Level U
The Calder Game by Blue Balliett; Brett Helquist (Illustrator)ISBN: 9780439852081
Publication Date: 2010-04-01
A spellbinding mystery from the bestselling author of Chasing Vermeer! Two Calders are missing. One is a sculpture. One is a boy. When Calder Pillay travels with his father to a remote village in England, he finds a mix of mazes and mystery-including an unexpected Alexander Calder sculpture in the town square. Calder is strangely drawn to the sculpture, while others in the village have less-than-friendly feelings toward it. Both the boy and the sculpture seem to be out of place...and then they disappear! Calder's friends Petra and Tommy must fly to England to help Calder's father find him. But this mystery has more twists and turns than a Calder mobile in the wind-with more at stake than first meets the eye.
Chomp by Carl HiassenISBN: 9780375868276
Publication Date: 2013-03-12
The hysterical #1 New York Times bestseller from Newbery honoree Carl Hiaasen featuring gators, snakes, bats that bite, and reality show hosts gone wild! When Wahoo Cray's dad--a professional animal wrangler--takes a job with a reality TV show called Expedition Survival!, Wahoo figures he'll have to do a bit of wrangling himself to keep his father from killing Derek Badger, the show's inept and egotistical star. But the job keeps getting more complicated: Derek Badger insists on using wild animals for his stunts; and Wahoo's acquired a shadow named Tuna--a girl who's sporting a shiner courtesy of her father and needs a place to hide out. They've only been on location in the Everglades for a day before Derek gets bitten by a bat and goes missing in a storm. Search parties head out and promptly get lost themselves. And then Tuna's dad shows up with a gun . . . It's anyone's guess who will actually survive Expedition Survival. . . "Only in Florida--and in the fiction of its native son Carl Hiaasen--does a dead iguana fall from a palm tree and kill somebody." --New York Post "Chomp is a delightful laugh-out-loud sendup of the surreality of TV that will be enjoyed by readers of all ages." --Los Angeles Times "Chomp shines in its humorous, subtle tweaks on pop culture. . . . The real satisfaction, however, is not so much in the book's humor but in its truth." --Time Out Chicago Kids
The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrauISBN: 9780375822742
Publication Date: 2004-05-25
A modern-day classic. This highly acclaimed adventure series about two friends desperate to save their doomed city has captivated kids and teachers alike for almost fifteen years and has sold over 3.5 MILLION copies! The city of Ember was built as a last refuge for the human race. Two hundred years later, the great lamps that light the city are beginning to flicker. When Lina finds part of an ancient message, she's sure it holds a secret that will save the city. She and her friend Doon must race to figure out the clues before the lights go out on Ember forever! Nominated to 28 State Award Lists! An American Library Association Notable Children's Book A New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing Selection A Kirkus Reviews Editors' Choice A Child Magazine Best Children's Book A Mark Twain Award Winner A William Allen White Children's Book Award Winner "A realistic post-apocalyptic world. DuPrau's book leaves Doon and Lina on the verge of undiscovered country and readers wanting more." --USA Today "An electric debut." --Publishers Weekly, Starred "While Ember is colorless and dark, the book itself is rich with description." --VOYA, Starred "A harrowing journey into the unknown, and cryptic messages for readers to decipher." --Kirkus Reviews, Starred
Crash by Jerry SpinelliISBN: 9780679885504
Publication Date: 1997-03-18
A modern classic from Newbery medalist Jerry Spinelli. "Readers will devour this humorous glimpse of what jocks are made of." --School Library Journal, starred review Cocky seventh-grade super-jock Crash Coogan got his nickname the day he used his first football helmet to knock his cousin Bridget flat on her backside. And he has been running over people ever since, especially Penn Webb, the dweeby, vegetarian Quaker kid who lives down the block. Through the eyes of Crash, readers get a rare glimpse into the life of a bully in this unforgettable and beloved story about stereotypes and the surprises life can bring. "Without being preachy, Spinelli packs a powerful moral wallop, leaving it to the pitch-perfect narration to drive home his point" --Publishers Weekly "Spinelli's writing style is great for kids in this age-group, fast-paced and funny." --Booklist
Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. WredeISBN: 9780544541221
Publication Date: 2015-09-15
Meet Princess Cimorene--a princess who refustes to be proper. She is everything a princess is not supposed to be: headstrong, tomobyish smart... And bored. So bored that she runs away to live with a dragon. And not just any dragon, but Kazul--one of the most powerful and dangerous dragons arounds. Of course, Cimorene has a way of hooking up with dangerous characters, and soon she's coping with a witch,a a jinn, a death-dealing talking bird, a stone prince, and some very oily wizards. If this princess ran away to find some excitement, it looks like she's found plenty! With a new look and new introduction from the author.
Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing HahnISBN: 9780547076454
Publication Date: 2008-08-04
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 supernatural tale that's certain to send shivers down her readers' spines.
Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo; K. G. Campbell (Illustrator)ISBN: 9780763687649
Publication Date: 2016-09-13
Now available in a digest paperback edition! The beloved 2014 Newbery Medal winner by former National Ambassador for Young People's Literature Kate DiCamillo. Holy unanticipated occurrences! From #1 New York Times best-selling author Kate DiCamillo comes a laugh-out-loud story filled with eccentric, endearing characters -- a novel interspersed with comic-style graphic sequences and full-page illustrations, all rendered in black and white by K. G. Campbell.
The House on the Gulf by Margaret Peterson HaddixISBN: 9781416914068
Publication Date: 2006-02-01
NOTHING IS AS IT SEEMS. When Britt's older brother, Bran, lands a summer job house-sitting in Florida, it seems like a great opportunity. Britt's family has just recently moved to Florida, and could use the extra money while her mom finishes college. There's only one problem: Britt starts to suspect her family isn't supposed to be there. Britt starts poking around, and makes a startling discovery -- the owners of the house aren't who Bran says they are. So whose house are they living in, and why has Bran brought them there?
Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhhà LaiISBN: 9780061962783
Publication Date: 2011-02-22
Inside Out and Back Again is a #1 New York Times bestseller, a Newbery Honor Book, and a winner of the National Book Award! Inspired by the author's childhood experience as a refugee—fleeing Vietnam after the Fall of Saigon and immigrating to Alabama—this coming-of-age debut novel told in verse has been celebrated for its touching child's-eye view of family and immigration. For all the ten years of her life, H#65533; has only known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, and the warmth of her friends close by. But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. H#65533; and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed toward hope. In America, H#65533; discovers the foreign world of Alabama: the coldness of its strangers, the dullness of its food . . . and the strength of her very own family. This moving story of one girl's year of change, dreams, grief, and healing received four starred reviews, including one from Kirkus which proclaimed it "enlightening, poignant, and unexpectedly funny." An author's note explains how and why Thanhha Lai translated her personal experiences into H#65533;'s story.
Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny NimmoISBN: 9780439474290
Publication Date: 2003-03-01
A magical fantasy that is fast-paced and easy-to-read. Charlie Bone has a special gift- he can hear people in photographs talking. The fabulous powers of the Red King were passed down through his descendants, after turning up quite unexpectedly, in someone who had no idea where they came from. This is what happened to Charlie Bone, and to some of the children he met behind the grim, gray walls of Bloor's Academy. Charlie Bone has discovered an unusual gift-he can hear people in photographs talking! His scheming aunts decide to send him to Bloor Academy, a school for genius's where he uses his gifts to discover the truth despite all the dangers that lie ahead.
The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul CurtisISBN: 9780440422143
Publication Date: 2013-03-12
""We are a family on a journey to a place called wonderful" is the motto of Deza Malone's family. Deza is the smartest girl in her class in Gary, Indiana, singled out by teachers for a special path in life. But it's 1936 and the Great Depression hits Gary hard, and there are no jobs for black men. When her beloved father leaves to find work, Deza, Mother, and her older brother, Jimmie, go in search of him, and end up in a Hooverville outside Flint, Michigan. Jimmie's beautiful voice inspires him to leave the camp to be a performer, while Deza and Mother find a new home, and cling to the hope that they will find Father. The twists and turns of their story reveal the devastation of the Depression and prove that Deza truly is the Mighty Miss Malone."
Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker RhodesISBN: 9780316043083
Publication Date: 2012-04-10
Twelve-year-old Lanesha lives in a tight-knit community in New Orleans' Ninth Ward. She doesn't have a fancy house like her uptown family or lots of friends like the other kids on her street. But what she does have is Mama Ya-Ya, her fiercely loving caretaker, wise in the ways of the world and able to predict the future. So when Mama Ya-Ya's visions show a powerful hurricane--Katrina--fast approaching, it's up to Lanesha to call upon the hope and strength Mama Ya-Ya has given her to help them both survive the storm. Ninth Ward is a deeply emotional story about transformation and a celebration of resilience, friendship, and family--as only love can define it.
Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon Hale; Dean Hale; Nathan Hale (Illustrator)ISBN: 9781599902883
Publication Date: 2008-09-01
Rapunzel escapes her tower-prison all on her own, only to discover a world beyond what she'd ever known before. Determined to rescue her real mother and to seek revenge on her kidnapper would-be mother, Rapunzel and her very long braids team up with Jack (of Beanstalk fame) and together they perform daring deeds and rescues all over the western landscape, eventually winning the justice they so well deserve.
Savvy by Ingrid LawISBN: 9780142414330
Publication Date: 2010-03-23
A Newbery Honor Book Thirteen is when a Beaumont's savvy hits--and with one brother who causes hurricanes and another who creates electricity, Mibs Beaumont is eager to see what she gets. But just before the big day, Poppa is in a terrible accident. And now all Mibs wants is a savvy that will save him. In fact, Mibs is so sure she'll get a powerful savvy that she sneaks a ride to the hospital on a rickety bus with her sibling and the preacher's kids in tow. After this extraordinary adventure--full of talking tattoos and a kidnapping--not a soul on board will ever be the same. A Discussion Guide to Scumble and Savvy by Ingrid Law
Survivors: the Gathering Darkness #1: a Pack Divided by Erin Hunter; Laszlo Kubinyi (Illustrator); Julia Green (Illustrator)ISBN: 9780062343352
Publication Date: 2016-06-07
The first book in an epic new series about the Survivors dogs! From Erin Hunter, #1 nationally bestselling author of Warriors, Survivors is full of “wild and wonderful adventure” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) that will thrill fans of Spirit Animals and Wings of Fire. For the first time Storm can remember, she has a place in a Pack, and the world that was devastated by the Big Growl is finally at peace. But tensions are rising among the dogs of the Wild Pack—and the greatest danger they face may come from within.
Tangerine by Edward Bloor; Danny De Vito (Introduction by)ISBN: 9780152057800
Publication Date: 2006-09-01
Paul Fisher sees the world from behind glasses so thick he looks like a bug-eyed alien. But he’s not so blind that he can’t see there are some very unusual things about his family’s new home in Tangerine County, Florida. Where else does a sinkhole swallow the local school, fire burn underground for years, and lightning strike at the same time every day?The chaos is compounded by constant harassment from his football–star brother, and adjusting to life in Tangerine isn’t easy for Paul—until he joins the soccer team at his middle school. With the help of his new teammates, Paul begins to discover what lies beneath the surface of his strange new hometown. And he also gains the courage to face up to some secrets his family has been keeping from him for far too long. In Tangerine, it seems, anything is possible.
Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke; Christian Birmingham (Illustrator)ISBN: 9780545227704
Publication Date: 2010-05-01
Two orphaned brothers, Prosper and Bo, have run away to Vencie, 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.Prosper and Bo relish their new "family" and life of petty crime. But their curel 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 Watsons Go to Birmingham 1963 by Christopher Paul CurtisISBN: 9780440228004
Publication Date: 2000-12-12
The Newbery and Coretta Scott King Honoree about the Weird Watsons of Flint, Michigan--from Christopher Paul Curtis, author of Bud, Not Buddy, a Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott Award Winner. Enter the hilarious world of ten-year-old Kenny and his family, the Weird Watsons of Flint, Michigan. There's Momma, Dad, little sister Joetta, and brother Byron, who's thirteen and an "official juvenile delinquent." When Byron gets to be too much trouble, they head South to Birmingham to visit Grandma, the one person who can shape him up. And they happen to be in Birmingham when Grandma's church is blown up. AN ALA TOP TEN BEST BOOK AN ALA NOTABLE CHILDREN'S BOOK AN IRA YOUNG ADULT'S CHOICE A NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW BEST BOOK NAMED TO MULTIPLE STATE AWARD LISTS "Every so often a book becomes a modern classic almost as soon as it arrives on bookshelves. That happened in the mid-'90s when Christopher Paul Curtis released his first book, The Watsons Go to Birmingham -- 1963." --NPR From the Hardcover edition.
Wringer by Jerry SpinelliISBN: 9780064405782
Publication Date: 1998-07-16
Palmer LaRue is running out of birthdays. For as long as he can remember, he's dreaded the day he turns ten -- the day he'll take his place beside all the other ten-year-old boys in town, the day he'll be a wringer. But Palmer doesn't want to be a wringer. It's one of the first things he learned about himself and it's one of the biggest things he has to hide. In Palmer's town being a wringer is an honor, a tradition passed down from father to son. Palmer can't stop himself from being a wringer just like he can't stop himself from growing one year older, just like he can't stand up to a whole town -- right? Newbery Medal winner Jerry Spinelli's most powerful novel yet is a gripping tale of how one boy learns how not to be afraid.