Book picks similar to
The Case of the Pack-Rat Park by Rae Lowery


young-fiction
7-9
children-s-detective-story
childrens

The Convict, the Rookie Card, and the Redemption of Gertie Thump


Becky Lyn Rickman - 2014
    Gertie’s mission in life is to improve Rosedale's citizenry through a steady stream of belittling, correction, and harassment. The only person unfazed by her campaign is the town’s deputy sheriff, Seth Randall, who has his own mission. Seth also serves as associate pastor of a local church, and he will not rest until he saves Gertie’s soul.But redemption is a word easier said than done. Add Gertie's childhood friend turned convict, an extremely valuable rookie baseball card, and a plate of cookies delivered with threatening messages, and you’ve got yourself a hornet’s nest of trouble.When the people of Rosedale come together to save Gertie Thump, the one person they would rather not, Gertie's not the only one who discovers that every good person has a little darkness in them and every demon a little tenderness.

Dandelion: The Extraordinary Life of a Misfit


Sheelagh Mawe - 1994
    An uplifting story about finding your purpose and harnessing life's magic.

Magic


Edmond Humm - 2011
    It appears to be a large golden retriever; however, it has one salient attribute that separates it from the rest of the canine world, it possesses the intelligence of an adult human being. After escaping from a genetic research laboratory in Iran, Magic wanders into Iraq, where he befriends Lt. Ryan Quinn. He saves Ryan's life after he is captured by insurgents. In return, Ryan ships Magic back to his Florida home. Ryan has no idea that his big lovable mutt is the result of many generations of genetic tinkering by the Iranian Ministry of Health. Magic can communicate using a computer, but is reluctant to tell anyone about his powers for fear of becoming a lab rat again.

The Spy with 29 Names


Jason Webster - 2014
    He was awarded the Iron Cross by Hitler and an MBE by Britain. To MI5 he was known as Garbo. To the Abwehr, he was Alaric. He also went by Rags the Indian Poet, Mrs Gerbers, Stanley the Welsh Nationalist – and 24 other names. He tricked Hitler over D-Day. He was the greatest double agent in history.But who, exactly, was Juan Pujol? Using his intimate knowledge of Spain and his skills as a crime novelist, Jason Webster tells for the first time the full true story of the character who captured the imagination in Ben Macintyre’s Double Cross. He tells of Pujol’s early life in Spain, his determination to fight totalitarianism ­and his strange journey from German spy to MI5. Working for the British, whom he saw as the exemplars of freedom and democracy, he created a bizarre fictional network of spies – 29 of them – that misled the entire German high command, including Hitler himself. Above all, in Operation Fortitude he diverted German Panzer divisions away from Normandy, playing a crucial role in safeguarding D-Day and ending the war, and securing his reputation as the most successful double agent of the war. Meticulously researched, yet told with the verve of a thriller, The Spy with 29 Names uncovers the truth – far stranger than any fiction – about the spy behind one of recent history’s most important and dramatic events.

Surviving Me


Jo Johnson - 2019
    Tom’s lost his job and now he’s been labelled useless. It’s surprisingly easy to set up a double life but rather harder to keep the deceit going. As Tom’s identity threatens to unravel, he starts to lose the plot… All the while, it turns out that one of Tom’s nearest and dearest has been leading his own double life – though for very different reasons.  This book tackles hard issues such as depression, dysfunctional families and degenerative diseases in an honest, life-affirming and often humorous way. It focuses particularly on the challenges of being male in today’s world and explores how our silence on these big issues can help push men to the brink.

131 Conversations That Engage Kids: How to Get Kids Talking, Grow Their Friendships, and Inspire Change (Conversation Starters Books Series #5)


Jed Jurchenko - 2017
    This book is for children who desire to build face-to-face connections that develop into life-long friendships. It is also for parents, foster parents, teachers, coaches, youth pastors, mentors, and everyone who wants to help their kids to connect in an increasingly disconnected world!Conversation Starters Include: If the zoo offered to let you keep one exotic animal as a pet, which animal would you take home with you?  If you were principal of your school for a day, what is one school rule that you would change? No two snowflakes are exactly alike. No two people are the same either. What is something that makes you unique?  This book is part of the Creative Conversations Series, which includes: 131 Creative Conversations for Couples 131 More Creative Conversations for Couples 131 Necessary Conversations before Marriage 131 Creative Conversations for Families 131 Creative Conversations for Kids 131 Conversations for Stepfamily Success

Daughter of the King


Carlene Havel - 2012
    Princess Michal was the youngest daughter of ancient Israel's first king. Thirty-five centuries ago, she fell in love with a hero named David. As told in the books of Kings and Samuel in the Bible, Michal helps David escape from her insane father. King Saul punishes his daughter by forcing her to marry a sadistic drunkard. After being banished, the Princess unwillingly becomes a pawn in negotiations between Judea and Israel. She is shattered when she learns her family has been wiped out. Michal's faith, patriotism, and love for David sustain her through the war, infidelity, madness, abuse, and betrayal.

Daughter of the Hunter Valley


Paula J. Beavan - 2021
    Near destitute. But brave and determined. Can Maddy beat the odds to create a new home in the Hunter Valley? An exciting Australian historical debut, perfect for readers of Darry Fraser.1831, New South WalesReeling from her mother's death, Madeleine Barker-Trent arrives in the newly colonised Hunter River to find her father's promises are nothing more than a halcyon dream. A day later, after a dubious accident, she becomes the sole owner of a thousand acres of bushland, with only three convicts and handsome overseer Daniel Coulter for company.Determined to fulfil her family's aspirations, Maddy refuses to return to England and braves everything the beautiful but wild Australian country can throw at her - violence, danger, the forces of nature and loneliness. But when a scandalous secret and a new arrival threaten to destroy all she's worked for, her future looks bleak ... Can Maddy persevere or should she simply admit defeat?A captivating historical tale of one young woman's grit and determination to carve out her place on the riverbank.

Gripped: Your Personality is What's Holding You Back


Jason Donnelly - 2013
    Have you ever read an advertisement and felt like it was written directly to you? Well, what if it was? And if I told you that there's an underground group telling you and those around you what to buy, what to wear, and what to consume? Join the fun. The only thing holding you back is your own personality.We recommend that you read Gripped with a nice bottled water. "If Kurt Vonnegut and Sarah Silverman had a literary offspring, it might look something like this." Richard Thomas, authoe of Staring Into the Abyss"Donnelly dances on the line of comedic grace and brutal honesty to show how ugly personal growth can be." Michael Paul Gonzalez, author of Angel Falls"This is a hilarious yet poignant tale of how disjointed society has become." Jonny Gibbings, author of Malice in BlunderlandJason Donnelly is a writer in NYC currently seeking world domination. He has an MFA in creative writing and a horrible amount of debt from a University in Pennsylvania that shall not be named. Over the years, he's held the title of juggler, college recruiter, adjunct professor, headhunter and is currently a copywriter at a NYC ad agency. Find out more than you ever wanted to know about him here, www.jasonwdonnelly.com and then like the book page here, www.grippedbook.com You can now purchase from amazon.com here: http://www.amazon.com/Gripped-Your-Pe...

The Two Farms


Mary E. Pearce - 1986
    Set in mid-nineteenth century Gloucestershire, a saga focusing on two farms and families who own them.

Monday's Child


Linda Finlay - 2016
    But when she was summoned to help out at Red Cliffs - a haven for poverty-stricken children from the cities - by her godfather Samuel she also found her own second chance within its walls. Now she will do anything to help the mischievous, loveable children there. Especially Monday whose continued silence tears at her heart.But with Samuel's health failing and his grasping nephew Christian eager to inherit, Red Cliffs is under threat. Sarah needs to fight - the children need her, and surprisingly she find she needs them. Will she be able to save the school and protect the little girl she's come to love so much, the one she's named Monday's Child?Monday's Child is the first in the Red Cliff Ragged School series, soon to be followed by Orphans and Angels. Praise for Linda Finlay 'Warm and atmospheric, you can practically taste the sea breeze' The Express'Take time out for a page-turner about family mysteries and betrayal' Take-a-Break'A compelling saga . . . with a surprising and emotional ending which weaves together the storylines in a most satisfying way. Strongly recommended and a great read on a Cornish holiday' cjbrownecrimewriter.com'A captivating and emotional novel about a strong woman struggling to find her own way in the world when others wish to see her fail' Winstone Books

Liverpool Angels


Lyn Andrews - 2013
    Her aunt Maggie brings Mae up together with her own children, Eddie and Alice, and the girls become like sisters. In spite of Mae's unhappy start, life feels full of promise.Then, as the First World War looms, everything changes. While the local men - including young Eddie - leave to fight, Mae and Alice train as field nurses. As they travel to the front line in the wake of family tragedy, nothing can prepare them for the hardship that lies ahead.Yet there is solace to be found amid the wreckage of the war, and for both, romance is on the horizon. But it will take great courage for Mae and Alice to follow their hearts. Can love win out in the end?

Miracles, Inc.: A Novel


T.J. Forrester - 2011
    Oliver, still a young man, lives in a six-by-ten cell in a Florida prison. He has chosen the needle over the chair, has no desire to smell burned flesh on the day the state snuffs out his life. When his attorney suggests he write an autobiography to generate funds to cover legal fees incurred during the appeals process, Vernon sits down to pencil and paper and begins his narrative. Miracles, Inc., Forrester's debut novel, tells the story of a charismatic slacker in love with Harley Davidson motorcycles and Rickie Terrell, a beautiful woman who quotes poetry and will not discuss her past. They live in an RV, smoke weed and drink beer, play Scrabble late into the night. His boss, a brilliant businesswoman with a far-reaching vision, offers him the chance to make more money than he ever thought was possible. He buys into the faith-healing scheme without reservation, and so begins the journey that leads to the stunning event that changes his life forever.

Murfey's Law


Bec Johnson - 2013
    Inheriting a rundown general store 17,000 kilometres away in Australia, her plan of getting in, selling up, and getting back out again seems simple enough. But accusing the local Police Sergeant, maddeningly sexy Zeb Turner, of shop lifting on her first day in Murfey's Beach, Lori quickly discovers the implications of being on the wrong side of the law.Moving on isn't going to be as easy a task as she first thought. Ironically, if Lori wants to get rid of the shop, she's going to have to fight to keep it first. Desperate to win over the colourfully eccentric locals who hold the keys to her freedom, Lori sets about breathing new life into the sleepy old community.Temperatures rise and desire sizzles as the residents of the tiny seaside village experience their hottest summer romance in decades.

Star Vigilante


T. Jackson King - 2012
    And with the aid of the self-aware starship Mata Hari, he’s been successful in bringing a small bit of justice to the alien star culture of the Anarchate. But then a crossbreed woman hires him to right a wrong being done to her planet by an alien commercial conglomerate that rules whole star clusters. Matt, aided by cyborg improvements that make him a deadly foe, sets out to do his job the best he can. Soon, he is on track to becoming the deadliest Vigilante in human history. But humanity’s survival among the crowded stars might be the price for success in his job.