Special Collections
Read Your Way Across the U. S. of A.
Description: Buckle up and hit the road with this collection of middle grade novels. Visit your home state or explore one you've never been to with these novels set all over America. Ages 8 to 13. #kids
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How Angel Peterson Got His Name
by Gary PaulsenGary Paulsen's slapstick tales capture the "wonderful madness" of growing up in a small town in northern Minnesota, when high spirits, showing off for girls, and general idiocy led Gary and his pals to attempt some amazing stunts, including:
* Shooting a waterfall in a barrel
* Breaking the world speed record on skis
* Hang gliding with an army surplus target kite
* Inventing the skateboard
* Jumping a bike through a hoop of fire
* Wrestling with a bear.
Wacky, daring, just plain nuts -- extreme sports lead to extreme fun in these stories from Gary's boyhood.
Summer of the Gypsy Moths
by Sara PennypackerStella loves living with Great-aunt Louise in her big old house near the water on Cape Cod for many reasons, but mostly because Louise likes routine as much as she does, something Stella appreciates since her mom is, well, kind of unreliable.
So while Mom "finds herself," Stella fantasizes that someday she'll come back to the Cape and settle down. The only obstacle to her plan? Angel, the foster kid Louise has taken in. Angel couldn't be less like her name-she's tough and prickly, and the girls hardly speak to each other.
But when tragedy unexpectedly strikes, Stella and Angel are forced to rely on each other to survive, and they learn that they are stronger together than they could have imagined. And over the course of the summer they discover the one thing they do have in common: dreams of finally belonging to a real family.
Max the Mighty
by Rodman PhilbrickThis is the dramatic, heart-wrenching tale of Max (from Freak the Mighty) and Worm, two outsiders who turn to each other for survival.
Zane and the Hurricane
by Rodman PhilbrickNewbery Honor author Rodman Philbrick presents a gripping yet poignant novel about a 12-year-old boy and his dog who become trapped in New Orleans during the horrors of Hurricane Katrina.Zane Dupree is a charismatic 12-year-old boy of mixed race visiting a relative in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hits. Unexpectedly separated from all family, Zane and his dog experience the terror of Katrina's wind, rain, and horrific flooding. Facing death, they are rescued from an attic air vent by a kind, elderly musician and a scrappy young girl--both African American. The chaos that ensues as storm water drowns the city, shelter and food vanish, and police contribute to a dangerous, frightening atmosphere, creates a page-turning tale that completely engrosses the reader. Based on the facts of the worst hurricane disaster in U.S. history, Philbrick includes the lawlessness and lack of government support during the disaster as well as the generosity and courage of those who risked their lives and safety to help others. Here is an unforgettable novel of heroism in the face of truly challenging circumstances.
Bushman Lives!
by Daniel PinkwaterIs Bushman the gorilla alive?
According to the papers, he died a long time ago.
Why is he so important to the high school senior and aspiring Great Artist Harold Knishke?
It's a hot summer in 1960s Chicago, and people are on the streets late at night, including the Chicken Man and Molly the dwerg.
While reading this hilarious young adult novel (with illustrations by Calef Brown!) teens will ask themselves, "Why am I reading this?" and "Is Harold about to embark on a voyage of great adventure?" '
He is.
Moon Shadow
by Chris PlattIn the rough-and-tumble Nevada landscape, where every day brings a new threat to the wild mustangs&’ natural way of life, can Callie save her dream horse when disaster strikes?Plucky thirteen-year-old Callie McLean loves nothing more than to watch the herd of wild mustangs frolic near her farm in the rocky desert of Northern Nevada. School&’s out for the summer, which means three months of hanging out with horses and her best friend, Billie—and three months of freedom from classmates teasing her about her hippie clothes, two-dollar words, and organic-farmer parents. Callie gets to study with their equine veterinarian all summer too.When Callie learns her favorite wild palomino mare, Moonbeam, is in foal, she&’s ecstatic. And Cloud Dancer, the golden buckskin stallion, is going to be a father. Callie can&’t imagine a more beautiful pairing. But her summer idyll is broken when the Bureau of Land Management rounds up the mustangs for penning and adoption. Callie is heartbroken that the majestic horses will no longer live in the wild. Maybe she can adopt Moonbeam herself. But when the trauma of the round-up leaves Moonbeam and her new foal, Moon Shadow, in trouble, it seems Callie might lose her dream horse and the new foal forever.
Framed!
by James PontiGet to know the only kid on the FBI Director's speed dial and several international criminals' most wanted lists all because of his Theory of All Small Things in this hilarious start to a brand-new middle grade mystery series.
So you're only halfway through your homework and the Director of the FBI keeps texting you for help...What do you do? Save your grade? Or save the country? If you're Florian Bates, you figure out a way to do both. Florian is twelve years old and has just moved to Washington.
He's learning his way around using TOAST, which stands for the Theory of All Small Things. It's a technique he invented to solve life's little mysteries such as: where to sit on the on the first day of school, or which Chinese restaurant has the best eggrolls.
But when he teaches it to his new friend Margaret, they uncover a mystery that isn't little. In fact, it's HUGE, and it involves the National Gallery, the FBI, and a notorious crime syndicate known as EEL. Can Florian decipher the clues and finish his homework in time to help the FBI solve the case?
Calvin Coconut
by Jacqueline Rogers and Graham SalisburyHawaii boy Calvin Coconut has come up with the best idea ever for his sister Darci's birthday party. But a huge tropical storm hits the islands and threatens everything. It rains and rains. And rains.
The river next to Calvin's house rises high. When Calvin's friend Willy falls into the raging water, Calvin grabs his skiff to save him. As Willy is swept into the bay, Calvin struggles in the wild waves. What happens next shows Calvin what heroes are made of.
Paint the Wind
by Pam Muñoz RyanA sheltered girl. A wild horse. An unforgettable journey.
Maya lives like a captive. At Grandmother's house in California, everything is forbidden: friends, fun, even memories. And her life is built on lies: lies Grandmother tells her about her dead mother, lies Maya tells to impress or manipulate.
But then she moves to the vast Wyoming wilderness where her mother's family awaits - kind, rugged people who have no tolerance for lies. They challenge Maya to confront the truth about who she is. And a mysterious mustang called Artemisia waits, too. She holds the key to Maya's freedom. But to find it, Maya will have to risk everything, including her life.
Holes
by Louis SacharStanley Yelnats is under a curse. A curse that began with his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather and has since followed generations of Yelnats.
Now Stanley has been unjustly sent to a boys' detention center, Camp Green Lake, where the warden makes the boys "build character" by spending all day, every day, digging holes: five feet wide and five feet deep. It doesn't take long for Stanley to realize there's more than character improvement going on at Camp Green Lake. The boys are digging holes because the warden is looking for something. Stanley tries to dig up the truth in this inventive and darkly humorous tale of crime and punishment--and redemption
Newbery Medal Winner
National Book Award
Mudville
by Kurtis ScalettaWelcome to Moundville, where it’s been raining for longer than Roy McGuire has been alive. Most people say the town is cursed—right in the middle of their big baseball game against rival town Sinister Bend, black clouds crept across the sky and it started to rain.
That was 22 years ago . . . and it’s still pouring. Baseball camp is over, and Roy knows he’s in for a dreary, soggy summer.
But when he returns home, he finds a foster kid named Sturgis sprawled out on his couch. As if this isn’t weird enough, just a few days after Sturgis’s arrival, the sun comes out. No one can explain why the rain has finally stopped, but as far as Roy’s concerned, it’s time to play some baseball.
It’s time to get a Moundville team together and finish what was started 22 years ago. It’s time for a rematch.
Orbiting Jupiter
by Gary D. SchmidtThe two-time Newbery Honor winner Gary D. Schmidt delivers the shattering story of Joseph, a father at thirteen, who has never seen his daughter, Jupiter.
After spending time in a juvenile facility, he's placed with a foster family on a farm in rural Maine.
Here Joseph, damaged and withdrawn, meets twelve-year-old Jack, who narrates the account of the troubled, passionate teen who wants to find his baby at any cost.
In this riveting novel, two boys discover the true meaning of family and the sacrifices it requires.
Ghosts in the Fog
by Samantha SeipleFew know the story of the Japanese invasion of Alaska during World War II--until now.GHOSTS IN THE FOG is the first narrative nonfiction book for young adults to tell the riveting story of how the Japanese invaded and occupied the Aleutian Islands in Alaska during World War II. This fascinating little-known piece of American history is told from the point of view of the American civilians who were captured and taken prisoner, along with the American and Japanese soldiers who fought in one of the bloodiest battles of hand-to-hand combat during the war. Complete with more than 80 photographs throughout and first person accounts of this extraordinary event, GHOSTS IN THE FOG is sure to become a must-read for anyone interested in World War II and a perfect tie-in for the 70th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
Child of the Mountains
by Marilyn Sue ShankIt's about keeping the faith.Growing up poor in 1953 in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia doesn't bother Lydia Hawkins. She treasures her tight-knit family. There's her loving mama, now widowed; her whip-smart younger brother, BJ, who has cystic fibrosis; and wise old Gran.
But everything falls apart after Gran and BJ die and mama is jailed unjustly. Suddenly Lydia has lost all those dearest to her.
Moving to a coal camp to live with her uncle William and aunt Ethel Mae only makes Lydia feel more alone. She is ridiculed at her new school for her outgrown homemade clothes and the way she talks, and for what the kids believe her mama did.
And to make matters worse, she discovers that her uncle has been keeping a family secret--about her.
If only Lydia, with her resilient spirit and determination, could find a way to clear her mother's name. . . .
The Ethan I Was Before
by Ali StandishLife can be transformed in one moment, but does that one moment define you for life?Lost in the Sun meets The Thing About Jellyfish in Ali Standish’s breathtaking debut. A poignant middle grade novel of friendship and forgiveness, The Ethan I Was Before is a classic in the making.
Ethan had been many things. He was always ready for adventure and always willing to accept a dare, especially from his best friend, Kacey. But that was before. Before the accident that took Kacey from him. Before his family moved from Boston to the small town of Palm Knot, Georgia.
Palm Knot may be tiny, but it’s the home of possibility and second chances. It’s also home to Coralee, a girl with a big personality and even bigger stories. Coralee may be just the friend Ethan needs, except Ethan isn’t the only one with secrets. Coralee’s are catching up with her, and what she’s hiding might be putting both their lives at risk.
The Ethan I Was Before is a story of love and loss, wonder and adventure, and ultimately of hope.
A Tiny Piece of Sky
by Shawn K. StoutTHE SUMMER STORY OF THREE SISTERS, ONE RESTUARANT, AND A (POSSIBLE) GERMAN SPY
World War II is coming in Europe. At least that's what Frankie Baum heard on the radio. But from her small town in Maryland, in the wilting summer heat of 1939, the war is a world away.
Besides, there are too many other things to think about: first that Frankie's father up and bought a restaurant without telling anyone and now she has to help in the kitchen, peeling potatoes and washing dishes, when she'd rather be racing to Wexler's Five and Dime on her skates. Plus her favorite sister, Joanie Baloney, is away for the summer and hasn't been answering any of Frankie's letters.
But when some people in town start accusing her father of being a German spy, all of a sudden the war arrives at Frankie's feet and she can think of nothing else.
Could the rumors be true? Frankie has to do some spying of her own to try to figure out her father's secrets and clear his good name. What she discovers about him surprises everyone, but is nothing compared to what she discovers about the world. In a heartfelt, charming, and insightful novel that is based on true events,
Shawn K. Stout weaves a story about family secrets, intolerance, and coming of age that will keep readers guessing until the end.
I Survived the Joplin Tornado, 2011
by Lauren TarshisA destructive force is about to hit the city of Joplin...Eleven-year-old Dexter has always wanted to see a tornado. So when he gets the incredible opportunity to go storm chasing with the famous Dr. Norman Rays, he has to say yes! Dr. Rays is the host of Tornado Mysteries, the show that Dex and his older brother, Jeremy, watched every night until Jeremy joined the U.S. Navy SEALs and left Joplin. Dex certainly knows how deadly tornadoes can be, but this one isn't heading toward Joplin, and wouldn't it be great to have a brave and exciting story of his own to tell Jeremy when he comes home? But when the tornado shifts direction, Dexter's bravery is about to get seriously tested...
The Girl from Felony Bay
by J. E. ThompsonI'm not going to lie to you: the last year has been rougher than alligator hide for me and my dad. You see, he's in the hospital in a coma since his accident a year back, wherein he was framed for a terrible crime he didn't commit.
Our home, Reward Plantation, had to be sold to pay off his debt to society, so I'm stuck living with my uncle Charlie, who, even in the few hours a day when hes sober, ain't exactly your ideal parental role model. And I managed to run afoul of Jimmy Simmons, the meanest kid in the sixth grade, and on the last day of school no less.
But things just got a bit more interesting. Turns out the new family that moved into Reward Plantation has a daughter named Bee, who is the same age as I am. And shes just as curious about all the No Trespassing signs and holes being dug out by Felony Bay, in the corner of what used to be my home.
Seems like someones been poking around a mystery that dates all the way back to the Civil War--and it just might be the same someone who framed my dad. I'm Abbey, by the way. Abbey Force. And if it takes all summer, I'm going to find out whats happening out on Felony Bay, and maybe even clear my dads name.
King of the Mound
by Wes TookeBaseball legend Satchel Paige changes a boy's life in this coming-of-age tale from the author of Lucky.
Nick was going to be a star baseball player, no doubt about it. People for miles around talked about the twelve-year-old boy with the golden arm.
And then Nick is diagnosed with polio--a life-threatening disease in the 1930s. Everyone is devastated, especially Nick's father, who copes by closing off from his son.
When Nick finally leaves the hospital he wants nothing more than to get back in the game, but he seems to be the only one who thinks it's possible.
But after he begins working for Mr. Churchill, the owner of a minor league team, Nick meets Satchel Paige, arguably the best player in baseball.
Satchel faces obstacles of his own--his skin color prevents him from joining the major leagues--and he encourages Nick to overcome the odds and step out of the dugout.
Camille McPhee Fell Under the Bus...
by Kristen TracyFair: just, equitable, what is right.
Unfair: the life of Camille McPhee.
Imagine being Camille McPhee.
She has low blood sugar, so she carries extra food in a cooler. Would you want to do that? Didn't think so.
And you wouldn't want to fall under the school bus. That happened to Camille, too!
Her cat, Checkers, is lost. And her best friend, Sally, moved to Japan. It would be hard to stay optimistic, right? But Camille is what her mom calls hopeful. Because really?
There are plenty of things to be positive about: gifted reading, a nonsqueaky mattress, eating banned foods, the big blue butterfly. Even making a new friend. Imagine that!
Last in a Long Line of Rebels
by Lisa Lewis TyreDebut novelist Lisa Lewis Tyre vibrantly brings a small town and its outspoken characters to life, as she explores race and other community issues from both the Civil War and the present day.
Lou might be only twelve, but she's never been one to take things sitting down.
So when her Civil War-era house is about to be condemned, she's determined to save it--either by getting it deemed a historic landmark or by finding the stash of gold rumored to be hidden nearby during the war.
As Lou digs into the past, her eyes are opened when she finds that her ancestors ran the gamut of slave owners, renegades, thieves and abolitionists.
Meanwhile, some incidents in her town show her that many Civil War era prejudices still survive and that the past can keep repeating itself if we let it.
Digging into her past shows Lou that it's never too late to fight injustice, and she starts to see the real value of understanding and exploring her roots.
Things Too Huge to Fix by Saying Sorry
by Susan VaughtA mysterious note takes Dani Beans into the secrets of Ole Miss and its dark past in this compelling new middle grade novel from the author of Footer Davis Probably Is Crazy.
"Sooner or later, we're all gonna be okay."
That's what Dani's Grandma Beans used to say. But that was before she got Alzheimer's. Lately, Dani isn't so sure Grandma Beans was right. In fact, she isn't sure of a lot of things, like why Mac Richardson suddenly doesn't want to be her friend, and why Grandma Beans and Avadelle Richardson haven't spoken in decades. Lately, Grandma Beans doesn't make a lot of sense.
But when she tells Dani to find a secret key and envelope that she's hidden, Dani can't ignore her. So she investigates, with the help of her friend, Indri, and her not-friend, Mac. Their investigation takes them deep into the history of Oxford, Mississippi, and the riots surrounding the desegregation of Ole Miss.
The deeper they dig, the more secrets they uncover. Were Grandma Beans and Avadelle at Ole Miss the night of the Meredith Riot? And why would they keep it a secret? The more Dani learns about her grandma's past, the more she learns about herself and her own friendships--and it's not all good news. History and present day collide in this mystery that explores how echoes of the past can have profound consequences.
Honey
by Sarah WeeksFor a girl like Melody and a dog like Mo, life can be both sticky and sweet.Melody has lived in Royal, Indiana, for as long as she can remember. It's been just her and her father, and she's been okay with that. But then she overhears him calling someone Honey -- and suddenly it feels like everyone in Royal has a secret. It's up to Melody and her best friend, Nick, to piece together the clues and discover why Honey is being hidden. Meanwhile, a dog named Mo is new to Royal. He doesn't remember much from when he was a puppy . . . but he keeps having dreams of a girl he is bound to meet someday. This girl, he's sure, will change everything. In HONEY, Sarah Weeks introduces two characters -- one a girl, one a dog-- who are reaching back further than their memories in order to figure out where they came from and where they're going. It's a total treat from beginning to end.
Belle Prater's Boy
by Ruth WhiteWhen Belle Prater disappears, Belle’s boy, Woodrow, comes to live with his grandparents in Coal Station, Virginia. Woodrow’s cousin Gypsy is the town beauty, but she has hidden sorrows and secrets of her own. She wonders how Woodrow can accept his mother’s disappearance when she’s never gotten over her father’s death. That’s when Woodrow tells Gypsy the secret about his mother.
Newbery Medal Honor book
Revolution
by Deborah Wiles*A 2014 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST*
It's 1964, and Sunny's town is being invaded. Or at least that's what the adults of Greenwood, Mississippi, are saying. All Sunny knows is that people from up north are coming to help people register to vote. They're calling it Freedom Summer.
Meanwhile, Sunny can't help but feel like her house is being invaded, too. She has a new stepmother, a new brother, and a new sister crowding her life, giving her little room to breathe. And things get even trickier when Sunny and her brother are caught sneaking into the local swimming pool -- where they bump into a mystery boy whose life is going to become tangled up in theirs.
As she did in her groundbreaking documentary novel COUNTDOWN, award-winning author Deborah Wiles uses stories and images to tell the riveting story of a certain time and place -- and of kids who, in a world where everyone is choosing sides, must figure out how to stand up for themselves and fight for what's right.