CLEMENTS, Andrew. In Harm’s Way: Benjamin Pratt & the Keepers of the School. illus. by Adam Stower. S & S/Atheneum. 2013. ISBN 9781416938897. JLG Level: A+ : Intermediate Readers (Grades 3–5).

The Keepers of the School thought that their work was done after the discovery of a secret hideaway for the Underground Railroad in the Captain Duncan Oakes School, ―no bulldozer could destroy the historical building. What Benjamin, Jill, and Robert learn is that their detective work only saved a portion of the structure. Determined to keep their enemy ―janitor Justin Lyman―at bay, their investigation is complicated by the hiring of some muscle and another pair of eyes to spy on the trio. The Keepers continue to unravel the puzzle of clues left by Captain Oakes. They must think like the mariner, “After three hooks pass, one will be brass.” Ben isn’t sure what skills he brings to the team, so in an effort to prove his worth, he tries to solve it on his own. Can he unlock the puzzle and save the school? Whether new to the series or not, readers will race through the chapters as solving the mystery leads the characters into harm’s way.

GIBBS, Stuart. Double Cross: The Last Musketeer. HarperCollins. 2013. ISBN 9780062048448. JLG Level: ME : Mystery/Adventure Elementary (Grades 2–6).

“All for one, and one for all.” The fourth musketeer, D’Artagnan, is also known as Greg, a time traveler whose future is in jeopardy if Michel Dinicoeur and Cardinal Richelieu have their way. King Louis XIII is also in danger if the Musketeers can’t break out of prison before they are hanged. With Milady de Winter in league with the Prince of Condé, and all three groups after the Devil’s Stone, time is of the essence. The Musketeers must save the King, and find the Stone first in order to stop events that can change the present and the future. Full of sword fights and daring escapes, this Musketeer adventure leaves readers as exhilarated as the characters themselves.

HEALY, Christopher. The Hero’s Guide to Storming the Castle. HarperCollins/Walden Pond. 2013. ISBN 9780062118455. JLG Level: ME : Mystery/Adventure Elementary (Grades 2–6).

In Book Two of The Hero’s Guide, our fearless princes have a new task―rescue Prince Liam from Briar Rose who is using him to acquire more power. The League reforms and a weak, but hilarious, plan throws them right into the castle of Raubar, the Bandit King―a ten-year-old self-made sovereign who enjoys being the bad guy. Rundark, who is a true villain, accepts the boy’s invitation to his castle because he can’t understand why a ruler with so little credibility as a criminal, can have the admiration of his men and the fear of the people. Once he unravels the mystery, Raubar is as good as dead, but the League of Princes bring their bungling, unheroic efforts to save the kingdom from Briar Rose’s misguided scheme, and cause chaos and laughter in their wake. Witty dialogue and eccentric characters take this fractured fairy tale to places less than happily-ever-after in this fun adventure.

MESSNER, Kate. Hide and Seek. Scholastic. 2013. ISBN 9780545419758. JLG Level: ME : Mystery/Adventure Elementary (Grades 2–6).

The Silver Jaguar Society has been protecting some of the world’s most important historical artifacts for centuries. With junior members José, Anna, and Henry on the case, the missing Jaguar Cup is sure to be found. On a trip to Costa Rica, the trio finds itself in the middle of a mystery―who sent the counterfeit cup to the exhibit and where is the real relic? A guest at the jungle lodge claims to have seen a species that doesn’t live in the area. A Society member secretly takes a great deal of money from one tourist. Suspects are everywhere. When José’s lack of self-confidence causes him to put his own life in danger, he begins to reconsider the value of teamwork, but is it too late for him to learn that lesson? Narrow escapes and short, cliff-hanger chapters create an adventure that seems like an afternoon at the movies.

SUTHERLAND, Tui T. and Kari Sutherland. The Menagerie. HarperCollins. 2013. ISBN 9780060780647. JLG Level: ME : Mystery/Adventure Elementary (Grades 2–6).

“Logan Wilde noticed the feathers as soon as he woke up.” He would later discover that they belong to a baby griffin. The move to Wyoming has been less than exciting and learning to live without his mom is difficult. His dad says that living in a new place will help him adjust, but Logan continues to have trouble making friends. Classmate Zoe and her family are responsible for the health and well-being of a mythical creatures menagerie. SuperNatural Animal Protection Agency (SNAPA) will arrive soon to inspect the facility, looking for infractions that could close them down. Though normally Zoe’s family would erase a stranger’s memory, Logan quickly becomes part of the group, as he has a knack for tracking the animals. Can they find the runaway cubs before the SNAPA agents arrive? Fantastical creatures in a dangerous, time-ticking situation builds tension in this adventure novel that keeps readers surprised at every turn.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

Mystery award: The Code Busters 2: The Haunted Lighthouse (Egmont USA) by Penny Warner won the 2012 Agatha Award in the Best Children’s/Young Adult category. In the book, Cody and his friends love codes, and when they receive a mysterious email suggesting that there’s a treasure hidden on Alcatraz Island, they are excited to start a clue hunt. A class trip to the prison is the perfect way for them to start their search. There are more than a dozen codes and puzzles in the book for readers to decipher.

The Agatha Awards honor “traditional mystery”books that are best typified by the works of Agatha Christie—that contain “no explicit sex and no excessive gore or violence.” The prizes were announced at the Malice Domestic 25 convention, an annual “fun fan” convention held in Washington, DC. Awards are also given in five categories for adults: Best Novel, Best First Novel, Best Nonfiction, Best Short Story, and Best Historical Novel.

Industry News

The Presidents: Capstone is adding 60 more titles to the K–3 PebbleGo Biographies module in August 2013. The new titles will complete its U.S. Presidential collection. Current subscribers to the database will receive the additional content at no extra charge. PebbleGo Biographies, which employ reading scaffolding strategies, feature narrated text, animated highlighting, a glossary, visual searching, educational videos and games, an interactive time line of key dates, and activities.

Graphic novels: ABDO’s Spotlight division will publish library editions of IDW’s Jurassic Park and Star Trek graphic novels this fall. There will be eight books in the Classic Jurassic Park set for all ages, based on the 1990s movies, and four Star Trek titles for young adults featuring characters resembling those in the current film franchise. Spotlight’s comic books and graphic novels are published as library editions, with side-sewn pages, a cloth reinforced spine, and a laminated cover.

“These are two of the most popular science fiction story lines in history,” noted Jim Abdo, the company’s publisher. “One warns of what happens when science goes wrong, the other promises a time where science helps humanity come together and build a future. And there is plenty of action and adventure, too. We think our librarian friends will love getting these into the hands of their kids and young adult readers.”

BARNETT, Mac. Brixton Brothers: Danger Goes Berserk. illus. by Matthew Myers. S & S. 2012. ISBN 9781442439771. JLG Level: ME : Mystery/Adventure Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Twelve-year-old detective Steve Brixton has a new case. The problem is that he will have to learn how to surf in order to go undercover to solve it. He and partner Dana suit up to solve the mystery of a stolen surfboard. In the midst of one case, two more evolve, leading readers to wonder how or if they are connected. From laugh-out-loud moments to nail-biting adventures, old and new fans will root for the middle schoolers as they encounter chaotic dangers.

FARREY, Brian. The Vengekeep Prophecies. illus. by Brett Helquist. HarperCollins/Harper. 2012. ISBN 9780062049285. JLG Level: ME : Mystery/Adventure Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Born into a family of thieves, Jaxter’s time has come to join in. Yet in the midst of his first heist, his clumsiness causes building to get on fire and lands his clan in the gaol. A prophecy found on the town’s tapestry names his kin as the saviors of Vengekeep. Jaxter and Callie leave town to find a way to stop the prophecies from coming true, otherwise they’re in for lots more trouble.

This standalone fantasy novel is filled with mystery and adventure. Fantastical creatures, non-magic spells, and period-type exclamations (zoc, bangers!) blend easily into a world where magic is believable. Readers will hope that Farrey has further adventures to offer us and that the Grimjinxes will return.

SCHLITZ, Laura Amy. Splendors and Glooms. Candlewick. 2012. ISBN 9780763653804. JLG Level: B+ : Upper Elementary & Junior High (Grades 5-7)

Highly discussed as a Newbery contender, Schlitz offers a mystery filled with magic, adventure, and suspense. Clara is the only child in her family and is treated with kid gloves. Loving the thrill of a puppet show, she invites danger into her life when it is brought to her party. Lizzie Rose and Parsefall work for the master puppeteer, Grisini, and have a very difficult life. When Clara disappears and Grisini does as well, it’s up to the remaining two children to solve the mystery. What they find out puts them in greater danger than they’ve ever been in before.

Set in Victorian London, Schlitz creates a  Dickens-like world where magic is entirely possible. From witch and magician to drunken landlady, the characters are so well-developed, you’d recognize them in a crowded room. It’s a tale that lingers long after the pages close.

SNICKET, Lemony. Who Could That Be at This Hour? Little, Brown. 2012. ISBN 9780316123082. JLG Level: ME : Mystery/Adventure Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Chalk up another winner for Lemony Snicket. A boy is mysteriously whisked away after climbing out of a bathroom window while his adult companions sleep off a potion that was in their tea. Off to solve a mystery with a less-than-competent sponsor, Lemony seems to know more about getting the answers, even if he does ask the wrong questions. The first in a series of four, readers who clamor for more Snicket will be thrilled to begin the journey with him once again.

STEPHENS, John. The Fire Chronicle. Knopf. 2012. ISBN 9780375968716. JLG Level: B+ : Upper Elementary & Junior High (Grades 5-7)

After the children are discovered by their enemies, Kate is separated from her brother and sister. Michael and Emma are left on their own in Antarctica to find the legendary book of fire. Kate fights fires of her own in 1899 New York. Rafe seems to know her, but the adults are doing everything they can to separate the two. As the dangers for all three siblings grow stronger, their intertwining fates bring the three closer together. How long will they stay together?

The second of The Books of Beginning series will keep readers in suspense with alternating chapters between the separated siblings. New monsters, dangers, and magic wait around every corner. Stephens brings back characters and introduces new ones. Readers will have to wait for all their answers to their gripping questions, as The Fire Chronicle ends in a tremendous cliff-hanger.

For ideas about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.