Book 3 of the Shadow Children series
by Margaret Peterson Maddix (5th+)
Nina Idi used to be a student at the Harlow School for Girls, which was connected by a forest to the Hendricks School for Boys. She was one of the girls that used to sneak into the forest at night to meet boys of her kind, third children. But one of the boys, Jason, whom she loved, has betrayed her and now she finds herself in a Population prison. She finds herself in a cell with two brothers, Matthias and Percy and their sister, Alia. She has been given two options--get the siblings to admit to being third children or be put to death. Can she turn around and betray the children as she was betrayed? Or will she choose to be put to death? Is it possible there is another option not yet found? Find out by reading Among the Betrayed, the third book in the Shadow Children series by Margaret Peterson Haddix.
Book 2 of the Shadow Children series
by Margaret Peterson Haddix (5th+)
Luke has been taken from his home and has been given the fake I.D. of another young man who was killed in a skiing accident. Now Luke finds himself headed to the Hendricks School for Boys under the name of Lee Grant. It is not a place that he likes. No one seems to care about anyone else unless they are bullying or being cruel to that person. Then Luke finds a door to the outside and his stay changes as well as the people he knows within the school. But who can he trust? Are his friends really his friends? Read Among the Imposters, book 2 of the Shadow Children series, to find out.
Book 1 of the Shadow Children series
by Margaret Peterson Haddix (5th+)
Luke is a shadow child, a third child. A group known as the Population Police have created and enforce a law against families having more than two children. If a family should have more than two children then those extra children will be killed. Many families have had more than two children and the additional children have had to go into hiding. Luke is one of these children—a third child, a shadow child. He used to be able to go outside in his backyard because it was hidden by forest. But after developers tore down the forest and build houses for barons he finds that he has to stay in the attic. He cannot go outside and cannot even go downstairs for fear of being seen. He hates having to hide and miss out on everything that is going on around him. But one day through a hole in the attic he sees a face in the window of the house next door. A house where he knows there are already two children. Luke works up the courage to sneak over there and finds a new friend in another third child, Jen. Jen hates hiding also and is determined to do something about the law. But when Jen carries out her plan and turns up missing, Luke is really worried about what may have happened to her. What happened to Jen and is Luke now in trouble of being discovered because he made friends with her? Find out when you read Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix.
by Gennifer Choldenko (5th+)
The year is 1935 and Moose Flanagan’s family just moved to a new house on a nice secluded island. They’ve moved here in order for his sister to attend a specific school that is nearby. His sister is not like other kids and she needs help. But he hates the move and all of the attention he gets because of his new home. What is so special about his home? It’s on Alcatraz. Alcatraz is the famous island that is home to many famous murderers, mob bosses, and convicts such as Roy Gardner, Machine Gun Kelly, and Al Capone. He’s moved here because his father got a job as a prison guard/electrician and in the year 1935 the warden liked having the guards readily available in case of an escape. So guards and their families all lived on Alcatraz. Moose is twelve years old and not only does he have to deal with his sister being different and his family being stressed but he also has to deal with the fact that he now lives on Alcatraz island surrounded by convicts and murderers. Then there is the wardens daughter, Piper, who in herself is sure to get him in trouble. She always has a new scheme to make some money. Like the time she made money from selling Al Capones laundry service to all of the kids at the school. Can Moose make it living on Alcatraz with his somewhat strange sister and stay out of trouble with a friend like Piper? Find out when you read Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko.
*Al Capone Does My Shirts is a fictional story but many of the facts and details about life on Alcatraz are true.
by Justin Somper (book 2) 5th+
Someone on the crew of the Diablo has died in battle and it has left the rest of the crew extremely upset. This was an excellent swordsman and a best friend to Conner and Bart. Grace realizes that one day her brother could die if he continues on this journey of pirating. So, she convinces Connor that they should visit the Pirate Academy in hopes of dissuading him from the life of a pirate. But she soon finds that that might not be the case at all. Conner loves the Academy and wants to enroll full time to help him become a better pirate and one day become a captain of his own ship. Meanwhile, something strange has been happening to Grace. She has these dizzy spells and somehow is finding herself back on the Vampirate ship. She is not fully there but is somewhat ghost like when she visits. She always returns to the Academy when she doesn’t want to though. Lorcan and the Vampirate captain need her. There is unrest on the ship and Lorcan is not doing well without her. Can she find a way to get back to the ship for good? Will Conner continue his dream of becoming a pirate Captain? Read Tide of Terror, the second book in the Vampirates series to find out.
by Anthony Horowitz (5th +)
After recently discovering that his uncle was a spy and after becoming one himself, Alex Rider finds himself roped into another mission. This one involves a group of 14-year-old boys like himself but who have very wealthy families and who are always getting into trouble. In the past few weeks there have been two men killed who both had sons attending the same private school in which to tone down their behavior. M16 believes that this is too much of a coincidence and that something is going on with the school. They send in Alex to find out what is going on. Alex finds that indeed something very strange is going on. All of the boys are wandering around the school like they are brainwashed and something about all of them seems very similar, even though they are all different and unique boys. But soon Alex finds that he may know too much to stick around the school. But there is no way out. The school is on a mountain surrounded by snow and guards with guns. In an attempt to get his information to M16 Alex is chased through the snow by guards on snowmobiles mounted with machine guns. This is only one of the problems Alex faces at his new school. We he make it out alive with his information about the school or will this be his final mission. Find out when you read book 2 ofthe Alex Rider series, Point Blank.
by Justin Somper (5th+)
Grace and Connor live with their father in the lighthouse on Crescent Moon Bay. They have always been outcasts but no more than when their father dies and their only options are adoption by a rich banking family in town or the orphanage. They choose a third option however and sneak away on their fathers boat. As it turns out, this was maybe not a good idea. Or was it? After a huge storm breaks apart their boat, Connor and Grace find themselves separated in the water believing that the other has drowned. Connor is picked up by a pirate ship captained by Molucco Wrathe a strange but well known captain among the seas. He tells Connor that Grace must have been taken by the sea but Connor swears he saw another ship, a strange ship, in the water right before he was pulled out. He is determined to convince everyone that Grace is on that ship. But will they listen and help him search out the ship? Grace, on the other hand, was picked up by what she is soon to find out is the Vampirate ship from the sea shanty their father used to sing to them. The captain of this ship has told Grace that Connor was pulled from the water by a pirate ship and is alive. When Grace asks how he knows he talks in riddles about it. Lorcan, who pulled Grace from the water, is set the task to protect Grace while on the ship. What is he protecting her from though? Will Grace figure it out soon and will Connor find her before it is too late? Read Demons of the Ocean, the first book of the Vampirates series by Justin Somper.
Book 3 of the Shadow Children series
