Shipwreck by Gordon Korman (Island series 1)

Posted By Kirk on January 25, 2010

ShipwreckSix kids. One shipwreck. One desert island.They didn’t want to be on the boat in the first place. They were sent there as punishment, or as a character-building experience. Now the adults are gone, and the quest for survival has begun.

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Posted By Kirk on January 18, 2010

Artemis fowlArtemis Fowl is a one of the greatest criminal minds the world has ever seen. He is heir to the Fowl family empire—a centuries old clan of international underworld figures and con artists. He is arguably the most cunning Fowl of all. He is also twelve years old.

Artemis’ interest in mythology and an obsession with the Internet leads him to discover proof of the existence of “The People”- otherwise known as fairies, sprites, leprechauns and trolls. He learns every fairy has a magical Book. If he can find the Book, it will lead him to “The People’s” vast treasure of gold.

With his brutish sidekick, Butler, he sets his plans in motion. Artemis tricks a drunken old fairy woman into loaning him her Book, a tiny golden volume, for thirty minutes. He scans it with a digital camera and emails it to his Mac G6 computer. Back in his mansion in Ireland, he is the first human to decode the secrets of the fairies.

Artemis needs a leprechaun to help him with this plan. He and Butler hunt down Holly Short, a tough, female LEPrecon, part of a gung-ho Fairy commando unit, who is on a reconnaissance mission. He kidnaps her, and a major battle begins. It’s satyr against gnome, man against elf, and for the first time in his life, Artemis must decide what he values most.

The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan (1st in the Ranger’s Apprentice series)

Posted By Kirk on January 11, 2010

ruins of GorlanHe had always wanted to be a warrior. The Rangers, with their dark cloaks and shadowy ways, made him nervous. The villagers believe the Rangers practice magic that makes them invisible to ordinary people. And now fifteen year-old Will, always small for his age, has been chosen as a Ranger’s apprentice. What he doesn’t realize yet is that the Rangers are the protectors of the kingdom. Highly trained in the skills of battle and surveillance, they fight the battles before the battles reach the people. And as Will is about to learn, there is a large battle brewing. The exiled Morgarath, Lord of the Mountains of Rain and Night, is gathering his forces for an attack on the kingdom. This time, he will not be denied . . . .

The Key to Rondo by Emily Rodda

Posted By Kirk on January 4, 2010

key to rondoThere are three rules to the old painted, music box: Wind the box three times only. Never shut the box when the music is playing. Never move the box before the music stops.
Leo wouldn’t dream of breaking these rules, but does his stubborn cousin Mimi listen? She winds the box four times — and suddenly the paintings on its side come to life and a powerful witch is released. Now its up to Leo and Mimi to stop the witch, if only they can find the key to the music box — and the magical world it controls.

The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity by Mac Barnett

Posted By Kirk on December 10, 2009

Buxton BrothersSteve Brixton always wanted to be a detective…
until he found out he already WAS one.

It all starts here: The thrilling story of Steve Bixton’s first case. Our hero has a national treasure to recover, a criminal mastermind to unmask, and a social studies report due Monday — all while on the run from cops, thugs, and secret-agent librarians.

Since when can librarians rappel from helicopters? Does Steve have any brothers or sisters? If not, then why is this series called The Brixton Brothers? You will solve all these mysteries and many more by the time you finish The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity.

We think you’ll agree: Steve Brixton’s first adventure is his best adventure yet.

LionBoy by Zizou Corder

Posted By Kirk on November 29, 2009

Lion BoyWhen his parents are kidnapped, what’s ten-year-old Charlie Ashanti to do? Rescue them, that’s what! He doesn’t know who has taken his parents, or why. But he does know that one special talent will aid him on his journey—his amazing ability to speak Cat. Charlie calls on his clever feline friends—from stray city cats to magnificent caged lions—for help. With them by his side, Charlie uses wit and courage to try to find his parents before it’s too late.

With its whirlwind action and suspense, Lionboy is a nonstop page-turner. Already being compared to J. K. Rowling, this mother-daughter writing team will fascinate readers of all ages with their Cat-speaking hero!

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko

Posted By Kirk on November 22, 2009

Al Capone Shirts1935
I want to be on Alcatraz like I want poison oak on my private parts. But apparently nobody cares, because now I’m Moose Flanagan, Alcatraz Island Boy–all so my sister can go to the Esther P. Marinoff School, where kids wear their clothes inside out and there isn’t a book in sight. Obedient Moose. I always do what I’m supposed to do.

When Moose’s family moves to Alcatraz Island so his father can work as a guard and his sister can attend a special school in San Francisco, he has to leave his friends behind. But it’s worth it, right? If his sister, Natalie, can get help, maybe his family will finally be normal.

But on Alcatraz his dad is so busy, he’s never around. His mom’s preoccupation with Natalie’s condition (today, it would be called autism) is even worse now that there’s no extended family to help. And of course, there’s never enough money.

When Moose meets Piper, the cute daughter of the warden, he knows right off she’s trouble. But she’s also strangely irresistible. All Moose wants to do is protect Natalie, live up to his parents’ expectations and stay out of trouble. But on Alcatraz, trouble is never very far away.

The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke

Posted By Kirk on November 15, 2009

Thief LordTwo orphaned brothers, Prosper and Bo, have run away to Venice, where crumbling canals and misty alleyways shelter a secret community of street urchins. Leader of this motley crew of lost children is a clever, charming boy with a dark history of his own: He calls himself the Thief Lord.

Propser and Bo relish their new “family” and life of petty crime. But their cruel aunt and a bumbling detective are on their trail. And posing an even greater threat to the boys’ freedom is something from a forgotten past: a beautiful magical treasure with the power to spin time itself.

The Spiderwick Chronicles: The Field Guide by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black

Posted By Kirk on November 8, 2009

Spiderwick - field guideThree curious kids discover a world of brownies, fairies, and other fantastic creatures in this ultra-enchanting launch to Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black’s Spiderwick Chronicles.

When the three Grace children — Mallory, Jared, and Simon — and their mom move into Aunt Lucinda’s old house, readers know there’s magic afoot. The kids uncover a nest of assembled junk, and on a visit to the secret library via the dumbwaiter, Jared finds a note describing “my secret to all mankind.” After a few mysterious pranks that get blamed on Jared, the boy finally digs up the real prize: Arthur Spiderwick’s Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You. Fortunately enough, the kids meet one of the critters listed in the guide — a brownie named Thimbletack — who makes it all “real” and helps provide the book’s suspenseful conclusion: “‘Throw the book away, toss it in a fire. If you do not heed, you will draw their ire.’”

From the book’s bewitching cover to the Grace kids’ letter to the authors, Book 1: The Field Guide is a fast-paced beginning to an exciting new series. Fans of Harry Potter, Lemony Snicket, or Diana Wynne Jones will be hooked on Spiderwick, and they’ll thirst for more. DiTerlizzi and Black have done it right. Matt Warner The Barnes & Noble Review

Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis

Posted By Kirk on October 24, 2009

Elijah of BuxtonEleven-year-old Elijah lives in Buxton, Canada, a settlement of runaway slaves near the American border. He’s the first child in town to be born free, and he ought to be famous just for that. Unfortunately, all that most people see is a “fra-gile” boy who’s scared of snakes and talks too much. But everything changes when a former slave steals money from Elijah’s friend, who has been saving to buy his family out of captivity in the South. Now it’s up to Elijah to track down the thief–and his dangerous journey just might make a hero out of him, if only he can find the courage to get back home.