Great Reads

"Reminiscent of Road Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory . . . a great read-aloud." -- Booklist Welcome to the most magical house in London. The family of eleven-year-old twins Oz and Lily have inherited it, together with the mysterious shop downstairs. Long ago, the shop's famous chocolate-makers, who also happen to be Oz and Lily's great uncles, were clever sorcerers. Now evil villians are hunting for the secret of their greatest recipe. The terrifying powers of this magic chocolate have the ability to destroy the world. Soon, Oz and Lily are swept into a thrilling battle, helped by an invisible cat, a talking rat, and the ghost of an elephant. It's up to them to stop the villians and keep the magical chocolate recipe out of harm's way. Their family and the world depends on it. From the Hardcover edition.

Lenny Norbeck is a die-hard baseball lover. Unfortunately, he's no player himself (according to him, he's "the worst there ever was.") But he'd make a heck of an announcer. He gets a lot of practice sitting with his best friends, Mike and Other Mike, watching Phillies games from their lawn couch--a sweet outdoor TV arrangement Mike's dad hooked them up with. Being a real announcer is his dream, and he gets his chance to prove himself when he enters an "Armchair Announcer" contest and wins. The prize: he gets to be the broadcaster, live, for one inning at a real Phillies game. The game goes very wrong, though. Before Lenny gets to do his inning, a young, promising pitcher fresh out of the minors literally drops dead on the mound. The official verdict is that he died of a heart attack, but Lenny has a hunch there's something more going on. So he and the Mikes set out to investigate. The suspects are many, and though the trio barks up the wrong tree a few times, they are always right on the heels of the real killer. . . .

Computers have failed, electricity is extinct, and the race to discover new lands is underway! Brilliant explorer Alexander West has just died under mysterious circumstances, but not before smuggling half of a strange map to his intrepid children-Kit the brain, M.K. the tinkerer, and Zander the brave. Why are so many government agents trying to steal the half-map? (And where is the other half?) It's up to Alexander's children-the Expeditioners-to get to the bottomof these questions, and fast.

A small-town boy hops a bus to New York City to crash an audition for E.T.: The Musical . Nate Foster has big dreams. His whole life, he's wanted to star in a Broadway show. (Heck, he'd settle for seeing a Broadway show.) But how is Nate supposed to make his dreams come true when he's stuck in Jankburg, Pennsylvania, where no one (except his best pal Libby) appreciates a good show tune? With Libby's help, Nate plans a daring overnight escape to New York. There's an open casting call for E.T.: The Musical , and Nate knows this could be the difference between small-town blues and big-time stardom. Tim Federle writes a warm and witty debut that's full of broken curfews, second chances, and the adventure of growing up--because sometimes you have to get four hundred miles from your backyard to finally feel at home.

Dad and Ben haven't been getting along recently and Dad hopes a road trip to rescue a border collie will help them reconnect. But Ben is on to Dad's plan and invites Ben's thuggish buddy, Theo. The family dog, Atticus, comes along too and the story is told by Ben and Atticus. When their truck breaks down, they commandeer an old school bus, along with its mechanic, Gus. Next, they pick up Mia, a waitress escaping a tense situation. Only sharp-eyed Atticus realizes that Theo is on the run--and someone is following them.

Fashion surrounds us…and some might even say overwhelms us. Whether it’s shopping for clothes or getting dressed in the morning, it’s easy to feel at odds with a world that seems to be all about appearances. But not only can fashion be fun, silly, impulsive, and even inexpensive – it can also be a really rewarding avenue of self-expression for everyone. By starting with the most basic formula (clothes + art = fashion), Learn To Speak Fashion strips away the anxiety and artifice to get to the heart of what makes clothing so much more than what we put on our bodies. The lessons within these pages range from understanding how to dress every part of the body and how to make your own pair of pants, to learning how to harness your design ideas with an inspiration board, or hold a fashion show in your backyard. Like the two previous Learn To Speak titles, Learn to Speak Fashion warmly welcomes both the clueless and the informed with telling anecdotes; surprising revelations; and clear, conversational language from Laura deCarufel, an author who has extensive experience reporting on fashion around the world. So whether the aim is just to look good or to pursue a career as a designer, reporter, or stylist, this book will speak to the fashionista in all of us.

At the Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls, you will definitely learn your lesson. A dark, timeless, and heartfelt novel for fans of Coraline and The Mysterious Benedict Society . Victoria hates nonsense. There is no need for it when your life is perfect. The only smudge on her pristine life is her best friend Lawrence. He is a disaster--lazy and dreamy, shirt always untucked, obsessed with his silly piano. Victoria often wonders why she ever bothered being his friend. (Lawrence does too.) But then Lawrence goes missing. And he's not the only one. Victoria soon discovers that The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls is not what it appears to be. Kids go in but come out…different. Or they don't' come out at all. If anyone can sort this out, it's Victoria--even if it means getting a little messy.

From a Newbery Medalist ("The Midwife's Apprentice") comes the adventures of a lovable rogue and vagabond in Elizabethan England.

When Edward Michael "Em" Goverton uncovers the key to a 500-year-old deadly prediction by the prophet Nostradamus, personal tragedy morphs into international crisis. Soon Em finds himself enmeshed in a sinister web of shocking events where nothing is quite as it seems.

The Dark Lord is confounded when he awakens in the middle of a small town on a planet he's never seen before. What is this strange place, why do they keep calling him Dirk Lloyd, and why is he powerless against these earthlings who insist on finding his parents? Could it be that Dirk Lloyd is really a human incarnation of the Dark Lord who, after a cataclysmic final battle with his arch nemesis, was hurled into the Pit of Uttermost Despair, aka Earth? Or is he just a lost and confused boy? The Dark Lord must regain his rightful place in the universe before his powers of domination and destruction are lost forever, and help comes from a most unlikely source . . . a human friend. Readers will delight in this wickedly humorous tale as the Dark Lord-theIncarnation of Evil, The World Burner-finds that even he might have a good side.

A talented teen athlete questions reality--and the role she plays in it--when a mysterious injury upends her world. Athletics are everything for eighth-grader KT Sutton. She's a softball star, and she's on track to get a college scholarship and achieve international fame. Then one day during a championship game--in the middle of an important play--she suddenly blacks out. When she wakes up, she's in a different world. One where school is class after class of athletic drills, and after-school sports are replaced by popular academic competitions. One where KT is despised for her talent, and where her parents are fixated on her brother's future mathletics career rather than KT's softball hopes. KT is desperate to get back to reality as she knew it, but bits and pieces of disturbing memories and dreams make her wonder if something truly awful happened there. What if she's lost something a lot more important than a softball game? From New York Times bestselling author of Sent and Sabtaged , an engaging and highly relevant exploration of society's debate of smarts versus sports.

It is 350 years after the events of The Five Ancestors. Phoenix Collns lives in Indiana with his grandfather who is teaching him kung fu. But Phoenix's real love is dirt-bike racing. When unsettling  events reveal that his grandfather is not only one of the legendary five Cangzhen monks, but also almost 400 years old, Phoenix must race the clock if he is going to keep his beloved ancestor alive. Traveling to China, he meets an intriguing young woman who is a talented biker and a terrific mechanic. She offers to help him, but can she be trusted?

When Mira receives a cryptic postcard from her missing mother, she sets off with her father and brother to find her in Paris. Only Mira doesn't know she's looking in the wrong century. With an innocent touch to a gargoyle sculpture on the roof of Notre Dame, Mira is whisked into the past. There she learns her mother isn't just avoiding the family, she's in serious trouble. Following her mother's clues, Mira travels through time tohelp change history and bring her mother home. 'Long after I finished this fast - paced and compelling novel, I thought about Mira. Would I be as determined in pursuit of truth and tolerance? Would you?' - Karen Cushman, Newberry Medal Winner

Newbery Honor winner Joan Bauer's new novel will touch your heart When twelve-year-old Sugar's grandfather dies and her gambling father takes off yet again, Sugar and her mother lose their home in Missouri. They head to Chicago for a fresh start, only to discover that fresh starts aren't so easy to come by for the homeless. Nevertheless, Sugar's mother has taught her to be grateful no matter what, so Sugar does her best. With the help of a rescue dog, Shush; a foster family; a supportive teacher; a love of poetry; and her own grace and good humor, Sugar comes to understand that while she can't control the hand life deals her, she can control how she responds.

The first book in a new series. Abigail and John, the Templeton twins, and their dog Cassie, foil a pair of inept kidnappers intent on stealing one of their father's newest inventions. Illustrations.

Don't get yourself noticed and you won't get yourself hanged. In the faery slums of Bath, Bartholomew Kettle and his sister Hettie live by these words. Bartholomew and Hettie are changelings?Peculiars'and neither faeries nor humans want anything to do with them. One day a mysterious lady in a plum-colored dress comes gliding down Old Crow Alley. Bartholomew watches her through his window. Who is she? What does she want? And when Bartholomew witnesses the lady whisking away, in a whirling ring of feathers, the boy who lives across the alley?Bartholomew forgets the rules and gets himself noticed. First he's noticed by the lady in plum herself, then by something darkly magical and mysterious, by Jack Box and the Raggedy Man, by the powerful Mr. Lickerish . . .and by Arthur Jelliby, a young man trying to slip through the world unnoticed, too, and who, against all odds, offers Bartholomew friendship and a way to belong. Part murder mystery, part gothic fantasy, part steampunk adventure, The Peculiar is Stefan Bachmann's riveting, inventive, and unforgettable debut novel.

Coming down from the mountain to a new life in the city is a thrill to Miri. She and her princess academy friends have been brought to Asland to help the future princess Britta prepare for her wedding. There, Miri also has a chance to attend school - at the Queen's Castle. But as Miri befriends students who seem sophisticated and exciting she also learns that they have some frightening plans. Torn between loyalty to the princess and her new friends' ideas, between an old love and a new crush, and between her small mountain home and the bustling city, Miri looks to find her own way in this new place. Picking up where Princess Academy left off, and celebrating the joys of friendship, romance and the fate of fairy tale kingdoms, this new book delivers the completely delightful new story that fans have been waiting for.

The dead of an Arctic winter. Whaling ships full of men, stranded in ice. Follow three rescuers in a race against time - and all odds - in this heartpounding true adventure. In 1897, whaling in the Arctic waters off Alaska's coast was as dangerous as it was lucrative. And in that particular year, winter blasted early, bringing storms and ice packs that caught eight American whale ships and three hundred sailors off guard. Their ships locked in ice, with no means of escape, the whalers had limited provisions on board, and little hope of surviving until warmer temperatures arrived many months later. Here is the incredible story of three men sent by President McKinley to rescue them. The mission? A perilous trek over 1,500 miles of nearly impassable Alaskan terrain, in the bone-chilling months of winter, to secure two herds of reindeer (for food) and find a way to guide them to the whalers before they starve. With the help of photographs and journal entries by one of the rescuers, Martin W. Sandler takes us on every step of their riveting journey, facing raging blizzards, killing cold, injured sled dogs, and setbacks to test the strongest of wills.

Due to an administrative mix-up, troublemaker Donovan Curtis is sent to the Academy of Scholastic Distinction, a special program for gifted and talented students, after pulling a major prank at middle school.

Just in time for the Olympics: A gymnastics novel to flip for! Joey Jordan loves gymnastics, but because she's a graceful gymnast in a sport that prizes muscle and power, she's never quite made it to that gold-medal stand. Now she's at a crossroads in her competitive career: Her parents are tired of the toll the sport enacts on their family. Her best friend, Alex, is thinking of quitting, and a cute boy named Tanner-whom Joey doesn't have time to see-makes a "normal" life sound awfully attractive. But then her coach suggests some exciting new routines that play to Joey's strengths as a gymnast, and as she finds the bravery to navigate all the other changes in her life, her gold-medal summer might happen at last. Drawing on her own experience as a competitive gymnast, acclaimed novelist Donna Freitas delivers both a terrific sports story and a classic middle-grade novel about stretching some limits, bending the rules, and finding your balance.

From the barefoot races of 8th century BC to the underwater obstacle courses in the early 20th century to the high-tension Berlin Games preceding World War II, the Olympics have always been exciting dramas of athletic prowess and human interest.  In A Passion for Victory , award-winning author Benson Bobrick tells the details of the captivating story of the Olympic Games, starting with their inception in Ancient Greece. This wonderfully readable narrative is rich with anecdotes and profiles of athletes and weaves in important historical events to create a complete picture of each installment of the Games. This thorough account of an international fixation is gripping, poignant, and occasionally hilarious.

A young girl, a winged horse, and a war of epic proportions make for an adventurous start to an exciting new trilogy. When Pegasus crashes onto a Manhattan roof during a terrible storm, Emily's life changes forever. Suddenly allied with a winged horse she'd always thought was mythical, Emily is thrust into the center of a fierce battle between the Roman gods and a terrifying race of multiarmed stone warriors called the Nirads. Emily must team up with a thief named Paelen, the goddess Diana, and a boy named Joel in order to return Pegasus to Olympus and rescue the gods from a certain death. Along the way, Emily and her companions will fight monsters, run from a government agency that is prepared to dissect Pegasus, and even fly above the Manhattan skyline--all as part of a quest to save Olympus before time runs out.

Seventeen-year-old Althea is the sole support of her entire family, and she must marry well. But there are few wealthy suitors--or suitors of any kind--in their small Yorkshire town of Lesser Hoo. Then, the young and attractive (and very rich) Lord Boring arrives, and Althea sets her plans in motion. There's only one problem; his friend and business manager Mr. Fredericks keeps getting in the way. And, as it turns out, Fredericks has his own set of plans . . . This witty take on the classic Regency--Patrice Kindl's first novel in a decade--is like literary champagne! "If you're a fan of I Capture the Castle you will love this sharply funny tale of courtship. A delicious confection." -- Polly Shulman, author of Enthusiasm "Take one Austenian heroine in desperate financial straits. Put her in a crumbling castle, give her two evil stepsisters and some very unsuitable suitors. Make it funny! Patrice Kindl's Keeping the Castle is an absolute charmer!" -- Karen Joy Fowler, author of The Jane Austen Book Club

Bestselling sportswriter and Edgar Award winner John Feinstein is back with another sports mystery featuring Stevie Thomas and Susan Carol Anderson--this one set at the summer Olympics in London. In this book, Susan Carol isn't a reporter--she's an Olympian, competing as a swimmer at her first Olympic games. Stevie is both proud and envious of her athletic prowess. And he's worried by the agents and sponsors and media all wanting to get up close and personal with Susan Carol. But the more disturbing question becomes--how far might they go to ensure that America's newest Olympic darling wins gold? Sports novels abound, but Feinstein's books are all stars. They combine sports action, high-stakes mysteries, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of big-time sporting events.

All set to spend their summer in New York City with their aunt while their father is honeymooning with his new wife, Lexi and her younger brother Kevin's snoozy summer plans turn into high-stakes adventure when Lexi overhears a plot to steal Cleopatra's famous jewels from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Joining forces with budding investigative journalist Kim Ling Levine, they ditch day camp to track down the thieves and rake in the reward money. Can Lexi, Kevin, and Kim find out who's behind the jewel heist without getting into too much trouble themselves?For fans of the classic From the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler comes a hilarious whodunnit that will keep readers guessing to the very end.

"In hisexciting debut novel, Jerel Law transports readers to a place wheresupernatural forces of good and evil collide. Young readers will be entertainedand inspired by Spirit Fighter . Iheartily recommend it." -Robert Whitlow, bestselling author of the Tides ofTruth series Percy Jackson, move over! Jonah Stone is here! What if Nephilim-the children of angels and men-still walked the earth? And their very presence put the entire world in danger? In Spirit Fighter , Jonah and Eliza Stone learn that their mother is a Nephilim and that they have special powers as quarter-angels. When their mom is kidnapped by fallen angels, they must use those powers to save her. Along the way, they discover that there is a very real and dangerous war going on between good and evil and that God has a big part for them to play in that war. Parents today are looking for fiction that makes Christianity and the Bible exciting for their kids. This series is the Christian answer to Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Kane Chronicles, The Secret Series and other middle-grade series packed with adventure, action, and supernatural fights. Son of Angels, Jonah Stone will be the first series in the market to explore this topic from a biblical perspective with content that is appropriate and exciting for middle-grade readers. "Jerel Law has crafted a fantasticstory that will leave every reader wanting more. Stop looking for the nextgreat read in fantasy fiction for young readers-you've found it!" -RobertLiparulo, bestselling author of Dreamhouse Kings and The 13th Tribe

Enter a wonderful world filled with real magic, mystery, and danger. As if being small and having S. Horten as his name isn't bad enough, now 10-year-old Stuart is forced to move far away from all his friends.But on his very first day in his new home, Stuart's swept up in an extraordinary adventure: the quest to find his great-uncle Tony--a famous magician who literally disappeared off the face of the earth--and Tony's marvelous, long-lost workshop. Along the way, Stuart reluctantly accepts help from the annoying triplets next door... and encounters trouble from another magician who's also desperate to get hold of Tony's treasures. A quirky, smart, charming page-turner, Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms will enchant young readers--as well as teachers, librarians, and parents.     Long-listed for the Carnegie Medal (2012) and the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize (2011)

The thrilling first book in a brand-new trilogy filled with danger, deceit, and hidden identities. Sage, an orphaned thief, is one of four boys chosen to participate in a lethal contest. After being plucked from the streets by a nobleman named Connor, Sage learns that Connor plans to choose one of the orphans to impersonate a long-lost prince in the hopes of averting a civil war.

Seven clever stories answer one simple question: what's in the box? Funny, fantastic, spooky, and suspenseful, each of these unique and beautifully illustrated short graphic works revolves around a central theme: a mysterious box and the marvels-or mayhem-inside. Artists include middle school favorites Kazu Kibuishi, Raina Telgemeier ( Smile ), and Dave Roman ( Astronaut Academy ), as well as Jason Caffoe, Stuart Livingston, Johane Matte, Rad Sechrist (all contributors to the groundbreaking comics anthology series Flight ), and upcoming artist Emily Carroll. Praise for Explorer: Mystery Boxes STARRED REVIEW "An outstanding out-of-the box anthology from renowned comics veteran Kibuishi. With eye-popping full-color art and palettes ranging from candy-colored to ethereal earth tones, this is both a visual feast for the eyes and a healthy helping of thought for the soul. Superb." -- Kirkus Reviews , starred review STARRED REVIEW "Coherent for all its variety, there will be something here for most readers." -- School Library Journal , starred review "This standout anthology will leave its audience with a fresh appetite for more from both the series and the individual contributors." -- The Horn Book "Award-winning comics creator and editor of the celebrated Flight anthologies, Kibuishi offers yet another great anthology geared toward middle-school readers. Always clever and never boring, these diverse stories run the gamut from creepy to sarcastic to witty to cute to Zen to wacky to thoughtful. While the pieces feature different artists and styles, each one is complete and so well composed that the transitions from one to another do not seem jarring or out of place. A great introductory title for young or struggling middleschool readers starting to explore the world of graphic novels." -- Booklist

The life of crime is good.Mac has taken down legendary high school crime boss Staples, business has been booming, and Mac and Vince are getting ready for middle school baseball tryouts. But this can't last. Mac has always tried to keep his friends close and his enemies closer. But what happens when you can't tell the difference? This dilemma walks into the fourth stall in the form of Trixie Von Parkway'an eighth grader with a mean look and an even meaner predicament. The new science teacher is terrorizing her, and she needs Mac to get him off her back. Seems simple enough, but as Mac starts to dig deeper, he finds even more trouble brewing at his school, including a new administrator bent on destroying his business, and indications that Trixie isn't who she claims to be. In the past, the worst thing that could have happened to Mac was that he might lose a little money, maybe catch a beating. In The Fourth Stall Part II , though, there's going to be much more on the line than that.

Fifty years ago, Madeleine L'Engle introduced the world to A Wrinkle in Time and the wonderful and unforgettable characters Meg and Charles Wallace Murry, and their friend Calvin O'Keefe. When the children learn that Mr. Murry has been captured by the Dark Thing, they time travel to Camazotz, where they must face the leader IT in the ultimate battle between good and evil--a journey that threatens their lives and our universe. A Newbery Award winner, A Wrinkle in Time is an iconic novel that continues to inspire millions of fans around the world. This special edition has been redesigned and includes an introduction by Katherine Paterson, an afterword by Madeleine L'Engle's granddaughter Charlotte Jones Voiklis that includes photographs and memorabilia, the author's Newbery Medal acceptance speech, and other bonus materials.

Listen -- can you hear it? The explosive sequel to THE ROAR! From a whisper...to a scream! Telepathic twins Mika and Ellie at last are reunited. But if they're ever to free the brainwashed, microchipped child soldiers, they must pretend to play along with the tyrant Mal Gorman's maniacal plan, even as they mind-read his every evil thought. Members of an elite squadron of mutants, the brother and sister have specialized skills that will enable them to steal the top-secret formula for an age-reversing drug developed by rebel scientists on the wild side of The Wall. Juiced by these potent pills, the cadaver-like Gorman foresees a future in which he'll be forever young - released from the machinery that now supports him. Unless, that is, Ellie and Mika have a master plan of their own: to bring the all-powerful Gorman to his knees, and face-to-face with his greatest fear.

A story about a wounded girl and the boy who won't give up on her. 7th grader Louise should be the captain of her school's gymnastics team - but she isn't. She's fun and cute and should have lots of friends - but she doesn't. And there's a dreamy boy who has a crush on her - but somehow they never connect. Louise has everything going for her - so what is it that's holding her back? Phoebe Stone tells the winning story of the spring when 7th grader Louise Terrace wakes up, finds the courage to confront the painful family secret she's hiding from - and finally get the boy.

Everyone is obsessed with Unison, the social network that knows you better than you know yourself. Everyone who can afford it, that is. Living beneath the vast ceiling that separates Eastern Seaboard City into rich topside and poor subcanopy zones, fifteen-year-old Mistletoe can only dream of logging in and has to make do with technological hand-me-downs. Worlds collide when Ambrose Truax, the privileged heir to the Unison empire, wanders into the dangerous subcanopy streets and Mistletoe saves him from suspicious, uniformed men. They soon discover that they share eerily similar dreams, hinting at a significant past. Together, Ambrose and Mistletoe begin to unravel the mystery of their identities and learn that they're pawns in a bigger game: the Unison 3.0 upgrade, a whole new kind of friendship.

1968, THE YEAR AMERICA GREW UP From racial and gender equality fights to the struggle against the draft and the Vietnam war, in 1968 Americans asked questions and fought for their rights. Now, 30 years later, we look back on that seminal year--from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assasination to the Columbia University riots to our changing role among other nations--in this gripping introduction to the events home and abroad. The year we first took steps in space, the year we shaped the present, 1968 presented by a former New York Times writer who lived through it all, shares the story with detail and passion.

At first Tally doesn?t want to go to the boarding school called Delderton. But she soon discovers that it is a wonderful place where freedom and selfexpression are valued. Tally organizes a ragtag dance troupe so the school can participate in an international folk dancing festival in Bergania in the summer of 1939. There she befriends Karil, the crown prince, who would love nothing more than to have ordinary friends and attend a school like Delderton. When Karil?s father is assassinated, it is up to Tally and her friends to help Karil escape the Nazis and the bleak future he has inherited.

Edwin Booth and his younger brother John Wilkes Booth were, in many ways, two of a kind. They were among America's finest actors, having inherited their father's commanding stage presence along with his penchant for alcohol and impulsive behavior. In other respects, the two brothers were very different. Edwin was more introspective, while John was known for his passionate intensity. They stood at opposite poles politically, as well: Edwin voted for Abraham Lincoln; John was an ardent advocate of the Confederacy. Award-winning author James Cross Giblin draws on first-hand accounts of family members, friends, and colleagues to create vivid images of Edwin Booth and his brother John Wilkes, best known today as the man who shot Abraham Lincoln. He traces the events leading up to the assassination and describes the effects of John Wilkes's infamous deed on himself, his family, and his country. Comprehensive and compelling, this dual portrait illuminates a dark and tragic moment in the nation's history and explores the complex legacy of two leading men-one revered, the other abhorred. Notes, bibliography, index.

Immediately compelling and action-packed, this carefully researched work of historical fiction introduces young readers to the childhood of the famous yet elusive Beryl Markham, the first person to fly solo from England to North America. As in her debut novel, Prisoners in the Palace , MacColl propels readers into a multilayered story with an unforgettable heroine and evocative language that brings the backdrop of colonial British East Africa to life. A fascinating read for anyone with a thirst for adventure.

A high-tension, high-tech thriller with an African setting. Jake and his sister, Kas, whose father is the British ambassador to Burkina Faso, are abducted, bundled into a van, and driven into the unknown. In smartphone contact with his father, Jake learns that the kidnapper with the spider web tattoo is the remorseless outlaw Yakuuba Sor, who is connected to an international terrorist organization. But is he the real Yakuuba Sor? And is Sor really a dangerous criminal? In this fast-paced tale laced with trickery and murder, Jake and Kas discover that with the corrupt local government and British Intelligence arrayed against them, survival in the African desert may be the least of their problems. Includes an afterword.

Upon receiving a special dog from her father, Opal's life greatly changes as the magic of his presence causes old pains to heal and new friendships to form.

When his plan for a lazy summer is disrupted by his former athlete father and his energetic beagle, 12-year-old Kevin reluctantly signs up for football camp and devises a way to team up with his faithful canine.

Historical Fantasy. In this "awesome" (Fuse #8) novel set in an alternate version of early-20th-century New York City, people practice magic in secret and Inquisitors investigate magical crimes and attempt to stamp out enchantment. When his ability to see spells being cast is discovered, young Sacha Kessler becomes the apprentice of the New York Police Department's star Inquisitor, Maximilian Wolf -- and his career as a detective begins with the case of the attempted murder of Thomas Edison. This sophisticated mystery brings both New York and the period to life and features other historical figures as well, making it a good bet for fans of Scott Mebus' Gods of Manhattan.

Adventure. Last heard from in We Are Not Eaten by Yaks, twins and reality-television junkies Oliver and Celia Navel are -- much to their dismay -- off adventuring again in this exciting and frequently ridiculous sequel. Traveling from the ruins of ancient temples to the shadowy forests of the Amazon, Celia and Oliver ride a llama, race rapids, fly an airplane, and learn the proper etiquette for a cannibal feast before all is said and done. Blending mystery and adventure with silliness and attitude, this 2nd Accidental Adventure is a blast!