasy
Publisher comments: The Grace kids (twins Jared and Simon and their older sister, Mallory) move into their great-aunt's creepy old mansion with their mother. Strange goings-on lead them to an old book filled with pictures of fanstastic creatures. It holds clues to recent odd events, and the key to an even bigger mystery: the disappearance of the children's great-uncle Arthur Spiderwick generations before...
title: The Field Guide
title: The Seeing Stone
title: Lucinda's Secret
title: The Ironwood Tree
title: The Wrath of Mulgarath
title: The Nixies Song
title: Care and Feeding of Sprites
title: Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You
F
DAH
James and the Giant Peach (age 8-11)
by Roald Dahl
fantasy ... adventure
Publisher comments: When James Henry Trotter accidentally drops some magic crystals by the old peach tree, strange things start to happen. The peach at the top of the tree begins to grow, and before long it's as big as a house. Then James discovers a secret entranceway into the fruit, and when he crawls inside, he meets a bunch of marvelous oversized friends. With a snip of the stem, the peach starts rolling away, and the exciting adventure begins!
F
CLE
The Mouse and the Motorcycle (age 8-11)
by Beverly Cleary
adventure
Publisher comments: Ralph the mouse ventures out from behind the piney knothole in the wall of his hotel-room home, scrambles up the telephone wire to the end table, and climbs aboard the toy motorcycle left there by a young guest. Thus begins many awesome adventures.
sequel: Ralph S. Mouse
sequel: Runaway Ralph
F
CLE
Henry Huggins (age 8-11)
by Beverly Cleary
adventure ... animals ... realistic
Publisher comments: Henry Huggins feels that nothing very interesting ever happens to him. But from the moment a stray dog in the drugstore begs for a taste of his ice-cream cone and downs it in one gulp, everything is different. Henry names the dog Ribsy and decides to keep him. Before Henry even reaches home with Ribsy he spends all of his money, gets kicked off three buses, and enjoys a hair-raising ride in a police car. And that's only the beginning of Henry's exciting new life! See also the rest of the Henry Huggins series.
sequel: Henry and Beezus
sequel: Ribsy
sequel: Henry and the Paper Route
sequel: Henry and the Clubhouse
F
BAN
The Indian in the Cupboard (age 8-11)
by Lynne Reid Banks
adventure ... magic
Publisher comments: It all starts with a birthday present Omri doesn't even want; a small plastic Indian of no use to him at all. But when an old wooden cupboard and a special key bring the unusual toy to life, Omri's Indian becomes his most important secret: precious, dangerous, wonderful, and above all, magical.
sequel: The Return of the Indian
sequel: The Secret of the Indian
sequel: The Mystery of the Cupboard
sequel: The Key to the Indian

Juana Briones Elementary School, Sat Aug 25 11:55:27 2012
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