Scotch Plains Public Library Children’s Department

First Book of a Series Booklist Ages 8-12

Science Fiction Infinity Ring: A Mutiny in Time by James Dashner – Science fiction J INF Action-packed, plot-driven, fast-paced, attention-grabbing Time has gone wrong, and best friends Dak Smyth and Sera Froste, together with the young Hystorian Riq, must use the infinity ring to travel back to one of the Great Breaks--a mutiny on the Santa Maria--to correct history and defeat the SQ. Molly Moon's incredible book of hypnotism by Georgia Byng – Science fiction, humorous stories J BYN Fast-paced, feel-good, funny, attention-grabbing, witty Unlucky and unloved, Molly Moon, living in a dreary orphanage in a small English town, discovers a hidden talent for hypnotism and hypnotizes her way to stardom in New York City. The Missing: Found by – Science fiction J HAD Plot-driven, past-paced, suspenseful, attention-grabbing When thirteen-year-olds Jonah and Chip, who are both adopted, learn they were discovered on a plane that appeared out of nowhere, full of babies with no adults on board, they realize that they have uncovered a mystery involving time travel and two opposing forces, each trying to repair the fabric of time. Dark Gravity Sequence: The Arctic Code by Matthew J. Kirby – Science Fiction J KIR Action-packed, fast-paced, suspenseful, attention-grabbing The Earth is in the grip of a new Ice Age, and when twelve-year-old Eleanor's scientist mother disappears in the Arctic, Eleanor sets off on a dangerous journey to find her--and uncovers a mystery, a crime, and evidence that Earth has been visited by extraterrestrials. Time Quintet (Murry Family): A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle – Science Fiction J LEN Quirky, fast-paced, suspenseful, attention-grabbing Meg and Charles Wallace set out with their friend Calvin in a search for their father. His top secret job as a physicist for the government has taken him away and the children search through time and space to find him.

Updated 06/2015 Scotch Plains Public Library Children’s Department

Fantasy Fiction How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell – Fantasy, humorous fiction J COW Action-packed, plot-driven, fast-paced, funny, attention-grabbing Chronicles the adventures and misadventures of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third as he tries to pass the important initiation test of his Viking clan, the Tribe of the Hairy Hooligans, by catching and training a dragon. The Kane Chronicles: The Red Pyramid by - Fantasy, mythology fiction J RIO Action-packed, fast-paced, funny, suspenseful, witty Brilliant Egyptologist Dr. Julius Kane accidentally unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes the doctor to oblivion and forces his two children to embark on a dangerous journey, bringing them closer to the truth about their family and its links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs. and the Olympians: by Rick Riordan – Fantasy, mythology fiction J RIO Action-packed, fast-paced, funny, attention-grabbing After learning that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea, Percy Jackson is transferred from boarding school to Camp Half-Blood, a summer camp for demigods, and becomes involved in a quest to prevent a war between the gods. Goddess Girls: Athena the Brain by Holub and Williams – Fantasy, mythology fiction J HOL Athena learns that she is a goddess when she is summoned to Mount Olympus by her father, Zeus, and she must quickly adjust to her new status, make friends with the other godboys and goddessgirls, and catch up with all the studies she missed while attending mortal school. Pandora Gets Jealous by Carolyn Hennesy – Fantasy, mythology fiction; chick lit J HEN Action-packed, world-building, fast-paced, funny, upbeat Thirteen-year-old Pandy is hauled before Zeus and given six months to gather all of the evils that were released when the box she brought to school as her annual project was accidentally opened. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling – Fantasy fiction J ROW Plot-driven, world-building, fast-paced, atmospheric, suspenseful, engaging, richly detailed Rescued from the outrageous neglect of his aunt and uncle, a young boy with a great destiny proves his worth while attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Updated 06/2015 Scotch Plains Public Library Children’s Department

The Magic Thief by Sarah Prineas – Fantasy fiction J PRI When a local pickpocket puts his hand in the pocket belonging to the wizard Nevery, Conn gets more than he expected when he is drawn into the world of wizardry as a result of his mischievous deed. Kingdom Keepers: Disney After Dark by Ridley Pearson – Fantasy fiction J PEA Action-packed, plot-driven, fast-paced, suspenseful Finn Whitman, an Orlando teen, is hired to be hologrammed as a Disney World park "guide" but soon finds himself being transported into the Magic Kingdom in the dead of night to help fight a group of Disney villains, led by Maleficent, who want to take over Disney World--and maybe more. Peter & the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson – Fantasy fiction J BAR Fast-paced, funny, suspenseful, attention-grabbing, witty Soon after Peter, an orphan, sets sail from England on the ship Never Land, he befriends and assists Molly, a young Starcatcher, whose mission is to guard a trunk of magical stardust from a greedy pirate and the native inhabitants of a remote island. The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer – Fantasy fiction J COL Plot-driven, attention-grabbing "Through the mysterious powers of a cherished book of stories, twins Alex and Conner leave their world behind and find themselves in a foreign land full of wonder and magic where they come face-to-face with the fairy tale characters they grew up reading about"--. The Books of Elsewhere: The Shadows by Jacqueline West – Fantasy fiction J WES Plot-driven, scary, suspenseful When eleven-year-old Olive and her distracted parents move into an old Victorian mansion, Olive finds herself ensnared in a dark plan involving some mysterious paintings, a trapped and angry nine- year-old boy, and three talking cats. Spirit Animals: Wild Born by Brandon Mull – Fantasy, animal fiction J MUL Plot-driven, fast-paced As a dark force engulfs the land, the fate of Erdas has fallen on the shoulders of four young strangers who each have forged a rare bond with their spirit beasts--a bond that gives great powers to all of them. Guardians of Ga’hole: The Capture by Kathryn Lasky – Fantasy, animal fiction J LAS Fast-paced, attention-grabbing The reader is introduced to Soren, a barn owl and the centerpiece of the series. When Soren is pushed from his family's nest by his older brother, he is rescued from certain death on the forest floor by agents from a mysterious school for orphaned owls, St. Aggie's.

Updated 06/2015 Scotch Plains Public Library Children’s Department

Inkheart by Cornelia Caroline Funke – Fantasy, metafiction J FUN Action-packed, world-building, fast-paced, suspenseful, attention-grabbing, richly detailed Twelve-year-old Meggie learns that her father, who repairs and binds books for a living, can "read" fictional characters to life when one of those characters abducts them and tries to force him into service. Chronicles of Prydain: The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander – High fantasy fiction; classic JALE Intricately plotted, suspenseful, attention-grabbing Taran, Assistant Pig-Keeper to a famous oracular sow, sets out on a hazardous mission to save Prydain from the forces of evil.

Mystery Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective by Donald J. Sobol – Mystery stories J SOB Plot-driven, attention-grabbing Ten-year-old Leroy Brown, son of the police chief of Idaville, opens a detective agency and before the summer is over solves nine baffling cases, the solutions to which are found in the back of the book. The Hardy Boys: The Tower Treasure by Franklin Dixon – Mystery Stories J DIX Plot-driven, fast-paced After a dying criminal confesses that his loot has been stashed "in the tower," the Hardy boys make an astonishing discovery. Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer by John Grisham – Mystery stories J GRI Plot-driven, past-paced, suspenseful, attention-grabbing Thirteen-year-old Theodore Boone has always dreamed of being a great trial lawyer someday, but a sensational murder trial forces him into the arena sooner than expected, and he is determined to see that justice prevails. : The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan – Mystery, adventure stories J THI Plot-driven, fast-paced, suspenseful, attention-grabbing When their beloved aunt--matriarch of the world's most powerful family--dies, orphaned siblings Amy and Dan Cahill compete with less honorable Cahill descendants in a race around the world to find cryptic clues to a mysterious fortune. Includes game cards which the reader may use to play an online version of the treasure hunt.

Updated 06/2015 Scotch Plains Public Library Children’s Department

Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute by Jarrett J. Krosoczka – Mystery, graphic novels J KRO Plot-driven, funny, silly, attention-grabbing, wordplay-filled, cartoony As if slinging hash in the school cafeteria isn't exciting enough, Lunch Lady has a secret life as a crime-fighting superhero! And she's noticed that something about the new substitute teacher, Mr. Pasteur, just doesn't seem right. But while Lunch Lady is busy investigating Mr. Pasteur, students Hector, Terrence, and Dee are investigating her. -- Description by Ellen Foreman.

Sports Fiction Lenny & the Mikes Mysteries: Strike Three, You’re Dead by Josh Berk – Sports, mystery stories Plot-Driven, fast-paced J BER "Lenny Norbeck and his friends The Mikes set out to investigate the suspicious death of a young pitcher at a Phillies game"--. Honus and Me : a Baseball Card Adventure by Dan Gutman – Sports, fantasy fiction J GUT Action-packed, intricately plotted, fast-paced, feel-good Twelve-year-old Joe Stoshack, who loves baseball but is not very good at it, finds a valuable 1909 Honus Wagner card and travels back in time to meet the Hall of Famer.

Horror Goosebumps: Night of the Living Dummy by R.L. Stine – Horror stories Fanwood E-2 STI Plot-driven, scary, suspenseful Lindy and Kris become interested in ventriloquism, but they hardly suspect that Kris' new dummy has a mind of its own. Lockwood & Co.: The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud – Ghost Stories J STR Action-packed, plot-driven, scary, attention-grabbing Follows three young operatives of a Psychic Detection Agency as they battle an epidemic of ghosts in London.

Updated 06/2015 Scotch Plains Public Library Children’s Department

Realistic Fiction Ellray Jakes is Not a Chicken by Sally Warner – Realistic fiction, early chapter books J WAR Conversational Eight-year-old Ellray's father has promised a family trip to Disneyland if EllRay can stay out of trouble for a week, but not defending himself against Jared, the class bully, proves to be a real challenge. My Weird School: Miss Daisy is Crazy by Dan Gutman – Realistic fiction J GUT Feel-good, funny, silly, witty Miss Daisy's unusual teaching methods surprise her second grade students, especially reluctant learner A.J. Fudge: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume – Realistic fiction J BLU Fast-paced, funny A fourth grade boy tries to deal with his very active brother. Willow Falls: 11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass – Realistic fiction J MAS Character-driven, angst-filled After celebrating their first nine same-day birthdays together, Amanda and Leo, having fallen out on their tenth and not speaking to each other for the last year, prepare to celebrate their eleventh birthday separately but peculiar things begin to happen. The day of their birthday begins to repeat itself over and over again. Middle school: the worst years of my life by James Patterson – Realistic fiction J PAT Awkward, character-driven, angst-filled, funny, cartoony When Rafe Kane enters middle school, he teams up with his best friend, "Leo the Silent," to create a game to make school more fun by trying to break every rule in the school's code of conduct. Diary of a Wimpy Kid : Greg Heffley's journal by Jeff Kinney – Realistic, diary fiction J KIN Awkward, relatable, sarcastic, character-driven, funny, attention-grabbing, conversational Greg records his sixth grade experiences in a middle school where he and his best friend, Rowley, undersized weaklings amid boys who need to shave twice daily, hope just to survive, but when Rowley grows more popular, Greg must take drastic measures to save their friendship.

Updated 06/2015 Scotch Plains Public Library Children’s Department

Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life by Rachel Renee Russell – Realistic, diary fiction J RUS Character-driven, angst-filled, funny Fourteen-year-old Nikki Maxwell writes in her diary of her struggle to be popular at her exclusive new private school, then of finding her place after she gives up on being part of the elite group.

Historical Fiction I Survived the Destruction of Pompeii, AD 79 (2014) by Tarshis, Lauren – Historical fiction JTAR Plot-driven, fast-paced, attention-grabbing Follows the experiences of a young boy who struggles to escape the catastrophic A.D. 79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Al Capone at Alcatraz: Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko – Historical, coming- of-age fiction YA CHO Fast-paced, funny, attention-grabbing A twelve-year-old boy named Moose moves to Alcatraz Island in 1935 when guards' families were housed there, and has to contend with his extraordinary new environment in addition to life with his autistic sister.

Adventure Joey and Johnny, the ninjas get mooned by Kevin Serwacki and Chris Pallace – Adventure, graphic novel hybrid J SER Action-packed, world-building, funny, silly "Best friends and ninjas-in-training Joey and Johnny are sent on a special mission to investigate their rival ninja school's use of advanced technological weapons"--. Copernicus legacy: The Forbidden Stone by Tony Abbott – Adventure stories J ABB Action-packed, plot-driven, fast-paced, suspenseful, attention-grabbing Wade, Lily, Darrell, and Becca fly from Texas to Germany for the funeral of an old family friend. But instead of just paying their respects, they wind up on a dangerous, mind-blowing quest to unlock an ancient, guarded secret that could destroy the fate of the world.

Updated 06/2015 Scotch Plains Public Library Children’s Department

Humorous House of Robots by James Patterson – Humorous stories, metafiction J PAT Funny, attention-grabbing "Fifth-grader Sammy Hayes-Rodriguez struggles to fit in when his inventor mother requires him to take her latest creation, a robotic 'brother,' to school with him to learn to become a student"--. Big Nate from the top by Lincoln Peirce – Humorous comic books J 741.5973 PEI Funny, witty, cartoony Self-proclaimed genius Nate Wright blazes a haphazard trail through the sixth grade at P.S. 38, where between endless misadventures, marked by complaining observations, he earns straight As and numerous detentions. The Adventures of Captain Underpants: an epic novel by Dav Pilkey – Humorous superhero stories J PIL Action-packed, fast-paced, silly, attention-grabbing When George and Harold hypnotize their principal into thinking that he is the superhero Captain Underpants, he leads them to the lair of the nefarious Dr. Diaper, where they must defeat his evil robot henchmen. Non-fiction Who Is Muhammad Ali? By James Buckley, Jr. – Biography J B ALI Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. won the world heavyweight championship at the age of 22, the same year he joined the Nation of Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali. He would go on to become the first and only three-time (in succession) World Heavyweight Champion. He was an uncompromising athlete who brought beauty and grace to a very rough sport and became one of the world’s most famous cultural icons. Eyewitness Books: Book by Karen Brookfield – History J 002 Bro c.1 Text and photographs trace the evolution of the written word, how the alphabet grew out of pictures, and the development of papermaking, bookbinding, children's books, and more.

Updated 06/2015