The Puppy Problem by Laura James.  Playful adventures of Gizmo the dachshund, who starts a newspaper for dogs in the small town he and his human move to.  Fully illustrated early chapter book. Good for lovers of the Owl Diaries and Pug stories.  Gr 2-3. 

The Invincible Girls Club: Home Sweet Forever Home by Rachele Alpine.  Lauren and her three BFFs find creative ways to help shelter dogs get adopted.  Even though the girls are all very different, they discover that together they can make an invincible team.  Gr 2-5. 

Strangeville School is Totally Normal by Darcy Miller. If you took all the bad parts of Hogwarts and Wayside School, throw in a bit of My Weird School zaniness, you’d be attending Strangeville School.  This tongue-in-cheek horror fantasy is a fun page turning read.  Gr 3-6. 

Rise of the World Eater by Jamie Littler.  Sequel to Escape from Aurora.  Ash has escaped the towering city of Aurora and now must defeat “The Devourer”.  Heavily illustrated.  Gr 3-7. 

Tiger Honor by Yoon Ha Lee. A companion novel to Dragon Pearl.  A zesty mix of Korean folklore, magic, and science fiction – great space opera.  From the Rick Riordan Presents array of various mythologies.  Gr 3-7. 

Spell Sweeper by Lee Edward Fodi.  What if “the Chosen One” was actually working for the other side?  Cara, whose job is to clean up magic mess when spells are cast, suspects just that.  Fun take on schools for magic for Harry Potter fans.  Gr 3-7. 

Birdie’s Billions by Edith Cohn.  Skateboarder Birdie’s impetuous nature sometimes leads her to lying her way out of trouble.  But when she finds a horde of money in an abandoned house, she ends up finding out that lying causes more problems and truth will out.  Enjoyable combination of school, friendships and a bit of a mystery.  Gr 4-7. 

Generation Misfits by Akemi Dawn Bowman.  Millie is attending a real school for the first time, and she dreams of finally having friends and a little bit of freedom. She finds her chance when she joins an imitation band of her favorite J-Pop group.  Gr 4-7. 

They Stole Our Hearts by Daniel Kraus.  Second in the Teddies Saga trilogy about discarded and unwanted teddy bears seeking their maker or, better, the supposed oblivion that comes through a child’s love.  Definitely not for the sensitive reader.  As Kirkus reviews describe it: … “disturbing and brilliant in equal measure.” One look at the cover will tell you whether you want to read it.  Gr. 4-7. 

Operation Do-Over by Gordon Korman.  A chance to repeat time.  Will changing the past change the future? Sounds like the protagonist had a hard year.  Gr 4-9. 

Riley’s Ghost by John David Anderson.  Seriously scary story of a haunted school, as compared to Strangeville (see above).  A mocked and bullied student is locked in school overnight.  Echoes of the classic adult horror story/film Carrie.  Gr 5-9. 

The Fowl Twins: Get What They Deserve by Eoin Colfer.  Irish twins Myles and Beckett, Artemis Fowl's younger brothers, return in their third and most bizarre adventure yet involving high-tech, spectacular magic.  Gr 5-8. 

Arch of Bone by Jane Yolen.  Part Moby Dick, Hatchet, and Robinson Crusoe.  Young Josiah Starbuck, upon hearing the tragic end of his father from Ishmael, sails off and is marooned on a small island.  The titular Arch is actually the jawbone of a whale and whenever Josiah comes in contact with it, he dreams of the hunt for the great white whale.  Good for fans of Avi’s historical fiction.  Gr 5+. 

Northwind by Gary Paulsen.  A maritime version of Hatchet.  We accompany Leif on a mystical dangerous journey as he tries to out-paddle a plague, musing on nature and himself, all the while  surviving in the Northern Wilderness with almost nothing. Gr 4-9. 

GRAPHIC NOVELS 

Boris the Cat by Erwin Moser.  A collection of 2-page comic stories from a beloved Austrian author/illustrator.  Boris and his friends experience big and little adventures every day, often without even looking for them!  Wonderful for either shared or independent reading.  K-4. 

Adventure Kingdom by Steve Foxe/Pedro Rodriguez.  When Clark sneaks into Adventure Kingdom, all he wants is a peek at the remains of the once-magical theme park he loved as a kid. When he meets Karoline, the granddaughter of the park’s creator, the two of them discover that the magic of that place was never just an illusion.  Gr 3-6. 

Bounce Back by Misako Rocks.  Middle-grade manga about a basketball-loving girl who moves from Japan to the U.S.  Gr 4-8.