 The
Seer of Shadows
by Avi
Ages 9–12
This scary ghost story, set in
19th century New York City, is narrated by 14-year-old
Horace Carpentine, apprentice to a photographer intent
on duping a wealthy client. |
|
 Chasing
Vermeer
by Blue Balliett
Ages 9–12
Petra and Calder, two bright
sixth-graders, join together to find a missing Vermeer
painting. This mystery sends them on a quest full of
patterns, puzzles, as they investigate the meaning of
art. (1st in series) |
|
 The
Wright 3
by Blue Balliett
Ages 9–12
Sixth-graders Petra and Calder
are joined by Tommy in this architectural mystery as
they try to prevent the destruction that threatens Frank
Lloyd Wright’s Robie House. (2nd in series) |
|
 The
Calder Game
by Blue Balliett
Ages 9–12
Now in 7th grade, series heroes
Petra, Tommy, and Calder participate in the Calder Game,
trying to join five ideas or things that move in relationship
to each other. This provocative mix of mystery, art concepts,
and philosophy will appeal to motivated readers. (3rd
in series) |
|
 The
Mostly True Story of Jack
by Kelly Barnhill
Ages 9–12
Jack’s parents are too caught
up in the emotions of their divorce to pay attention
to their son, so Jack is sent to spend the summer with
his eccentric aunt and uncle in Hazelwood, Ohio. Used
to feeling invisible and playing with imaginary friends,
Jack is amazed to suddenly be the center of attention.
He makes some real friends, is beaten up by the town
bully, and fears the town’s richest man wants to see
him dead. On top of all that, his aunt and uncle’s
house seems to be possessed. This suspenseful mystery
explores themes of the struggle between good and evil,
and the power of love and sacrifice. |
|
 Enigma
by Graeme Base
Ages 5–10
Bertie Badger arrives at his grandfather’s
house expecting a magic show, but the magic props have all
disappeared. Readers are encouraged to crack codes and find
hidden pictures to solve the mystery, told in rhyming quatrains.
A set of bonus challenges will keep kids, and their relatives,
glued to the pages for weeks. |
|
 Raucous
Royals:
Test
your Royal Wits: Crack Codes, Solve Mysteries, and Deduce Which
Royal Rumors are True
by Carlyn Beccia
Ages 9–12
This fascinating mix of costumed
caricatures, interactive text, and quizzes encourages the
reader to participate in history rather than just read
about it. The combination picture book/graphic novel is
sure to appeal to middle grade kids. |
|
 What
I Saw And How I Lied
by Judy Blundell
Ages 12–up
This noir mystery is set in 1947.
Evie (15) and her mother set off for Florida with her
stepfather Joe. Evie falls in love with Peter, an army
buddy of Joe’s. A suspicious boating accident forces
Evie to re-examine her relationships with Peter, her
mother, and her stepfather. This stylish novel has the
atmosphere of a glamorous old movie. |
|
 Masterpiece
by Elise Broach, Kelly Murphy
Ages 8–12
Two very different families share a
Manhattan apartment. Marvin the beetle follows his family’s
rules about staying hidden from the humans, though he worries
that the human family does not appreciate their 11-year-old
son James. Tempted by the pen and ink set James receives for
his birthday, Martin draws an intricate picture for James and
then reveals himself as the artist. Before James can hide the
drawing, his parents have discovered it and proclaim him a
talented artist. Soon a museum curator is asking James to forge
a Dürer miniature to catch a thief. The fast moving story
and wonderfully detailed drawings will captivate young readers. |
|
 Missing
on Superstition Mountain
by Elise Broach, Antonio Javier
Caparo
Ages 8–12
Simon, Henry, and Jack Barker
have just moved from Illinois to Arizona, and their
parents have warned them that Superstition Mountain
is totally off limits. But when their cat goes missing,
the three brothers chase after her and discover three
human skulls. Joining up with their neighbor Delilah,
the children research local history and folklore,
preparing for a secret return to Superstition Mountain
to solve the mystery of the skulls. This exciting
novel is the first in a new series. |
|
 The
Trouble with Chickens: A J.J. Tully Mystery
by Doreen Cronin, Kevin Cornell
Ages 8–12
After seven years working as
a search-and-rescue dog, J.J. Tully and retired to
the country. Despite his considerable ego, J.J. agrees
to help a mother hen find her missing chicks, in exchange
for a cheeseburger. Working against J.J. is Vince the
Funnel, who looks like a cross between a dachshund
and a lamp because of the collar he is forced to wear.
Fast-paced and funny, this illustrated book is perfect
for readers making the transition between picture and
chapter books. |
|
 The
London Eye Mystery
by Siobhan Dowd
Ages 8–12
Ted and Kat take their cousin
Salim to ride on the London Eye. While waiting in a long
line, a stranger gives them a free ticket and Salim boards
the ride. When his pod arrives back in half an hour,
Salim is missing. Ted and Kat overcome
their usual sibling friction to work together to solve
the mystery. Ted, the endearing narrator, has
an unnamed Asberger’s-like syndrome which adds an intriguing
dimension to this clever puzzle. |
|
 The
Big Splash
by Jack D. Ferraiolo
Ages 10–14
Seventh grader Matt Stevens walks the
mean hallways of Franklin Middle School in this clever and
funny middle school noir. Tough guy Vinny Biggio and his gang
of trigger girls and boys armed with squirt guns rule the campus
until Matt decides to figure out who took down Nikki Fingers
in this exciting mystery. |
|
 The
Morgue and Me
by John C. Ford
Ages 12–up
Christopher Newell takes a summer
job in the morgue before heading off to college and stumbles
across $15,000 in cash and a dead body that the medical
examiner has ruled a suicide despite multiple bullet
wounds in the torso. Tina, a young reporter for the local
paper, joins Christopher’s investigation and the two
uncover blackmail and corruption going back for years.
This dark teen novel holds its own as a mainstream mystery. |
|
 Dead
End in Norvelt
by Jack Gantos
Newbery
Medal 2012
Ages 10–up
Jack Gantos’s summer 1962 vacation
plans take an unexpected turn when he is grounded “for
life” by his bickering parents. But then his mother
loans him out to a neighbor, and Jack finds himself typing
obituaries of the strange and wonderful people who founded
his small town. This funny and mysterious semi-autobiographic
mix of fact and fiction is fast-paced and immensely entertaining. |
|
 The
Diamond of Drury Lane
by Julia Golding
Ages 10–14
Cat has lived in the Drury Lane
Theater Royal ever since she was abandoned as a baby
and taken in by Mr. Sheridan, the owner of the theater.
After Cat sees Mr. Sheridan hiding a valuable diamond,
she and her friends decide to help safeguard the treasure.
Set in 1790s London, England, this thrilling mystery
will keep readers glued to the pages. (first in a projected
quartet) |
|
 The
Museum of Mary Child
by Cassandra Golds
Ages 11–up
Heloise is kept secluded by
her stern god mother. When the lonely girl discovers
a beautiful doll, Maria, hidden under the floorboards,
she hides the doll from her godmother who prohibits
play, beautiful things, and talk of love. When Maria
is discovered, Heloise learns the dreadful truth about
the museum adjoining her godmother’s cottage. This
mysterious and creepy novel is enthralling. |
|
 Picture
the Dead
by Adele Griffin, Lisa Brown
Ages 12–up
When Jennie’s twin brother
dies in the Civil War in 1864, Jennie feels his loss
like a wound. A year later, her cousin Quinn arrives
home to Massachusetts with the news that his brother
Will, Jennie’s fiancé, is also dead. Quinn, who is
much changed by the war, begins to court Jennie, who
responds though she senses that something mysterious
surrounds Will’s death. Jennie is haunted by both her
dead brother and Will, and suffers a recurring sensation
of being choked. Newspaper clippings, scrapbook entries,
and black-and-white drawings illustrate Jennie’s first
person narration in this effective gothic ghost story
portraying a country recovering from the horrors and
loss of war. |
|
 Clarity
by Kim Harrington
Ages 14–up
Clarity “Clare” Fern (16)
works for the family business doing psychic readings for summer
tourists in Cape Cod. Clare can retrieve memories and emotions
by touching objects, her mother can read minds, and her brother
is a medium. When a tourist is found murdered, Clare is eager
to help the police. When two more people are murdered, and
her brother becomes a suspect, Clare realizes she needs to
find the truth quickly before she becomes the next victim.
(1st in a planned series) |
|
 Blank
Confession
by Pete Hautman
Ages 12–up
Shayne Blank, a 16-year-old
stranger, appears at the police station to confess
to a murder. Detective Rawls, a veteran cop, listens
to Shayne’s story about Mickey Martin, the smallest
junior at Wellstone High, who discards a bag of drugs
given to him for safekeeping by his sister’s drug-dealing
boyfriend. This gripping story is told from both the
viewpoints of Mickey, narrating the back story, and
Detective Rawls, listening to the confession. Snappy
dialog, skillful pacing, and great characters make
this exciting mystery hard to put down. |
|
 The
Black Book of Secrets
by F.E. Higgins
Ages 10–14
Young Ludlow Fitch, fleeing a
terrible past, arrives in a peaceful village. Ludlow
becomes the assistant to the mysterious pawnbroker who
trades cash for people’s deepest, darkest secrets. It’s
Ludlow’s job to record the secrets in the leather bound Black
Book of Secrets. The vaguely Dickensian late 1800s
atmosphere is the perfect backdrop for this historical
fantasy. |
|
 The
Bone Magician
by F.E. Higgins
Ages 10–14
Young Pin Carpue is left to survive
on his own in the crime-ridden city of Urbs Umida when
his father, a suspected murderer, disappears. Pin gets
a job as a corpse watcher, standing guard in the morgue
for three days to ensure that the deceased really are
dead and not just sleeping. There he meets the Bone Magician
who claims to be able to reanimate the dead to answer
last questions from the living. This dark and funny fantasy
is a companion volume to The
Black Book of Secrets. |
|
 Department
19
by Will Hill
Ages 14–up
Jamie Carpenter’s father died
a traitor when Jamie was 14. Now 16, Jamie is rescued
by Frankenstein from vampires and taken to Department
19, the top-secret government organization founded
by Dracula’s killers, dedicated to protecting mankind
from the supernatural. When Jamie’s mother is kidnapped
by vampires, Jamie sets off with Frankenstein and an
untrustworthy vampire girl to rescue her. This non-stop
adventure is part mystery, part classic horror story,
and all thriller. |
|
 The
Reformed Vampire Support Group
by Catherine Jinks
Ages 12–up
The members of this group know
they must admit their addiction and conquer it before
they are staked, so they attend the hated meetings
every Tuesday night. When one of the vampires is destroyed
by a silver bullet, the group of misfits bands together
to find the killer. Plot twists and character development
combine to make this murder mystery a winner. |
|
 Nothing
but Ghosts
by Beth Kephart
Ages 12–up
Katie (16) and her father are
grieving the recent death of her mother. Her father,
an artist who restores paintings, tries to lose himself
in his work while pondering what color would be used
to paint regret. Katie takes a summer job gardening
for Miss Martine, the town recluse, and stumbles over
clues about the mystery of Miss Martine’s abrupt withdrawal
from the world. With her fellow teen worker Danny,
and the help of the town librarian, Katie researches
town history to solve the mystery and distract herself
from her own grief. |
| |
|
 invisible
i
by Stella Lennon
Ages 12–up
Callie, our narrator, Nia,
and Hal are three unlikely allies who join forces to
find 15-year-old Amanda who has vanished. Before disappearing,
Amanda told each person a different story about her
past and gave each a different animal totem. This intriguing
mystery is the first in “The Amanda Project” series,
written by different authors under the pen name Stella
Lennon. |
|
 The
Night Tourist
by Katherine Marsh
Ages 10–up
Jack Perdu is a 9th grade classics
prodigy. One evening Jack goes to New York City, a place
he has not visited since his mother died there eight
years ago. In Grand Central Station he meets Euri, a
mysterious girl who offers to show him the train station’s
secret places. Eight flights below, Jack realizes he
is in New York’s ghostly underworld and hopes to meet
his mother. The ghosts are suspicious of Jack, who becomes
increasingly uncertain if he himself is dead or alive.
This intricate adventure is a magical combination of
modern characters, New York history, and classical mythology. |
|
 Ruined
by Paula Morris
Ages 12–up
Rebecca Brown (15) is sent from New
York City to live with her aunt in New Orleans while her father
travels overseas for a year. Rebecca feels out of place at
the snooty prep school. In fact, to the rich girls she is nearly
invisible. Rebecca befriends Lisette, a ghost who has haunted
the cemetery since her mysterious death 155 years earlier.
This atmospheric ghost story captures the rich history of New
Orleans, and doesn't shy away from issues of race, ethnicity,
class, and culture. |
|
 Trash
by Andy Mulligan
Ages 12–up
Raphael is a 14-year-old trash-picker
in an unnamed 3rd world Latin American country. One day he
finds a leather bag containing a wallet, a map, and a key.
Raphael and his two friends are soon involved in exposing political
corruption and abuse of the poor as they puzzle out a secret
code and follow clues to a hidden cache of money. Realistic
details of the lives of desperate children living in the dump
provide a sobering background to this gripping adventure tale. |
|
 Lost
Boy
by Linda Newbery
Ages 8–12
Just after moving to Wales, Matt
imagines a car crash and finds himself next to the grave
of a boy with his initials. Soon he is involved in trying
to solve the mystery of three lost boys while trying
to fit into a village with well-kept secrets. |
|
 Creepy
Crawly Crime
by Aaron Reynolds, Neil Numberman
Ages 8–12
Joey Fly is an experienced
private investigator with an eager young apprentice
named Sammy Stingtail. The pair are hired by a clueless
butterfly to find her missing diamond pencil box. Full
of insect humor, puns, and nifty similes, this classic
mystery will keep young readers glued to the pages.
A graphic novel with a film noir look, this is the
first in the Joey Fly, Private Eye series. |
|
 The
39 Clues: A Maze of Bones
by Rick Riordan
Ages 9–14
In this first of 10 books, orphans
Amy and Dan Cahill take on the challenge of winning a
fortune by collecting all 39 clues. They also hope to
find their parents along the way. Unfortunately they
are competing against the rest of the Cahill clan, many
of whom are less than honorable. Riordan created the
story arc for the series; authors will write also for
the series. This fast-paced book has plenty of suspense,
danger, and puzzles. Readers between the age of 6–14
can also create online accounts to play the online
game and compete for $100,000 in prizes. |
|
 Wilson
and Miss Lovely:
A
Back-to-School Mystery
by John Stadler
Ages 4–8
After his first week of school, Wilson
is enthusiastic about his new teacher. But something is wrong.
The school bus never arrives, and the school is empty. Wilson
goes through his normal school routine, completing his math and
science lessons alone, sending himself to the principal’s office
when he misbehaves, but he grows more and more worried. Fold-out
flaps reveal a first green foot with claws, and then more details
until the surprise conclusion. A bit scary, but funny and sweet. |
|
 Spyology:
The
Complete Book of Spycraft
by Dugald A. Steer
Ages 8–12
It's 1958 and Agent K, a British
spy, reveals his secret techniques in a manual for
new recruits. As he pursues the evil Operation Codex,
Agent K sets challenges and reveals clues. Included
are a magnifying glass, a code-breaker, and a secret
compartment in the spine. |
|
 The
Romeo And Juliet Code
by Phoebe Stone
Ages 8–12
In the middle of WWII, eleven-year-old
Felicity’s parents send her from the dangers of England
to the safety of her father’s family in Maine. When
her Uncle Gideon begins to receive mysterious letters
in her father’s handwriting from Portugal, Felicity
and her new friend Captain Derek set out to crack the
code of the letters and figure out what is being hidden
from her. Themes of culture shock, adaptation, and
perseverance are explored in this romantic mystery. |
|
 Moon
Over Manifest
by Clare Vanderpool
Newbery Medal 2011
Ages 9–12
In 1936, while her father is away on
a railroad job, 12-year-old Abeline Tucker spends the summer
in her father’s hometown of Manifest, Kansas. Based on her father’s
stories, Abeline expects something magical, and is disappointed
to find only a worn out old town. But Abeline is determined to
find out what her father was like at her age, and explores the
past through stories and newspaper columns. When she finds a
hidden cigar box full of old letters, Abeline and her new friends
are quickly involved in a spy hunt, eager to unveil the secrets
of the past. |
|
 The
Shadows
by Jacqueline West
Ages 9–12
Soon after Olive Dunwoody (11)
and her mathematician parents move into an old Victorian
house, Olive realizes that something isn’t right. She
discovers that wearing a pair of spectacles allows
her to enter the unsettling paintings into Elsewhere,
where she meets Morton (9), who tells her about the
secrets the house and the previous owner are hiding.
With the help of three talking house cats, Olive begins
to patch together a series of clues she hopes will
help her save those living inside the paintings from
their dark fate. This deliciously creepy novel is the
first in a series: The Books of Elsewhere. |
|
 Where
Things Come Back
by John Corey Whaley
Ages 14–up
Cullen Witter (17) is bored
to death living in the small town of Lily, Arkansas
until the summer before his senior year. Then the Lazarus
woodpecker, long thought to be extinct, allegedly reappears,
and his younger brother Gabriel goes missing. Meanwhile,
Benton Sage, a young missionary in Africa loses his
faith and leaves Ethiopia for the University of Atlanta.
Told in alternating chapters, the two stories narrated
from two completely different viewpoints gradually
converge into the surprising and disturbing finale
of this darkly humorous thriller. |
|
 The
Space between Trees
by Katie Williams
Ages 14–up
Evie (16) is an outsider with
a vivid imagination she uses to make her lonely life
in a small midwestern town livable. When Zabet McCabe,
a childhood friend, is murdered, Evie finds herself
involved in a story even she couldn’t imagine. Zabet’s
reckless and emotionally unstable best friend Hadley
becomes obsessed with finding Zabet’s murderer, and
drags Evie into her investigation. Evie’s honesty and
unwise decisions make for some difficult reading, but
this dark coming-of-age story beautifully portrays
the anguish of those who don’t fit in with their peer
group. |
|
 The
Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book I: The Mysterious
Howling
by Maryrose Wood
Ages 8–12
Penelope Lumley, a 15-year-old
educated at the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females,
has just accepted her first post as governess. The three
children in her charge were found running wild in the
woods, and are now living in a barn on the estate of
Lord Frederic Ashton. More animal than human, Alexander
keeps his younger siblings in line with gentle nips while
Beowulf chases squirrels and Cassiopeia barks. First
in a new series, this cleverly funny book will have readers
clamoring for the next. |
|
 Blink & Caution
by Tim Wynne-Jones
Ages 14–up
Blink has been living on the streets
ever since he ran away from his abusive step-father. While
trying to steal leftover food from room service in a hotel,
he witnesses a fake kidnapping of an oil executive. Caution
is on the run from her abusive drug-dealing boyfriend, and
trying to deal with her guilt over the accidental shooting
of her brother. The two teens try their hands at blackmail,
and are quickly caught up in racial and environmental issues
that they can’t fix in this compelling noir crime novel. |
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