New Middle Grade Books

photo Slugfest
by Gordon Korman

Yash is the best athlete at Robinette Middle School--so good, in fact, that he's already playing on the high school's JV sports teams. Imagine his shock when he learns that his JV practices have kept him from earning a state-mandated credit for eighth-grade PE. To graduate, he has to take Physical Education Equivalency--PEE, also known as "Slugfest"--in summer school.

Yash gets to know his fellow "slugs" Kaden, an academic superstar who's physically hopeless; twins Sarah and Stewart, who are too busy trying to kill each other to do any real PE; Jesse, a notorious prankster; Arabella, who protests everything; and Cleo, a natural athlete who has sworn off sports. But when one of them tries to blow the lid off a scandal that could make all their time in summer school a waste, Yash is forced to take drastic action.

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photo Heroes: A Novel of Pearl Harbor
by Alan Gratz

December 6, 1941: Best friends Frank and Stanley have it good. With their dads stationed at the Pearl Harbor naval base in Hawaii, the boys get to soak up the sunshine while writing and drawing their own comic books. World War II might be raging overseas, but so far America has stayed out of the fight. There's nothing to fear, right?
December 7th, 1941: Everything implodes.

Frank and Stanley are touring a battleship when Japanese planes zoom overhead, dropping bomb after bomb. As explosions roar and sailors screa, Frank and Stanley realize the unthinkable is happening: Japan is attacking America! The war has come to them. Frantically, the boys struggle to find safety. But disaster and danger are everywhere--from torpedoes underwater to bullets on the beach... to the shocking cruelty that their friends and neightbors show Stanely. Because his mom is Japanese-American, Stanely is suddenly seen as the "enemy." And Frank, who is white, cannot begin to understand what his friend is now facing.
If the boys make it through this infamous day, can their friendship--and their dreams--survive? Or has everything they know been destroyed?

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photo Never After: The Missing Sword
by Melissa de la Cruz

To save her mother from Olga's evil clutches, Filomena and her friends will set off for new lands and new adventures. Without a moment to lose, Filomena must travel to the legendary land of Camelot to find the sword of Excalibur - the only thing that can save Fil's mother from Olga's mysterious illness.

But Camelot is not all that it seems. Fil and the crew quickly realize that there is another fairy tale that has taken hold in the land of Arthurian Legend... that of the Wizard of Oz! With the help (and hindrance) of the Wicked Witches of the East and West, lions and tigers and bears will surely be the least of Fil and the crew's troubles.

As the League of Seven follows the yellow brick road to retrieve the enchanted sword and complete their most important quest yet, they find nothing will thwart the ogres and their mission to destroy Never After. In a land where nothing is truly as it seems, will Fil and the League of the Seven survive the witch's tests? Or will Olga's perilous plans rip Fil's mother away from her forever?

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photo The Wild Robot Protects
by Peter Brown

Life for Roz and the animals on their island is perfect. But when mysterious, dangerous waters surround the island, the animals are forced inland to fight over dwindling resources.

Roz calms and organizes the animals, but the poison tide takes a terrible toll on the island. So the wild robot sets out across the ocean, determined to stop the poison tide. During her journey, Roz encounters amazing geological formations and incredible creatures, and she sees the devastation caused by the toxic waters. Can the wild robot save the ocean and her island and everything she loves?

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photo Ellis Johnson Might Be Famous
by Shawn Amos

After the overnight mega success of his dad's cookie store, twelve-year-old Ellis Johnson is on top of the world. He's met celebrities, strangers stop "the Cookie Kid" on the street, and he's even headed to NYC to be in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with his dad. Ellis is ready for his star turn, playing harmonica on national television--until his big break turns into the most embarrassing moment of his life.

Ellis's confidence bubble has officially burst, and he tries to keep a low profile at school. To make matters worse, Ellis's dad is going gaga for a new girlfriend, and DJ Wishbone is pushed out of his radio station--and takes over Ellis's place in the store. Can Ellis help those he loves, carve out a place for himself in Dad's new life, and recover his confidence? This charming semi-autobiographic novel proves that anything is possible with good music, good friends, loving family, and great cookies.

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photo Winston Chu vs. the Wingmeisters
by Stacey Lee

Twelve-year-old Winston Chu has already rescued his sister, saved the moon's qi, and kicked Mr. Pang's sorry magpie-turned-human butt to the curb--but now he's about to face an even bigger problem: Mr. Pang's older magpie-turned-human brother, Mr. Gu. Sure, Mr. Gu might be the current front-runner to be San Francisco's next mayor, but, as Winston knows all too well, appearances can be deceiving--and Mr. Gu, despite his cheerful laugh and brightly-colored shirts, is definitely hiding something.

Because all of a sudden, there's an eerily punctual fog that seems to follow him on his trips to an island in the bay. And grown-ups are turning up all the across the city with no memory of who they are, but with plenty of enthusiasm for their favorite mayoral candidate. And then there's the flocks of exotic birds that have begun amassing in every corner of the city. For Winston and his friends, there's no denying something...fowl...is afoot.
And the only one who might have the answers they need to save the city? Their old nemesis, Mr. Pang...

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photo Dawn of the Jaguar
by J. C. Cervantes

Shadow bruja Ren Santiago was relentlessly pursued by the evil Aztec Lords of Night, who claimed that she was destined to be their queen, a destiny she wasn't willing to accept. So she chose death instead. Too bad death wasn't the answer to her problems.

Ren soon realizes she must return to the land of the living to make things right. Unfortunately, that means negotiating with Ixtab, queen of the underworld. Ixtab offers her ten days aboveground in exchange for the discarded crown of jade and shadow. If Ren fails, she will return to the darkness for eternity. Ren agrees, knowing full well that she also has to save her friends Marco, Monty, and Edison and, while she's at it, put those pesky Lords of Night back to sleep forever. The only problem is, Ren lost her shadow magic and time rope when she lost her life. How will Ren manage to accomplish what feels impossible? The answer lies not in manipulating shadows or time, but in recognizing the awesome power that has always been inside her.

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