STO |
Cat Walk
(age 8-11) by Mary Stolz adventure ... animals Catalog: Yearning to be more than just a barnyard rat catcher, a young cat in search of a name embarks on a journey that finally leads him to a special place he can call a home. |
GRE |
Max and Me and the Wild West
(age 8-11) by Gery Greer humor ... fantasy ... adventure Catalog: Steve and his friend Max use their time machine to return to the richest, roughest boom town in the old Wild West where they pursue Gentleman John Hooten, the Rhyming Robber of the Rockies. |
GRE |
Max and Me and the Time Machine
(age 8-11) by Gery Greer humor ... fantasy ... adventure Publisher comments: When Steve brings home a time machine he bought for $2.50 at a garage sale, Max is suspicious. "There' s no such thing as time travel. Or time machines." Then they both end up in the year 1250 in medieval England -- Steve as Sir Robert Marshall and Max as his horse! -- and Max must admit the machine works. Sir Robert soon finds himself in the midst of a duel to the death with the Hampshire mauler, defending not only his honor, but his life. Can Max rescue him? Will the machine return him in time to spare his life? The 20th century never looked so good. |
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 Goes Undersea title: Miss Pickerell and the Weather Satellite title: Miss Pickerell Goes to Mars title: Miss Pickerell Meets Mr. Hum title: Miss Pickerell on the Trail |
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. |
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. |
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 Fernald, Superweasel title: The Marvelous Inventions of Alvin Fernald |
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. |
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 and the Universal Glue title: Danny Dunn and the Weather Machine title: Danny Dunn on the Ocean Floor |
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 |
ASC |
Pearl's Promise
(age 8-11) by Frank Asch friendship ... adventure ... mystery With her brother in the clutches of a python in a pet shop, Pearl, a mouse, goes through hair-raising adventures to rescue him. |
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 title: Drooling and Dangerous: the Riot Brothers Return! title: Take the Mummy and Run: The Riot Brothers Are on a Roll |
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. |
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. |
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. |
MAN |
The Oscar J. Noodleman Television Network: The Second Strange Thing That Happened to Oscar Noodleman
(age 8-11) by Stephen Manes adventure ... science fiction Catalog: Soon after Oscar receives a home video recorder and camera from his mother's eccentric inventor cousin, Oscar's pictures begin to turn up mysteriously on television sets all over town. |
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 |
STI |
The Goodbumps Series (age 8-11) by R. L. Stine spooky ... adventure Spooky, scary adventures, sure to amuse you. title: The Knight in Screaming Armor |
AVI |
The History of Helpless Harry: To Which is Added a Variety of Amusing and Entertaining Adventures
(age 8-11) by Avi historical ... adventure ... humor Harry is far from helpless, despite what his parents think. When they leave for a few days, it is up to Harry to protect the family fortune from the evil town constable, a slick con man, his guardian Miss Trowbridge, and her strange visitor. Harry's skewed sense of judgment leads to many near-disasters and hilarious moments in this 19th century farce. |
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. |
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. |
GRE |
Cat's Magic
(age 8-11) by Margaret Greaves historical ... adventure Through a cat's magic, Louise meets and rescues some unfortunate forebears from Victorian times. |
BUL |
A Lion to Guard Us
(age 8-11) by Clyde Robert Bulla adventure ... family ... historical Left on their own in seventeenth-century London, three impoverished children draw upon all their resources to stay together and make their way to the Virginia colony in search of their father. |
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. |
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? |
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. |
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 |
SNI |
The Owlboy Series (age 8-11) by Tom Sniegoski action ... humor ... adventure Billy Hooten is a weird kid. He gets beat up a lot, and spends the rest of his time doggedly trying to build a robot. One day, Billy Hooten hears a cry for help coming from the cemetery that borders his backyard. Against his better judgment, he runs toward it. And after that, everything changes for Billy Hooten. Because Billy Hooten, you see, is Owlboy. A quick-thinking, goggle-and-feather-wearing superhero who protects the bizarre and monstrous citizens of Monstros City, a city that exists under Billy's hometown of Bradbury, Massachusetts. But is Billy truly worthy of the moniker Owlboy? title: Billy Hooten, Owlboy |
SCH |
Fog Mound Series (age 8-11) by Susan Schade fantasy ... adventure ... science fiction In ancient times human beings ruled the Earth; at least that's what the old legends claim. But is it true? Thelonious Chipmunk is a Talker (an animal who has inherited the gift of language) and he, for one, believes in humans. Who else could have made the old paper postcard he treasures? His desire to know more about humans is fulfilled in a surprising and dangerous way when Thelonious is swept down the river into a strange new world, a world where gangs and warlords prowl amongst the crumbling remains of civilization. With three new companions, Thelonious embarks on a search for the far-off Fog Mound. It is a journey that becomes nothing less than a quest to uncover the secrets of Earth's past. title: Travels of Thelonious title: Faradawn title: Simon's Dream |
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: I, Freddy |
LER |
Spy X Series (age 8-11) by Peter Lerangis adventure ... action ... mystery Leaving only a cryptic note, Andrew and Evie's mother vanishes on their eleventh birthday. Now, almost a year later, the twins receive a mysterious package that will lead them on an incredible journey toward finding their mother. They can rely only on each other and Spy X. title: The Code title: Proof Positive title: Tunnel Vision |
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. |
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? |
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. |
FAN |
Swordbird
(age 8-11) by Nancy Yi Fan fantasy ... adventure ... animals The blue jays and cardinals of Stone-Run Forest have turned against each other. According to legend, only Swordbird, son of the Great Spirit, has the power to conquer evil and restore peace to the land. But is he real or just a myth? Can Swordbird arrive in time to save the forest . . . or will it be too late? sequel: Sword Quest |
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: The Trouble with Magic title: The Magic Cave title: Magic in the Park title: Mostly Magic title: Second-hand Magic |
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. |
CRI |
The Akiko Series (age 8-11) by Mark Crilley science fiction ... action ... adventure Akiko's always prepared for something out of this world, as she takes on one exciting intergalactic adventure after another. title: Akiko and the Great Wall of Trudd title: Akiko and the Intergalactic Zoo |
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 title: This Isn't What It Looks Like |
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? |
BAR |
The Black Belt Club Series (age 8-11) by Dawn Barnes sports ... adventure ... action In this high-drama action novel, four members of the elite Black Belt Club set off on a daring adventure to save the world from an evil force that can only be stopped if they use their martial arts skills and karate-spirit powers to work together. Full of high-kicks, blocks, and intelligent problem-solving, here is a series sure to pack a punch. title: Night on the Mountain of Fear title: Beware of the Haunted Eye |
BAG |
Dolphin Diaries (age 8-11) by Ben M. Baglio letters/journal ... animals ... adventure Jody McGrath's dream adventure--a trip around the world with her family, studying dolphins--is threatened by unforeseen circumstances, including a surprise passenger and a sudden storm. title: Into the Blue title: Touching the Waves title: Riding the Storm title: Under the Stars title: Chasing the Dream title: Racing the Wind title: Following the Rainbow title: Dancing the Seas title: Leaving the Shallows title: Beyond the Sunrise |
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." |
KRE |
The Dragon Circle
(age 8-11) by Stephen Krensky adventure ... knights/castles/dragons ... magic The magical Wynd family becomes involved with dragons needing help in recovering treasure lost centuries before at the bottom of a lake. |
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. |
LOV |
The Betsy-Tacy Series (age 8-11) by Maud Hart Lovelace adventure ... friendship After Betsy Ray moves into the house across the street from Tacy Kelly, the girls become inseparable livelong friends. title: Betsy-Tacy title: Betsy and Tacy Go Over the Big Hill title: Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown title: Betsy in Spite of Herself title: Betsy was a Junior title: Heaven to Betsy title: Betsy's Wedding title: Betsy and the Great World |
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. |
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? |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. . . . |
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? |
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. |
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: Me and My Little Brain title: The Return of the Great Brain |
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. |
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. |
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: Puppy Puzzle title: Kitten Crowd title: Rabbit Race title: Chick Challenge title: Duckling Diary title: Pony Parade title: Gerbil Genius title: Pet's Party |
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: Pony on the Porch title: Puppies in the Pantry title: Ponies at the Point title: Kitten in the Cold title: Bunnies in the Bathroom title: Hamster in a Handbasket title: Guinea Pig in the Garage title: Dolphin in the Deep title: Foals in the Field title: Horse in the House title: Pony in a Package title: Puppy in a Puddle title: Tabby in the Tub title: Pup at the Palace title: Mare in the Meadow title: Cats at the Campground title: Hound at the Hospital title: Terrier in the Tinsel title: Hamster in the Holly title: Husky in a Hut title: Polars on the Path title: Spaniel in a Stocking title: Mustang in the Mist title: Kitten in the Candy Corn title: Racehorse in the Rain |
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. |
AYR |
Silver Dollar Girl
(age 8-11) by Katherine Ayres voyages/journeys ... historical ... adventure Valentine Harper's father has been in Colorado for more than a year seeking his fortune in the Silver Rush. But she's tired of waiting for his overdue return. Aunt Margaret is nice, but Uncle Franklin seems unhappy to have an extra person in the house and Cousin Harold's pranks have been getting meaner. Unfortunately, a girl can't get far on her own in America in 1885. But with a haircut, the right clothes, and a big dose of courage, Vallie Harper just might make it on a journey across the country to look for her father, and pull off an adventure that will change her life. |
Girlhood Journeys Collection (age 8-11) adventure ... historical ... family These stories transport you to different periods of history, looking at life through the eyes of a girl living in that time and place. title: Shannon: a Chinatown Adventure, San Francisco, 1880 by Kathleen V. Kudlinski F KUD title: Kai: A Mission for Her Village--Africa, 1440 by Dawn Thomas F THO | |
YEP |
Sweetwater
(age 8-11) by Laurence Yep survival ... adventure ... science fiction On the planet Harmony, Tyree and his people are fighting to survive. Their beautiful world holds terrible dangers: vicious sea creatures, diminishing food supplies, and, at the heart of it all, a rising tide that will soon destroy the city where they cling to their way of life. |
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. |
SOR |
Miracles on Maple Hill
(age 8-11) by Virginia Sorensen war ... adventure ... family After her father returns from the war moody and tired, Marly's family decides to move from the city to Maple Hill Farm in the Pennsylvania countryside where they share many adventures which help restore their spirits and their bond with each other. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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 on Gardam Street |
WRI |
The Wish Master
(age 8-11) by Betty Ren Wright adventure ... family Catalog: Certain that his grandfather doesn't want him around, Corby is unhappy when he and his mother go to spend the summer in Wisconsin to help take care of his ailing grandmother, until a local boy takes him to the Wish Master. |
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. |
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 |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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. |
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. |
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? |
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. |
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 |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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 |
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. |
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 |
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: Care and Feeding of Sprites |
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! |
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 |
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: Henry and Ribsy sequel: Ribsy sequel: Henry and the Paper Route sequel: Henry and the Clubhouse |
CHR |
The Hockey Machine
(age 8-11) by Matt Christopher mystery ... survival ... adventure ... sports Catalog: Abducted by a "fan" and forced to become a member of a professional junior hockey team, thirteen-year-old star center Steve Crandall quickly realizes that he must play not only to win but to survive. |
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 Secret of the Indian sequel: The Mystery of the Cupboard |
ALE |
Time Cat
(age 8-11) by Lloyd Alexander short stories ... historical ... adventure Publisher comments: ``Anywhere, any time, any country, any century,'' Gareth tells Jason. And in the wink of a very special cat's eye, they're off. From ancient Egypt to Japan, the land of young Leonardo da Vinci to the town of a woman accused of witchcraft, Jason and Gareth are whisked from place to place and friend to foe. Full of fun, excitement, and a good dose of history, here's a fantastic tale that grabs the imagination and takes it far and wide, on the adventure of not one but nine amazing lifetimes. |