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September 2008
September’s roundup of Cool New Books includes The 39 Clues, an exciting series from Scholastic consisting of 10 books, 350 trading cards and an online game where readers play a part in the story and compete for over $100,000 in prizes; INKDEATH, the conclusion to Cornelia Funke's Inkheart trilogy; A GIANT PROBLEM, the second installment in Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black’s Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles; STARGAZER, the sequel to Patrick Carman’s Land of Elyon trilogy and a continuation of Alexa Daley’s heroic adventures after a tragic attack by an evil force; THE CASE OF THE PECULIAR PINK FAN, the latest Enola Holmes mystery from Edgar Award-winning author Nancy Springer; and THE GRAVEYARD BOOK by Neil Gaiman, a chilling tale about an unusual boy who is the only living resident of a graveyard.
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Stand-Alone Chapter Books/Middle Grade Titles
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THE GRAVEYARD BOOK
Neil Gaiman
HarperCollins
ISBN: 9780060530921
Ages 10-up
320 pages
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Bod is an unusual boy who inhabits an unusual place --- he's the only living resident of a graveyard. Raised from infancy by the ghosts, werewolves and other cemetery denizens, Bod has learned the antiquated customs of his guardians' time as well as their timely ghostly teachings --- like the ability to Fade. Can a boy raised by ghosts face the wonders and terrors of the worlds of both the living and the dead? And then there are things like ghouls that aren't really one thing or the other.
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THE HUNT FOR THE SEVENTH
Christine Morton-Shaw
Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins
ISBN: 9780060728229
Ages 10-up
288 pages
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With every step he takes around the carefully manicured grounds of Minerva Hall, Jim is haunted by the ghosts of children, long dead, whom no one else can see. Urging him to "find the Seventh," the children leave him cryptic clues pointing to a devastating ancient prophecy that only he can stop from being fulfilled.
Jim befriends Einstein, an autistic and incredibly smart boy who lives at the Hall. If anyone can help Jim find the Seventh, perhaps he can. At the same time, the dead children seem to be leaving Jim some sort of macabre treasure trail.
If Jim doesn't figure out the clues, innocent people will die. But how can he find the answers while the dangers of the Hall grow ever more threatening? And even if he can, is he already too late?
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MASTERPIECE
written by Elise Broach
illustrated by Kelly Murphy
Henry Holt Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 9780805082708
Ages 8-13
304 pages
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Marvin lives with his family under the kitchen sink in the Pompadays’ apartment. He is very much a beetle. James Pompaday lives with his family in New York City. He is very much an 11-year-old boy. After James gets a pen-and-ink set for his birthday, Marvin surprises him by creating an elaborate miniature drawing. James gets all the credit for the picture, and before these unlikely friends know it, they are caught up in a staged art heist at the Metropolitan Museum of Art that could help recover a famous drawing by Albrecht Dürer. But James can’t go through with the plan without Marvin’s help. And that’s where things get really complicated (and interesting!).
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THE MAYFLOWER AND THE PILGRIMS' NEW WORLD
Nathaniel Philbrick
Putnam Juvenile
ISBN: 9780399247958
Ages 9-11
352 pages
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Nathaniel Philbrick evokes the drama of the voyage of the Mayflower and the eerie emptiness of coastal Massachusetts that greeted the Pilgrims. He tells how the settlers were able to gain the friendship of many powerful Native American leaders, including the charismatic Massasoit, and how they worked together to maintain peace. But the promise of the First Thanksgiving was broken with the next generation of leaders. Fifty-six years after the Mayflower’s landing, a horrifying conflict, known today as King Philip’s war, nearly wiped out the colonists and Natives alike, and forever altered the new country.
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MY ONE HUNDRED ADVENTURES
Polly Horvath
Schwartz & Wade Books/Random House
ISBN: 9780375845826
Ages 8-12
272 pages
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Jane is 12 years old, and she is ready for adventures, to move beyond the world of her siblings and single mother and their house by the sea, and step into the “know-not what.” And, over the summer, adventures do seem to find Jane, whether it’s a thrilling ride in a hot-air balloon, the appearances of a slew of possible fathers, or a weird new friendship with a preacher and psychic wannabe. Most important, there’s Jane’s discovery of what lies at the heart of all great adventures: that it’s not what happens to you that matters, but what you learn about yourself.
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OUR WHITE HOUSE: LOOKING IN, LOOKING OUT
created by 108 renowned authors and illustrators,
and the National Children's Book and Literary Alliance,
with an introduction by David McCullough
Candlewick Press
ISBN: 9780763620677
Ages 10-up
256 pages
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Conceived and co-created by the National Children's Book and Literary Alliance, this collection of essays, personal accounts, historical fiction and poetry melds with original art to offer a multifaceted look at America's history through the prism of the White House.
Starting with a 1792 call for designers to plan a presidential mansion and continuing through the present day, OUR WHITE HOUSE takes in everything from the amusing antics of presidents' children and pets to the drama of the White House ablaze and the specter of war; from the role of immigrants, African Americans and Native Americans to the thoughts and actions of many presidents themselves.
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TRACKING DADDY DOWN
Marybeth Kelsey
Greenwillow Books
ISBN: 9780061288425
Ages 8-12
304 pages
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When Billie Wisher’s daddy robs a bank in the next town over and goes into hiding, Billie sets out to track him down. After all, despite his shortcomings (and the fact that she is probably better off with Mama and her new stepdad), Billie has always loved him, and she always will. The problem is, in Myron, Indiana, everyone knows everyone else’s business, and it’s hard to stay one step ahead of the law (not to mention the neighbors) when you are just 10 years old.
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Series Books/Sequels
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The 39 Clues
THE 39 CLUES, Book One: The Maze of Bones
Rick Riordan
Scholastic Press
ISBN: 9780545060394
Ages 9-12
224 pages
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Grace is the last matriarch of the Cahills, the world's most powerful family. Everyone from Napoleon to Houdini is related to the Cahills, yet the source of the family power is lost. Thirty-nine clues hidden around the world will reveal the family's secret, but no one has been able to assemble them. Now the clues race is on, and young Amy and Dan must decide what's important: hunting clues or uncovering what REALLY happened to their parents.
The 39 Clues is Scholastic's groundbreaking new series, spanning 10 adrenaline-charged books, 350 trading cards, and an online game where readers play a part in the story and compete for over $100,000 in prizes.
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Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles
A GIANT PROBLEM: Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 2
Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 9780689871320
Ages 7-10
176 pages
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After surviving their first giant attack with the help of a singing nixie, Nick and Laurie have their work cut out for them as even more giants awaken and threaten not only their home but all of Florida! Taking care of the problem would be so much easier if Laurie stopped trying to make the new creatures they encounter her pets, but at least they find help in giant hunter Noseeum Jack; Nick’s skeptical older brother, Jules; and even some singing mermaids (who may or may not be trusted). The more Arthur Spiderwick’s Field Guide comes to life, the more Nick realizes it’s time to stop playing video games and start taking chances.
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Darkside
LIFEBLOOD: Darkside #2
Tom Becker
Orchard Books/Scholastic
ISBN: 9780545037426
Ages 9-12
288 pages
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A series of unexplained murders on the Darkside of London has Jonathan tangled up in another dangerous mystery. With the help of his ally, private detective (and werewolf) Elias Carnegie, the pair discover that Jonathan's mother was investigating similar murders before she vanished. Jonathan becomes obsessed with solving the crimes and finding his mother. Meanwhile, the Ripper family is involved in a deadly scandal that goes right to the heart of Darkside society and they're watching Jonathan. In his desperation, can Jonathan solve the murders and locate his mother before the Rippers find him?
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The Enola Holmes Mysteries
THE CASE OF THE PECULIAR PINK FAN: An Enola Holmes Mystery
Nancy Springer
Philomel Books
ISBN: 9780399247804
Ages 8-12
192 pages
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When Enola Holmes encounters her friend Lady Cecily hiding behind a pink fan, she finds it peculiar. In fact, she realizes Cecily is in danger. But what, exactly, is the matter? And how can Enola help? After examining the clues, Enola discovers that Lady Cecily is being held hostage in an abysmal orphanage, and if she isn’t rescued, she’ll be forced into a miserable marriage.
This complicated case has Sherlock and Enola (literally) running into each other all over London. If Enola joins forces with the brother she has fought desperately to elude, she risks her freedom. But if she doesn’t, Lady Cecily could be doomed!
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Inkheart Trilogy
INKDEATH
Cornelia Funke
The Chicken House/Scholastic
ISBN: 9780439866286
Ages 9-12
656 pages
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The Adderhead --- his immortality bound in a book by Meggie's father, Mo --- has ordered his henchmen to plunder the villages. The peasants' only defense is a band of outlaws led by the Bluejay --- Mo's fictitious double, whose identity he has reluctantly adopted. But the Book of Immortality is unraveling, and the Adderhead again fears the White Women of Death. To bring the renegade Bluejay back to repair the book, the Adderhead kidnaps all the children in the kingdom, dooming them to slavery in his silver mines unless Mo surrenders. First Dustfinger, now Mo: Can anyone save this cursed story?
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The Land of Elyon
STARGAZER: The Land of Elyon, Book 4
Patrick Carman
Scholastic Press
ISBN: 9780439899512
Ages 9-12
288 pages
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When we last saw Alexa Daley, she had defeated a threat in her homeland and was sailing with Roland Warvold across the Lonely Sea. She had no idea what adventures awaited her…until now.
After a tragic attack by an evil force, Alexa and her friend Yipes are stranded in a strange community known as The Five Stone Pillars. Each pillar of rock has its own secrets…and its own challenges. As darkness descends, Alexa must risk everything to defeat it --- even if it means taking to the skies.
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RuneWarriors
RUNEWARRIORS: DANE AND THE SHIELD OF ODIN
Jim Jennewein and Tom S. Parker
Laura Geringer Books/HarperCollins
ISBN: 9780061449369
Ages 8-12
320 pages
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It's the eve of the Festival of Greatness and Dane has a big problem. He has yet to choose his nickname. But when he sees his proud father shamed by the evil tyrant Thidrek the Terrifying, Dane's indignation earns him a moniker that sticks: Dane the Defiant! And when Thidrek kidnaps Dane's beloved Astrid in hopes of trading her for the ultimate power of the gods, Dane defiantly goes after him like a bat out of Valhalla. Braving treacherous seas, deadly creatures and a lovestarved Frost Giant, Dane and his rowdy band of Norseboys embark on an epic quest to end Thidrek's reign of terror and take their place among the greatest Viking heroes of all time.
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The Seems
THE SPLIT SECOND:
The Seems #2
John Hulme and Michael Wexler
Bloomsbury USA Children's Books
ISBN: 9781599901305
Ages 10-14
320 pages
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Becker Drane still has the coolest job in The World, but it’s getting harder and harder to live a normal life outside of The Seems. He’s definitely feeling the strain of being a teenager (complete with mood swings and a newfound respect for sarcasm), and he can’t stop thinking about Jennifer Kaley, the totally cool girl he met during his Mission in Sleep. Things don’t get any easier when a bomb explodes in the Department of Time and Becker is called in to pick up the pieces after a more senior Fixer couldn’t disarm the device. It’s his toughest mission yet, and Becker finds himself going places in The Seems he never knew existed, and meeting people long thought dead.
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STORM
STORM: THE GHOST MACHINE
E. L. Young
Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 9780803732674
Ages 10-up
320 pages
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All over Italy, mysterious burglaries are making headlines --- news footage shows a strange, spectral form at the crime scenes. The thefts are dubbed the work of Il Fantasma: the Ghost. Through a series of exhilarating twists, Will, Andrew and Gaia discover that the Ghost is part of a larger and more sinister plot than they could have imagined, one involving a decrepit Venetian castle, a dangerous cult, microscopic self-organizing robots, and quantum computers with a vile purpose and horrific consequences. Armed with high-speed boats, sonar helmets and tons of cool gear, STORM must face all kinds of obstacles to find and stop the mind behind the mayhem. Little do they know, the enemy just might be a dear old friend.
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Sequel to SAMUEL BLINK AND THE FORBIDDEN FOREST
SAMUEL BLINK AND THE RUNAWAY TROLL
Matt Haig
Putnam Juvenile
ISBN: 9780399247408
Ages 8-12
384 pages
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When Troll-Son runs away from home, he decides to leave the Shadow Forest behind and move in with his idol, Samuel Blink. Samuel isn’t thrilled with the idea of hiding a runaway troll, especially one who copies everything he does, even using his toothbrush. But should Samuel return Troll-Son to the Shadow Forest? After all, he’s running from something. What danger still lurks there?
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Picture Books
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BOYCOTT BLUES: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation
written by Andrea Davis Pinkney
illustrated by Brian Pinkney
Amistad/Greenwillow Books
ISBN: 9780060821180
Ages 5-8
40 pages
• Click here to buy from Amazon.com
Rosa Parks took a stand by keeping her seat on the bus. When she was arrested for it, her supporters protested by refusing to ride. Soon a community of thousands was coming together to help one another get where they needed to go. Some started taxis, some rode bikes, but they all walked and walked.
Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney present a poignant, blues-infused tribute to the men and women of the Montgomery bus boycott, who refused to give up until they got justice.
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THE CARDBOARD PIANO
written and illustrated by Lynne Rae Perkins
Greenwillow Books
ISBN: 9780061542657
Ages 4-8
32 pages
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When Debbie gives Tina a cardboard piano, she is sure that Tina will love it. After all, Debbie spent a long time making it, and it looks just like a real piano. Now Tina can learn to play, too. But just because you’re friends with somebody, and just because you’re the same in most ways, doesn't mean that you will always see. Friendship can be tricky. Really, really tricky. Even for true best friends. Even for Debbie and Tina.
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LOUISE, THE ADVENTURES OF A CHICKEN
written by Kate DiCamillo
illustrated by Harry Bliss
Joanna Cotler Books/HarperCollins
ISBN: 9780060755546
Ages 4-8
56 pages
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Louise ventures out into the great, wide world, never knowing what or whom she will encounter: Bloodthirsty pirates on the high seas? A chicken-eating lion under the big top? A mysterious fortune teller who sees all and knows all? This not-so-chicken chicken isn’t afraid to take flight in Newbery Medal winner Kate DiCamillo’s delightful picture book.
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TEA FOR RUBY
written by Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York
illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser
Paula Wiseman Books/Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 9781416954194
Ages 4-8
40 pages
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Wherever Ruby goes, table cloths accidentally pull dishes to the floor, flowers get trampled and spaghetti somehow ends up in her hair. You can't take Ruby anywhere. One sunny morning, the postman brings Ruby an amazing invitation to have tea with --- the Queen! Ruby had better polish her manners and quickly. Will she really be ready in time?
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TURKEY BOWL
written by Phil Bildner illustrated by C. F. Payne
Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 9780689878961
Ages 5-8
32 pages
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Ethan and his friends have waited their entire lives to play in the annual Turkey Bowl football game that their families engage in every year on Thanksgiving. And now they are old enough and big enough to play! But when the big day comes, a snowstorm prevents Ethan’s family from visiting his house for the first time ever. Can Ethan and his friends find a way to continue the tradition without them?
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--- Compiled and written by Tom Donadio
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