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Mrs. Smith's Spy School for Girls
Synopsis: A girl discovers her boarding school is actually an elite spy-training program, and she must learn the skills of the trade in order to find her mother in this action-packed middle grade debut.

After a botched escape plan from her boarding school, Abigail is stunned to discover the school is actually a cover for an elite spy ring called The Center, along with being training grounds for future spies. Even more shocking? Abigail’s mother is a top agent for The Center and she has gone MIA, with valuable information that many people would like to have—at any cost. Along with a former nemesis and charming boy from her grade, Abigail goes through a crash course in Spy Training 101, often with hilarious—and sometimes painful—results. But Abigail realizes she might be a better spy-in-training than she thought—and the answers to her mother’s whereabouts are a lot closer than she thinks…
Publication Date: 07/04/17
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Adventure
Katana at Super Hero High
Synopsis: Get your cape on with the DC Super Hero Girls™—the unprecedented new Super Hero universe especially for girls! Readers of all ages can fly high with the all-new adventures of Wonder Woman™, Supergirl™, Batgirl™, and some of the world’s most iconic female super heroes as high schoolers!
 
Sword-wielding Katana isn’t like most high school students—but with classmates like Wonder Woman, Batgirl, and Supergirl, Super Hero High isn’t like most high schools!
 
In addition to training to be a super hero, Katana also follows the noble warrior traditions of the Samurai. Now a mysterious presence has given her the responsibility of guarding a hundred ancient Samurai swords—but why her, and for what purpose? With the help of Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Ms. Martian, and some of her other super friends, she intends to find out. But she just made captain of the fencing team, she has a huge school project due, and a villain with ties to her family’s past seems to be amassing an army. Maintaining her inner peace isn’t going to be easy . . .
 
. . . but Katana has the steel to save the day!
 
Award-winning author Lisa Yee brings this edge-of-your-seat adventure to life with mystery, thrills, and laughs. Move over Batman™ and Superman™—the DC Super Hero Girls are ready to save the day and have fun doing it!

Praise for DC Super Hero Girls:
“Sure to have wide appeal, this book is a solid option to balance collections saturated with male superheroes.” —School Library Journal

"If you have a middle grader in your life looking for super-sized action, or a superhero enthusiast who isn’t sure where to turn to get more of the superheroes they might see on TV or in movies… Or if you just want to dive into a good book that shows young readers—especially young female readers—that girls can be the super heroes of their own stories, look no further: Super Hero High is for you." - Kirkus 
Publication Date: 07/04/17
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Adventure
Now I Rise
Kiersten White
Synopsis: The highly anticipated, mind-blowing New York Times bestselling sequel to Kiersten White’s New York Times bestseller, AND I DARKEN—the series that reads like HBO’s Game of Thrones . . . if it were set in the Ottoman Empire. 
 
A SISTER FILLED WITH RAGE
Lada Dracul has no allies. No crown. All she has is what she’s always had: herself. After failing to secure the Wallachian throne, Lada is out to punish anyone who dares cross her. She storms the countryside with her men, but brute force isn’t getting Lada what she wants. And thinking of Mehmed, the defiant Ottoman sultan, brings little comfort to her thorny heart. There’s no time to wonder whether he still thinks about her, even loves her. She left him before he could leave her.

HER BROTHER CAUGHT IN THE CROSSHAIRS
Lada needs the support of her diplomatic younger brother, Radu. But Mehmed has sent him to Constantinople—and it’s no diplomatic mission. Mehmed wants control of the city, and Radu has earned an unwanted place as a double-crossing spy behind enemy lines. And for the first time in his life, when Lada asks him for help, he refuses . . . leading his sister to make the darkest of choices.

THE ULTIMATE POWER PLAY
Torn between loyalties to faith, to the Ottomans, and to Mehmed, Radu knows he owes Lada nothing. If she dies, he could never forgive himself—but if he fails in Constantinople, would Mehmed ever forgive him? 

As nations fall around them, the Dracul siblings must decide: what will they sacrifice to fulfill their destinies? Empires will topple, thrones will be won . . . and souls will be lost. 

Fans of Victoria Aveyard’s THE RED QUEEN and Sabaa Tahir’s A TORCH AGAINST THE NIGHT won’t want to miss this riveting and gorgeously written novel—the second in the And I Darken series.


★ "Gorgeous, rich, and rewarding."—Booklist, starred review

★ "Absolutely devastating in the best way."—Kirkus, starred review

“A+, 5 knives.”—Amie Kaufman, New York Times bestselling co-author of the STARBOUND and ILLUMINAE FILES trilogies
 
“Fierce, epic, and crazy fun.”—Melissa Albert, New York Times bestselling author of THE HAZEL WOOD

A Teen Choice Book Award nominee!


Praise for And I Darken:
 
“A dark jewel of a story, one that gleams with fierce, cunning characters—absolutely riveting.” —Alexandra Bracken, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Passenger
 
“A dark, gritty, and seriously badass epic that will have you dying for more . . . required reading for every feminist fantasy fan.” —BuzzFeed
 
“Evocative . . . this book takes no prisoners.” —NPR
Publication Date: 06/27/17
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
The Game of VORs
Dane Low, Maria D'Marco, Andrew Orange, Andrew Orange
Synopsis: Kier Vorsmith, the youngest son of an influential count, dreams of studying at the University and living a quiet life as a historian. However, when he fails his high school’s final exams, whirlwind events force Kier to become the official heir of the Vorsmiths’ county and an officer in the Imperial Special Corps. At the will of his father, the young man arrives at a remote arctic base to serve as a local weatherman...
Publication Date: 06/09/17
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Adventure
Going Too Far
P. E. Yudkoff
Synopsis: The testing never stops.
But doesn’t the Candidate deserve a day off?
His mysterious, and dead, ancestors continue to challenge thirteen-year-old Pack in their efforts to determine if he is to become the next Kylxon, their powerful leader. But after a narrow escape from the clutches of the evil Balford Memmer, Sydney and Kanata talk Pack into taking some time for a little fun and relaxation. Soon their day at the mall turns out to be more deadly than amusing. Balford Memmer is determined to steal Kanata’s inheritance, and Pack’s ancestors believe in live-fire exercises. When Sydney’s life is suddenly in danger, Pack throws all his Kylxon training out the window and forges his own path to save her, never knowing his path's shocking destination.

Book three in the new series “The Kylxon Chronicles”, a fantasy adventure about a reluctant hero.
Publication Date: 06/01/17
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Welcome to Wonderland #2: Beach Party Surf Monkey
Synopsis: “Outrageous hijinks and nonstop hilarity—five-stars!" —Lincoln Peirce, author of the Big Nate series

From the bestselling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library and coauthor with James Patterson of I Funny, House of Robots, and Treasure Hunters, comes the second hilarious, fun-in-the-sun adventure in his illustrated series about all the wacky things that happen when you live in a motel!
 
There’s always something wacky happening when you live in a motel, and P.T. (named after P. T. Barnum, of course) has grown up at the world’s wackiest! When word gets out that the hottest teen idols in Hollywood (plus current YouTube sensation Kevin the Monkey!) will be filming their next movie—Beach Party Surf Monkey—right in St. Pete’s Beach, Florida, P.T. and his friend Gloria know that the Wonderland would be the perfect location. Now they just have to convince the producers!
 
But when things start to go wrong (crazed fans? missing stars?), it will take all of Gloria’s business genius and P.T.’s wild stories to save the movie before both it and the Wonderland are all washed up!
 
BONUS: Includes fun extras like P.T. and Gloria’s Famous Fact-or-Fiction Quiz: Movie Edition

Here's What People are saying about Welcome to Wonderland!

“Outrageous hijinks and nonstop hilarity—five-stars! Kids who check into this madcap motel will want to stay forever!” —Lincoln Peirce, author of the Big Nate series

"So funny I fell off my bed!"--Izzy B., age 10

"Classic Grabenstein. The mystery should satisfy Grabenstein’s “Mr. Lemoncello” followers, and the humor and visuals will appeal to fans of his collaborations with James Patterson. This new series should be a hit."—School Library Journal

“A  delight. P.T. is a hoot and a half. A funny, madcap dash."—Kirkus Reviews 

“Charm galore. Easy and breezy, this well-paced novel . . . belongs in the hands of any readers wanting their bad guys bad, their good guys great, and a little of Wonderland’s promised fun in the sun.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books  
Publication Date: 05/23/17
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Adventure
Stranded: A Story of Frontier Survival
Synopsis: PERFECT FOR FANS OF GARY PAULSEN'S SURVIVAL STORIES AND READERS WHO ENJOYED THE REVENANT BY MICHAEL PUNKE

In autumn, 1849, 14-year-old Janette Riker travels westward to Oregon Territory with her father and two brothers. Before crossing the Rockies, they stop briefly to hunt buffalo. The men leave camp early on the second day ... and never return.

Based on actual events, and told in diary format, is the harrowing account of young Janette Riker's struggle to survive the long winter alone. Facing certain death, and with blizzards, frostbite, and gnawing hunger her only companions, she endures repeated attacks by grizzly bears, wolves, and mountain lions.

Janette rises to each challenge, relying on herself more than she knew possible. Her only comfort comes in writing in her diary, where she shares her fears, her travails, and her dwindling hopes.
Publication Date: 05/17/17
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Quicksand Pond
Janet Taylor Lisle
Synopsis: An ALA Notable Book
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2017

“Striking, enigmatic, and haunting all around.” —Booklist (starred review)
“A suspenseful, realistic, finely crafted story exploring friendship, trust, and how we judge others.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Newbery Honor winner Janet Taylor Lisle’s novel about a pivotal summer in two girls’ lives explores the convictions we form, the judgments we make, and the values we hold.

The pond is called Quicksand Pond.

It’s a shadowy, hidden place, full of chirping, shrieking, croaking life. It’s where, legend has it, people disappear. It’s where scrappy Terri Carr lives with her no-good family. And it’s where twelve-year-old Jessie Kettel is reluctantly spending her summer vacation.

Jessie meets Terri on a raft out in the water, and the two become fast friends. On Quicksand Pond, Jessie and Terri can be lost to the outside world—lost until they want to be found. But a tragedy that occurred many decades ago has had lingering effects on this sleepy town, and especially on Terri Carr. And the more Jessie learns, the more she begins to question her new friendship—and herself.
Publication Date: 05/16/17
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
The Unseen
Jacob Devlin
Synopsis: Crescenzo and his friends may have survived their confounding journey to the enchanted realms of Florindale, but now they find themselves fighting for their sanity and lives while stuck on the other side of the very mirror they set out to destroy. With their families trapped by a former ally with a crippling fear of the queen, Enzo, Rosana, and Zack must play a deadly game in Wonderland, where shadows are on the move, kings are at war, and one of them wants Rosana dead. As darkness hovers over the world, the friends must lean on each other and stop the King of Hearts from following through on Avoria’s orders: Break them.
Publication Date: 05/09/17
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
The Emperor's Riddle
Synopsis: From acclaimed author Kat Zhang comes a “fast-paced mystery adventure” (BCCB) about a girl who embarks on a hunt for a long-lost treasure while on a summer trip to China.

Mia Chen is on what her mother calls a Grand Adventure. She’s not sure what to make of this family trip to China, and didn’t want to leave her friends for the summer, but she’s excited about the prospect of exploring with her Aunt Lin, the only adult who truly understands her.

Then Aunt Lin disappears, right after her old nemesis, a man named Ying, comes to visit. Mia knows that years ago, when Aunt Lin and Ying were sent to the Fuzhou countryside to work as laborers, the two searched for an ancient treasure together—one that still hasn’t been found. She’s suspicious that their shared history might be linked to Aunt Lin’s disappearance.

When Mia discovers an old map filled with riddles in Aunt Lin’s room, she quickly pieces together her mission: find the treasure, find her aunt. Now, Mia, along with her big brother, Jake, must solve the clues to rescue the person she knows best in the world—and maybe unearth a treasure greater than her wildest dreams.
Publication Date: 05/02/17
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Adventure
Step Up to the Plate, Maria Singh
Synopsis: Nine-year-old Maria Singh longs to play softball in the first-ever girls' team forming in Yuba City, California. It's the spring of 1945, and World War II is dragging on. Miss Newman, Maria's teacher, is inspired by Babe Ruth and the All-American Girls' League to start a girls' softball team at their school. Meanwhile, Maria's parents--Papi from India and Mama from Mexico--can no longer protect their children from prejudice and from the discriminatory laws of the land. When the family is on the brink of losing their farm, Maria must decide if she has what it takes to step up and find her voice in an unfair world. In this fascinating middle grade novel, award-winning author Uma Krishnaswami sheds light on a little-known chapter of American history set in a community whose families made multicultural choices before the word had been invented.
Publication Date: 05/02/17
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Adventure
Arrow of Lightning
Joseph Bruchac
Synopsis: Months after she has been healed from the Enemy Sickness that afflicted her in Trail of the Dead, Lozen and her family have gathered a community around them in Valley Where First Light Paints the Cliffs and have begun to rebuild. Lozen knows danger still stalks them and she intends to be ready to defend her people, but she hopes to avoid killing another human being--though gemod monsters are not off the table. Miles away, the remaining Ones plot Lozen's demise, and a threat Lozen thought she'd eliminated comes closer. And a newfound power will complicate everything for Lozen. Masterful storyteller Joseph Bruchac delivers a satisfying conclusion of the acclaimed Killer of Enemies series.
Publication Date: 05/02/17
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Adventure
Shadowcaster
Cinda Williams Chima
Synopsis:

From New York Times bestselling author Cinda Williams Chima, this is a thrilling story of the unfathomable costs of war, the allure of dark magic, and two principled and conflicted characters drawn together despite everything they stand to lose.

Alyssa ana’Raisa, the reluctant princess heir to the Gray Wolf throne of the Fells, feels more comfortable striking with a sword than maneuvering at court. After a brush with death, Lyss goes on the offensive, meaning to end the war that has raged her whole life. If her gamble doesn’t pay off, she could lose her queendom before she even ascends to the throne.

Across enemy lines in Arden, young rising star Captain Halston Matelon is being sent on ever more dangerous assignments. Between the terrifying rumors of witches and wolfish warriors to the north and his cruel king at home, Hal is caught in an impossible game of life and death. 

Lyss and Hal’s intricately linked fates become inseparable when they fall under the shadow of a new enemy—a force that threatens to extinguish the last rays of hope in the Shattered Realms.

Publication Date: 04/04/17
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Seaborne: Strangers In Atlantis
Synopsis: After breaking ties with the deadly Pirate King, Dean Seaborne thought he had left his life of spying and pirating behind. But when the merciless thief Captain Skinner threatens Dean's allies, Dean agrees to one last job. Along with his trusted friends Ronan and Waverly, he agrees to help rob a sea-based resort for the richest of nobles. They'll pose as a band of traveling performers and then lead Skinner to the loot. But the moment Dean reaches the resort, the plan changes. The getaway is actually a gateway—to the undersea kingdom of Atlantis. And a civil war is brewing in the depths, with Dean soon to be caught in the middle of it. As his enemies multiply, above and below the waves, Dean finds himself in over his head like never before.
Publication Date: 04/01/17
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Adventure
Digging in the Stars
Katherine Blakeney
Synopsis: A lost ancient civilization and the tomb of a legendary king lie buried beneath centuries of ash on the volcanic planet Thror, but that’s not the only reason sixteen-year-old Carter has tricked her Archaeology of Outer Space class into coming here. Her best friend Conrad has just disappeared on a trip to Thror, leaving behind little more than a broken vintage camera. The strange and disturbing photographs she manages to extract make her suspect Conrad’s disappearance is somehow connected to the hidden tomb of the last king of Thror. Unfortunately, the ludicrously over-friendly ‘Furry Giants’ who have taken over the planet’s barren surface would rather offer her cheap souvenirs than answers, and the local officials insist they have no record of Conrad’s existence. Inspired by fear for Conrad’s life and the chance to make the greatest archaeological discovery of the century, Carter and her friends follow Conrad’s footsteps deep into the mountains of Thror’s forbidden Black Zone and launch an illicit excavation. Coded messages, stunning ancient ruins, and clues left by Conrad himself begin to surface as the young archaeologists fall victim to an alarming series of accidents staged by the increasingly hostile Furry Giants. Piecing together a history of dictatorship, terrorism and disguise, Carter glimpses the horrors beyond Thror’s flamboyant façade and startling revelations about the friend she thought she knew. The masks of Thror hide devastating secrets, and the golden tomb buried deep in the frozen core may claim the lives of everyone she loves.
Publication Date: 03/28/17
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Hellworld
Tom Leveen
Synopsis: In an effort to put her family back together, a teen struggles to discover what happened to her mother who disappeared during a ghost hunt in this haunting novel from the author of Party, Sick, and Shackled.

Five years ago, Abby Booth’s mom, cohost of a ghost-hunting reality show, went missing while filming in a “haunted” cave in Arizona.

Since then, Abby’s life has all but fallen to pieces, most notably because of her dad’s deep depression and how they’ve drifted further and further apart.

But now, at sixteen, Abby has decided that things will change. She plans to go to the same cave where her mom and the crew went missing and to find out, once and for all, what happened there.

With the help of the cohost’s son Charlie, and two of his friends, Abby sets off on a quest for answers…but when the group ends up finding, what they stumble across in that dark, primordial cave in Arizona, is nothing they could have ever imaged.

Abby was investigating a possible haunting…she never expected that there could be something worse.
Publication Date: 03/21/17
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure

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