Grade: 8

There’s one last chance to save the world in MAXIMUM RIDE: SAVING THE WORLD AND OTHER EXTREME SPORTS, the closing chapter of James Patterson’s thrilling trilogy. The time has arrived for Max and her winged “flock” to face their ultimate enemy and discover their original purpose: to defeat the takeover of “Re-evolution”–a sinister experiment to re-engineer a select population into a scientifically superior master race…and to terminate the rest. Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman, and Angel have always worked together to defeat the forces working against them–but can they save the world when they are torn apart, living in hiding and captivity, halfway across the globe from one another?

Fourteen-year-old Amir has bounced from foster home to foster home since the death of his parents. He now lives with the loving Smiths who have raised his youngest brother, Ronald, since he was a baby. Amir’s goal is to unite all of his brothers and sisters. His lifeline during this time is Doris, a friend from his old neighborhood in the Bronx. They write letters sharing their feelings and concerns. When Doris writes about a friend experimenting with drugs, Amir must come to terms with his family’s past. And when the Smiths locate his aunt, uncle, and siblings, he must make a decision about where everyone’s true home is.

In this riveting and adventure-packed follow-up to the award-winning New York Times bestseller Peter and the Starcatchers, Peter leaves the relative safety of Mollusk Island - along with his trusted companion, Tinker Bell - for the cold, damp, dangerous streets of London. On a difficult journey across the sea, he and Tink discover the dark and deadly slithering part-man/part-creature Lord Ombra, who is intent on recovering the missing starstuff - celestial dust that contains unimagined powers. In London, Peter attempts to track down the indomitable Molly, hoping that together they can combat Ombra’s determined forces. But London is not Mollusk Island; Peter is not the boy he used to be; and Lord Ombra - the Shadow Master - is unlike anything Peter, or the world, has ever seen.

Science fans (and science phobes!), here’s a fun, readable book that introduces science terms with one topic per letter, including black hole, immune system, Occam’s razor, and xylem. Witty cartoon illustrations on each page will keep readers of all ages amused. For further scientific explanations, the glossary defines additional terms — from absolute zero to zygote.

Paul has a younger brother, Jacob, who has Down’s syndrome, and he is angry. He doesn’t like the attention his brother receives and he doesn’t want anyone to know they are brothers. Guided by his patient and wise grandfather, Paul makes a painful journey while coming to terms with feelings about his brother.

In 1966 Ji–li Jiang turned twelve. An outstanding student and leader, she had everything: brains, the admiration of her peers, and a bright future in China’s Communist Party. But that year China’s leader, Mao Ze–dong, launched the Cultural Revolution, and everything changed. Over the next few years Ji–li and her family were humiliated and scorned by former friends, neighbors, and co–workers. They lived in constant terror of arrest. Finally, with the detention of her father, Ji–li faced the most difficult choice of her life. Told with simplicity and grace, this is the true story of one family’s courage and determination during one of the most terrifying eras of the twentieth century.

Told from the perspectives of both Sacajawea and Clark, this novel brings to life the famous story of Sacajawea, a Shoshone woman, who embarked on a long journey with the explorers Lewis and Clark. This intimate glimpse of Sacajawea as translator, peacemaker, caretaker, and guide makes readers understand the important role she played in making the explorers’ journey possible. Excerpts from these explorers’ journals as well as traditional tales of the Shoshone introduce chapters and add depth and a touch of humor to the story.

In 1914, the English explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew of 27 sailors attempted to cross the Antarctic continent. Their expedition came to a terrifying halt when their ship, the Endurance, ended up trapped in the pack ice. What followed was a perilous series of adventures. Despite many setbacks, Shackleton courageously led every single crew member back to safety. A gripping narrative along with actual black-and-white photographs taken by an Endurance crew member bring this icy adventure to life.