Superheroes - and Daniel - to the rescue!

Powerless by Matthew Cody is a pretty cool blend of genres - a mystery with a supernatural twist.  Daniel is twelve, and his family has just moved to Noble's Green. He soon meets his neighbor Mollie and finds out that she, as well as her friends, all have a variety of superpowers. But for some unknown reason, when each of them turns 13, he or she not only looses the power, but also the memory of ever even having it. Mollie is convinced that Daniel, a regular kid who likes being a detective, can save the rest of them. So how do some old comic books, a meteor strike, an orphanage fire from long ago, and a nearby quarry fit into the puzzle? And who - or what - is The Shroud? Well, dear readers, you're going to have to read this book to discover who the villian really is and whether or not Daniel can save the day!

This is for you, puzzle lovers

If you like to solve puzzles, you might want to check out The Seventh Level by Jody Feldman. The main character is Travis Raines, a likeable seventh grader. He would love to get into the Legend, a secret group at his middle school that plans pretty cool events. When he finds a shiny blue envelope with a strange message in this locker, he can't believe it...does the Legend actually want him? Soon he's solving clues and figuring out puzzle after puzzle, but some of the tasks he's assigned don't really make sense...they have a not-nice undertone to them and they're coming in a different kind of blue envelope. Doesn't sound like the Legend, but who could they be coming from? The pacing is uneven (starts off SLOW) and the plot's a little confusing at times, but this is still a fairly entertaining story, especially if you enjoy solving along with Travis.

How important is your individuality?

Lots to think about when you read Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli. The new kid at school goes by the name Stargirl, and she's something else - wears odd clothes, sings "Happy Birthday" while strumming her ukulele, and doesn't really seem to care about others' opinions. After not knowing what to think of her, the students gradually accept her eccentricities and think she's okay. But when she does the unforgiveable - showing compassion to an injured player from an opposing school's basketball team - she is totally shunned. When her friend Leo tries to explain "normal" behavior, she shows up at school with a total make-over: new clothes, look, attitude, and eerily like everyone else. Will the students stop the shunning? Can she keep her true personality buried? And what's more important to Leo, the friendship of Stargirl or the friendship of the others? This excellent story would be great for a book club discussion.

Who knew librarians could be so rotten?

There's no way I could resist a title like Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson! Alcatraz Smedley just turned 13, and for his birthday he received an apparently unremarkable...bag of sand? But the action gets fast and furious when his grandfather shows up and tells him the present was the Sands of Rashid, which the evil Librarians quickly steal to smelt into new lenses of power. Alcatraz learns that all Smedleys have special Talents - how can you not like a kid who's good at breaking things (and his grandfather, who's always late)? - and these talents are put to good use when they infiltrate the library (oh, no!) to track down the bad guys. The story is chaotic and fun; Alcatraz tells it with loads of snarky humor. And if you like it, you're in luck - there are currently three more in the series.

What's in your danger box?

Blue Balliett is known for writing mysteries, and her latest is The Danger Box. Zoomy Chamberlain is an interesting 12-year-old: he's almost legally blind, he's compulsive about making lists, and he's being raised by his grandparents. When his alcoholic father shows up and drops off a box, a battered notebook inside quickly catches Zoomy's attention. After identifying the word "Galapagos," he starts doing some research, and soon Zoomy in convinced the notebook has something to do with Charles Darwin. Teaming up with Lorrol, a girl he meets at the library, the two try to learn more about the notebook and how it might be connected to the newly-arrived (and somewhat creepy) stranger in their small town. Chapters are interspersed with "a free newspaper about a mysterious soul," written by Zoomy and Lorrol; it seemed pretty obvious they were referring to Darwin, and I thought the articles didn't add a lot to the story. Mixed feeling about the book - I was disappointed that there wasn't more of a mystery to solve, but I really liked the characters of Zoomy and Lorrol.

A brutal test of survival

Long ago kids had to grow up fast, and that was certainly true for the main character in Woods Runner by Gary Paulsen.  Samuel is 13 and lives in a woodland settlement during the time of the American Revolution.  He's a woods runner - someone very familiar with the plants, animals, and rhythms of the forest.  One day he comes home from hunting and sees the settlement burned down, his neighbors killed, and his parents missing.  Depending on his survival skills, knowledge of the wilderness, and help from strangers he meets along the way, Samuel is determined to rescue his parents, who were kidnapped by a group of British soldiers and Iroquois Indians.  Paulsen is an accomplished writer of this genre, and this time he intersperses the story with brief nonfiction pieces of information that relate well to the story line, such as weapons, war orphans, and prisoners war.  This book will grab your attention and keep it.   

The action doesn't stop!

I thought the movie was great, and the book was, too: Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz. Alex Rider is 14 and learns that the uncle who has been raising him was killed in a car accident because he wasn't wearing his seat belt. Not believing the reason, Alex finds the car and sees that it's filled with bullet holes. He learns that his uncle was actually a spy, and Alex is soon asked to join Britain's MI6 intelligence agency to continue his uncle's mission. He soon discovers a plan that will kill every school child in England...can Alex stop it before it's too late? Trained and given some pretty cool gadgets, Alex is like a young James Bond. The plot is a bit crazy - would a teenager really be in situations like that? - but the non-stop action and chapter-ending cliffhangers make for a fun, action-packed story. If you like it, check out the other books in the Alex Rider Adventure series.

A difficult but inspiring journey

Based on the true experiences of the author's great-aunt, Letters from Rifka by Karen Hesse is an amazing glimpse at the strength of a child. Written as a series of letters to her cousin back home in Russia, 12-year-old Rifka details her journey to America. It was difficult enough just to get as far as Belgium, but when it's discovered that Rifka has ringworm, she has to stay behind while the rest of her family gets on the steamship. She eventually gets to leave and survives a deadly ocean crossing, only to be quarantined at Ellis Island because of the baldness caused by the ringworm - the immigration authorities think she will never get a husband and they will end up supporting her. But Rifka's survival instinct is strong, and she's both intelligent and resourceful, and all turns out well. A wonderful story of courage and perseverance.

" 'Tis the fairy Lady of Shalott"

You'll have to guess what's a coincidence and what isn't in Avalon High by Meg Cabot. Ellie's in a new high school because she's moved yet again - her parents are professors of medieval history, and they're both taking sabbaticals (temporary leaves from their jobs) in Annapolis. Ellie has heard about the legend of King Arthur all her life, and she's even named after one of the legend's characters, Lady Elaine of Astolat, aka the Lady of Shalott. Maybe the name of her new school is getting to her (Avalon is a place in the legend), but it seems pretty spooky the way her life, as well as those of the perfect guy Will, his friend Lance, golden girl Jennifer, and Will's creepy stepbrother Marco mirror the lives of Elaine, King Arthur, Lancelot, Guinevere, and Mordred. Throw in romance, lies, betrayals, and a teacher who thinks they've all been reincarnated, and you'll have a good story...that leaves you wondering!

Fluffy, but fun

Female fans of the Wimpy Kid series will probably also enjoy Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life by Rachel Renee Russell.  The first in the Dork Diaries series, the pages appear to be diary entries, with drawings that are funny and manga-like and a font that looks like handwriting.  Nikki is a new student at Westchester Country Day School, and she's trying to fit in.  Her life is fairly typical for a girl in middle school: an embarrassing family (her dad is an exterminator), a snotty CCP (Cute, Cool & Popular) group at school, a crush on the hunk in biology class, and friends (Chloe and Zoey) who come through in a pinch.  Readers are bound to identify with many of the situations Nikki encounters, from mean girl MacKenzie Hollister to the dreaded lunchroom.  Good for lighthearted entertainment.