All Books
Synopsis: In a world in which near-extinct dragons pass as humans to grow their numbers secretly, siblings Ember and Dante Hill prepare for destined positions in the world of Talon only to be hunted by a dragon-slaying soldier.
Publication Date: 10/28/14
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Adventure
Synopsis: Oz Chambers has a wonderful secret; the obsidian pebble, gifted to him by his dead father, is an artefact of astonishing power. The sort of power that makes the year eight science project a hands-down walkover thanks to the the pebble's genius avatar, Soph. But, there are sinister forces abroad who will do just about anything to get their hands on the pebble, and when fellow pupils start being attacked, Oz finds himself in very hot water. Soon Oz and his friends, Ruff and Ellie, are caught up in a centuries old mystery involving a missing ring, lava toothpaste and a murderous monster known as the Beast of Seabourne
Publication Date: 10/28/14
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Synopsis: In The Terminals, Royce Buckingham tells the riveting story of a covert team of young, terminally ill teens who spend their last year alive running dangerous missions as super-spies for an organization that may not be all it seems.
When 19 year-old Cam Cody is diagnosed with a terminal illness, he expects to spend the rest of his shortened life in an adjustable bed. Then one night, a mysterious man offers Cam one chance to join a covert unit of young "terminals." They are like him, only they spend the last year of their lives executing exciting and dangerous missions to make the world a better place.
With nothing to lose, Cam is in.
A helicopter flies Cam to a secret tropical location, where he's tossed out with a parachute and an instruction manual. After a rough landing, he meets his nine teammates. The other terminals don't seem sick; Zara is beautiful, Donnie is an amazing athlete, and Calliope sings like a bird. He soon learns that they're enhanced with an experimental super steroid TS-8, which suppresses their illnesses' symptoms and heightens their physical and mental abilities. It's also fatal if taken for more than a year.
Cam joins this extreme spy team, and they begin pulling dangerous operations in multiple countries. As his teammates fall around him, he starts to receive cryptic messages from a haggard survivor of last year's class hiding in the forest. She reveals that the program isn't what it claims to be...
For any YA lover of The Hunger Games, Maze Runner, Divergent, or a much less graphic Kingsman - The Secret Service, this is definitely one to check out!
When 19 year-old Cam Cody is diagnosed with a terminal illness, he expects to spend the rest of his shortened life in an adjustable bed. Then one night, a mysterious man offers Cam one chance to join a covert unit of young "terminals." They are like him, only they spend the last year of their lives executing exciting and dangerous missions to make the world a better place.
With nothing to lose, Cam is in.
A helicopter flies Cam to a secret tropical location, where he's tossed out with a parachute and an instruction manual. After a rough landing, he meets his nine teammates. The other terminals don't seem sick; Zara is beautiful, Donnie is an amazing athlete, and Calliope sings like a bird. He soon learns that they're enhanced with an experimental super steroid TS-8, which suppresses their illnesses' symptoms and heightens their physical and mental abilities. It's also fatal if taken for more than a year.
Cam joins this extreme spy team, and they begin pulling dangerous operations in multiple countries. As his teammates fall around him, he starts to receive cryptic messages from a haggard survivor of last year's class hiding in the forest. She reveals that the program isn't what it claims to be...
For any YA lover of The Hunger Games, Maze Runner, Divergent, or a much less graphic Kingsman - The Secret Service, this is definitely one to check out!
Publication Date: 10/14/14
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Synopsis: Seventeen year old Ethan James can't bear the boring life he's living while waiting for a kidney transplant. When a donor is finally found he's on track to getting old life back as an ice hockey champion. However, two weeks after the operation, he's kidnapped by a man who believes in Feedback - the theory that organs retain the memories of the donor host. At least he isn't alone. Abducted with him are sixteen-year-old Florida Bowman and fifteen-year-old Jake Inala, who also received the spy's organs. The kidnapper tells them that their donor was a CIA agent. And now this terrorist wants to know where the dead spy hid the deadly bacteria bombs so he can carry on with his plans to destroy the world. The teen's lives are in danger because they don't believe that Feedback is real. Yet, during interrogation they begin to hear voices, telling them information they can't possibly know: the location of the bombs, the deactivation codes; the time the bombs are set to explode. Now they're faced with something more terrifying than organ transplants. They must trust that the voice in their head is real and save the planet. Or accept that hallucinations are causing the voices and that their bodies are rejecting the organs. In this teen spy thriller, listening to their inner voice could get them killed.
Publication Date: 10/13/14
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Synopsis: Can one mistake destroy the chance of a lifetime? A girl discovers there are many ways of being true in this magnificent ode to handwritten letters and the shining power of friendship from the author of Dovey Coe, set in the Appalachian mountains of 1920s North Carolina.
One true friend. Someone shining. That’s all twelve-year-old Arie Mae wants. But shining true friends are hard to come by deep in the mountains of western North Carolina, so she sets her sights on a cousin unseen, someone who lives all the way away in the big city of Baltimore, Maryland. Three unanswered letters later, Arie Mae learns that a group of kids from Baltimore are coming to spend a summer on the mountain.
Arie Mae loves her smudge of a town—she knows there’s nothing finer than Pa’s fiddling and Mama’s apple cake, but she also knows Big City folk might feel differently. How else to explain the song catcher ladies who have descended upon the village in search of “traditional tunes” and their intention to help “save” the townspeople? But when the group from Baltimore arrives, it seems there just might be a gem among them, one shining boy who doesn’t seem to notice Arie Mae wears the same dress every day and prefers to go barefoot. So what if he has a bit of a limp and a rumored heart problem—he also is keen about everything Arie Mae is keen about, and has all the makings of a true friend.
And so what if the boy’s mother warns him not to exert himself? He and Arie Mae have adventures to go on! In between writing letters to her cousin, Arie Mae leads her one shining friend on ghost hunts and bear chases. But it turns out those warnings were for a reason…
One true friend. Someone shining. That’s all twelve-year-old Arie Mae wants. But shining true friends are hard to come by deep in the mountains of western North Carolina, so she sets her sights on a cousin unseen, someone who lives all the way away in the big city of Baltimore, Maryland. Three unanswered letters later, Arie Mae learns that a group of kids from Baltimore are coming to spend a summer on the mountain.
Arie Mae loves her smudge of a town—she knows there’s nothing finer than Pa’s fiddling and Mama’s apple cake, but she also knows Big City folk might feel differently. How else to explain the song catcher ladies who have descended upon the village in search of “traditional tunes” and their intention to help “save” the townspeople? But when the group from Baltimore arrives, it seems there just might be a gem among them, one shining boy who doesn’t seem to notice Arie Mae wears the same dress every day and prefers to go barefoot. So what if he has a bit of a limp and a rumored heart problem—he also is keen about everything Arie Mae is keen about, and has all the makings of a true friend.
And so what if the boy’s mother warns him not to exert himself? He and Arie Mae have adventures to go on! In between writing letters to her cousin, Arie Mae leads her one shining friend on ghost hunts and bear chases. But it turns out those warnings were for a reason…
Publication Date: 10/07/14
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Adventure
Synopsis:
Bestselling author Tony Abbott returns with the next full-length book in the Copernicus Legacy series, a globe-trotting adventure packed with more riddles, puzzles, and secret histories. The hunt for Copernicus's first relic sent Wade, Darrell, Lily, and Becca to the far reaches of the world and put them in serious danger. But they never imagined Sara Kaplan—Darrell and Wade's mother—would be kidnapped by the conniving Galina Krause. Now they must race the evil Teutonic Order to find the Serpens relic and rescue Sara before it's too late.
Fans of Rick Riordan and Ridley Pearson will love this epic series, which is filled with suspense and action.
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts
Publication Date: 10/07/14
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Synopsis: From the outside, 13 year old Tony looks like he has quite the life:
A whole estate to himself.
A fangirl he flirts with online.
A pet monkey. (His third!)
Until you notice the wheelchair. Or that he only speaks with his mother by intercom. Or that he doesn't seem to know who his real father is.
And now, to save his home from a mysterious trust, Tony will have to ride in a broken-down motorcycle with someone who may not be who he seems, and solve the biggest mystery of all-Who he really is.
A whole estate to himself.
A fangirl he flirts with online.
A pet monkey. (His third!)
Until you notice the wheelchair. Or that he only speaks with his mother by intercom. Or that he doesn't seem to know who his real father is.
And now, to save his home from a mysterious trust, Tony will have to ride in a broken-down motorcycle with someone who may not be who he seems, and solve the biggest mystery of all-Who he really is.
Publication Date: 10/06/14
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Synopsis: The thrilling conclusion to The Skylark Trilogy: Revolution is brewing in the city within the Wall. The city stands divided, and war is imminent. The rebels need a leader. After months beyond the Wall, Lark returns with Owen by her side, prepared to overthrow the Institute once and for all. But Lark's triumphant homecoming is short-lived when another leader emerges to unite the rebels: Eve, a mysterious Renewable. Lark wonders if Eve's powers will bring them strength—or bring humanity's final downfall.
Publication Date: 10/01/14
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Synopsis:
With time travel and mysteries that need solving, the Galactic Academy of Science (G.A.S.) series instructs readers on how to think like scientists. Under the guidance of a Dude or Dudette from the future, the middle school characters are faced with treacherous, present-day crimes that require a historical knowledge of science in order to be solved. From investigating problems to analyzing data and constructing explanations and solutions, this series blends elements of sci-fi with educational methods that distill the key thinking habits of scientists and engineers.
Learn to create and crack codes in this latest G.A.S. installment
Dr. G and his companions are using coded messages in a plot to corrupt the International Science Fair. Quarkum Phonon, a Dude from the future, calls on four middle school students for help. Benson and Anita work on their computers while two new G.A.S. recruits, Ella and Shomari, travel through time, facing kidnappers, thieves, and spies in their scramble to learn about codes and ciphers. Across two millennia and five countries, they meet Julius Caesar, Thomas Jefferson, Alan Turing, and others, while learning about substitution ciphers, frequency analysis, wheels, cylinders, book codes, the Verginère Table, the Enigma, and public and private keys. But will they break Dr. G’s code in time to save the science fair? A computer-based online extension that allows readers to create and decode their own secret messages is also included.
Publication Date: 10/01/14
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Adventure
Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Isra Kalb has grown up starving in the slums of Islamabad. But hunger is only the beginning. When her father is mysteriously murdered and madness corrupts her mother's mind, she's left alone to fend for herself and her sister. Homeless and destitute, the only thing she has to remember her loving family by is a commonplace necklace--an amulet barely worth keeping. Or so she thinks. Swept into a web of lies, deceit and turmoil, Isra struggles to find a place for herself and Zaffirah, wondering if the strange creatures and visions she's seeing are indications of the madness that took her mother. But when Snatchers capture Zaffirah, Isra learns her amulet isn't so useless after all. Transported to Zarcane--the beastly garden where Adam and Eve were born--Isra comes face to face with her destiny. She's a Keeper, charged with protecting the borders of Zarcane and keeping the demon hordes lurking in the shadows from taking realms that are not their own. And she's not the only one; there's a second Keeper, a boy whose identity hasn't been revealed. Now, in order to save her sister and fulfill her family's legacy as Keeper of the Amulet, she has to find the second Keeper and close the borders. Surrounded by betrayal, trapped between warring factions of angels, and desperate to save the only family she has left, Isra must decide: Who can she trust when nothing is what it seems?
Publication Date: 09/30/14
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Synopsis: Escape one danger. Jump into another. . . .
Twelve-year-old Hope has always felt a little different from everyone else who lives in White Rock. She tries hard, but she doesn’t always think before she acts. She takes big risks. Sometimes her risks pay off, but sometimes they fail. Sometimes she fails.
Hope knows that the most dangerous thing about living in White Rock is that it’s so close to the deadly Bomb’s Breath—the invisible, fifteen-foot-thick band of compressed air that’s hovered over the earth since the Green Bombs of World War III. The citizens of White Rock live in fear of the Bomb’s Breath. Only Hope has figured out a way to go through it—and lived to tell the tale.
But when a massive tremor rips across the earth, the Bomb’s Breath begins to lower over White Rock. It’s up to Hope and her friends Brock and Aaren to make the dangerous journey far from home, across the bandit-ridden Forbidden Flats to the wilds of the Rocky Mountains, and obtain the one thing that may be able to stop it—before the Bomb’s Breath sinks too far and destroys them all. This time, Hope can’t fail.
Twelve-year-old Hope has always felt a little different from everyone else who lives in White Rock. She tries hard, but she doesn’t always think before she acts. She takes big risks. Sometimes her risks pay off, but sometimes they fail. Sometimes she fails.
Hope knows that the most dangerous thing about living in White Rock is that it’s so close to the deadly Bomb’s Breath—the invisible, fifteen-foot-thick band of compressed air that’s hovered over the earth since the Green Bombs of World War III. The citizens of White Rock live in fear of the Bomb’s Breath. Only Hope has figured out a way to go through it—and lived to tell the tale.
But when a massive tremor rips across the earth, the Bomb’s Breath begins to lower over White Rock. It’s up to Hope and her friends Brock and Aaren to make the dangerous journey far from home, across the bandit-ridden Forbidden Flats to the wilds of the Rocky Mountains, and obtain the one thing that may be able to stop it—before the Bomb’s Breath sinks too far and destroys them all. This time, Hope can’t fail.
Publication Date: 09/23/14
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Adventure
Synopsis: " The True Secrets of the Greaser HotelThe Greaser Hotel is an eyesore even by eyesores’ standards. A long forgotten place, it sits dilapidated and mostly vacant amid a sea of Baltimore vacancies. But this building, this former lap of luxury, is much more than it appears. The Greaser Hotel is a place of magic and of secrets peopled by masters of secret-keeping. And soon, for one kidnapped little girl―Allie to her friends and Allie Rat to her kidnappers― it’s about to become a place of the past.In a world of deep friendships, powerful magic, wicked deceptions, and devilish crime, a young girl must fight for her freedom and wrestle with the frightening truths of her past.Early Praise for a Very Special Book""The Mystery of the Greaser Hotel is an Industrial-Gothic fantasy thriller that kept me turning pages late into the night. J. Scott Fuqua’s finely-drawn pencil illustrations capture his characters and the setting with creepiness and élan.""? PAUL O. ZELINSKY, WORLD FAMOUS AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR, RECEIVED THE CALDECOTT MEDAL FOR RAPUNZEL, AND CALDECOTT HONORS FOR: HANSEL AND GRETEL, RUMPELSTILTSKIN, AND SWAMP ANGEL“When evil commerce, dangerous magic, and shape-shifting felines converge, readers have the determined and dedicated guidance of the heroine, Miss Allie Argos, to take them on a heart-stopping adventure to right the wrongs long forgotten by many. Mr. Fuqua’s dark, edgy, yet delightfully whimsical pencil and ink drawings, spread liberally throughout the book, not only compliment this story, but are accompanied by moments of levity and humor during some of the story’s darker, more troubling situations. You'll be rooting for Allie (a terrific cross between little Orphan Annie and Katniss Everdeen) and her colorful assortment of heroes from page one right on through the sequel, which I’m very much looking forward to!”?DAVID L. PATERSON, AWARD-WINNING SCREENWRITER OF BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA; LOVE, LUDLOW; OPEN AIR; AND THE GREAT GILLY HOPKINS (COMING SOON)About the AuthorJ. Scott Fuqua is the author of four multi award-winning young adult novels (The Reappearance of Sam Webber, Darby, The Willoughby Spit Wonder, and King of the Pygmies). He has also written two highly acclaimed literary novels (In the Wake of the Boatman, and Gone and Back Again) and the award-winning graphic novel In the Shadow of Edgar Allan Poe.He’s penned and illustrated a children’s book on the history of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. For elementary students, he wrote the graphic chapter book Catie and Josephine.His most recent children’s book, Calvert the Raven in the Battle of Baltimore, was the Library of Congress’ National Book Festival Selection for Maryland as well as Maryland’s Center for the Book’s 2013 Selection for kids, and has been written into the Maryland State elementary school social studies curriculum.Born in Germany, Scott grew up and went to college in Virginia (College of William & Mary) before moving to Baltimore, MD as an adult, and has been here ever since, living with his wife and two children. He teaches at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), including his new specialty, Illustrated Narratives.
Publication Date: 09/15/14
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Synopsis: The final mystery starring Sammy Keyes: “the most winning junior detective ever in teen lit. (Take that, Nancy Drew!)” —Midwest Children’s Book Review
Sammy doesn’t go looking for trouble, but she seems to find it everywhere. She’s forever sniffing out clues and chasing down bad guys—and driving her friends a little nuts. She’s gone up against thieves and counterfeiters and gangsters and blackmailers and murderers, and always stayed one step ahead.
Until now.
Last night, one of the bad guys caught up.
Last night, someone followed Sammy up the fire escape and pushed her from the third story.
Now she’s in the hospital, out cold. And her friends are left with the questions Sammy’s always been so good at answering: Why? How? But most of all . . . WHO?
In this emotional conclusion to her beloved long-running series, Wendelin Van Draanen shows just how many lives one nosy girl can touch and pays tribute to a life well sleuthed.
Praise for Sammy Keyes:
“If Kinsey Millhone ever hires a junior partner, Sammy Keyes will be the first candidate on the list. She’s feisty, fearless, and funny. A top-notch investigator!” —Sue Grafton
“Sammy’s brave, resourceful, observant and a loyal friend, but this girl sleuth is no well-mannered Nancy Drew. She’s endearingly hot-tempered, nosy, and not always obedient—in short, she’s someone I want to read about again.” —Margaret Maron
Sammy doesn’t go looking for trouble, but she seems to find it everywhere. She’s forever sniffing out clues and chasing down bad guys—and driving her friends a little nuts. She’s gone up against thieves and counterfeiters and gangsters and blackmailers and murderers, and always stayed one step ahead.
Until now.
Last night, one of the bad guys caught up.
Last night, someone followed Sammy up the fire escape and pushed her from the third story.
Now she’s in the hospital, out cold. And her friends are left with the questions Sammy’s always been so good at answering: Why? How? But most of all . . . WHO?
In this emotional conclusion to her beloved long-running series, Wendelin Van Draanen shows just how many lives one nosy girl can touch and pays tribute to a life well sleuthed.
Praise for Sammy Keyes:
“If Kinsey Millhone ever hires a junior partner, Sammy Keyes will be the first candidate on the list. She’s feisty, fearless, and funny. A top-notch investigator!” —Sue Grafton
“Sammy’s brave, resourceful, observant and a loyal friend, but this girl sleuth is no well-mannered Nancy Drew. She’s endearingly hot-tempered, nosy, and not always obedient—in short, she’s someone I want to read about again.” —Margaret Maron
Publication Date: 09/09/14
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Adventure
Synopsis: Cale Thornsbe had always known he was adopted under the most mysterious circumstances. Although he loved his new parents very much, he treasured the only link he ever had to his true identity - a blurred out golden seal. Throughout his childhood he was teased for his unusual accent, snow white hair and thick glasses only to find out what they really meant as his thirteenth birthday approached. He was the last seer of two worlds and the only barrier left to keep the evil King Etmus from taking over this world by force as he had done in his own. From the tallest invisible bull to the smallest forest pixie, Cale must learn who he can trust as his senses and visions heighten. His lovable and completely clueless parents are kidnapped, but who really has them? Cale Thornsbe has no choice but to find the answers as the seal begins to reveal itself and the journey never taken is brought to his doorstep.
Publication Date: 09/09/14
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Adventure
Synopsis: In a future where two tyrants hold the world in an iron grip, humanity is about to meet its doom. An empathic girl from the past is called to action by a group of technologically advanced mermaids. An apocalypse is coming. Along with fellow time traveler, Force, she is sent to the future as the last hope for humanity. The stakes are high, the odds against her. Can she overcome her fears and step into her destiny? Can she lead a people to victory who lost hope long ago?
Publication Date: 08/31/14
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Synopsis: A Scott O'Dell Award-winning graphic novelist follows three dauntless adventurers on a Jules Verne-inspired challenge: circling the world, solo!
As the nineteenth century wound down, a public inspired by the novel Around the World in Eighty Days clamored for intrepid adventure. The challenge of circumnavigating the globe as no one ever had before—a feat assuring fame if not fortune—attracted the fearless in droves. Three hardy spirits stayed the course: In 1884, former miner Thomas Stevens made the journey on a bicycle, the kind with a big front wheel. In 1889, pioneer reporter Nellie Bly embarked on a global race against time that assumed the heights of spectacle, ushering in the age of the American celebrity. And in 1895, retired sea captain Joshua Slocum quietly set sail on a thirty-six-foot sloop, braving pirates and treacherous seas to become the first person to sail around the world alone. With cinematic pacing and deft, expressive art, acclaimed graphic novelist Matt Phelan weaves a trio of epic journeys into a single bold tale of three visionaries who set their sights on nothing short of the world.
As the nineteenth century wound down, a public inspired by the novel Around the World in Eighty Days clamored for intrepid adventure. The challenge of circumnavigating the globe as no one ever had before—a feat assuring fame if not fortune—attracted the fearless in droves. Three hardy spirits stayed the course: In 1884, former miner Thomas Stevens made the journey on a bicycle, the kind with a big front wheel. In 1889, pioneer reporter Nellie Bly embarked on a global race against time that assumed the heights of spectacle, ushering in the age of the American celebrity. And in 1895, retired sea captain Joshua Slocum quietly set sail on a thirty-six-foot sloop, braving pirates and treacherous seas to become the first person to sail around the world alone. With cinematic pacing and deft, expressive art, acclaimed graphic novelist Matt Phelan weaves a trio of epic journeys into a single bold tale of three visionaries who set their sights on nothing short of the world.
Publication Date: 08/26/14
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Adventure