Lantern Sam and the Blue Streak Bandits

Lantern Sam and the Blue Streak Bandits
Author: Michael D. Beil
Publisher: Yearling
Total Pages: 288
Release: 2015-08-04
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0385753209

“An atmospheric late-1930s adventure with old-time cinematic appeal. Fans of fast-paced, far-fetched action will lap it up as enthusiastically as Sam swallows his favorite brand of sardines.” —Kirkus Reviews Lantern Sam is the wise-cracking, sarcastic, talking cat (for those who can hear him, that is) who lives on board the Lake Erie Shoreliner train and is one of the best detectives no one knows about. He doesn’t have much patience for humans (unless they bring him sardines), but when 10-year-old traveler Henry can’t find his new friend, the exuberant Ellie, Sam’s enlisted to help. A ransom note is soon discovered and just like that, Sam and Henry are on the case, with the help of Clarence the Conductor (who supplies Sam’s sardines). But is Ellie still on board the train? Did the salesman with his trunk full of samples sneak her off? And why does that couple keep acting so suspiciously? Veteran middle-grade mystery author Michael D. Beil has crafted a hilarious and appealing adventure set in the 1930s that’s chock-full of quirky characters and red herrings, and all with an irresistible cat at its center.

Summer at Forsaken Lake

Summer at Forsaken Lake
Author: Michael D. Beil
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Total Pages: 338
Release: 2012
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0375867422

Twelve-year-old Nicholas and his ten-year-old, twin sisters, Hetty and Haley, spend the summer with their Great-Uncle Nick at Forsaken Lake, where he and their new friend Charlie investigate the truth about an accident involving their families many years before.

Agents of the Glass: A New Recruit

Agents of the Glass: A New Recruit
Author: Michael D. Beil
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Total Pages: 402
Release: 2016-09-13
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0385753233

"With topical themes, high-speed action, and a neat resolution, this is likely to be a popular read. The emphasis on good character—especially compassion, courage, integrity, and discipline—is nice to see." --Kirkus "Quick and pulsepounding and the stakes are high." --Booklist The Agents of the Glass are at the front lines of the fight between good and evil, and they have a new recruit. But is he up to the task? Andover James Llewellyn, aka Andy, did the unthinkable: he turned in a bag of money he found on the street after a bank robbery. His selfless action caught the attention of the Agents of the Glass. Now, as one of the agency’s newest recruits, Andy is tasked with following the actions of a dangerous student at this new school, only he doesn’t know which student. Is it Winter Neale, model student with countless extracurricular activities? Or could it be Jensen Huntley, an antagonistic, angry kid whose blog has angered the wrong people? Andy must determine his target quick, before the evil organization known at NTRP catches on to him. Will Andy succeed in his mission or will the Agents of the Glass have to find another recruit?

Best Friend Emma

Best Friend Emma
Author: Sally Warner
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 83
Release: 2008-09-11
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1101567449

As soon as Emma McGraw sees Krysten Rodriguez, she knows that Krysten would make a great best friend. There’s just one problem. Emma already has a best friend—Annie Pat! But Emma is sure she wouldn’t mind if Emma made a new friend for both of them. And she has to do it fast, before Krysten is taken! Annie Pat should appreciate that, right? Actually, no. Not when Emma is forgetting important plans they’ve made together. Suddenly Emma is faced with the prospect of no friends at all! At once charming, funny, and thoughtful, this fourth book about eightyear- old Emma is sure to find new fans.

A New Recruit

A New Recruit
Author: Michael D. Beil
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Total Pages: 402
Release: 2016
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0385753217

Andy witnesses a bank robbery and becomes a recruit for a secret organization that finds and eliminates evil.

The Red Blazer Girls: The Ring of Rocamadour

The Red Blazer Girls: The Ring of Rocamadour
Author: Michael D. Beil
Publisher: Yearling
Total Pages: 322
Release: 2010-07-13
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0375843035

The perfect series for kids who loved THE LEMONADE WAR series and are ready for more mysteries! Edgar Award Nominee for Best Mystery! "With wit, cunning, snappy dialogue and superior math skills, The Red Blazer Girls represent the best of girl-detectives while still feeling relatable and real. Nancy Drew would be right at home with this group." -- Huffington Post's 15 Greatest Kid Detectives List It all began with The Scream. And ended with . . . well, if we told you that, it wouldn’t be a mystery! But in between The Scream and The Very Surprising Ending, three friends find themselves on a scavenger hunt set up for a girl they never met, in search of a legendary ring reputed to grant wishes. Are these sleuths in school uniforms modern-day equivalents of Nancy, Harriet, or Scooby? Not really, they’re just three nice girls who decide to help out a weird lady, and end up hiding under tables, tackling word puzzles and geometry equations, and searching rather moldy storage rooms for “the stuff that dreams are made of” (that’s from an old detective movie). Oh, and there’s A Boy, who complicates things. As boys often do. Intrigued? The Red Blazer Girls offers a fun, twisty adventure for those who love mystery, math (c’mon, admit it!), and a modest measure of mayhem. Michael Beil, a New York City high school English teacher and life-long mystery fan, delivers a middle-grade caper that's perfect for middle-grade readers who have finished THE LEMONADE WAR series and are ready for more advanced mysteries!

The Secret Cellar

The Secret Cellar
Author: Michael D. Beil
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Total Pages: 290
Release: 2012
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0375867414

When Sophie finds a secret message in the antique fountain pen she bought for her father, she and her friends become involved in a treasure hunt devised by the pen's previous owner, whose house is full of puzzles that protect a hidden treasure.

The Sisters Club

The Sisters Club
Author: Megan McDonald
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Total Pages: 193
Release: 2011-03-22
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0763651869

From the author of the Judy Moody books, this exciting novel captures the warmth, humor, and squabbles of three spunky sisters. Meet the Sisters Club: twelve-year-old Alex, aspiring actress and born drama queen; eight-year-old Joey, homework lover and pioneer wannabe; and smack in the middle, ten-year-old Stevie, the glue that holds them together -- through dinner disasters, disputes over stolen lucky sweaters, and Alex’s going gaga over her leading man. Playfully weaving Stevie’s narration with Alex’s scripts, Joey’s notebook entries, and hilarious elements such as "How to Swear in Shakespeare" and "Dear Sock Monkey" letters, this hugely engaging novel showcases Megan McDonald’s ear for dialogue, comic timing, and insight into the ever-changing dynamics of sisterhood.

R My Name Is Rachel

R My Name Is Rachel
Author: Patricia Reilly Giff
Publisher: Yearling
Total Pages: 178
Release: 2012-07-24
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0440421764

Rachel, Cassie, and Joey live in the city with their Pop, until Pop's search for work lands the family on a run down farm. Dreamy Rachel loves to read, and doesn't know much about the country. Times are hard there, too—the school and library are closed. When Pop gets work near Canada, he has to leave the children on the farm alone. For two months! But Rachel's the oldest, and she'll make sure they're all right. Somehow.

My Best Frenemy

My Best Frenemy
Author: Julie Bowe
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 123
Release: 2010-05-13
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 110142947X

Ida May finally fits in at school after becoming best friends with Stacey Merriweather, who is universally liked by their classmates. But then Ida?s frenemy, bossy Jenna Drews, brings in a game of truth or dare, and all the girls are suddenly daring one another to misbehave. When Ida finds herself in the principal?s office, she?s scared into ratting out her friends and gets freezed out of the group. The only way she can fix things is to take a triple-dog dare: letting one of the girls pierce her ears. Will her BFF come to her rescue, or is this the perfect job for a frenemy? Packed with fourth-grade jealousies, problems, misbehavior, and consequences, this third book about Ida May stands on its own.