THE BOOK OF GHOSTS
selected and illustrated by Michael Hague and Devon Hague
HarperCollins Children’s Books
ISBN: 9780688140083
Ages 6-11
144 pages

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If you're weak of heart, beware. Don't turn another page. Or if you dare, do so at your own risk. The tales within these pages will haunt long after this book is closed, when the lights have dimmed and something --- somewhere --- is lurking. Is it the thunderous beating of a heart, the silent ascent of a headless horseman, or perhaps a demon arrived from the underworld through a secret portal?

BORN TO FLY
Michael Ferrari
Delacorte Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 9780385737159
Ages 8-12
224 pages

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BORN TO FLY tells the story of 11-year-old tomboy Bird McGill. Ever since she can remember, Bird has loved flying in small propeller airplanes with her mechanic dad. When the local airstrip is turned into a military flight school, Bird is in heaven. But when a young Japanese American student named Kenji Fujita joins Bird’s class, the entire school seems suspicious of him. Bird is wary of Kenji, not just because he’s Japanese, but because he steals her flight-related topic for a school report and leaves her to write about the deadly boring local marsh weed.

But on Bird’s first trip to the marsh, she and Kenji accidentally discover real spy activity in the area. Bird realizes that Kenji is actually a stand-up guy --- and she and Kenji begin an adventure that will shake the town and may even change the future of the United States.

CAPTAIN NOBODY
Dean Pitchford
Putnam Juvenile
ISBN: 9780399250347
Ages 8-12
192 pages

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Growing up in the shadow of his football star brother, Chris, Newt Newman has never felt particularly special. When Chris is knocked into a coma, Newt’s two best friends decide that taking him out for Halloween is the best way to cheer him up. Using some of Chris’s old, oversized clothes, Newt creates his best costume ever --- Captain Nobody!

Newt feels so strong and confident in his new getup that he keeps wearing it after Halloween is over. In no time, Newt assumes the role of a hero in a string of exploits that include foiling a robbery and saving a planeload of passengers. But will Captain Nobody be able to save the one person he cares about most?

A SAVAGE THUNDER: Antietam and the Bloody Road to Freedom
Jim Murphy
Margaret K. McElderry Books/Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 9780689876332
Ages 8-12
112 pages

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In September 1862, two great armies faced off across Antietam Creek, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, knowing that the fate of the United States and the future of millions of slaves were at stake. From behind-the-scenes conversations to the action on the front lines, renowned nonfiction writer Jim Murphy provides an in-depth look at the battle that prompted Abraham Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation and changed America forever. Murphy uses photographs maps, and first-person accounts to sweep young readers into the chaos and confusion of battle.

STRAWBERRY HILL
Mary Ann Hoberman
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 9780316041362
Ages 8-12
240 pages

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When 10-year-old Allie learns that her family will be moving from their two-family home to their very own house in the country, she's hesitant until she finds out they will be living on a street with the magical name of Strawberry Hill. That changes everything! From her struggle to find a new best friend, to her quest for acceptance at her new school, Allie takes readers on her journey to make Strawberry Hill feel like home.

THE TROUBLE WITH MARK HOPPER
Elissa Brent Weisman
Dutton Juvenile
ISBN: 9780525420675
Ages 10-up
240 pages

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Mark Hopper is the smartest student in the sixth grade, and he knows it. When another Mark Hopper moves to town (the same age, with similar looks), Mark Hopper makes trouble for Mark Hopper. The Mark everyone knows isn’t very nice, so the other Mark finds no one will talk to him. The new Mark isn’t very brainy, so the other Mark worries that people will think he’s a dummy. When a teacher forces them to be study partners, they realize that they can benefit from one another’s strengths --- and maybe win the Mastermind Challenge together. The trouble is, one of the Marks wants to win so badly that he’s willing to steal from Mark.

WHEN YOU REACH ME
Rebecca Stead
Wendy Lamb Books/Random House
ISBN: 9780385737425
Ages 9-14
208 pages

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By sixth grade, Miranda and her best friend, Sal, know how to navigate their New York City neighborhood. They know where it’s safe to go, like the local grocery store, and they know whom to avoid, like the crazy guy on the corner.

But things start to unravel. Sal gets punched by a new kid for what seems like no reason, and he shuts Miranda out of his life. The apartment key that Miranda’s mom keeps hidden for emergencies is stolen. And then Miranda finds a mysterious note scrawled on a tiny slip of paper:

I am coming to save your friend’s life, and my own.
I must ask two favors. First, you must write me a letter.

The notes keep coming, and Miranda slowly realizes that whoever is leaving them knows all about her, including things that have not even happened yet. Each message brings her closer to believing that only she can prevent a tragic death. Until the final note makes her think she’s too late.

Heck

RAPACIA: The Second Circle of Heck
Dale E. Basye
Random House Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 9780375840777
Ages 9-12
384 pages

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When Milton escapes from Heck in a soul balloon made of old clothes, Marlo is the only Fauster child left to take the blame. Bea “Elsa” Bubb, the Principal of Darkness, sends her straight to Rapacia, the circle where greedy kids are tormented by glimpses of a just-out-of-reach, glittering shopper’s paradise called Mallvana. Marlo soon falls under the sway of Rapacia’s assistant principal, a grinning metal rabbit known as the Grabbit that seems to have plans of its own.

Meanwhile, back on the Surface, Milton has his own problems. He is determined to get in touch with Marlo and help her find a way out of Heck. But it’s hard to concentrate when his body and soul don’t seem to hold together the way they used to. Will Milton ever reach Marlo? And if he does, will they both end up as pawns in the Grabbit’s mysterious game?

Judy Moody & Stink

JUDY MOODY & STINK: THE MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD TREASURE HUNT
written by Megan McDonald
illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
Candlewick Press
ISBN: 9780763639624
Ages 6-9
128 pages

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As soon as the Moody family drops anchor on "Artichoke" Island, they are greeted by Cap'n Weevil, a one-eyed buccaneer with a scraggly beard and a secret treasure map. Before you can say "Davy Jones's Locker," Stink and Judy are racing across the island in search of gold. But --- shiver me timbers! --- they're not the only salty dogs lookin' for loot. Can Mad Molly O'Maggot and Scurvy Stink beat out their rivals, Tall Boy and Smart Girl? Can they find the hidden clues, crack the secret codes, and solve the tricky puzzles before time runs out?

Junie B.

JUNIE B.’s ESSENTIAL SURVIVAL GUIDE TO SCHOOL
Barbara Park
Random House Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 9780375838118
Ages 6-9
120 pages

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Hello, school children! Hello! Hello! It’s me…Junie B., First Grader!

I have been going to school for over one-and-a-half entire years now. And I have learned a jillion things that will help you survive at that place. And guess what? Now I am going to pass this information on to y-o-u!!! I wrote it all down in my brand-new book!

Here is some of the stuff I wrote about:
Bus rules, carpools, how to stay out of trouble (possibly), homework, fun work, water fountains, friends (plus children you may not actually care for).

All the helpful hints and drawings are done by me, Junie B. Jones! Plus also, there are stickers and pages for you to write in! This thing is a hoot, I tell you!

Mercy Watson

MERCY WATSON: SOMETHING WONKY THIS WAY COMES
written by Kate DiCamillo
illustrated by Chris Van Dusen
Candlewick Press
ISBN: 9780763636449
Ages 6-8
96 pages

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Some may find it wonky to take a pig to the movies. But not Mr. and Mrs. Watson, who think the title of the film, When Pigs Fly, is inspirational. And not their beloved Mercy, who is inspired by the fact that the drive-in proudly serves real butter on its Bottomless Bucket of popcorn. So when they pull up in their convertible, Mercy lifts her snout and becomes a pig on a mission --- for what is more heavenly than being hot on the trail of a true butter smell?

AN ANACONDA ATE MY HOMEWORK!
written by Alice Schertle
illustrated by Aaron Renier
Disney-Hyperion
ISBN: 9781423113546
Ages 4-8
40 pages

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What do you do when your teacher assigns you 10 pages of homework, a raptor swoops down and grabs you, and you suddenly find yourself all alone in the jungle about to be swallowed by a python? When you're Digby, the solution to every problem is in your backpack.

THE CLEVER STICK
written and illustrated by John Lechner
Candlewick Press
ISBN: 9780763639501
Ages 5-8
40 pages

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The stick has always been clever: it solves difficult problems, enjoys poetry, and ponders the music of birds and the beauty of a rose. The one thing it can’t do is speak. And because of this, no one can see that the stick is clever; all they can see is a stick. John Lechner, the creator of A FROGGY FABLE, follows the most unlikely of heroes on a journey of self-discovery, arriving at a place that will surprise and enchant readers everywhere.

HOMEWORK
written by Arthur Yorinks
illustrated by Richard Egielski
Walker Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 9780802795854
Ages 4-8
32 pages

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When Tony falls asleep without finishing his homework, his unruly school tools come to life to get the job done. Pencil and Pen get the story started, along with Eraser, but when Fountain Pen joins in, all ink breaks loose! A little creativity goes a long way, as Tony’s homework turns into a wacky tale about the Planet Splotch. Tony might not be able to hand in this particular assignment, but it deserves an A+ for originality.

MARLEY GOES TO SCHOOL
written by John Grogan
illustrated by Richard Cowdrey
HarperCollins Children’s Books
ISBN: 9780061561511
Ages 3-8
40 pages

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It's the first day of school, and Cassie is all set to go. So is her dog, Marley! Although he's told to stay, Marley digs a tunnel out of the backyard and sniffs his way to school. As he roams the halls looking for Cassie, he finds trouble instead. From wolfing down hot dogs in the cafeteria to setting free a bunch of mice in science class, Marley won't stop until he locates his best friend. This lovable and rowdy dog may not be much of an academic, but he's full of school spirit!