Synopsis: "A deeply perceptive look at the universal fear of abandonment." — Booklist (starred review)Ever since Jack can remember, his mom has been unpredictable, sometimes loving and fun, other times caught in a whirlwind of energy and “spinning” wildly until it’s over. But now she is gone, leaving him all alone on a campsite in Maine. Can he find his way back to Boston before the authorities realize what happened? With nothing but a small toy elephant…

Synopsis: “Together, Rockliff and Bruno make the scientific method seem exciting, and kids interested in science and history will likely be, well, mesmerized.” — Booklist (starred review)When American inventor Benjamin Franklin arrives in Paris, he is upstaged by a compelling and enigmatic figure: Dr. Mesmer. In elaborately staged shows, Mesmer has Parisians believing he can control a magic force that changes the taste of water, cures illness, and…

Synopsis: Modern technology has enabled today's marine scientists to penetrate the oceans' depths as never before, where they continue to discover strange and exotic sea creatures. Creatures of the Deep, the newest title in Barron's exciting Discoverology series, takes young readers on a fascinating descent into the sea's dark and mysterious depths where, at nearly two miles below the surface, they encounter such creatures as-- Viperfish, fierce fish…

Synopsis: Presenting a thrilling new voice in children's literature-a witty, gripping adventure story featuring a boy and his not-so-tame djinni.Nathaniel is a young magician's apprentice, taking his first lessons in the arts of magic. But when a devious hotshot wizard named Simon Lovelace ruthlessly humiliates Nathaniel in front of everyone he knows, Nathaniel decides to kick up his education a few notches and show Lovelace who's boss. With revenge on…

Synopsis: ...these books are worthwhile reading and can be used to stimulate children to learn about, investigate, and appreciate the natural world around them. -- Science Books & Films

Synopsis: In Olive's third adventure in the New York Times bestselling Books of Elsewhere series, what lurks below the house could be as dangerous as what's hidden inside. . . Some terrifying things have happened to Olive in the old stone house, but none as scary as starting junior high. Or so she thinks. When she plummets through a hole in her backyard, though, Olive realizes two things that may change her mind: First, the wicked Annabelle McMartin is…

Synopsis: Lisa Greenwald's My Life in Pink…

Synopsis: In this creepy collection, award winning writer Robert San Souci draws on myths, legends, and folk tales to create thirteen completely new stories, all featuring boys and girls from 8 to 12 as leading characters. "Ants" features Kyle, who tricks his mother into allowing him to go see a scary movie with his friend, but regrets it when the movie lingers a bit too long after the end credit. In "The Caller," Lindsay, a self-absorbed preadolescent,…

Synopsis: First published in 1959, a holiday classic tells the story of a lonely painter who adopts a frightened kitten, in an edition that features interior art faithfully reproduced from the original artwork. Reprint.

Synopsis: A parade of fun facts, fantastic photographs, and inside information, gathered together in an all-American celebration.Stretching from the White House's Rose Garden to Hollywood's back lots, "America A To Z" is a panorama of Americana. More than 1000 alphabetically arranged entries bring to light little-known facts, hidden histories, and sometimes strange stories about familiar people, places, events, inventions, fads, foods, and much more.…

Synopsis: The children love to play in the Giant's garden, where the grass is soft and green and the peach trees flower in spring. But the Giant doesn't like it. "My own garden is my own garden, " he says, and builds a tall wall around it. Without the children, Spring doesn't come to the garden; the birds don't want to sing, and the trees forget to blossom. Snow and Frost, North Wind and Hail, come to stay and dance around the bare trees. But when the…

Synopsis: All cynical Kyle wants is to get through the seventh grade unnoticed, but a self-help book from his well-meaning mother changes all that. Magically, the book seems to know all about him. And it wants him to improve his life. Not only is he friendless, mistakenly taking super-difficult accelerated courses, and infamous for allegedly being involved in a violent "incident" on the bus (a rep that has the school terror sticking to him like glue), one…

Synopsis: A fantasy adventure perfect for fans of Amari and the Night Brothers, in which "The story soars, just like Piper, with enough loop-de-loops to keep kids uncertain about what will come next" (Booklist, starred review)A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!You just can't keep a good girl down . . . unless you use the proper methods.Piper McCloud can fly. Just like that. Easy as pie.Sure, she hasn't mastered reverse propulsion and her turns are kind of sloppy…

Synopsis: Anderson and his friends are back with another exciting mystery in the Ghosts of War series!Anderson and his friends Greg and Julie have been doing everything they can to avoid the battered trunk full of old military things in his family's junk shop basement. Only, staying away seems impossible, and this time Anderson discovers a dusty World War II medic's bag inside the trunk. But who does it belong to? Because if the friends have learned…

Synopsis: There's no doubt about it: This energetic crew has no intention of going to sleep. Instead, they gather a lovable team of animal friends and set off on a carefree adventure that takes them from woodlands to waterfalls- and then to even wilder wonderlands, where the sun doesn't set until the kids are good and ready!Steven Kellogg's boisterous romp, inspired by a traditional refrain, turns getting ready for bed into a delightful game that is sure…