Firegirl    Tony Abbott

When Jessica, horribly disfigured by a car fire, entersTom Bender’s seventh grade classroom at St. Catherine’s school, she triggers a connection with Tom that changes his perception of himself and his friends.

 The Blue Ghost    Marion Dane Bauer

While visiting her grandmother, Liz learns about her family’s history when she encounters a blue ghost and steps back in time to answer a call for help.

 The Greatest Skating Race: A World War II Story from the Netherlands     Louise Borden

In the winter of 1941, a ten-year old Dutch boy, Piet Janssen, tests his courage and ice skating skills by outsmarting German soldiers when he leads two children over the icy canals to Belgium.

 The Misadventures of Maude March     Audrey Couloumbis

Orphans Maude and Sallie head across the frontier to search for their uncle, and their rip-roaring exploits -- including horse theft, bank robbery, and murder -- begin to resemble the plots of the dime novels Sallie loves to read.

 Chicken Boy     Frances O’Roark. Dowell

Tobin, usually a loner, becomes friends with Henry and gets involved helping Henry raise chickens, which allows Tobin an escape from his disconnected father, delinquent siblings, and a troublesome grandmother.

 Who Stole Halloween?     Martha Freeman

While trying to solve a mystery involving missing cats, Alex reluctantly lets his friend Yasmeen talk him into allowing his cat Luau become a decoy to catch the culprit.

Outside and Inside Mummies    Sandra  Markle

Using new scientific methods, researchers are learning about mummies from the inside out.  X-rays, CT scans, and computers help scientists solve the mysteries about people who lived and died in ancient times.

Pompeii: Lost and Found     Mary Pope  Osborne

Osborne and Christensen ask readers to become archaeologists, imagining the eruption of Mount Vesuvius on August 24, 79 CE and interpreting the daily life of this very “modern” ancient Roman town.

 Ballet of the Elephants     Leda Schubert

In the early 1940s, John Ringling North, Igor Stravinsky, and George Balanchine collaborated to create an unusual circus act -- elephants in pink tutus partnering with beautiful ballerinas to perform the Circus Polka.

 The Ghost’s Grave    Peg Kehret

Josh is spending the summer at his Aunt Ethel’s house. He encounters a peacock that may be his Aunt Florence and a ghost whose body is buried with a mysterious box of cash.

 Roxie and the Hooligans     Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

"Don’t panic" is Roxie’s golden rule of survival. But, it’s not an easy task as she confronts playground bullies, is dumped with the garbage, and encounters a duo of murderous thieves.

 The Year of the Dog     Grace Lin

Grace is the only Taiwanese-American girl in her class until Melody arrives. She and Grace become friends throughout the “Year of the Dog,” as Grace grows into her cultural identity.

 Down Girl and Sit: On the Road      Lucy Nolan

Down Girl gives a dog’s-eye account of several outings – from generously providing her owner with a smelly fish to savoring the discomfort of her nemesis, Here Kitty Kitty, at the Vet’s office.

Double Identity      Margaret Peterson Haddix 

Twelve-year-old Bethany’s parents suddenly leave her with an unknown aunt; then Bethany learns of a dead sister who looked exactly like Bethany. Now Bethany must discover the truth about herself.

 Hubert Invents the Wheel     Claire and Monte Montgomery

Go back five thousand years and meet Hubert, a boy with big dreams and a wild imagination. He’s constantly experimenting and inventing, while his father, Gorp, wants him to join the family hauling business.

 Weedflower     Cynthia Kadohata

When the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor, the American government forces twelve-year-old Sumiko and her family to leave their California flower farm and live in a Japanese internment camp in Poston, Arizona.