Special Collections
Accelerated Reader Middle Grade Collection
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Forty Acres and Maybe a Mule
by Harriette Gillem Robinet and Wendell MinorMaybe nobody gave freedom, and nobody could take it away like they could take away a family farm. Maybe freedom was something you claimed for yourself. Like other ex-slaves, Pascal and his older brother Gideon have been promised forty acres and maybe a mule. With the family of friends they have built along the way, they claim a place of their own.
Green Gloryland is the most wonderful place on earth, their own family farm with a healthy cotton crop and plenty to eat. But the notorious night riders have plans to take it away, threatening to tear the beautiful freedom that the two boys are enjoying for the first time in their young lives. Coming alive in plain, vibrant language is this story of the Reconstruction, after the Civil War.
Winner of the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction
Beauty Queen
by Sarah MlynowskiThe magical seventh installment in this NEW YORK TIMES bestselling series!Ever since the magic mirror erased his memory, my brother, Jonah, doesn't believe that we really visit different fairy tales. So it's a relief when the mirror sucks us into a story -- and this time, it's Beauty and the Beast! Hoorah! Or, maybe not. When Jonah picks a rose from the Beast's garden, he messes up the story. The Beast is so angry he takes my brother prisoner... instead of Beauty! But if the Beast doesn't meet and fall in love with Beauty, then his curse will never be lifted and Jonah will be trapped in the palace forever!Now I have to:- Find Beauty - Deal with a wicked fairy named Jax- Restore Jonah's memory- Play matchmakerIf I don't fix this mess in time, the situation could get pretty ugly...
Sugar and Spice
by Sarah MlynowskiAbby and Jonah's magical adventures continue in the tenth installment of Sarah Mlynowski's New York Times bestselling series! This time, the kids get mixed up in Hansel and Gretel's story.That's the way the cookie crumbles!Yum! Our magic mirror has dropped me and my brother, Jonah, into the story of Hansel and Gretel. If we're lucky, we may even get to taste the cake-house... But we didn't count on accidentally getting trapped. The real Hansel and Gretel are on the run, and Jonah and I have taken their place. And the witch is making a kid casserole for dinner... Now we have to:- Avoid being eaten - Pretend our dog is a cat- Learn to make kale smoothies- Befriend a talking duck Or we may never make it back to our home sweet home!
The Stars Beneath Our Feet
by David Barclay MooreA boy tries to steer a safe path through the projects in Harlem in the wake of his brother’s death in this outstanding debut novel that’s been described as a “fast and furious read in which we meet some amazing people, people that stay with us” by Newbery Honor and National Book Award–winning author Jacqueline Woodson.
It’s Christmas Eve in Harlem, but twelve-year-old Lolly Rachpaul and his mom aren’t celebrating. They’re still reeling from his older brother’s death in a gang-related shooting just a few months earlier.
Then Lolly’s mother’s girlfriend brings him a gift that will change everything: two enormous bags filled with Legos. Lolly’s always loved Legos, and he prides himself on following the kit instructions exactly. Now, faced with a pile of building blocks and no instructions, Lolly must find his own way forward.
His path isn’t clear—and the pressure to join a “crew,” as his brother did, is always there. When Lolly and his friend are beaten up and robbed, joining a crew almost seems like the safe choice. But building a fantastical Lego city at the community center provides Lolly with an escape—and an unexpected bridge back to the world.
David Barclay Moore paints a powerful portrait of a boy teetering on the edge—of adolescence, of grief, of violence—and shows how Lolly’s inventive spirit helps him build a life with firm foundations and open doors.
Afternoon on the Amazon
by Sal Murdocca and Mary Pope OsborneJack and Annie are ready for their next fantasy adventure in the bestselling middle-grade series--the Magic Tree House! Vampire bats and killer ants?
Afternoon on the Amazon
by Mary Pope Osborne and Sal MurdoccaThe #1 bestselling chapter book series of all time celebrates 25 years with new covers and a new, easy-to-use numbering system! Vampire bats and killer ants? That's what Jack and Annie are about to run into when the Magic Tree House whisks them away to the Amazon River. It's not long before they get hopelessly lost. Will they be able to find their way back to the tree house? Or are Jack and Annie stuck forever in the rain forest? Did you know that there’s a Magic Tree House book for every kid? Magic Tree House: Adventures with Jack and Annie, perfect for readers who are just beginning chapter books Merlin Missions: More challenging adventures for the experienced reader Super Edition: A longer and more dangerous adventure Fact Trackers: Nonfiction companions to your favorite Magic Tree House adventures Have more fun with Jack and Annie at MagicTreeHouse.com!
Christmas in Camelot
by Sal Murdocca and Mary Pope OsborneThe Magic Tree House series has become a staple for inspiring kids to read. Christmas in Camelot is a very special Magic Tree House book. Here, author Mary Pope Osborne uses the literary skills for which she's known to create a longer, more in-depth story featuring the characters kids have come to love. The result is magical: a fast-paced but detailed, easy-to-read story. Jack and Annie go on a quest to save Camelot, a quest that will prove to a beleaguered King Arthur that children and imagination really can make a difference. From the Hardcover edition.
Christmas in Camelot
by Mary Pope Osborne and Sal MurdoccaThe #1 bestselling chapter book series of all time celebrates 25 years with new covers and a new, easy-to-use numbering system! When Jack and Annie receive an invitation to spend Christmas Eve in Camelot—a magical place that exists only in myth and fantasy—they know they are in for their biggest adventure yet. What they don't know is that the invitation will send them on a quest to save Camelot. Can they succeed even though Camelot's greatest knights have failed?Formerly numbered as Magic Tree House #29, the title of this book is now Magic Tree House Merlin Mission #1: Christmas in Camelot. Did you know that there’s a Magic Tree House book for every kid? Magic Tree House: Adventures with Jack and Annie, perfect for readers who are just beginning chapter books Merlin Missions: More challenging adventures for the experienced reader Super Edition: A longer and more dangerous adventure Fact Trackers: Nonfiction companions to your favorite Magic Tree House adventures Have more fun with Jack and Annie at MagicTreeHouse.com!
Dolphins at Daybreak
by Mary Pope Osborne and Sal MurdoccaThe #1 bestselling chapter book series of all time celebrates 25 years with new covers and a new, easy-to-use numbering system! It's sink or swim for Jack and Annie when the Magic Tree House whisks them off to the middle of the ocean. Luckily, they find a mini-submarine on a coral reef. Unluckily, they are about to meet a giant octopus and one very hungry shark. Will the dolphins save the day? Or are Jack and Annie doomed to be dinner? Did you know that there’s a Magic Tree House book for every kid? Magic Tree House: Adventures with Jack and Annie, perfect for readers who are just beginning chapter books Merlin Missions: More challenging adventures for the experienced reader Super Edition: A longer and more dangerous adventure Fact Trackers: Nonfiction companions to your favorite Magic Tree House adventures Have more fun with Jack and Annie at MagicTreeHouse.com!
Dolphins at Daybreak
by Sal Murdocca and Mary Pope OsborneJack and Annie are ready for their next fantasy adventure in the bestselling middle-grade series--the Magic Tree House!
IT'S SINK OR SWIM for Jack and Annie when the Magic Tree House whisks them off to the middle of the ocean.
Luckily, they find a mini-submarine on a coral reef. Unluckily, they are about to meet a giant octopus and one very hungry shark.
Will the dolphins save the day? Or are Jack and Annie doomed to be dinner?
Ghost Town at Sundown
by Mary Pope Osborne and Sal MurdoccaThe #1 bestselling chapter book series of all time celebrates 25 years with new covers and a new, easy-to-use numbering system! Is this town HAUNTED? Jack and Annie wonder when the Magic Tree House whisks them to the Wild West. But before they can say "Boo!" they rush headlong into an adventure filled with horse thieves, a lost colt, rattlesnakes, and a cowboy named Slim. Will Jack and Annie have time to solve the next Tree House Riddle? The answer may depend on a ghost! Did you know that there’s a Magic Tree House book for every kid? Magic Tree House: Adventures with Jack and Annie, perfect for readers who are just beginning chapter books Merlin Missions: More challenging adventures for the experienced reader Super Edition: A longer and more dangerous adventure Fact Trackers: Nonfiction companions to your favorite Magic Tree House adventures Have more fun with Jack and Annie at MagicTreeHouse.com!
Ghost Town at Sundown
by Sal Murdocca and Mary Pope OsborneIs this town HAUNTED?
Jack and Annie wonder when the Magic Tree House whisks them to the Wild West.
But before they can say "Boo!" they rush headlong into an adventure filled with horse thieves, a lost colt, rattlesnakes, and a cowboy named Slim.
The Knight at Dawn
by Mary Pope Osborne and Sal MurdoccaJack and Annie are ready for their next fantasy adventure in the bestselling middle-grade series--the Magic Tree House!
A castle with a secret passage!That's what Jack and Annie find when the Magic Tree House whisks them back to the Middle Ages for another wild adventure.
In the Great Hall of the castle, a feast is under way. But Jack and Annie aren't exactly welcome guests!
Night of the Ninjas
by Mary Pope Osborne and Sal MurdoccaThe #1 bestselling chapter book series of all time celebrates 25 years with new covers and a new, easy-to-use numbering system! Have you ever met a real live ninja? Jack and Annie do when the Magic Tree House whisks them back to ancient Japan, where they find themselves in the cave of a ninja master. Will they learn the secrets of the ninja? Or will the evil samurai warriors get them first? Did you know that there’s a Magic Tree House book for every kid? Magic Tree House: Adventures with Jack and Annie, perfect for readers who are just beginning chapter books Merlin Missions: More challenging adventures for the experienced reader Super Edition: A longer and more dangerous adventure Fact Trackers: Nonfiction companions to your favorite Magic Tree House adventures Have more fun with Jack and Annie at MagicTreeHouse.com!
Night of the Ninjas
by Mary Pope Osborne and Sal MurdoccaJack and Annie are ready for their next fantasy adventure in the bestselling middle-grade series--the Magic Tree House! Have you ever met a real live ninja? Jack and Annie do when the Magic Tree House whisks them back to ancient Japan, where they find themselves in the cave of a ninja master. Will they learn the secrets of the ninja? Or will the evil samurai warriors get them first? Visit the Magic Tree House website at MagicTreeHouse.com From the Trade Paperback edition.
The Great Fire
by Jim MurphyAn account of the Great Chicago Fire combines archival photographs and drawings with personal accounts by its survivors and historical documents.
Scorpions
by Walter Dean MyersBad Trouble
Lately everybody's messing with Jamal. His teachers, the kids at school, even his dad. And now that Jamal's brother Randy's in the slam, Crazy Mack has a crazy idea. He wants Jamal to take control of the Scorpions and run crack.
All the gang jive--Jamal has no use for it. Unless, like some say, it's the only way to cop the bread for Randy's appeal...
The story of twelve-year-old Jamal, whose life changes drastically when he acquires a gun. Though he survives the experience, it's not without sacrificing his innocence and possibly his relationship with his best friend.
Newbery Honor book
The Other Side of Truth
by Beverley NaidooWill the truth harm them -- or save them?
When Nigeria's corrupt military government kills their mother, twelve-year-old Sade and her brother Femi think their lives are over. Out of fear for their safety, their father, an outspoken journalist, decides to smuggle the children out of Nigeria and into London, where their uncle lives.
But when they get to the cold and massive city, they find themselves lost and alone, with no one to trust and no idea when -- or if -- they will ever see their father again. The Other Side of Truth is a gripping adventure story about courage, family, and the power of truth.
Impyrium
by Henry H. Neff"A rare jewel. A new classic in the fantasy genre." -- Eoin Colfer, author of the bestselling Artemis Fowl series"A magnificent, rich, exhilarating book. I say this with all honesty: I haven't read about a world so deep, so purely magical, so well-developed, since Harry Potter." -- James Dashner, author of the bestselling Maze Runner seriesIn the first book of Henry H. Neff's new high-stakes middle grade fantasy series, two unlikely allies confront a conspiracy that will shake the world of Impyrium to its core.For over three thousand years, the Faeregine dynasty has ruled Impyrium. But the family's magic has been fading, and with it their power over the empire. Whether it's treachery from a rival house, the demon Lirlanders, or rebel forces, many believe the Faeregines are ripe to fall.Hazel, the youngest member of the royal family, is happy to leave ruling to her sisters so that she can study her magic. But the empress has other plans for her granddaughter, dark and dangerous plans to exploit Hazel's talents and rekindle the Faeregine mystique. Hob, a commoner from the remote provinces, has been sent to the city to serve the Faeregines--and to spy on them.One wants to protect the dynasty. The other wants to destroy it. But when Hazel and Hob form an improbable friendship, their bond may save the realm as they know it...or end it for good.
Blue Moon
by Alyson NoëlEager to learn everything she can about her new abilities as an Immortal, Ever turns to her beloved Damen to show her the way, but just as her powers are increasing, his are in decline.
Radiance
by Alyson NoëlRiley has crossed the bridge into the afterlife--a place called Here, where time is always Now. She has picked up life where she left off when she was alive, living with her parents and dog in a nice house in a nice neighborhood. When she's summoned before The Council, she learns that the afterlife isn't just an eternity of leisure. She's been assigned a job, Soul Catcher, and a teacher, Bodhi, a possibly cute, seemingly nerdy boy who's definitely hiding something. They return to earth together for Riley's first assignment, a Radiant Boy who's been haunting a castle in England for centuries. Many Soul Catchers have tried to get him to cross the bridge and failed. But all of that was before he met Riley . . .
Shimmer
by Alyson NoëlHaving solved the matter of the Radiant Boy, Riley, Buttercup, and Bodhi are enjoying a well-deserved vacation. When Riley comes across a vicious black dog, against Bodhi’s advice, she decides to cross him over. While following the dog, she runs into a young ghost named Rebecca. Despite Rebecca’s sweet appearance, Riley soon learns she’s not at all what she seems. As the daughter of a former plantation owner, she is furious about being murdered during a slave revolt in 1733. Mired in her own anger, Rebecca is lashing out by keeping the ghosts who died along with her trapped in their worst memories. Can Riley help Rebecca forgive and forget without losing herself to her own nightmarish memories?
Helen Keller
by Grace NorwichMeet the extraordinary young woman who learned to read, write, and speak—even though she was deaf and blind.I am two years old when I become deaf and blind. I live in a world of darkness. I am finally able to read and write with the help of my teacher Annie Sullivan. I am Helen Keller.Learn all about this remarkable young woman whose accomplishments are truly inspiring, with this biography including:illustrations throughouta timelinean introduction to the other people you’ll meet in the book, including Helen’s amazing teacher and the men who fell in love with hermapssidebarsa top ten list of important things to know, and more
The Turtle of Oman
by Naomi Shihab NyePraised by the Horn Book as “both quiet and exhilarating,” this novel by the acclaimed poet and National Book Award Finalist Naomi Shihab Nye follows Aref Al-Amri as he says goodbye to everything and everyone he loves in his hometown of Muscat, Oman, as his family prepares to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan. This book was awarded a 2015 Middle East Book Award, was named a Notable Book by the American Library Association, and includes extra material by the author. Aref Al-Amri does not want to leave Oman. He does not want to leave his elementary school, his friends, or his beloved grandfather, Siddi. He does not want to live in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where his parents will go to graduate school. His mother is desperate for him to pack his suitcase, but he refuses. Finally, she calls Siddi for help. But rather than pack, Aref and Siddi go on a series of adventures. They visit the camp of a thousand stars deep in the desert, they sleep on Siddi's roof, they fish in the Gulf of Oman and dream about going to India, and they travel to the nature reserve to watch the sea turtles. At each stop, Siddi finds a small stone that he later slips into Aref's suitcase—mementos of home.Naomi Shihab Nye's warmth, attention to detail, and belief in the power of empathy and connection shines from every page. Features black-and-white spot art and decorations by Betsy Peterschmidt.
Fancy Nancy
by Jane O'ConnorNancy is determined to make the cover of her very first book report as fancy as she can, but she spends so much time on it that she has no time to write about the book.