The Secret of Platform 13


Eva Ibbotson - 1994
    Carefully hidden from the world, the Island is only accessible when the door opens for nine days every nine years. A lot can go wrong in nine days. When the beastly Mrs. Trottle kidnaps the prince of the Island, it's up to a strange band of rescuers to save him. But can an ogre, a hag, a wizard, and a fey really troop around London unnoticed?

Mega Princess


Kelly Thompson - 2017
    . . too bad she just wants to be a detective.Budding detective or princess in training? These are just a few of the questions Princess Maxine Titan must ask herself on her tenth birthday. See, turning ten is the very important day when every princess meets her very own fairy godmother and receives a special gift. When Max is bestowed with the powers of every princess in the known universe she longs to reject this clichéd royal convention and follow in the footsteps of her greatest heroes: Philip Marlowe! Sherlock Holmes! Miss Marple! Poor Max fears her detective career may end before it starts, that is, until her baby brother is kidnapped...Written by Kelly Thomspon (Jem and the Holograms) and illustrated by Brianne Drouhard (Harpy Gee), Mega Princess follows Max and her trusted steed Justine (aka “jerk pony”), as they navigate strange new powers, wonderous lands, and their own conflicted friendship in an journey to find out who took Prince Bobs and what greater forces are at play in the kingdom.

The Power of Five


Elisabetta Gnone - 2004
    Together they discover that they need to protect Earth from the evil of Metamoor. But things go seriously wrong for the girls at the school's Halloween dance when Metamoor henchmen crash the party and attempt to capture them. The girls have to command their newly discovered powers in their first battle against evil.

Into the Land of the Unicorns


Bruce Coville - 1994
    Eleven! She must be on the roof when the next bell tolls. Twelve! With a deep breath, and only half believing she will survive, Cara jumps off the church roof and into Luster, land of the unicorns.In Luster, Cara meets many wonderful creatures, but the most magnificent of all is Lightfoot, a rebellious young unicorn. Cara's band of friends comes to include a hairy creature named the Dimblethum and the monekey-like Squijim. Together, they set out to reach the Unicorn Queen before the mysterious man who is following them does - to prevent the destruction of all unicorns forever."Coville weaves traditional unicorn myths into his accessible fantasy...[with] an ending that hints at the next adventure." Booklist

The Nixie's Song


Tony DiTerlizzi - 2007
    Eleven-year-old Nicholas Vargas only thinks his life has been turned upside down after his developer father remarries and moves his new wife and daughter into the soon-to-be completed Mangrove Hollow. But an "expedition" to a nearby lake turns up a little nixie with a giant problem - the huge, lumbering, fire-breathing variety - and it's up to Nick; his stepsister, Laurie; and his big brother, Julian (plus a familiar face from the original Spiderwick Chronicles) to figure out the best way to stop a host of rampaging giants before all of Florida goes up in smoke.

The Forests of Silence


Emily Rodda - 2000
    All that stands against him is the magic Belt of Deltora with its seven gems of great and mysterious power. When the gems are stolen and hidden in dark terrible places throughout the kingdom, the Shadow Lord triumphs, and Deltora is lost.In secrecy, with only a hand-drawn map to guide them, two unlikely companions set out on a perilous quest. Determined to find the lost gems and rid their land of the tyrant, they struggle towards their first goal - the sinister Forests of Silence.

The Enchanted Forest Chronicles


Patricia C. Wrede - 1990
    Wrede's hilarious adventure stories about Cimorene, the princess who refuses to be proper. Every one of Cimorene's adventures is included in its paperback edition--"Dealing with Dragons, Searching for Dragons, Calling on Dragons, " and "Talking to Dragons"--in one handsome package that's perfect for gift giving.

Witch Catcher


Mary Downing Hahn - 2006
    It seems like a wish come true. But she quickly realizes that not all change is positive. Her dad has a mysterious new girlfriend, Moura, who slowly drives a wedge between Jen and her father. Furthermore, Moura has an unusually strong—almost obsessive—interest in the antiques that fill the mansion, especially a beautiful glass globe that Jen finds hanging in a window. When Jen’s cat accidentally breaks the globe, which Moura calls a “witch catcher,” strange things begin to happen. . . .    An odd-looking girl wearing a torn dress appears, seemingly out of nowhere, and Moura’s behavior becomes more sinister, leading Jen to believe that her father is a pawn in an evil scheme. Soon Jen finds herself caught in the midst of a supernatural war, with the fate of an enchanted race—and her family—at stake.    Inspired by the age-old legend of witch catchers, Mary Downing Hahn brings a magical cast of characters to life in this compelling fantasy adventure. Author’s note.

Running Out of Time


Margaret Peterson Haddix - 1995
    When diphtheria strikes the village and the children of Clifton start dying, Jessie's mother sends her on a dangerous mission to bring back help. But beyond the walls of Clifton, Jessie discovers a world even more alien and threatening than she could have imagined, and soon she finds her own life in jeopardy. Can she get help before the children of Clifton, and Jessie herself, run out of time?

The Tail of Emily Windsnap


Liz Kessler - 2003
    And, oddly enough, for just as long, her mother has seemed anxious to keep her away from the water. But when Mom finally agrees to let her take swimming lessons, Emily makes a startling discovery - about her own identity, the mysterious father she's never met, and the thrilling possibilities and perils shimmering deep below the water's surface. With a sure sense of suspense and richly imaginative details, first-time author Liz Kessler lures us into a glorious undersea world where mermaids study shipwrecks at school and Neptune rules with an iron trident - an enchanting fantasy about family secrets, loyal friendship, and the convention-defying power of love.

Bunnicula


Deborah Howe - 1979
    and fangs!

Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots


Debbie Dadey - 1990
    But their new teacher, Mrs. Jeepers, is different to say the least. She's just moved from the Transylvanian Alps and she seems to have some strange powers that help her deal with these mischief-makers. Her methods may be a little unconventional, but, then again, Mrs. Jeepers may be just what the Bailey School kids need.

No Flying in the House


Betty Brock - 1970
    Annabel never thought it was strange that she had Gloria instead of real parents. Until one day a wicked, wicked cat named Belinda comes to tell her the truth -- she's not just a little girl, she's a half-fairy! And she can do lots of things that other kids can't do, such as kiss her own elbow and fly around the house. But being a fairy isn't all fun and games, and soon Annabel must make a choice. If she chooses to be a fairy, she'll have to say good-bye to Gloria forever. How can she decide between her newly found magic and her dearest friend?

Regarding the Fountain: A Tale, in Letters, of Liars and Leaks


Kate Klise - 1998
    Please send a catalog.Designer Flo Waters responds:"I'd be delighted...but please understand that all of my fountains are custom-made."Soon the fountain project takes on a life of its own, one chronicled in letters, postcards, memos, transcripts, and official documents. The school board president is up in arms. So is Dee Eel, of the water-supply company. A scandal is brewing, and Mr. Sam N.'s fifth grade class is turning up a host of hilarious secrets buried deep beneath the fountain.

The Seventh Princess


Nick Sullivan - 1983
    There people start bowing to her, calling her Princess Miranda, and catering to her every whim. It seem like a dream come true ... until she discovers that the evil Duke Rinaldo has hatched a devilish plot to make her his next victim.