The Misadventures of Salem Hyde: Spelling Trouble

By Frank Cammuso

Little Salem Hyde is a witch. She hasn’t mastered her magic yet so sometimes her spells go terribly wrong. That’s where Whammy the cat comes in. He’s a familiar or better known as a magical animal companion who will help Salem refine her magic skills so she doesn’t continue to get in trouble at school. One of Whammy’s first tasks will be to help Salem prepare for her school's upcoming spelling bee. Not only will Salem have to spell the words correctly but use them in their original meaning to avoid causing any unintentional mayhem.

Chasing Secrets

Chasing Secrets

by Gennifer Choldenko

Thirteen-year-old Lizzie Kennedy is living in San Francisco.  The year is 1900.  Many people in the city are leading very glamourous lives, but there is a dark side.

Lizzie aspires to be a doctor, like her father.  When Lizzie’s father is away she is supervised by her rich aunt and uncle.  But it is really their servant, Jing, who treats Lizzie like a daughter.  When Jing disappears, Lizzie knows she must find him.  When she hears noises coming from his room, Lizzie creeps upstairs and discovers that Jing has a son – Noah – who is hiding in her house! 

Noah and Lizzie become friends and she begins sneaking food and other supplies to him.  It’s Noah who alerts her to the quarantine in Chinatown.  The authorities are saying that the Plague has come to Chinatown and no Chinese are allowed out.  Rumour has it that Chinatown will be burned to the ground to stop the spread of the disease.  The city’s pervasive racism is putting every Chinese man, woman and child in danger.

How will Lizzie get Jing back and save Chinatown from destruction?  It’s a tall order for a child, but Lizzie loves an adventure.  With the help of her older brother, Billy, Lizzie fearlessly stands up for those she believes in.

The Nest

The Nest

By Kenneth Oppel

Steve is a boy with deep anxiety, obsessive tendencies and nightmares.  His very caring parents have tried to help him cope.  But when they arrive home with Steve’s new baby brother, Theo, their attention becomes focused on the baby.  Theo has many medical problems and may not survive. 
  

In the face of this new family reality, Steve begins to delve into a fantasy world that sustains him… at first.  He dreams of an angel, who promises that she can heal Theo and make everything better.  The angel soon reveals herself as a wasp with a hive of helpers, much like the large wasp nest on the side of Steve’s house.  

Now the story becomes more sinister and the line between fantasy and reality becomes blurred.  The wasp has convinced Steve that she can help Theo, but only if Steve will help her.  After he agrees, he discovers the wasp’s real plan.  Can he stand up to this creature and do the right thing?

The Nest asks readers to consider the idea of human perfection.  Is it achievable?  Is it desirable?  Or can we be lovable and “good enough” just the way we are?

The book can be quite frightening at times and is not for every child.  Those who enjoy some suspense will be pleasantly surprised.

Fuzzy Mud

Fuzzy Mud

By Louis Sachar

Tamaya attends Woodridge Academy, an exclusive private school.  She’s a good student, has good behaviour, and would never do anything to break the rules.  Tamaya has been walking to school with Marshall for several years, and both can be counted on to come straight home.

But when Chad Hilligas starts bullying Marshall, life for Tamaya is disrupted.  To avoid a fight with Chad, Marshall takes a new route home: through the woods.  Everyone knows the woods are off limits to students but Marshall is desperate.  Tamaya, having promised to stick with Marshall, enters the woods too.

The woods are more than they seem.  Tamaya notices that all the mud puddles are coated in fuzz.  She tries to be cautious around the fuzzy mud but when Chad turns up in the woods wanting to hurt both her and Marshall, she ends up in one of the puddles.  But Chad is in worse trouble: he gets completely coated in fuzzy mud.  Tamaya and Marshall escape Chad, but Chad does not go home that night and soon the school and the police are searching for him.  All of this eventually leads an investigation by the U.S. senate.

Touching on the subjects of bullying, standing up for yourself, helping those who are in trouble, and even pollution and environmental protection, Fuzzy Mud is a real page turner.  If you liked Holes, you’ll love Fuzzy Mud!

The Case of the Missing Moonstone

by Jordan Stratford

This mystery set in 1826 London stars Lady Ada Byron, daughter of Lord Byron and Mary Godwin, later to be known as the famous Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein. Eleven year-old Ada and fourteen year-old Mary will be tutored by Percy Shelley, a poet and Lord Byron's best friend. Ada and Mary quickly become good friends and decide to start a secret private detective agency. Soon, they receive their first case regarding a stolen necklace and false confession.The pair navigate through a cast of suspects and dangerous clues until Ada arrives at the only plausible conclusion which leads them on a hot air balloon chase.
During a time when women and girls were discouraged to pursue professions reserved for men, Ada and Mary combine their skills of deductive reasoning to prove that even girls have the intelligence and stamina to solve a complex mystery.
Biographical information on the characters is included at the end of the book.     

Francine Poulet Meets the Ghost Raccoon

Francine Poulet Meets the Ghost Raccoon

by Kate DiCamillo

Fans of Mercy Watson and Leroy Ninker will love the latest in the Tales From Deckawoo Drive series.

Francine Poulet, an animal control officer who once had to capture Mercy, is the star of this adventure.  Both Francine’s father and grandmother were animal control officers and Francine is “the real deal”.  She is not afraid of anything.  But when she gets a call about a raccoon that screams people’s names, she meets her match.  

Francine’s heart is in her throat when the raccoon screams “Fraaaaaannnnyyy”, and she believes he really is a ghost.  Terrified, Francine withdraws from being an animal control officer.

Discover what brings Francine back to the job that is her calling.  Is Francine able to tame the ghost raccoon?  Will she get to enjoy some toast with butter with some of her friends?  

The ghostly raccoon that prowls around at night and screams can be a little frightening for sensitive children, but most will find it funny and very readable.  This is a great read-aloud for parents.