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Tramp: A Detective's Story
Synopsis: The world's best dog detective can't be taught his sleuthing skills. They are in his genes passed down through the generations. Tramp realizes this after he is taken forcefully from his home and put up for sale in the neighborhood pet store. He makes friends with an assortment of very smart animals and yes, a human family that loves him. He soon discovers that with the help of the animals and the humans in his life he can solve the most intricate of mysteries.
Publication Date: 03/01/14
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Timmy Failure: Now Look What You've Done
Stephan Pastis, Stephan Pastis
Synopsis: The clueless, comically self-confident kid detective returns in a sequel to the New York Times bestseller Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made.

"When you lose hope, find it." —Timmy Failure

He doesn’t like to pull rank. To reveal that he’s this guy: Timmy Failure, founder, president, and CEO of the greatest detective agency in town, perhaps the nation. But he is.

And he’s about to crack the biggest case of his generation: a school competition to find a stolen globe. It’s his ticket to bringing home a $500 prize, which is guaranteed to set him up for life. But someone is clearly trying to game the system. Hoodwink. Con. Defraud. So it’s up to Timmy Failure, with the dubious help of Total, his lazy polar-bear partner, and his unlikely new ally, eccentric Great-Aunt Colander, to find a way to avenge these shenanigans. Defeat this injustice.
If he can only get his entry form in on time.
Publication Date: 02/25/14
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: For Reluctant Readers
Cheesie Mack Is Not Exactly Famous
Douglas Holgate, Steve Cotler
Synopsis: Readers of Diary of a Wimpy Kid and The Secret series will love Cheesie’s wacky lists, drawings, and made-up words as he tells the story of the time he became famous! Sort of.
 
Cheesie and his best friend, Georgie, are exploring a construction site when they find a weird-looking . . . thingie . . . sticking out of the muddy ground. Whatever it is, it’s very old. And very valuable! Before they know it, Cheesie and Georgie discover they’re in possession of an object that dates all the way back to pre-Colonial times. They’re instant celebrities! At least at school. Will Cheesie and Georgie hold on to the ancient artifact and the fame it brings, or give it away for the good of all? Only time will tell!
Publication Date: 02/25/14
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
The Silver Donkey
Don Powers, Sonya Hartnett
Synopsis: From extraordinary novelist Sonya Hartnett comes a gently told fable of a lost soldier, heroic children, and a steadfast donkey.

One morning in the woods of World War I France, two young sisters stumble upon an astonishing find — a soldier, temporarily blinded by war, who has walked away from battle longing to see his gravely ill younger brother. Soon the care of the soldier becomes the girls' preoccupation, but it's not just the secret they share that emboldens them to steal food and other comforting items for the man. They are fascinated by what he holds in his hand — a tiny silver donkey. As the girls and their brother devise a plan for the soldier's safe passage home, he repays them by telling four wondrous tales about the humble donkey — from the legend of Bethlehem to a myth of India, from a story of rescue in war to a tale of family close to the soldier's heart. Sonya Hartnett explores rich new territory in this inspiring tale of kindness, loyalty, and courage.
Publication Date: 02/11/14
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
Lord and Lady Bunny--Almost Royalty!
Sophie Blackall, Polly Horvath
Synopsis: This hilarious sequel to Mr. and Mrs. Bunny-Detectives Extraordinaire! is a bunny-rific "tail" that even includes a guest appearance by J. K. Rowling a.k.a. "Oldwhatshername". 

Madeleine wants nothing more than to save money for college, but her impractical, ex-hippie parents are broke. When the family unexpectedly inherits a sweet shoppe in England that has the potential to earn serious profit, they see an answer to all their problems. . . . Meanwhile, Mr. and Mrs. Bunny—formerly of the detecting persuasion—are looking for new professions, and Mrs. Bunny decides she would like to be Queen. Soon they, too, are headed across the pond. Brought to you by National Book Award-winning author Polly Horvath and Caldecott Medal–winning illustrator Sophie Blackall, the adventures of Madeleine and the Bunnys are zanier than ever.
Publication Date: 02/11/14
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Secrets and Spies: Plague
Synopsis: Fourteen-year-old Beth Johnson is a talented and beautiful young actress. She is also a spy. It's the summer of 1665, and the horrific Plague is overwhelming London. With so many dead and dying, the King's Master of Secrets, Alan Strange, must entrust Beth with her most important mission yet. With pestilence all around her, will Beth survive long enough to discover who is behind the latest conspiracy to kill the King?
Publication Date: 02/01/14
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Historical Fiction
Secrets and Spies: Treason
Synopsis: Fourteen-year-old Beth Johnson is a talented and beautiful young actress. She is also a spy. The year is 1664, and Charles II is on the throne, but all is not well in the bustling city of London, and there are those who would gladly kill the king and destroy the Monarchy. One morning, a mysterious ghost ship drifts up the Thames. Sent to investigate by the King's Master of Secrets, Alan Strange, Beth quickly finds herself embroiled in a dangerous adventure. Will Beth be able to unravel the plot to kill the King before it's too late?
Publication Date: 02/01/14
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Historical Fiction
Sherlock, Lupin, and Me: The Dark Lady
Iacopo Bruno, Irene Adler
Synopsis: While on summer vacation, little Irene Adler meets a young William Sherlock Holmes. The two share stories of pirates and have battles of wit while running wild on the sunny streets and rooftops. When Sherlock's friend, Lupin, joins in on the fun, they all become fast friends. But the good times end abruptly when a dead body floats ashore on the nearby beach. The young detective trio will have to put all three of their heads together to solve this mystery.
Publication Date: 02/01/14
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Mystery
River of Peril
Susan K. Marlow
Synopsis:

Jem Coulter thinks his family is just on a sightseeing trip to the big city of Sacramento. Then armed bandits hold up the stagecoach for the secret stash they’re carrying: gold for the Union Army fighting the distant Civil War! Suddenly war isn’t so far away; it’s right there on the road to Sacramento, with Jem’s father, the sheriff of Goldtown, fighting against the rebel army’s Knights of the Golden Circle.

When the family finally reaches the city, they think they’re safe at last. Setting out to see the sights, Jem, his sister Ellie, and their cousin Nathan make a new friend. But is Henry the pal they think he is? With a father who is a die-hard Confederate, could Henry be in cahoots with the thieves?

River of Peril gives readers ages 8 to 12 the fast-moving, exciting adventure they’ve come to expect in this series, as well as a glimpse into the history of post–Gold Rush and Civil War life in 1860s California, with stagecoaches, steamboats, stowaways—and lots of gold!

Publication Date: 02/01/14
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Historical Fiction
Bird
Crystal Chan
Synopsis: Entrenched secrets, mysterious spirits, and an astonishing friendship weave together in this extraordinary and haunting debut.

Nothing matters. Only Bird matters. And he flew away.

Jewel never knew her brother Bird, but all her life she has lived in his shadow. Her parents blame Grandpa for the tragedy of their family’s past; they say that Grandpa attracted a malevolent spirit—a duppy—into their home. Grandpa hasn’t spoken a word since. Now Jewel is twelve, and she lives in a house full of secrets and impenetrable silence.

Jewel is sure that no one will ever love her like they loved Bird, until the night that she meets a mysterious boy in a tree. Grandpa is convinced that the boy is a duppy, but Jewel knows that he is something more. And that maybe—just maybe—the time has come to break through the stagnant silence of the past.
Publication Date: 01/28/14
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
Seven Stories Up
Laurel Snyder
Synopsis: In this companion to Laurel Snyder’s Bigger than a Bread Box, a leap back in time and an unlikely friendship change the future of one family forever.
 
Annie wants to meet her grandmother.
Molly wishes she had a friend.
A little magic brings them together in an almost-impossible friendship.
 
When Annie wakes up on her first morning at the Hotel Calvert, she’s in for a big surprise. There’s a girl named Molly in her bed who insists the year is 1937 and that this is her room! Annie’s not sure what happened, but when she learns that Molly’s never been outside the hotel, she knows it’s time for an adventure. Magic, fortune-telling, some roller skates, a rescued kitten, and the best kind of friendship make up the unforgettable story of two girls destined to change each other’s lives.
 
“Like Judy Blume before her, Laurel Snyder writes characters that feel like your best friend.” —Anne Ursu, author of The Real Boy
Publication Date: 01/28/14
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
Time Traitor (American Epochs-Volume 1)
Synopsis: Have you ever wished you could go back in time? Where would you go? What would you see? What if you had the power to alter history, to manipulate events and make yourself rich, famous, or powerful? Kristi Connors is too miserable in the present to care about history. Shipped off to boarding school in the midst of her parents' divorce, Kristi wants nothing more than to run home and find her mom and dad together again. In hopes of being kicked out, Kristi causes chaos throughout George Washington Prep, and especially enjoys harassing her brash, ill-tempered history teacher, Dr. Xavier Arnold, with endless pranks. Ty Jordan just wants to be left alone. Sent to GWP by his English stepfather after the sudden death of his mother, Ty dreams of disappearing into the pages of the books he reads, far away from the bullies who torment him at every turn. When the two unlikely friends find themselves in Dr. Arnold’s detention dungeon, they make a startling discovery—their teacher has invented a working time machine! The next thing they know, Kristi and Ty are jettisoned back in time to the Revolutionary War as part of Dr. Arnold’s scheme to change American history in favor of his infamous ancestor and the country’s greatest traitor, General Benedict Arnold. They soon realize their lives in the twenty-first century, a time of cell phones, flat screens, and iPods, weren’t as bad as they’d imagined. But to get home, they must thwart their teacher’s mad scheme while evading slave catchers, surviving bloody battles, and serving as nurses for sick and wounded soldiers. Follow Kristi and Ty on their trek through time in TIME TRAITOR.
Publication Date: 01/16/14
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Historical Fiction
Road Trip
Jim Paulsen, Gary Paulsen
Synopsis: A summer adventure you'll never forget, from a beloved Newbery Honor winning author!

Dad and Ben haven't been getting along lately, and Dad hopes a road trip to rescue a border collie will help them reconnect. But Ben is on to Dad's scheme, and he's got ideas of his own. Like inviting his buddy, Theo, who's sure to get into fun (and trouble) along the way. And if Dad wants a family road trip, then the family dog, Atticus, should get to come, too. What could go wrong?

But when their truck breaks down, the family trip takes plenty of unexpected turns. Before they know it, they've commandeered an old school bus and joined forces with its cranky mechanic, Gus. Next, they pick up Mia, a waitress escaping a tense situation. Only sharp-eyed Atticus realizes that Theo is on the run from something bad—and someone is following them. 

With alternating chapters from both Ben and his dog, Atticus, this fast-paced book takes readers on an unpredictable ride that's all about family, friendship, and surprises.
Publication Date: 01/07/14
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Winter Sky
Patricia Reilly Giff
Synopsis:

Sirens! A scary sound, especially to Siria, whose brave pop is a firefighter. Siria loves everyone at Pop's city firehouse. She also loves to study the stars. Her mother named her after the brightest start in the winter sky.   
   When Siria hears sirens, she sneaks out to chase the trucks, to bring Pop and the other firefighters luck. She'd be in big trouble if she ever got caught. Good thing her best friend, Douglas, is always by her side.
   As Christmas approaches, Siria suspects that someone in the neighborhood is setting fires. She has to find out who's doing it. When clues point to a surprising suspect, she realizes that solving this mystery will take all kinds of courage.
   Patricia Reilly Giff, the author of many beloved and award-winning books, is at her best in this action-packed story. In Winter Sky, friends, family, and a very special dog help Siria see how brave she really is.


Nominated to the Arkansas Charlie May Simon Children’s Book Award

Publication Date: 01/07/14
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Mystery
Truth and Lies
Norah McClintock
Synopsis: Mike's lies are spinning out of control and now he's the prime suspect in a murder. He can't explain his bruised and skinned knuckles, and he can't explain why he was seen near the park where Robbie was killed. But he insists he's not a murderer. Still, if Mike really is innocent, why doesn't his alibi check out, and why are the police so sure that he's guilty?
Publication Date: 01/01/14
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Mystery
The Loch Ness Monster
Jean Flitcroft
Synopsis: "A huge, glowing object moved slowly toward her. As it approached, the glow grew more intense and the water warmer. Vanessa stopped swimming, waiting for the inevitable...



Vanessa's dreams are haunted by cryptids—mysterious creatures that may or may not exist. Her mother used to study them, gathering scientific evidence that at least some of them are real. Vanessa longs to continue her mother's research. At the moment, though, she also has more pressing concerns—like a family trip that includes her father's new girlfriend.



But the visit to Scotland gives Vanessa a chance to explore the eerie secrets of Loch Ness. With the help of her mother's cryptid files, can she solve the mystery of the most famous cryptid of all?"
Publication Date: 01/01/14
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction

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