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The Wild RobotPeter Brown
Roztherobotdiscoversthatsheisalone
onaremote,wildislandwithnomemory
ofwheresheisfromorwhysheisthere,
andheronlyhopeofsurvivalistotryto
learnabouthernewenvironmentfrom
theisland'shostileinhabitants.
Paper WishesLois Sepahban
NearthestartofWorldWarII,youngManami,
herparents,andGrandfatherareevacuated
fromtheirhomeandsenttoManzanar,an
ugly,drearyinternmentcampinthedesertfor
Japanese-Americancitizens.I ncludes
bibliographical references
The Vanishing CoinKate Egan
Sofar,fourthgradeisnotthefreshstartMikewanted.Despite
new“strategies,”hestillcannotsitquietlyinclass.Worse,henow
spendseveryafternoonwithNora,hisacademicallygiftednew
neighbor,fromwhomhecouldn’tbemoredifferent.Whereas
Norasucceedsateverything,Mikefeelslikehe’saconstantfailure.
Thatis,untiltheystumbleonastrangemagicstore,andtheowner
teachesMike—andonlyMike—amagictrick.Soonhe’shooked
andpracticingallkindsoftrickstoimpresshisfriendsand
confoundtheclassbully.Yethewondersifallthemagicinthe
shopisjustanillusion.Couldsomeofitbereal?Theslightlyolder
protagonist,amplelinespacing,cartoonillustrations,and
accessiblevocabularymakethisagoodchoiceformiddle-grade
studentsreadingslightlybelowgradelevel.Andifthequickpace,
well-developedcharacters,andhumor-lacedstoryaren’tenough,
Lane,amagicianhimself,andEganincludeinstructionsforfour
simpletricks.Asolidnewseriesforschoolandpublic-library
collections.Booklist
Hamster Princess: Harriet the Invincible Ursula Vernon
Neveraconventionalprincess,Harriet
becomesanadventurerafterlearningsheis
cursedtofallintoadeepsleeponhertwelfth
birthday,butaftertwoyearsofslayingogres,
cliff-diving,andmorewithherridingquail,
Mumfrey,thingsgoawryathomeandshe
mustseekaprincetosetthingsright.
CrenshawKatherine Applegate
InherfirstnovelsincetheNewbery-winningTheOneandOnly
Ivan(HarperCollins,2012),Applegatetellsthestoryofa10-year-
oldboywhoseimaginaryfriendhelpshimcopewithafamilycrisis.
Jackson,hisparents,andhisfive-year-oldsisteronceagainare
staringdownthebarrelofanimpendingevictionnotice.What
frustratesJacksonisn'tjustthelackofmoney:it'shisartistically
mindedparents'tendencytoglossovertheirwoeswithhumor
andcheerratherthanacknowledgingtherealityoftheirsituation.
It'sunderstandablyashocktoJacksonwhenanoldfriend
reappears:Crenshaw,aseven-foot-talltalkingcat,whofirstcame
intohislifeseveralyearsagowhentheboyandhisfamilywere
livingoutoftheircarshortlyafterhisfatherwasdiagnosedwith
multiplesclerosis.SkepticalJacksontriestodismissCrenshawasa
figmentofhisimagination,butthecat'swordsofwisdomstartto
resonatewithhim.Employingsparsebutelegantprose,Applegate
hascraftedanauthenticprotagonistwhoseself-possessionand
maturityconcealrelatablevulnerabilityandfears.Whilesardonic
Crenshawmaynotbethewarmandcuddlyimaginaryfriend
readersareexpecting,he'sthecompanionthatJacksontruly
needsashebeginstorealizethathedoesn'tneedtocarrythe
weightoftheworlduponhisshoulders.Thoughtheendingwraps
upashadetooneatly,overall,childrenwillappreciatethis
heartbreakingnovel.VERDICTAcompellingandunflinchingly
honesttreatmentofadifficulttopic.SLJ
The Diamond Mystery#1(The Whodunit Detective agency)Martin Widmark
Somebodyisstealingdiamondsfromthe
jewelerMohammedCarat!Itlookslikethe
culpritissomeoneonhisstaff,butwho?Isit
LukeSmith,therecentlyhiredfitnessfanatic
withatasteforthefinerthingsinlife?Itsurely
can’tbeVivianLeander,theloyalshop
assistantwhoisnowshortofmoney...The
policeinthelittletownofValleby arestuck,so
theycontactyoungdetectivesJerryandMaya,
classmateswhoruntheirowndetective
agency.WillJerryandMayabeabletouse
theirdetectiveskillstofindthethief?Asthey
wellknow,evenatinyclueisworthitsweight
ingol
The NestKenneth Oppel
Stevehasalwaysbeenaworrier,butsincehisbrotherwasbornhe's
becomeevenmoreanxious.WhenStevestartshavingdreamsabout
otherworldlywasps,hetakescomfortintheirmessagethateverything
willbeokay.Butthemorehelearnsabouttheirplanto"fix"thebaby's
congenitalcondition,themorehe'sconflicted.Thetensionandunease
growasStevebeginstowonderifthewaspsarerealorimagined.The
storycomestoaclimacticendthatiscatharticandcomforting.Setina
modern-daysuburb,thisquietyetemotionallyhauntingbook
thoughtfullyexploresthemesofsafety,anxiety,andthebeautyofthe
imperfect.Klassen'sblack-and-whitegraphiteillustrationscomplement
thesensitiveandpowerfulnarrative,writteninfirstpersonfromSteve's
perspective.Theimageshavearetro,printmakerfeelandneverrevealthe
entirepicture,leavingmuchtotheimagination-whatishiddeninthe
unknown?Isitsomethingbadorgood?Howcanyouknow?The
charactersarebelievableandstronglydeveloped,especiallySteve,who
dealswithanxietyandpossiblyobsessivecompulsivedisorder.Scientific
informationonthelifecycle,anatomy,andbehaviorsofwaspsiswovenin
awaythatfurtherstheplot.VERDICTThisaffectingmiddlegrade
psychologicalthrillerisrecommendedasafirstpurchaseforlibraries
The Road to RatenburgJoy Cowley
AFamilyofratsisforcedtoleavetheirhome,
sosetsouttofindthefabledcityof
Ratenburg.Alongthewaytheyoutwitvicious
dogs,trickyrattraps,andsharp-beaked
hawks,andmakesomeverydangerous
crossings.Theratfamily’sadventurestest
theircharacterandgrowbondsbetween
sistersandbrothers,fatheranduncle,mum
anddad.
Gabby Duran and the unsittablesElise Allen & Daryle Conners
Gabbyworkshardasababysitter,earningmoneytohelpher
mothersupporttheirfamily.SheplaystheFrenchHornand
desirestoattendaprestigiousmusiccollegeinthefuture.Herskill
withchildrenhasledtojobsworkingwithmoviestarsaswellas
neighbors.Butnoneofherpreviousbabysittingexperienceshave
completelypreparedherforwhatcomesherwaywhenanold
womanoffersGabbyajobshecan'trefuse.Withherdreamof
attendingtheexpensivemusicschoolsquarelyinmind,the
compassionatetweenacceptstheassignmenttobabysitthe
"unsittable."Thesealienchildrenbringmoreexcitementand
secretsintoGabby'slifethansheispreparedtohandle.Sincethe
workishighlysecretiveandcancomeatanytime,Gabbyhasto
decideifsheisreallywillingtodowhatittakestocareforand
protectthesechildren,possiblyatthecostofherownfriendships
andmusic.Anentertaininglookatthepossibilitiesinherentin
alienlifeonearth,Gabby'sadventureswillenthrallreaderseager
toexploreaworldofsurprisesandsecrets.VERDICTThe
humorousdetailsandquickplotmakethisafunbookforreluctant
andavidreadersalike.SLJ
MastermindsGordon Korman
Agroupofkidsdiscoverstheywerecloned
fromtheDNAofsomeofthegreatestcriminal
mastermindsinhistoryforasociological
experiment
Dear Mrs.NaiduMathangi Subramanian
Twelve-year-oldSarojini’s bestfriend,Amir,mightnotbeherbestfriend
anymore.EversinceAmirmovedoutoftheslumandstartedgoingtoa
poshprivateschool,itseemslikeheandSarojini havenothingin
common.ThenSarojini findsoutabouttheRighttoEducation,alaw
thatmighthelphergetafreeseatatAmir’sschool– or,betteryet,
convincehimtocomebacktoanewandimprovedversionofthe
governmentschooltheywenttotogether.Asshestrugglestokeepher
bestfriend,Sarojini getshelpfromsomeunexpectedcharacters,
includingDeepti,afeisty
classmatewholivesataconstructionsite;Vimala Madam,ahuman
rightslawyerwhomightalsobeanevilgenius;and
Mrs.Sarojini Naidu,along-deadfreedomfighterwhobecomes
Sarojini’s secretpenpal.ToldthroughletterstoMrs.Naidu,
thisisthestoryofhowSarojini learnstofight– forherfriendship,her
family,andherfuture.
Diamonds and DaggersElen Caldecott
MeetPiotr,Minnie,Andrew,FloraandSylvia- true
friendsandevenbettermystery-solvers!Hollywood
sensation,BettyMassino,hascometostarinthe
theatredowntheroadandPiotrandhisfriends
AndrewandMinniecouldn'tbemoreexcited!But
whenthefamousactress'shugelyexpensive
diamondnecklacegoesmissing,Piotr'sdad,a
securityguardatthetheatre,isaprimesuspect.
Soon,Piotrfacestheveryrealthreatofbeingsent
'home'toPoland.WiththehelpofSylvieandher
twinsisterFlora,canPiotr,AndrewandMinniesolve
thecrimeorwilltheylosePiotrforever?Thefirstin
afantasticnewseriesfilledwithfriendship,
adventureandmystery!PerfectforfansofLaurenSt
John,thisisTHEnewmysteryadventureseriesby
WaterstonesBookPrizeshortlistedauthorElen
Caldecott.
The Night ParadeKatryn Tanqaury
Duringsummervacationthirteen-year-oldSaki
Yamamotounintentionallyinvokesadeath
curseatheroldfamilygraveyardandnowshe
mustenterthedangerousspiritworldofthe
NightParadewherethreedifferentguideswill
seeifshecanperformthedeedsthatwillallow
hertoovercomethecurse.
Book ScavengerJennifer Chambliss Bertman
Fortwelve-year-oldEmily,thebestthingaboutmovingto
SanFranciscoisthatit'sthehomecityofherliteraryidol:
GarrisonGriswold,bookpublisherandcreatoroftheonline
sensationBookScavenger(agamewherebooksarehidden
incitiesalloverthecountryandcluestofindthemare
revealedthroughpuzzles).Uponherarrival,however,Emily
learnsthatGriswoldhasbeenattackedandisnowina
coma,andnooneknowsanythingabouttheepicnewgame
hehadbeenpoisedtolaunch.ThenEmilyandhernew
friendJamesdiscoveranoddbook,whichtheycometo
believeisfromGriswoldhimself,andmightcontaintheonly
copyofhismysteriousnewgame.Racingagainsttime,
EmilyandJamesrushfromcluetoclue,desperatetofigure
outthesecretattheheartofGriswold'snewgame―before
thosewhoattackedGriswoldcomeafterthemtoo.
The JumbiesTracy Baptiste
CorinneLaMer isabrave11-year-oldgrowinguponaCaribbean
island.OnAllHallow’s Eve,whenapairoftroublemakingbrotherstie
herdeceasedmother’sprizednecklacetoawildanimal,Corinne
chasestheanimalintotheforesttoretrieveit.However,thisisno
ordinaryforest:It’sknownforbeingtheabodeof“jumbies,”
creatures“hiddenintheshadows,alwayswaitingfortheirmoment
toattack.”ThoughCorinnedoesn’tbelieveinthem,ajumbie follows
heroutoftheforest.Thethird-personnarrationtellstheback
story—inbitsandpieces—ofthisjumbie,whorevealsherselftobe
Corinne’smother’ssister.It’sneversatisfactorilyexplainedwhy
Severine (asCorinne’sjumbie auntcallsherself)seeksoutherniece,
nearlyadecadeafterhersister’sdeath.InordertofightSeverine—
who,sympathetically,onlywantsafamilybutisbentonturning
humanstojumbies togetone—Corinnemustrelynotonlyonher
ownstrength,butthatofnewfoundfriends.Thenovelisbasedona
Haitianfolktale,accordingtotheauthor’snote,andit’srefreshingto
seeafantasywithitsrootsoutsideEurope.Baptisteneverquite
managestocontrolthestory’spacing,though,andcertainelements
intheendingfeelarbitrary.
PaxSara Pennypacker
Pax andPeterhavebeeninseparableeversince
Peterrescuedhimasakit.Butoneday,the
unimaginablehappens:Peter'sdadenlistsinthe
militaryandmakeshimreturnthefoxtothewild.
Athisgrandfather'shouse,threehundredmiles
awayfromhome,Peterknowsheisn'twherehe
shouldbe—withPax.Hestrikesoutonhisown
despitetheencroachingwar,spurredbylove,
loyalty,andgrief,tobereunitedwithhisfox.
Stella by StarlightSharon M. Draper
StellalivesinthesegregatedSouth—in
Bumblebee,NorthCarolina,tobeexactabout
it.Somestoresshecangointo.Somestoresshe
can’t.Somefolksarerightpleasant.Othersare
alotlessso.ToStella,itsortofevensout,and
heck,theKlanhasn’tbotheredthemforyears.
Butonelatenight,laterthansheshouldeverbe
up,muchlesswanderingaroundoutside,Stella
andherlittlebrotherseesomethingthey’re
neversupposedtosee,somethingthatisthe
firstflickerofchangetocome,unwelcome
changebyanystretchoftheimagination.As
Stella’scommunity—herworld—isupended,
shedecidestofightfirewithfire.Andshelearns
thatashesdon’tnecessarilysignifyanend.
The map to EverywhereRyan Carrie
ToMasterThiefFin,anorphanfromthemurky
pirateworldoftheKhaznot Quay,theMapis
thekeytofindinghismother.Tosuburban
schoolgirlMarrill,it'sheronlywayhomeafter
gettingstrandedonthePirateStream,the
magicalwaterwaythatconnectseveryworldin
creation.Withthehelpofabumblingwizard
andhiscrew,theymustscourthemanyworlds
ofthePirateStreamtogatherthepiecesofthe
MaptoEverywhere--buttheyaren'ttheonly
oneslooking.Asinisterfigureishotontheirtail,
andiftheycan'tbeathisghostlyshiptofindthe
Map,itcouldmeanthedestructionof
everythingtheyholddear!
The Turtle of OmanNaomi Shihab Nye
AnenthusiasticboyfromOmanhasserious
misgivingsabouttemporarilymovingfromhis
homelandtoMichigan.Aref hatessaying
goodbyetohisfriendsandworriesaboutbeing
anew,foreignkidatanAmericanpublicschool.
SpanningAref’s finalweekinOman,this
sensitivechronicleperceptivelyconveysthe
feelingsandfearsofaboyabouttoleavethe
knownandfacetheunknown.A warmand
humorouspeekattheprofoundandmundane
detailsofmovingfromonecountryto
another—aperfectpickforkidsonthemove.
(Fiction.8-12)Kirkus Review