IT'S ALL IN THE DETAILS

Florian, a 7th grader, is once again at another new school in a new city, despairing about his predicament when the neighbor across the street forces herself into his house and befriends him after demanding to be   shown how TOAST works. TOAST is Florian's methodology of Schedule
observation which helps him adjust to new situations in his life.  While testing out his observational method, the two inadvertently stumble onto the mystery of stolen paintings at the National Gallery where both of Florian's parents work.  

Framed!  A T.O.A.S.T. Mystery by James Ponti is for those who love a good mystery, Sherlock Holmes and a dash of international spy thriller--you will love this book. 

For readers in 6th - 8th grades. 

PULSE-POUNDING STORIES

Have you ever wished for a wishing machine?  Something to grant you your heart's desire?  Benny's friend Ray draws him a wish machine on a piece of paper and encourages him to start making wishes and they'll all come true.  Benny looks at Ray like he's bonkers and throws the drawing to the side.  That is, until Benny's wishes start coming true - sort of.  Like when he wishes for ear plugs at night and ends up with head phones.  Is Ray playing a trick on Benny or is there a bigger surprise in store?

Ghosts, Cryptids, Kidnappings, and more can be found in this thrilling collection of short stories called Thriller, edited by Jon Scieszka, the man who brought you The True Story of the Three Little Pigs and Time Warp Trio.  Don't let the series title "Guys Read" fool you, these stories are great for all kids, guy or gal, in grades 5 and up.

A NEW SPY ADVENTURE

Q, short for Quest, and his newly minted stepsister are quickly thrown into a world of spies and lies when their parents' honeymoon/music tour turn into an adventure in dodging agents from the Mossad, the Israeli spy agency. Angela has been led to believe that her mother, a secret Service agent, died protecting the United States. All that is being questioned now as foreign spies follow them in order to track down her mother, believed to be still alive and one of the world's most deadly terrorist.

I.Q.: Book One: Independence Hall by Roland Smith is a fast pace thrilling spy adventure for readers in 7th-9th grade. A new spy series.

CREEPY, AND CREEPIER

Courtney has just moved into her uncle's mansion with her clueless and self absorbed parents when she realizes there's something strange about her uncle's mansion. The kids in the new school are weird but the mansion and her uncle are seriously creepy. Curiosity gets the better of Courtney and all is not as it seems in the Crumrin mansion or the 'burbs. her uncle catches her going through his things and she sees that he's not the creepy one but he's just private and trying to protect her from a cast of creepier characters living in another world alongside the human world. She discovers the talking cat, a wolf, and other magical and dark beings whom she must conquer in order to survive.

Courtney Crumrin and the Night Things by Ted Naifeh is truly creepy graphic novel for those who like Cirque Du Freak or those too old for Goosebumps. Just looking at the blank eyes of the characters in the book are enough to give you the shivers.

For 6th & up.