Book picks similar to
River Odyssey by Philip Roy
middle-grade
submarine-outlaw
road-trip
young-adult-literature
The Hound of Rowan
Henry H. Neff - 2007
Many strange people are interested in Max and his tapestry. His discovery leads him to Rowan Academy, a secret school where great things await him.But dark things are waiting, too. When Max learns that priceless artworks and gifted children are disappearing, he finds himself in the crossfire of an ancient struggle between good and evil. To survive, he'll have to rely on a network of agents and mystics, the genius of his roommate, and the frightening power awakening within him.
Alex and the Ironic Gentleman
Adrienne Kress - 2007
Often mistaken for a boy because of her hair, Alex Morningside discovers one of her teachers has a mysterious family secret which leads her to a pirate ship called The Ironic Gentleman.
Monster of the Year
Bruce Coville - 1989
Michael and his friend Steve decide to launch a Monster of the Year contest, setting the stage for one of the creepiest beauty pageants ever.
Foundling
D.M. Cornish - 2006
Foundling begins the journey of Rossamund, a boy with a girl’s name, who is just about to begin a dangerous life in the service of the Emperor. What starts as a simple journey is threatened by encounters with monsters—and people, who may be worse. Learning who to trust and who to fear is neither easy nor without its perils, and Rossamund must choose his path carefully. Complete with appendices, maps, illustrations, and a glossary, Monster Blood Tattoo grabs readers from the first sentence and immerses them in an entirely original fantasy world with its own language and lore.
MiNRS
Kevin Sylvester - 2015
Underground. And out of time. Christopher Nichols and his family live on a new planet, Perses, as colonists of Melming Mining’s Great Mission to save the earth. Dozens of families like Christopher’s have relocated, too, like his best friend Elena Rosales. A communications blackout with Earth hits, and all of Perses is on its own for three months. It’s okay, though, because the colonists have prepared, stockpiling food and resources to survive. But they never prepared for an attack. Landers, as the attackers are called, obliterate the colony to steal the metal and raw ore. Now in a race against time, Christopher, along with a small group of survivors, are forced into the maze of mining tunnels. The kids run. They hide. But can they survive?
The Keeper of the Isis Light
Monica Hughes - 1980
By Earth years, she would be sixteen. But Olwen Pendennis had never been to Earth. She had been born on Isis. And since her parents' death, she had lived there alone, manning the Isis Light -- a "lighthouse" in space designed to aid ships, and to bring settlers from Earth. And now, on the day of her tenth year, the settlers are coming at last. Olwen is ready to welcome them, but are they ready for her? She was once human, like them. But the harsh climate of the alien planet has changed her, transformed her into something else -- something the settlers could never be prepared for...
Tiger Eyes
Judy Blume - 1981
Her father is dead (shot in a holdup) and now her mother is moving the family to New Mexico to try to recover. Climbing in Los Alamos Canyons, Davey meets mysterous Wolf, who seems to understand the rage and fear she feels. Slowly, with Wolf's help, Davey realizes that she must get on with her life. But when will she be ready to leave the past behind? Will she ever stop hurting?
Wrush: The Secret Worlds Of Tabetha Bright
Tyler Enfield - 2009
Her days in the hospital are spent daydreaming and writing magical tales, but when she receives a mysterious gift, a pen with magic of its own, her stories become dangerously real. Suddenly Tabetha is thrown into a perilous adventure in the strange and wondrous world of Wrush...With the help of a Mungling, a captain, and a tattooed boy-wizard Tabetha must stop a dark sorcerer from finding the Pyramid Map and destroying the protective wall between worlds. But how much can one girl, unable to walk, help against Wrush's most powerful foe?More than anyone ever imagined.
Mystery at Cranberry Farm
Lynn Manuel - 1981
Then came a letter from Aunt Daisy and everything changed. Suddenly Tory, Tritch, and Teddy were off to a farm in the Okanagan Valley.... and to a ninety year-old mystery!A story - a book of clues - a surly housekeeper - mysterious happenings at night - danger! How Tory, Tritch, and Teddy approach the mystery at Cranberry Farm will keep readers in suspense throughout this novel.
The Will of the Empress
Tamora Pierce - 2005
Sandry has avoided the invitation for as long as it was possible. Now Sandry has agreed to pay that overdue visit. Sandry's uncle promises guards to accompany her. But they're hardly a group of warriors! They're her old friends from Winding Circle: Daja, Tris, and Briar. Sandry hardly knows them now. They've grown up and grown apart. Sandry isn't sure they'll ever find their old connection again - or if she even wants them to. When they arrive at the pala
The Blackthorn Key
Kevin Sands - 2015
With time running out, Christopher must use every skill he’s learned to discover the key to a terrible secret with the power to tear the world apart.
Princess for Hire
Lindsey Leavitt - 2010
As her new agent, Meredith, explains, Desi has a rare magical ability: when she applies the ancient Egyptian formula “Royal Rouge,” she can transform temporarily into the exact lookalike of any princess who needs her subbing services. Dream come true, right?Well, Desi soon discovers that subbing involves a lot more than wearing a tiara and waving at cameras. Like, what do you do when a bullying older sister puts you on a heinous crash diet? Or when the tribal villagers gather to watch you perform a ceremonial dance you don’t know? Or when a princess’s conflicted sweetheart shows up to break things off–and you know she would want you to change his mind?In this hilarious series debut, one girl’s dream of glamour transforms into something bigger: the desire to make a positive impact. And an impact Desi makes, one royal fiasco at a time.
Wildwood
Colin Meloy - 2011
It feels at once firmly steeped in the classics of children's literature and completely fresh. The story is told from multiple points of view, and the book features more than eighty illustrations, including six full-color plates, making this an absolutely gorgeous object.In Wildwood, Prue and her friend Curtis uncover a secret world in the midst of violent upheaval—a world full of warring creatures, peaceable mystics, and powerful figures with the darkest intentions. And what begins as a rescue mission becomes something much greater as the two friends find themselves entwined in a struggle for the very freedom of this wilderness. A wilderness the locals call Wildwood.The bestselling trilogy from Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis consists of Wildwood, Under Wildwood, and Wildwood Imperium.
Elsewhere
Gabrielle Zevin - 2005
It is warm, with a breeze, and the beaches are marvelous. It's quiet and peaceful. You can't get sick or any older. Curious to see new paintings by Picasso? Swing by one of Elsewhere's museums. Need to talk to someone about your problems? Stop by Marilyn Monroe's psychiatric practice.Elsewhere is where fifteen-year-old Liz Hall ends up, after she has died. It is a place so like Earth, yet completely different. Here Liz will age backward from the day of her death until she becomes a baby again and returns to Earth. But Liz wants to turn sixteen, not fourteen again. She wants to get her driver's license. She wants to graduate from high school and go to college. And now that she's dead, Liz is being forced to live a life she doesn't want with a grandmother she has only just met. And it is not going well. How can Liz let go of the only life she has ever known and embrace a new one? Is it possible that a life lived in reverse is no different from a life lived forward?This moving, often funny book about grief, death, and loss will stay with the reader long after the last page is turned.
The F.L.U.B. Club: How the 'Future Fixer' Fixed My Future and Flubbed It Up Again
Richard Clark - 2017
"I was hooked by the first page, and I didn't want to put the book down. The book was so good that I was sad to reach the end." Readers' Favorite 5★ review 15-year-old Marty Gundy has a dream: He wants to become an internet ultra-billionaire. And when his latest killer app, the ‘Future Fixer’, actually shows him five seconds of his very near future, he knows his dream will come true! But that five seconds is just enough to get him into big trouble, and it soon puts him at the business end of the school bully’s fist! Will Marty’s killer app end up killing him? If you like your Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Zac Power books with a twist of technology, you’ll love The F.L.U.B. Club! From the writer of My Best Friend Is a Secret Agent, this middle grade chapter book takes kids’ Silicon Valley dreams and gives them a magical twist. It’s a suspenseful ride for children, tweens and teens! This high school story is the first in a series, so if you like it, there's more to come! (Don't forget to look for the surprise after Chapter 1!)