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Rick Riordan. The Red Pyramid. [The Kane Chronicles] (Disney Hyperion, 2010)
Hold onto your butts. The ancient gods and goddesses are REAL! No, not the Greek gods and goddesses, that was Rick Riordan's other series. And two kids are descended from the gods. No, they aren't the direct children of gods, that's Rick Riordan's other series. There's a war brewing, and the descendants of the gods must play their part. Yeah, I know, that was in the other series too, but if the kids loved Percy Jackson (and what kid didn't?) they will line up for The Red Pyramid, Book One of the Kane Chronicles.

Ying Chang Compestine. A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts: A Collection of Deliciously Frightening Tales. (Holt, 2009)

Creepy and cross-cultural, this is a series of ghost stories set in ancient and modern China, with a strong emphasis on revenge. There are even recipes so the reader can recreate some of the dishes the ghosts used to do in their own murderers!

Stephen Person. Struck By Lightning! [Disaster Survivors] (Bearport, 2010)
Person manages to give a great deal of very real information without losing the wonder, the awe, the raw power of nature unleashed in bolts of pure energy that can travel more than 20 miles in the blink of an eye. This is the perfect setting for the big five questions: who does lightning strike? Where? When? How often? And most importantly, why? It's all here in a slim volume with some spectacular photography and easily accessible text. Give a kid twenty minutes with this book and he will be running to the computer to find more, diving for another book in the series, or looking for a kite and a key.
Other books in the series:
   Blitzed By a Blizzard!
   Devastated By a Volcano!
   Erased By a Tornado!
   Hammered By a Heat Wave!
   Leveled By an Earthquake!
   Slammed By a Tsunami!

Jamie Rix. Nasty Little Beasts. [Grizzly Tales: Cautionary Tales for Lovers of Squeam] (Orion, 2010)
Who doesn't like to see the mean, the nasty, and the selfish get their due? These creepy little tales of the inhabitants of the Hothell Darkness warn of the demonic retribution for those little children who don't clean their rooms, are mean to pets or little sisters, or start every sentence with "I want!" Ghastly and giggly, and just a little British, these kids' bedtime stories are a cross between Edgar Allen Poe and Roald Dahl.
Other books in the series:
   Gruesome Grown-ups.
   The "ME!" Monsters.
   Freaks of Nature.
   Terror Time Toys.
   Blubbers and Sicksters.

John Flanagan. The Siege of Macindaw. [Ranger's Apprentice, Book 6] (Philomel, 2009)
The conclusion to story begun in The Sorcerer of the North. Ranger Will must plot the overthrow of a castle with his usual young and talented friends, the warrior Horace and the diplomat Alyss, and his usual ragtag cast of supporters. In this case it is a handful of berzerking Skandians and the shadowy and mysterious inhabitants of a haunted forest.

D.J. MacHale. The Light. [Morpheus Road] (Aladdin, 2010)
Marsh is going crazy, or at least he hopes so. Crazy would be so much better than what he thinks is really going on. A character he created jumps off the page to wave a pick shovel at him, boats explode, walls of blood threaten to drown him. And if it is all in his head than people he knows, and some he loves may not be dead. This is a Stephen King style thriller from the author of the Pendragon series, and will have you covering your eyes then peeking through to read the next hair-raising chapter.

Gordon Korman. Zoobreak. (Scholastic, 2009)

The sequel to the caper story "Swindle".

James Patterson. Fang. [Maximum Ride] (Little, Brown, 2010)

The stakes rise for Maximum Ride when her relationship with Fang heats up. The more she has, the more she has to lose. Max's whole flock is faced with the hard choices, and one will make a choice that breaks the flock up for good.

Timothy Decker. For Liberty: The Story of the Boston Massacre. (Calkins Creek, 2009)

For those elementary and middle school kids who remember their picture book days as the last time they loved reading, here is a powerful take on a grimly fascinating event. This is "small" history; fifteen minutes that changed the world, and the drama is enhanced by stark, black and white illustrations that evoke both David MacAulay and the Manga form. Perhaps its greatest gift is to individualize the players, making the tragedy all the more human. This is history that comes alive.

Chris Wooding. Malice. (Scholastic, 2009)
Come get pulled into a dark world of mechanized evil, a comic book hell that is all too real for those kids who dare to escape the deadly monotony of daily life. Told both in words and comic-style pictures, this first tale in a new series just jumps off the page.

Sequel coming in October: Havoc.

Meish Goldish. Moray Eel: Dangerous Teeth. [Afraid of the Water] (Bearport, 2010)

Snakes. Snakes underwater. Huge snakes underwater, with big teeth that curve in so no prey can escape. They blend into their surroundings so you don't know they are there, until it's too late! Moray eels are just one of the nightmare creatures lurking in the deep in the series "Afraid of the Water"!

Other books in the Series:

    Natalie Lunis. Blue-Ringed Octopus: Small But Deadly. (Bearport, 2010)

    Natalie Lunis. Boxed Jellyfish: Killer Tentacles. (Bearport, 2010)

    Natalie Lunis. Portugese Man-of-War: Floating Misery. (Bearport, 2010)

    Meish Goldish. Shark: The Shredder. (Bearport, 2010)

    Meish Goldish. Stonefish: Needles of Pain. (Bearport, 2010)

Susan Campbell Bartoletti. The Boy Who Dared. (Scholastic, 2008)

A gritty story of a boy's courage and defiance in Nazi Germany. This story is based on real events and it shows. It will have you on edge to the very last page; what more could you ask of historical fiction?

Meish Goldish. Bug-a-licious. [Extreme Cuisine] (Bearport, 2009)

From cricket lollipops to roasted ants in the movie theatre, here are the stories of bug foods from around the world. Part cook book, part social study, and all queasy, this is a fun nonfiction written at a very accessible level. Read all the books in this Extreme Cuisine series. 

Other books in the Series:

    Meish Goldish. Baby Bug Dishes.  

    Meish Goldish. Mammal Menu.

    Dinah Williams. Shocking Seafood. 

    Dinah Williams. Slithery, Slimy, Scaly Treats. 

    Meish Goldish. Spider-tizers and Other Creepy Treats.

Helen Hemphill. The Adventurous Deeds of Deadwood Jones. (Front Street, 2008)

The Wild West held the promise of freedom and opportunity, and probably for none more so than the newly freed African Americans after the Civil War. But the reality was harsh, life was hard, and for Prometheus Jones slavery was not left completely behind. This is a rousing Western tale full of action, adventure and courage.

Michael Sandler. Mighty MotoXers. [X-Moves] (Bearport, 2010)

For the early gear-head crowd, here is a quick, highly visual tour of the motocross world. The stop-action photos of every step of a trick are particularly stunning.

Other books in the Series:

    Cool Snowboarders. (Bearport, 2010)

    Daring BMXers. (Bearport, 2010)

    Gnarly Skateboarders. (Bearport, 2010)

    Rally Car Dudes. (Bearport, 2010)

    Super Surfers. (Bearport, 2010)

Roland Smith. Peak. (Harcourt, 2007)

There is no end of adventure when it comes to challenging the highest mountain in the world, but this adventure begins clinging to the side of a skyscraper in New York City. A gutsy, gritty story of an attempt to put the youngest climber ever on the "Roof of the World."

                         Also must read: Gordon Korman. "Everest" (Series) 

Nancy Butts. The Door In the Lake. (Front Street, 1997)

It's a classic sci-fi set up: Joey wakes up in the hospital and can't understand why everyone looks so old. They can't understand how he could have been missing for years and hasn't aged a day. The only thing more frightening than not knowing what happened at the lake those years ago is finding out the truth.

Nancy Bo Flood. Warriors in the Crossfire. (Boyd's Mill Press, March 15, 2010)

This is a story of native peoples caught in the crossfire of World War II in the Pacific. The people of Saipan Island huddle between the occupying Japanese, who vow death to all rather than surrender, and the Americans who are said to be so vicious they eat children. Who do you fight for? Who do you fear most? And does it take more courage to fight or to survive?

Michael J. Rosen, with Ben Kassoy. No Dribbling the Squid: Octopush, Shin Kicking, Elephant Polo, and Other Oddball Sports. Andrew McMeel, 2009.

Competitive spitting, shovel racing, backward bicycling, basketball on unicycles, and Octopush (underwater hockey); there are some really strange sports out there, and they are all in this one little book, with plenty of pictures of all the zanyness. Two or three pages on each sport, complete with statistics, rules, and probably too many bad puns makes this a quick, fun read. No need to read it cover to cover; flip it open to any page and enjoy. (Hint: Kudu Dung spitting on p. 72)

Gary Paulsen. Woods Runner. (Wendy Lamb, 2010)

If your first thought was "Johnny Tremain", try this instead.
 
Gary Paulsen's true strength may not be action/adventure but historical fiction. This fast-moving tale from the Revolutionary War encompasses not just the cities but the frontier, which is often lost in history. Short passages of historical fact are woven in with the narrative, making it read like both history and compelling story. This is one of Paulsen's best.
 
When he's done reading this one, give him Paulsen's "The Rifle".

Martin Howard & Colin Stimpson. How to Cook Children: A Grisly Recipe Book. (Pavilion, 2008)

Outrageous! A spoof on all those international cookbooks. "Irish Stu", "Pie-Ella", "Kate and Sidney Pie"! Shocking! With gloriously hideous illustrations of witch chefs and their sniffling ingredients, you will just die laughing, then they will serve you with carrots and peas.

James Patterson and NaRae Lee. Maxium Ride: The Manga. (Yen Press, 2009)

Maximum Ride might be the perfect book for adaptation to Manga. All the action, the visual splendor, the wonder of kids on the wing, it all pops right off the page. This very quick read is the perfect intro to the series for struggling readers and a fantastic addition to the series for those who already know and love Max.

Tony Abbott. "The Haunting of Derek Stone" (Series)

    City of the Dead. (Scholastic, 2009)

    Bayou Dogs. (Scholastic, 2009)

Here is a great new gothic horror series for upper elementary/middle school kids. A bizarre confluence of two accidents opens a rift between the land of the living and the land of the dead, and they are coming for us!

Nawuth Keat. Alive in the Killing Fields: The True Story of Nawuth Keat, a Khmer Rouge Survivor. (National Geographic Children's Books, 2009)

A true-life survival story written by someone who grew up in the midst of civil and outright war in a land s distant and different as any in the world.

Chris Grabenstein. The Crossroads. (Random House, 2008)

"The Crossroads" is the first in a new series (#2 is "Hanging Hill") of supernatural thrillers. High on tension and low on gore, it is a great intro the genre for 9-12 year olds. Zack Jennings is a character that readers will love to follow: brave despite his fears, cursed with an ability to see ghosts, and blessed with some secret strength to fight the ones that are bent on evil. The crossroads outside his new home are not just a meeting place for two roads, but a nexus of different times and different worlds. A bus collided with a car in this place fifty years ago, and deaths that day echo right up till today. Now Zack has to bury the past before it buries him! 

                   See also: Chris Grabenstein. Hanging Hill. (Random House, 2009)

Dan Poblocki. The Stone Child. (Random House, 2009)

Horror stories are terrifying enough, but then they come to life for Eddie Fennicks. Worse still, it seems there is a new tale of terror being written, and he is right in the middle of it. He has a code to break, a lost author to find, an entire paranoid town to navigate, hell hounds and dark spirits to avoid, and his family to protect in this startling good first novel. The perfect read before you take on Stephen King's The Dark Half.  

Lenore Look. Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping, Hiking, and Other Natural Disasters. (Schwartz & Wade Books, 2009)

Do you know why you should always take toilet paper on a camping trip? Alvin Ho does; unfortunately, his dad does not. Alvin is a helmet-wearing, goggle-eyed, super hero wanna-be with a zest for life, so long as he can observe it from the safety of his own house. He is not happy to be dragged out camping where he will be exposed to any number of natural disasters. Little does he know that the biggest natural disaster in the woods is him!   

Jarrett J. Krosoczka. "Lunch Lady" (Series)

Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute. (Knopf, 2009)

Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians. (Knopf, 2009)

Lunch L ady and the Author Visit Vendetta. (Knopf, 2009)

Everyone complains that there are not enough graphic novels for younger readers. Well here is a new series just aimed at those 9-12 year olds. Its high adventure in a school setting with villainy and triumph and goofy gadgets. Just what to give kids who have read "Captain Underpants" twelve times.

See also:

    Erik Craddock. “Stone Rabbit” (Series)

        B.C. Mambo. (Random House Books for Young Readers, 2009)

        Pirate Palooza. (Random House Books for Young Readers, 2009)

        Deep Space Disco. (Random House Books for Young Readers, 2009)

    Frank Cammuso. “Knights of the Lunch Table” (Series)

        The Dodgeball Chronicles. (Scholastic, 2008)

        The Dragon Players. (Scholastic, 2009)

 
Michael Sullivan. The Sapphire Knight. (The Bard, Book One)  (PublishingWorks, January 2009)
A young traveler sits beside a fire on an open heath and hears a most amazing tale from a broken and disfigured old man, a tale of sorcery and battle between the light of a great white castle and the dark green wood, between the White Lady and the Green Queen. Caught between two great powers, a young knight must discover truth and his own courage to defend that truth. But is it just an idle tale of a lying old man, or is it the true history of the Sapphire Knight?

Action, Adventure and Mystery

“The 39 Clues” (Series):

Rick Riordin. Maze of Bones. (Scholastic, 2008)

Gordon Korman. One False Note. (Scholastic, 2008)

Peter Lerangus. The Sword Thief. (Scholastic, 2009)

Jude Watson. Beyond the Grave. (Scholastic, 2009)

Andrew Clements. A Week in the Woods. (Simon & Schuster, 2002)

Dan Gutman. Getting Air. (Simon & Schuster, 2007)

Sid Hite. Stick & Whittle. (Scholastic, 2000)

Will Hobbs. Wild Man Island. (HarperCollins, 2002)

Anthony Horowitz. “Alex Rider Adventures” (Series):  

Stormbreaker.  (Philomel, 2000)

Point Blank. (Philomel, 2002)

Skeleton Key. (Philomel, 2003)

Eagle Strike. (Philomel, 2004)

Scorpia. (Philomel, 2005)

Ark Angel. (Philomel, 2006)

Snakehead. (Philomel, 2007)

Gordon Korman. “Kidnapped” (Series):

Abduction. (Scholastic, 2006)

The Search. (Scholastic, 2006)

Rescue. (Scholastic, 2006)

Gordon Korman. “Dive” (Series):

The Discovery. (Scholastic, 2003)

The Deep. (Scholastic, 2003)

The Danger. (Scholastic, 2003)

Gordon Korman. “Everest” (Series):

The Contest. (Scholastic, 2002)

The Climb. (Scholastic, 2002)

The Summit. (Scholastic, 2002)

Gordon Korman. " Island " (Series):

Shipwreck. (Scholastic, 2001)

Survival. (Scholastic, 2001)

Escape. (Scholastic, 2001)

Gordon Korman. “On the Run” (Series):

Chasing the Falconers. (Scholastic, 2005)

The Fugitive Factor. (Scholastic, 2005)

Now You See Them, Now You Don’t. (Scholastic, 2005)

The Stowaway Solution. (Scholastic, 2005)

Public Enemies. (Scholastic, 2005)

Hunting the Hunter. (Scholastic, 2006)

Gordon Korman. Swindle. (Scholastic, 2008)  

Gordon Korman. Zoobreak. (Scholastic, 2009)

Ben Mikaelsen. Countdown. (Disney, 1996)

Ben Mikaelsen. Rescue Josh McGuire. (Hyperion, 1991)

Rodman Philbrick. The Young Man and the Sea. (Scholastic Paperbacks, 2005)

Roland Smith. Peak. (Harcourt, 2007)

Lemony Snicket. “A Series of Unfortunate Events” (Series):

The Bad Beginning. (HarperCollins, 1999)

The Reptile Room. (HarperCollins, 1999)

The Wide Window. (HarperCollins, 2000)

The Miserable Mill. (HarperCollins, 2000)

The Austere Academy. (HarperCollins, 2000)

The Ersatz Elevator. (HarperCollins, 2001)

The Vile Village. (HarperCollins, 2001)

The Hostile Hospital. (HarperCollins, 2001)

The Carnivorous Carnival. (HarperCollins, 2002)

The Slippery Slope. (HarperCollins, 2003)

The Grim Grotto. (HarperCollins, 2004)

The Penultimate Peril. (HarperCollins, 2005)

The End. (HarperCollins, 2006)

Wendelin Van Draanan. “The Gecko & Sticky” (Series):

Villain’s Lair. (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2009)

The Greatest Power. (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2009)

Wendelin Van Draanen. "Shredderman" (Series):

Secret Identity. (Knopf, 2004)

Attack of the Tagger. (Knopf, 2004)

Meet the Gecko. (Knopf, 2005)

Enemy Spy. (Knopf, 2005)

Classic Retellings

Frank Cammuso. The Dodgeball Chronicles. [Knights of the Lunch Table] (Scholastic, 2008) [Retelling of The Story of King Arthur and His Knights, by Howard Pyle]

Neil Gaiman. The Graveyard Book. (HarperCollins, 2008) [Retelling of The Jungle Books, by Rudyard Kipling]

Michael Mucci. Dracula. [All-Action Classics] ( Sterling , 2007) [Retelling of Dracula by Bram Stoker]

Tim Mucci and Rad Sechrist. Tom Sawyer. [All-Action Classics] ( Sterling , 2007) [Retelling of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain]

Rodman Philbrick. The Young Man and the Sea. (Blue Sky Press, 2004) [Retelling of The Old Man and the Sea, by Ernest Hemingway]

Michael Sullivan. Escapade Johnson and the Phantom of the Science Fair. (PublishingWorks, 2009) [Retelling of The Phantom of the Opera, by Gaston Leroux]

Fantasy

Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. “The Starcatchers” (Series):

Peter and the Starcatchers. (Disney, 2004)

Peter and the Shadow Thieves. (Hyperion/Disney Editions, 2006)

Peter and the Secret of Rundoon. (Disney, 2007)

Royce Buckingham. Demonkeeper. (Putnam Juvenile, 2007)

Royce Buckingham. Goblins! An Underearth Adventure. (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2008)

Ann Downer. Hatching Magic. (Aladdin, 2003)

Emily Drake. “The Magickers” (Series): 

The Magickers. (DAW Books, 2001)

The Curse of Arkady. (DAW Books, 2002)

The Dragon Guard. (DAW Books, 2003)

The Gate of Bones. (DAW Books, 2004)

Jeanne DuPrau. “Books of Ember” (Series):

The City of Ember. (Random House, 2003)

The People of Sparks. (Random House, 2004)

The Prophet of Yonwood. (Random House, 2006)

The Diamond of Darkhold. (Random House, 2008)

Nancy Farmer. Sea of Trolls. (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2004)

John Flanagan. "Rangers Apprentice." (Series):

The Ruins of Gorlan. (Puffin, 2005)

The Burning Bridge. (Philomel, 2006)

The Icebound Land. (Philomel,  2007)

The Battle for Skandia. (Philomel, 2008)

The Sorcerer of the North. (Philomel, 2008)

The Siege of Macindaw. (Philomel, 2009)

Julie Hahnke. “The Wolf’s Apprentice” (Series):

The Grey Ghost. (PublishingWorks, 2009)

Kate Klimo and John Shroades. “Dragon Keepers” (Series):

The Dragon in the Sock Drawer. (Random House Books for Young Readers, 2008)

The Dragon in the Driveway. (Random House Books for Young Readers, 2009)

D.J. MacHale. “Pendragon” (Series):

The Merchant of Death. (Aladdin, 2007)

The Lost City of Faar. (Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, 2007)

The Never War. (Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, 2007)

The Reality Bug. (Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, 2007)

Black Water. (Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, 2007)

The Rivers of Zadaa. (Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, 2005)

The Quillan Games. (Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, 2006)

The Pilgrims of Rayne. (Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, 2007)

Raven Rise. (Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, 2008)

The Soldiers of Halla. (Aladdin, 2009)

Kenneth Oppel. Silverwing. (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, 1997)

Sunwing. (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, 2000)

Firewing. (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, 2003)

Darkwing. (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, 2007)

Rick Riordan. "The Kane Chronicles" (Series):

    The Red Pyramid. (Disney Hyperion, 2010)

Rick Riordan. "Percy Jackson & the Olympians" (Series): 

The Lightening Thief. (Miramax, 2005)

The Sea of Monsters. (Miramax, 2006)

The Titan’s Curse. (Miramax, 2007)

The Battle of the Labyrinth. (Hyperion Books for Children, 2008)

The Demigod Files. (Hyperion Books for Children, 2009)

The Last Olympian. (Disney Hyperion Books for Children, 2009)

Emily Rodda. “Deltora Quest” (Series):

The Forests of Silence. (Apple, 2001)

The Lake of Tears. (Apple, 2001)

City of the Rats. (Apple, 2001)

The Shifting Sands. (Apple, 2001)

Dread Mountain. (Apple, 2001)

The Maze of the Beast. (Apple, 2001)

The Valley of the Lost. (Apple, 2001)

Return to Del. (Scholastic, 2001)

Tales of Deltora. (Scholastic, 2006)

Emily Rodda. “Deltora Shadowlands” (Series):

Cavern of Fear. (Scholastic, 2002)

Isle of Illusion. (Scholastic, 2002)

The Shadowlands. (Scholastic, 2002)

The Book of Monsters. (Scholastic, 2002)

Emily Rodda. “Dragons of Deltora” (Series):

Dragon's Nest. (Scholastic, 2004)

Shadowgate. (Scholastic, 2004)

Isle of the Dead. (Scholastic, 2004)

Sister of the South. (Scholastic, 2005)

J. K. Rowling. “Harry Potter” (Series):

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. (Scholastic, 1998)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. (Scholastic, 1999)

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. (Scholastic, 1999)

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. (Scholastic, 2000)

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. (Arthur A. Levine Books, 2003)

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. (Scholastic, 2005)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. (Scholastic, 2007)

Louis Sachar. Holes. (Farrar, Straus, Giraux, 1998)

Jeff Stone. "The Five Ancestors." (Series):

Tiger. (Random House, 2005)

Monkey. (Random House, 2005)

Snake. (Random House, 2006)

Crane. (Random House, 2007)

Eagle. (Random House, 2008)

Mouse. (Random House, 2009)

Jonathan Stroud. Heroes of the Valley. (Hyperion Books for Children, 2009)

Michael Sullivan, “The Bard” (Series):

The Sapphire Knight. (PublishingWorks, 2009)

J. R. R. Tolkien. The Hobbit. (Ballantine, 1999)

David Ward. “The Grassland Trilogy” (Series)

Escape the Mask. (Amulet Books, 2008)

Beneath the Mask. (Amulet Books, 2008)

Gothic Horror

Tony Abbott. "The Haunting of Derek Stone" (Series)

    City of the Dead. (Scholastic, 2009)

    Bayou Dogs. (Scholastic, 2009)

Ying Chang Compestine. A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts: A Collection of Deliciously Frightening Tales. (Holt, 2009)

Joseph Delaney. "The Last Apprentice" (Series):  

Revenge of the Witch. (GreenwillowBooks, 2006)

Curse of the Bane. (Greenwillow Books, 2007)

Night of the Soul Stealer. (GreenwillowBooks, 2007)

Attack of the Fiend. (Greenwillow Books, 2008)

Wrath of the Bloodeye. (Greenwillow Books, 2008)

The Spook’s Tale, And Other Horrors. (HarperCollins, 2009)

Neil Gaiman. The Graveyard Book. (HarperCollins, 2008)

Chris Grabenstein. The Crossroads. (Random House, 2008)

Chris Grabenstein. Hanging Hill. (Random House, 2009)

Anthony Horowitz. “Horowitz Horror” (Series):

Night Bus. (Orchard Books, 2008)

Killer Camera. (Orchard Books, 2008)

The Phone Goes Dead. (Orchard Books, 2008)

Burnt. (Orchard Books, 2008)

Twist Cottage. (Orchard Books, 2008)

Scared. (Orchard Books, 2008)

Anthony Horowitz. Horowitz Horror: Stories You'll Wish You Never Read. (Philomel, 2006)

More Horowitz Horror: More Stories You'll Wish You Never Read. (Philomel, 2007)

Peg Kehret. The Ghost's Grave. (Dutton, 2005)  

D.J. MacHale. The Light. [Morpheus Road] (Aladdin, 2010)
Dan Poblocki. The Stone Child. (Random House, 2009)

Jamie Rix. "Grizzly Tales: Cautionary Tales for Lovers of Squeam" (Series)

Nasty Little Beasts. (Orion, 2010)
Gruesome Grown-ups. (Orion, 2010)
The "ME!" Monsters. (Orion, 2010)
Freaks of Nature. (Orion, 2010)
Terror Time Toys. (Orion, 2010)
Blubbers and Sicksters. (Orion, 2010)

Darren Shan. “Cirque Du Freak: The Saga of Darren Shan” (Series):

Cirque Du Freak: A Living Nightmare. (Little, Brown, 2001)

The Vampire's Assistant. (Little, Brown, 2001)

Tunnels of Blood. (Little, Brown, 2002)

Vampire Mountain . (Little, Brown, 2002)

Trials of Death. (Little, Brown, 2003)

The Vampire Prince. (Little, Brown, 2003) 

Hunters of the Dusk. (Little, Brown, 2004)

Allies of the Night. (Little, Brown, 2004)

Killers of the Dawn. (Little, Brown, 2005)

The Lake of Souls . (Little, Brown, 2006)

Lord of the Shadows. (Little, Brown, 2006)

Sons of Destiny. (Little, Brown, 2006)

Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell. “Barnaby Grimes” (Series):

Curse of the Night Wolf. (David Fickling Books, 2007)

Return of the Emerald Skull. (David Fickling Books, 2009)

Legion of the Dead. (Doubleday, 2008)

Brad Strickland. “John Bellairs’s Lewis Barnevelt” (Series):

The Specter From the Magician’s Museum. (Dial, 1998)

The Beast From the Wizard’s Bridge. (Dial, 2000)

The Tower at the End of the World. (Dial, 2001)

The Whistle, The Grave, and the Ghost. (Dial, 2003)

The House Where Nobody Lived. (Dial, 2006)

The Sign of the Sinister Sorcerer. (Dial, 2008)

Bram Stoker, Michael Mucci. Dracula. [All-Action Classics] ( Sterling , 2007)

Michael Teitelbaum. The Scary States of America. (Delacorte, 2007)

Bill Wallace. Skinny-Dipping at Monster Lake. (Simon & Schuster, 2003)    

Chris Wooding. Malice. (Scholastic, 2009)

Chris Wooding. Havoc. (Scholastic, October 2010)

Historical Fiction

Avi. Crispin: Cross of Lead. (Hyperion Books for Children, 2002) 

Susan Campbell Bartoletti. The Boy Who Dared. (Scholastic, 2008)

Christopher Paul Curtis. The Watsons Go to Birmingham. (Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 1995)

Nancy Bo Flood. Warriors in the Crossfire. (Boyd's Mill Press, 2010)

Helen Hemphill. The Adventurous Deeds of Deadwood Jones. (Front Street, 2008)

Chris Lynch. Gold Dust. (HarperCollins, 2000)

Andrew Matthews. The Way of the Warrior. (Dutton Children’s Books, 2008)

Harry Mazer. A Boy at War: A Novel of Pearl Harbor. (Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, 2001)

Harry Mazer. A Boy No More. (Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, 2004)

Walter Dean Myers. Patrol: an American Soldier in Vietnam. (HarperCollins, 2002)

Gary Paulsen. The Rifle. (Harcourt Brace & Company, 1995)

Gary Paulsen. Woods Runner. (Wendy Lamb, 2010)

Roland Smith. Elephant Run. (Hyperion Books for Children, 2007)

Humor

Gennifer Choldenko. Al Capone Does My Shirts. (Putnam, 2004)

Jack Gantos. "Joey Pigza" (Series):

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key. (Farrar, Strauss, Graux, 1998)

Joey Pigza Loses Control. (Farrar, Strauss, Graux, 2000)

What Would Joey Do? (Farrar, Strauss, Graux, 2002)

Morris Gleitzman. Toad Rage. (Random House Books for Young Readers, 2004)

Toad Heaven. (Random House Books for Young Readers, 2005)

Toad Away. (Random House Books for Young Readers, 2006)

Andy Griffiths. The Day My Butt Went Psycho. (Scholastic, 2003)

Zombie Butts From Uranus. (Scholastic, 2004)

Butt Wars!: The Final Conflict. (Scholastic, 2005)

Gordon Korman. Schooled. (Hyperion, 2007)

Gordon Korman. The 6^th Grade Nickname Game . (Hyperion, 2007)

Lenore Look. Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping, Hiking, and Other Natural Disasters. (Schwartz & Wade Books, 2009)

Blake Nelson. Gender Blender. (Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2007)

Gary Paulsen. Harris and Me. (Harcourt, 1993)

Richard Peck. The Teacher’s Funeral: A Comedy in Three Acts. (Dial, 2004)

Jerry Spinelli. Loser. (Joanna Cotler, 2002)

Todd Strasser. "Help! I'm Trapped..." (Series):

Help! I'm Trapped in My Teacher's Body. (Scholastic, 1993)

Help! I'm Trapped in The First Day of School. (Scholastic, 1994)

Help! I'm Trapped in Obedience School. (Scholastic, 1995)

Help! I'm Trapped in My Gym Teacher's Body. (Scholastic, 1996)

Help! I’m Trapped in the President’s Body. (Scholastic, 1997)

Help! I'm Trapped in Obedience School Again. (Scholastic, 1997)

Help! I'm Trapped in My Sister's Body. (Scholastic, 1997)

Help! I'm Trapped in the First Day of Summer Camp. (Scholastic, 1997)

Help! I'm Trapped in Santa's Body. (Scholastic, 1997)

Help! I'm Trapped in My Principal's Body. (Scholastic, 1998)

Help! I'm Trapped in an Alien's Body. (Apple, 1998)

Help! I'm Trapped in My Camp Counselor's Body. (Apple, 1998)

Help! I'm Trapped in a Movie Star's Body. (Apple, 1999)

Help! I'm Trapped in My Lunch Lady's Body. (Scholastic, 1999)

Help! I'm Trapped in a Vampire's Body. (Scholastic, 2000)

Help! I'm Trapped in a Professional Wrestler's Body. (Scholastic, 2000)

Help! I'm Trapped in a Supermodel's Body. (Apple, 2001)

Help! I'm Trapped in Summer Camp. (Scholastic, 2006)

Todd Strasser. Is That a Sick Cat in Your Backpack? (Scholastic, 2007)

Is That a Dead Dog in Your Locker? (Scholastic, 2008)

Is That a Glow-in-the-Dark Bunny in Your Pillowcase? (Scholastic 2009)

Wendelin Van Draanen. Swear to Howdy. (Knopf, 2003)  

Henry Winkler. "Hank Zipzer: The World's Greatest Underachiever" (Series):

Niagara Falls, or Does It? (Grosset & Dunlap, 2003)

I Got a "D" in Salami. (Grosset & Dunlap, 2003)

Day of the Iguana. (Grosset & Dunlap, 2003)

Nonfiction

"Afraid of the Water" (Series):

    Natalie Lunis. Blue-Ringed Octopus: Small But Deadly. (Bearport, 2010)

    Natalie Lunis. Boxed Jellyfish: Killer Tentacles. (Bearport, 2010)

    Meish Goldish. Moray Eel: Dangerous Teeth. (Bearport, 2010)

    Natalie Lunis. Portugese Man-of-War: Floating Misery. (Bearport, 2010)

    Meish Goldish. Shark: The Shredder. (Bearport, 2010)

    Meish Goldish. Stonefish: Needles of Pain. (Bearport, 2010)

Sylvia Branzei. Animal Grossology. (Price Stern Sloan, 2004)

Sylvia Branzei. Grossology. (Price Stern Sloan, 2002)

Sylvia Branzei. Grossology and You. (Price Stern Sloan, 2002)

Sylvia Branzei. Hands-On Grossology. (Price Stern Sloan, 2003)  

Timothy Decker. For Liberty: The Story of the Boston Massacre. Calkins Creek, 2009.

"Disaster Survivors" (Series)

    Stephen Person. Struck By Lightning! (Bearport, 2010)

    Joyce L. Markovics. Blitzed By a Blizzard! (Bearport, 2010)

    Stephen Person. Devastated By a Volcano! (Bearport, 2010)

    Jessica Rudolph. Erased By a Tornado! (Bearport, 2010)

    Laura DeLallo. Hammered By a Heat Wave! (Bearport, 2010) 

    Adam Reingold. Leveled By an Earthquake! (Bearport, 2010)

    Miriam Aronin. Slammed By a Tsunami! (Bearport, 2010)

"Extreme Cuisine" (Series):

    Meish Goldish. Baby Bug Dishes. (Bearport, 2009)

    Meish Goldish. Bug-a-licious. (Bearport, 2009)

    Meish Goldish. Mammal Menu. (Bearport, 2009)

    Dinah Williams. Shocking Seafood. (Bearport, 2009)

    Dinah Williams. Slithery, Slimy, Scaly Treats. (Bearport, 2009)

    Meish Goldish. Spider-tizers and Other Creepy Treats. (Bearport, 2009)

John Fleischman. Phineas Gage: A Gruesome But True Story About Brain Science. (Houghton Mifflin, 2002)

Paul Fleisher. Parasites: Latching On to a Free Lunch. (Twenty-First Century Books, 2006) 

Thomas R. Holtz and Luis V. Rey. Dinosaurs: The Most Complete, Up-to-Date Encyclopedia for Dinosaur Lovers of All Ages. (Random House, 2007)

Nawuth Keat. Alive in the Killing Fields: The True Story of Nawuth Keat, a Khmer Rouge Survivor. (National Geographic Children's Books, 2009)

Sandra Markle. Outside and Inside Mummies. (Walker & Company, 2005)  

Joy Masoff. Oh Yuck!: the Encyclopedia of Everything Nasty. (Workman, 2000)

Joy Masoff. Oh Yikes!: History's Grossest, Wackiest Moments. (Workman, 2000)   

Jennifer Morse. Guiness Book of World Records 2009. (Scholastic Reference, 2008)

Kadir Nelson. We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball. (Jump at the Sun, 2008)

Nathaniel Philbrick. Revenge of the Whale: The True Story of the Whaleship  Essex . (Putnam, 2002)

Joshua Piven and David Borgenicht. The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook. (Chronicle Books, 1999)

Joshua Piven, and David Borgenicht. The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Extreme Edition. (Chronicle Books, 2005)

Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Special Edition 2009. (Scholastic, 2008)

Michael J. Rosen, with Ben Kassoy. No Dribbling the Squid: Octopush, Shin Kicking, Elephant Polo, and Other Oddball Sports. (Andrew McMeel, 2009)

Michael Sandler. "X-Moves" (Series):

    Cool Snowboarders. (Bearport, 2010)

    Daring BMXers. (Bearport, 2010)

    Gnarly Skateboarders. (Bearport, 2010)

    Mighty MotoXers. (Bearport, 2010)

    Rally Car Dudes. (Bearport, 2010)

    Super Surfers. (Bearport, 2010)

"Scary Places" (Series)

    Dinah Williams. Abandoned Insane Asylums. (Bearport, 2008)

    Sarah Parvis. Creepy Castles. (Bearport, 2008)

    Michael E. Goodman. Dark Labyrinths. (Bearport, 2008)

    Sarah Parvis. Ghost Towns. (Bearport, 2008)

    Sarah Parvis. Haunted Hotels. (Bearport, 2008)

    Dinah Williams. Haunted Houses. (Bearport, 2008)

    Dinah Williams. Spooky Cemeteries. (Bearport, 2008)

    Steven L. Stern. Wretched Ruins. (Bearport, 2010)

James Solheim. It's Disgusting and We Ate It!: True Food Facts from Around the World and Throughout History. Simon & Schuster, 1998.   

Andrew Solway. What's Living in Your Bedroom? (Heinemann, 2004)

Stephen Spignesi. The Weird 100: A Collection of the Strange and the Unexplained. (Citadel Press, 2004)

Chris Woodford, et al. Cool Stuff and How it Works. (Dorling Kindersley, 2005)  

Chris Woodford and Jon Woodcock. Cool Stuff 2.0 and How it Works. (Dorling Kindersley, 2007)

Chris Woodford. Cool Stuff Exploded. (Dorling Kindersley, 2008)  

Chris Woodford and Jon Woodcock. The Gadget Book: How Really Cool Stuff Works. (Dorling Kindersley, 2007)

Chris Woodford. How Cool Stuff Works. (Dorling Kindersley, 2008)  

Realistic Fiction

Avi. Nothing But the Truth: A Documentary Novel. (Orchard Books, 1991)

Pete Hautman. Godless. (Simon & Schuster, 2004)

Gordon Korman. The Juvie Three. (Hyperion, 2008)

Walter Dean Myers. Handbook for Boys. (Amistad, 2002)

Gary Paulsen. The Car. (Harcourt Brace & Company, 1994)

Jerry Spinelli. Maniac Magee. (Little, Brown, 1990)

Todd Strasser. The Wave. (Laurel Leaf, 1981)

Sci-Fi

Nancy Butts. The Door In the Lake. (Front Street, 1997)

Orson Scott Card. "Ender" (Series):

    Ender's Game. (Tor, 1994)

    Speaker for the Dead. (Tor, 1994)

    Xenocide. (Tor, 1996)

    Children of the Mind. (Tor, 2002)

    Ender in Exile. (Tor, 2009)

Eoin Colfer. “Artemis Fowl” (Series):

Artemis Fowl. (Miramax, 2001)

The Arctic Incident. (Miramax, 2002)

The Eternity Code. (Miramax, 2003)

The Opal Deception. (Miramax, 2005)

The Lost Colony. (Miramax, 2006)

The Time Paradox. (Hyperion Books for Children, 2008)

Jeanne DuPrau. “The Books of Ember” (Series):

The City of Ember. (Random House Books for Young Readers, 2003)

The People of Sparks. (Random House Books for Young Readers, 2004)

The Prophet of Yonwood. (Random House Books for Young Readers, 2006)

The Diamond of Darkhold. (Random House Books for Young Readers, 2008)

Will Hobbs. Go Big or Go Home. (HarperCollins, 2008)

Lois Lowry. The Giver. (Laurel Leaf, 2002)

James Patterson. "Maximum Ride" (Series) 

The Angel Experiment. (Little, Brown, 2005)

School’s Out – Forever. (Warner, 2006)

Saving the World, and Other Extreme Sports. (Little, Brown, 2007)

The Final Warning. (Little, Brown, 2008)

Max. (Little, Brown, 2009)  

Fang. (Little, Brown, 2010)

James Patterson and NaRae Lee. Maxium Ride: The Manga. (Yen Press, 2009)

Sports

John Feinstein. Cover-Up: Mystery at the Super Bowl. (Knopf, 2007) [Football]

John Feinstein. Last Shot: A Final Four Mystery. (Knopf, 2005) [Basketball]

John Feinstein. Vanishing Act: Mystery at the U.S. Open. (Knopf Books for Young readers, 2006) [Tennis]

Tim Green. Baseball Great. (HarperCollins, 2009) [Baseball]

Tim Green. Football Champ. (HarperCollins, 2009) [Football]

Tim Green. Football Genius. (HarperCollins, 2007) [Football]

Tim Green. Football Hero. (HarperCollins, 2008) [Football]

Dan Gutman. The Secret Life of Doctor Demented. (Simon Pulse, 2001) [Wrestling]

Gordon Korman. The Chicken Doesn’t Skate. (Scholastic, 1996) [Hockey]

Mike Lupica. The Big Field. (Penguin, 2008) [Baseball]

Mike Lupica. Heat. (Philomel, 2006) [Baseball]

Mike Lupica. Travel Team. (Philomel, 2004) [Basketball]

Chris Lynch. Gold Dust. (HarperCollins, 2000) [Baseball]

Kadir Nelson. We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball. (Jump at the Sun, 2008) [Baseball - Nonfiction]

Gary Paulsen. How Angel Peterson Got His Name, and Other Outrageous Tales of Extreme Sports. (Yearling, 2004) [Extreme Sports]

John H. Ritter. The Boy Who Saved Baseball. (Philomel, 2003) [Baseball]

Michael J. Rosen, with Ben Kassoy. No Dribbling the Squid: Octopush, Shin Kicking, Elephant Polo, and Other Oddball Sports. Andrew McMeel, 2009. [Nonfiction]

Timothy Tocher. Chief Sunrise, John McGraw, and Me. (Cricket Books, 2004) [Baseball]

Visual Fiction: Comics/Manga/Graphic Novels

“All-Action Classics” Series: [Graphic Novels]

Bram Stoker and Michael Mucci. Dracula. (Sterling, 2007)

Mark Twain, Tim Mucci, and Rad Sechrist. Tom Sawyer. (Sterling, 2007)

Frank Cammuso. “Knights of the Lunch Table” (Series): [Graphic Novels]

The Dodgeball Chronicles. (Scholastic, 2008)

The Dragon Players. (Scholastic, 2009)

Timothy Decker. For Liberty: The Story of the Boston Massacre. Calkins Creek, 2009.

Ricardo Delgado. “Age of Reptiles” (Series):

Tribal Warfare. (Dark Horse Comics, 1993) [Graphic Novel]

The Hunt. (Dark Horse Comics, 1997) [Graphic Novel]

Paul Fleisher. Parasites: Latching On to a Free Lunch. (Twenty-First Century Books, 2006) [Nonfiction]

Jeff Kinney. Diary of a Wimpy Kid. (Amulet Books, 2007)

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules. (Amulet Books, 2008)

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw. (Amulet Books, 2009)

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book. (Amulet Books, 200)

Jarrett J. Krosoczka. "Lunch Lady" (Series)

Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute. (Knopf, 2009)

Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians. (Knopf, 2009)

Lunch Lady and the Author Visit Vendetta. (Knopf, 2009)

Martin Howard & Colin Stimpson. How to Cook Children: A Grisly Recipe Book. (Pavilion, 2008)

James Patterson and NaRae Lee. Maxium Ride: The Manga. (Yen Press, 2009)

Jeff Smith. “Bone” Series: [Comic Books]

Out From Boneville. (Scholastic, 2005)

The Great Cow Race. (GRAPHIX, 2005)

Eyes of the Storm. (GRAPHIX, 2006)

The Dragonslayer. (GRAPHIX, 2006)

Rock Jaw: Master of the Eastern Border. (GRAPHIX, 2007)

Old Man’s Cave. (GRAPHIX, 2007)

Ghost Circles. (GRAPHIX, 2008)

Treasure Hunters. (GRAPHIX, 2008)

Crown of Horns. (GRAPHIX, 2009)

Jeff Smith. Bone: The Complete Epic in One Volume. (Cartoon Books, 2004) [Comic Books]

Andrew Solway. What's Living in Your Bedroom? (Heinemann, 2004) [Nonfiction]  

Chris Wooding. Malice. (Scholastic, 2009)

Chris Wooding. Havoc. (Scholastic, October 2010)

Books About Boys and Reading

Alison M. G. Follos. Reviving Reading: School Library Programming, Author Visits and Books that Rock! Libraries Unlimitted, 2006.

Michael Gurian. Boys and Girls Learn Differently!: A Guide for Teachers and Parents. Jossey-Basse, 2001.

Stephen Krashen. The Power of Reading: Insights from the Research. Libraries Unlimitted, 2004.

Thomas Newkirk. Misreading Masculinity: Boys, Literacy, and Popular Culture. Heinemann, 2002.

Daniel Pennac. Better Than Life. Stenhouse, 1999.

Leonard Sax. Boys Adrift: The Five Factors Driving the Growing Epidemic of Unmotivated Boys and Underachieving Young Men. Basic Books, 2007.

Leonard Sax. Why Gender Matters: What Parents and Teachers Need to Know About the Emerging Science of Sex Differences. Doubleday, 2005.

Michael W. Smith, Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. Reading Don't Fix No Chevys: Literacy in the Lives of Young Men. Heinemann, 2002.

Michael Sullivan. Connecting Boys With Books: What Libraries Can Do. ALA Editions, 2003.

Michael Sullivan. Connecting Boys With Books 2: Closing the Reading Gap. ALA Editions, 2009.

Michael Sullivan. Serving Boys Through Readers Advisory. ALA Editions, 2010.

                              Last Updated 07/03/2010