Grade: 8

Dead men don’t tell tales. But their bones do! Lively text and color photos — in combination with the subject of solving crimes through the bones of the victim — is a sure way to whet the appetite of pre-adolescent readers. Dr. Michael Charney, a forensic anthropologist, takes the reader on a step-by-step investigation that shows how a person’s sex, race, age, height, and weight can be determined from studying his or her bones and teeth.

John midas loves chocolate. He loves it so much that he’ll eat it any hour of any day. He doesn’t care if he ruins his appetite. He thinks chocolate is better than any other food! But one day, after wandering into a candy store and buying a piece of their best chocolate, John finds out that there might just be such a thing as too much chocolate.

Narnia fans, rejoice! To celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, here are all seven books in the magical Chronicles of Narnia series — in one gorgeous, deluxe boxed set. Featuring the original illustrations, newly painted in full color by award-winning illustrator Pauline Baynes, this incredible set is a must-have for anyone who wants to step into the unforgettable world of Narnia time and time again. Collection includes all seven of the novels in the series.

The bestselling book for every boy from eight to eighty, covering essential boyhood skills such as building tree houses, learning how to fish, finding true north, and even answering the age old question of what the big deal with girls is. In this digital age there is still a place for knots, skimming stones and stories of incredible courage. This book recaptures Sunday afternoons, stimulates curiosity, and makes for great father-son activities. The brothers Conn and Hal have put together a wonderful collection of all things that make being young or young at heart fun—building go-carts and electromagnets, identifying insects and spiders, and flying the world’s best paper airplanes.

The Daring Book for Girls is the manual for everything that girls need to know — and that doesn’t mean sewing buttonholes! Whether it’s female heroes in history, secret note-passing skills, science projects, friendship bracelets, double dutch, cats cradle, the perfect cartwheel or the eternal mystery of what boys are thinking, this book has it all. But it’s not just a guide to giggling at sleepovers — although that’s included, of course! Whether readers consider themselves tomboys, girly-girls, or a little bit of both, this book is every girl’s invitation to adventure.

This collection of vignettes about Chicago’s Hispanic quarter are told from the point of view of Esperanza Cordero who is coming of age. Through her unique descriptions of the neighborhood and its residents, the reader is given a glimpse of the barrio as well as an understanding of Esperanza’s hopes and fears.

Addie is super tall and super smart. Joe is gay. Skeezie is sloppy and tough looking, and Bobbie, the narrator, is overweight and vulnerable since the death of his mother. They’ve been friends for years and hold a forum once a week to talk about important things. Although they’ve been called names all their lives, they have had one another for support. For their seventh-grade election, they form a new political party, called the No-Name Party whose slogan is, “Sticks and stones may break our bones, but names will break our spirit.” They propose a moratorium on name-calling for one day and promise to work hard to make all voices heard on the student council. Although the No-Name Party doesn’t win the election, they learn important things about themselves and teach the rest of the school about the importance of individuality.

A textbook in disguise, this fascinating volume embraces both the math enthusiast and the clock-watching math victim holding his breath until the period is over. It’s not Alice in Wonderland, but it has that feel when Robert, who is no math wizard, has recurrent dreams of a number devil set on teaching him math concepts. In a series of 12 dreams Robert discovers the amazing world of numbers from the meaning of zero to numbers that expand without end. This international best-seller adds fun and adventure to math and teaches readers about logic in the process.