Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, 2001.
     Artemis Fowl is a 12-year-old criminal mastermind worthy of a James Bond movie.  He plans to steal fairy gold -- from fairies with a technological society you won't believe!  Paperback.  Sequel:  Artemis Fowl : The Arctic Incident.

Beyond the Western Sea. by Avi. Orchard, 1996.
    Book One: The Escape From Home        Paperback.
    Book Two: Lord Kirkle's Money          Paperback.
    Maura and Patrick O'Connell journey to America from impoverished Ireland to join their father, and along the way save the life of the young English lord whose father evicted their family in Ireland.

The Boggart by Susan Cooper.
    A Canadian family inherits a Scottish castle and after visiting it, unwittingly take a mischievous spirit back to Toronto, where it causes chaos.  (Grades 4-8)     Paperback.

The Case of the Goblin Pearls: Chinatown Mystery #1 by Laurence Yep
    Lily and her aunt, a move star, join forces to solve theft of some priceless pearls and stop a sweatshop operation.  Take a look at the other Chinatown Mysteries, too.  (Grades 4-8)  Paperback.

Choosing Up Sides by John H. Ritter.
    In 1921 thirteen-year-old Luke finds himself torn between accepting his left-handedness or conforming to the belief of his preacher-father that such a condition is evil and must be overcome.  (Grades 5-8)     Paperback.

Climb or Die by Edward Myers.
    When their family car careens off a mountain road in a blizzard, injuring their parents, Danielle and Jake have to climb the mountain to get help.  Gripping adventure story.  (Grades 4-8)     Paperback.

Cody's Secret Admirer by Betsy Duffey.
    Nine-year-old Cody receives a Valentine from a secret admirer and tries to find out the person's identity.  Very funny story, as Cody keeps making wrong assumptions . . . after all, he's too YOUNG to get married!  The other Cody books are also very good, particularly the one about him going to camp.  (Grades 2-5)    Paperback.

Crandall's Castle by Betty Ren Wright, 2003.
    Carli and Sophia find a truly terrifying ghost in the old mansion that Uncle Will wants to fix up as a bed and breakfast.  It's up to them to save little Mickey's life.  (Grades 4-8)

David v. God by Mary E. Pearson, 2000
     David and the other kids in a field trip van die when they are in an accident.  Cut-up rascal David refuses to accept his death and challenges God to a debate.  Outstanding first novel!  I couldn’t put it down.  (Grades 5 up)

Dealing With Dragons by Patricia Wrede
    Princess Cimerone has no intention or marrying a prince, so she runs away from her kingdom and becomes a cook and librarian for the dragon Kazul.  The rest of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles Series is also a must.  (Grades 4 to 8 and up)    Paperback.

Dial-a-Ghost by Eva Ibbotson, 1996.
     Miss Pringle and Mrs. Mannering run the Dial-a-Ghost agency in London, trying to find homes for ghosts.  The nice Wilkinson family and the horrible Shriekers get sent to the wrong homes, with hilarious results.  (Grades 4 - 8)

Discovery of Dragons. by Graeme Base
    Rolland W. Greasebeam recounts the discovery of dragons in Europe, Asia and the Tropics.  Beautifully and cleverly illustrated, and the text is a series of ingenious letters from explorers.  (Grades 4 to adult)

Earthquake Terror. by Peg Kehret.
    Twelve-year-old Jonathan has to figure out how to save himself and his partially paralyzed younger sister after an earthquake that has separated them from their parents on an isolated island.  Gripping adventure!  (Grades 4-8)     Paperback.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine (NEWBERY HONOR BOOK)
    Ella (Cinderella) reveals how a curse forces her to obey any order.  Very clever and engrossing book expands the Cinderella story beaurifully.  (Grades 4-9 and up)     Paperback.

Feed by M. T. Anderson, 2002.
  Titus, like the other teens he knows, has a "feed," a nervous system implant that puts the internet, television, and movies, games, etc., directly in"lunatic" who touches them and infects them with a computer virus.  Well-drawn science fiction vision of a dangerous future.    (YA)  Paperback.

Frindle. by Andrew Clements
    Nicholas Allen tries to put one over on his language arts teacher, Mrs. Granger, by inventing a new word for "pen," with surprising results.  Funny and fascinating.  (Grades 3-8)   Paperback.

The Ghost and Mrs. Hobbs by Cynthia DeFelice, 2001
     Allie Nichols discovers that she is a "ghost magnet" when she is visited by a charismatic ghost named John Walker who leads her to believe that the cafeteria manager, Mrs. Hobbs, murdered him, her husband and baby in a fire she set.  (Grades 4-8)

The Ghost of Fossil Glen by Cynthia DeFelice.
       Allie knows it's not her imagination when she hears a voice and sees in her mind's eye the face of a girl who seems to be seeking Allie's help.  (Grades 4-8)   Paperback.

Ghost Sitter by Peni R. Griffin, 2001
     Susie, who died in a fireworks accident when she was ten.  She has been dead for 50 years but doesn't know it.  (Grades 3-8)

The Giver by Lois Lowry  (NEWBERY MEDAL WINNER)
    In this compelling science fiction novel, 12-year-old Jonas experiences no poverty, no crime, no sickness and no unemployment; where every family is happy, When Jonas is chosen to be the community's Receiver of Memories, he learns the frightening truth about his utopian world and boldly decides he cannot pay the price.  (Grades 5 to adult)    Paperback.

The Golden Compass: His Dark Materials: Book One by Philip Pullman
    Lyra and her daemon, Pantalaimon, set out to save other children from experimentation in the far north, with the help of armored polar bears and an alethiometer.  (Grades 4-12 and adult) Paperback.  See also the sequels: The Subtle Knife (book two) and The Amber Spyglass (book three).

Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling.  Yes, I love Harry Potter, too.  (Grades 4-adult)  This link is to the"Harry Potter Store" on Amazon.com. 

Holes by Louis Sachar (NEWBERY MEDAL WINNER)
     Stanley Yelnats, victim of a family "curse," is sent to a hellish correctional camp in the Texas desert where he finds his first read friend, a treasure, and a new sense of himself.  (Grades 5-9)  If you saw the movie, don't miss the book!   Paperback.

Later, Gator by Laurence Yep
    Teddy gets his younger brother an alligator for his birthday, sure that Bobby will be terrified.  Funny story of sibling rivalry set in San Francisco's Chinatown.  (Grades 3-7)  Paperback.

The Malted Falcon by Bruce Hale, 2003
    Hilarous but real mystery from the Chet Gecko series, peppered with funny puns.  Chet is hired to find a missing Valentine that contains a winning lottery ticket.  (Grades 3-6)

The Mind Reader by Jan Slepian
    In 1930, Conrad Leondar runs away from the horrors of his ability read minds.  Thought-provoking, serious fiction.  (Grades 5-9)

The Moorchild.by Eloise McGraw.  (NEWBERY HONOR BOOK)
   Saaski, part human and part "Folk" cannot fit in as a changeling child in human society and attempts to find the child she was exchanged for and restore her to her parents.  Poignant and involving; serious and thought-provoking.  (Grades 4-10)   Paperback.

The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary.
    Ralph (a mouse) meets Keith, a boy who teaches him how to ride a toy motorcyle.  Ralph has the adventure of his life. Paperback.  Equally enthralling are Ralph S. Mouse and Runaway Ralph.  (Grades 3-6)

The Night Room by E. M. Goldman, 1995.  (Paperback reprint)
   Seven high school students go through a computer program called Argus, which is supposed to give them a glimpse of what their future MIGHT be like at their 10th HS reunion.  They discover that one of the students is dead, and set out to find out why.   (YA)

Owen Foote, Soccer Star by Stephanie Greene.
       When eight-year-old Owen and his best friend, Joseph, join a neighborhood soccer league, they not only face a test of their game skills but also of their friendship.  You may also enjoy the other books about Owen Foote.  (Grades 2-4)  Paperback.

The Presence by Eve Bunting, 2003.
    Seventeen-year-old Catherine is suffering from a guilty conscience after her best friend is killed in an automobile accident.  While visiting her grandmother in California, she is preyed upon by "The Presence," the 120-year-old ghost of a young man named Noah who wants her to be his for eternity.  Gripping!  (Grades 5 and up - YA).

Rose's Journal : The Story of a Girl in the Great Depression by Marissa Moss, 2001.
     Excellent account of Depression/Dust Bowl Kansas, with some contemporary events brought in through newsreels, radio, and newspapers.  Entertaining and informative.  (Grades 3-6)

The Sands of Time. by Michael Hoeye 2001.  Sequel to Time Stops for No Mouse. 
    Intrepid mouse watchmaker Hermux Tantamoq participates in an adventure worthy of Indiana Jones when he and his friends try to find the lost kingdom of the cats -- creatures their rodent society considers evil, mythical creatures.  (Grades 5 to adult)

See You Around, Sam. by Lois Lowry
    When Sam arrives home with monster fangs, his mother won't let him wear them so he runs away.  Touching and funny story about a loving family and a determined little boy.  (Grades 3-6)  Paperback.

Sees Behind Trees. by Michael Dorris
    Walnut is near-sighted and cannot learn to shoot arrows to hit a target, but with he help of his mother, he develops other talents.  Unusual novel about a Native American boy with a visual disability.  (Grades 4-8)     Paperback.

Shadow Spinner by Susan Fletcher.
    When Marjan, a thirteen-year-old crippled girl, joins the Sultan's harem in ancient Persia, she gathers for Shahrazad the stories which will save the queen's life.  (Grades 5-9)     Paperback.

Silverwing by Kenneth Oppel
    Shade, a curious newborn silverwing bat, has incredible adventures.  Unusual story about a sophisticated bat society.  Paperback.     There is also an excellent sequel, Sunwing.  Paperback.  (Grades 4-10)

SOS Titanic. by Eve Bunting
    Barry O'Neill, a teenager traveling to America on the Titanic faces both personal enemies and physical danger when the ship hits an iceberg and begins to sink.  (Grades 4-9)   Paperback.

Spider Boy by Ralph Fletcher
    Seventh-grader Bobby, fascinated with spiders, finds it hard to adjust after a move.  (Grades 4-8)    Paperback.

Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner.
    Ten-year-old Willy desperately wants to win the dogsled race so he can pay the back taxes on his grandfather's farm, but how can he beat the Indian mountain man, Stone Fox?  Engrossing, and fast-paced.  (Grades 3-6)     Paperback.

Stonewords : A Ghost Story by Pam Conrad, 1990.
     Since she was very small, Zoe has had a close relationship with Zoe Louise, an 11-year-old ghost from the 1800s.  Amazon link is to a paperback edition.  (Grades 4 - 8)

The Subtle Knife. His Dark Materials: Book Two.
   (Sequel to The Golden Compass, above), by Philip Pullman.  Lyra and Will battle dangerous forces.  Followed by The Amber Spyglass.  (Grades 4-12 and adult)   Paperback.

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume.
    Peter Hatcher details his "suffering" at the antics of his little brother Fudgie.  Hilarious -- every big brother or sister will connect.  The other takes about this family are loads of fun, too:  Superfudge and Fudge-a-Mania.  (Grades 3-7, fun family read-aloud)     Paperback.

Time Stops for No Mouse by Michael Hoeye, 2000.
     Hermux Tantamoq is a mouse -- and a clockmaker.  His world orderly is plunged into a rich profusion of infatuation, mystery, and intrigue when a jaunty, attractive mouse brings her smashed watch for repair.   Paperback.  Sequel:  The Sands of Time.  See above.  (Grades 4 to adult)

Virtual War by Gloria Skurzynski.
    Three genetically engineered children who have been raised in virtual reality boxes with no real human contact are teamed up to fight a virtual war for much-needed disease-free territory.  Edge-of-your seat science fiction.  (Grades 5-10)     Paperback.

What Child Is This? : A Christmas Story by Caroline Cooney
    Seventeen-year-old Matt tries to find a home for a homelss eight-year-old girl.  Hard-hitting and heartwarming story about the real meaning of Christmas.  (Grades 5-10)   Paperback.

Whispers From the Dead by Joan Lowery Nixon, 1989
    After nearly drowning, Sarah Darnell has a "connection" to "there other side."  When her family moves into a new home, the ghost of a dead girl pleads with her to help find her killer.  Engrossing.  (YA)    Paperback.

The Wild Kid by Harry Mazer.
    Twelve-year-old Sammy, who is mildly retarded, runs away from home and becomes a prisoner of Kevin, a wild kid living in the woods.  (Grades 4-8)    Paperback.

The Wreckers by Iain Lawrence.
    Shipwrecked after a vicious storm, fourteen-year-old John Spencer attempts to save his father and himself while also dealing with an evil secret about the English coastal town where they are stranded.  (Grades 5-10)     Paperback.     Sequel:  The Smugglers, another excellent historical sea adventure.

Wringer by Jerry Spinelli (NEWBERY HONOR BOOK)
    As Palmer’s birthday arrives, he must choose whether to be a wringer or not.  A serious story about conscience, conformity, violence toward pigeons, and love.  (Grades 4-8)   Paperback.