F COL	The Supernaturalist (age 12+) by Eoin Colfer spooky ... science fiction ... adventure ... action Publisher comments: In futuristic Satellite City, fourteen-year-old Cosmo Hill escapes from his abusive orphanage and teams up with three other people who share his unusual ability to see supernatural creatures. Together they determine the nature and purpose of the swarming blue Parasites that are invisible to most humans.
F HOL	Asphalt Angels (age 12+) by Ineke Holtwijk realistic ... adventure ... survival ... growing up Publisher comments: Thirteen-year-old Alex is the main character in Asphalt Angels, an unsparing look at a band of street kids trying to survive in Rio de Janeiro without family, money, or resources. Theirs is a life of deprivation and despair, lightened by luck and tenacity and the bonds these desperate children must form with one another. Alex is thrown into the streets by his stepfather when his mother dies. Hazards abound: drug-dealing, theft, glue-sniffing, harassment, brutality, even murder. It's not easy steering clear of them, yet Alex manages to survive, eventually making a home with 14 other boys in a house, working in an office, and attending night school. Asphalt Angels grew from the real-life drama the author observed while on assignment. In an afterword, she reports that 10,000 children sleep in Rio's streets, and more than that number roam them by day, victims of inadequate nutrition, education, and shelter, and prey to drugs and violence. Alex is based on a real boy; his name was changed for this story.
F WES	The Uglies Series (age 12+) by Scott Westerfeld adventure ... action ... fantasy ... science fiction Publisher comments: Everybody gets to be supermodel gorgeous. What could be wrong with that? Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait. Not for her license, but for turning pretty. In Tally's world, your sixteenth birthday brings an operation that turns you from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there. But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be pretty. She'd rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world, and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever. title: uglies title: pretties title: specials title: extras
F TAY	Shadowmancer (age 12+) by G. P. Taylor adventure ... action ... magic ... fantasy Catalog: When Obadiah Demurral, the power-hungry Vicar of Thorpe, attempts to become a god by dabbling in magic, Raphah (who has come from Africa to get back the artifact stolen from his Temple and sold to Demurral) joins forces with Kate and Thomas to stop him.
F NIX	The Abhorsen Trilogy (age 12+) by Garth Nix action ... adventure ... magic ... fantasy Publisher comments: Since childhood, Sabriel has lived outside the walls of the Old Kingdom, away from the power of Free Magic, and away from the Dead who refuse to stay dead. But now her father, the Mage Abhorson, is missing, and Sabriel must cross into that world to find him. With Mogget, whose feline form hides a powerful, perhaps malevolent spirit, and Touchstone, a young Charter Mage, Sabriel travels deep into the Old Kingdom. There she confronts an evil that threatens much more than her life'and comes face to face with her own hidden destiny. title: Sabriel title: Lirael: Daughter of the Clayr title: Abhorsen
F LEE	The Claidi Journals (age 12+) by Tanith Lee letters/journal ... adventure ... action ... fantasy Publisher comments: A new teen fantasy series begins with this story that sweeps readers into an epic adventure while probing truths of adolescence. Claidi is a 16-year-old orphan, forced to serve as a handmaiden to a cruel, royal family in the oppressive House. Outspoken and ready for romance, she becomes embroiled in a plot to rescue a handsome, intriguing prisoner. title: Wolf Tower title: Wolf Star title: Wolf Queen title: Wolf Wing
F HIL	The Icemark Chronicles (age 12+) by Stuart Hill adventure ... action ... war ... princesses ... fantasy After the death of her beloved father, headstrong princess Thirrin Freer Strong-In-The-Arm becomes warrior queen of her homeland, Icemark, defending it from a formidable invader. Despite Thirrin's bravery and the support of Oskan, the Witch's son, the task proves more difficult than Thirrin ever dreamed. She must assemble a force to rival her opponent. And, in the chill winter of Icemark, she only has until spring to unite the strange beasts and frightening creatures who live just outside her country. Ultimately, it is Thirrin's vision and determination that will see her through to victory. title: The Cry of the Icemark title: Blade of Fire title: Last Battle of the Icemark
F DUN	The Hollow Kingdom Trilogy (age 12+) by Clare B. Dunkle adventure ... action ... magic ... fantasy Publisher comments: For thousands of years, young women have been vanishing from Hallow Hill, never to be seen again. Now Kate and Emily have moved there with no idea of the land’s dreadful heritage, until Marak decides to tell them himself. Marak is a powerful magician who claims to be the goblin king, and he has very specific plans for the two new girls who have trespassed into his kingdom. title: The Hollow Kingdom title: Close Kin title: In the Coils of the Snake
F CLE	Fire Bringer (age 12+) by David Clement-Davies adventure ... fantasy Catalog: In ancient Scotland, a tyrannical new lord of the herd plans complete dominion over the animal world, but deer lore promises a hero, who has a unique bond with all creatures, including man, and who will ignite an epic battle and free the herd forever.
F CAR	Dragon's Keep (age 12+) by Janet Lee Carey adventure ... action ... princesses ... fantasy Publisher comments: Far away on Wilde Island, Princess Rosalind is born with a dragon claw where her ring finger should be. To hide the secret, the Queen forces her to wear gloves at all times until a cure can be found, so Rosalind can fulfill the prophecy to restore the family to their rightful throne. But Rosalind's flaw cannot be separated from her fate. When she is carried off by the dragon, everything she thought she knew falls apart. The dragon sees beauty in her talon where her mother saw only shame, and Rosalind finally understands what her mother has truly denied her.
F BEL	Farsala Trilogy (age 12+) by Hilari Bell war ... folklore ... adventure ... fantasy Publisher comments: Three young people watch as their world is torn apart. An enemy approaches Farsala's borders, but the rulers of Farsala believe that they cannot be beaten. Three young people are less sure of Farsala's invincibility. Jiaan, Soraya, and Kavi see Farsala headed toward the Flames of Destruction. But what they cannot see is how inextricably their own lives are linked to Farsala's destiny--until it's too late. As their world crumbles around them, the only thing left for them to do is look to the future and hope that somehow they can rebuild all that has been lost. In Flame, the first volume of The Book of Sorahb and the Farsala Trilogy, Hilari Bell introduces readers to a world of honor, danger, and magic in a spellbinding tale of self-discovery. title: Flame title: Fall of a Kingdom title: Rise of a Hero title: Forging the Sword
F BAS	Outlaws of Moonshadow Marsh (age 12+) by L. G. Bass magic ... adventure ... fantasy Publisher comments: A volcanic eruption releases a vanguard of demons, sealed away for centuries beneath the earth. Soon after, the Emperor's first son is born, marked with the sign of the Qin, the brand of the outlaw! Could the child be the new Starlord, destined to restore justice to the land? The emperor plots to kill his only heir before the boy can usurp his throne. But the assassin is foiled by a mysterious monk whose magical tattoos foretell the future, and a trickster monkey who longs for immortality. A host of warring guardians must ultimately unite to help the Starlord unlock the kung fu secrets of the Twelve Scrolls and save the earth from destruction. But first, the Prince must fulfill his destiny, and join the twin leaders of the legendary outlaws of Moonshadow Marsh in a war against the Lord of the Dead. title: Sign of the Qin
F BAR	Great Tree of Avalon Series (age 12+) by T. A. Barron magic ... adventure ... folklore ... fantasy Publisher comments: Long ago, the great wizard Merlin planted the seed that would become the peaceful world of Avalon. Now, though, Avalon is suffering from mysterious droughts. Then the very stars begin to lose their light, and it seems that the Lady of the Lake's dire predictions are about to come true. The fate of Avalon now rests with Tamwyn, a wandering wilderness guide; Elli, an apprentice priestess; and Scree, a young eagleman. One of them is the true heir of Merlin, the only person who can save Avalon, and one of them is the dreaded child of the Dark Prophecy, fated to destroy it. title: Child of the Dark Prophecy title: Shadow on the Stars title: Shadows on the Stars title: The Eternal Flame
F ALL	City of the Beasts (age 12+) by Isabel Allende nature ... action ... adventure ... family ... fantasy Publisher comments: Alexander Cold is about to join his fearless grandmother on the trip of a lifetime. An International Geographic expedition is headed to the dangerous, remote wilds of South America on a mission to document the legendary Yeti of the Amazon known as the Beast. But there are many secrets hidden in the unexplored wilderness, as Alex and his friend Nadia soon discover. Drawing on the strength of their spirit guides, both young people are led on a thrilling and unforgettable journey to the ultimate discovery. sequel: Kingdom of the Golden Dragon sequel: Forest of the Pygmies
F ZIN	The Gadget (age 12+) by Paul Zindel adventure ... action ... math/science/technology ... mystery ... historical Publisher comments: Near the end of World War II, scientists in Los Alamos, New Mexico, are working on a project that will alter the fate of the world. Thirteen-year-old Stephen Orr is living at a top secret military base with his father who is a leading physicist building the atomic bomb. Stephen realizes the dangers involved when one of the scientists becomes hospitalized as a result of working with the project. The scientist alerts him to disasters that could come from The Gadget. Stephen feels it is up to him and his friend Tilanov to find the answers that lie behind this veil of secrecy.
F WEA	Memory Boy: A Novel (age 12+) by Will Weaver action ... adventure ... family ... survival ... science fiction Catalog: Sixteen-year-old Miles and his family must flee their Minneapolis home and begin a new life in the wilderness after a chain of cataclysmic volcanic explosions creates dangerous conditions in their city.
F PEC	Cowboy Ghost (age 12+) by Robert Newton Peck adventure ... action ... historical Publisher comments: The ride of a lifetime! The year is 1924 and the place is Florida's dusty and rugged "long" country. Sixteen-year-old Titus Timothy MacRobertson--"Tee"--can saddle up a wild mustang and round up stray beefs on his father's ranch with the best of them, but does he have what it takes to make it on a grueling cattle drive through the unpredictable Florida wilderness? Battered by a storm, then caught up in a roaring stampede, Tee is ripsawed by the raw edges of ranching. But he manages to hang proud--until fate lands one final blow, and Tee must find the courage to become the man no one but his brother, Micah, ever thought he could be.
F HOW	Blue Avenger Series (age 12+) by Norma Howe growing up ... adventure ... humor Publisher comments: On his sixteenth birthday, David Schumacher changes his name to Blue Avenger. . . And things start to happen. Within twenty-four hours, David becomes a national hero, starts dating an extraordinary girl named Omaha Nebraska Brown, and bakes an imperfect pie. And that's not all. A tiny sow bug is injured by a lawn mower, some killer bees make their home at San Pablo High School, and there is some activity in the earth's crust. The connection? No one knows for certain. At first, it seems that David's own free will is guiding his momentous decision. But maybe it's something else. Maybe it's the inevitable result of everything that has ever happened to him since his miraculous birth. To find out more about life and death, romance, gun control, lemon meringue pie, and world peace, you'll have to read this book. The decision is yours. title: The Adventures of Blue Avenger title: Blue Avenger Cracks the Code title: Blue Avenger and the Theory of Everything
F HAU	Godless (age 12+) by Pete Hautman adventure ... enterprise ... friendship Publisher comments: "Why mess around with Catholicism when you can have your own customized religion?" Fed up with his parents' boring old religion, agnostic-going-on-atheist Jason Bock invents a new god: the town's water tower. He recruits an unlikely group of worshippers: his snail-farming best friend, Shin, cute-as-a-button (whatever that means) Magda Price, and the violent and unpredictable Henry Stagg. As their religion grows, it takes on a life of its own. While Jason struggles to keep the faith pure, Shin obsesses over writing their bible, and the explosive Henry schemes to make the new faith even more exciting, and dangerous. When the Chutengodians hold their first ceremony high atop the dome of the water tower, things quickly go from merely dangerous to terrifying and deadly. Jason soon realizes that inventing a religion is a lot easier than controlling it, but control it he must, before his creation destroys both his friends and himself.
F PRE	Malka (age 12+) by Mirjam Pressler adventure ... bigotry ... war ... survival ... historical Publisher comments: When the round-ups start in the Polish village, Malka's mother knows she must get her daughters across the Hungarian border to safety-a place where Jews can live in peace. But escape proves harder than they could have ever imagined. Raw and bleeding feet, bad weather, fear and homesickness fill their nights, until little Malka falls very ill, and must be left behind to be brought across when the threat has passed. But the threat doesn't pass. Separated from her family, Malka finds herself in a terrifying world full of strangers, starvation, and constant fear of Nazi round-ups. Completely alone, she struggles to stay hidden in alleyways and old cellars, unaware that miles away, a broken-hearted mother is searching frantically for her lost little girl . . . A shocking and unforgettable story of a child's heroic fight to stay alive during one of the most intense moments in human history.
F VOI	Elske (age 12+) by Cynthia Voigt adventure ... historical ... fantasy Publisher comments: She never knew she had a self. From the time she was a child, she was prepared to sacrifice her life when the Volkking summoned her. She never knew she had a heart, until she set out on a journey north to live among strangers. She never knew she had a choice, until she chose to trust the princess she was told to serve. And she never knew her own value, until she met the man who understood her strength, and who could taste the honey in her name: Elske. But the princess Beriel had always known who she was and what she was worth. She had always had a heart, and a stubborn one. She had always made her own choices, even when they were forced upon her. What Beriel did not have was the one thing she valued above all else, and that was the throne to her kingdom. With immense power and compassion, Cynthia Voigt, Newbery Medalist, depicts the parallel quests of two extraordinary young women. As Elske seeks to find her true self and Beriel battles to reclaim what is rightfully hers, both discover the value, and the price, of reaching the journey's end.
F VOI	The Kingdom Series (age 12+) by Cynthia Voigt adventure ... historical ... fantasy Publisher comments: "False, they were all of them false, the stories; as false as the stories of fairies dancing in moonlight glades on Midsummer Night." But they served a purpose. In a distant time and far-off kingdom, life is hard. People don't have enough to eat, and winter is upon them. There's little that offers hope, and many turn to the legends of Jackaroo, the masked outlaw hero who rides at night giving aid to the helpless and coin to the destitute, for solace. But Gwyn, the Innkeeper's daughter (sensitive, industrious, and independent) is too practical to believe such tales. But when a snowstorm forces her and a young Lordling to seek refuge in an abandoned house, Gwyn wonders if perhaps she has been too cynical. Hidden away in an old forgotten cupboard, Gwyn discovers a package: a cloak, a mask, a sword....Jackaroo? Could the stories be true? It takes a shock and a devastating betrayal for Gwyn to begin to understand what, and who, Jackaroo really is. And she comes to know what part she will play in discovering the truth, such as it may be, behind the legends. title: Jackaroo
F ATW	The Kiesha'ra Series (age 12+) by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes adventure ... war ... fantasy Publisher comments: Danica Shardae is an avian shapeshifter, and the golden hawk's form in which she takes to the sky is as natural to her as the human one that graces her on land. The only thing more familiar to her is war: It has raged between her people and the serpiente for so long, no one can remember how the fighting began. As heir to the avian throne, she'll do anything in her power to stop this war...even accept Zane Cobriana, the terrifying leader of her kind's greatest enemy, as her pair bond and make the two royal families one. Trust. It is all Zane asks of Danica, and all they ask of their people, but it may be more than she can give. title: Hawksong title: Snakecharm title: Falcondance title: Wolfcry title: Wyvernhail
F ATW	Den of Shadows Series (age 12+) by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes adventure ... fantasy Publisher comments: By day, Risika sleeps in a shaded room in Concord, Massachusetts. By night, she hunts the streets of New York City. She is used to being alone. But someone is following Risika. He has left her a black rose, the same sort of rose that sealed her fate 300 years ago. Three hundred years ago she was human. Now she is a vampire, a powerful one, and her past has come back to torment her. title: In the Forests of the Night title: Demon in my View title: Shattered Mirror title: Midnight Predator
F SNI	The Sleeper Conspiracy (age 12+) by Tom Sniegoski mystery ... adventure ... action Catalog: Just when he has met a beautiful girl and his outlook is improving, sixteen-year-old narcoleptic Tom Lovett begins to suspect that his dreams and hallucinations of killing people may be something more real and terrifying. This high-action thriller will appeal to fans of Alex Rider. title: Sleeper Code title: Sleeper Agenda
F HOF	Stravaganza Series (age 12+) by Mary Hoffman adventure ... action ... historical ... fantasy Publisher comments: During the day, Lucien battles cancer in his modern, normal life. But at night, he becomes a Stravagante, a time-traveler of sorts who finds himself in Belleza, a city parallel to old Venice. Befriended by a local girl and protected by an older Stravagante, Lucien uncovers a plot to murder the city's beloved ruler, the Duchessa. But to save the Duchessa and the city Lucien risks losing his only chance to return home to his family and his real life. title: Stravaganza: City of Masks title: Stravaganza: City of Stars title: Stravaganza: City of Flowers title: Stravaganza: City of Secrets
F HOF	The Falconer's Knot (age 12+) by Mary Hoffman historical ... mystery ... adventure Publisher comments: The award-winning author of the Stravaganza series has done it again with this atmospheric adventure set in Renaissance Italy. Chiara and Silvano come from different worlds, but when they fall in love while living in exile and posing as religious novices, they are powerless to reveal their feelings to one another. And a few suspicious murders don’t make their love lives any simpler! These intertwining stories unfold in a fantastic and completely entertaining romp that is marvelously engaging and filled with swirling intrigue.
F BRO	Voyage of the Jerle Shannara Series (age 12+) by Terry Brooks adventure ... magic ... fantasy Publisher comments: When a half-drowned elf is found floating in the seas of the Blue Divide, an old mystery resurfaces. Thirty years ago, an elven prince led an expedition in search of a legendary magic said to be more powerful than any in the world. Of all those who set out on that ill-fated voyage, not one has ever returned. Until now. The rescued elf carries a map covered with mysterious symbols and Walker Boh, the last of the Druids, has the skill to decipher them. But someone else understands the map's significance: the Ilse Witch, a ruthless young woman who wields a magic as potent as his own. She will stop at nothing to possess the map, and the magic it leads to. title: Ilse Witch title: Antrax title: Morgawr
F BRA	The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Series (age 12+) by Ann Brashares growing up ... adventure ... friendship Publisher comments: Carmen got the jeans at a thrift shop. They didn't look all that great: they were worn, dirty, and speckled with bleach. On the night before she and her friends part for the summer, Carmen decides to toss them. But Tibby says they're great. She'd love to have them. Lena and Bridget also think they're fabulous. Lena decides that they should all try them on. Whoever they fit best will get them. Nobody knows why, but the pants fit everyone perfectly. Even Carmen (who never thinks she looks good in anything) thinks she looks good in the pants. Over a few bags of cheese puffs, they decide to form a sisterhood and take the vow of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants... The next morning, they say good-bye. And then the journey of the pants, and the most memorable summer of their lives, begins. title: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants title: The Second Summer of the Sisterhood title: Girls in Pants: The Third Summer of the Sisterhood
F BAU	Thwonk (age 12+) by Joan Bauer humor ... adventure Publisher comments: Catalog: A cupid doll comes to life and offers romantic assistance to A.J., a teenage photographer suffering from unrequited love.
F BAU	Rules of the Road (age 12+) by Joan Bauer adventure ... growing up ... humor Publisher comments: Gawky 5'11", 16-year-old Jenna joins her crusty old employer at Gladstone's Shoe Store for an eye-opening cross-country adventure. sequel: Best Foot Forward
F BAU	Backwater (age 12+) by Joan Bauer growing up ... adventure ... nature ... family Catalog: While compiling a genealogy of her family of successful attorneys, sixteen-year-old history buff Ivy Breedlove treks into the mountain wilderness to interview a reclusive aunt with whom she identifies and who in turn helps her to truly know herself and her family.
F COR	Monster Blood Tattoo Series (age 12+) by D. M. Cornish action ... adventure ... magic ... fantasy Publisher comments: Meet Rossamund, a foundling, a boy with a girl's name who is about to begin a dangerous life in the service of the Emperor of the Half-Continent. What starts as a simple journey becomes a dangerous and complicated set of battles and decisions. Humans, monsters, unearthly creatures . . . who among these can Rossamund trust? D. M. Cornish has created an entirely original world; Foundling is a magic-laced adventure that will transport the reader. title: Foundling title: Lamplighter
F CRO	Crossing to Paradise (age 12+) by Kevin CrossleyHolland adventure ... historical Publisher comments: Gatty is a field girl on a manor. She has never seen busy London or the bright Channel, the snowy Alps of France or the boats in the Venetian sea. She has not sung in the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem or prayed at the manger in Bethlehem, or been kidnapped, or abandoned, or kissed, or heartbroken. But all these things will change. As Gatty journeys with Lady Gwyneth and a prickly new family of pilgrims across Europe to the Holy Land, Kevin Crossley-Holland reveals a medieval world as rich and compelling as the world of today it foresees...and, in Gatty, a character readers will never forget.
F YAN	The Alfred Kropp Adventures (age 12+) by Richard Yancey growing up ... adventure ... action Publisher comments: Alfred Kropp is just trying to survive high school when his guardian uncle ropes him into a suspicious get-rich-quick scheme that changes his life forever: stealing Excalibur, the legendary sword of King Arthur. But when Alfred unwittingly delivers the sword into the wrong hands, he undertakes an unlikely quest to right his wrong and save the world from imminent destruction. This gripping, fast-paced, often hilarious novel is both a thrilling adventure story and an engaging account of one boy's coming of age. title: The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp title: Alfred Kropp: the Seal of Solomon title: Alfred Kropp: the Thirteenth Skull
F GOL	The Diamond of Drury Lane (age 12+) by Julia Golding the arts ... adventure ... historical ... mystery Publisher comments: Mystery, treasure, and a life on the stage. The first episode of the adventures of Cat Royal is a big, fat juicy read. She's Cat Royal: four foot four, with long red hair, green eyes and not a penny she can call her own. But she does know a secret, where a treasure is hidden in the theater that is her home. The problem is, she isn't the only one looking for it. One adventure leads into the next, taking Cat, and readers, through the colorful streets of late 18th Century London. The exciting mystery, filled with fascinating characters, lots of incident, theatrical spectacles, and even a bit of political intrigue, will thrill readers.
F HAU	The Bloodwater Mysteries (age 12+) by Pete Hautman adventure ... humor ... mystery Publisher comments: When high school student Alicia Camden suddenly disappears, the small town of Bloodwater is in shock. And it's up to Roni Delicata, reporter for the school's Bloodwater Pump, and her brilliant sidekick, Brian Bain, to figure out whats going on. With suspects all around them and suspicions high, Roni and Brian risk their lives, and a few groundings from their parents, to get to the bottom of things. But can they find Alicia and solve the mystery before its too late? Full of suspense and humor, readers will love to watch the hilarious relationship between Roni and Brian as they save the day. title: Snatched title: Doppelganger
F JIN	Evil Genius Series (age 12+) by Catherine Jinks fantasy ... science fiction ... mystery ... identity ... adventure ... action ... brilliant protagonist ... school Publisher comments: Cadel Piggott has a genius IQ and a fascination with systems of all kinds. At seven, he was illegally hacking into computers. Now he's fourteen and studying for his World Domination degree, taking classes like embezzlement, misinformation, forgery, and infiltration at the institute founded by criminal mastermind Dr. Phineas Darkkon. Although Cadel may be advanced beyond his years, at heart he's a lonely kid. When he falls for the mysterious and brilliant Kay-Lee, he begins to question the moral implications of his studies for the first time. But is it too late to stop Dr. Darkkon from carrying out his evil plot? An engrossing thriller with darkness and humor, freaks and geeks, Evil Genius explores the fine line between good and evil in a strange world of manipulations and subterfuge where nothing is as it seems. title: Evil Genius title: Genius Squad title: Genius Wars
F LAR	How to Ditch Your Fairy (age 12+) by Justine Larbalestier growing up ... fantasy ... adventure Publisher comments: Welcome to New Avalon, where everyone has a personal fairy. Though invisible to the naked eye, a personal fairy, like a specialized good luck charm, is vital to success. And in the case of the students at New Avalon Sports High, it might just determine whether you make the team, pass a class, or find that perfect outfit. But for 14-year-old Charlie, having a Parking Fairy is worse than having nothing at all, especially when the school bully carts her around like his own personal parking pass. Enter: The Plan. At first, teaming up with arch-enemy Fiorenza (who has an All-The-Boys-Like-You Fairy) seems like a great idea. But when Charlie unexpectedly gets her hearts desire, it isnt at all what she thought it would be like, and shell have resort to extraordinary measures to ditch her fairy. The question is: will Charlie herself survive the fairy ditching experiment?
F MAR	The Tomorrow Series (age 12+) by John Marsden adventure ... action ... friendship ... survival ... war Publisher comments: When Ellie and six of her friends return home from a camping trip deep in the bush, they find things hideously wrong: their families gone, houses empty and abandoned, pets and stock dead. Gradually they begin to comprehend that their country has been invaded and everyone in the town has been taken prisoner. As the horrible reality of the situation becomes evident they have to make a life-and-death decision: to run back into the bush and hide, to give themselves up to be with their families, or to stay and try to fight. This reveting, tautly-drawn novel seems at times to be only a step away from today's headlines. title: Tomorrow, When the War Began title: The Dead of Night title: A Killing Frost title: Darkness Be My Friend title: Burning For Revenge title: The Night is For Hunting title: The Other Side of Dawn
F MAR	The Night Tourist (age 12+) by Katherine Marsh brilliant protagonist ... fantasy ... action ... adventure Publisher comments: Jack Perdu, a shy, ninth grade classics prodigy lives with father on the Yale University campus. Smart and introverted, Jack spends most of his time alone, his nose buried in a book. But when Jack suffers a near fatal accident, his life is forever changed. His father sends him to a mysterious doctor in New York City--a place Jack hasn't been since his mother died there eight years ago. While in the city, Jack meets Euri, a young girl who offers to show him the secrets of Grand Central Station. Here, Jack discovers New York's Underworld, a place where those who died in the city reside until they are ready to move on. This, Jack believes, is a chance to see his mother again. But as secrets about Euri's past are revealed, so are the true reasons for Jack's visit to the Underworld. Masterfully told, The Night Tourist weaves together New York City's secret history and its modern-day landscape to create a highly vivid ghost world, full of magical adventure and page-turning action.
F MEY	Wave Walkers Series (age 12+) by Kai Meyer adventure ... action ... fantasy Catalog: In a place similar to the Caribbean in 1706, two fourteen-year-old "polliwogs"--humans who can walk on water--rely on a mysterious figure known as the Ghost Trader and a band of pirates to help them escape from the evil that is chasing them. title: Pirate Curse title: Pirate Emperor title: Pirate Wars
F MIK	Touching Spirit Bear (age 12+) by Ben Mikaelsen growing up ... survival ... adventure ... action Publisher comments: Within Cole Matthews lie anger, rage and hate. Cole has been stealing and fighting for years. This time he caught Alex Driscal in the, parking lot and smashed his head against the sidewalk. Now, Alex may have permanent brain damage, and Cole is in the biggest trouble of his life. Cole is offered Circle Justice: a system based on Native American traditions that attempts to provide healing for the criminal offender, the victim and the, community. With prison as his only alternative, Cole plays along. He says he wants to repent, but in his heart Cole blames his alcoholic mom his, abusive dad, wimpy Alex (everyone but himself) for his situation. Cole receives a one-year banishment to a remote Alaskan island. There, he is mauled by mysterious white bear of Native American legend. Hideously injured, Cole waits for his death. His thoughts shift from from anger to humility. To survive, he must stop blaming others and take responsibility for his life. Rescuers arrive to save Cole's but it is the attack of the Spirit Bear that may save his soul. sequel: Ghost of Spirit Bear
F MIT	The Midnight Twins Series (age 12+) by Jacquelyn Mitchard adventure ... action ... fantasy Publisher comments: Meredith and Mallory Brynn are mirror twins born on either side of midnight one snowy New Year's Eve. They have always been inseparable. But after they are nearly killed in a mysterious fire on their thirteenth birthday, the bond that has always joined them unravels. They begin to have visions and dreams that reveal the deep secrets kept by the people around them. Meredith and Mallory realize they have each been given a gift: Mallory can see deep into the past; Meredith can see the future. But when they discover that one boy is not what they imagined, their lives will be changed forever. If they can survive . . . title: The Midnight Twins title: Look Both Ways
F MUR	Princess Ben: Being a Wholly Truthful Account of Her Various Discoveries and Misadventures Recounted to the Best of Her Recollection in Four Parts (age 12+) by Catherine Gilbert Murdock adventure ... fantasy ... princesses Publisher comments: Benevolence is not your typical princess. With her parents lost to assassins, Princess Ben ends up under the thumb of the conniving Queen Sophia. Starved and miserable, locked in the castles highest tower, Ben stumbles upon a mysterious enchanted room. So begins her secret education in the magical arts: mastering an obstinate flying broomstick, furtively emptying the castle pantries, setting her hair on fire . . . But Bens private adventures are soon overwhelmed by a mortal threat to her kingdom. Can Ben save the country and herself from foul tyranny?
F MUS	The Door of No Return (age 12+) by Sarah Mussi historical ... identity ... mystery ... action ... adventure Publisher comments: Zac Baxter's grandfather has always told him that he's the descendant of African kings, whose treasure was stolen when his ancestors were sold into slavery. Of course, Zac brushes this off as a tall tale, until his grandfather is murdered and their apartment is completely ransacked. Clearly somebody is after something. Heeding his grandfather's dying words, Zac is off to Ghana to track down his family's history. But what did his grandfather mean when he said that Zac had the map to the treasure? Following every clue he can find, Zac begins to suspect that the treasure is real, and hidden in one of Ghana's old slave forts. Too bad the killers always seem to be one step ahead of him. With no one he can trust and with everything to lose, Zac races against time as he tries to uncover the truth about the past, and a fortune in gold.
F MYE	Sunrise Over Fallujah (age 12+) by Walter Dean Myers realistic ... adventure ... action ... survival ... war Publisher comments: Operation Iraqi Freedom, that's the code name. But the young men and women in the military's Civil Affairs Battalion have a simpler name for it: war. In this novel, Walter Dean Myers looks at a contemporary war with the same power and searing insight he brought to the Vietnam war of his classic, Fallen Angels. He creates memorable characters like the book's narrator, Birdy, a young recruit from Harlem who's questioning why he even enlisted; Marla, a blond, tough-talking, wisecracking gunner; Jonesy, a guitar-playing bluesman who just wants to make it back to Georgia and open a club; and a whole unit of other young men and women and drops them incountry in Iraq, where they are supposed to help secure and stabilize Iraq and successfully interact with the Iraqi people. The young civil affairs soldiers soon find their definition of "winning" ever more elusive and their good intentions being replaced by terms like "survival" and "despair." Caught in the crossfire, Myers' richly rendered characters are just beginning to understand the meaning of war in this powerful, realistic novel of our times.
F PAT	Maximum Ride Series (age 12+) by James Patterson science fiction ... adventure ... action Publisher comments: Fang, Iggy, Nudge, the Gasman, Angel, and Maximum: six kids who are 98% human and 2% bird. They grew up in cages, living like rats, but now they're free. When the bloodthirsty Erasers, half men, half wolves genetically engineered by sick and sinister scientists, kidnap little Angel, the Flock embarks on a rescue mission full of nonstop action, adventure, and soul-seeking, not to mention a little bit of saving the world on the side. title: The Angel Experiment title: School's Out-- Forever title: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports title: The Final Warning: A Maximum Ride Novel
F PET	The Rule of Won (age 12+) by Stefan Petrucha realistic ... action ... adventure ... friendship ... school Publisher comments: The secret of The Rule of Won is simple, yet its power has been suppressed for generations. The universe is one of infinite abundance. Ask, and you shall receive. Umm, yeah right. Meet Caleb Dunne, slacker extraordinaire. Caleb prefers to glide through life with the minimal amount of effort, so he isnt too jazzed when his overachieving girlfriend, Vicky, convinces him to join a new school club based on a controversial book, The Rule of Won. Slackers dont join school clubs, do they? As The Rule gains popularity, though, the club members start to gain power within the school. From dark posts on the clubs online message board to all-out threats in the hallways, it becomes apparent that the group is getting out of control. For slacker Caleb, though, the only thing worse than doing something is not doing something. Darkly funny and exceptionally thought-provoking, The Rule of Won, inspired by the ideas behind books like the runaway hit The Secret, shines a light on the dangers of group thinking and the inner desires that can sometimes get the best of us all.
F PFE	Life As We Knew It (age 12+) by Susan Beth Pfeffer letters/journal ... science fiction ... adventure ... nature ... survival Publisher comments: Miranda’s disbelief turns to fear in a split second when an asteroid knocks the moon closer to the earth. How should her family prepare for the future when worldwide tsunamis wipe out the coasts, earthquakes rock the continents, and volcanic ash blocks out the sun? As summer turns to Arctic winter, Miranda, her two brothers, and their mother retreat to the unexpected safe haven of their sunroom, where they subsist on stockpiled food and limited water in the warmth of a wood-burning stove. In her journal, Miranda records the events of each desperate day, while she and her family struggle to hold on to their most priceless resource--hope. sequel: The Dead and the Gone
F PIE	Melting Stones (age 12+) by Tamora Pierce magic ... adventure ... fantasy Publisher comments: Four years have passed since Evvy left the streets of Chammur to begin her training as a stone mage. At fourteen, she's unhappy to be on a new journey with her mentor, prickly green mage Rosethorn, who has been called to the Battle Islands to determine why the plants and animals there are dying. Evvy's job is to listen and learn, but she can't keep quiet and do nothing. With the help of Luvo, the living stone heart of a mountain, Evvy uncovers an important clue. Now, with the island on the brink of disaster, it's up to Evvy to avert the destruction that looms ahead.
F PRA	Nation (age 12+) by Terry Pratchett survival ... growing up ... adventure ... fantasy ... humor Publisher comments: The sea has taken everything. Mau is the only one left after a giant wave sweeps his island village away. But when much is taken, something is returned, and somewhere in the jungle Daphne, a girl from the other side of the globe — is the sole survivor of a ship destroyed by the same wave. Together the two confront the aftermath of catastrophe. Drawn by the smoke of Mau and Daphne's sheltering fire, other refugees slowly arrive: children without parents, mothers without babies, husbands without wives, all of them hungry and all of them frightened. As Mau and Daphne struggle to keep the small band safe and fed, they defy ancestral spirits, challenge death himself, and uncover a long-hidden secret that literally turns the world upside down.
F PRA	The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents (age 12+) by Terry Pratchett folklore ... adventure ... fantasy ... humor Publisher comments: One rat, popping up here and there, squeaking loudly, and taking a bath in the cream, could be a plague all by himself. After a few days of this, it was amazing how glad people were to see the kid with his magical rat pipe. And they were amazing when the rats followed hint out of town. They'd have been really amazed if they'd ever found out that the rats and the piper met up with a cat somewhere outside of town and solemnly counted out the money. The Amazing Maurice runs the perfect Pied Piper scam. This streetwise alley cat knows the value of cold, hard cash and can talk his way into and out of anything. But when Maurice and his cohorts decide to con the town of Bad Blinitz, it will take more than fast talking to survive the danger that awaits. For this is a town where food is scarce and rats are hated, where cellars are lined with deadly traps, and where a terrifying evil lurks beneath the hunger-stricken streets....
F REE	The Hungry City Chronicles (age 12+) by Philip Reeve adventure ... action ... fantasy Publisher comments: London is hunting... The great Traction City lumbers after a small town, eager to strip its prey of all assets and move on. Resources on the Great Hunting Ground that once was Europe are so limited that mobile cities must consume one another to survive, a practice known as Municipal Darwinism. Tom, an apprentice in the Guild of Historians, saves his hero, Head Historian Thaddeus Valentine, from a murder attempt by the mysterious Hester Shaw, only to find himself thrown from the city and stranded with Hester in the Out Country. As they struggle to follow the tracks of the city, the sinister plans of London's leaders begin to unfold. title: Mortal Engines: A Novel title: Predator's Gold: A Novel title: Infernal Devices: A Novel title: A Darkling Plain: A Novel
F SCO	Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel (age 12+) by Michael Scott adventure ... action ... fantasy Publisher comments: He holds the secret that can end the world. The truth: Nicholas Flamel was born in Paris on September 28, 1330. Nearly 700 years later, he is acknowledged as the greatest Alchemyst of his day. It is said that he discovered the secret of eternal life. The records show that he died in 1418. But his tomb is empty. The legend: Nicholas Flamel lives. But only because he has been making the elixir of life for centuries. The secret of eternal life is hidden within the book he protects: the Book of Abraham the Mage. It's the most powerful book that has ever existed. In the wrong hands, it will destroy the world. That's exactly what Dr. John Dee plans to do when he steals it. Humankind won't know what's happening until it's too late. And if the prophecy is right, Sophie and Josh Newman are the only ones with the power to save the world as we know it. Sometimes legends are true. And Sophie and Josh Newman are about to find themselves in the middle of the greatest legend of all time. title: The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel title: The Magician title: The Sorceress title: The Necromancer
F SHA	Demonata Series (age 12+) by Darren Shan adventure ... action ... spooky Publisher comments: Grubbs Grady hates history and loves bacon, rats, and playing tricks on his squeamish older sister. He's a little big for his age, which means he can get into R-rated movies. When Grubbs opts out of a weekend family trip, everything seems normal. He never guesses that he is about to take a terrifying journey into darkness. Hungry demons and howling werewolves haunt his waking nightmares...and threaten his life. title: Lord Loss title: Slawter title: Demon Thief title: Bec title: Blood Beast title: Demon Apocalypse title: Death's Shadow
F SPR	Spy Goddess Series (age 12+) by Michael Spradlin humor ... adventure ... action ... mystery Publisher comments: Blackthorn Academy, meet Rachel Buchanan. I'm not a delinquent...I'm just misunderstood. Of course, the judge didn't see it that way. She gave me a choice: juvenile detention or boarding school in Pennsylvania, of all places. That's how I wound up at freaky Blackthorn Academy. This school is clearly hiding some major secrets. And here's something you should know about me: Rachel Buchanan never gives up when there are secrets to uncover. Watch out, Blackthorn Academy! The hilarious new series Spy Goddess brings you a witty combination of espionage, action, mystery, and girlpower. title: Live and Let Shop title: To Hawaii With Love
F WAR	The Grassland Trilogy (age 12+) by David Ward fantasy ... action ... adventure Publisher comments: In Grassland the only hope of freedom is to go beyond the reach of sinister, silent masters, and the only family you know are your fellow captives. Coriko has never known a world beyond his cell and the fields where he toils all day. He does what he's told and tries not to anger the Spears, the cruel, masked jailers who guard him and the other child slaves. If he gathers baskets of shards and keeps quiet and orderly, then he can spend time with his cellmate and best friend, Pippa. But without warning, the children's orderly lives begin to change, slowly at first, with the arrival of a pair of siblings who speak Coriko and Pippa's language. Soon after, violent events shake up the quiet world of Grassland, and Coriko must find the strength to grasp his freedom. Full of heartstopping action, Escape the Mask introduces Coriko, Pippa, and their friends, and begins the journey of The Grassland Trilogy. title: Escape the Mask title: Beneath the Mask
F ASA	Samurai Girl Series (age 12+) by Carrie Asai survival ... mystery ... action ... adventure Publisher comments: When I was six months old, I dropped from the sky, the lone survivor of a deadly Japanese plane crash. The newspapers called me Heaven. I was adopted by a wealthy family in Tokyo, pampered, and protected. For nineteen years, I thought I was lucky. I'm learning how wrong I was. They say your life begins on your wedding day. Here's what happened on mine: I lost the person I love most. I learned that everything I knew about my family was a lie. Now I'm being hunted. I must fight back, or die. My life ended that day. The old Heaven is gone. I am samurai girl. title: The Book of the Sword title: The Book of the Shadow title: The Book of the Pearl title: The Book of the Wind title: The Book of the Flame title: The Book of the Heart
F BUR	Runs With Horses (age 12+) by Brian Burks war ... growing up ... adventure ... action ... historical Publisher comments: Sixteen years old in 1886, Runs With Horses is a member of the last small band of Apaches continuing to resist the U.S. Army. His training for manhood as a Chiricahua Apache has been difficult but thrilling, and he is eager to accomplish the final two of the four raids required to be-come a warrior. Sadly, this is not possible when they at last surrender to the U.S. Army.
F GOR	Tunnels Series (age 12+) by Roderick Gordon action ... fantasy ... adventure Publisher comments: 14-year-old Will Burrows has little in common with his strange, dysfunctional family. In fact, the only bond he shares with his eccentric father is a passion for archaeological excavation. So when Dad mysteriously vanishes, Will is compelled to dig up the truth behind his disappearance. He unearths the unbelievable: a secret subterranean society. "The Colony" has existed unchanged for a century, but it's no benign time capsule of a bygone era--because the Colony is ruled by a cultlike overclass, the Styx. Before long--before he can find his father--Will is their prisoner.... title: Tunnels title: Deeper title: Freefall
F REE	The Larklight Series (age 12+) by Philip Reeve science fiction ... action ... adventure Arthur (Art) Mumsby and his irritating sister Myrtle live with their father in a huge and rambling house called Larklight...that just happens to be traveling through outer space. When a visitor called Mr. Webster arrives for a visit, it is far from an innocent social call. Before long Art and Myrtle are off on an adventure to the furthest reaches of space, where they will do battle with evil forces in order to save each other, and the universe. A fantastically original Victorian tale set in an outer space world that has a unique gravitational pull all its own. title: Larklight: Or the Revenge of the White Spiders! Or to Saturns Rings and Back! a Rousing Tale of Dauntless Pluck in the Farthest Reaches of Space title: Starcross: Or, the Coming of the Moobs, or, Our Adventures in the Fourth Dimension! a Stirring Adventure of Spies, Time Travel and Curious Hats title: Mothstorm: Or the Horror From Beyond Georgium Sidus! or a Tale of Two Shapers
F ROB	I Am the Great Horse (age 12+) by Katherine Roberts war ... action ... adventure ... historical ... animals "I am the dark horse, Bucephalus. I am no black beauty. I am a stallion trained for war." From the moment they dare sit on his back, the fates of Alexander, 12-year-old heir to the Macedonian throne, and Charm, a kind stable girl, are bound to the battle-ready steed. When the boy becomes king, Bucephalus helps his young master transform into a conquering hero. In a hard-won, nearly blind blaze of glory, they gallop from Greece to the golden sands of Persia to the edge of the known world. At their side, as ever, is Charm. This is their epic. Through the eyes of a horse, history unfolds.
F YOL	Pit Dragon Series (age 12+) by Jane Yolen adventure ... action ... fantasy Jakkin, a bond boy who works as a Keeper in a dragon nursery on the planet Austar IV, secretly trains a fighting pit dragon of his own in hopes of winning his freedom. title: Dragon's Blood title: Heart's Blood title: A Sending of Dragons
F HOR	Gatekeeper's Series (age 12+) by Anthony Horowitz fantasy ... adventure ... action As punishment for a crime he didn't really commit, Matt was given a choice: go to jail or go live with an old woman named Mrs. Deverill in a remote town called Lesser Malling. He should have chosen jail. A strange and sinister plan is coming together made in Lesser Malling, with Matt at the center of it all. People who try to help him disappear . . . or die. It all ties to an evil place named Raven's Gate - a place whose destiny is horrifyingly intertwined with Matt's own. title: Ravens Gate title: Evil Star title: Nightrise title: Necropolis
F FAR	The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm: a novel (age 12+) by Nancy Farmer growing up ... mystery ... adventure ... science fiction General Matsika's children steal out of the house on a forbidden adventure--and disappear. In Zimbabwe, in the year 2194, the children's parents call in Africa's most unusual detectives--the Ear, the Eye and the Arm--who have powers far beyond those of other human beings. The children must avoid the evils of the past, the technology of the future, and a motley assortment of criminals in order to return home safely.
F BLO	London Calling (age 12+) by Edward Bloor war ... historical ... science fiction ... adventure ... action Martin Conway comes from a family filled with heroes and disgraces. His grandfather was a statesman who worked at the US Embassy in London during WWII. His father is an alcoholic who left his family. His sister is an overachieving Ivy League graduate. And Martin? Martin is stuck in between--floundering. But during the summer after 7th grade, Martin meets a boy who will change his life forever. Jimmy Harker appears one night with a deceptively simple question: Will you help? Where did this boy come from, with his strange accent and urgent request? Is he a dream? It's the most vivid dream Martin's ever had. And he meets Jimmy again and again--but how can his dreams be set in London during the Blitz? The people and the scenes Martin witnesses have a profound effect on him. And he begins to believe that maybe he can help Jimmy. Or maybe that he must help Jimmy, precisely because all logic and reason argue against it. This is a truly remarkable and deeply affecting novel about fathers and sons, heroes and scapegoats. About finding a way to live with faith and honor and integrity. And about having an answer to the question: What did you do to help?
F COL	La Ultima Oportunidad (age 12+) by Eoin Colfer adventure ... action ... humor ... growing up Meg Finn is in trouble, unearthly trouble. Cast out of her home by her stepfather after her mother's death, Meg is a wanderer, a troublemaker. But after her latest stunt, finding a place to sleep is the least of her worries. Belch, her partner in crime, has gotten her involved in the attempted robbery of an elderly man, Lowrie McCall. And things go horribly wrong. After an accidental explosion, Meg's spirit is flung into limbo, and a race begins between the demonic and the divine to win her soul. Irreverent, hilarious, and touchingly hopeful, The Wish List takes readers on a journey of second chances, where joy is found in the most unexpected places.
F COL	The Wish List (age 12+) by Eoin Colfer adventure ... action ... humor ... growing up Meg Finn is in trouble, unearthly trouble. Cast out of her home by her stepfather after her mother's death, Meg is a wanderer, a troublemaker. But after her latest stunt, finding a place to sleep is the least of her worries. Belch, her partner in crime, has gotten her involved in the attempted robbery of an elderly man, Lowrie McCall. And things go horribly wrong. After an accidental explosion, Meg's spirit is flung into limbo, and a race begins between the demonic and the divine to win her soul. Irreverent, hilarious, and touchingly hopeful, The Wish List takes readers on a journey of second chances, where joy is found in the most unexpected places.
F COL	Airman (age 12+) by Eoin Colfer historical ... adventure ... action ... brilliant protagonist ... math/science/technology Airman is set in the 1890's on the sovereign Saltee Islands, off the Irish coast. It is the story of Conor Broekhart, a young Saltee Islander whose father, Declan, is the King's bodyguard. When Conor discovers that the power hungry Marshall Hugo Bonvilain is organizing a military coup, the king is murdered and Conor is blamed for the crime and thrown into prison. In prison, Conor passes the solitary months by scratching designs for flying machines into the walls. This has always been his dream, to win the race for flight. After two years, Conor now sixteen, plans and executes a daring escape to the mainland. Initially he plans to return home, but realizes that this would put his entire family in danger, so instead he builds a glider to fly to the prison island and reclaim the diamonds he buried there from the prison mine. Eight bags of diamonds, means eight trips. Conor' s father is beginning to question Bonvilain's rule, and so the marshall decides to use his son to blackmail him. This is when he realizes that Conor has escaped. He also finds Conor's drawings and realizes that he is the mysterious Airman who has been flying around the prison island. Bonvilain arrests Conor's whole family to trap him. To save them, Conor will have to build the flying machine that he has been dreaming of all these years.
F OPP	Airborn (age 12+) by Kenneth Oppel action ... adventure ... fantasy Sailing toward dawn, and I was perched atop the crow's nest, being the ship's eyes. We were two nights out of Sydney, and there'd been no weather to speak of so far. I was keeping watch on a dark stack of nimbus clouds off to the northwest, but we were leaving it far behind, and it looked to be smooth going all the way back to Lionsgate City. Like riding a cloud. . . . Matt Cruse is a cabin boy on the Aurora, a huge airship that sails hundreds of feet above the ocean, ferrying wealthy passengers from city to city. It is the life Matt's always wanted; convinced he's lighter than air, he imagines himself as buoyant as the hydrium gas that powers his ship. One night he meets a dying balloonist who speaks of beautiful creatures drifting through the skies. It is only after Matt meets the balloonist's granddaughter that he realizes that the man's ravings may, in fact, have been true, and that the creatures are completely real and utterly mysterious. sequel: Skybreaker sequel: Starclimber
F WOL	New Found Land: Lewis and Clark's Voyage of Discovery: a Novel (age 12+) by Allan Wolf adventure ... historical Follow Lewis and Clark and their crew on a perilous trek through the uncharted West in this extraordinary novel. Two hundred years ago, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark launched their wooden boats up the Missouri River in search of the illusory Northwest Passage, a journey that would capture the American imagination and help forge a young nation's identity. Allan Wolf tells the story of this extraordinary voyage through the eyes of not only the famed pair but also several members of their self-named Corps of Discovery. Here, in powerful, lyrical language, is a medley of voices from a surprisingly diverse crew: from the one-eyed French Indian fiddler who pilots the boats to Clark's African American slave, from the young Shoshone woman who has a baby en route to Lewis's Newfoundland dog, a seer whose narrative resonates long after the book is closed.
F STR	The Bartimaeus Trilogy (age 12+) by Jonathan Stroud humor ... adventure ... action ... fantasy ... magic Nathaniel is a young magician's apprentice, taking his first lessons in the arts of magic. But when a devious hotshot wizard named Simon Lovelace ruthlessly humiliates Nathaniel in front of everyone he knows, Nathaniel decides to kick up his education a few notches and show Lovelace who's boss. With revenge in his mind, he masters one of the toughest spells of all: summoning the all-powerful djinni, Bartimaeus. But summoning Bartimaeus and controlling him are two different things entirely, and when Nathaniel sends the djinni out to steal the powerful Amulet of Samarkand, Nathaniel finds himself caught up in a whirlwind of magical espionage, murder, blackmail, and revolt. title: The Amulet of Samarkand title: The Golems Eye title: Ptolemy's Gate
F STO	Five Ancestors Series (age 12+) by Jeff Stone identity ... adventure ... action ... historical Twelve-year-old Fu and his temple brothers Malao, Seh, Hok, and Long don’t know who their parents were. Raised from infancy by their grandmaster, they think of their temple as their home and their fellow warrior monks as their family. Then one terrible night, the temple is destroyed by an army led by a former monk named Ying, whose heart is bent on revenge. Fu and his brothers are the only survivors. Charged by their grandmaster to uncover the secrets of their past, the five flee into the countryside and go their separate ways. Somehow, Grandmaster has promised, their pasts are connected to Ying’s. Understanding that the past is the key to shaping the future, the first book in the series follows Fu as he struggles to find out more and prove himself in the process. Fu’s name literally means “tiger,” for he is the youngest-ever master of the fierce fighting style modeled after that animal. title: Tiger title: Monkey title: Snake title: Crane title: Eagle title: Mouse title: Dragon
F SMI	Peak (age 12+) by Roland Smith family ... adventure ... action ... growing up ... survival After Peak Marcello is arrested for scaling a New York City skyscraper, he's left with two choices: wither away in Juvenile Detention or go live with his long-lost father, who runs a climbing company in Thailand. But Peak quickly learns that his father's renewed interest in him has strings attached. Big strings. He wants Peak to be the youngest person to reach the Everest summit--and his motives are selfish at best. Even so, for a climbing addict like Peak, tackling Everest is the challenge of a lifetime. But it's also one that could cost him his life. Roland Smith has created an action-packed adventure about friendship, sacrifice, family, and the drive to take on Everest, despite the incredible risk.
F GRA	The Puppet Wrangler (age 12+) by Vicki Grant adventure ... fantasy ... the arts He was supposed to say, "You're my Bitsiest bestiest friend", but every time he got to that "bestiest" part, his mouth jammed open and his little pink tongue slipped out the side. He looked so human I couldn't believe it. It was like he was gagging on it or something. Telly Mercher is shy and quiet, used to living in the shadow of her older sister, Bess. Then she finds herself on the set of a puppet show, staying out of the way of her overstressed aunt Kathleen. One evening she makes a surprising discovery that launches her on an adventure with an unpredictable and angry puppet.
F GAL	The Legend of the Wandering King (age 12+) by Laura GallegoGarcia fantasy ... identity ... adventure Walid was a model prince: handsome, intelligent, skilled in the arts of warfare and poetry. But the kingdom boasted one greater poet than he, and out of jealousy Walid cursed the man to create an impossible work of art: a carpet showing the history of the entire human race. The poet died weaving it. Men went mad seeing it. And when it is stolen, Walid discovers his life's quest: to recover the carpet and earn forgiveness for his mistakes. Inspired by the story of a real king of pre-Muslim Arabia, Legend is a magical fantasy, a meditation on destiny, and an utterly thrilling adventure.
F CHR	The Tripods Series (age 12+) by John Christopher adventure ... action ... science fiction Young Will Parker and his companions make a perilous journey toward an outpost of freedom where they hope to escape from the ruling Tripods, who capture mature human beings and make them docile, obedient servants. title: The White Mountains title: The City of Gold and Lead title: The Pool of Fire title: When the Tripods Came
F LOW	Taking Care of Terrific (age 12+) by Lois Lowry humor ... adventure Taking her overprotected young charge to the public park to broaden his horizons, fourteen-year-old baby sitter Enid enjoys unexpected friendships with a black saxophonist and a bag lady until she is charged with kidnapping.
F DUM	The Count of Monte Cristo (age 12+) by Alexandre Dumas historical ... adventure Edmund Dantes, unjustly convicted of aiding the exiled Napoleon, escapes after fourteen years imprisonment and seeks his revenge in Paris.
F DUM	The Three Musketeers (age 12+) by Alexandre Dumas adventure ... historical In seventeenth-century France, young D'Artagnan initially quarrels with, then befriends, three musketeers and joins them in trying to outwit the enemies of the king and queen.
F LON	The Call of the Wild (age 12+) by Jack London historical ... adventure ... nature ... animals The Call of the Wild centers on Buck, a dog bred for a life of ease on a California estate, who is kidnapped and sold to Klondike gold hunters. To survive the biting cold and his ruthless masters, Buck must listen to the Call and learn the ways of his wolf-ancestors who guide him from within.
F LON	White Fang (age 12+) by Jack London adventure ... nature ... animals White Fang tells the story of a half-wolf, half-dog nearly destroyed by the vicious cruelty of mankind. Brought to the very brink of his existence, White Fang is lucky enough to experience the one thing that can save him ... human love. Slowly, the ferocious White Fang grows into a creature capable of bravery, loyalty, and affection.
F YEP	Dragon of the Lost Sea (age 12+) by Laurence Yep princesses ... knights/castles/dragons ... adventure ... fantasy ... folklore The exiled dragon princess Shimmer and a frail human boy, Thorn, search for the powerful witch Civet, who stole the Dragon Clan's sea and captured it in a pebble. sequel: Dragon Steel sequel: Dragon Cauldron sequel: Dragon War
F PUL	His Dark Materials (age 12+) by Philip Pullman growing up ... spooky ... action ... adventure ... fantasy Lyra Belaqua is content to run wild among the scholars of Jordan College, with her daemon familiar Pantalaimon always by her side. But the arrival of her fearsome uncle, Lord Asriel, draws her to the heart of a terrible struggle ... a struggle born of Gobblers and stolen children, witch clans and armored bears. And as she hurtles toward danger in the cold, far North, young Lyra never suspects the shocking truth: She alone is destined to win, or to lose, this more-than-mortal battle. title: The Golden Compass title: The Subtle Knife title: The Amber Spyglass title: Once Upon a Time in the North
F O'D	The Black Pearl (age 12+) by Scott O'Dell nature ... spooky ... adventure From the depths of a cave in the Vermilion Sea, Ramon Salazar has wrested a black pearl so lustrous and captivating that his father, an expert pearl dealer, is certain Ramon has found the legendary Pearl of Heaven. Such a treasure is sure to bring great joy to the villagers of their tiny coastal town, and even greater renown to the Salazar name. No diver, not even the swaggering Gaspar Ruiz, has ever found a pearl like this! But is there a price to pay for a prize so great? When a terrible tragedy strikes the village, old Luzons warning about El Diablo returns to haunt Ramon. If El Diablo actually exists, it will take all Ramons courage to face the winged creature waiting for him offshore.
F ADA	Watership Down (age 12+) by Richard Adams voyages/journeys ... survival ... adventure This stirring tale of adventure follows the journey of a group of brave creatures from their once-idyllic home to a place they hope will offer them a safer life.
F PAU	Hatchet (age 12+) by Gary Paulsen growing up ... survival ... adventure Thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson is on his way to visit his father when the single engine plane in which he is flying crashes. Suddenly, Brian finds himself alone in the Canadian wilderness with nothing but his clothing, a tattered windbreaker, and the hatchet his mother has given him as a present � and the dreadful secret that has been tearing him apart ever since his parents' divorce. But now Brian has no time for anger, self-pity, or despair � it will take all his know-how and determination, and more courage than he knew he possessed, to survive. sequel: The River sequel: Brian's Winter sequel: Brian's Return sequel: Brian's Hunt
F ALE	The Westmark Trilogy (age 12+) by Lloyd Alexander adventure ... fantasy A boy fleeing from criminal charges falls in with a charlatan, his dwarf attendant, and an urchin girl, travels with them about the kingdom of Westmark, and ultimately arrives at the palace where the king is grieving over the loss of his daughter. title: Westmark title: The Kestrel title: The Beggar Queen

Sat Aug 25 11:55:25 2012 Other themes and genres