UPD |
Johnny Swanson
(age 8-11) by Eleanor Updale adventure ... historical ... enterprise ... mystery Publisher comments: The secret to instant height? Stand on a box. Want to make your money go further? Roll it down a hill. The answer to smelly feet? Wear a clothes pin on your nose. Eleven-year-old Johnny Swanson is in business. He's raking in the money with his advertising scams and his advice columnist persona, who offers advice on absolutely anything in return for a shilling. But his money-making schemes are getting him in too deep with the wrong kinds of people. Everything is spiralling out of control, and now his own mother is in mortal danger. There's only one thing to be done: Johnny must assume another role as undercover detective! |
URS |
Breakcrumbs
(age 8-11) by Anne Ursu adventure ... fantasy ... folklore Publisher comments: Once upon a time, Hazel and Jack were best friends. But that was before he stopped talking to her and disappeared into a forest with a mysterious woman made of ice. Now it's up to Hazel to go in after him. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen," Breadcrumbs is a story of the struggle to hold on, and the things we leave behind. |
WAR |
Between Two Ends
(age 8-11) by David Ward authorship ... adventure ... fantasy Publisher comments: When Yeats and his parents visit his grandmother's creepy old house, Yeats reunites a pair of pirate bookends and uncovers the amazing truth: Years ago, Yeats's father traveled into The Arabian Nights with a friend, and the friend, Shari, is still stuck in the tales. Assisted by the not-always-trustworthy pirates, Yeats must navigate the unfamiliar world of the story of Shaharazad--dodging guards and tigers and the dangerous things that lurk in the margins of the stories--in order to save Shari and bring peace to his family. |
EPS |
The Familiars (age 8-11) by Adam Jay Epstein animals ... adventure ... fantasy ... magic Publisher comments: When Aldwyn, a young alley cat on the run, ducks into a mysterious pet shop, he doesn't expect his life to change. But that's exactly what happens when Jack, a young wizard, picks Aldwyn to be his magical familiar. Finally off the tough streets, Aldwyn thinks he's got it made. He just has to convince the other familiars—the know-it-all blue jay Skylar and the friendly tree frog Gilbert—that he's the telekinetic cat he claims to be. But when Jack and two other wizards in training are captured by a terrible evil, it will take all of Aldwyn's street smarts, a few good friends, and a nose for adventure to save the day! title: The Familiars title: Secrets of the Crown title: Circle of Heroes |
COR |
The Last Newspaper Boy in America
(age 8-11) by Sue Corbett adventure ... enterprise ... humor Publisher comments: Big Heart + Big Brain = Funny, Feel Good Fiction Wilas sidearm throw can land a paper on your porch from twenty yards out. But he doesn't know if he'll be able to put his unusual talent to use because the big newspaper company has canceled delivery to Wilas small town. Well, that was the paper's first mistake. Underestimating Wil was the second. With physics, his clueless brother, and a neighbor girl on his side, Wil fights to save his route. Along the way he just might unravel a carnival mystery, expose a con artist, rescue his little town, and become a big hero. |
CHE |
Saxby Smart, Private Detective Series (age 8-11) by Simon Cheshire adventure ... mystery Publisher comments: Saxby Smart is no ordinary ten-year-old. He's the best detective in the world, or at least the best one who also happens to be in elementary school. With the help of his Thinking Chair and his two best friends, Saxby proves that age makes no difference when it comes to saving the day. title: The Pirate's Blood and Other Case Files title: The Curse of the Ancient Mask and Other Case Files title: The Treasure of Dead Man's Lane and Other Case Files |
CAL |
Will at the Battle of Gettysburg, 1863
(age 8-11) by Laurie Calkhoven adventure ... war ... historical Publisher comments: Twelve-year-old Will wants to be a drummer in the Union army, but he's stuck far from the fighting in his sleepy hometown of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Then the Union and Confederate armies converge on Gettysburg, and suddenly Will and his family are caught up in the battle. |
BOR |
The Greatest Skating Race: a World War II Story From the Netherlands
(age 8-11) by Louise Borden adventure ... war ... survival ... sports ... historical Publisher comments: "You're a strong skater, Piet, and you have a quick mind. This is why I know you'll succeed in this important task. I wouldn't ask you to do this if I didn't know it could be done." In 1941 Piet, a young Dutch boy from Sluis, gets the assignment of a lifetime: He must skate along the frozen canals of the Netherlands and across the Belgian border, in order to guide two neighborhood children to their aunt's house in Brugge, where the children will remain for the duration of World War II. Their father has been taken by German soldiers, and the children are no longer safe in Sluis -- but the journey with Piet, past soldiers and enemies, is fraught with danger. Along the treacherous path to Belgium the three children skate using every bit of speed, courage, and strength they can muster. All the time they try to appear like innocent schoolchildren simply out for a skate, for if the German soldiers discover their escape plan, the children will be in grave trouble. During the journey Piet thinks about his hero, Pim Mulier -- the first person to ever skate the Elfstedentocht, the famous and prestigious Eleven Towns Race that takes place in his country. For years Piet has dreamed of proving that he is a skater as brave and strong as Pim Mulier -- but he had never imagined that his test would fall under such dangerous circumstances. |
ORR |
Rainbow Street Shelter Series (age 8-11) by Wendy Orr realistic ... adventure ... animals Publisher comments: Logan is moving from the farm to the city. He'll miss all the things he's leaving behind, but at least he has Bear. He loves Bear more than anything else in the world, because Bear is his dog. Hannah lives in the city. What she wants, more than anything else in the world, is a dog of her own. At the Rainbow Street Shelter, Logan and Hannah find a talking parrot, an old black Labrador, a three-legged goat, a puppy that looks like a peanut, and a Surprise that just might be the best thing in the world. title: Lost! a Dog Called Bear |
PEC |
Secrets at Sea
(age 8-11) by Richard Peck fantasy ... adventure ... humor Publisher comments: In the beloved tradition of The Borrowers, The Tale of Desperaux, and The Cricket in Times Square, here is an irresistible adventure story of the tiny individuals who secretly live among us humans. Helena is the oldest of four mouse siblings who live in the walls of the Cranston estate. It is 1887 when the nouveau riche Cranstons decide to take a cruise ship to England in search of a husband for their awkward older daughter. The Cranston mice stow away in the luggage . . . and so begins the time of their lives, as they meet intriguing, cosmopolitan mice onboard and take it upon themselves to help the human Cranston daughters find love. They might just find perfect futures for themselves as well! |
SLO |
C.O.L.A.R.: a Tale of Outer Space
(age 8-11) by Alfred Slote adventure ... science fiction Catalog: Stranded on an unknown planet when their spaceship runs out of fuel, the Jameson family must rely on their robot to save their lives. |
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. |
GAI |
Odd and the Frost Giants
(age 8-11) by Neil Gaiman magic ... adventure ... folklore ... traditions Publisher comments: In this inventive, short, yet perfectly formed novel inspired by traditional Norse mythology, Neil Gaiman takes readers on a wild and magical trip to the land of giants and gods and back. In a village in ancient Norway lives a boy named Odd, and he's had some very bad luck: His father perished in a Viking expedition; a tree fell on and shattered his leg; the endless freezing winter is making villagers dangerously grumpy. Out in the forest Odd encounters a bear, a fox, and an eagle—three creatures with a strange story to tell. Now Odd is forced on a stranger journey than he had imagined—a journey to save Asgard, city of the gods, from the Frost Giants who have invaded it. |
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 on a Dig title: Miss Pickerell Goes to Mars title: Miss Pickerell Meets Mr. Hum title: Miss Pickerell and the Geiger Counter title: Miss Pickerell on the Moon title: Miss Pickerell on the Trail title: Miss Pickerell Tackles the Energy Crisis title: Miss Pickerell to the Earthquake Rescue |
GRE |
Secrets of Dripping Fang Series (age 8-11) by Dan Greenburg humor ... adventure ... spooky Publisher comments: Nobody wants to adopt the Shluffmuffin twins. Wally's feet stink something awful, and Cheyenne is allergic to everything. Then why are the Mandible sisters so eager to take them home? And what sort of old maids would choose to live in a place called Dripping Fang Forest, where zombies wander the woods singing "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and ten-foot-long glowing slugs want to suck the feet right off your ankles? Would it seem ungrateful of Wally to point out the Mandible sisters' extra arms? Or to question their all-chocolate, all-the-time menu? Or, um, to venture into the cellar, where the twins have been told to NEVER, EVER, EVER go? Yeah, perhaps that last bit was a mistake. Now there's nothing left for the Shluffmuffins to do but run--run for their lives! title: The Onts title: Treachery and Betrayal at Jolly Days title: The Vampire's Curse title: Fall of the House of Mandible title: The Shluffmuffin Boy Is History title: Attack of the Giant Octopus title: Please Don't Eat the Children title: When Bad Snakes Attack Good Children |
KOR |
I Want to Go Home!
(age 8-11) by Gordon Korman adventure ... humor Summer camp is nothing like Rudy Miller imagines. |
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 |
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. |
EDW |
The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles
(age 8-11) by Julie Andrews Edwards adventure ... humor ... magic ... fantasy Publisher comments: The Whangdoodle was once the wisest, the kindest, and the most extraordinary creature in the world. Then he disappeared and created a wonderful land for himself and all the other remarkable animals — the ten-legged Sidewinders, the little furry Flukes, the friendly Whiffle Bird, and the treacherous, "oily" Prock. It was an almost perfect place where the last of the really great Whangdoodles could rule his kingdom with "peace, love and a sense of fun" — apart from and forgotten by people. But not completely forgotten. Professor Savant believed in the Whangdoodle. And when he told the three Potter children of his search for the spectacular creature, Lindy, Tom, and Ben were eager to reach Whangdoodleland. With the Professor's help, they discovered the secret way. But waiting for them was the scheming Prock, who would use almost any means to keep them away from his beloved king. Only by skill and determination were the four travelers able to discover the last of the really great Whangdoodles and grant him his heart's desire. |
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's Secret Code title: Alvin's Swap Shop title: Alvin Fernald, Superweasel title: Alvin Fernald, Mayor for a Day title: The Wacky World of Alvin Fernald title: Alvin Fernald, TV Anchorman title: The Marvelous Inventions of Alvin Fernald |
CRE |
Time Out
(age 8-11) by Helen Cresswell science fiction ... adventure ... magic Twelve-year-old Tweeny and her parents, servants in a London house in 1887, use a book of magic spells to travel forward in time 100 years and find the England of 1987 to be an astonishing place. |
VAN |
The Great Googlestein Museum Mystery
(age 8-11) by Jean Van Leeuwen humor ... adventure ... the arts Three adventurous mice escape from their home at Macy's department store and spend an exciting week in the Guggenheim Museum, creating a sensation in the art world. |
VAN |
The Great Christmas Kidnapping Caper
(age 8-11) by Jean Van Leeuwen traditions ... adventure ... humor In comfortable residence at Macy's during the Christmas season, Merciless Marvin the Magnificent and his gang are convinced that the store's Santa Claus has been kidnapped and determine to save him. |
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, Invisible Boy title: Danny Dunn, Scientific Detective title: Danny Dunn, Time Traveler title: Danny Dunn and the Anti-Gravity Paint title: Danny Dunn and the Automatic House title: Danny Dunn and the Heat Ray title: Danny Dunn and the Homework Machine title: Danny Dunn and the Smallifying Machine title: Danny Dunn and the Swamp Monster title: Danny Dunn and the Universal Glue title: Danny Dunn and the Voice From Space title: Danny Dunn and the Weather Machine title: Danny Dunn on the Ocean Floor |
SLO |
My Trip to Alpha I
(age 8-11) by Alfred Slote adventure ... science fiction Catalog: Voya-code is the most sophisticated form of interplanetary travel but a young boy finds out it is not without dangers. |
SLO |
The Space Ship Returns to the Apple Tree
(age 8-11) by Louis Slobodkin adventure ... science fiction Catalog: Eddie and his three-foot friend from the planet Martinea are back together for another summer of adventure. |
SLO |
The Three-Seated Space Ship
(age 8-11) by Louis Slobodkin adventure ... science fiction Catalog: When the departure of their plane from New York to Albany is delayed for an hour and a half, a little boy, his grandmother, and his friend from outer space use the time to take a quick trip to London in the friend's space ship. |
SLO |
My Robot Buddy
(age 8-11) by Alfred Slote adventure ... friendship ... science fiction Jack asked for a robot for his birthday, and his robot buddy, Danny One, brings more surprises than Jack could have wished for. sequel: The Trouble on Janus |
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 |
BUS |
Circus of the Wolves
(age 8-11) by Jack Bushnell adventure ... nature ... animals Kael, a black timber wolf, is captured and performs for a circus, until he has the opportunity to escape. |
BAN |
The Adventures of King Midas
(age 8-11) by Lynne Reid Banks adventure ... humor ... folklore ... magic King Midas' obsession with gold takes some unexpected turns in this fun retelling of the classic Greek myth. |
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. |
APP |
Terror on the Moons of Jupiter
(age 8-11) by Victor Appleton adventure ... science fiction Tom Swift and his friends Ben and Anita travel with their new robot, Aristotle, to the moons of Jupiter where they encounter a sinister rival. |
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: Stinky and Successful: The Riot Brothers Never Strop title: Take the Mummy and Run: The Riot Brothers Are on a Roll |
AVI |
A Beginning, a Muddle, and an End: The Right Way to Write Writing
(age 8-11) by Avi adventure ... voyages/journeys ... authorship Avon the snail and Edward the ant are back for another funny--and philosophical--adventure. This time, Avon has decided he wants to be a writer, only to discover that writing is way more difficult than he ever imagined. He finally gets the word Something written down, but there's a problem: What to write next? Luckily, his friend Edward is there to advise. Brimming with wit, wisdom, and humor, this warm and winning tale of two friends on a quest will be enjoyed by readers (and writers) of all ages. |
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. |
BAU |
A Bear Named Trouble
(age 8-11) by Marion Dane Bauer adventure ... family ... animals ... nature Based on a true story, this novel is the story of a young boy in Alaska who sets out to get even with the wily bear cub that has accidentally killed the boy's favorite animal. |
BAR |
The Never Land Series (age 8-11) by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson princesses ... war ... adventure ... magic ... humor Little Scallop should be happy. She's a princess of the Mollusk tribe, rulers of beautiful Mollusk Island. And she has two fun friends, Aqua and Surf, who just happen to be mermaids. But Little Scallop is bored. Her warrior brothers are allowed to do exciting things, and Little Scallop longs to have a real adventure, too. So late one night, she sneaks off into forbidden waters with Aqua and Surf. That's when the trouble starts. The question is: can she and her friends get out of it? title: Escape From the Carnivale: a Never Land Book title: Cave of the Dark Wind: a Never Land Book title: The Bridge to Never Land |
FER |
Born to Fly
(age 8-11) by Michael Ferrari adventure ... identity ... historical Publisher comments: Born to Fly tells the story of eleven-year-old tomboy Bird McGill. Ever since she can remember, Bird has loved flying in small propeller airplanes with her mechanic dad. When the local airstrip is turned into a military flight school, Bird is in heaven. But when a young Japanese American student named Kenji Fujita joins Birds class, the entire school seems to be convinced that hes a spy, or at the very least, that he and his uncle want the Japanese to win. Bird is wary of Kenji, not just because hes Japanese, but because he steals her flight-related topic for a school report and leaves her to write about the deadly boring local marsh weed. But on Birds first trip to the marsh, she and Kenji accidentally discover real spy activity in the area. Bird realizes that Kenji is actually a stand-up guy and she and Kenji begin an adventure that will shake the town and may even change the future of the United States. |
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. |
BLE |
Tracks in the Snow
(age 8-11) by Lucy Jane Bledsoe adventure ... survival Catalog: Erin and her science project partner Tiffany become lost in the snow-covered Sierra mountains when Erin leads them on a trek to find her missing babysitter. |
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. |
BLU |
Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters
(age 8-11) by Lesley M. M. Blume adventure ... authorship ... friendship Publisher comments: Eleven-year-old Cornelia is the daughter of two world-famous pianists, a legacy that should feel fabulous, but instead feels just plain lonely. She surrounds herself with dictionaries and other books to isolate herself from the outside world. But when a glamorous neighbor named Virginia Somerset moves next door with her servant Patel and a mischievous French bulldog named Mister Kinyatta, Cornelia discovers that the world is a much more exciting place than she had originally thought. |
KLI |
The Dragon Keepers Series (age 8-11) by Kate Klimo humor ... adventure ... fantasy Publisher comments: Ten-year-old cousins Jesse and Daisy have always wanted something magical to happen to them. So it's a wish come true when Jesse's newly found thunder egg hatches and a helpless, tiny, but very loud, baby dragon pops out. Soon the two kids are at the dragon's beck and call, trying to figure out what to feed her. An Internet search leads them to the library, which leads them back to the Internet, where they find a very strange Web site called foundadragon.org. Here the cousins discover that the dragon's hatching has designated them "Dragon Keepers." Not only do they have to feed the dragon, whom they named Emmy, but they also have to keep her safe from the villainous Saint George, who has kept himself alive over centuries by drinking dragons' blood! title: The Dragon in the Sock Drawer title: The Dragon in the Driveway title: The Dragon in the Library title: The Dragon in the Volcano |
GRA |
Adventures With the Parkers Series (age 8-11) by Mike Graf nature ... adventure Twin brother and sister, James and Morgan, embark on adventures with their parents to explore the history, unusual geology, famous sites, plants, and animals of our National Parks. title: Yosemite: Harrowing Ascent of Half Dome title: Yellowstone: Eye of the Grizzly |
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 |
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. |
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. |
PET |
The First and Final Voyage: The Sinking of the Titanic
(age 8-11) by Stephanie True Peters voyages/journeys ... historical ... adventure On April 10, 1912, fourteen-year-old Christopher Watkins boards the Titanic with his family. While sailing across the Atlantic, the giant ship strikes an iceberg and begins to sink Christopher must quickly find a way to save his family. |
PRI |
The Secret Order of the Gumm Street Girls
(age 8-11) by Elise Primavera adventure ... magic ... fantasy Franny longs for adventure but can't even do a cartwheel. Pru can do a cartwheel but prefers hiding under her quilt, making up safety tips. Cat has no use for safety tips but supposedly has ESP. And Ivy has had a seven-year string of bad luck, a Jinx that's about to get a whole lot worse. They have nothing in common except for the name of their street. And the fact that they dislike one another. A lot. The four are thrown together when a pair of mysterious ruby-red slippers turns up . . . along with the fashionably mad Cha Cha Staccato, who bears a frightening resemblance to a certain wicked witch. . . . |
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! |
STI |
The Goodbumps Series (age 8-11) by R. L. Stine spooky ... adventure Spooky, scary adventures, sure to amuse you. title: The Scream of the Haunted Mask title: The Knight in Screaming Armor |
TRI |
Chicken Little: The Junior Novelization
(age 8-11) by Irene Trimble adventure ... humor The sky is falling again, but Chicken Little puts aside his past humiliation, gathers up his trusting friends, and faces the new threat head-on. |
BLY |
Famous Five Series (age 8-11) by Enid Blyton adventure ... mystery In the very first Famous Five adventure, featuring Julian, Dick, Anne, not forgetting tomboy George and her beloved dog, Timmy! There's a shipwreck off Kirrin Island! But where is the treasure? The Famous Five are on the trail - looking for clues - but they're not alone! Someone else has got the same idea. Time is running out for the Famous Five, who will follow the clues and get to the treasure first? Each adventure takes the Famous Five to new places, chasing new mysteries. title: Five Guard a Hidden Discovery title: Five Run Away Together the Third Story of the Adventures of the Four Children and Their Dog title: Five on a Secret Trail title: Five on a Hike Together title: Five Go to Mystery Moor title: Five Go off to Camp title: Five Fall into Adventure title: Five Caught in a Trecherous Plot |
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. |
FLE |
Jingo Django
(age 8-11) by Sid Fleischman adventure ... humor An orphan boy resolves to follow a treasure map he finds inscribed on a whale's tooth. |
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. |
HOO |
The Sign Painter's Secret: The Story of a Revolutionary Girl
(age 8-11) by Dorothy Hoobler adventure ... historical When the Redcoats occupy her house in Philadelphia, young Annie MacDougal finds a way to help General Washington's troops at Valley Forge. |
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? |
COT |
Millions
(age 8-11) by Frank CottrellBoyce enterprise ... adventure ... humor It was a one-in-a-million chance. A bag crammed with cash comes tumbling out of the air and lands right at Damian's feet. Suddenly the Cunningham brothers are rich. Very rich. They can buy anything they want. There's just one problem: they have only seventeen days to spend all the money before it becomes worthless. And the crooks who stole the cash in the first place are closing in, fast. A funny, brilliantly clever and utterly thrilling novel that is, quite simply, unforgettable. |
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. |
ENR |
Gone-Away Lake
(age 8-11) by Elizabeth Enright spooky ... adventure Summer has a magic all its own when Portia and her cousin Julian discover adventure in a hidden colony of forgotten summer houses on the shores of a swampy lake. sequel: Return to Gone-Away |
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. |
WEA |
Barkbelly
(age 8-11) by Cat Weatherill fantasy ... adventure ... family ... identity One silver-starry night, a shiny, wooden egg falls from a flying machine high in the air . . . down, down, down through the midnight sky . . . down to the small village of Pumbleditch, where Barkbelly is born. Where he's the only wooden boy. And where he's the cause of a tragic accident. Suddenly, Barkbelly's only choice is to flee for his life--to run. As he tries to escape his haunting past, he faces extraordinary adventures and dangers. Every wooden step leads Barkbelly toward the dark and startling truth about where he comes from and the burning question of where he really belongs. sequel: Snowbone |
WAL |
The Legend of Thunderfoot
(age 8-11) by Bill Wallace adventure ... nature The day of the Naming is an important one for young roadrunners. That's when roadrunner parents judge the speed, courage, and hunting skill of their offspring and choose fitting names for them. One proud fledgling dreams of being named Muscles, or Dash, or even Hunter. If only he hadn't pursued those three juicy grasshoppers for a final snack. If only he'd remembered his parents' lesson: "Always look before you leap." If only he'd paid more attention to the mouse family that had lost two children to a nearby snake. If only the rattler had given some warning before it struck.... Miraculously, the young roadrunner survives the attack, but not without damage. With their son's feet swollen to such an enormous size, his parents have no choice but to give him the humiliating name of Thunderfoot. It's enough to make a roadrunner wallow in self-pity and give up. But the only thing bigger than Thunderfoot's feet is his heart, and with some not always gentle goading from a wise old gopher tortoise named Berland, he finds the courage to go forward and seek his destiny, and to become the stuff of legends. |
UMA |
Solomon Snow and the Stolen Jewel
(age 8-11) by Kaye Umansky identity ... adventure ... humor Solomon Snow and his stalwart friends return in a mock-Victorian extravaganza! In their second adventure, the intrepid trio becomes ensnared in a plot to steal a priceless ruby. But what do a stubborn donkey, a shady dwarf, and Mr. Skippy the rabbit have to do with it all? |
UMA |
Solomon Snow and the Silver Spoon
(age 8-11) by Kaye Umansky identity ... adventure ... humor Prepare, dear reader, for the tale of Solomon Snow, his bossy friend Prudence, and the insufferable Infant Prodigy as they set out in search of Solly's rightful inheritance, despite some woeful misadventures along the way. |
THO |
Dragon's Egg
(age 8-11) by Sarah Thomson adventure ... fantasy ... voyages/journeys ... knights/castles/dragons It is a rare talent, and only she can care for the Inn's herd. She feeds them, gathers their eggs, and tends to their injuries. But Mella dreams about the dragons of legend, even though hardly anyone believes they still exist. Dragons are small farm animals, not huge fire-breathing monsters. Everyone knows that. Until one day changes everything. A Knight of the Order of Defenders arrives at the Inn. Signs of the mythical dragons have led him there, he says. Then a simple errand takes Mella through the forest, where she stumbles across a dragon's egg...and faces the true, terrifying dragon guarding it. On the spot, Mella vows to get the egg safely to the fabled Hatching Grounds. She must leave her home for the first time, and she finds an unlikely companion in the Defender's squire, Roger. For Mella and Roger, this one day is the beginning of an adventure. Where will it take them? |
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: Fergus Crane 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 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. |
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 |
SAN |
Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians
(age 8-11) by Brandon Sanderson adventure ... fantasy ... humor A hero with an incredible talent...for breaking things. A life-or-death mission...to rescue a bag of sand. A fearsome threat from a powerful secret network...the evil Librarians. Alcatraz Smedry doesn't seem destined for anything but disaster. On his 13th birthday he receives a bag of sand, which is quickly stolen by the cult of evil Librarians plotting to take over the world. The sand will give the Librarians the edge they need to achieve world domination. Alcatraz must stop them!...by infiltrating the local library, armed with nothing but eyeglasses and a talent for klutziness. sequel: Alcatraz Versus the Scrivener's Bones |
ROG |
The Daring Adventures of Penhaligon Brush
(age 8-11) by S. Jones Rogan princesses ... fantasy ... adventure Penhaligon Brush longs for adventure and finds it aplenty in the seaside village of Porthleven. Within hours of his arrival, he is captured by armed ferrets and thrown into the dungeon of Furball Manor. Happily, he is rescued by friends. Unhappily, they explain that the dastardly wildcat, Sir Derek, and his ferret army plan to sink the ships of the princess of Spatavia that very night Can Penhaligon and his unlikely band of resistors save the princess? Of course they can. |
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 title: Freddy in Peril title: Freddy to the Rescue title: The Haunting of Freddy: Book Four in the Golden Hamster Saga title: Freddy's Final Quest: Book Five in the Golden Hamster Saga |
PRI |
The Lily Quench Series (age 8-11) by Natalie Jane Prior knights/castles/dragons ... adventure ... fantasy As a family of dragon slayers, the Quenches of Ashby have always been burning successes... until the evil Black Count invades, and the family's fortunes go into a downward spiral. Then a dragon unexpectedly arrives and Lily, the last of the Quenches, is called upon to fight it. Soon she finds herself on a desperate, magical quest to save Ashby from destruction and restore the lost heir to his throne.... title: Lily Quench and the Dragon of Ashby title: Lily Quench and the Black Mountains title: Lily Quench and the Treasure of Mote Ely title: Lily Quench and the Lighthouse of Skellig Mor title: Lily Quench and the Magicians Pyramid title: Lily Quench and the Hand of Manuelo title: Lily Quench and the Search for King Dragon |
ORR |
Nim's Island
(age 8-11) by Wendy Orr humor ... friendship ... adventure ... nature ... survival A girl. An iguana. An island. And e-mail. Meet Nim: a modern-day Robinson Crusoe! She can chop down bananas with a machete, climb tall palm trees, and start a fire with a piece of glass. So she's not afraid when her scientist dad sails off to study plankton for three days, leaving her alone on their island. Besides, it's not as if no one's looking after her; she's got a sea lion to mother her and an iguana for comic relief. She also has an interesting new e-mail pal. But when her father's cell-phone calls stop coming and disaster seems near, Nim has to be stronger and braver than she's ever been before. And she'll need all her friends to help her. sequel: Nim at Sea |
MCA |
Digory and the Lost King
(age 8-11) by Angela McAllister fantasy ... humor ... adventure ... knights/castles/dragons King Widget has vanished, and once again Digory must give up his simple life of writing poetry and playing his lute to set off on a quest to find the beloved King. As usual, Digory’s journey is not without hazard, and Digory must find his courage in order to save the day. With some mud-slinging, a short stay in a dungeon, and (of course) dragons, Digory and the Lost King is a delightful companion to Digory the Dragon Slayer. |
MCA |
Digory the Dragon Slayer
(age 8-11) by Angela McAllister fantasy ... humor ... adventure ... knights/castles/dragons Nothing much ever happens to Digory during his walks through the forest. He mostly plays his lute and writes beautiful songs to sing. But one day, he finds a dragon’s tooth and his village assumes he’s slayed a dragon! They immediately make him a knight and send him off in search of other dragons to slay. Will Digory be able to face a snarling dragon but live to be an ordinary boy again? |
LET |
The Misadventures of Benjamin Bartholomew Piff (age 8-11) by Jason Lethcoe adventure ... fantasy ... magic On his eleventh birthday, sad, orphaned Benjamin Bartholomew Piff accidentally adheres to all of the wishing rules - and, in placing his limitless wishes, he unknowingly sets into a motion a chain of events that threatens to disrupt the balance between the magical realm of wishes and curses. Before long, Benjamin has been recruited by the Wishworks Factory to fight the evil henchmen of the Curseworks Factory. In the process, Benjamin will reclaim his original wish, giving new credence to the old adage: "Be careful what you wish for... " title: You Wish title: Wishful Thinking title: Wishing Well title: Wish You Were Here |
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 |
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. sequel: The Prickly Peril |
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. |
JOH |
The Eidolon Chronicles (age 8-11) by Jane Johnson humor ... adventure ... fantasy Ben wants a Mongolian Fighting Fish more than anything. But when he goes to Mr. Dodds's Pet Emporium with his hard-earned savings, he buys a cat instead. He didn't have a choice, really. The cat insisted. Iggy (as the tabby likes to be called) has been kidnapped from his home, a parallel world known as the Secret Country. And as the two soon discover, Iggy is not the only animal to fall victim to the pet-store owner's devious scheme: Mr. Dodds is stealing the Secret Country's magical creatures and selling them to England's rich and curious. Away from their homeland, the imported dragons, wood sprites, unicorns, and saber-toothed tigers are rapidly becoming sick. The welfare of every creature with any connection to the Secret Country is under immediate threat. What's more, it seems Ben's mother is their long-lost queen. With his mother's life hanging in the balance, it's up to Ben to play his part in an ancient prophecy and prove he's worthy of the title Prince of Eidolon. title: The Secret Country title: the Shadow World |
HAM |
Cal and the Amazing Anti-Gravity Machine
(age 8-11) by Richard Hamilton fantasy ... adventure ... science fiction ... humor In this wacky, adventurous chapter book, Cal and his grouchy talking dog, Frankie, discover the joys (and pitfalls) of anti-gravity when they join forces with Cal’s inventive neighbor, Mr. Frout. This hair-raising adventure is a laugh-out-loud romp that lifts one boy’s curiosity about science to a new level! |
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 |
AND |
The Great American Mousical
(age 8-11) by Julie Andrews adventure ... humor ... the arts In the heart of the great metropolis of New York City, the bright lights of Broadway shine. And down, down, down, beneath a theater known as the Sovereign, there sits a long-forgotten architect's model ... the Sovereign's miniature replica. In this secret space, a troupe of theater mice busily prepare to stage their own show, "Broadway Airs." Among the cast and crew are Emil, the director; Harold, the character actor; Adelaide, the diva; and young Pippin, the intern. Rehearsals are in their usual state of chaos when suddenly the production is threatened by the imminent demolition of the theater and the devastating disappearance of Adelaide. As the clock ticks toward opening night, everyone is worried ... will the little Sovereign survive? How can they pull off the most important night in mouse theater without their star? Somehow, the show must go on! |
CHE |
The Magic Series (age 8-11) by Ruth Chew adventure ... magic ... fantasy A great deal of trouble often accompanies a little bit of magic. title: Summer Magic title: The Trouble with Magic title: Last Chance for Magic title: The Magic Cave title: Magic in the Park title: Magic of the Black Mirror 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 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 |
CHI |
Pirate and the Princess (age 8-11) by Mio Chizuru princesses ... adventure Neither Yuri, captain of the pirate ship Eurastia, nor ten-year-old Princess Noelle can return to her home until Yuri defeats the sinister forces that she has accidentally set in motion and Noelle finds her kidnapped brother. Manga-inspired art makes this story even more gripping. title: The Timelight Stone title: The Sea Dragon's Tears |
CAR |
Little Fur Series (age 8-11) by Isobelle Carmody adventure ... fantasy ... nature When half-elf, half-troll Little Fur learns that servants of the troll king aim to destroy her beloved trees, she embarks on an ambitious and dangerous journey into the human world in hopes of saving not only the wilderness she calls home, but the very earth spirit itself. title: Little Fur: the Legend Begins title: A Fox Called Sorrow title: A Mystery of Wolves |
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 Magic Half
(age 8-11) by Annie Barrows adventure ... magic ... family Magic is just a way of setting things right... Miri is the non-twin child in a family with two sets of them ... older brothers and younger sisters. The family has just moved to an old farmhouse in a new town, where the only good thing seems to be Miri's ten-sided attic bedroom. But when Miri gets sent to her room after accidentally bashing her big brother on the head with a shovel, she finds herself in the same room...only not quite. Without meaning to, she has found a way to travel back in time to 1935 where she discovers Molly, a girl her own age very much in need of a loving family. |
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 |
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 title: Dolphin Diaries |
TIT |
Basil of Baker Street
(age 8-11) by Eve Titus adventure ... mystery Basil--famous sleuth of mousedom--lived in the cellar of Sherlock Holmes' house. A devoted admirer of the great detective, he had learned his craft by listening at the feet of Holmes himself. The Mystery of the Missing Twins was one of the strangest cases in Basil's career. He had only a few crumbs of clues with which to find solutions to such baffling questions as: Who had masterminded the plot? Where were the twins, Angela and Agatha, being kept? sequel: Basil in Mexico: a Basil of Baker Street Mystery |
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." |
SHE |
A Paradise Called Texas
(age 8-11) by Janice Jordan Shefelman adventure ... historical Searching for a better life, Mina and her parents leave their German fatherland in 1845 and sail to Texas where they find hardship, tragedy, and adventure. Sequel: Spirit of Iron. |
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. sequel: The Witching Hour |
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-Tacy and Tib 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: Betsy and Joe 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. sequel: The Perils of Peppermints |
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? |
LAW |
Captain Kidd's Cat: Being the True and Dolorous Chronicle of WM Kidd, Gent and Merchant of New York, Late Captain of the Adventure Galley of the Vicissitudes, Attending His Unfortunate Cruise in Eastern Waters of His Incarceration in Newgate Prison of His Unjust Trial and Execution
(age 8-11) by Robert Lawson humor ... historical ... voyages/journeys ... animals ... adventure McDermot the cat sails aboard the Adventure with the infamous pirate and his crew, presenting an inside view of life on the high seas along with surprising revelations about his notorious master. |
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. |
DAY |
The Emperor's Panda
(age 8-11) by David Day magic ... adventure ... fantasy Relates how the poor young shepherd boy Kung became the Emperor of all China with the help of the Master Panda, the most magical and wisest creature in all the world. |
ENR |
Thimble Summer
(age 8-11) by Elizabeth Enright historical ... adventure ... magic ... animals When Garnet finds a silver thimble in the sand by the river, she is sure it's magical. But is it magical enough to help her pig, Timmy, win a blue ribbon on Fair Day? |
EDW |
Little Bo: the Story of Bonnie Boadicea
(age 8-11) by Julie Edwards voyages/journeys ... adventure ... animals After being separated from her brothers and sisters, a very small cat named Bo falls in with a sailor and becomes a ship's cat, having various adventures at sea. |
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. |
FAR |
The Warm Place
(age 8-11) by Nancy Farmer adventure ... fantasy ... animals When Ruva, a young giraffe, is captured and sent to a zoo in San Francisco, she calls upon two rats, a street-smart chameleon, a runaway boy, and all the magical powers of the animal world to return to the warm place that is home. |
GOU |
The Time Soldiers Series (age 8-11) by Robert Gould and Kathleen Duey survival ... adventure Six young friends become Time Soldiers when they stumble onto a secret time portal, leading them to an ancient world of dinosaurs and danger. The Time Soldiers fight to survive, to escape the T-Rex's fury ... and to make it home alive. By the time they do, young readers can't wait for the next adventure. Students and teachers flip over this exciting series! title: Rex title: Rex 2 title: Arthur title: Mummy title: Patch title: Samurai |
GRI |
Dinosaur Habitat
(age 8-11) by Helen Griffith adventure ... animals ... family After twelve-year-old Nathan's pesky younger brother Ryan claims to have found a dinosaur fossil, they are suddenly transported into a misty world where Ryan's toy dinosaurs are alive. |
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. |
JOY |
Buddy
(age 8-11) by William Joyce adventure ... historical ... animals If you happened to be walking down the street in New York City in the 1930s you might have seen a most amazing sight; a beautiful woman with a very well-dressed, four-hundred-pound gorilla sporting a red carnation in the lapel of his jacket. The lady' s name? Gertie Lintz. And the gorilla' s name was Buddy. |
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? |
LOV |
The Puppeteer's Apprentice
(age 8-11) by D. Anne Love adventure ... the arts ... historical Mouse, a timid orphan growing up in medieval England, has little happiness in the world. But then, when she comes across a puppeteer so talented that he can make the puppets talk and dance as if they were little humans, Mouse realizes that true happiness is within reach ... and the key is learning how to make the puppets dance! What she doesn't realize, however, is just how much she and her prospective mentor have in common and how much, one day, they will share. |
MAH |
The Five Sisters
(age 8-11) by Margaret Mahy adventure Before Sally's Nana can finish filling in the faces on a row of paper dolls which she has cut out, the five sisters are whisked off on a series of extraordinary adventures. |
MAY |
Rock River
(age 8-11) by Bill Maynard adventure ... family ... illness/loss Twelve-year-old Luke's summertime adventures along the river are haunted by the memory of his older brother Robert, who died being a daredevil in the same place a year and a half earlier. |
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. |
TOW |
The Secret Room
(age 8-11) by Hazel Townson war ... adventure ... historical When Adam enters a secret cupboard at his school, he is transported through time to 1942, into the middle of a World War II air raid. |
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. |
YAM |
The Call of the Wild
(age 8-11) by Mitsu Yamamoto historical ... adventure ... nature ... animals A specially adapted version of Jack London's story of the story of Buck, a young dog snatched away from an easy life in California and transported to the Far North. Buck becomes the strongest and fiercest sled dog in all of Alaska. But deep inside, he feels the urge to be free of man's rule and to heed the call of the wild. |
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: More Adventures of the Great Brain title: Me and My Little Brain title: The Great Brain Does it Again title: The Return of the Great Brain title: The Great Brain at the Academy title: The Great Brain Reforms |
CON |
Pedros Journal: a Voyage with Christopher Columbus, August 3 1492--February 14 1493
(age 8-11) by Pam Conrad adventure ... historical ... voyages/journeys ... letters/journal Pedro can read and write better than any boy in his small Spanish town. That's why Christopher Columbus signs him on as part of his crew of the Santa Maria. The young Pedro records his adventures in a journal, with sketches of what he has seen. A thrilling and believable re-creation of one boy's account of this epic voyage. |
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. |
COH |
The Orphan Game
(age 8-11) by Barbara Cohen adventure ... family Catalog: Vacationing at Long Beach Island, four cousins engage in a variety of activities, including pretending to be orphans, raising money for a trip to Atlantic City, and avoiding a whiny cousin named Miranda. |
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. |
BRO |
The Freddy The Pig Series (age 8-11) by Walter R. Brooks adventure ... humor Adventure and misadventure are in the air when Freddy the Pig joins the action. title: Freddy and Mr. Camphor title: Freddy and the Baseball Team From Mars title: Freddy and the Dragon title: Freddy and the Ignormus title: Freddy and the Perilous Adventure title: Freddy and the Space Ship title: Freddy Goes Camping title: Freddy Goes to Florida title: Freddy Goes to the North Pole title: Freddy Plays Football title: Freddy the Cowboy title: Freddy the Detective title: Freddy the Pilot title: Freddy the Politician title: Freddy Rides Again title: Freddy and Simon the Dictator title: Freddy the Detective; Freddy Goes to Florida |
BAG |
Animal Ark Hauntings Series (age 8-11) by Ben M. Baglio adventure ... animals ... spooky Mandy and James continue their Animal Ark adventures, but with a spooky twist. title: Stallion in the Storm title: Cat in the Crypt title: Dog in the Dungeon title: Colt in the Cave title: Foal in the Fog title: Hound on the Heath title: Wolf at the Window |
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: Cat Crazy title: Chick Challenge title: Duckling Diary title: Pony Parade title: Ferret Fun title: Gerbil Genius title: Guinea Pig Gang title: Doggy Dare title: Hamster Hotel title: Spaniel Surprise title: Pet's Party title: Dachshund in Danger |
BAG |
Animal Ark Series (age 8-11) by Ben Baglio animals ... adventure Meet Mandy, the daughter of two veterinarians who own the Animal Ark Veterinary Hospital. Whenever an animal is in trouble, Mandy and the vets at the clinic are there to help. title: Kittens in the Kitchen title: Pony on the Porch title: Puppies in the Pantry title: Goat in the Garden title: Badger in the Basement title: Sheepdog in the Snow title: Cub in the Cupboard title: Piglet in a Playpen title: Ponies at the Point title: Owl in the Office title: Lamb in the Laundry title: Kitten in the Cold title: Goose on the Loose title: Bunnies in the Bathroom title: Hamster in a Handbasket title: Squirrels in the School title: Guinea Pig in the Garage title: Shetland in the Shed title: Dolphin in the Deep title: Foals in the Field title: Dog at the Door 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: Labrador on the Lawn title: Polars on the Path title: Spaniel in a Stocking title: Mustang in the Mist title: Fox in the Frost title: Raccoons on the Roof title: Beagle in a Backpack title: Kitten in the Candy Corn title: Badgers by the Bridge title: Bears in the Barn title: Calf in the Cottage title: Chinchilla up the Chimney title: Donkey on the Doorstep title: Elephants in the East title: Gorilla in the Glade title: Guinea-pig in the Garage title: Hedgehogs in the Hall title: Hippo in the Hole title: Pigs at the Picnic title: Rabbits on the Run title: Racehorse in the Rain title: Roo on the Rock title: Sheep at the Show title: Wombat in the Wild title: Stallion in Spooky Hollow |
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. sequel: Magical Melons |
BAL |
Thunder on the Sierra
(age 8-11) by Kathy Balmes voyages/journeys ... adventure ... historical In 1852, recently orphaned, thirteen-year-old Mateo becomes an "arreiro," or mule driver, bringing supplies to California gold miners and searching for the notorious bandit who stole his horse, but when he learns that Yankee squatters are threatening to take the ranch he grew up on, Mateo heads for home. |
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. |
BAI |
Miss Hickory
(age 8-11) by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey adventure ... friendship Miss Hickory is very worried. Her owner has moved to Boston, and how can Miss Hickory survive a harsh New Hampshire winter all alone? After all, she is just a doll whose body is an apple-wood twig and whose head is a hickory nut, and whose house is made out of corncobs. But Miss Hickory has ingenuity, and the help of neighbors like Crow, Bull Frog, and Ground Hog to see her through. And near the end of those cold, dark months, something unexpected happens to Miss Hickory--something even more welcome than the coming of spring. |
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: Kai: a Big Decision, Africa, 1440 by Sharon Shavers Gayle F GAY title: Kai: the Lost Statue, Africa, 1440 by Sharon Shavers Gayle F GAY title: Juliet: a Dream Takes Flight, England, 1339 by Anna Kirwan F KIR title: Juliet: Midsummer at Greenchapel, England, 1340 by Anna Kirwan F KIR title: Juliet: Rescue at Marlehead Manor, England 1340 by Anna Kirwan F KIR title: Shannon: a Chinatown Adventure, San Francisco, 1880 by Kathleen V. Kudlinski F KUD title: Shannon: Lost and Found, San Francisco, 1880 by Kathleen V. Kudlinski F KUD title: Shannon: the Schoolmarm Mysteries, San Francisco, 1880 by Kathleen V. Kudlinski F KUD title: Marie: Summer in the Country, France, 1775 by Jacqueline Dembar Greene F GRE title: Marie: Mystery at the Paris Ballet, Paris, 1775 by Jacqueline Dembar Greene F GRE title: Marie: an Invitation to Dance, France, 1775 by Kathleen V. Kudlinski F KUD title: Isabella: a Wish for Miguel, Peru, 1820 by Shirlee Newman F NEW 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. |
SER |
Stinker's Return
(age 8-11) by Pamela F. Service humor ... adventure ... science fiction Catalog: Alien agent Tsynq Yr, still inhabiting the body of a skunk, returns to Earth and enlists Jonathan and Karen's help in finding a souvenir from Washington, D.C., for a threatening space despot. |
SER |
Stinker From Space
(age 8-11) by Pamela F. Service humor ... adventure ... science fiction Catalog: An agent of the Sylon Confederacy, fleeing from enemy ships, crash lands on Earth, transfers his mind to the body of a skunk, and enlists the aid of two children in getting back to his home planet. |
SCH |
When I Left My Village
(age 8-11) by Maxine Rose Schur adventure ... voyages/journeys An Ethiopian Jewish family leaves their oppressed mountain village to make a difficult and treacherous journey in the hope of reaching freedom in Israel. |
PUL |
The Scarecrow and His Servant
(age 8-11) by Philip Pullman adventure ... humor A scarecrow and his boy servant, Jack, set off on a dangerous adventure as they try to outwit the crooked Buffaloni family and stake their claim to valuable Spring Valley. |
HYA |
Coast to Coast With Alice
(age 8-11) by Patricia Rusch Hyatt letters/journal ... historical ... adventure ... voyages/journeys Sixteen-year-old Hermine Jahns relates her experiences traveling on the first cross-country automobile trip with a woman driver in 1909. |
AHL |
The Better Brown Stories
(age 8-11) by Allan Ahlberg family ... adventure ... authorship The Browns are not like other storybook characters; they're bored with their story! So off they go to visit the Writer, demanding more excitement. Less homework. Less housework. No French tests. "We want a better story!" they demand. Instead they get five stories filled with adventure and mayhem. |
AHL |
The Bear Nobody Wanted
(age 8-11) by Janet Ahlberg adventure ... friendship ... growing up Tells the story of a teddy bear who is too proud and self-centred to be loved. It traces his life and his story of rejection, disaster, friends gained and lost, hurt and love, until eventually, transformed by a remarkable life, he becomes a bear truly deserving of a loving owner. |
HIL |
Toughboy and Sister
(age 8-11) by Kirkpatrick Hill nature ... adventure ... survival The death of their father strands ten-year-old Toughboy and his younger sister at a remote fishing cabin on the Yukon River near Ruby, Alaska, where they spend a summer trying to cope with dwindling food supplies and hostile wildlife. sequel: Winter Camp |
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. |
BAN |
Harry the Poisonous Centipede
(age 8-11) by Lynne Reid Banks animals ... humor ... adventure Harry is a young centipede longing for adventure and excitement and burning with curiosity about the forbidden "Up-Pipe" and the "no-top" world it leads to. In spite of his mother's dire warnings, Harry and his friend George venture into the dangerous world above, where the dangerous "Hoo-mins" live. Harry's big adventure turns out to be even more terrifying than he thought, in this inventive and entertaining tale. |
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 at Point Mouette title: The Penderwicks on Gardam Street |
GLE |
Toad Heaven
(age 8-11) by Morris Gleitzman humor ... nature ... adventure Limpy is on a quest to find toad heaven. A place where cane toads won't be blown up with bike pumps or bashed over the head with folding chairs. Limpy's determined to find this place if it takes him the rest of his life, but his plans are waylaid when he's kidnapped by some sinister-looking humans and tossed into a bucket. Will Limpy be able to save cane toads? Will he be able to find toad heaven? First he has to get out of the bucket . . . in this hysterically funny sequel to Toad Rage. sequel: Toad Away |
GLE |
Toad Rage
(age 8-11) by Morris Gleitzman humor ... nature ... adventure Limpy's family reckons humans don't hate cane toads, but Limpy knows otherwise. He's spotted the signs: the cross looks, the unkind comments, the way they squash cane toads with their cars. Limpy is desperate to save his species from ending up as pancakes. Somehow he must make humans see how fabulous cane toads really are. Risking everything, he sets off on a wart-tinglingly dangerous and daring journey to . . . the Olympics? |
AND |
M. T. Anderson's Thrilling Tales (age 8-11) by M. T. Anderson mystery ... adventure ... humor ... science fiction ... authorship What sort of madman would unleash an army of stilt-walking, laser-beaming, thoroughly angry whales upon the world? Who cares! All that matters is that his dastardly plan be foiled. Lucky for Lily Gefelty, her two best friends are the intrepid stars of their own middle-grade series novels: Jasper Dash (better know as the Boy Technonaut) and Katie Mulligan (beloved by millions as the heroine of the Horror Hollow series). It's going to take all their smarts to stop this insane, inane plot from succeeding. Start with the first thrilling tale, Whales on Stilts. title: Whales on Stilts title: The Clue of the Linoleum Lederhosen title: Jasper Dash and the Flame-Pits of Delaware |
WAL |
Upchuck and the Rotten Willy
(age 8-11) by Bill Wallace adventure ... friendship ... animals Chuck the cat wants to save his friend Willy from getting caught by the dog catcher, but he is afraid that some new cats in the area will be upset when they find out his best friend is a dog. sequel: The Great Escape: Upchuck and the Rotten Willy sequel: Running Wild |
YEP |
The Imp That Ate My Homework
(age 8-11) by Laurence Yep adventure ... fantasy ... humor ... family Jim teams up with his grandfather, who is known as the meanest man in Chinatown, to defeat a powerful demon. |
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. |
WRI |
The Ghost of Popcorn Hill
(age 8-11) by Betty Ren Wright adventure ... friendship ... spooky Catalog: Martin and Peter love their family's new cabin until they hear ghostly laughter in their room at night. |
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 title: Tales of Deltora |
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. |
LOT |
Wings to Fly
(age 8-11) by Celia Barker Lottridge identity ... adventure ... historical ... growing up The Ferrier family moved from the United States to Curlew, Alberta, and built a homestead in the middle of the vast prairie. Now 11-year-old Josie has settled into her new home and she dreams about the future. Will Josie be a teacher like Miss Barnett? Will she be like her new friend Margaret's sad mother, who can't bear to unpack her fine English china in the crude sod house that is her prairie home? Or could she learn to fly airplanes like her heroine, Katherine Stinson? As Josie searches for answers, she learns, all too frighteningly, how brutal a prairie winter can be. See also the prequel, Ticket to Canada. |
LOT |
Ticket to Canada
(age 8-11) by Celia Barker Lottridge identity ... adventure ... historical ... growing up It is 1915. Endless stretches of grassland against a boundless sky are all Sam Ferrier sees when he and his father arrive in Curlew, Alberta, to build a new house for their family. He wonders why his restless father would move them to this lonely, barren place, so different from Iowa. But after the house gets built and the family joins them, Sam gradually discovers that there is much more to the prairie than he realized. The tall grasses hide a mysterious collection of gleaming white skulls. Torrential thunderstorms appear with startling swiftness out of a clear-blue sky. And when one day he finds that his little brother has suddenly disappeared, Sam discovers that this new land can be both awesome and terrifying. Also published as Ticket to Curlew. See also the sequel, Wings to Fly. |
HAR |
Star in the Storm
(age 8-11) by Joan Hiatt Harlow adventure ... animals All non-sheepherding dogs have been outlawed from the rocky coastal village where Maggie lives. Unwilling to give up her beloved Newfoundland, Sirius, Maggie defies the law and hides Sirius away. But when a steamer crashes into the rocks during a violent storm and starts to sink with a hundred passengers on board, Maggie faces a difficult choice. She knows Sirius can help rescue the people trapped on the ship, but bringing him out of hiding would put his own life in jeopardy. Is Maggie's brave dog a big enough hero to save the desperate passengers, and himself? |
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: Poppy and Rye sequel: Poppy's Return 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 title: The Meanest Doll in the World title: The Runaway Dolls |
STE |
Dominic
(age 8-11) by William Steig voyages/journeys ... adventure Dominic, the dog, finds many exciting adventures and great danger fighting the Doomsday Gang after he decides to see the world. |
ROD |
The Rowan Series (age 8-11) by Emily Rodda magic ... fantasy ... adventure ... knights/castles/dragons Because only he can read the magical map, young, weak and timid Rowan joins six other villagers to climb a mountain and try to restore their water supply, as fears of a dragon and other horrors threaten to drive them back. title: Rowan of Rin title: Rowan and the Ice Creepers title: Rowan and the Keeper of the Crystal title: Rowan and the Travelers title: Rowan and the Zebak |
LEG |
Catwings
(age 8-11) by Ursula LeGuin fantasy ... adventure Four young cats with wings leave the city slums in search of a safe place to live. sequel: Catwings Return sequel: Wonderful Alexander and the Catwings sequel: Jane on Her Own |
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. |
GAR |
Stone Fox
(age 8-11) by John Reynolds Gardiner adventure ... enterprise Ten-year-old Willy needs to win the big dogsled race in order to pay the back taxes on his grandfather's farm, but that means beating the huge Indian mountain man, Stone Fox. |
FLE |
The Midnight Horse
(age 8-11) by Sid Fleischman adventure ... spooky ... magic On a coach bound for Cricklewood, the orphan boy Touch caught his first glimpse of the haunt named The Great Chaffalo. According to rumor, he was once a famous magician who could turn a pile of straw into a horse. Now, Touch needs the ghost's help in order to escape his wicked great-uncle. So, with an armload of straw and a determined spirit, Touch makes his plea to The Great Chaffalo, and, magically, a horse appears! But can magic save Touch when his great-uncle's schemes grow even more villainous? |
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 title: The Seeing Stone title: Lucinda's Secret title: The Ironwood Tree title: The Wrath of Mulgarath title: The Nixies Song title: Care and Feeding of Sprites title: Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You |
DIT |
The Spiderwick Chronicles (age 8-11) by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black adventure ... family ... fantasy Publisher comments: The Grace kids (twins Jared and Simon and their older sister, Mallory) move into their great-aunt's creepy old mansion with their mother. Strange goings-on lead them to an old book filled with pictures of fanstastic creatures. It holds clues to recent odd events, and the key to an even bigger mystery: the disappearance of the children's great-uncle Arthur Spiderwick generations before... title: The Field Guide title: The Seeing Stone title: Lucinda's Secret title: The Ironwood Tree title: The Wrath of Mulgarath title: The Nixies Song title: Care and Feeding of Sprites title: Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You |
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 Return of the Indian sequel: The Secret of the Indian sequel: The Mystery of the Cupboard sequel: The Key to the Indian |
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. |
OSB |
Tales From the Odyssey (age 8-11) by Mary Pope Osborne adventure ... voyages/journeys ... folklore Publisher comments: When Odysseus must leave his home to fight the Trojan War, he never imagines that he'll be away from his family for so many years. Now, at long last, he is leading his men home across the seas. But many dangers await them ... and none is more terrifying than Polyphemus, the one-eyed giant. title: The One-Eyed Giant title: The Land of the Dead title: Sirens and Sea Monsters title: The Gray-Eyed Goddess title: Return to Ithaca title: The Final Battle |