New and Recently Released!

The Whatnot - by Stefan Bachmann

Publisher: HarperCollins Childrens Books
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 09/24/2013

ISBN-13: 9780062195210
ISBN-10: 0062195212

Fantasy. In a bleak, steam-powered version of England where humans are preparing for war against faeries, Bartholomew Kettle searches for his long-lost sister. Ever since the day she was kidnapped, Bartholomew has been hunting for a way to free Hettie from her faery captors. He finally gets a lead in the form of Pikey, a street kid with a magical eye, and together they face down dark forces as they race to rescue Hettie from the bizarre and terrifying Old Country of the faeries. While this deeply imaginative sequel can stand on its own, you might want to check out the 1st book, The Peculiar, to get the story from the beginning.

Seeing Red - by Kathryn Erskine

Publisher: Scholastic Press
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 09/24/2013

ISBN-13: 9780545464406
ISBN-10: 0545464404

Historical Fiction. Twelve-year-old Red Porter is heartbroken after his father's death in 1972, but unlike his mother, Red's not ready to sell his father's business and leave town. Red's attempts to save the business, however, dredge up some ugly truths about his family history and drag him into a poisonous undercurrent of violent racism. Is Red strong enough to fight against years of injustice? Readers who appreciate Seeing Red's flawed-but-fascinating characters and 1970s setting might also enjoy Gold Dust by Chris Lynch.

Call of the Klondike: A True Gold Rush Adventure - by David Meissner and Kim Richardson

Publisher: Boyds Mills Press
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 10/01/2013

ISBN-13: 9781590788233
ISBN-10: 1590788230

Nonfiction. Withstanding below-zero temperatures, traveling across punishing terrain, enduring backbreaking labor…how far would you go to make a fortune? In 1897, tantalizing rumors of gold convinced young prospectors Stanley Pearce and Marshall Bond to organize an expedition and strike out for Canada's Northwest Territories. Told through the captivating, first-person voices of their diaries, letters, and photographs, the story of Pearce and Bond's year-long search for gold is sure to capture the imaginations of Jack London fans, as well as readers who enjoy true stories of survival against all odds.

Battling Boy - by Paul Pope

Publisher: First Second
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 10/08/2013

ISBN-13: 9781596438057
ISBN-10: 1596438053

Graphic Novel. The citizens of Acropolis are crushed when their hero, Haggard West, dies protecting them from the vicious, child-eating monsters that plague their city. But soon a new superhero arrives to take his place: Battling Boy! The young warrior god is sent to Acropolis to prove his worth, armed only with a single suitcase packed full of magical t-shirts. Epic showdowns and gritty, energetic illustrations add to the over-the-top feel of this "pulpy Technicolor fantasy" (Publishers Weekly), the 1st in a planned series. If you like the breathless action of martial arts manga and the sarcastic humor of Percy Jackson, you won't be able to resist Battling Boy.

The Princess of Cortova - by Diane Stanley

Publisher: Harpercollins Childrens Books
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 10/01/2013

ISBN-13: 9780062047304
ISBN-10: 0062047302

Fantasy. Having already used her magical abilities to help King Alaric claim the throne of Westria, former scullery maid Molly and her friend Tobias must now help the king arrange a strategic marriage with Elizabetta, princess of Cortova. Unfortunately, Alaric is faced with competition, not only for Elizabetta's hand, but also for his own crown. And just when Alaric truly needs her, Molly's psychic powers seem to be dwindling. Intricately plotted and filled with unpredictable twists, this satisfying trilogy conclusion (preceded by The Silver Bowl and The Cup and the Crown) will appeal to readers who love the chess-like complexity of the Queen's Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner.

Focus on: Thieves

Two famous fictional thieves -- Bilbo Baggins from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and Liesel Meminger from Markus Zusak's The Book Thief -- are stealing onto big screens this month. Check out the books on this list for more exciting stories about burglars, crooks and pickpockets.

Starcrossed - by Elizabeth C. Bunce

Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 10/01/2010

ISBN-13: 9780545136051
ISBN-10: 0545136059

Fantasy. After an attempted robbery goes disastrously wrong, 16-year-old thief Digger reinvents herself as Celyn, respectable ladies' maid to young Lady Merista Nemair. When one of guests at the Nemairs' snowbound castle sees through Digger's disguise, he blackmails her into spying on her employers. Digger's stealthy investigations uncover hidden tunnels, family scandal, forbidden magic, and political conspiracy -- all of which point toward a looming rebellion. Bold, clever, and capable, Digger is an intriguing heroine, and readers of this fast-paced and richly detailed fantasy will want to follow her further adventures in the sequel, Liar's Moon.

Thieves Like Us - by Stephen Cole

Publisher: Bloomsbury
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 04/03/2007

ISBN-13: 9781599900414
ISBN-10: 1599900416

Adventure. Working for a criminal mastermind has got to be better than spending a year in jail, right? At least that what computer genius Jonah Wish hopes when a gang of super-talented teen thieves breaks him out of his cell. Though Jonah doesn't trust them (or Coldhardt, their wealthy, mysterious boss), he has no choice but to join the crew on a globetrotting mission to steal an immortality potion from an ancient cult. Moving at lightning speed and filled with enough high-tech gear and bloody action to rival Artemis Fowl or Alex Rider, this thrilling series starter is a "sheer adrenaline blast" (The Horn Book).

Dodger - by Terry Pratchett

Publisher: HarperCollins
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 09/25/2012

ISBN-13: 9780062009500
ISBN-10: 0062009508

Historical Fiction. Late one rainy night in Victorian-era London, 17-year-old Dodger (a street urchin who makes his living scavenging in the city's sewers) witnesses a young lady being held against her will. A noble sort, Dodger rescues the girl -- and from there, his story takes many unexpected turns, including some that involve famous historical figures and fictional characters from the period (such as Charles Dickens and Sweeney Todd). A ripping good tale filled with dry humor, unusual characters, and great descriptions of Victorian London, Dodger is a bit different from Terry Pratchett's other novels but no less enjoyable -- especially for readers who enjoy a clever turn of phrase.

Cat Burglar Black - by Richard Sala

Publisher: First Second
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 09/01/2009

ISBN-13: 9781596431447
ISBN-10: 159643144X

Graphic Novel. Katherine, an orphan trained since childhood to be a thief, believes that she's escaping her life of crime when she enrolls at the isolated Bellsong Academy for Girls. But after arriving at the spooky mansion that houses the school and meeting her criminally talented classmates, Katherine realizes that she's only getting in deeper. Bellsong, as it turns out, is really a school for cat-burglars. The illustrations in this gorgeously drawn graphic novel lend a retro flair and loads of creepy, menacing atmosphere to its otherwise lighthearted, fast-paced, and surprisingly funny mystery.

Storm Thief - by Chris Wooding

Publisher: Scholastic Press
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 9/1/2006

ISBN-13: 9780439865135
ISBN-10: 0439865131

Science Fiction. Anything can happen in the decaying island city of Orokos, where raging probability storms might rearrange streets, transform children into statues of glass, or cause a person to suddenly speak a different language. When teenage thieves Rail and Moa decide to keep a technological artifact they've been sent to steal, the pair find themselves hunted by not only their thief-mistress, but also by the secret police -- for the item they've nicked may unlock the dark secrets of their chaotic and miserable world. Storm Thief paints a wildly creative vision of a desperate future and will keep readers flipping pages with its heart-pounding suspense.

Contact your librarian for more great books!