Light Hardcover (1 lb or less)

Illinois

When Kat and her father and brother visit the Mollie Kathleen, an old gold mine now open for tours by the busload, Kat gets lost from the group and falls down a shaft, where she discovers an awe-inspiring world of fantasy come to life. She meets an ancient dragon--the last of his kind--and discovers a secret about the gold that litters the creature's den and why dragons throughout time have hoarded the sparkling treasure. 

The dragon helps Kat escape the endless caverns, but not before Kat greedily takes a piece of gold for herself. Feeling guilty, Kat decides to return it, but before she can do this she drops it in front of a group of visitors, and a media frenzy ensues. Soon the mining town is filled with gold seekers. In order to save the dragon and his gold, Kat and her brother must venture back into the mine to warn him. But will they get there in time? 

This fast-paced, beautifully told modern fantasy tale by children's book illustrator Troy Howell will keep readers spellbound.

Praise for The Dragon of Cripple Creek
"Writing in Kat's first-person narrative, which is wry and funny, clipped and eloquent, Howell, best known as an illustrator, mixes fantasy adventure with a moving conservation story in a debut that blends sadness, secrecy, and pure fun." -Booklist

The Dragon of Cripple Creek

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#hardcover #youngadultfiction #children #kidlit #middlegrade #eccentrics #family #friendship #explorers #adventure 

Hardcover (1 to 2 lbs)

Oregon

Have you ever wanted to hold a little piece of the impossible? Lavishly illustrated in full color, The Doldrums is an extraordinary debut about friendship, imagination, and the yearning for adventure from author-artist Nicholas Gannon. A modern classic in the making, The Doldrums is for readers of inventive and timeless authors such as Brian Selznick and Lemony Snicket. Archer B. Helmsley wants an adventure. No, he needs an adventure. His grandparents were famous explorers . . . until they got stuck on an iceberg. Now Archer's mother barely lets him out of the house. As if that would stop a true Helmsley. Archer enlists Adelaide—the girl who, according to rumor, lost her leg to a crocodile—and Oliver—the boy next door—to help him rescue his grandparents. The Doldrums whisks us off on an adventure full of sly humor, incredible detail, and enormous heart. With approximately twenty pieces of breathtaking full-color artwork, as well as black-and-white spot illustrations, and gorgeous, literary writing, Nicholas Gannon proves himself to be a distinctive new voice with his middle grade debut. Be in it for the limitless imagination. For the characters who capture your heart. For the rich world you'll want to settle into. But most of all, be in it for the friendship. That, after all, is the true adventure.

The Doldrums

b60e1926-cfdb-451f-9d55-f950cc1e6957-1

Texas

With Related Readings

Dragonwings

Tom Angleberger

Michigan

An Origami Yoda Book

Harvey, upset when his Darth Paper finger puppet brings humiliation, gets Dwight suspended, but Origami Yoda asks Tommy and Kellan, now in seventh grade, to make a new casefile to persuade the School Board to reinstate Dwight.

♻️ Darth Paper Strikes Back

71cd1963-0b6a-4518-951e-b24635dffc4f-1

Stacy McAnulty

Alabama

The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl

9f4fd9a6-1ec8-4447-b7dd-994ce127dddd-1

Trenton Lee Stewart

A heart-pounding mystery adventure laced with magic and humor by the author of the New York Times bestselling series, The Mysterious Benedict Society A magical watch A string of secretsA race against time When Reuben discovers an extraordinary antique watch, he soon learns it has a secret power and his life takes an intriguing turn. At first he is thrilled with his new treasure, but as one secret leads to another, Reuben finds himself torn between his innately honest nature and the lure to be a hero. Now he is on a dangerous adventure--full of curious characters, treacherous traps, and hairsbreadth escapes--as he races to solve the mystery before it is too late. Even with fearless Penny, mighty Jack, and the wise Mrs. Genevieve on his side, can Reuben outwit and outmaneuver the sly villain called The Smoke and his devious defenders the Directions and save the city from a terrible fate? In this ingeniously crafted novel, acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Trenton Lee Stewart invites readers to join the adventure, decipher the clues, and ask themselves the question: Is knowing a secret a gift or a curse?

The Secret Keepers

37c82304-05c7-4f8b-90a3-276b5b213515-1

James Patterson

Chris Grabenstein

Finn McAllister was a normal middle school nerd--now he's a ghost with a big mystery to solve.



One minute, Finn was biking home from school, and the next, he was run off the road by a maniac in a big van. Now, he's a ghost. He can do lots of fun things, like try every ice cream flavor in the store, sneak up on people, and play as many video games as he wants. Finn even has a new ghost friend, Isabella, to show him the ropes. But he also has a lot of BIG questions, like: who wanted him dead? And can he stop the maniac from striking again? 



Packed with hilarious moments, epic friendships, and fun art, Best Nerds Forever celebrates the nerd in each of us and the joy of living life to its fullest. 

Best Nerds Forever

a2781a7e-408c-40b5-a7af-7d5933e2df80-1

J. C. Cervantes

Missouri

A contemporary adventure based on Maya mythology from Rick Riordan Presents! Zane has always enjoyed exploring the dormant volcano near his home in New Mexico, even though hiking it is challenging. He'd much rather hang out there with his dog, Rosie, than go to middle school, where kids call him Sir Limps a Lot, McGimpster, or Uno--for his one good leg. What Zane doesn't know is that the volcano is a gateway to another world and he is at the center of a powerful prophecy. A new girl at school, Brooks, informs him that he's destined to release an evil god from the ancient Maya relic he is imprisoned in--unless she can find and remove it first. Together they return to the volcano, where all kinds of crazy happens. Brooks turns into a hawk, a demon attacks them in a cave, and Rosie gives her all while trying to protect Zane. When Zane decides to save his dog no matter the cost, he is thrust into an adventure full of surprising discoveries, dangerous secrets, and an all-out war between the gods, one of whom happens to be his father. To survive, Zane will have to become the Storm Runner. But how can he run when he can't even walk well without a cane?

The Storm Runner (a Storm Runner Novel, Book 1)

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Mandy Gonzalez

Pennsylvania

"Will hit all the high notes for theater and mystery fans alike." --Kirkus Reviews

Better Nate than Ever meets Love Sugar Magic in this spooky middle grade novel from Hamilton and Broadway star Mandy Gonzalez about a group of young thespians who must face the ghost haunting their theater.

Twelve-year-old Monica Garcia has arrived in NYC with her grandmother and a few suitcases to live her dream on Broadway. She's been chosen as understudy to the star of Our Time, the famed Ethel Merman Theater's last chance to produce a hit before it shutters its doors for good. Along with her fellow castmates--a.k.a. "the squad"--Monica has a big and very personal reason to want this show to succeed.

But rumors of a long-running curse plague the theater. And when strange and terrible things start to threaten their hopes for a successful opening night, Monica and the rest of the squad must figure out how to reverse the curse before their big Broadway debuts.

With the help of her new friends, her family, and a little magic, can Monica help save the show--and save their dreams? From Broadway and television star Mandy Gonzalez comes a story about what it means to dream, be yourself, and be fearless.

Fearless

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Felix Salten

Paul R. Milton

Sanford Jerome Greenburger

The forest is a whole different world…Felix Salten’s classic story of wild and tame animals coming together is brought vividly to life in this refreshed edition, ideal for collecting.

To the animals of Lodge Farm, the woods are a forbidden place filled with danger and uncertainty. For the wild animals in the forest, the farm is just as frightening, because Man lives there. The two worlds are next to one another, but couldn’t be further apart.

When the groups, tame and wild, begin to interact, each begins to question how life would be different on the other side. Manni the donkey ventures into the forest for an adventure, while a doe and her two fawns seek the safety of the barn when poachers threaten them in the woods. Will the animals choose to stay in their new lives? Or will the call of home be too great?

Indiana

A refreshed edition designed to appeal to collectors follows the classic story of the tentative interactions between domesticated animals at Lodge Farm and the wary woodland creatures from an adjoining forest whose existence is threatened by poachers. By the acclaimed Austrian critic and author of Bambi. Simultaneous.

A Forest World

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Melissa de la Cruz

In the prequel novel to the hotly anticipated Disney+ series HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL: THE MUSICAL, fans will get a glimpse into Nini's transformative summer at drama camp where she meets cute new boy E.J. and scores the lead in the camp's production

High School Musical: the Musical: the Series: the Road Trip

94ed1528-f308-4013-a723-fd0d76a06fa5-1

Amie Kaufman

Tensions are at an all-time high in the final book of this rip-roaring adventure series about siblings with magical shapeshifter powers, from New York Times bestselling author Amie Kaufman.

Though Anders and his friends have delayed a war between ice wolves and scorch dragons, their mission is far from over. With adults on both sides looking for them, they've sought refuge in Cloudhaven, a forbidden stronghold that could hold the key to saving their home.

Meanwhile, Holbard has been ravaged, and its citizens are reeling. Many have been forced into bleak camps outside the city, and food is running short.

To rebuild Vallen and unite scorch dragons, ice wolves, and humans, Anders and Rayna must put everything on the line...before the damage done is beyond repair. But the price of peace may hit closer to home than they could've ever imagined.

Elementals: Battle Born

61fbf5e6-f4af-453b-b979-29e41cbae59f-1

Margaret Peterson Haddix

New York

The missing: book 4 

Time travelers Jonah and Katherine arrive in 1611 to rescue missing child John Hudson, son of the explorer Henry Hudson, but just as the mutiny on the Discovery is supposed to start, Jonah and Katherine's knowledge of history is tested once again, and they fear that more is at stake than just one boy's life. Author's note includes facts about Henry Hudson's explorations.

Torn

88475305-cc26-40c3-a451-3f78827ca345-1

#hardcover #fiction #shortstorycollection #classic #shiloh #childrens #middlegrade

Minnesota

When he finds a lost beagle in the hills behind his West Virginia home, Marty tries to hide it from his family and the dog's real owner, a mean-spirited man known to shoot deer out of season and to mistreat his dogs.

Gle Lit Shiloh Related Gr

3071ee23-3ca2-4a43-8eca-12b96583db51-1

#paperback #juvenilefiction #youngadult #contemporary #family #middlegrade #fiction #oldARC

California

Delsie loves tracking the weather, living with her grandmother, and the support of friends and neighbors, but misses having a "regular family," especially after her best friend outgrows her.

Shouting at the Rain

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Delaware

The sequel to the New York Times bestselling House of Secrets—hailed by J. K. Rowling as "a breakneck, jam-packed roller coaster of an adventure"—this second installment by Hollywood director Chris Columbus (of Harry Potter fame) and bestselling author Ned Vizzini (It's Kind of a Funny Story) is full of even more explosive twists and turns. Since the siblings' last adventure, life in the Walker household is much improved—the family is rich and the Wind Witch is banished. But no Walker will be safe until she is found. Summoning her to San Francisco brings all the danger that comes with her, and puts the Walkers in the crosshairs of a mysterious journey through Denver Kristoff's books. As the Walkers travel from ancient Rome to World War II to Tibet, they are tested in ways that cut deeper than before—by Denver Kristoff, the Wind Witch, and one another. Fantasy fiction fans who enjoy Rick Riordan will find much to love in this thrilling and action-packed novel.

House of Secrets: Battle of the Beasts

7bccaad7-1a29-4775-b227-75936cc30b29-1

Julie Murphy

Dear Sweet Pea

ee62bc85-7528-4389-b51d-8b6be5869b1c-1

#hardcover #middlegrade #middlegradefiction #newrelease

Maryland

It started as a joke--but it's not funny anymore.

Even though Ezra's got good friends and can make everyone laugh, he feels like he's invisible, both at home and at school. To make things worse, he's the only kid in his group without a phone--left out of plans and shared jokes and games. Finally, at the end of fifth grade, his parents come through.

The phone changes everything. Ezra texts his friends all the time, can instantly keep up with his favorite teams, and boredom is a memory. Best of all, the funny pictures he's posting on social media are getting a lot of attention. Other kids--including the popular kids--are noticing him for the first time.

Then he takes a photo that pushes things over the edge, and suddenly he's in the principal's office with his parents ...

Amy Feldman's debut is smart, laugh-out-loud funny, fast-moving--a great read that also takes on the very serious subject of kids and phone use. Middle-grade readers will recognize Ezra as one of their own, and the author's light touch allows her to address an issue parents might not recognize, but kids need to be aware of. Ezra Exposed is just right for fans of Gordon Korman, Tom Angleberger, and Rebecca Stead.

Educator's Guide is available here: https://s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/www.blackstoneaudio.com/Educator_Guide_Ezra_Exposed.pdf

Ezra Exposed

213b1a42-913c-4c23-8b1d-3ceb16d4a8f1-1

Taran Matharu

New Jersey

Summoner Book 3

While Fletcher and his friends undertake a mortally dangerous quest in the ether, albino orc Khan is on a mission to destroy Hominum and all that Fletcher loves.

The Battlemage

fb429a74-ceff-400b-8387-3160fac6684e-1

Deborah Kent

Reinforced school/library binding. Some slight shelf wear marks on cover. Bought new for school library, never used. 

Ohio

Social Studies

Describes the geography, plants, animals, history, economy, religions, culture, sports, arts, and people of Tennessee.

Tennessee

cdf776c4-856f-433a-8536-12bf0c14d790-0

#hardcover #ya #fiction #middlegrade #mystery #lgbt #family #contemporary 

West Virginia

Once upon a time, two couples with Jamaican, Native American, Indian, and Scottish ethnic roots won the lottery and bought a big house where all of them, four adults and seven adopted and biological children, could live together in harmony--but change is inevitable, especially when a disagreeable grandfather comes to stay.

The Lotterys Plus One

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Artemis Fowl the Opal Deception

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"I would say it's a pleasure to meet thee, Prosperity Oceanus Redding, but truly, I only anticipate the delights of destroying thy happiness ." Prosper is the only unexceptional Redding in his old and storied family history-that is, until he discovers the demon living inside him. Turns out Prosper's great-great-great-great-great-something grandfather made-and then broke-a contract with a malefactor, a demon who exchanges fortune for eternal servitude. And, weirdly enough, four-thousand-year-old Alastor isn't exactly the forgiving type. The fiend has reawakened with one purpose--to destroy the family whose success he ensured and who then betrayed him. With only days to break the curse and banish Alastor back to the demon realm, Prosper is playing unwilling host to the fiend, who delights in tormenting him with nasty insults and constant attempts trick him into a contract. Yeah, Prosper will take his exorcism without a side of eternal servitude, thanks. Little does Prosper know, the malefactor's control over his body grows stronger with each passing night and there's a lot Alastor isn't telling his dim-witted (but admittedly strong-willed) human host From #1 New York Times best-selling author Alexandra Bracken comes a tale of betrayal and revenge, of old hurts passed down from generation to generation. Can you ever fully right a wrong, ever truly escape your history? Or will Prosper and Alastor be doomed to repeat it?

The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding (a Prosper Redding Book, Book 1)

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There are two files on Sahara Jones. The one the school counselor keeps is evidence that she's a fifth-grader who needs special education. The other is the book Sahara is secretly writing, her Heart-Wrenching Life Story and Amazing Adventures. The latest chapter in her book unfolds when her mother insists that she be taken out of special Ed. So Sahara is facing fifth grade in the regular classroom, again. But why even try to do the work, Sahara wonders, if everything just winds up in the counselor's file? Enter Miss Pointy, the new fifth-grade teacher. With her eggplant-colored lipstick, and strange subjects such as "Puzzling" and "Time Travel," she's like no other teacher Sahara has ever known. Through Miss Pointy's unusual teaching, storytelling, and quiet support, Sahara finds the courage to overcome her fears and prove which file shows her true self.

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Troy Howell