Across the Desert by Dusti Bowling
One girl sets out on a journey across the treacherous Arizona desert to rescue a young pilot stranded after a plane crash in this gripping story of survival, friendship, and rescue from a bestselling and award-winning author.
Twelve-year-old Jolene spends every day she can at the library watching her favorite livestream: The Desert Aviator, where twelve-year-old “Addie Earhart” shares her adventures flying an ultralight plane over the desert. While watching this daring girl fly through the sky, Jolene can dream of what it would be like to fly with her, far away from her own troubled home life where her mother struggles with a narcotic addiction. And Addie, who is grieving the loss of her father, finds solace in her online conversations with Jolene, her biggest—and only—fan.
Then, one day, it all goes wrong: Addie's engine abruptly stops, and Jolene watches in helpless horror as the ultralight plummets to the ground and the video goes dark. Jolene knows that Addie won’t survive long in the extreme summer desert heat. With no one to turn to for help and armed with only a hand-drawn map and a stolen cell phone, it's up to Jolene to find a way to save the Desert Aviator. Packed with adventure and heart, Across the Desert speaks to the resilience, hope, and strength within each of us.
The Adventure is Now by Jess Redman
A fun-filled, action-packed middle grade novel about a boy who learns about protecting the environment, finding real friends, and living in the now while spending the summer on a remote island.
Sometimes it's hard to be Milton P. Greene. He says all the wrong things, his family is falling apart, and everyone at school avoids him because of the very embarrassing Bird Brain Incident. But when Milton plays his video game Isle of Wild, he becomes someone else―Sea Hawk, the brave and brilliant naturalist explorer who conquers danger at every turn.
Then Milton’s parents ship him off to the remote Lone Island for the summer, where his uncle Evan is an environmentalist researcher. The island is chock-full of spectaculous species, and Milton realizes this is his chance to become the brave and brilliant naturalist he’s always wanted to be―and even meet some fellow explorers!
But as it turns out, the future of the Lone Island is in some pretty serious peril, and the only thing that can save it is a field guide full of cryptic clues. If Milton and his unexpected new friends are going to protect the island, they’ll have to trust each other, discover new truths, and embark on a wild and wondrous adventure all their own.
All Paws on Deck (Haggis and Tank #1) by Jessica Young
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl #1) by Eoin Colfer
At the Edge of the World (Crispin #2) by Avi
Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation (Charlie Thorne #1) by Stuart Gibbs
A 2020 Texas Lone Star Reading List Pick
From New York Times bestselling author Stuart Gibbs comes the first novel in a thrilling new series about the world’s youngest and smartest genius who’s forced to use her unbelievable code-breaking skills to outsmart Einstein.
Charlie Thorne is a genius.
Charlie Thorne is a thief.
Charlie Thorne isn’t old enough to drive.
And now it’s up to her to save the world…
Decades ago, Albert Einstein devised an equation that could benefit all life on earth—or destroy it. Fearing what would happen if the equation fell into the wrong hands, he hid it.
But now, a diabolical group known as the Furies are closing in on its location. In desperation, a team of CIA agents drags Charlie into the hunt, needing her brilliance to find it first—even though this means placing her life in grave danger.
In a breakneck adventure that spans the globe, Charlie must crack a complex code created by Einstein himself, struggle to survive in a world where no one can be trusted, and fight to keep the last equation safe once and for all.
The Colossus Rises (Seven Wonders #1) by Peter Lerangis
New York Times Bestselling Series!
Young readers will learn all about the history and mysteries of the ancient world while savoring this unputdownable story from first page to last. This middle grade novel is an excellent choice for tween readers in grades 5 to 6, especially during homeschooling. It’s a fun way to keep your child entertained and engaged while not in the classroom.
Percy Jackson meets Indiana Jones in master storyteller and 39 Clues author Peter Lerangis’s epic Seven Wonders series.
The Colossus Rises is the first installment of the bestselling five-book series chronicling the story of Jack McKinley, an ordinary kid with an extraordinary problem. In a few months, he’s going to die—unless he finds seven magic Loculi that have been hidden in the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
The Coming Storm (Pirates of the Caribbean: Jack Sparrow #1) by Rob Kidd
Crowfall by Vashti Hardy
A rip-roaring, island-hopping adventure - and unforgettable ecological fable - from the award-winning author of Wildspark and Brightstorm.
Ironhold is an orderly place where "industry brings prosperity", and where nature is pushed aside for progress. But when Orin Crowfall, a lowly servant boy, learns that the island itself is in grave danger, that knowledge makes him a target of powerful forces.
He narrowly escapes on a small boat, but then faces a fight for survival with his robot friend, Cody, in the stormy ocean, pursued by a terrifying sea monster. Can they make it to safety, somewhere beyond the horizon? And will Orin find a way back to save his family before everything is destroyed? To succeed, Orin will need to dig deep for courage, trust in new friends, and, ultimately, have faith in himself.
Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House #1) by Mary Pope Osborne
The Dragonet Prophecy (Wings of Fire #1) by Tui T. Sutherland
Ellie's Story (A Dog's Purpose Puppy Tales) by W. Bruce Cameron
From W. Bruce Cameron, the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling novel A Dog's Purpose, which is now a major motion picture!
Ellie's Story is a heartwarming illustrated novel adapted for young readers from the beloved and New York Times bestselling A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron.
Ellie is a very special dog with a very important purpose. From puppyhood, Ellie has been trained as a search-and-rescue dog. She can track down a lost child in a forest or an injured victim under a fallen building. She finds people. She saves them. It's what she was meant to do.
But Ellie must do more. Her handlers―widowed Jakob, lonely Maya―need her too. People can be lost in many ways, and to do the job she was born to do, Ellie needs to find a way to save the people she loves best.
Ellie's Story is an inspiring tale for young animal lovers. Adorable black-and-white illustrations by Richard Cowdrey bring Ellie and her world to life. A discussion and activity guide at the end of the book will help promote family and classroom discussions about Ellie's Story and the insights it provides about humankind's best friends.
Escape from Camp Boring by Tom Mitchell
A wild, laugh-out-loud adventure through the not-so-great outdoors, from the author of HOW TO ROB A BANK and THAT TIME I GOT KIDNAPPED. Ideal for readers aged 10 and up.
After Will is caught listening to music on his phone in class again, his mum has had enough. Will is sent to a ‘rewilding’ camp in the middle of the woods for kids addicted to tech… Disaster.
Not only is the camp a screen-free snooze-fest, Will realises he has accidentally taken something of his brother’s that he must return urgently. And with no way of contacting him, Will and his three new friends plot to escape the camp in the middle of the night, and embark on a ridiculous journey through the woods.
The hapless heroes must make it back to civilisation in time to return Will’s smuggled cargo – and avoid being defeated by the great outdoors in the process…
Flat Stanley (Flat Stanley #1) by Jeff Brown
Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo
Forever Birchwood by Danielle Daniel
The middle-grade debut of star picture-book author and illustrator Danielle Daniel
Adventurous, trail-blazing Wolf lives in a northern mining town and spends her days exploring the mountains and wilderness with her three best friends Penny, Ann and Brandi. The girls’ secret refuge is their tree-house hideaway, Birchwood, Wolf’s favourite place on earth. When her beloved grandmother tells her that she is the great-granddaughter of a tree talker, Wolf knows that she is destined to protect the birch trees and wildlife that surround her.
But Wolf’s mother doesn’t understand this connection at all. Not only is she reluctant to engage with their family’s Indigenous roots, she seems suspiciously on the wrong side of the environmental protection efforts in their hometown. To make matters worse, she’s just started dating an annoying new boyfriend named Roger, whose motives—and construction company—seem equally suspect.
As summer arrives, so do bigger problems. Wolf and her friends discover orange plastic bands wrapped around the trees near their cherished hangout spot, and their once stable friendship seems on the verge of unravelling. Birchwood has given them so much—can they even stay together long enough to save this special place?
With gorgeous yet understated language, Danielle Daniel beautifully captures an urgent and aching time in a young person’s life. To read this astonishing middle-grade debut is to have your heart broken and then tenderly mended.
Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman
An absolute delight of a madcap story for the young (and young-at-heart) by New York Times bestselling author Neil Gaiman, with equal parts pirates and piranhas, adventure and aliens, oddity and love.
"I bought the milk," said my father. "I walked out of the corner shop, and heard a noise like this: t h u m m t h u m m. I looked up and saw a huge silver disc hovering in the air above Marshall Road."
"Hullo," I said to myself. "That's not something you see every day. And then something odd happened."
Find out just how odd things get in this hilarious story of time travel and breakfast cereal, expertly told by Newbery Medalist and bestselling author Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Skottie Young.
Grand Teton Stampede (Campground Kids: National Park Adventures #1) by C. R. Fulton
“STAMPEDE!” Isaiah yells as the herd heads straight at his and Ethan’s tent…
Twelve-year-old Isaiah Rawlings wished for only one thing this summer, a camping trip outside of Kentucky. I’m so tired of camping in my backyard, he groaned. Isaiah pleads with his parents to reconsider their usual summer trip to dusty old museums and big cities.
When his dad unexpectedly announces a trip to Grand Teton National Park, Isaiah is ecstatic! On the second night of camping, He wakes to a thunderous noise that grows louder and louder. The ground begins to tremble. Earthquake?! Isaiah scrambles from his tent…
When Isaiah, his cousin Ethan, and sister Sadie investigate the next morning, tracks lead them back to a broken fence. As they scan the surrounding area, something seems off…Why? More than one set of tracks lead into the park. Was this stampede accidental or is there more to the story?
Gregor the Overlander (Underland Chronicles #1) by Suzanne Collins
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again (Middle-earth Universe) by J.R.R. Tolkien
I Survived the American Revolution, 1776 (I Survived, #15) by Lauren Tarshis
Keeper of the Lost Cities (Keeper of the Lost Cities #1) by Shannon Messenger
Lincoln's Legacy (Blast to the Past #1) by Stacia Deutsch
Loki's Wolves (The Blackwell Pages #1) by K.L. Armstrong
Calling all fans of myths, action-adventure, and the Percy Jackson series - don't miss this first book in the Blackwell Pages trilogy from bestselling authors K.L. Armstrong and Melissa Marr.
While thirteen-year-old Matt Thorsen has always known he's a modern-day descendent of Thor, he's been living a normal kid's life. In fact, most people in the small town of Blackwell, South Dakota, are direct descendants of either Thor or Loki, including Matt's classmates Fen and Laurie Brekke. No big deal.
But now Ragnarok is coming, and it's up to the champions to fight in the place of the long-dead gods. Matt, Laurie, and Fen's lives will never be the same as they race to put together an unstoppable team, find Thor's hammer and shield, and prevent the end of the world.
In their middle grade debut, bestselling authors K.L. Armstrong and Melissa Marr begin the epic Blackwell Pages series with this action-packed adventure, filled with larger-than-life legends, gripping battles, and an engaging cast of characters who bring the myths to life.
Lost Treasure of the Emerald Eye (Geronimo Stilton #1) by Geronimo Stilton
March of the Mini Beasts (The DATA Set #1) by Ada Hopper
Danger! Action! Trouble! Adventure! Introducing The DATA Set, a brand-new chapter book series for young readers.
What would happen if your next-door neighbor were a mad scientist?
Gabe, Laura, and Cesar live on a quiet cul-de-sac. They are the whiz kids of Newtonburg Elementary and each specializes in their own subject. In fact, everyone in town lovingly refers to them as the Data Set. However, their quiet days of learning take a sudden turn for the exciting when they meet Dr. Gustav Bunsen—a mad scientist who throws the kids into a wild spiral of adventures.
When Dr. Bunsen’s latest invention, a growth ray, hits several tiny animal toys, the mini beasts don’t just grow, they come to life! The DATA Set love their new tiny pets…until they continue to grow. Now there’s an actual elephant in the room—not to mention a chimp, a giraffe, and a dinosaur. When the beasts wander off, it’s up to the DATA Set to track them down. But will they catch the mini beasts before they grow big enough to start trouble in town?
With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, The DATA Set chapter books are perfect for beginning readers!
Monster Mayhem by Christopher Eliopoulos
From the creator of Cosmic Commandos comes a funny, action-packed graphic novel adventure—when a science-obsessed girl finds herself in the middle of one of her favorite monster movies, can she invent her way out of disaster while also saving the monster who has become her friend?
Zoe's favorite thing to do—besides invent and build robots—is watch classic monster movies. She has never been comfortable with kids her own age, and so she pretends she doesn't need friends while inside she's longing for connection. And then one day, Zoe finds a mysterious ring on her way home from school. She puts it on, gives it a twist, and—FRZAAKK! There's a massive burst of light! The next morning, a familiar monster appears at Zoe's window. He's from one of her favorite kaiju movies, and he likes Zoe—he wants to be her friend. Has her secret wish been fulfilled? But it turns out that Zoe's ring has brought more than just this friendly monster to life. More monsters have arrived, and they are hungry! Now she'll need to reach out to other people to help her save her town from destruction. Good thing she's a robotics genius!
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
The Mysterious Benedict Society (The Mysterious Benedict Society #1)
by Trenton Lee Stewart
Peter and the Starcatchers (Peter and the Starcatchers #1) by Dave Barry
Best-selling authors Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson have turned back the clock and revealed a wonderful story that precedes J. M. Barrie's beloved Peter Pan.
In an evocative and fast-paced adventure on the high seas and on a faraway island, an orphan boy named Peter and his mysterious new friend, Molly, overcome bands of pirates and thieves in their quest to keep a fantastical secret safe and save the world from evil.
This riveting adventure takes listeners on a journey from a harsh orphanage in old England to a treacherous sea in a decrepit old tub. Aboard the Never Land is a trunk that holds a magical substance with the power to change the fate of the world - just a sprinkle and wounds heal; just a dusting and people can fly. Towering seas and a violent storm are the backdrop for battles at sea. Bone-crushing waves eventually land our characters on Mollusk Island - where the action really heats up.
Peter and the Starcatchers is brimming with richly developed characters, from the scary but somehow familiar Black Stache and the ferocious Mister Grin to the sweet but sophisticated Molly and the fearless Peter.
Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes (Peter Nimble #1) by Jonathan Auxier
Rapunzel and the Lost Lagoon (Tangled #1) by Leila Howland
The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart
The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger's Apprentice #1) by John Flanagan
Scouts by Shannon Greenland
The Serpent's Curse (The Copernicus Legacy #2) by Tony Abbott
Bestselling author Tony Abbott returns with the next full-length book in the Copernicus Legacy series, a globe-trotting adventure packed with more riddles, puzzles, and secret histories.
The hunt for Copernicus's first relic sent Wade, Darrell, Lily, and Becca to the far reaches of the world and put them in serious danger. But they never imagined Sara Kaplan—Darrell and Wade's mother—would be kidnapped by the conniving Galina Krause. Now they must race the evil Teutonic Order to find the Serpens relic and rescue Sara before it's too late.
Fans of Rick Riordan and Ridley Pearson will love this epic series, which is filled with suspense and action.
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts
Sky Raiders (Five Kingdoms #1) by Brandon Mull
Spy School (Spy School #1) by Stuart Gibbs
Story Thieves (Story Thieves #1) by James Riley
A Tale Dark & Grimm (A Tale Dark & Grimm #1) by Adam Gidwitz
The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread by Kate DiCamill
Timo the Adventurer (Timo the Adventurer #1) by Johnathon Garnier
Having read every book in his tiny village, young Timo decides it is time to leave home and become a hero. And while that is easier said than done, Timo is determined to succeed. When he rescues an enchanted beast named Broof, Timo gains a gruff and reluctant ally. But little does good-hearted Timo suspect that Broof’s mysterious past will bring complications to his journey.... An engaging hero, surprising plot twists, and a host of fantastical creatures keep readers turning the pages of this spell-binding fantasy.
The Wild Robot (The Wild Robot #1) by Peter Brown
Wall-E meets Hatchet in this New York Times bestselling illustrated middle grade novel from Caldecott Honor winner Peter Brown
Can a robot survive in the wilderness?
When robot Roz opens her eyes for the first time, she discovers that she is all alone on a remote, wild island. She has no idea how she got there or what her purpose is--but she knows she needs to survive. After battling a violent storm and escaping a vicious bear attack, she realizes that her only hope for survival is to adapt to her surroundings and learn from the island's unwelcoming animal inhabitants.
As Roz slowly befriends the animals, the island starts to feel like home--until, one day, the robot's mysterious past comes back to haunt her.
From bestselling and award-winning author and illustrator Peter Brown comes a heartwarming and action-packed novel about what happens when nature and technology collide.
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