F 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.
F MUR	Pearl Versus the World (age 8-11) by Sally Murphy growing up ... identity ... authorship Publisher comments: Pearl likes to write poems, but despite the insistence of her teacher, Ms. Bruff, Pearl's poems don't rhyme, and neither does she. She wishes she could grow gills so she could stay underwater in swim class without drowning. And she hasn't a clue why perfect Prudence bumps her desk and sends her pencils flying. Pearl thinks there's no nicer sound than the bell at the end of the day, even though back at home, Granny, always a crucial part of their family of three, sometimes doesn't recognize Pearl, and Mom is tired from providing constant care. In a lyrical novel told with clear-eyed sympathy, humor, and heart, Sally Murphy follows a girl who holds fast to her individuality even as she learns to let go-- and in daring to share her voice, discovers that maybe she's not a group of one after all.
F KOR	Radio Fifth Grade (age 8-11) by Gordon Korman authorship ... school ... humor Catalog: Mayhem breaks out in the fifth grade when the Venice Menace bullies his classmates into letting him become a regular guest on "Kidsview," the school's radio program.
F CHR	The Chronicles of Harris Burdick: Fourteen Amazing Authors Tell the Tales, Illustrations Chris Van Allsburg (age 8-11) by Chris Van Allsburg short stories ... authorship ... mystery Publisher comments: An inspired collection of short stories by an all-star cast of best-selling storytellers based on the thought-provoking illustrations in Chris Van Allsburg's The Mysteries of Harris Burdick. For more than twenty-five years, the illustrations in the extraordinary Mysteries of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg have intrigued and entertained readers of all ages. Thousands of children have been inspired to weave their own stories to go with these enigmatic pictures. Now we've asked some of our very best storytellers to spin the tales. Enter The Chronicles of Harris Burdick to gather this incredible compendium of stories: mysterious, funny, creepy, poignant, these are tales you won't soon forget.
F VAN	The Mysteries of Harris Burdick (age 8-11) by Chris Van Allsburg authorship ... mystery Harris left a title, but you fill in the stories accompanying these beautifully detailed illustrations.
F ANG	First the Good News (age 8-11) by Judie Angell friendship ... authorship ... humor Ninth-grade journalist Annabelle Goobitz and her four best friends pretend to be groupies in order to land an interview with television comedian Hap Rhysbeck, but the young comedian makes an announcement that takes them by surprise.
F 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.
F 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.
F 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.
F HAD	Dexter the Tough (age 8-11) by Margaret Peterson Haddix illness/loss ... authorship ... friendship ... school It's only the first day of school for Dexter, but he's already mad at the principal, and the secretary, and the janitor, and the kids who laugh at him. When his teacher tells the class to write a story, Dexter writes about how tough he is, and how he's already gotten into a fight. Is any of Dexter's story true? Why was the other boy crying before Dexter hit him? And why would the other boy still want to be Dexter's friend? Even Dexter doesn't know the answers to some of those questions. But as he deals with family problems, a persistent teacher, and a boy who's strangely interested in floor wax, he discovers many surprises hidden in his own tale.
F GRE	Give Us a Great Big Smile, Rosy Cole (age 8-11) by Sheila Greenwald humor ... the arts ... authorship Uncle Ralph's books about Rosy's two older sisters, a dancer and an equestrian, made them famous. Now it is untalented, 10-year-old Rosy's turn, and when Uncle Ralph gets out his camera determined to make Rosy and her violin his next book, Rosy's troubles begin.
F WOO	The Secret Life of Hilary Thorne (age 8-11) by Marcia Wood family ... authorship ... fantasy As Hilary's home life deteriorates after her family's move to the country, her adventures with the book characters she reads about increases to the point where she knows she must learn to control her talents and involve herself more in the real world.
F MOR	I Believe In Unicorns (age 8-11) by Michael Morpurgo folklore ... authorship ... war Eight-year-old Tomas hates reading. He would much rather be clambering around his beloved mountains. But when his mother forces him to visit the library, he can't help but listen to the enchanting tales the librarian spins as she sits on a lifelike wooden unicorn. When war comes to their village, it is Tomas's newfound love of books that helps save the library's holdings from destruction. Set against a backdrop of encroaching war, I BELIEVE IN UNICORNS is an eloquent reminder of the power of storytelling to alter our lives.
F HOW	Tales from the House of Bunnicula (age 8-11) by James Howe authorship ... humor ... mystery Dear possible reader of this book: I want to be a writer, just like my uncle Harold, who wrote a bunch of books about our friend Bunnicula. So I wrote this story. And boy! Did I ever get into trouble! My friend Delilah stopped speaking to me because I put her in my book. Uncle Harold stopped speaking to me because I didn't put him in my book. A writer's life isn't easy! But back to my story: It's about how a talented and lovable (not to mention smart) wirehaired dachshund puppy named Howie saves the world from a disgusting, evil menace named...oops, that would give away the story. But trust me, this menace is disgusting and evil, all right!!! Your friend, Howie title: It Came From Beneath the Bed! title: Invasion of the Mind Swappers from Asteroid 6! title: Screaming Mummies of the Pharoah's Tomb II title: Howie Monroe and the Doghouse of Doom title: Bud Barkin, Private Eye title: The Amazing Odorous Adventures of Stinky Dog title: Nighty-Nightmare
F GIF	Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little (age 8-11) by Peggy Gifford school ... authorship ... humor It wasn't as if Moxy Maxwell hadn't tried to do her summer reading. She and Stuart Little had been inseparable all summer, like best friends. If Stuart Little wasn't in her backpack, it was in her lap . . . or holding up the coffee table . . . or getting splashed when Moxy went swimming. But now it's the end of August, the day before fourth grade. And if Moxy doesn't read all of Stuart Little immediately, there are going to be "consequences." It may look like Moxy is doing nothing, but actually she is very busy with a zillion highly crucial things, like cleaning up her room (sort of) and training her dog and taking a much-needed rest in the hammock. Just look at the pictures her twin brother Mark takes to document it all (they're scattered throughout) and you'll see why it's so difficult to make time for a book about a mouse. Of course our heroine does manage to finish her book, falling so in love with it that she finds herself reading under the covers with a flashlight, late into the night. sequel: Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Writing Thank-You Notes sequel: Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Practicing the Piano (but She Does Love Being in Recitals)
F DIS	The Sloppy Copy Slipup (age 8-11) by DyAnne DiSalvo authorship ... humor ... school Brian does not have his sloppy copywriting assignment ready to turn in, and it takes all of his imaginative powers and storytelling techniques to prevent him from getting a zero.
F BAB	Jack Plank Tells Tales (age 8-11) by Natalie Babbitt humor ... enterprise ... authorship Because he is too nice to be a pirate, Jack Plank looks for a new career, but each night he tells tales of why the one job he looked into that day is wrong.
F AMA	Please Write in this Book (age 8-11) by Mary Amato friendship ... authorship ... school When Ms. Wurtz leaves a blank book in the Writer's Corner with a note encouraging those who find it to "talk to each other" in its pages, the students' entries spark a classroom-wide battle.
F NIX	The Gift (age 8-11) by Joan Lowery Nixon family ... folklore ... authorship Brian, visiting his Irish relatives for the first time, tries to prove to his skeptical great-aunt that his great-grandfather's tales of Irish lore and leprechauns are true.
F CLE	Lunch Money (age 8-11) by Andrew Clements humor ... friendship ... authorship ... school ... enterprise Catalog: Twelve-year-old Greg, who has always been good at moneymaking projects, is surprised to find himself teaming up with his lifelong rival, Maura, to create a series of comic books to sell at school.
F 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.
F COD	Sahara Special (age 8-11) by Esme Raji Codell growing up ... humor ... authorship ... school Struggling with school and her feelings since her father left, Sahara gets a fresh start with a new and unique teacher who supports her writing talents and the individuality of each of her classmates.
F 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
F PAT	A Simple Gift (age 8-11) by Nancy Patterson authorship ... family ... the arts A small-town community theater production based on one of her mother's books brings Carrie a glimpse of her mother's past and a new understanding of giving to others.
F CRE	Love That Dog (age 8-11) by Sharon Creech illness/loss ... animals ... authorship ... school ... poetry Jack hate poetry. Only girls write it and every time he tries to, his brain feels empty. But his teacher, Ms. Stretchberry, won't stop giving her class poetry assignments, and Jack can't avoid them. But then something amazing happens. The more he writes, the more he learns he does have something to say. sequel: Hate That Cat
F CLE	The School Story (age 8-11) by Andrew Clements authorship ... school ... brilliant protagonist Publisher comments: Twelve-year-old Natalie Nelson has written a powerful school story. It's a short novel called "The Cheater," and her best friend Zoe is certain it should be published. All Natalie has to do is give the manuscript to her mom, an editor at a big publishing house. However Natalie doesn't want any favors from her mom. Spurred into action, Natalie invents a pen name for herself and Zoe becomes a self-styled literary agent. Will the girls succeed?
F CLE	The Landry News (age 8-11) by Andrew Clements authorship ... realistic ... school ... brilliant protagonist Publisher comments: Cara Landry is a budding journalist. When she posts a scathing editorial about her burned-out teacher on the bulletin board one afternoon, everything changes. Prodded into action for the first time in years, Mr. Larson challenges his fifth-grade students to create a real newspaper. Soon The Landry News gets more attention than either Cara or her teacher bargained for.

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