Could You Survive?

Survival stories are a lot of fun to read.  We imagine ourselves in the characters' shoes and consider how we would react.  This week, check out of one of the survival chapter books for kids . . . .

The Storm in the Barn by Matt Phelan

In Kansas in the year 1937, eleven-year-old Jack Clark faces his share of ordinary challenges: local bullies, his father's failed expectations, a little sister with an eye for trouble. But he also has to deal with the effects of the Dust Bowl, including rising tensions in his small town and the spread of a shadowy illness.

The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder

After an October blizzard, Laura's family moves from the claim shanty into town for the winter, a winter that an Indian has predicted will be seven months of bad weather.

Hurricane by Terry Trueman

A fictional account of one of the worst storms to hit the Caribbean--Hurricane Mitch in 1998--told from the perspective of a thirteen-year-old boy living in a small village in Honduras.

More Books --

Denali Storm by Michael Spradlin

Hurricane Child by Kacen Callender

Lacey's Story by W. Bruce Cameron

Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse

Racing Storm Mountain by Trent Reedy

Skylark and Wallcreeper by Anne Carelli

The Storm Before Atlanta by Karen Schwabach

Storm Blown by Nick Courage

I'm A Princess! -- Part 2

Last time I shared teen stories featuring princesses.  This week, I'm sharing chapter books for grade school kids about princesses.  Here are a few of our favorites . . . .

Princess in Black by Shannon Hale

Princess Magnolia is having hot chocolate and scones with Duchess Wigtower when ... Brring! Brring! The monster alarm! A big blue monster is threatening the goats! Stopping monsters is no job for dainty Princess Magnolia. But luckily Princess Magnolia has a secret -- she's also the Princess in Black, and stopping monsters is the perfect job for her! Can the princess sneak away, transform into her alter ego, and defeat the monster before the nosy duchess discovers her secret?

Pennyroyal Academy by M.A. Larson

Pennyroyal Academy: Seeking bold, courageous youths to become tomorrow's princesses and knights... Come one, come all! A girl from the forest arrives in a bustling kingdom with no name and no idea why she is there. She enlists at Pennyroyal Academy, where princesses and knights are trained to battle the two great menaces of the day: witches and dragons. 

The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye

At her christening a princess is given the gift of "ordinariness" by a fairy, and the consequences of that eventually take her to a nearby palace where, having run away to become a fourteenth assistant kitchen maid, she meets the prince for her.

More Princess Stories --

The Dragon Egg Princess by Ellen Oh

The Frog Princess by E.D. Baker

Frogged by Vivian Vande Velde

The Light Princess by George MacDonald

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

The Princess and the Foal by Stacy Gregg

Princess of the Swans by Diane Zahler

The Princess Protection Program by Alex London

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

If You Lemony Snicket . . .

 Lemony Snicket has written two great series -- The Series of Unfortunate Events and All the Wrong Questions -- as well as several standalone books.  But what should you read after reading all of her books?  Try one of these great read-alikes for Lemony Snicket . . . .

The Problim Children by Natalie Lloyd

Seven siblings are forced by the destruction of their swamp home to move into their grandpa's mansion, but greedy neighbors plot to steal their secrets and place them in homes far away from each other.

Which Witch? by Eva Ibbotson

Deciding that he must sire a child to carry on his tradition of Loathing Light and Blighting the Beautiful, the Great Wizard Arriman announces a competition among the witches of Todcaster, one of whom will marry him.

The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry

Shouldn't we be orphans?" one of the Willoughby children suggests one day. The four are, after all, part of an old-fashioned kind of family, and their parents--well, their parents are not all that one would hope for. So they concoct a diabolical plot to turn themselves into worthy and winsome orphans. Little do they know that Mr. and Mrs. Willoughby have already begun to formulate their own thoroughly despicable plan inspired by another favorite bedtime story: the tale of Hansel and Gretel. 

Horton Halfpott by Tom Angleberger

Horton, an upstanding kitchen boy in a castle in nineteenth-century England, becomes embroiled in a mystery surrounding a series of thefts, which is also connected to the pursuit of a very eligible and wealthy young lady's affections.

More Books --

Bad Magic by Pseudonymous Bosch

The Crims by Kate Davies

The House With a Clock in Its Walls by John Bellairs

The Magnificent Monsters of Cedar Street by Lauren Oliver

The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette For Young Ladies of Mad Science by Kate McKinnon

A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus

The Swifts by Beth Lincoln

A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz

The Templeton Twins Have an Idea by Ellis Weiner

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken

The Magical World of Unicorns

What could be more magical than unicorns?  Enjoy one of these great unicorn stories . . . .

Punycorn by Andi Watson

Carbuncle is a land of endless rainbows and sugar-sprinkled doughnuts--until the vile Sir Ogre unleashes his evil army on the happy kingdom. Who can stop his outsized appetite for destruction? Punycorn! Who? Punycorn. The smallest, clumsiest, and, yes, puniest of all the unicorns. Punycorn may not look like a hero, but aided by a fireless dragon, a feisty dung beetle, and a magic sword with a hidden secret, he might just be Carbuncle's only hope!

The Rescue of the Unicorn by Deborah Lerme Goodman

You make the journey across the ocean to Scotland, and vow to protect your unicorn from danger in these new, strange lands. Will the unicorn's magic reach those who need it most, or will it be stolen by the greedy and violent people who know its full power?  One you can decide how the story ends.

Bad Unicorn by Platte F. Clark

Max Spencer is an underachiever but when a carnivorous unicorn, Princess the Destroyer, and an evil wizard, Rezormoor, bring him, the only one who can read the legendary Codex of Infinite Knowability, to their magical realm, he must find the courage to save himself, his friends, and the entire human race.

More Unicorn Books --

Even and Odd by Sarah Beth Durst

Gotta Warn the Unicorns by Nancy Krulik

How to Save a Unicorn by Meg Cannistra

Leona the Unicorn Fairy by Daisy Meadows

The Order of the Unicorn by Suzanne Selfors

Phoebe and Her Unicorn series by Dana Simpson

A Plague of Unicorns by Jane Yolen

Save the Unicorns by Helen Perelman

Unicorn Boy by Dave Roman

Tangled Magic by Kamilla Benko

The Unicorn's Spell by Cort Lane

Won't You Be My Valentine?

 Get in the mood for Valentine's Day with one of these chapter book stories . . . .

Babymouse: Heartbreaker by Jennifer Holm

Valentine's Day is Babymouse's favorite holiday, but this year there's going to be a dance and Babymouse is desperate to find a date for it.

Goblin Market by Diane Zahler

In this story inspired by Polish folklore, two sisters face a goblin prince in the dark forest.

Noah Frye Gets Crushed by Maggie Horne

Noah Frye comes up with a foolproof plan to teach herself how to have a crush on a boy to fit in better with her friends--only to discover she's been looking in the wrong place, and her crush was right beside her all along.

More Books --

Aphrodite the Beauty by Joan Holub

Captain Awesome Gets Crushed by Stan Kirby

Heart-to-Heart with Mallory by Laurie B. Friedman

Junie B. Jones and the Mushy Gushy Valentine by Barbara Park

The Malted Falcon by Bruce Hale

Valentine's Day From the Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler

Worst Love Spell Ever by Wanda Coven

Time Travel Tales

Start the new year off with a bang!  Read one of these tales about traveling through time.  Here's a few of our favorites . . . .

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

Meg Murry and her friends become involved with unearthly strangers and a search for Meg's father, who has disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government.

Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix

When thirteen-year-olds Jonah and Chip, who are both adopted, learn they were discovered on a plane that appeared out of nowhere, full of babies with no adults on board, they realize that they have uncovered a mystery involving time travel and two opposing forces, each trying to repair the fabric of time.

The Homeward Bounders by Diana Wynne Jones

Once he becomes a pawn in a game played by a powerful group he calls "Them," twelve-year-old Jamie is repeatedly catapulted through space and time.

More Books --

The Bookshop of Dust and Dreams by Mindy Thompson

The Doll in the Garden by Mary Downing Hahn

Finn and Ezra's Bar Mitzvah Time Loop by Joshua Levy

The Glass Sentence by S.E. Grove

Joplin Wishing by Diane Stanley

Larklight by Philip Reeve

The Lincoln Project by Dan Gutman

The Mona Lisa Key by Liesl Shurtliff

Stealing the Sword by Wendy Mass

The T.Rex Attack by Rex Stone

This Again by Adam Borba

The Time Travel Twins by James Patterson

Best Furry Friends

Some of our best friends are furry!  Check out these chapter books about our furry animal friends . . . .

Absolutely Lucy by Ilene Cooper

Bobby is a shy boy until he gets a beagle puppy named Lucy, who helps him to make new friends.

The World According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney

Humphrey, a pet hamster at Longfellow School, learns that he has an important role to play in helping his classmates and teacher.

Bunnicula by Deborah Howe

Though scoffed at by Harold the dog, Chester the cat tries to warn his human family that their foundling baby bunny must be a vampire.



More Books --

A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold

Chancey of the Maury River by Gigi Amateau

The Great Pet Heist by Emily Ecton

The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter by Aaron Reynolds

Jigsaw Pony by Jessie Haas

Just Gus by McCall Hoyle

Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard Atwater

My Kingdom of Darkness by Susan Tan

Petlandia by Peter Hannon

Quack by Anna Humphrey

The Simple Art of Flying by Cory Leonardo

Family Friendly Classics

Today, I'm sharing classic stories that can be read by the whole family.  Here are a few of my favorites . . .

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

Meg Murry and her friends become involved with unearthly strangers and a search for Meg's father, who has disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government.

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Headed for Canada to visit his father for the first time since his parents' divorce, thirteen-year-old Brian is the sole survivor of a plane crash, with only the clothes he has on and a hatchet to help him live in the wilderness.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

No case is too tricky for the world's most famous sleuth and his incredible powers of deduction, in a collection of mystery stories for young readers.

More Books --

Black Beauty by Anna Sewell

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling

Hans Brinker by Mary Mapes Dodge

Heidi by Johanna Spyri

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle

The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain

Stuart Little by E.B. White

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne

White Fang by Jack London

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Back to School!

School has started for most children in the area.  Check out one of these great school stories.  Here's a few of our favorites . . . .

Matilda by Roald Dahl
Matilda applies her untapped mental powers to rid the school of the evil, child-hating headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, and restore her nice teacher, Miss Honey, to financial security.

School Spirit by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel

Like her mother, a professional medium, Kat has been able to see dead people since turning thirteen, and although they would prefer to be normal, Kat and her best friend come to terms with their own talents while helping free the spirit of a girl trapped at their middle school.

The School Mouse by Dick King-Smith

Flora, the world's most educated mouse, saves her family during a crisis.

More Books --

In Honor of Broken Things by Paul Acampora

Lights, Camera, Middle School by Jennifer L. Holm

Never Glue Your Friends to Chairs by Katherine Applegate

The New Kid at School by Kate McMullan
Restart by Gordon Korman

Scary School by Derek Kent

School Daze by Nick Bruel

The School for Whatnots by Margaret Peterson Haddix

The School Is Alive by Jack Chabert
School of the Dead by Avi

Spy School by Stuart Gibbs
Zoo School by Laurie Miller Hornik

Short Stories for Winter Nights

 The Winter Solstice is fast approaching on December 21st.  As it is the shortest day of the year, it's a great time to read a short story.  Try one of these . . . .

Dragons at Crumbling Castle and other Tales by Terry Pratchett

An illustrated collection of fourteen short stories featuring "dragons and wizards, councilors and mayors, an adventurous tortoise and a monster in a lake, along with plenty of pointy hats and a few magic spells" written when the author was a teenaged newspaper reporter.

You Are Here: Connecting Flights by Ellen Oh

Twelve young Asians Americans cross paths, meeting challenges and victories, in a busy airport.

Super Puzzletastic Mysteries by Chris Grabenstein and the Mystery Writers of America

Author Chris Grabenstein and his all-star cast of contributing authors team up for Super Puzzletastic Mysteries, a group of interactive short stories that invite the reader to solve the mystery themselves.

More Short Story Collections --

1-2-3 Scream! by R.U. Ginns

The Cursed Carnival and Other Calamities by Rick Riordan

The Foundling and Other Stories of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander

Graven Images by Paul Fleischman

Guys Read: The Sports Pages by Jon Scieszka

Guys Read: Terrifying Tales by Jon Scieszka

The Hero Next Door by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich

Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling

Really Stupid Stories for Really Smart Kids by Alan Katz

The Spook's Story and Other Horrors by Joseph Delaney

Sword of the Samurai: Adventure Stories from Japan by Eric A. Kimmel

That's Ghosts for You: 13 Scary Stories by Mariane Carus

A Few of My Favorite Things (Books)

 This week, I'm sharing some of my favorite chapter books for kids . . . .

Bo at Ballard Creek by Kirkpatrick Hill

It's the 1920s, and Bo was headed for an Alaska orphanage when she won the hearts of two tough gold miners who set out to raise her, enthusiastically helped by all the kind people of the nearby Eskimo village.

The Spoon in the Bathroom Wall by Tony Johnston

Living in the boiler room of the school where her father is janitor seems normal to fourth grader Martha Snapdragon, until she has experiences reminiscent of the Arthurian legends.

The Thirteenth Princess by Diane Zahler

Zita, cast aside by her father and raised as a kitchen maid, learns when she is nearly twelve that she is a princess and that her twelve sisters love her, and so when she discovers they are victims of an evil enchantment, she desperately tries to save them.

The Dollhouse Murders by Betty Ren Wright

A mysterious dollhouse and dolls that move on their own lead Amy, twelve, and her mentally-disabled sister Louann, eleven, to investigate the mystery surrounding grisly murders that occured years before.

More Books --

Below by Meg McKinlay

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

Can of Worms by Kathy Mackel

Dial-A-Ghost by Eva Ibbotson

Fairy Tale Comics by Chris Duffy

The Floods: Good Neighbors by Colin Thompson

Mr. and Mrs. Bunny: Detectives Extraordinaire by Polly Horvath

The Snow Spider by Jenny Nimmo

This Would Make a Good Story Some Day by Dana Alison Levy

Up and Down Scratchy Mountain by Laurel Snyder

It's Better With Two! Stories Featuring Twins

All of these books feature twins in the stories.  Here's a few of our favorites . . . .

The Magic Half by Annie Barrows

Eleven-year-old Miri Gill feels left out in her family, which has two sets of twins and her, until she travels back in time to 1935 and discovers Molly, her own lost twin, and brings her back to the present day.

The Tapper Twins Go to War (With Each Other) by Geoff Rodkey

An oral history that reports, through transcribed recordings, text messages, photographs, illustrations, screenshots, and more, an epic prank war between twelve-year-old twins Reese and Claudia Tapper of New York City.

Denis Ever After by Tony Abbott

This bittersweet middle grade novel follows the ghost of Denis Egan as he teams up with his living twin brother to solve the mystery of his death.

Witch Twins by Adele Griffin

Troubled about being separated at school and preoccupied with sabotaging their father's marriage, ten-year-old witches, Claire and Luna, have little time to think of something good, smart and tricky to do that will finally make them one-star witches.

More Books --

Bhai for Now by Maleeha Siddiqui

Capitol Chase by Matthew Landis

Cosmic Commandos by Chris Eliopoulos

Double, Double, Twins and Trouble by Luna Graves

Double Vision by Tia Mowry

The Fowl Twins by Eoin Colfer

The Hunt for the Hollower by Callie C. Miller

Jake and Lilly by Jerry Spinelli

Journey Across the Hidden Islands by Sarah Beth Durst

Shira & Esther's Double Dream Debut by Anna E. Jordan 

The Templeton Twins Have an Idea by Ellis Weiner

The Two and Only Kelly Twins by Johanna Hurwitz

June = World Ocean Month

Did you know that June is World Ocean Month?  Celebrate by reading one of the following chapter books with an ocean setting.  Here are a few of our favorites . . . .

Odder by Katherine Applegate

Odder spends her days off the coast of central California, practicing her underwater acrobatics and spinning the quirky stories for which she's known. She's a fearless daredevil, curious to a fault. But when Odder comes face-to-face with a hungry great white shark, her life takes a dramatic turn, one that will challenge everything she believes about herself -- and about the humans who hope to save her.

Northwind by Gary Paulsen

When a deadly plague reaches the small fish camp where he lives, an orphan named Leif is forced to take to the water in a cedar canoe. He flees northward, following a wild, fjord-riven shore, navigating from one danger to the next, unsure of his destination. Yet the deeper into his journey he paddles, the closer he comes to his truest self as he connects to ٢the heartbeat of the ocean . . . the pulse of the sea.

A Whale in Paris by Daniel Presley

During the German occupation of Paris, Chantal, twelve, spies a whale while fishing with her father in the Seine and is determined to return it to the ocean before the Nazis or starving Parisians can destroy it.

More Books --

Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk

Compass South by Hope Larson

Consider the Octopus by Nora Raleigh Baskin

Forbidden Sea by Sheila A. Nielson

Global by Eoin Colfer

Into the Killing Seas by Michael Spradlin

The Neptune Project by Polly Holyoke

Olive's Ocean by Kevin Henkes

Race to the Bottom of the Sea by Lindsay Eagar

Scary Sea Stories by Mark Kehl

Sea Sirens by Amy Chu

Secret Sisters of the Salty Sea by Lynne Rae Perkins

Secrets We Tell the Sea by Martha Riva Palacio Obon

Mrs. Heather's Favorite Books from Childhood

 This week, we are sharing some of Mrs. Heather's favorite chapter books from her childhood.  Read them and see if they're a favorite of yours too.

Ruby Holler by Sharon Creech

Twins Dallas and Florida have grown up in a terrible orphanage but their lives change forever when an eccentric but sweet older couple invites them each on an adventure, beginning in an almost magical place called Ruby Holler.

Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy

Stephanie's uncle Gordon is a writer of horror fiction. But when he dies and leaves her his estate, Stephanie learns that while he may have written horror it certainly wasn't fiction. Pursued by evil forces, Stephanie finds help from an unusual source - the wisecracking skeleton of a dead sorcerer.

The Girl With the Silver Eyes by Willo Davis Roberts

Katie can make things move with her mind and understand what animals are thinking and one day, suspecting that there are three others with her powers, she runs away to find them.

Ellen Tebbits by Beverly Cleary

The part of third grade Ellen Tebbits likes most is having Austine Allen for her best friend.

More Books --

Artemis Fowl by Eion Colfer

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer

Earwig and the Witch by Diana Wynne Jones

The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

The Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Mary Ann Saves the Day by Ann M. Martin

Matilda by Roald Dahl

Scooby Doo and the Case of the Carnival Clown by Laurie S. Sutton

Stuart Little by E.B. White

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

National Pet Week

This year, May 6-11 is National Pet Week.  So this week, we are sharing some of our favorite chapter book stories about pets.

Bunnicula by Deborah & James Howe

Though scoffed at by Harold the dog, Chester the cat tries to warn his human family that their foundling baby bunny must be a vampire.

Wedgie & Gizmo by Suzanne Selfors

While his human Elliot adjusts to his new home and stepfamily, Gizmo, an evil genius guinea pig, searches for a new evil lair where he can plot to take over the world, but Gizmo is constantly thwarted by Wedgie (a Corgi superhero and Gizmo's nemesis).

The Great Pet Escape by Victoria Jamieson

A young graphic novel chapter book about the escape escapades of class pets at Daisy P. Flugelhorn Elementary School.

Quack by Anna Humphrey

After a duck helps ten-year-old Shady Cook, who has selective mutism, to gain confidence, he and his best friend, Pouya, bring the emotional support duck to school to help the many underdogs there.

More Books --

Bad Kitty series by Nick Bruel

The Great Pet Heist by Emily Ecton

The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter by Aaron Reynolds

Jinxed by Amy McCulloch

Lio: There's a Monster in My Socks by Mark Tatulli

Maxi's Secrets by Lynn Plourde

Pax by Sara Pennypacker

Raising Rufus by David Fulk

Return of the Hungry Hamster by Sam Hay

The Simple Art of Flying by Cory Leonardo

Stubby by Kate Klimo

Switched by Bruce Hale

The World According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney

Super(Hero) Books for Kids

Superhero are always a popular topic with kids.  Here are a few of our favorite superhero chapter books ...

Almost Super by Marion Jensen

Two brothers in a family of superheroes are forced to reexamine everything they knew about being super when the powers they receive are total duds and their enemy is revealed to be just like they are.

Zodiac Legacy: Tiger Island by Stuart Moore

When six teenagers gain strange, magical superpowers, the vanguard launches a surprise attack in hopes of stopping the young heroes before they fully understand their abilities.

Ikenga by Nnedi Okorafor

In southeastern Nigeria, twelve-year-old Mnamdi is determined to avenge his police chief father, who was murdered while triyng to rid the town of criminals, but Nnamdi feels powerless until he receives a magical object which gives him superpowers.

Cape by Kate Hannigan

Soon after being recruited by the mysterious Mrs. Boudica to join a secret military intelligence operation, Josie, Mae, and Akiko discover their superhero abilities and use them to thwart a Nazi plot to steal the ENIAC computer.

More Superhero Stories --

Battling Boy by Paul Pope

Black Panther: The Young Prince by Ronald L. Smith

DC Superhero Girls: Final Crisis by Shea Fontana

Dear DC Supervillains by Michael Northrop

The Flash: Johnny Quick by Barry Lyga

Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities by Mike Jung

Jack Blank and the Imagine Nation by Matt Myklusch

The Mighty Odds by Amy Ignatow

My Brother Is a Superhero by David Solomons

Public School Superhero by James Patterson

Sidekicked by John David Anderson

Super Schnoz and the Gates of Smell by Gary Urey

Wonder Woman at Superhero High by Lisa Yee

It's a Hard Knock Life: Stories of Orphans

It seems a common theme in children's books -- the plucky orphan going on an adventure.  Here are a few of our favorites . . . .

The Onts by Dan Greenburg

Ten-year-old orphan twins Wally and Cheyenne Shluffmuffin have had it bad at Cincinnati's Jolly Days Orphanage, but things get much worse when the Mandible sisters offer to share their home in the Dripping Fang Forest.

The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo

When ten-year-old orphan Peter Augustus Duchene encounters a fortune teller in the marketplace one day and she tells him that his sister, who is presumed dead, is in fact alive, he embarks on a remarkable series of adventures as he desperately tries to find her.

The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry

In this tongue-in-cheek take on classic themes in children's literature, the four Willoughby children set about to become "deserving orphans" after their neglectful parents embark on a treacherous around-the-world adventure, leaving them in the care of an odious nanny.

Escape to Witch Mountain by Alexander Key

When an evil man claiming to be their uncle removes them from an orphanage, Tony and Tia, siblings with unusual powers, run away and try to find other people like themselves in hopes of learning something of their mysterious past.

More Books --

At the Bottom of the World by Bill Nye

The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket

The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Clem Hetherington and the Ironwood Race by Jen Breach

Dactyll Hill Squad by Daniel Jose Older

Henry & Eva and the Castle on the Cliff by Andrea Portes

Loot by Jude Watson

The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan

The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier

Ruby Holler by Sharon Creech

Someplace to Call Home by Sandra Dallas

Wave Riders by Lauren St. John

We Own the Sky by W.R. Philbrick

Mad About Hoops

 It's March!  Which means it is time for March Madness.  This week, we're sharing some basketball stories for kids.

Double Scribble: A Jake Maddox Graphic Novel by Brandon Terrell

Diego "Clutch" Rivera was the hero of his school's basketball team last year, but this season things have not started well, and Diego is losing his confidence--but with some help from his dad and a friend he starts to rediscover the fun in basketball.

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

Fourteen-year-old twin basketball stars Josh and Jordan wrestle with highs and lows on and off the court as their father ignores his declining health.

Center Court Sting by Matt Christopher

Daren's tendency to blame everyone but himself when anything goes wrong causes problems with his best friend, with a young neighbor who idolizes him, and with one of his basketball teammates.

No Slam Dunk by Mike Lupica

In Annapolis, Maryland, seventh-grader Wes is a good teammate but this basketball season has been challenging because of his ball hog teammate Dinero, who is determined to steal the spotlight, and Wes's army veteran father who is suffering from PTSD.

More Books --

Big Shot by Jeff Kinney

Camp Average by Craig Battle

Fieldhouse by Scott Novosel

Meet Julie by Megan McDonald

My Life as a Potato by Arianne Costner

One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Prince by Bruce Brooks

Rebound by Kwame Alexander

The Turnover by Mike Lupica

We Are Family by LeBron James

Wheel Wizards by Matt Christopher

A Whole New Ball Game by Phil Bildner

Winners from the Past -- The Mark Twain Award

This week, we're sharing some of our favorite winners from past years of the Mark Twain Award.

The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann

In a society that purges thirteen-year-olds who are creative, identical twins Aaron and Alex are separated, one to attend University while the other, supposedly Eliminated, finds himself in a wondrous place where youths hone their abilities and learn magic.

The Girl with the Silver Eyes by Willo Davis Roberts

Katie can make things move with her mind and understand what animals are thinking and one day, suspecting that there are three others with her powers, she runs away to find them.

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein

Kyle Keeley is the class clown, popular with most kids (if not the teachers), and an ardent fan of all games: board games, word games, and particularly video games. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, the most notorious and creative gamemaker in the world, just so happens to be the genius behind the building of the new town library. Lucky Kyle wins a coveted spot to be one of the first 12 kids in the library for an overnight of fun, food, and lots and lots of games.

More Mark Twain Award Winners --

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

Blended by Sharon Draper

Deep and Dark and Dangerous: A Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn

Dork in Disguise by Carol Gorman

Framed: A TOAST Mystery by James Ponti

Manic Magee by Jerry Spinelli

A Million Ways Home by Dianna Dorisi-Winget

Millionaires for the Month by Stacey McAnulty

The Pinballs by Betsy Byars

Runaway Twin by Peg Kehret

Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Stolen Children by Peg Kehret

Titanic Crossing by Barbara Williams

The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Wenny Has Wings by Janet Lee Carey

White Bird by R.J. Palacio

Zach's Lie by Roland Smith

So You Like Video Games . . . .

This week, I'm sharing stories about video games.  Here's a few of our favorites . . . .

Slacker by Gordon Korman

Cameron Boxer is very happy to spend his life avoiding homework, hanging out with his friends, and gaming for hours in his basement. It's not too hard for him to get away with it . . . until he gets so caught up in one game that he almost lets his house burn down around him. Oops. It's time for some serious damage control.

Unbelievably Boring Bart by James Patterson

Brainy twelve-year-old Bart attracts little attention at his new middle school near Hollywood, California, but whenever he can get around his gym-coach father, he secretly hunts electricity-guzzling aliens.

Click'd by Tamara Ireland Stone

Allie Navarro can't wait to show her best friends the app she built at summer camp. CLICK'D pairs users based on common interests and sends them on a fun (and occasionally rule-breaking) scavenger hunt to find each other. And it's a hit. But when Allie discovers a glitch that threatens to expose everyone's secrets, she has to figure out how to make things right.

More Books --

Crack in the Code! by Nick Eliopulos

Cyberspace Warrior by Edward Packard

The Double Life of Danny Day by Mike Thayer

Dragon Ops by Mari Mancusi

Gamer Army by Trent Reedy

The Good War by Todd Strasser

Mac Cracks the Code by Mac Barnett

The Nerdy Dozen by Jeff Miller

The Ruby Code by Jessica Khoury

Saving Thanehaven by Catherine Jinks

Tournament Trouble by Sylv Chiang

Ultimate Gaming Showdown by M.K. England