KOR |
Island Series
(age 8-11) by Gordon Korman realistic ... survival ... adventure ... action Publisher comments: Luke, J.J. Will, Lyssa, Charla, and Ian. They didn't want to be on the boat in the first place. They didn't want to be stuck at sea with a bunch of strangers. But when you're in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, there's no easy way out. And when a terrifying storm hits, there's no way to fully prepare. It's all about survival. sequel: Shipwreck sequel: Survival sequel: Escape |
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 |
KOR |
Everest Series (age 8-11) by Gordon Korman realistic ... survival ... adventure ... action Publisher comments: Four kids. One mountain. They come from all across America to be the youngest kid ever to climb Everest. But only one will reach the top first. The competition is fierce. The preparation is intense. The challenge is breathtaking. When the final four reach the higher peaks, disaster strikes—and all that separates the living from the dead is chance, bravery, and action. title: The Contest title: The Climb title: The Summit |
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 Prophesy of Bane 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 |
ABB |
Kringle
(age 8-11) by Tony Abbott action ... fantasy ... traditions Publisher comments: Unlike the traditional Santa Claus myth, KRINGLE is a coming-of-age story about an orphan who becomes a force for good in a dark and violent time. It is a tale of fantasy, of goblins, elves, and flying reindeer — and of a boy from the humblest beginnings who fulfills his destiny. Our tale begins in 500 A.D., when goblins kidnapped human children and set them to work in underground mines. Kringle is one such child.... until he discovers his mission - to free children from enslavement. His legend lives on today, as he travels the earth every Christmas Eve to quell the goblins once more. |
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. |
GRE |
Cabin Creek Mysteries (age 8-11) by Kristiana Gregory adventure ... action ... mystery Publisher comments: Action! Intrigue! Cliff-hangers! Jeff and David will need their wits, their courage, and their gadgets to get to the bottom of the many mysteries of Lost Island. Jeff and David's dad told them they weren't allowed to explore Lost Island until Jeff's twelfth birthday, and that they should never go alone. As soon as they set foot on the marshy ground, they suspect something is not right. What secrets are hidden by the lingering mist and overgrown pines? The brothers had never believed the Legend of Robber's Cave, but now they have to wonder. title: The Secret of Robber's Cave title: The Clue at the Bottom of the Lake title: The Legend of Skull Cliff |
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. |
KID |
Pirates of the Caribbean: Jack Sparrow (age 8-11) by Rob Kidd action ... adventure Publisher comments: Teenage stowaway Jack Sparrow has assembled a motley crew and they're on the quest of a lifetime. Their goal: to locate and procure the legendary Sword of Corts, which will grant them unimaginable power. title: The Coming Storm title: The Siren Song title: The Pirate Chase title: The Sword of Cortes title: The Age of Bronze title: Silver title: City of Gold title: The Timekeeper title: Dance of the Hours title: Sins of the Father title: Poseidon's Peak title: Bold New Horizons |
O'D |
Blackbeards Sword: The Pirate King of the Carolinas
(age 8-11) by Liam O'Donnell historical ... adventure ... action The pirate Blackbeard holds the Carolina coastline in a grip of terror. Lieutenant Maynard and his men of the Royal Navy need help piloting their way through the maze of coves and inlets to capture him, so they enlist the aid of local fishermen Jacob Webster and his father. But Maynard doesnt realize Jacob thinks Blackbeard is a hero. |
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 |
ROS |
Jack Jones and the Pirate Curse
(age 8-11) by Judith Rossell humor ... action ... adventure Jack Jones is a very ordinary boy until the day his great uncle passes away and he inherits a terrible, horrible pirate curse from, the famed pirate Blackstrap Morgan, his great-great-many-times-great grandfather. Chased by a merciless band of pirates who can temporarily take over the bodies of anyone close to Jack (his teacher, his friends, and even his parents) he must find the courage to confront the curse and outsmart the pirates or spend the rest of his life running. An edge-of-your-seat thriller, this book is full of adventuresome pirates and hilarious escapades! |
YEP |
Cockroach Cooties
(age 8-11) by Laurence Yep school ... humor ... action ... realistic Teddy and his little brother Bobby devise strategies using bugs to defeat the school bully. |
WOO |
The Summer I Shrank My Grandmother
(age 8-11) by Elvira Woodruff action ... humor ... fantasy ... magic When aspiring scientist Nelly Brown uses a magic chemistry set to make her grandmother young again but is unable to stop the alteration, the seventy-year-old woman becomes a baby and Nelly fears that she may shrink into nothing. |
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. |
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 title: The Girl with the Destructo Touch |
SIM |
Secret of the Three Treasures
(age 8-11) by Janni Lee Simner mystery ... action ... humor ... adventure Move over, Indiana Jones. Eleven-year-old Tiernay West is ready to take over in this hilarious middle-grade adventure novel. When Tiernay hears of possible Revolutionary War gold buried in her own town, little does she expect that its pursuit will have her running for her life. |
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: Hide and Seek title: Proof Positive title: Tunnel Vision |
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 Alpha Centauri 5000 title: Akiko and the Great Wall of Trudd title: Akiko and the Intergalactic Zoo title: Akiko and the Journey to Toog title: Akiko in the Castle of Alla Rellapor title: Akiko in the Spurbly Islands title: Akiko on the Planet Smoo title: Akiko: Pieces of Gax title: Akiko. Pocket size 4, The Story Tree title: Akiko. Pocket size 5, Bornstone's Elixir title: Akiko: The Training Master title: Akiko and the Missing Misp title: Akiko and the Missing Misp title: Akiko in the Castle of Alia Rellapor title: Akiko in the Sprubly Islands |
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 title: You Have To Stop This |
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: The Seven Wheels of Power title: Night on the Mountain of Fear title: Beware of the Haunted Eye |
BAK |
The Tales of the Frog Princess (age 8-11) by E. D. Baker princesses ... humor ... folklore ... magic ... fantasy ... action After reluctantly kissing a frog, an awkward, fourteen-year-old princess suddenly finds herself a frog, too, and sets off with the prince to seek the means--and the self-confidence--to become human again. title: The Frog Princess title: Dragon's Breath title: No Place for Magic title: Once Upon a Curse title: The Salamander Spell: A Prequel to the Tales of the Frog Princess title: Dragon Kiss title: The Dragon Princess title: A Prince Among Frogs |
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. |
KIN |
Three Terrible Trins
(age 8-11) by Dick King-Smith action ... identity Three mice brothers, ignoring the class system separating the four clans of rodents in their farmhouse, befriend a lower class mouse and form a team to fight cats. |
LEV |
Fire in the Wind
(age 8-11) by Betty Levin historical ... family ... adventure ... action One dry October, with wildfires blazing all across the state of Maine, Meg Yeadon keeps having to put out fires of her own-the fights she gets into defending her "backward" cousin Orin and her shy brother Paul. Separated from the grown-ups, Meg and Paul must rely on Orin to help them survive the inferno bearing down on their farm. But what are they to make of the sight of Orin setting fire to the fields himself? |
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. |
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 title: Tales of Deltora |