Iron Thunder: The Battle Between the Monitor & the Merrimac

By Avi Early in 1862, when his father is killed fighting for the Union in the War Between the States, thirteen-year-old Tom Carroll must take a job to help support his family. He manages to find work at a bustling ironworks in his hometown of Brooklyn, New York, where dozens of men are frantically pounding together the strangest ship Tom has ever seen. A ship made of

iron

. Tom becomes assistant to the ship’s inventor, a gruff, boastful man named Captain John Ericsson. He soon learns that the Union army has very important plans for this iron ship called the

Monitor

. It is supposed to fight the Confederate “sea monster” — another ironclad — the

Merrimac

. But Ericsson is practically the only person who believes the

Monitor

will float. Everyone else calls it “Ericsson’s Folly” or “the iron coffin.” Meanwhile, Tom’s position as Ericsson’s assistant has made him a target of Confederate spies, who offer him money for information about the ship. Tom finds himself caught between two certain dangers: an encounter with murderous spies and a battle at sea in an iron coffin...

The 100-Year-Old Secret

By Tracy Barret

Upon moving to their new home in London, siblings Xena and Xander Holmes immediately discover a strange but true fact: They are the direct descendants of the great detective Sherlock Holmes and have inherited his casebook of unsolved mysteries. One might think it presumptuous of two children to assume that they could succeed where the legendary sleuth had failed, but, kids being kids, they do not and find themselves almost immediately wrapped up in a case involving a missing painting. Following leads, conducting interviews and applying a little old-fashioned know-how help the Holmes kids discover the truth behind the portrait's mysterious subject and the location that has kept it safe and sound all these years. Barrett presents readers with great characters and a believable mystery solved credibly (with the help of somewhat less-than-convincing photographic memories). A strong start to what will undoubtedly remain an enjoyable series.

The Name of This Book is Secret By Pseudonymous Bosch

This is the story of a secret, and also a secret story. Cass and Max Ernest are two friendless 11-year olds who come together to solve the mystery surrounding a dead magician and the clues he left behind. Along the way they must solve puzzles and word games and face incredible danger to answer their questions.

Yes, I Know the Monkey Man By Dori Hillestad Butler

This sequel to

Do You Know the Monkey Man?

is told from the point of view of T.J., a 13-year-old who has grown up with her alcoholic father, not knowing that she had both a mother and a twin sister living in another town. The story opens with T.J.'s mother and sister inviting her to come to Cedar Rapids to her mother's wedding. T.J. is not interested in going despite the urgings of her father, but when her father is seriously injured in a work accident, T.J. realizes that she has no choice. She must go to her mother's wedding or be sent to foster care until her father recovers. T.J. is immediately immersed in her mother's family. Her twin sister, Sam, is far more interested in make-up, friends and dresses than T.J., but both sisters are tired of the secrets and lies they have been raised to believe, and they gradually form a bond. When the girls learn that their father had a sister, they are determined to find out more about their aunt. What they discover gives them a greater understanding of why their parents separated and why it would be impossible for them to ever be reunited. When the day of the wedding arrives, T.J. learns that her father is no longer in the hospital and no one is willing to tell her where he is. Determined to find her father, T.J. daringly takes her new stepfather's keys and drives off in his car, but she does not get far. She is quickly found by her mother who assures T.J. that she will support her decision to return to her father or to live with her. The author gives enough back story from the first novel to support her sequel as a stand-alone book. The themes of family ties, honesty, betrayal and loyalty are nicely woven throughout the story. Reviewer:Jody J. Little http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Yes-I-Know-the-Monkey-Man/Dori-Hillestad Butler/e/9781561454792

Lost and Found By Andrew Clements

The Grayson twins are moving to a new town. Again. Although it's a drag to be constantly mistaken for one another, still, during those first days at a new school, there's nothing better than a twin brother. But on day one of sixth grade, Ray stays home sick, and Jay is on his own. And — no big deal. It's a pretty nice school, good kids too. But Jay quickly discovers a major mistake; no one at this school seems to know a thing about his brother. Ray's not on the attendance lists, doesn't have a locker, doesn't even have a student folder. Jay almost tells a teacher, but decides that this lost information could be very... useful. And fun. Maybe even a little dangerous. As these two clever boys exploit a clerical oversight, each one finds new views of self-hood, friendship, learning, and honesty.

Hate that Cat By Sharon Creech

The honest, observant, and expressive Jack is sure about two things: he hates poetry and cats. His journey begins in Miss Stretchberry's classroom where he faces the challenge of expressing himself through poetry. He encounters problems along the way including his Uncle Bill, who, unlike Miss Stretchberry, insists that good poetry consists of long lines, symbolism and regular rhyme and meter. Jack tangles with the likes of alliteration, consonance, metaphors and onomatopoeia, but by the end of the school year he finds new meaning and purpose for such conventions and learns to appreciate the diverse beauties of both sound and silence. His evolving relationship with poetry mirrors his relationships with cats. Jack's initial aversion to felines transforms one Christmas morning when a tiny, mewing kitten crawls from underneath the wrappings scattered around the tree and straight into his heart. Author Sharon Creech invites emerging poets to commiserate with Jack as he learns to navigate the world of poetry and tempts seasoned poets to appreciate her crafty allusions and creative expression. Figurative language, poetic devices and visual word manipulation abound in this book of poetry. Reviewer: Stacey L. Hester http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&source=hp&biw=136 6&bih=638&q=hate+that+cat&gbv=2&aq=f&aqi=g3g m2&aql=&oq=

Trading Faces By Julia Devillers

In the first collaboration between authors and identical twins, this novel, written in alternate viewpoints, chronicles the first day of middle school when twin sisters switch places and struggle to develop their own identities despite the fact that no one can tell them apart

.

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Diamond Willow By Helen Frost

Twelve-year-old Willow would rather blend in than stick out. But she still wants to be seen for who she is. She wants her parents to notice that she is growing up. She wants her best friend to like her better than she likes a certain boy. She wants, more than anything, to mush the dogs out to her grandparents' house, by herself, with Roxy in the lead. But sometimes when it's just you, one mistake can have frightening consequences. And when Willow stumbles, it takes a surprising group of friends to help her make things right again.

Using diamond-shaped poems inspired by forms found in polished diamond willow sticks, Helen Frost tells the moving story of Willow and her family. Hidden messages within each diamond carry the reader further, into feelings Willow doesn't reveal even to herself.

Marley: A Dog Like No Other By John Grogan

This nonfiction book has been faithfully adapted for young readers from the #1 "New York Times" bestselling memoir "Marley & Me" by John Grogan! Marley, a lovable Labrador retriever, is always getting himself into trouble. Some may say he is the world's worst dog. But those who know and love Marley understand that nothing can stop his loyalty, exuberance, and passion — not even the Grogans' screen door! How this big, rambunctious dog becomes the heart of the Grogan family is the story of "Marley".

Satch & Me

By Dan Gutman

You wanna know who threw the fastest pitch "ever"?" Many baseball players claim that Satchel Paige was the fastest pitcher in the history of the game. Stosh and his coach, Flip Valentini, are on a mission to find out. With radar gun in tow, they travel back to 1942 and watch Satch pitch to power hitter Josh Gibson in the Negro League World Series. They soon learn that everything about Satch is fast — whether it's his talking, driving, or getaways. But is he really the fastest pitcher who ever lived? While traveling with Satch, they learn about the discrimination that African Americans suffered on and off the field and that Satch had been a truly remarkable athlete worthy of the Hall of Fame .

Found By Margaret Petersen Haddix

In book one of the "Missing" series, thirteen-year-old friends Jonah and Chip find out that they, along with other adopted kids from their town, were taken as children from different times in history and reprogrammed through time travel for their new families.

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=found+by+margaret+peterson+haddix&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en US:official&tbm=isch&tbnid=MQxDEvJBEF RAM:&imgrefurl=http://www.doneckert.com/English/Units/Reading%252520Log.htm&ei=9eOdTar9HILbgQfYtaDCBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=135&vpy=74&dur=844 &hovh=272&hovw=185&tx=135&ty=115&oei=9eOdTar9HILbgQfYtaDCBA&page=1&tbnh=154&tbnw=119&start=0&ndsp=26&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0&biw=1366&bih=63 8

Deep and Dark and Dangerous: A Ghost Story By Mary Downing Hahn

Just before summer begins, 13-year-old Ali finds an odd photograph in the attic. She knows the two children in it are her mother, Claire, and her aunt Dulcie. But who's the third person, the one who's been torn out of the picture?

Ali figures she'll find out while she's vacationing in Maine with Dulcie and her four-year-old daughter, Emma, in the house where Ali's mother's family used to spend summers. All hopes for relaxation are quashed shortly after their arrival, though, when the girls meet Sissy, a kid who's mean and spiteful and a bad influence on Emma.

Strangest of all, Sissy keeps talking about a girl named Teresa who drowned under mysterious circumstances back when Claire and Dulcie were kids, and whose body was never found. At first Ali thinks Sissy's just trying to scare her with a ghost story, but soon she discovers the real reason why Sissy is so angry.

Mary Downing Hahn is at her chilling best in this new supernatural tale that's certain to send shivers down her readers' spines.

Stolen Children By Peg Kehret

When Amy agreed to baby-sit Kendra Edgerton, she had no idea she was stepping into a kidnapping plot. Two men force the girls out of the house and into a cabin in the woods, where they create DVDs to send to the families, in hopes of a large ransom from Kendra's wealthy parents. Using her wits and imagination, Amy stealthily sends clues to the police through the DVDs, but time is working against her: She has one week until her captors decide to return Kendra and get rid of Amy. http://www.google.com/imgres?q=stolen+children&hl=en&sa=G&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=Kyg2tBNCLhohxM:&imgrefurl=http://www.peg

kehret.com/kidsframe.html&ei=GuadTYCGE SV0QGl0uW_BA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=286&vpy=93&dur=1457&hovh=277&hovw=182&tx=65&ty=114&oei=GuadTYCGE SV0QGl0uW_BA&page=1&tbnh=147&tbnw=97&start=0&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0&biw=1366&bih=638

Swindle By Gordon Korman

After a mean collector named Swindle cons him out of his most valuable baseball card, Griffin Bing must put together a band of misfits to break into Swindle's compound and recapture the card. There are many things standing in their way drive his — a menacing guard dog, a high-tech security system, a very secret hiding place, and their general inability to — but Griffin and his team are going to get back what's rightfully … even if hijinks ensue. http://www.betterworldbooks.com/swindle-id-0439903459.aspx

The Willoughbys By Lois Lowry

Abandoned by their ill-humored parents to the care of an odious nanny, Tim, the twins, Barnaby A and Barnaby B, and their sister, Jane, attempt to fulfill their roles as good, old-fashioned children in this hilarious parody that pays playful homage to classic works of children's literature.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://img1.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n50/n252784.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/l/lois lowry/willoughbys.htm&usg=__jqzkek9U5GT4UDr83hm3ZuM 26E=&h=465&w=316&sz=52&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=QWeQAHtdju0l1M:&tbnh=139&tbnw=94&ei=Ni2jTaT2FaqL0QGkv72WBQ&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dthe%2Bwilloughbys%2 Bby%2Blois%2Blowry%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26hs%3DruK%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en US:official%26biw%3D1024%26bih%3D612%26tbm%3Disch0%2C57&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=259&vpy=231&dur=737&hovh=272&hovw=185&tx=110&ty=211&oei=Ni2jTaT2FaqL0QGkv 72WBQ&page=1&ndsp=19&ved=1t:429,r:14,s:0&biw=1024&bih=612

Every Soul a Star By Wendy Mass Ally, Bree, and Jack meet in a campground run by Ally's parents. They are about to witness an eclipse of the sun and embark on separate journeys that lead them to friendship despite the odds

https://sites.google.com/site/parkviewelemlibrary/Home/fiction-reviews-1

Two-Minute Drill

By Mike Lupica

In this second installment of Mike Lupica's new "Comeback Kids" series, Chris Conlan is the coolest kid in sixth grade and the quarterback of the football team. Scott Parry is the new kid — a brainiac. These two boys may seem like an odd couple, but each has a secret that draws him to the other.

Miss Spitfire: Reaching Helen Keller By Sara Miller

Annie Sullivan was little more than a half-blind orphan with a fiery tongue when she arrived at Ivy Green in 1887. Desperate for work, she'd taken on a seemingly impossible job — teaching a child who was deaf, blind, and as ferocious as any wild animal. But Helen Keller needed more than a teacher. She needed someone daring enough to work a miracle. And if anyone was a match for Helen, it was the girl they used to call Miss Spitfire.

For Annie, reaching Helen's mind meant losing teeth as raging fists flew. It meant standing up when everyone else had given up. It meant shedding tears at the frustrations and at the triumphs. By telling this inspiring story from Annie Sullivan's point of view, Sarah Miller's debut novel brings an amazing figure to sharp new life. Annie's past, her brazen determination, and her connection to the girl who would call her Teacher have never been clearer.

How to Steal a Dog By Barbara O’Connor

"Half of me was thinking," Georgina, don't do this. Stealing a dog is just plain wrong. "The other half of me was thinking," Georgina, you're in a bad fix and you got to do whatever it takes to get yourself out of it. Georgina Hayes is desperate. Ever since her father left and they were evicted from their apartment, her family has been living in their car. With her mama juggling two jobs and trying to make enough money to find a place to live, Georgina is stuck looking after her younger brother, Toby. And she has her heart set on improving their situation. When Georgina spots a missing-dog poster with a reward of five hundred dollars, the solution to all her problems suddenly seems within reach. All she has to do is "borrow" the right dog and its owners are sure to offer a reward. What happens next is the last thing she expected. With unmistakable sympathy, Barbara O'Connor tells the story of a young girl struggling to see what's right when everything else seems wrong.

The True Meaning of Smekday By Adam Rex

Eleven-year-old Gratuity is supposed to write an essay about the alien invasion for a time capsule. Gratuity's story is much larger than five pages, so she decides to write her own account of when the aliens arrived on Earth, including her friendship with a Boov, and how they saved Earth from the Gorg http://blaine.org/sevenimpossiblethings/?p=864

Detective Camp By Ron Roy

Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose are back! This time, they're off to a camp for detectives! The camp directors have set up a week of lessons in forensics and fun mysteries for the campers to solve. The kids are following the planned clues when they stumble upon a real crime.

This exciting extension to the A to Z Mysteries chapter book series features favorite characters, a longer plot, alphabet clues, and a 26-letter message hidden in the art.

Paint the Wind By Pam Munoz Ryan In Grandmother's house in California, Maya's every word and action are strictly monitored, and even Maya's memories of her mother have been erased. In the rugged Wyoming wilderness, a Tobiano Paint horse called Artemisia runs free. She embodies the spirit of the wild — and she holds the key to Maya's memories, in this epic novel.

The Mysterious Benedict Society By Trenton Lee Stewart

When this peculiar ad appears in the newspaper, dozens of children enroll to take a series of mysterious, mind-bending tests. (And you, dear reader, can test your wits right alongside them.) But in the end just four very special children — two boys and two girls — will succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and resourceful children could complete. To accomplish it they will have to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. But what they'll find in the hidden underground tunnels of the school is more than your average school supplies. As our heroes face physical and mental trials beyond their wildest imaginations, they have no choice but to turn to each other for support. But with their newfound friendship at stake, will they be able to pass the most important test of all? Welcome to the Mysterious Benedict Society. If you're gifted, creative, or happen to know Morse Code, they could probably use your help.

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• http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Hate-That-Cat/ Sharon Creech/e/9780061430923 • http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Stolen-Children/Peg Kehret/e/9780525478355