"If you knew how much work went into it, you wouldn't call it genius." ~ Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564), Italian artist
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| Diary of a Mad Brownie by Bruce CovilleFantasy. The move from Scotland to America is tough for brownie Angus Cairns, but the pint-sized magical creature has no choice -- he's bound by a curse to serve his new mistress, Alex Carhart. Through Angus' diary (as well as through texts, letters, zany illustrations, and hilariously bad poetry), readers experience how the neat-freak brownie clashes with messy 11-year-old Alex, and how they reluctantly team up when the curse threatens Alex's family. If you enjoy this "fresh and fast" (School Library Journal) series-starter about magical creatures in the human world, you may also want to check out Adam Rex's Cold Cereal saga.
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| Dory and the Real True Friend by Abby HanlonFiction. Dory's best friend Mary can sometimes be a handful, but what else would you expect from an imaginary monster? With a new school year starting, Dory decides it's time to leave Mary at home and make a real friend. Fans of Dory's first outing (in Dory Fantasmagory) will be glad to see appearances from witchy Mrs. Gobble Gracker and fairy godmother Mr. Nuggy as creative, trouble-prone Dory tries to win over Rosabelle, a girl with an imagination that might just match her own. Packed with laugh-out-loud funny illustrations, this easy-to-read chapter book is perfect for new readers. |
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| Mothman's Curse by Christine Hayes; illustrated by James K. HindleHorror. A haunted camera is just the first creepy find for Josie Fletcher and her brothers Fox and Mason. While looking through a local estate sale, the siblings discover not only the camera (which creates spectral photos of its deceased owner), but also a gold moth pin that unleashes the winged, red-eyed Mothman. A local legend, the Mothman appears just before deadly disasters, and now it's up to Josie and her brothers to stop the vengeful spirit before it claims more lives. If you're looking for a good scare, don't miss the combination of well-drawn characters and chilling suspense in this "ectoplasmic extravaganza" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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| Nooks & Crannies by Jessica LawsonHistorical Mystery. Mistreated by her adoptive parents, Tabitha Crum has no friends except for her pet mouse, Pemberly, and her favorite fictional detective, Inspector Pensive. Tabitha's one of six children who've been invited to the spooky old mansion of Countess Camilla DeMoss, who believes that one of them may be her lost grandchild. As if that weren't enough to coax out Tabitha's sleuthing skills, a mysterious death occurs in the house just as a sudden snowstorm traps everyone inside. Set in 1907, Nooks & Crannies has the satisfying feel of an old-fashioned whodunit. If you'd prefer a more modern tale of snowbound intrigue, try Kate Milford's Greenglass House. |
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| Fuzzy Mud by Louis SacharScience Fiction. Tamaya and her neighbor Marshall are walking home through the woods when they're confronted by Chad, a bully looking to start a fight. Tamaya gives Chad a faceful of mud instead, but afterwards, she develops a rash where she touched the mud…and something even worse happens to Chad. What was in that mud? Hints -- in the form of top-secret government information -- are scattered throughout Tamaya and Marshall's story, creating a growing sense of danger that will keep you turning pages right up until the end. Thought-provoking and just possible enough to be scary, Fuzzy Mud is a must-read for eco-fiction fans. |
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| Cheesie Mack is Not a Genius or Anything by Steve Cotler; illustrated by Adam McCauleyFiction. Ronald "Cheesie" Mack, nearly 11, may not be a genius, but he remembers every detail of the days surrounding his fifth-grade graduation and shares them all with readers in this funny adventure. From solving a mystery with his best friend, Georgie Sinkoff, to dealing with his mean older sister, spying on spooky neighbors, and more, Cheesie handles it all with attitude and style (and more than a few silly, made-up words). If you enjoy mostly realistic but slightly wacky stories like this one, you might also want to give Frank Cottrell Boyce's Framed a try. |
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| The School for the Insanely Gifted by Dan ElishAdventure. Daphna Whispers began composing music when she was just a toddler. Now, at age 11 and ¾, she's a student at the Blatt School for the Insanely Gifted, where her fellow prodigies work on projects like inventing a chewable computer or starring in a Broadway show. Daphna is trying to compose a rhapsody, but it's hard to concentrate while she's worrying about her mother's recent disappearance from a plane above the Atlantic, or fleeing from mysterious people in antelope masks. Readers who like fantastical school stories will be delighted by the weird gadgets and over-the-top twists in The School for the Insanely Gifted. |
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| Mission Unstoppable by Dan GutmanSuspense. Twelve-year-old twins Coke and Pepsi McDonald aren't expecting much from their family's upcoming RV trip across America. But after the twins' unusually high test scores bring them to the attention of a government program for young geniuses (and make them a target for some very determined assassins), their vacation transforms into a breathless coast-to-coast chase. Similar to the 39 Clues series, this 1st volume in the five-book Genius Files series uses real landmarks and tourist attractions (did you know there's a Pez museum?) as the backdrop for a suspenseful, quirky, and fast-paced road trip. |
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| Mal and Chad: The Biggest, Bestest Time Ever! by Stephen McCranieGraphic Novel. Fourth-grade genius Mal and his dog Chad (who, thanks to one of Mal's experiements, can talk) have all kinds of adventures together, but in school and around his mom, Mal keeps his super smarts a secret. In this fun 1st volume of what was previously a web comic, Mal shrinks himself, Chad, and his crush Megan to microscopic size, and the three of them travel through time -- all as part of Mal's "research" for an essay on what he wants to be when he grows up. Fans of the Calvin and Hobbes comics are sure to love this similarly mischievous pair. |
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| The Clueless Girl's Guide to Being a Genius by Janice RepkaFiction. Middle school math is no match for Aphrodite Wigglebottom! At 13 years old, she's already graduated from Harvard and gotten a job teaching eighth grade math. Getting along with her students, however, is much more challenging than any textbook. That's where Mindy, who's awful at math but great at baton twirling, can help. Despite their differences, both Aphrodite and Mindy (who take turns telling the story) need the same thing: a dependable friend. Fans of Megan McDonald's books will adore this funny, upbeat tale; those looking for actual math tips should check out Danica McKellar's Math Doesn't Suck. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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