Abbott, Tony. The Copernicus Legacy: The Forbidden Stone. (FIC ABB) Codes, puzzles, narrow escapes, and world travel await Wade, Darrell, Lily, and Becca as they attempt to recover 12 parts of a time-travel machine designed by Copernicus in the 16th century. To be successful, they'll need to outwit the dangerous Knights of the Teutonic Order who plan to use the time machine for evil. First book in the Copernicus Legacy series.
Appelt, Kathi. True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp. Tall Tale/Adventure (FIC APP) Caring for Sugar Man Swamp and helping run the family business hasn't been easy for Chap since his beloved grandpa passed away. Although he doesn't realize it, Chap has allies in protecting the swamp from developers who want to pave the whole thing for an alligator wrestling theme park. Some of those unlikely allies include raccoon brothers, snakes, and perhaps even the legendary Sugar Man himself, but will their efforts be enough to stop the developers with money on their minds?
Applegate, Katherine. Endling: The Last. (FIC APP) Byx fears that she is the last of the dairnes, after they rest of her pack has been hunted down and killed. Determined to see if the rumors that other dairnes have survived, Byx sets off to find them. Along the way she meets humans and animals who wish to join her on her quest. Byx finds it difficult to tell which want to help and which want to harm, and learns that things are not what they seem.
Armstrong, Kelley. Loki's Wolves. Mythology/Adventure (FIC ARM) If you liked Rick Riordan's mythology adventures, you'll want to try this book. It follows the story of three unlikely friends, one descendant of Thor and two descendants of the trickster Loki, who must use their strengths to prevent Ragnarok. Finding Thor's hammer and shield will be just one of many challenges they face on their deadly quest to save the world from complete destruction.
Barry, Dave. Barry, Dave. Worst Night Ever. (FIC BAR ) After saving the president, Wyatt accidentally became a hero. This year Wyatt stumbles across a dangerous plot involving deadly zoo animals, greedy real estate developers, and the most popular kids in school. Although Wyatt is reluctant to put himself and his friends in danger, he'll have to overcome his fears for his own safety in order to save someone he loves. Author of The Worst Class Trip Ever.
Bauer, Hans. Fishtale. (FIC BAU) Ol' One Eye is the biggest, smartest, oldest, meanest catfish in all of Mississippi, but that doesn't stop Sawyer and his sister from trying to catch him, especially if it will save their mother's life. Their journey deep into the bayou uncovers a myth and a mystery surrounded by danger.
Black, Holly. Iron Trial. (FIC BLA) Callum has always been warned against magic of all kinds so he does his best to do his worst on the entry exam for the Magesterium. Unfortunately, Cal is admitted into the special magic academy anyway. The secrets he uncovers lead to more mysteries about the academy, its professors, and even his own family. Will he make it through five years at the Magesterium, or will his magic be bound? First book in the Magesterium series.
Boniface, William. The Extraordinary Adventures of Ordinary Boy: The Hero Revealed. (FIC BON) Everyone in Superopolis has a super power except Ordinary Boy. He’ll need his friends and his intelligence to foil the plot of Professor Brain Drain.
Clements, Andrew. A Week in the Woods (FIC CLE) When a strong-willed student wanders off alone in the woods, his equally stubborn teacher begins a search. After an injury, the rescuer needs to be rescued. Who will come to his aid in the middle of the woods?
Daneshvari, Gitty. The League of Unexceptional Children. (FIC DAN) Great spies go unnoticed which is exactly why the League of Unexceptional Children has chosen Shelley and Jonathan as its newest members to help rescue the kidnapped vice president and save the world. With their unremarkable intelligence and forgettable appearances, Jonathan and Shelley aren't used to being singled out and are certain they are going to fail, especially after their training proves to be more than they can handle. It will take something truly exceptional from these unexceptional 12-year olds to make their mission a success.
DiCamillo, Kate. Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (FIC DIC) Despite the love and attention Abilene Tulane showers on her china rabbit Edward, his heart remains cold and hard. He doesn’t appreciate all that he’s been given until he is separated from Abilene and must spend his life searching for a place where he is loved. 2013 Bluestem Nominee
Durham, Paul. Luck Uglies. (FIC DUR) The people of Drowning are terrified when the fearsome Bog Noblins return to their village. Since the rulers of Drowning are doing nothing to help, Rye and her friends decide that their only hope is to seek help from the notorious secret society known as the Luck Uglies if they even still exist. They only hope that their decision doesn't lead them into even greater danger.
Elish, Dan. The School for the Insanely Gifted. (FIC ELI) Students attending the Blatt School for the Insanely Gifted are amazingly intelligent, and Daphna is no exception. She’ll need plenty of brain power and the help of her friends to find out what happened to her missing mother and how to save her classmates from being brainwashed.
Evans, Douglas. MVP*: Magellan Voyage Project (FIC EVA) Adam wants to win the four million dollars he’s been promised if he can be the first 12-year-old to travel around the world without an adult. That challenge would be difficult enough, but Adam soon realizes that there are 23 other kids competing in this game and some of them have resorted to using darts and other dangerous methods to stop their opponents.
Gutman, Dan. Mission Unstoppable. (FIC GUT) Coke and Pepsi are on a trip across the country with their parents, but the most memorable part of the trip is trying to fight off assassins. They’ve just found out that they are part of a super secret government group called The Genius Files. Genius Files series #1. 2017 Bluestem Nominee
Hirsch, Odo. Bartlett and the Ice Voyage (FIC HIR) ”Inventiveness, Desperation, and Perseverance” are the tools used to bring a delicate fruit to a very impatient queen, but will these tools be enough for Bartlett and his partner to accomplish their mission? Also by Odo Hirsch: Bartlett and the City of Flames.
Jenson, Marion. Almost Super. (FIC JEN) A belly button that goes from an innie to an outie and being able to strike a match on polyester are not the super powers Benny and Rafter were hoping to get after they turned 12 like all the other members of their family. The boys will need all the help they can get to protect the world from the evil Johnson family, especially since Juanita Johnson is in Rafter's algebra class. After Juanita Johnson discovers their useless powers, the three begin to question what they've been taught about superheroes and supervillains for their whole lives. Now it's not even clear which is which, but they'll have to figure things out quickly before the real supervillains take over.
Korman, Gordon. Framed. (FIC KOR) Griffin must attend JFK Academy (A.K.A. Jail for Kids) after he is accused of stealing a Super Bowl ring from the display case at school. Can he count on his friends to get him out? Other titles in this series: Swindle, Zoobreak, Show Off.
Kurtz, Chris. Adventures of a South Pole Pig. (FIC KUR) Although Flora is a pig, she desperately longs for the adventurous life of a sled dog. Chasing that dream leads Flora on the adventure of a lifetime when her ship is stranded in Antarctica without enough supplies for survival. Does Flora really have what it takes to be a member of the sled dog team? Proving her worth becomes a matter of life or death for Flora and the rest of the crew. 2016 Bluestem Nominee
Larwood, Kieran. Longburrow: Podkin One Ear. Animal Adventure/Fantasy (FIC LAR) After the evil armored rabbits called the Gorm invade his burrow and kill his tribe, Podkin and his older sister struggle to save themselves and their baby brother. The three young rabbits face danger and starvation every step of the way because as the son of the rabbit chief, Podkin is hunted down by the deadly warrior Scramashank, leader of the Gorm. Even with Starclaw, a magical dagger that is one of the Twelve Gifts, Podkin and his siblings will need help to survive.
Melloy, Collin. The Whiz Mob and the Grenedine Kid. (FIC MEL) It all begins when Charlie, the son of an American diplomat in France, has his pen stolen by a young pickpocket. Instead of letting the police deal with the culprit, Charlie convinces him to teach him how he did it. Soon Charlie finds himself deep into a world of pinches, kicks, and chumps as he joins the whiz mob, a band of children trained in thievery at the School of the Seven Bells, as they prepare for their biggest scam yet. Does Charlie have what it takes to be a full member of the mob?
Patterson, James. Treasure Hunters. (FIC PAT) When their father is swept off their family's boat in a hurricane, the Kidd kids are left orphaned since their mother was recently kidnapped. They'll have to work together to solve the clues, find some treasure, fend off pirates and other evildoers while trying to find out what really happened to their missing parents. There's plenty of action, mystery, and danger ahead for the four siblings as they sail around the Caribbean, on to South Carolina, and eventually to New York where some of their many questions will be answered.
Peck, Richard. The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail. Historical/Adventure Fiction (FIC PEC) The smallest mouse in Buckingham Palace is such a mystery that he doesn't even have a name. Aunt Marigold has raised him since his mother died and sends him to the Royal Mews Mouse Academy where they call him "Minor Mouse." His question mark tail is just a hint at all the questions he has about himself and where he fits in the world. When he sets off to escape two bullies, this tiny mouse discovers a whole new world and has lots more questions, but who will help him find the answers?
Petersen, P.J.. Wild River. (FIC PET) Ryan is the unathletic, video-game-playing younger brother of Tanner, the closest thing to perfect anyone has ever known. Ryan reluctantly joins Tanner on an overnight camping/kayaking trip, but an accident on the dangerous river could turn deadly if Ryan can't find a way to save his brother's life. This is no video game, and Ryan isn't sure he's up to this real life challenge. If Ryan fails, Tanner could lose his life!
Pryce, Trevor. An Army of Frogs. (FIC PRY) Despite his lack of poison and limited fighting skills, Darel wants to be a brave Kulipari like his dad who was slain in a previous battle. The Kulipari are the elite poisonous frog warriors who defend the Amphibilands and their Turtle King from the Spider Queen and Lord Marmoo, leader of the scorpions. While the Kulipari are off training, it's up to Darel and his friends to stop the evil plot to take over the Amphibilands.
Ruckman, Ivy. Night of the Twisters. (FIC RUC) When a tornado watch is issued one Tuesday evening in June, twelve-year-old Dan Hatch and his best friend, Arthur, don't think much of it. After all, tornado warnings happen all the time during the summer in Grand Island, Nebraska. But soon enough, the wind begins to howl, and the lights and telephone stop working. Then the emergency siren starts to wail. Dan, his baby brother, and Arthur have only seconds to get to the basement before the monstrous twister is on top of them. Little do they know that even if they do survive the storm, their ordeal will have only just begun. . .
Ryan, Carrie. The Map to Everywhere. (FIC RYA) The Map to Everywhere has the power to take its owner through the inter-dimensional Pirate Stream to anywhere he or she needs to go. Will it be the girl who was taken aboard ship in an Arizona parking lot so she can return to her mother who has a serious illness, or will it be the orphan boy who is a master thief from the pirate world of Khaznot Quay who wants to find the mother who left him long ago? If either of them has any hope of being with their mothers, they'll need to find the map before the mad wizard on another ship gets ahold of it.
Sachar, Louis. Holes (FIC SAC) If it weren't for bad luck, Stanley Yelnats would have no luck at all. He blames his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather for his current situation at a correctional camp after he is falsely convicted of stealing. What follows is an adventure involving scorpions, poisonous lizards, missing treasure, and lots and lots of holes!
Selfors, Suzanne. Smells Like Dog. (FIC SEL) When his uncle dies and leave Homer his dog and a mysterious coin, Homer’s treasure hunting adventure begins. Unfortunately, there are others out to find the treasure before Homer.
Shahan, Sherry. Ice Island. (FIC SHA) Most 13-year-olds are excited about learning to drive a car in few years, but Tatum wants nothing more than to drive a dog sled in the legendary Iditarod event in Alaska. Her work with the dogs is excellent, but she’ll need to gain more experience reading the conditions. This fact puts her and a friend in great danger when a freak blizzard turns their short training run into a struggle for survival.
Shelton, Dave. A Boy and a Bear in a Boat. Adventure (FIC SHE) With only a suitcase, comic book, and ukulele as supplies, a boy and a bear find themselves facing storms, sea monsters, and many other perils at sea.
Snicket, Lemony. A Series of Unfortunate Events (FIC SNI) The Baudelair orphans are up to their thirteenth adventure as they try to escape from the evil Count Olaf and search for the answers to the mysterious disappearance of their parents.
Stephens, John. The Emerald Atlas. (FIC STE) After their parents disappeared 10 years ago, Kate, Michael, and Emma have gone from one orphanage to another. When they realize that this was done to protect them from an evil enemy, the children must use their newly discovered powers to find a magical book that will keep themselves safe and to help them find out what happened to their missing parents.
Stewart, Trenton Lee. The Mysterious Benedict Society. (FIC STE) Passing a test unlike anything they’ve ever taken is the first step four adventurous children must take before being accepted for a secret mission. They will need to go undercover at a school for very bright children to find out what the man in charge is really up to.
Stewart, Trenton Lee. Secret Keepers. (FIC STE) Finding the magical watch was Reuben's first secret, but that secret leads to many more. Keeping those secrets involves danger, mystery, and adventure in order to conquer the evil villain known as The Smoke. Does Reuben have what it takes to change his life and the lives of the people he loves, or will he fall under the spell of magic?
Wilson, Nathan D. . Leepike Ridge (FIC WIL) Since his father disappeared, Tom’s mother has been threatened by treasure hunters. When Tom unexpectedly enters a series of caves, he discovers dead bodies, strange carvings, and another survivor who’s been trying to escape the caves for years. Will the two of them find a way out in time to save Tom’s mom and find out what really happened to his dad?