Top Grade Fall 2016 Selections (K-8)

“Oertel knows how to develop a scene for maximum humorous or scary effect.”—Kirkus Reviews

When their friend is accused of stealing ancient artifacts, Cody, Eric, and Rachel spring into action. And this time, that action takes them far away from their sleepy town of Sultana and deep into the jungles of Panama! Can these smart thirteen-year-olds figure out who is pilfering crystal skulls, and why? Find out in this hair-raising installment of the fun-filled Shenanigans Series.

“This is an essential purchase for school libraries…Rated E for Excellent.”—Resource Links

In the fourth installment of the Grim Hill series, Cat, Clive, Jasper, and the rest of the crew are back, and everyone is buzzing about Darkmont High’s student exchange to Sweden. For Cat, it means hanging out with her friends in a foreign country, travelling without parents, and not having to keep an eye on her clingy kid sister. Even though Sookie’s magical meddling seems to be in check, Cat …

Will Poppy has always been fascinated with writing - he thinks there's something almost? magical about it. But when his mother passes away, Will finds himself stuck living with his awful aunt, unable to write a single word (despite the fact that two Muses will not leave him alone), and handed a mysterious package which includes an old picture of his grandparents and a piece of cloth with the words The Griffin of Darkwood" on it.

When his aunt decides to move both of them to a small village, Will …

An action-packed biography of the internationally gold-medal-winning boxer

Arthur Biyarslanov’s journey to competitive boxing has not been easy. As a small child he fled Chechnya with his family, dodging bullets and rocket fire and fording a freezing river. As a young Muslim refugee he faced hardships and hostility in his new homes in Azerbaijan and Toronto. Soccer became his refuge, and he learned two languages by playing the game with his new friends. In Toronto, he joined a league and quickl …

Thirteen-year-old Kalu and his young cousin, Aisha, are the only survivors when their African village is overrun by rebels and burnt to the ground. After making their way to the coast, Kalu gets a job aboard a smuggler’s boat heading for Ireland. When the smuggler learns that the coast guard is searching for illegal migrants, he abandons the kids on Last Chance Island off the west coast of Ireland. At the same time, fifteen-year-old Spike learns that her father has died and she is shipped off …