summer reading

Author	Title	Annotation Mostly complements of <www.titlewave.com>
Adler, David A.	Don't talk to me about the war	In 1940, thirteen-year-old Tommy's routine of school, playing stickball in his Bronx, New York, neighborhood, talking with his friend Beth, and listening to Dodgers games on the radio changes as his mother's illness and his increasing awareness of the war in Europe transform his world.
Allison, Jennifer	Gilda Joyce: the ladies of the lake	Having earned a scholarship to a private girls' high school, self-proclaimed psychic investigator Gilda Joyce investigates the circumstances surrounding the drowning death of a student whose ghost supposedly haunts the campus.
Allison, Jennifer	Gilda Joyce: psychic investigator	During the summer before ninth grade, intrepid Gilda Joyce invites herself to the San Francisco mansion of distant cousin Lester Splinter and his thirteen-year-old daughter, where she uses her purported psychic abilities and detective skills to solve the mystery of the mansion's boarded-up tower. Booklist starrd School Library Journal starrd
Anderson, John David	Standard hero behavior	When fifteen-year-old Mason Quayle finds out that their town of Darlington is about to be attacked by orcs, goblins, ogres, and trolls, he goes in search of some heroes to save the day. *Booklist starrd**
Angel, Ann, ed.	Such a pretty face: short stories about beauty	A collection of twelve short stories about beauty by authors such as Chris Lynch, Norma Fox Mazer, Ron Koertge, and others.
Applegate, Katherine	Home of the brave	Kek, an African refugee, is confronted by many strange things at the Minneapolis home of his aunt and cousin, as well as in his fifth-grade classroom, and longs for his missing mother, but finds comfort in the company of a cow and her owner. School Library Journal starr*d Best Books Of The Year 2007 Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers 2007
Arato, Rona	Ice cream town	Wit and his beautiful singing voice keep Sammy out of trouble in the rough New York streets in the 1920s.
Aretha, David	Freedom summer	Chronicles the attempts by Civil Right's organizers across the nation to secure voting rights for African-Americans in Mississippi during the summer of 1963.
Aretha, David	Murder of Emmett Till	Chronicles the 1955 murder in Money, Mississippi, of Chicago teenager, Emmett Till, by local store owner Roy Bryant and his brother-in-law, J.W. Milam, the trial and acquittal that followed, and how the incident impacted the civil rights movement.
Ariel Schrag, ed.	Stuck in the middle	Seventeen short comics stories by such writer-artists as Lauren Weinstein, Dash Shaw, and Robyn Chapman explore the middle school experience. Book Links starrd Booklist starrd Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books starrd Kliatt starrd
Atwater-Rhodes Amelia	Wyvernhail	In order to protect the people and the world she loves from the future she sees in increasingly horrific visions, Hai is forced to throw away her own happiness and ascend the serpiente throne.
Avi	Seer of shadows	Photographer Horace Carpetine is commissioned to do a portrait for society matron Mrs. Frederick Von Macht; however, the photos evoke both the image and the ghost of the Von Macht's dead daughter, Eleanora, who has returned to seek vengence on those who killed her.
Bagert, Brod	Hormone jungle: coming of age in middle school	College-bound Christina Curtis is creating a scrapbook of the Digital Poets, her middle-school poetry group, which, interwoven with her narrative, reflects the hormonal angst of middle school.
Barber, Ian	Sorting the elements: the periodic table	Discovering the elements -- Rows and columns -- Common elements -- Metals -- Nonmetals -- Elements into compounds. Photographs, diagrams, and illustrations describe the periodic table and how many different kinds of elements there are.
Barry, Dave	Peter and the secret of Rundoon	Fearing that the sinister Lord Ombra was not destroyed, Peter and Molly travel to the land of Rundoon, which is ruled by the evil King Zarboff.
Bartoletti, Susan Campbell	Boy who dared	In October, 1942, seventeen-year-old Helmuth Hubener, imprisoned for distributing anti-Nazi leaflets, recalls his past life and how he came to dedicate himself to bring the truth about Hitler and the war to the German people. Book Links starred Booklist starred
Bauer, Joan	Peeled	In an upstate New York farming community, high school reporter Hildy Biddle investigates a series of strange occurrences at a house rumored to be haunted. *Publishers Weekly starrd Award-winning author**
Beale, Fleur	The Transformation of Minna Hargreaves	Minna is a typical fourteen-year-old, who is urban, technologically savvy, and has the right boyfriend and peer group. But her life is turned upside down when her father announces that the family is going to live on an off-shore island for a year, and the venture will be made into a reality TV series. 2009 Sakura Medal Nominee The Sakura Medal is a book award program conducted at International School Libraries throughout Japan.
Bell, Hilari	Forging the sword	Farsalans, including Lady Soraya and her half-brother, Jiaan, Kavi, and others, work relentlessly and often secretly in their shared strategies regarding the ultimate defeat of the Hrum. Farsala trilogy ; bk. 3 *Award-winning author*
Bell, Ted	Nick of time	Twelve-year-old Nick McIver tries to help his father and sister send vital information to England about imminent Nazi invasion, until he finds himself transported through time to help his ancestor stop a mutinous captain who is aiding the French fleet and endangering British sailors. School Library Journal starred
Beller, Susan Provost	Battling in the Pacific: soldiering in World War II	Contains first-person accounts and commentary that describe various aspects of life for American soldiers fighting in the Pacific theater of World War II on land, at sea, and in the air.
Berlin, Eric	Puzzling world of Winston Breen	Winston Breen loves solving puzzles; and when his sister uncovers a twenty-five-year-old scavenger hunt--which leads to a ring worth thousands of dollars--he and his family jump at the opportunity to solve it. *Booklist starrd**
Berman, Steve	Magic in the mirrorstone	Contains fifteen stories of magic for teen readers, featuring selections by a variety of fantasy writers, including Holly Black, Eugie Foster, Gregory Frost, and others.
Bertagna, Julie	Exodus	In the year 2100, as the island of Wing is about to be covered by water, fifteen-year-old Mara discovers the existence of New World sky cities that are safe from the storms and rising waters, and convinces her people to travel to one of these cities in order to save themselves. *Booklist starrd**
Bieringer, Kelley	Is modern art really art?	What is modern art? -- How did modern art develop? -- Is Picasso's art really art? -- Jackson Pollack : process versus product -- Is this art? -- Should public money fund the arts? -- What's it all about?. Introduces students to the controversy over whether or not modern art should be considered a true art form, examining both sides of the argument and providing information to support both viewpoints.
Binder, Mark	Brothers Schlemiel	Born in Chelm, a small Jewish settlement known for being full of fools, identical twin brothers Abraham and Adam are alike in so many ways that they, themselves, are not always sure who is who, as they grow to adulthood encountering gypsies, thieves, kings, and love along the way.
Bingham, Jane	Captain Cook's Pacific explorations	Recounts Captain James Cook's three epic journeys across the Pacific ocean, describing the hardships Cook and his men faced, the new lands they found, and their impressions of the unique people and cultures they encountered.
Bloor, Edward	Taken	In 2036 kidnapping rich children has become an industry, but when thirteen-year-old Charity Meyers is taken and held for ransom, she soon discovers that this particular kidnapping is not what it seems. *Award-winning author*
Bodden, Valerie	Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki	Presents a detailed account of the bombing of both Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 ultimately ending the Pacific war; and chronicles the events leading to the war and the aftermath of the bomb from some of the victims themselves.
Bosch, Pseudony-mous	Name of this book is secret	Cassandra and Max find a missing magician's notebook and start to investigate the fire which burnt down his house and his mysterious "symphony of smells."
Bradley, Kimberly Brubaker	Leap of faith	Forced to attend a Catholic middle school because of her conduct, Abigail discovers a talent for theater and develops a true religious faith. *Award-winning author*
Brian, Kate	Fake boyfriend	When Lane and Vivi's best friend Isabelle has her heart broken by her unreliable boyfriend, they decide to save her by inventing a new boy on the internet to ask Isabelle to the prom, but the scheme quickly becomes complicated, and the results surprise them all.
Bruchac, Joseph	Bearwalker	Although he is the littlest student in his class, thirteen-year-old Baron Braun calls upon the strength and wisdom of his Mohawk ancestors to face both man and beast when he tries to get help for his classmates, who are being terrorized during a school field trip in the Adirondacks.
Buckley-Archer, Linda	Time thief	When an attempt to bring Peter and Kate back to their own time is bungled, Peter finds himself stranded in 1763 while The Tar Man, a villainous eighteenth-century criminal, returns with Kate to twenty-first-century London. ( Previously published as: Tar man.)
Bunting, Eve	Man with the red bag	Twelve-year-old Kevin, who is traveling with his grandmother on a sightseeing trip to different national parks and monuments, suspects that a man in his tour group might be carrying a bomb. *Award-winning author*
Busby, Cylin, ed.	First kiss (then tell): a collection of short stories	Contains short stories, poems, and graphic stories in which popular authors provide true accounts of their first experiences with kissing.
Butler, Dori Hillestad	Truth about Truman School	Tired of being told what to write by the school newspaper's advisor, Zibby and her friend Amr start an underground newspaper online where everyone is free to post anything, but things spiral out of control when a cyberbully starts using the site to harrass one popular girl.
Cadnum, Michael	Forbidden forest : the story of Little John and Robin Hood	Profiles Little John, from his quiet life before joining Robin Hood through his adventures protecting a beautiful lady when she is wrongfully accused of murdering her husband. *Award-winning author*
Cadnum, Michael	Starfall : Phaeton and the chariot of the sun	Phaeton embarks upon a long and dangerous journey to the gates of dawn in order to confront Apollo and learn the truth of his parentage and is granted his wish to drive the chariot of the sun. Trilogy ; bk. 1 *Award-winning author*
Cadnum, Michael	The King's Arrow	In England's New Forest on the second day of August, 1100, eighteen-year-old Simon Foldre, delighted to be allowed to participate in a royal hunt as squire to the Anglo-Norman nobleman Walter Tirel, finds his future irrevocably altered when, during the hunt, he witnesses the possible murder of King William II. *2009 Sakura Medal Nominee*
Card,Orson Scott Visiting author 2008-09	Keeper of dreams	Worthy to be one of us. A collection of twenty-two short stories by American author Orson Scott Card. *Award-winning author*
Carey, Janet Lee	Dragon's keep	In 1145 A.D., as foretold by Merlin, fourteen-year-old Rosalind, who will be the twenty-first Pendragon Queen of Wilde Island, has much to accomplish to fulfill her destiny, while hiding from her people the dragon's claw she was born with that reflects only one of her mother's dark secrets. *Award-winning author*
Cheaney, J. B.	The middle of some-where	Twelve-year-old Ronnie loves organization, especially because her brother has attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, but traveling with their grandfather who is investigating wind power in Kansas brings some pleasant, if chaotic, surprises.
Choldenko, Gennifer	If a tree falls at lunch period	Kirsten and Walk, seventh-graders at an elite private school, describe how race, wealth, weight, and other issues shape their relationships as they and other misfits stand up to a mean but influential classmate. *Award-winning author*
Clement-Davies, David	Fell	In Transylvania during the Middle Ages, Fell, a lone wolf with unusual abilities, learns that his destiny is entwined with that of one human, fifteen-year-old Rasha, whose mysterious origins have villagers believing she is a changeling. *Award-winning author*
Colfer, Eoin	Airman	In the 1890s on an island off the Irish coast, Conor Broekhart is falsely imprisoned and passes the solitary months by scratching designs of flying machines into the walls, including one for a glider with which he dreams of escape. *Award-winning author* Kirkus Review starrd School Library Journal starrd
Compestine, Ying Chang	Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party	Nine-year-old Ling is very comfortable in her life; her parents are both dedicated surgeons in the best hospital in Wuhan. But when Comrade Li, one of Mao’s political officers, moves into a room in their apartment, Ling begins to witness the gradual disintegration of her world. In an atmosphere of increasing mistrust, Ling fears for the safety of her neighbors and, soon, for herself and family. Over the course of four years, Ling manages to grow and blossom, even as she suffers more horrors than many people face in a lifetime. *2009 Sakura Medal Nominee*
Connor, Leslie	Waiting for normal	Twelve-year-old Addie tries to cope with her mother's erratic behavior and being separated from her beloved stepfather and half-sisters when she and her mother go to live in a small trailer by the railroad tracks on the outskirts of Schenectady, New York. Kirkus Review starrd Kliatt starrd Publishers Weekly starrd School Library Journal starrd
Cooney, Caroline	Diamonds in the Shadow	The Finch family did not know that five refugees landed from Africa on the day they went to the airport to welcome the family sponsored by their church. The Finch family only knew about the four refugees they were meeting - Andre, Celestine, Mattu, and Alake - mother, father, teenage son and daughter.Soon Jared realizes that the good guys are not always innocent, and he must make a decision that could change the fate of both families. This story presents many points of view and a fresh perspective on doing the right thing. *2009 Sakura Medal Nominee* *Award-winning author*
Cooper, Michelle	The Rage of Sheep	Hester's been lonely since her best friend Krystena moved away at the beginning of Year 10, but she knows how lucky she is to be hanging around with sweet and kind Lynda and gorgeous, popular Natalie. That is, until they make her sit beside weird Joshua Mason in science class for a laugh. *2009 Sakura Medal Nominee*
Corder, Zizou	Lee Raven, Boy Thief	Lee Raven, boy thief, has stolen something he didn't really mean to. Now he faces a perilous flight through London as he tries to escape capture - because Lee has stolen the book of Nebo. *2009 Sakura Medal Nominee*
Cornwell, Autumn	Carpe diem	Sixteen-year-old Vassar Spore’s detailed plans for the next twenty years of her life are derailed when her bohemian grandmother insists that she join her in Southeast Asia for the summer, but as she writes a novel about her experiences, Vassar discovers new possibilities.
Cromwell, Sharon	Arab Americans	Examines the migration of Arab people who came to America during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, their hardships and struggles to make a new life; and contains a timeline, charts and graphs, and profiles on important people and events.
Cross,Gillian	Nightmare game	Robert, with his best friend, Tom, and sister, Emma, attempt to save the other survivors from the strange parallel world before winter sets in and destroys them all. *Horn Book starrd**
Crowley, Suzanne	Very ordered existence of Merilee Marvelous	In the small town of Jumbo, Texas, thirteen-year-old Merilee, who has Asperger's Syndrome, tries to live a "very ordered existence," but disruptions begin when a boy and his father arrive in town and the youngster makes himself a part of the family. Kliatt starrd School Library Journal starrd
Cumbie, Patricia	Where people like us live	In 1978, when her restless father moves the family to Racine, Wisconsin, fourteen-year-old Libby quickly becomes friends with neighbor Angie, but there is something strange about Angie's stepfather and when Libby learns the truth, she must make a very difficult choice.
Curtis, Christopher Paul	Elijah of Buxton	Eleven-year-old Elijah Freeman, the first free-born child in Buxton, Canada, which is a haven for slaves fleeing the American South in 1859, uses his wits and skills to try to bring to justice the lying preacher who has stolen money that was to be used to buy a family's freedom. *Award-winning author*
D. J. Milky	Karma club	Kemmy and her fellow agents for the Karma Club team fight evil with good vibrations, neutralizing bad Karma and ensuring all is right with the world, but a serious crime threatens to lower the karma of the Big Melon and their powers may not be enough to save the city.
Day, Karen	Tall tales	Sixth-grader Meg Summers and her family move to a new state every few years as her alcoholic father tries to get a fresh start, but when they land in Indiana and Meg finally makes a real friend and begins to talk about her family's problems, they all find the strength to try to change their destiny.
Delaney, Joseph	Night of the soul stealer	Tom is dismayed when his master the Spook decrees that they will be spending the winter on gloomy and forbidding Anglezarke Moor but soon discovers the reason for his master's decision, as they tangle with two dangerous witches and struggle to keep a dark mage from resurrecting an ancient evil. Includes excerpts from Tom Ward's journal.
Demilly, Christian	Pop art	Translated from the French. An introduction to pop art that provides a history of the movement, briefly profiles prominent figures, and includes representative pieces.
Denman, K. L.	Mirror image	Thirteen-year-old Sable is reluctantly paired up with Lacey for an art project, but their mutual dislike for one another begins to soften as the two begin to get to know each other better. Orca currents
Dessen, Sarah	Lock and key	When she is abandoned by her alcoholic mother, high school senior Ruby winds up living with Cora, the sister she has not seen for ten years, and learns about Cora's new life, what makes a family, how to allow people to help her when she needs it, and that she too has something to offer others. *Publishers Weekly starrd**
Deuker, Carl	Gym candy	Groomed by his father to be a star player, football is the only thing that has ever really mattered to Mick Johnson, who works hard for a spot on the varsity team his freshman year, then tries to hold onto his edge by using steroids, despite the consequences to his health and social life. *Horn Book starrd Award-winning author**
Doctorow, Cory	Little brother	Interrogated for days by the Department of Homeland Security in the aftermath of a major terrorist attack on San Francisco, California, seventeen-year-old Marcus is released into what is now a police state, and decides to use his expertise in computer hacking to set things right. Booklist starrd Publishers Weekly starrd School Library Journal starr*d Best Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror 2007
Dowd, Siobhan	London eye mystery	When Ted and Kat's cousin Salim disappears from the London Eye ferris wheel, the two siblings must work together--Ted with his brain that is "wired differently" and impatient Kat--to try to solve the mystery of what happened to Salim. Book Links starrd Booklist starrd Horn Book starrd Publishers Weekly starrd School Library Journal starr*d
Doyle, Marissa	Bewitching season	Seventeen-year-old twins Persephone and Penelope, embarking on their first London season in 1837, are disturbed to find that their beloved governess, who has taught them everything they know about magic, has disappeared. *Booklist starrd**
Doyle, Roddy	Wilderness	Two stories run side by side in this novel. Irish teenager Gráinne anxiously prepares for a reunion with her birth mother Rosemary, who abandoned the family years before. At the same time, Gráinne's half-brothers and their mother take a dogsledding vacation in Finland (the reason for the trip is to stay clear of what is sure to be a difficult reunion for Grainne.) The boys love their dogsledding adventure, enjoying every minute of helping to take care of the dogs, enduring the cold and hard labor and collapsing into bed every night in blissful exhaustion - until the night their mother disappears! As the boys set off into the frozen wilderness on dogsleds to search for their mother, Grainne deals with her coming-of-age epiphany. Survival fiction fans will find the boys' tale especially gripping. *Horn Book starrd 2009 Sakura Medal Nominee**
Draper, Sharon M.	Fire from the rock	In 1957, Sylvia Patterson’s life--that of a normal African American teenager--is disrupted by the impending integration of Little Rock’s Central High when she is selected to be one of the first black students to attend the previously all white school. Includes author’s note and related websites. Library Media Connection starrd School Library Journal starrd *Award-winning author*
Dunkle, Clare B.	Sky inside	Martin, a genetically-engineered boy living in the perfectly ordered world of HM1, finds himself questioning the citizens' acceptance of the world around them when children begin to disappear, including Martin's little sister, and no one is willing to search for them, forcing Martin to set out on a dangerous mission to escape the suburb and explore the world outside, looking for answers. *Booklist starrd.**
Duy, Nguyen	Monster origami	Describes and illustrates the basic techniques and base folds used in origami, and features step-by-step instructions for creating ten origami monster figures, including a vampire bat, werewolf, alien, and Dracula.
E. D. Baker	Salamander spell	Thirteen-year-old Grassina vies with her older sister, Chartreuse, to see who will inherit the family's talent for magic and become the Green Witch, while each ponders which prince will be at her side during her "happily ever after."
Ellis, Ann Dee	This is what I did	Bullied because of an incident in his past, eighth-grader Logan is unhappy at his new school and has difficulty relating to others until he meets a quirky girl and a counselor who believe in him. Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books starrd Publishers Weekly starrd
Ellis, Deborah	Bifocal	A novel told from the points of view of Jay, a white football player, and Haroon, a family-oriented Muslim student, in which tensions rise along racial lines at a high school after a boy is arrested for suspected terrorist affiliations.
Eric Carle Picture Book Museum Staff	Artist to artist: 23 major illustrators talk	More than twenty children's book illustrators speak informally to children about their art and careers. Includes fold-out pages with photographs of early work, studios, materials, sketches, and finished works, as well as self-portraits.
Falderson, Sue Ann	Eco-diary of Kiran Singer	A collection of poems in which Sue Ann Alderson records the sights and sounds of a nature preserve throughout the seasons. Library Media Connection *starrd**
Farmer, Nancy	The Land of the Silver Apples	After escaping from the Sea of Trolls, the apprentice bard Jack plunges into a new series of adventures, traveling underground to Elfland and uncovering the truth about his little sister Lucy. Sequel to : The sea of trolls *Award-winning author* *Booklist starrd**
Flanagan, John	Battle for Skandia	After escaping slavery, Evanlyn is taken captive by a Temujai warrior, leaving Will to use his Ranger training to find her, despite being outnumbered by an enemy scouting party and the entire Temujai army. Ranger's apprentice ; bk. 4 *Kirkus Review starrd**
Flanagan, John	The burning bridge	Will is forced to overcome his fear of Wargals, the foot soldiers of rebel warlord Morgarath, as Araluen's army prepares to battle Morgarath's forces. Ranger's apprentice ; bk. 2 Sequel to : The ruins of Gorlan. *Kirkus Review starrd.**
Flanagan, John	The icebound land	Chasing the Skandian slave-traders who kidnapped Will and Evanlyn, Ranger Halt and warrior student Horace find themselves in the frozen northern islands, where they battle a ruthless black-clad knight as they attempt to rescue their friends. Ranger's apprentice ; bk. 3
Fleischman, Sid	The entertainer and the dybbuk	A struggling American ventriloquist in post-World War II Europe is possessed by the mischievous spirit of a young Jewish boy killed in the Holocaust. Includes author's note which details the murder of over one million children by the Nazis during the 1930s and 1940s. Kirkus Review starred Kliatt starred School Library Journal starred *Award-winning author*
Fletcher, Charlie	Stoneheart	Twelve-year-old George breaks the head off a dragon sculpture outside the Natural History Museum in an act of rebellion and soon discovers, to his dismay, that he has reawakened the war between the statues of London. Stoneheart trilogy ; bk. 1
Fletcher, Charlie	Stone Heart Trilogy: Iron Hand	Twelve-year-old George breaks the head off a dragon sculpture outside the Natural History Museum in an act of rebellion and soon discovers, to his dismay, that he has reawakened the war between the statues of London.
Fogelin, Adrian	Sorta sisters	In Florida, Anna Casey lives with what she hopes is the last in a long line of foster mothers, and Mica Delano lives with her father on their small boat, and when the two of them begin corresponding, they discover they have a lot in common.
Foyt, Victoria	The virtual life of Lexie Diamond	Fourteen-year-old Lexie is only at peace while using her computer, so when her mother dies suddenly, Lexie tries to connect with her online and not only discovers that her mother was murdered, she learns that her father's new girlfriend is big trouble.
Frampton, Otis	Family reunion	Oddly Normal, a girl who lives with her aunt in Fignation because her parents disappeared on her tenth birthday, tries to save her new friend Oopie from a scientific experiment performed by Ragnar and Reggie's father.
Funke , Cornelia	Igraine the brave	Translation of: Igraine Ohnefurcht. The daughter of two magicians, twelve-year-old Igraine wants nothing more than to be a knight; and when their castle is attacked by a treacherous neighbor bent on stealing their singing magic books, Igraine has an opportunity to demonstrate her bravery. *Award-winning author* Best Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror 2007 Publishers Weekly starr*d
Gaines, Ann Graham	Don't steal copyrighted stuff!	Offers students practical advice on how they can find information for reports and projects and explains the correct way for citing different types of sources, including books, images, music, and videos, as well as discussing the importance of following copyright rules and protecting their own creative works.
Gantos, Jack Visiting author 2009-1010	I am not Joey Pigza	Joey's father returns, calling himself Charles Heinz and apologizing for his past bad behavior, and he swears that once Joey and his mother change their names and help him fix up the old diner he has bought, their lives will change for the better. Joey Pigza Series Booklist starrd Horn Book starrd Kirkus Review starrd Publishers Weekly starrd School Library Journal starrd Best Books Of The Year 2007 Award-winning author*
Genesse, Paul	Golden cord	In Ae'leron, a magical world were dwarves rule over humans, two dwarves, Bellor Fardelver and Thor Hargrim, and a human, Drake Bloodstone, journey to the lair of the Dragon King who threatens the survival of both races.
George, Jessica Day	Dragon slippers	Orphaned after a fever epidemic, Creel befriends a dragon and unknowingly inherits an object that can either save or destroy her kingdom. Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers 2007
Gephart, Donna	As if being 12 3/4 isn't bad enough	Preparing for spelling bees, having a secret admirer, and waiting for her chest size to catch up with her enormous feet are pressure enough, but twelve-year-old Vanessa must also deal with loneliness and very real fears as her mother, Florida's governor, runs for President of the United States.
Giff, Patricia Reilly	Eleven	When Sam, who can barely read, discovers an old newspaper clipping just before his eleventh birthday, it brings forth memories from his past, and, with the help of a new friend at school and the castle they are building for a school project, his questions are eventually answered. Publishers Weekly starred *Award-winning author*
Gilpin, Daniel	Burton and Speke's source of the Nile quest	Chronicles Richard Burton and John Speke's 1856-63 expedition to explore the Nile River and discover its origins, describing the people, places, and unique animals they encountered along the way. Great Journeys Across Earth Series
Gioffre, Rosalbe	The young chef's Italian cookbook	Presents illustrated, step-by-step instructions for fifteen Italian recipes suitable for young chefs, each with lists of ingredients and utensils, and a brief description. Includes information about the Italian festival Carnevale. (Samples are always welcomed in the library :-) I am the Chef Series
Godwin, Jane	Falling from grace	In Australia, fourteen-year-old Kip becomes a suspect after he finds the backpack of a twelve-year-old girl who was seemingly swept away during a storm while playing hide-and-seek with her sister on the coast.
Gogerly, Liz	Amundsen and Scott's race to the south pole	Offers a detailed chronology of Captain Robert Scott and Roald Amundsen's rival expeditions to be the first team to reach the South Pole in 1909, describing the challenges each team faced on their race to the pole. Great journeys across Earth Series
Gonzalez, Julie	Imaginary enemy	Although her impetuous behavior, smart-mouthed comments, and slacker ways have landed her in trouble over the years, sixteen-year-old Jane has always put the blame on her "imaginary enemy," until a new development forces her to decide whether or not to assume responsibility for her actions. *Publishers Weekly starrd**
Gould, Emily	Hex education	Sophie Stone is not happy when her family moves from Los Angeles to the small town of Mythic, Massachusetts, but things start looking up when she is befriended by some of the school's coolest girls--until she learns they are a coven of witches formed to save the town from an ancient evil.
Gourley, Catherine	War, women and the news: how female journalists won the battle to cover World War II	Text, period photographs, and news clippings tell the stories of the female journalists who fought to cover World War II and report from the front lines.
Grant, R. G.	Cold war	Explores the significant events surrounding the Cold War including the Korean and Vietnam Wars, the space race, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and the fall of the Berlin Wall and Communism. Timelines Series
Gutman, Dan	The Million Dollar Kick	Thirteen-year-old Whisper, who hates sports, is torn when she gets a chance to win a million dollars by kicking a goal against a local soccer hero. *Award-winning author*
Hahn, Mary Downing	Deep and dark and dangerous : a ghost story	When thirteen-year-old Ali spends the summer with her aunt and cousin at the family's vacation home, she stumbles upon a secret that her mother and aunt have been hiding for over thirty years. Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers 2007 *Award-winning author*
Hale, Shannon	Book of A Thousand Days	When Dashti, a maid, and Lady Saren, her mistress, are shut in a tower for seven years for Saren’s refusal to marry a man she despises, the two prepare for a very long and dark imprisonment. As food runs low and the days go from broiling hot to freezing cold, it is all Dashti can do to keep them fed and comfortable. But the arrival outside the tower of Saren’s two suitors—one welcome, and the other decidedly less so—brings both hope and great danger, and Dashti must make the desperate choices of a girl whose life is worth more than she knows. Booklist starrd Horn Book starrd Publishers Weekly starrd School Library Journal starrd Best Books For Young Adults 2008 Best Books Of The Year 2007 Best Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror 2007 *2009 Sakura Medal Nominee*
Hanel, Rachael	Samurai	Describes the weapons, fighting style, values, and lives of samurai warriors and discusses how the era came to an end. Fearsome fighters Series
Harmel, Kristin	When you wish	When sixteen-year-old pop singing sensation Star Beck learns that her father, who left when she was three, has been writing to her for six years, she disguises herself, leaves her controlling mother and adoring fans behind, and goes to find him--and, perhaps, a normal life--in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Haskins-Bookser, Laura	Softer side of hip-hop: poetic reflections	A collection of poems in which Laura Haskins-Bookser reflects on the pain, frustration, and joy she experienced as a single, teenage mother.
Hayes, Rosemary	Mixing It	Fatimah is a devout Muslim. Steve has never given much thought to matters of faith. The two of them happen to be walking down the same street when a terrorist bomb explodes. Steve is badly injured, and when the emergency services arrive they find Fatimah cradling his head in her lap, talking to him, willing him to stay alive. But the media is there too, and the next day their picture appears in every newspaper. “Romeo and Juliet!” and “Love Across the Divide!” scream the headlines. Then the threats and anonymous phone calls start. Can the two young people rise above the hatred and learn to understand one another? And what about the terrorists, who surely aren't doing nothing as Steve and Fatimah try to break down barriers? *2009 Sakura Medal Nominee*
Henkes Kevin	Bird lake moon	Twelve-year-old Mitch, spending the summer with his grandparents at Bird Lake after his parents' separation, becomes friends with ten-year-old Spencer, who has returned with his family to the lake where his little brother drowned years earlier, and as the boys spend time together and their friendship grows, each of them begins to heal. Booklist starrd Kliatt starrd Publishers Weekly starrd School Library Journal starrd
Hinds, Gareth	King Lear	A graphic novel adaptation of William Shakespeare's tragedy in which a king foolishly disinherits his favorite child when she speaks out against him, instead splitting his kingdom between the daughters who are plotting against him. *Booklist starrd**
Hite, Sid	I'm exploding now	The summer he turns seventeen, Max Whooten is feeling off his game with no job and nothing to do, but after spending a lot of time hanging out in Manhattan, thinking about life, writing down his thoughts, and visiting his aunt in Woodstock, he develops a personal philosophy called "coolism" which seems to help turn things around. *Publishers Weekly starrd**
Hoffman, Mary	The falconer's knot	Silvano and Chiara, teens sent to live in a friary and a nunnery in Renaissance Italy, are drawn to one another and dream of a future together, but when murders are committed in the friary, they must discover who is behind the crimes before they can realize their love. Booklist starrd Publishers Weekly starrd
Holm, Jennifer L.	Middle school is worse than meatloaf :a year told through stuff	Ginny makes a to do list for her seventh grade year, which includes landing a role in the school play, trying to make friends, ignoring her horoscope, and going to see her grandpa Joe in Florida; but she always seems to come up short in accomplishing any of it. Notable/Best Books (A.L.A.) Publishers Weekly starrd Notable Children's Books 2008 - Older (middle school) Readers Award-winning author*
Holm, Jennifer L.	Penny from heaven	As she turns twelve during the summer of 1953, Penny gains new insights into herself and her family while also learning a secret about her father's death. Children's Books Of The Year 2007, Ages 9 - 12 Notable Books for a Global Society 2007 *Newbery Honor Medal*
Honey, Elizabeth	To the Boy in Berlin	This novel unfolds in a series of emails between Henni in Cauldron Bay, Australia and Leo in Berlin. Henni is trying to uncover the story of the German family who lived in a beachside house in 1915 and left suddenly. Leo, while writing to Henni, is faced with losing his best friend through deportation because of Germany’s immigration laws. As their detective work and friendship grows across the distance, they are also grappling with the reality and folly of racial prejudice across the generations. *2009 Sakura Medal Nominee*
Hoobler, Dorothy	A samurai never fears death	Returning home to investigate the possible connection of his family's tea shop with smugglers, Seikei, now a samauri in eighteenth-century Japan, becomes involved in murder at a local puppet theater and saving the life of his sister's accused boyfriend. *Award-winning author*
Hulme, John	The glitch in sleep	When twelve-year-old Becker Drane is recruited by The Seems, a parallel universe that runs everything in The World, he must fix a disastrous glitch in the Department of Sleep that threatens the ability of everyone to ever fall asleep again.
Hunter, Erin	The sight	Hollypaw, Jaypaw, and Lionpaw, the children of the ThunderClan warriors Squirelflight and Brambleclaw, learn their powers can help the Clan and begin their apprenticeships; and a prophecy warns of trouble. Warriors, power of three ; bk. 1 Library Media Connection starrd School Library Journal starrd
Jacques, Brian	Eulalia !	On his way to invade Redwall Abbey, vicious and tyrannical Captain Vizka Longtooth captures Gorath, the brave young badger whose predicted destiny is to become the next Badger Lord. Redwall series *Award-winning author*
Jinks, Catherine	Evil genius	Child prodigy Cadel Piggot, an antisocial computer hacker, discovers his true identity when he enrolls as a first-year student at an advanced crime academy. Kirkus Review starrd Publishers Weekly starrd School Library Journal starrd Best Books Of The Year 2007 PW's Best Children's Books 2007 Award-winning author*
Jocelyn, Marthe	How it happened in Peach Hill	When fifteen-year-old Annie Grey and her "clairvoyant" mother arrive in Peach Hill, New York, in 1924, each finds a reason for wanting to finally settle down, but to reach their goals they will have to do some serious lying and Annie will have to stand up for herself. Horn Book starrd Publishers Weekly starrd Best Books Of The Year 2007
Johansen, K. V.	Nightwalker	After being sentenced to death for being a Nightwalker, Maurey is rescued by Annot, a young baroness, and the two set out to learn about his descendants. Warlocks of Talverdin ; bk. 1
Jones, Frewin	Sorcerer king	Tania unites with her true love Edric in an effort to save the Faerie Court when she returns from modern London where she has rescued the long-lost Queen Titania only to find King Oberon has been imprisoned and the evil Sorcerer King of Lyonesse has taken control. Faerie path ; bk. 3
Jones, Frewin	The faerie path	Anita, an ordinary sixteen-year-old girl, is transported from modern-day London to the realm of Faerie where she discovers that she is Princess Tania, the long-lost daughter of King Oberon and Queen Titania.
Jonsberg, Barry	Dreamrider	Harangued by his father about his weight and bullied in all the many schools he has attended, teenaged Michael finds some comfort in his ability to experience lucid dreaming, but then starts to notice that the things that happen in his dreams are starting to occur in the real world as well. Originally published in Australia by Allen & Unwin in 2006. *Library Media Connection starrd**
Kashmira, Sheth	Keeping Corner	In India in the 1940s, thirteen-year-old Leela's happy, spoiled childhood ends when her husband since age nine, whom she barely knows, dies, leaving her a widow whose only hope of happiness could come from Mahatma Ghandi's social and political reforms. Booklist starrd Kirkus Review starrd Library Media Connection starrd School Library Journal starrd
Kerley, Barbara	Greetings from Planet Earth	If you had one minute to describe life on Earth, what would you say? It's 1977, and Theo and his class are creating a golden record inspired by the one Voyager 2 will carry into space as a greeting from Earth. But as Theo searches for an original answer to his teacher's question, other questions begin to surface: What happened to his father in Vietnam? And why has his mother been keeping secrets all these years? *Kirkus Review starrd 2009 Sakura Medal Nominee**
Kerr, M. E.	Someone like summer	An upper-middle-class white girl from Long Island and an immigrant worker from Colombia fall in love despite objections from both their families and their community. *Booklist starrd**
Kinney, Jeff	Diary of a wimpy kid: Greg Heffley's journal	Greg Heffley knows he's not popular, but he tries hard to fit in. He records his observations about life in middle school in his journal (NOT a diary, he says) along with frequent drawings. *2009 Sakura Medal Nominee* Book Links starrd Publishers Weekly starrd Book Links Lasting Connections 2007 PW's Best Children's Books 2007
Korman, Gordon	Schooled	Homeschooled on an isolated "alternate farm commune" that has dwindled since the 1960s to 2 members, 13-year-old Cap has always lived with his grandmother, Rain. When she is hospitalized, Cap is taken in by a social worker and sent like a lamb to slaughter to middle school. Smart and capable, innocent and inexperienced (he learned to drive on the farm, but he has never watched television), long-haired Cap soon becomes the butt of pranks. He reacts in unexpected ways and, in the end, elevates those around him to higher ground. Booklist starrd Library Media Connection starred Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers 2007 Award-winning author* *2009 Sakura Medal Nominee*
Korman, Gordon	Swindle	After unscrupulous collector S. Wendell Palamino cons him out of a valuable baseball card, sixth-grader Griffin Bing puts together a band of misfits to break into Palomino's heavily guarded store and steal the card back, planning to use the money to finance his father's failing invention, the Smart Pick fruit picker. *Award-winning author*
Landy, Derek	Skulduggery Pleasant	When twelve-year-old Stephanie inherits her weird uncle's estate, she must join forces with Skulduggery Pleasant, a skeleton mage, to save the world from the Faceless Ones. Kirkus Review starrd Publishers Weekly starrd Best Books For Young Adults 2008 Best Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror 2007 PW's Best Children's Books 2007 *2009 Sakura Medal Nominee*
Lasky, Kathryn	The last girls of Pompeii	Twelve-year-old Julia knows that her physical deformity will keep her from a normal life, but counts on the continuing friendship of her life-long slave, Mitka, until they learn that both of their futures in first-century Pompeii are about to change for the worse. *Award-winning author*
Lecesne, James	Absolute brightness	In the beach town of Neptune, New Jersey, Phoebe's life is changed irrevocably when her gay cousin moves into her house and soon goes missing. Kliatt starred Publishers Weekly starred
Levin, Betty	Unmaking of Duncan Weerick	Reluctantly, thirteen-year-old Duncan helps his neighbor, a widow recovering from a stroke, by hiding valuable antiques and art objects her husband had collected, but disaster strikes and the secrets he has been asked to keep may mean big trouble for Duncan.
Lockart, E.	Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks	Frankie Landau-Banks attempts to take over a secret, all-male society at her exclusive prep school, and her antics with the group soon draw some unlikely attention and have unexpected consequences that could change her life forever. 2009 Sakura Medal Nominee Booklist starrd Kirkus Review starrd Publishers Weekly starrd School Library Journal starrd
Lott, Tim	Fearless	In the not-too-distant future, the world is safe from terrorists, the streets are clean, and girls labeled "juvies" or "mindcrips" have been hidden away behind the smartly painted exterior of the City Community Faith School. Their birth names are forgotten and replaced with a letter and number, but they give each other nicknames like Tattle or Stench or Little Fearless. As they slave away at chores, Little Fearless, who is actually the bravest girl in the school, tells the other girls stories, stories about the day their families will return for them. Little Fearless’s own hope and conviction spur her on a dangerous adventure — a bold and unthinkable plan that will either save the imprisoned girls or mean the end of Little Fearless herself, or both. *2009 Sakura Medal Nominee*
Lott, Tim	Fearless	In the future, girls labeled "juvies" or "mindcrips" are taken from their families and sent to the prison-like City Community Faith School, but LIttle Fearless decides to break out, and embarks on a dangerous mission to try to free the girls from their miserable captivity.
Lowry, Lois	Willoughbys	A tongue-in-cheek take on classic themes in children's literature, in which the four Willoughby children set out 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. Booklist starrd Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books starrd Kirkus Review starrd Publishers Weekly starrd
Lubar, David	Hidden talents	Thirteen-year-old Martin, a new student at an alternative school for misfits and problem students, falls in with a group of boys with psychic powers and discovers something surprising about himself. *Award Winner*
Lubar, David.	True talents	A group of psychic friends from Edgeview Alternative School unite to rescue Eddie "Trash" Thalmeyer who has been kidnapped by a shady character after testing his telekinetic abilities in a bank by moving a stack of cash into his pocket. Sequal to: Hidden talents. Kliatt starrd Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers 2008 Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers 2007 Award-winning author*
Lupica, Mike	Summer ball	Thirteen-year-old Danny must prove himself all over again for a disapproving coach and against new rivals at a summer basketball camp. Sequel to: Travel team *Kliatt starrd**
Mackey, Weezie Kerr	Throwing like a girl	After moving from Chicago to Dallas in the spring of her sophomore year, fifteen-year-old Ella finds that joining the softball team at her private school not only helps her make friends, it also provides unexpected opportunities to learn and grow.
Malley, Gemma	Declaration	In 2140 England, where drugs enable people to live forever and children are illegal, teenaged Anna, an obedient "Surplus" training to become a house servant, has her world view challenged when she meets Peter and discovers that her birth parents are trying to find her. Best Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror 2007
Mazer, Norma Fox	Missing girl	In Mallory, New York, as five sisters, aged eleven to seventeen, deal with assorted problems, conflicts, fears, and yearnings, a mysterious middle-aged man watches them, fascinated, deciding which one he likes the best. Booklist starrd Kirkus Review starrd School Library Journal starr*d
McCaugh-rean, Geraldine	White darkness	Taken to Antarctica by the man she thinks of as her uncle for what she believes to be a vacation, Symone--a troubled fourteen year old--discovers that he is dangerously obsessed with seeking Symme's Hole, an opening that supposedly leads into the center of a hollow Earth. Horn Book starrd Kirkus Review starrd Best Books For Young Adults 2008 Booklist Books For Older (middle school) Readers - 2007 Michael L. Printz Book Award Winner - 2008
Mead, Alice	Dawn and dusk	As thirteen-year-old Azad tries desperately to cling to the life he has known, the political situation in Iran during the war with Iraq finally forces his family to flee their home and seek safety elsewhere.
Meyer, L. A.	Mississippi Jack : being an account of the further waterborne adventures of Jacky Faber, midshipman, fine lady, and the Lily of the West	Ship's "boy" Mary "Jacky" Faber sets out on another round of adventures, this time in New Orleans, tricking Mike Fink out of his flatboat and turning it into a casino-showboat. Bloody Jack adventure ; bk. 5
Meyer, L. A.	Under the Jolly Roger: being an account of the further nautical adventures of Jacky Faber	In 1804, fifteen-year-old Jacky Faber heads back to sea after seeing her beloved Jaimy with another woman; however, her life takes a dramatic turn when she and her shipmates take command of the ship and she is accused of piracy. Sequel to: Curse of the blue tattoo ; Bloody Jack adventure ; bk. 2 *Award-winning author*
Miéville, China	Un Lun Dun	Twelve-year-old Zanna and her friend Deeba discover an entrance to a strange world where they encounter killer giraffes, animated umbrellas, ghost children, and flying double-decker buses. *Publishers Weekly starrd Award-winning author**
Mlynowski, Sarah	Spells & sleeping bags	Rachel and her younger sister, both witches, spend the summer at Camp Wood Lake, where Rachel tries to have a normal camp experience while surreptitiously honing her newly discovered talents. Sequel to : Bras & broomsticks ; Frogs &French kisses
Moses, Shelia P.	The baptism	In twentieth-century Occoneechee Neck, North Carolina--an area still affected by its history of slavery--twelve-year-old Leon Curry reflects about whether he wants to give up sinning to be baptized alongside his twin brother. *Award-winning author* *Publishers Weekly starrd**
Mourlevat, Jean-Claude	The pull of the ocean	Loosely based on Charles Perrault's "Tom Thumb," seven brothers in modern-day France flee their poor parents' farm, led by the youngest who, although mute and unusually small, is exceptionally wise. Horn Book starrd Notable/Best Books (A.L.A.) Publishers Weekly starrd School Library Journal starrd Batchelder Award*
Murphy, Pat	Wild girls	Twelve-year-old Joan, worried that she will not have any friends when her family moves from Connecticut to California, bonds right away with Sarah, a girl who prefers to be called Fox, and the two spend a joyous summer playing outside, making up stories, and attending a writing class.
Myers, Walter Dean	Sunrise over Fallujah	Robin Perry, from Harlem, is sent to Iraq in 2003 as a member of the Civilian Affairs Battalion, and his time there profoundly changes him. Horn Book starrd Kirkus Review starrd Publishers Weekly starrd School Library Journal starrd *Award-winning author*
Na, An	Fold	Joyce Park, a high school junior who is always compared to her beautiful and talented older sister, Helen, wants to attract the attention of John Ford Kang, and wrestles with whether to get plastic surgery as a gift from her aunt.
Neff, Henry H.	The hound of Rowan	After glimpsing a hint of his destiny in a mysterious tapestry, twelve-year-old Max McDaniels becomes a student at Rowan Academy where he trains in "mystics and combat" in preparation for war with an ancient enemy that has been kidnapping children like him. Tapestry ; bk. 1
Nelson, Blake	They came from below	While vacationing on Cape Cod, best friends Emily, age sixteen, and Reese, seventeen, meet Steve and Dave, who seem too good to be true, and whose presence turns out to be related to a dire threat of global pollution. *Kliatt starrd**
Newton, Robert	Runner	In Richmond, Australia, in 1919, fifteen-year-old Charlie Feehan becomes an errand boy for a notorious mobster, hoping that his ability to run will help him, his widowed mother, and his baby brother to escape poverty. *Publishers Weekly starrd**
Norris, Shana	Something to blog about	Libby Fawcett figures her life can't get much worse after she lights her hair on fire in front of her entire chemistry class, including Seth, the boy she's had a secret crush on for years, until her mother announces she is dating the father of Libby's arch-enemy, who plays a nasty trick on Libby that makes her the laughing stock of the whole school.
Oppel, Kenneth	Darkwing	Dusk, the world's first bat, must lead his colony to safety in a time of changing species. Booklist starrd Horn Book starrd Kliatt starrd Award-winning author*
Paratore, Coleen	The cupid chronicles	High school freshman Willa holds fundraising events at her family's Cape Cod inn to save the local library and to hook up romantically with JFK (Joseph Frances Kennelly). Sequel to : The wedding planner's daughter
Park, Linda Sue	Keeping score	During the 1950s, young Maggie struggles to will her beloved Brooklyn Dodgers to a victory in the World Series and wishes that her friend Jim, a soldier in Korea, would answer her letters.
Paulsen, Gary	Lawn boy	Things get out of hand for a twelve-year-old boy when a neighbor convinces him to expand his summer lawn mowing business. Book Links starrd Booklist starrd Horn Book starrd Award-winning author*
Peacock, Shane	Eye of the crow	In 1867, Sherlock Holmes, an impoverished young outcast with a Jewish father and a highborn mother, visits the scene of a woman's brutal murder, where he meets a wrongly accused young Arab and becomes a suspect himself. Boy Sherlock Holmes Series ; 1st case Book Links starrd Booklist starrd School Library Journal starr*d
Peck, Richard	On the wings of heroes	A boy in Illinois remembers the homefront years of World War II, especially his two heroes--his brother in the Air Force and his father, who fought in the previous war. Kirkus Review starrd Publishers Weekly starrd *Award-winning author*
Petrucha,Ste-fan	Teen, Inc.	Fourteen-year-old Jaiden has been raised by NECorp. since his parents were killed when he was a baby, so when he discovers that the corporation has been lying about producing illegal levels of mercury emissions, he and his two friends decide to try to do something about it. *School Library Journal starrd**
Pinkwater, Daniel Manus	The Neddiad: how Neddie took the train, went to Hollywood, and saved civilization	When shoelace heir Neddie Wentworthstein and his family take the train from Chicago to Los Angeles in the 1940s, he winds up in possession of a valuable Indian turtle artifact whose owner is supposed to be able to prevent the impending destruction of the world, but he is not sure exactly how. Horn Book starrd Publishers Weekly starrd *Award-winning author*
Porter, Tracey	Billy Creekmore	One day a stranger comes to claim Billy Creekmore from the Guardian Angels Home for Boys; and he embarks on a cross-country journey in search of his past, his future, and his own true self. Booklist starrd Horn Book starrd
Preller, James	Six innings	Earl Grubb's Pool Supplies plays Northeast Gas & Electric in the Little League championship game, while Sam, who has cancer and is in a wheelchair, has to call the play-by-play instead of participating in the game. Publishers Weekly starrd Booklist starrd
Priestley, Chris	Uncle Montague's tales of terror	During a visit to his eccentric Uncle Montague to hear several grisly tales behind the unique artifacts in his collection, Edgar discovers the truth about his uncle's past.
Pullman, Philip	Once upon a time in the North	In a time before Lyra Silvertongue was born, the tough American balloonist Lee Scoresby and the great armoured bear Iorek Byrnison meet when Lee and his hare daemon Hester crash-land their trading balloon onto a port in the far Arctic North and find themselves right in the middle of a political powder keg. Includes illustrations and a board game. Booklist *starrd Best Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror 2007 Award-winning author**
Reinhardt, Dana	Harmless	Instead of telling the truth about why they are home late, fourteen-year-old private school students Emma, Anna, and Mariah lie and say a strange man attacked one of them, and the untruth results in a slew of problems for themselves, their families, their community, and the wrongly accused man.
Resau, Laura	Red Glass	Sixteen-year-old Sophie has been frail and delicate since her premature birth, but discovers her true strength during a journey through Mexico, where the six-year-old orphan her family hopes to adopt was born, and to Guatemala, where her would-be boyfriend hopes to find his mother and plans to remain. Booklist starrd Horn Book starrd Publishers Weekly starrd School Library Journal starrd *2009 Sakura Medal Nominee*
Rex, Adam	True Meaning of Smekday, The	Twelve-year-old Gratuity "Tip" Tucci is left to fend for herself after Earth is colonized by aliens and her mother is abducted, and must try to stop another alien invasion with only the help of a cat named Pig and an alien named J. Lo. Horn Book starrd Publishers Weekly starrd School Library Journal starrd Best Books Of The Year 2007 2009 Sakura Medal Nominee*
Richards, Alex	Back talk	Small town, sixteen-year-old Gemma comes to New York City to do a summer internship for Kate Morgan’s talk show, only to have her eyes opened at some of the hard realities of her chosen career field.
Richardson, E. E.	Devil's footsteps	After the disappearance of his brother Adam, thirteen-year-old Bryan faces a shadowy, centuries-old evil presence known as the Dark Man that, taking the form of its victims' worst fears, stalks the town's children.
Rinaldi, Ann	Ever-after bird	In 1851, thirteen-year-old Cecilia has her eyes opened to the horrors of slavery when she accompanies her ornithologist uncle on an expedition in search of the rare "Scarlet Ibis," and watches as he shows slaves the way to the Underground Railroad.
Riordan, Rick	The Titan's curse	The disappearance of the goddess Artemis while out hunting a rare, ancient monster, prompts a group of her followers to join Percy and his friends in an attempt to find and rescue her before the winter solstice, when her influence is needed to sway the Olympian Council regarding the war with the Titans. Sequel to : bk. 1 : The lightning thief ; bk. 2 : The sea of monsters. Percy Jackson & the Olympians ; bk. 3 Booklist starrd Horn Book starrd Kirkus Review starrd Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers 2007 Award-winning author*
Rodman, Mary Ann	Jimmy's stars	Eleven-year-old Ellie refuses to give up hope that her brother, Jimmy, will return from the war Booklist starrd Kirkus Review starrd
Russo, Marisabina	A portrait of Pia	As childhood friendships change, her brother's schizophrenia worsens, and her mother's latest boyfriend seems likely to become her stepfather, twelve-year-old artist Pia Crossley tries to gain control of her life by contacting her father, who returned home to Italy before she was born. *Award-winning author*
Sage, Angie	Flyte	When Princess Jenna is pursued by a dark wizard, it is the apprentice, Septimus Heap, who must save her while enduring such terrors as a night in the Forest with hungry wolverines and carnivorous trees. Septimus Heap ; bk. 2
Sage, Angie	Magyk	Jenna learns that she is a princess found as a baby by the man she believed was her father and now she and Septimus, who was taken at birth by the midwife, are being threatened by the evil wizard, DomDaniel who intends to finish off the entire royal line. Septimus Heap ; bk. 1 *Kirkus Review starrd**
Sage, Angie	Physik	Pulled through a glass that brings him back in time, Septimus Heap becomes the apprentice of an alchemist. Septimus Heap bk. 3 Best Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror 2007
Salisbury, Graham	Night of the howling dogs	Eleven Boy Scouts, their leaders, and some new friends camping at Halape, Hawaii, in 1975, find their survival skills put to the test when a massive earthquake strikes, followed by a tsunami. *Award-winning author*
Sam Enthoven	Defender of the earth	When two gargantuan, human-made monsters clash over the future of the human race and the planet, fourteen-year-old Anna Mallahide has a hard time convincing her classmate, Chris Pitman, that he must play any role in the outcome of their epic battle.
Sanderson, Brandon	Alcatraz Smedry versus the evil Librarians	On his thirteenth birthday, foster child Alcatraz Smedry receives a bag of sand which is immediately stolen by the evil Librarians who are trying to take over the world, and Alcatraz is introduced to his grandfather and his own special talent, and told that he must use it to save civilization. Horn Book starrd Publishers Weekly starrd Best Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror 2007
Sargent, Pamela	Earthseed	Before Zoheret and her companions can populate a new planet, they must learn to conquer those same instincts that almost destroyed their ancestors on Earth over one hundred years ago. Prequel to : Farseed *ALA Award winner*
Sargent, Pamela	Farseed	Twenty years after settling on the planet Home, two groups of colonists find themselves at odds; and if they do not solve their conflict, their children will be the ones who ultimately suffer. Sequel to : Earthseed *Award-winning author*
Scott, Elaine	Secrets of the Cirque Medrano	In the Paris village of Montmartre in 1904, fourteen-year-old Brigitte works long hours in her aunt's cafe, where she serves such regular customers as the young artist Pablo Picasso, encounters Russian revolutionaries, and longs to attend the exciting circus nearby. Includes author's note on the Picasso painting "Family of Saltimbanques."
Scott, Michael	The Alchemist: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel	While working at pleasant but mundane summer jobs in San Francisco, fifteen-year-old twins, Sophie and Josh, suddenly find themselves caught up in the deadly, centuries-old struggle between rival alchemists, Nicholas Flamel and John Dee, over the possession of an ancient and powerful book holding the secret formulas for alchemy and everlasting life. School Library Journal starrd Best Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror 2007 2009 Sakura Medal Nominee*
Shan, Darren	Blood beast	Grubbs Grady has defeated demons and managed to move on with his life, but strange symptoms during the full moon show him his dark days are not over--and he may not be able to fight his werewolf genes. Demonata ; bk. 5
Shaw, Susan	Safe	When thirteen-year-old Tracy, whose mother died when she was three years old, is raped and beaten on the last day of school, all her feelings of security disappear and she does not know how to cope with the fear and dread that engulf her. Library Media Connection starrd Publishers Weekly starrd School Library Journal starr*d Top Ten Quick Picks - 2008 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers 2008
Sheth, Kashmira	Keeping Corner	In India in the 1940s, thirteen-year-old Leela's happy, spoiled childhood ends when her husband since age nine, whom she barely knows, dies, leaving her a widow whose only hope of happiness could come from Mahatma Ghandi's social and political reforms. Booklist starrd Kirkus Review starrd Library Media Connection starrd Publishers Weekly starrd School Library Journal starrd 2009 Sakura Medal Nominee*
Shusterman, Neal	Unwind	Connor's parents want to be rid of him because he's a troublemaker. Risa has no parents and is being unwound to cut orphanage costs. Lev's unwinding has been planned since his birth, as part of his family's strict religion. These three "unwinds", brought together by desperation, battle a variety of forces, physical and mental. If they can survive until they're eighteen, they can't be harmed. Otherwise, every piece of them will be sold to a world confused about the definition of "life." Publishers Weekly starrd School Library Journal starrd Quick Picks for Reluctant YA Readers 2008 Top Ten Quick Picks - 2008 Best Books For Young Adults 2008 *2009 Sakura Medal Nominee*
Smith, Roland	Elephant Run	In 1941, bombs drop from the night skies of London, demolishing the apartment Nick Freestone lives in with his mother. Deciding the situation in England is too unstable, Nick's mother sends him to live with his father in Burma, hoping he will be safer living on the family's teak plantation. But as soon as Nick arrives, trouble erupts in this remote Burmese elephant village. Japanese soldiers invade, and Nick's father is taken prisoner. Nick is stranded on the plantation, forced to work as a servant to the new rulers. As life in the village grows more dangerous for Nick and his young friend, Mya, they plan their daring escape. Setting off on elephant back, they will risk their lives to save Nick's father and Mya's brother from a Japanese POW camp. *2009 Sakura Medal Nominee*
Smith, Roland	Elephant Run	Nick's father and others are taken prisoner when his plantation in Burma is invaded by the Japanese in 1941, leaving Nick and his friend Mya to risk their lives in order to free them from the POW camp. *2009 Sakura Medal Nominee*
Sones, Sonya	What my girlfriend doesn't know	Artistic fourteen-year-old Robin Murphy is so unpopular at high school that his name is slang for "loser," so when he begins dating the beautiful and popular Sophie, her reputation plummets. Sequel to: What my mother doesn't know Booklist starrd Kliatt starrd Quick Picks for Reluctant YA Readers 2008
Sonnenblick, Jordan	Zen and the art of faking it	When thirteen-year-old San Lee moves to a new town and school for the umpteenth time, he is looking for a way to stand out when his knowledge of Zen Buddhism, gained in his previous school, provides the answer--and the need to quickly become a convincing Zen master. Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books starrd Horn Book starrd Publishers Weekly starrd School Library Journal starrd
Sparrow, Rebecca	Joel and Cat set the Story Straight	Cat and Joel are definitely not friends, Cat hates Joel because she thinks she saw him cheating on her best friend, and Joel hates Cat because she broke them up. It's only thanks to a leaky pen and a bad case of hay fever that they end up sitting together in Extension English. *2009 Sakura Medal Nominee*
Spinelli, Jerry	Smiles to go	Will Tuppence's life has always been ruled by science and common sense but in ninth grade, shaken up by the discovery that protons decay, he begins to see the entire world differently and gains new perspective on his relationships with his little sister and two closest friends.
Springer, Nancy	Case of the bizarre bouquets: an Enola Holmes mystery	Fourteen-year-old Enola Holmes, disguised as a beautiful woman, finds clues in floral bouquets as she searches for the missing Doctor Watson, a companion of her famous older brother, Sherlock. *School Library Journal starrd**
Stanley, Diane	Mysterious case of the Allbright Academy	Eighth-grader Franny and her friends investigate why most of the students at their exclusive boarding school are brilliant, beautiful, and perfectly behaved.
Stead, Rebecca	First light	When twelve-year-old Peter and his family arrive in Greenland for his father's research, he stumbles upon a secret his mother has been hiding from him all his life, and begins an adventure he never imagines possible. *Horn Book starrd**
Stone, Phoebe	Deep down popular	In a small, Virginia town, sixth-grader Jessie Lou Ferguson has a crush on the hugely popular Conrad Parker Smith, and when he suddenly develops a medical problem and the teacher asks Jessie Lou to help him, they become friends, to her surprise. *Booklist starrd**
Tan, Shaun	The arrival	In this wordless graphic novel, a man leaves his homeland and sets off for a new country, where he must build a new life for himself and his family. Booklist starrd Horn Book starrd Library Media Connection starrd Kirkus Review starrd Notable/Best Books (A.L.A.) School Library Journal starr*d Best Books For Young Adults 2008 Best Books Of The Year 2007 Best Illustrated Books of the Year 2007 Booklist Books For Older (middle school) Readers - 2007 Bulletin Blue Ribbons 2007 - Fiction Kirkus Reviews - Editor's Choice Children's Books - 2007 Notable Books of the Year 2007 : Children Notable Children's Books 2008 - Older (middle school) Readers Picture Books - 2008
Tarshis, Lauren	Emma-Jean Lazarus fell out of a tree	A quirky and utterly logical seventh-grade girl named Emma-Jean Lazarus discovers some interesting results when she gets involved in the messy everyday problems of her peers. Horn Book starrd Publishers Weekly starrd School Library Journal starr*d Best Books Of The Year 2007 PW's Best Children's Books 2007
Thorpe, David	Hybrids	Johnny Online and Kestrella are hybrids - victims of "Creep", a pandemic sweeping the country which causes sufferers to merge with items of technology when over-exposed to their use. Kestrella persuades a wary Johnny to help her find her missing mother, but the Gene Police have other plans for him... *2009 Sakura Medal Nominee*
Vail, Rachel	Lucky	As Phoebe and her clique of privileged girlfriends get ready to graduate from eighth grade, a financial scandal threatens her family's security--as well as Phoebe's social status--but ultimately it teaches her the real meaning of friendship.
van Diepen, Allison	Snitch	Julia DiVino, a college-bound student at South Bay High School, has vowed never to join a gang, but she faces some difficult decisions when her dream guy, Eric Valiente, becomes a gang member. Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers 2008
Voeklel, J. and P.	Middleworld	Map on endpapers. Fourteen-year-old city boy Max, along with a Mayan girl named Lola, searches the tropical rain forest for the ancient Jaguar Stones and clues about the disappearance of his parents, who were last seen working at an archaeological dig in San Xavier.
Wahl, Mats	Invisible	One ordinary Monday morning in May, Hilmer Eriksson walks into his high school classroom and discovers that he has become invisible. No one can see him, no one can hear him. In fact, a police detective named Harald Fors arrives at school that very morning to investigate Hilmer’s disappearance. The boy has no idea what’s going on, but he’s frightened, and he’s starting to forget things – including what happened to him a few nights earlier. Detective Fors suspects foul play, and those suspicions lead him – trailed by the ghostlike presence of Hilmer – to a group of skinheads. These unpopular, disaffected kids are very vocal about their Nazi sympathies. But how does Hilmer’s life intersect with theirs? As Fors scours the village and interviews area residents for clues, he begins to piece together the puzzle of Hilmer’s disappearance. Meanwhile Hilmer waits, silently, to discover what has happened to him. *2009 Sakura Medal Nominee*
Weatherford, Carole Boston	Birmingham,1963	Describes the feelings of a fictional character who witnessed the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombings in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963. Includes archival photographs. Book Links stared Kirkus Review stared Library Media Connection stared School Library Journal stared Book Links Lasting Connections 2007
Weaver, Will	Defect	After spending most of his life in Minnesota foster homes hiding a bizarre physical abnormality, fifteen-year-old David is offered a chance at normalcy but must decide if giving up what makes him special is the right thing to do. *Horn Book starrd Award-winning author**
Weinheimer, Beckie	Converting Kate	After moving from Arizona to Maine, sixteen-year-old Kate tries to recover from her father's death as she resists her mother's dogmatic religious beliefs and attempts to find a new direction to her life. Kliatt starr*d Best Books For Young Adults 2008
Wells, Rosemary	Red moon at Sharpsburg	Even though the odds are against her and the Civil War has ruined her home and given her a view of the darker side of humanity, thirteen-year-old India Moody continues to aspire to become a scientist and attend Oberlin College. Book Links starrd Booklist starrd Horn Book starrd Kirkus Review starrd Notable/Best Books (A.L.A.) Publishers Weekly starrd School Library Journal starrd Best Books Of The Year 2007 Booklist Books For Older (middle school) Readers - 2007 Kirkus Reviews - Editor's Choice Children's Books - 2007 Notable Children's Books 2008 - Older (middle school) Readers *Award-winning author*
Whelan, Gloria	Parade of shadows	In 1907, sixteen-year-old Julia Hamilton, happy to accompany her diplomat father on a tour of the Ottoman-controlled cities of Istanbul, Damascus, Palmyra, and Aleppo, soon finds the journey increasingly hazardous as she begins to uncover her father's true mission and the secret motivations of the other travelers in their group. *Award-winning author*
Wiess, Laura	Leftovers	Two teenagers, Blair and Ardith, lose their innocence in more ways than one as they are transformed from happy ninth-graders to high school sophomores determined to secure justice for their families and friends, whatever the cost. Kliatt *starrd**
Wilhelm, Doug	Falling	Fifteen-year-old Matt's life has been turned upside-down, first when the brother he idolizes turns to drugs, then when a visit to a chat room leads him to a classmate, Katie, who he likes very much but cannot trust with his family secret. *Kliatt starrd**
Williams, Kathryn	Debutante	When her parents decide to move from Connecticut to her father's home town in Alabama just before her senior year of high school, Annie at first resents the change and resists accepting Southern customs, but her grandmother's insistence that she be a debutante brings Annie some surprising discoveries.
Williams, Mark London	Ancient fire	When twelve-year-old Eli becomes involved with the time travel experiments that the government pressures his parents to pursue, he travels to fifth-century Alexandria, Egypt, where he meets Thea, a scholar accused of sorcery, and Clyne, an extraterrestrial saurian who is working on a homework assignment. Danger boy series ; episode 1 Prequel to : Dragon sword, Trails of bones, City of ruins
Williams, Mark London	City of ruins	Having traced a dimensional rift to Jerusalem in 583 B.C.E., DARPA sends thirteen-year-old Eli and his friends into the past to try to prevent the unraveling of history and the spread of the deadly slow pox. Danger boy series ; episode 4 Sequel to : Ancient fire, Dragon sword, Trail of bones
Williams, Mark London	Dragon sword	Twelve-year-old time traveler Eli Sands continues his search for his missing mom, encountering new characters and trying to save the free world from tyrannical rule. Danger boy series ; episode 2 Sequel to : Ancient fire Prequel to : Trails of bones, City of ruins
Williams, Mark London	Trail of bones	Time travelers Eli and Thea arrive in Missouri in 1804, where they meet Thomas Jefferson and other famous people, then Eli joins the Corps of Discovery, hoping to find Clyne so that the three friends can return to the Fifth Dimension. Danger boy series ; episode 3 Sequel to : Ancient fire, Dragon sword Prequel to : City of ruins
Winston, Sherri	Kayla chronicles	Kayla Dean auditions for her school's elite dance team, the Lady Lions, hoping to expose the team's unfair selection process, but when she actually makes the team, Kayla finds herself drawn to the other girls and questions what it means to be a powerful woman. *Booklist starrd**
Woodson, Jacqueline	After Tupac and D Foster	In the New York City borough of Queens in 1996, three girls bond over their shared love of Tupac Shakur's music, as together they try to make sense of the unpredictable world in which they live. *School Library Journal starrd Award-winning author**
Woodson, Jacqueline	Feathers	When a new, white student nicknamed "The Jesus Boy" joins her sixth grade class in the winter of 1971, Frannie's growing friendship with him makes her start to see some things in a new light. Newbery Medal/Honor Notable/Best Books (A.L.A.) Publishers Weekly starrd School Library Journal starrd Historical and Realistic Fiction - 2008 Newbery Honor Books - 2008 Notable Children's Books 2008 - Older (middle school) Readers *Award-winning author*
Wright, Bill	When the black girl sings	Adopted by white parents and sent to an exclusive Connecticut girls' school where she is the only African-American student, fourteen-year-old Lahni Schuler feels like an outcast, particularly when her parents separate, but after attending a local church where she hears gospel music for the first time, she finds her voice. *Publishers Weekly starrd.**
Wulffson, Don L.	The Golden Rat	When sixteen-year-old Baoliu is wrongfully accused of murdering his stepmother, his father pays someone else to die in his place, leaving Baoliu to fend for himself on the streets of twelfth-century China. Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers 2007 *Award-winning author*
Yep, Laurence	Tiger's blood	A Chinese-American boy and his friends--a monkey, a dragon, a rat, and a tiger--must ensure that a magical phoenix egg does not fall into evil hands in the underwater dragon kingdom. *Award-winning author*
Yolen, Jane	Pay the piper	When Callie interviews the band, Brass Rat, for her school newspaper, her feelings are ambivalent, but when all the children of Northampton begin to disappear on Halloween, she knows where the dangerous search must begin. *Award-winning author*
Yoo, Paula	Good enough	A Korean American teenager tries to please her parents by getting into an Ivy League college, but a new guy in school and her love of the violin tempt her in new directions.
Zarr, Sara	Sweethearts: a novel	Jennifer Harris, years after being the tormented outsider on the playground, has reinvented herself into Jenna Vaughn, a popular girl with what seems to be the perfect life, but when a childhood friend re-enters her life, she is forced to confront the most traumatic event of her past and question who she really is. Booklist starrd Publishers Weekly starrd
Zevin, Gabrielle	Memoirs of a teenage amnesiac	After a nasty fall, Naomi realizes that she has no memory of the last four years and finds herself reassessing every aspect of her life. *Kirkus Review starrd Award-winning author**
Zindel, Lizabeth	Girl of the moment	Fifteen-year-old Lily has a lot to learn when she spends the summer working as the intern of a spoiled and powerful Hollywood starlet.

Click on the link below for outstanding young adult (YA) literature from the Young Adult Library Services
Association [YALSA] of the American Library Association [ALA].