MIDDLE SCHOOL NEW BOOK LIST
NOVEMBER 2004

FICTION

Airborn .   Kenneth Oppel.

Matt, a young cabin boy aboard an airship, and Kate, a wealthy young girl traveling with her chaperone, team up to search for the existence of mysterious winged creatures reportedly living hundreds of feet above the Earth's surface.

Among the brave.   Margaret Peterson Haddix.  

In a society that allows families to have only two children, a group of third-borns tries to save themselves and others like them. Continues the "Shadow Children series."

The Anybodies.   N. E. Bode .  

After learning that she is not the biological daughter of boring Mr. and Mrs. Drudger, Fern embarks on magical adventures with her real father and finds "a place that feels like home."

Away laughing on a fast camel : even more confessions of Georgia Nicolson.   Louise Rennison.

The saga of teenager Georgia Nicolson continues in diary entries about her life after the boyfriend goes off to Kiwi-agogoland, leaving her to make do without him.

Contents under pressure.   Lara M. Zeises.

Lucy, a fourteen-year-old high school freshman, experiences the happiness and confusion of dating a popular older boy and changing relationships with life-long friends.

The Dark pond. Joseph Bruchac.

After he feels a mysterious pull drawing him toward a dark, shadowy pond in the woods. Armie looks to old Native American tales for guidance about the dangerous monster lurking in the water.

The Fire-eaters . David Almond.

In 1962 England, despite observing his father's illness and the suffering of the fire-eating Mr. McNulty, as well as enduring abuse at school and the stress of the Cuban Missile Crisis, Bobby Burns and his family and friends still find reasons to rejoice in their lives and to have hope for the future.

The Game of sunken places.   M. T. Anderson.  

When two boys stay with an eccentric relative at his mansion in rural Vermont, they discover an old-fashioned board game that draws them into a mysterious adventure.

The Golem's eye.   Jonathan Stroud.  

In book two of the continuing adventure of the Bartimaeus trilogy, magician's apprentice Nathaniel, now fourteen-years-old and the dijnni Bartimaeus travel to Prague to locate the source of a golem's power before it destroys London.

The Great tree of Avalon : child of the dark prophecy.   T. A. Barron.  

In accordance with prophecy, Avalon's existence is threatened in the year that stars stop shining and at the time when both the dark child and Merlin's heir are to be revealed.

Hidden roots.   Joseph Bruchac.  

Although he is uncertain why his father is so angry and what secret his mother is keeping from him, eleven-year-old Sonny knows that he is different from his classmates in their small New York town.

How I found the strong.   Margaret McMullan.  

Frank Russell, known as Shanks, wishes he could have gone with his father and brother to fight for Mississippi and the Confederacy, but his experiences with the war and his changing relationship with the family slave, Buck, change his thinking.

Jumpman rule #1 : don't touch anything.   James Valentine.

When a defective time-jumping device strands Theodore, a teen from the distant future, in the twenty-first century, he is helped by two high schoolers--Jules, who is having time problems of his own, and Gen, an old friend Jules was about to ask out.

Keesha's house.   Helen Frost.

Seven teens facing such problems as pregnancy, closeted homosexuality, and abuse each describe in poetic forms what caused them to leave home and where they found home again.  

The Key to the golden firebird : a novel.   Maureen Johnson.

As three teenaged sisters struggle to cope with their father's sudden death, they find they must reexamine friendships, lifelong dreams, and their relationships with each other and their father.

King of the middle march.   Kevin Crossley-Holland.  

Arthur de Caldicot, on his way to becoming a man, witnesses the horrors of the fourth crusade in Venice and Zara, as well as the downfall of King Arthur's court, in his seeing stone.

Kingdom of the golden dragon.   Isabel Allende.  

Sixteen-year-old Alexander Cold accompanies his grandmother, a writer for a geography magazine, to the remote Forbidden Kingdom in the Himalayas to help locate a sacred statute of a golden dragon before it is stolen by a greedy outsider.

Letters from Wolfie. Patti Sherlock.

Certain that he is doing the right thing by donating his dog, Wolfie, to the Army's scout program in Vietnam, thirteen-year-old Mark begins to have second thoughts when the Army refuses to say when and if Wolfie will ever return.

Millions. Frank Cotrell Boyce.

After their mother dies, two brothers find a huge amount of money which they must spend quickly before England switches to the new European currency, but they disagree on what to do with it.

Never mind. Avi.

Twelve-year-old New York City twins Meg and Edward have nothing in common, so they are just as shocked as everyone else when Meg's hopes for popularity and Edward's mischievous schemes coincidentally collide in a hilarious showdown.

The New young Oxford book of ghost stories.

Stories to amaze and frighten you.

Pagan's vows.   Catherine Jinks.

Follows the adventures of Pagan, squire to Lord Roland, through the years 1188 to 1189, as he accompanies his master, now determined to be a monk, to the French monastery of St. Martin and uncovers a dangerous blackmail plot.

Predator's gold. Philip Reeve.  

In the distant future, when cities move about and consume smaller towns, Tom and Hester hope that the ice city of Anchorage will reach the rumored haven of the Dead Continent--America--before the savage Huntsmen of Arkangel find them.

Princess in pink.   Meg Cabot.  

In a series of humorous diary entries, high school freshman (and Genovian princess) Mia tries to get her reluctant boyfriend to take her to the prom.

The Revealers.   Doug Wilheim.  

Tired of being bullied and picked on, three seventh-grade outcasts join forces and, using scientific methods and the power of the Internet, begin to create a new atmosphere at Parkland Middle School.

The Sea of trolls.   Nancy Farmer.  

After Jack becomes apprenticed to a Druid bard, he and his little sister Lucy are captured by Viking Berserkers and taken to the home of King Ivar the Boneless and his half-troll queen, leading Jack to undertake a vital quest to Jotunheim, home of the trolls.

The Supernaturalist.   Eoin Colfer.  

In futuristic Satellite City, fourteen-year-old Cosmo Hill escapes from his abusive orphanage and teams up with three other people who share his unusual ability to see supernatural creatures, and together they determine the nature and purpose of the swarming blue Parasites that are invisible to most humans.

Troll fell.   Katherine Langrish.

Forced to live with his evil identical twin uncles after his father's death, twelve-year-old Peer tries to find a way to stop their plan to sell the neighbor's children to the trolls.

The Young man and the sea.   W. R. Philbrick.  

After his mother's death, twelve-year-old Skiff Beaman decides that it is up to him to earn money to take care of himself and his father, so he undertakes a dangerous trip alone out on the ocean off the coast of Maine to try to catch a huge blue fin tuna.

BIOGRAPHIES

Lance Armstrong, cyclist.    Michael Benson.

A biography of sports superstar Lance Armstrong, known for repeatedly winning the prestigious, long-distance bicycle race, The Tour de France, and for surviving cancer.

The Radioactive boy scout : the true story of a boy and his backyard nuclear reactor.   Ken Silverstein.

Scare yourself to death and read how a boy built a nuclear reactor in his backyard from scrap parts.

J. R. R. Tolkien : creator of languages and legends.    Doris Lynch .

The life of the creator of hobbit land .

The Voice that challenged a nation : Marian Anderson and the struggle for equal rights.   Russell Freedman.

Another wonderful book by Freedman telling the story of Marian Anderson and how her voice helped break down racial barriers.

George Washington, spymaster : how America outspied the British and won the Revolutionary War.   Thomas B. Allen.  

A biography of Revolutionary War general and first President of the United States, George Washington, focusing on his use of spies to gather intelligence that helped the colonies win the war.

NON-FICTION

Amazon Basin : vanishing cultures.   Jan Reynolds.

Describes in text and photographs, the vanishing culture of the Yanomama, a primitive group that lives in the Amazon Territory of Venezuela.

Amebic dysentery.   Melanie Ann Apel.

Discusses amebic dysentery, examining how one gets it, how to treat it, and its symptoms.

Ancient Egypt.   Jackie Gaff.

Covers life in the ancient Egyptian world including: language, mummies and afterlife, pyramid builders, pharaohs and government, and the everyday life of the wealthy and workers.  

Ancient Greece.   Christine Hatt.

Same as above except the information relates to Greece.

Ancient Rome. Fiona Macdonald.

More of the same.

Angkor : an illustrated guide to the monuments. Jean Laur.

A look at the Buddhist temple of Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

The Aztec Empire.   Nicholas J. Saunders.

A look at the life of Aztecs during the peak of their culture.

Before the storm : American Indians before the Europeans.   Allison Lassieur.

A narrative history about the various Indian people of North America and their way of life before contact with Europeans.

Botulism.   Maxine Rosaler.  

Covers the history of botulism, its science, modern outbreaks and how to battle it.

The Brain and nervous system.     Brian R. Ward.

Building character through multicultural literature : a guide for middle school readers.   Rosann Jweid .  

Fifty multicultural titles accompanied by a lengthy annotation, useful background on awards and author information, discussion questions and project ideas. A plus for any classroom.

Building the great pyramid.   Kevin Jackson.

An illustrated summary of how the great pyramid was constructed including design, history, social conditions and pyramid mythology.

The Colosseum. Lesley A. DuTemple.

Describes the history of construction, in Rome, of the Colosseum, considered by many to be the most famous building in the world.

The Colosseum and the Roman forum.   Martyn J. Whittock.  

Discusses the history of the Roman Forum and Colosseum, two large meeting places, and the uses to which they were put during the last years of the Roman Republic and the early years of the Roman Empire.

The Complete idiot's guide to research methods.   Laurie e. Rozakis.

Helpful, we hope.

The Complete Valley of the Kings : tombs and treasures of Egypt's greatest pharaohs.   C. N. Reeves.

Describes the excavations of the tombs of the pharaohs.

The Digestive system.   Pam Walker.

Down under : vanishing cultures.   Jan Reynolds.

Examines the vanishing culture of the Tiwi tribe, aborigines who live on a small island off the coast of Australia.

E. coli.   Chris Hayhurst.  

Describes a dangerous new strain of E. Coli called O157:H7, which appeared in 1982, how it is spread via contaminated meat, milk, vegetables, water, or person to person, the symptoms of the disease, and the methods used to handle outbreaks.

Encyclopedia of the Lewis and Clark expedition.   Elin Woodger.  

ESPN25 : 25 mind-bending, eye-popping, culture-morphing years of highlights.   Charles Hirshberg.

High points of ESPN network plus DVD showing classic commercials from the network.

Exploring Saturn.   Dan Bortolotti.

A look at the planet Saturn.

Great books for girls : more than 600 recommended books for girls ages 3-14.   Kathlean Odean .  

The Great Wall.   Elizabeth Mann.  

Examines the building of the Great Wall of China and the thousands of years of conflict that preceded it.

The Great Wall of China.   Lesley A. DuTemple. More Great Wall info.

The Immune system.   Pam Walker.

In search of Tutankhamun : the discovery of a king's tomb.   Giovanni Caselli.  

Describes the discovery of the tomb of the Egyptian king Tutankhamun and what it revealed about everyday life in his time.

The Indus valley.   lona Aronovsky. Discusses the lost cities of the Indus civilization.

Listeriosis.   Maxine Rosaler.

Discusses the symptoms, effects, outbreaks, and prevention of Listeriosis, a disease caused by eating contaminated food.

Madam President.   Catherine Thimmesh.

The extraordinary, true story of women in politics.

NCAA March madness : Cindrellas, superstars, and champions from the NCAA men's final four.

The book to have plus a DVD.

Not till the fat lady sings : the most dramatic sports finishes of all time.   Les Krantz.

Great stories plus DVD.

100 books for girls to grow on : lively discussions of the most inspiring books for girls, terrific discussion questions to spark conversation, great ideas for book-inspired activities, crafts and field trips.   Shireen Dodson.

100 years of the World Series.   Eric Enders.

Something for the baseball fan.

Pompeii and Herculaneum.   John Seely.

Describes the design, economy, food and drink, homes, gardens, culture, destruction and ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum, the two cities buried by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.

The Pyramids.   Haydn Middleton.

Explains what has been learned about ancient Egypt by studying what is left of the great pyramids.

The Pyramids : the mystery, culture, and science of Egypt's great monuments.   Miroslav Verner.

The book offers a clear, authoritative guide to the ancient culture that created the monuments five thousand years ago.

Rediscovering Easter Island.   Kathy Pelta.  

Discusses the many visits made by explorers, missionaries, businessmen, scientists, and others to Easter Island since the late 1600s and what they revealed about life on this remote Pacific Island.

Remember : the journey to school integration.   Toni Morrison.

The famous author takes a look at discrimination in education.

Remember D-day : both sides tell their stories.   Ronald J. Drez.

Discusses the events and personalities involved in the momentous Allied invasion of France on June 6, 1944.

The Respiratory system.   Pam Walker.

Scams : ten stories that explore some of the most outrageous swindlers and tricksters of all time.   Andreas Schroeder.

Interesting stories of fraud, swindlers and swindling.

The Skeletal and muscular system.   Pam Walker.

Stonehenge.   Robin Heath.  

Discusses the famous monument in England.

Stonehenge.   Caroline Malone.

More info on the huge stone monument.

The Taj Mahal. Myra Weatherly.  

Describes the planning and construction of the tomb that became a symbol of undying love.

Three wishes : Palestinian and Israeli children speak.   Deborah Ellis.

First hand views of the effect of the conflict on the children involved.

Tutankhamun.   T. G. H. James.  

Describes the famous king and his tomb.

Tutankhamun : the untold story.   Thomas Hoving.  

More King Tut.

Valley of the kings.   Rob Alcraft.  

Describes the hieroglyphics, tombs, tomb robbers, and evidence of the past associated with the Valley of the Kings, discussing the family life, land, work, culture, and warfare of the ancient Egyptians.

West Nile virus.   Phillip Marguiles.

Looks at the disease known as West Nile virus, tracing its history to the present and predicting its future.