#MiddleGraders

Nura longs for the simple pleasure of many things—to wear a beautiful red dupatta or to bite into a sweet gulab. But with her mom hard at work in a run-down sweatshop and three younger siblings to feed, Nura must spend her days earning money by mica mining. But it’s not just the extra rupees in her pocket Nura is after. Local rumor says there’s buried treasure in the mine, and Nura knows that finding it could change the course of her family’s life forever.

Her plan backfires when the mines collapse and four kids, including her best friend, Faisal, are claimed dead. Nura refuses to believe it and shovels her way through the dirt hoping to find him. Instead, she finds herself at the entrance to a strange world of purple skies and pink seas—a portal to the opulent realm of jinn, inhabited by the trickster creatures from her mother’s cautionary tales. Yet they aren’t nearly as treacherous as her mother made them out to be, because Nura is invited to a luxury jinn hotel, where she’s given everything she could ever imagine and more. 

But there’s a dark truth lurking beneath all that glitter and gold, and when Nura crosses the owner’s son and is banished to the working quarters, she realizes she isn’t the only human who’s ended up in the hotel’s clutches. Faisal and the other missing children are there, too, and if Nura can’t find a way to help them all escape, they’ll be bound to work for the hotel forever.

Set in a rural industrial town in Pakistan and full of hope, heart, and humor, Nura and the Immortal Palace is inspired by M.T. Khan’s own Pakistani Muslim heritage. 

When 11 year old runaway Matt Bright is rescued by Samantha Cooper and taken to her creepy home, Craven Manor, he has no idea that he's entering a trap. What is the mystery of Samantha's parents? Who is the sinister Mr Higgins? And the even more frightening Great Aunt Dorothy who lurks on the top floor? What do they want? And why won't they let Matt leave? When Matt finds his life in danger he tries to escape, and there is only one route. And so begins the most terrifying experience of Matt's life. (Warning to readers: Do not try this at home.) Suitable for boys and girls aged 9 to 13.

The truth is out there somewhere . . . but how far is Jack willing to jump to find it? Jack Phillips's allergy to sunshine confines him to the shadows, leaving him lonely and at risk of life-threatening burns every time he steps into the light. Shadow jumping on the rooftops at dusk makes him feel alive. And free. But Jack's condition is suddenly worse than ever and only his missing scientist dad can save him. As Jack and his new friend, Beth, begin their frantic search and delve into his dad's past for clues, they have no idea what they are about to uncover. Shocking rumours and dark secrets bombard them at every turn. Jack is brave on the roofs. But can he find the courage to face the truth?
A story about friendship, family, loss, bravery and overcoming adversity.

Will Jack solve the crime, or die trying?
The rooftops are Jack's safe place - perfect for shadow jumping. Or so he thought. When Jack and Beth find a packet hidden between the chimney pots, Jack becomes the prime suspect for theft. Then his friend Fabien falls from the roof. Was it an accident? Or something more sinister? Thrust into a shady world of robbery and mayhem, Jack must find the real thieves to save himself and his friends.

Another exciting mystery adventure, packed with twists, turns and red herrings, from the award-winning author of Shadow Jumper.

Twelve-year-old Paris Pan has moved to a small town where she has a real shot at making friends. But that friendship comes at a price. She must take The Dare, something that caused a girl to disappear on the very property she now resides. To make matters worse, Paris must play basketball against her will, eradicate a crush on the least desirable boy in 7th grade, and cope with a family crisis that was possibly caused by a chili dog.

Billy has long dreamt of owning not one, but two dogs. So when he’s finally able to save up enough money for two pups to call his own—Old Dan and Little Ann—he’s ecstatic. It’s true that times are tough, but together they’ll roam the hills of the Ozarks.

Soon Billy and his hounds become the finest hunting team in the valley. Stories of their great achievements spread throughout the region, and the combination of Old Dan’s brawn, Little Ann’s brains, and Billy’s sheer will seems unbeatable. But tragedy awaits these determined hunters—now friends—and Billy learns that hope can grow out of despair.

A Long Walk to Water begins as two stories, told in alternating sections, about two eleven-year-olds in Sudan, a girl in 2008 and a boy in 1985. The girl, Nya, is fetching water from a pond that is two hours’ walk from her home: she makes two trips to the pond every day. The boy, Salva, becomes one of the “lost boys” of Sudan, refugees who cover the African continent on foot as they search for their families and for a safe place to stay.

Enduring every hardship from loneliness to attack by armed rebels to contact with killer lions and crocodiles, Salva is a survivor, and his story goes on to intersect with Nya’s in an astonishing and moving way. Includes an afterword by author Linda Sue Park and the real-life Salva Dut, on whom the novel is based, and who went on to found Water for South Sudan.

Lucy Callahan’s life was changed forever when she was struck by lightning. She doesn’t remember it, but the zap gave her genius-level math skills, and she’s been homeschooled ever since. Now, at 12 years old, she’s technically ready for college. She just has to pass 1 more test–middle school!

Lucy’s grandma insists: Go to middle school for 1 year. Make 1 friend. Join 1 activity. And read 1 book (that’s not a math textbook!). Lucy’s not sure what a girl who does calculus homework for fun can possibly learn in 7th grade. She has everything she needs at home, where nobody can make fun of her rigid routines or her superpowered brain. The equation of Lucy’s life has already been solved. Unless there’s been a miscalculation?

A celebration of friendship, Stacy McAnulty’s smart and thoughtful middle-grade debut reminds us all to get out of our comfort zones and embrace what makes us different.

Will they find the spy—
or will the spy find them first?

When twelve-year-old cousins Sophie and Jessica take a class at a chocolate factory, they don’t expect to see bad guys in such a sweet place. Strange happenings make them wonder if they’ve uncovered another mystery, and they’re soon in danger. Can they find The Chocolate Spy in time?

The Chocolate Spy is the third book in the Crime-Solving Cousins Mysteries. If you (or the eight- to ten-year-olds in your life) like Nancy Drew, Theodore Boone, or the Hardy Boys, then you’ll love Shannon L. Brown’s fun, fast-paced books for kids.

Unwrapping a puzzling package and finding a clue launches twelve-year-old cousins Sophie and Jessica into the dangers of The Treasure Key. They're soon racing against time—and bad guys— to find long-lost treasure. Will they be the first to discover its hiding place? The Treasure Key is the second book in the Crime-Solving Cousins Mysteries. If you (or the eight- to ten-year-olds in your life) like Nancy Drew, Theodore Boone, or the Hardy Boys, then you’ll love Shannon L. Brown’s fun, fast-paced books for kids. Buy The Treasure Key and begin your search today.