The Genius Files: Mission Unstoppable by Dan Gutman

Meet Coke and Pepsi!  Twins who were chosen to be members of the Young American Geniuses, a special division of the Genius Files.  The only problem is--they didn’t know they were chosen to be members and now someone is out to kill them.  

In the course of several days and several hundred miles, Coke and Pepsi have had to jump off of a cliff wearing wing suits, escape from a burning school, climb their way out of a sand dune pit where they were left to die, and visit the largest ball of twine to save it from an attack.  

The first in a series, Mission Unstoppable, is an action packed book perfect for any reader who loves adventure.  Follow along with Coke and Pepsi as they make their way cross country to save themselves and other members of the Young American Geniuses division.

Wildfire Run

Do you ever wonder what life is like for the son or daughter of the President of the United States? Author Dee Garretson wondered the same thing, so she wrote her first book - Wildfire Run.

Twelve-year-old Luke is the son of the President. Secret service agents follow him everywhere - even school! One of the only places he can just be a kid is at Camp David, the outdoor retreat for Presidents. It is also one of the safest places in the world, with multiple, high-tech security systems.

Luke and his friend Theo are enjoying a fun, robot-building and tree house-climbing kind of weekend when there is a national emergency. An earthquake strikes Missouri and they feel the tremors all the way to Camp David. Luke's dad has to leave for Washington D.C., but he believes Luke will be completely safe at Camp David. No one knows, however, that the earthquake has started a nearby forest fire that will threaten everyone at Camp David.

Luke, Theo and the chef's daughter, Callie, soon find themselves in lots of danger and they are the only ones who can figure out how to escape from the safest place on earth! Dee Garretson's first book is action-packed. I can't wait for her next book - Wolf Storm.

Click here to listen to an audio file from Wildfire Run by Dee Garretson.

We Are Not Eaten by Yaks by C. Alexander London

I love everything about this book! Why you ask?

1. Obnoxious and irritating and slightly lovable main characters - Celia and Oliver Navel, eleven-year-old twins, who would rather watch television ALL DAY than go on adventures. Their parents are real live adventurers! And daredevils like Indiana Jones! The entire family lives at the Explorer's Club in New York City (a real place, by the way) where they are surrounded by other real live explorers who tell great stories of their real live adventures. But what would Celia and Oliver rather do? Watch reality TV.

2. Unfortunately, their mother has gone missing on an exploration. What was she looking for? Only the greatest library of the ancient world - the wonderful, marvelous, incredible Library of Alexandria - where all of mankind's knowledge was gathered in one place. Librarians love the very thought of it. Tragically, it was burned to the ground by the Romans in 30 B.C. But Oliver and Celia's mother thinks maybe it was just . . . misplaced . . . so she sets off to find it. And she falls into a big, evil plot.

3. Oliver and Celia reluctantly - very reluctantly - are forced to set off to rescue their mother. Which means they have to do all sorts of things they hate - like travel to Tibet, climb mountains, and even ride yaks. It's all a tremendous adventure to all sorts of incredible places I would love to explore. I would love to pet a yak - they have wonderfully soft hair that you can spin into yarn. Oliver and Celia would rather watch cable.

4. The author, C. Alexander London, is a librarian! A real, certified librarian, who has the Dewey Decimal System memorized. Or at least he did, before he started working as a journalist, a writer, and a explorer himself. I am trying to solve the mystery of his real name - C. Alexander London is a pseudonym. Hmmm. He very much reminds me of another popular author, Pseudonymous Bosch, who writes The Secret Series . . . I'll keep you informed of any discoveries I make. . .

5. The book trailer. Click here to watch it. Stay tuned to the end and you'll spot the most beautiful corgi puppy. Not that it influenced how much I love this book, even though I happen to own a corgi and everyone in my family owns corgis and . . . oh, just read the book!

P.S. I can't wait for the sequel - We Dine With Cannibals. And, Celia and Oliver - I'm sorry you don't get to stay home and watch TV.

Middleword by J and P Voelkel

Wow - this is the first book in the next, hot new series - the Jaguar Stones. If you loved Percy Jackson or the Kane Chronicles - you will definitely enjoy this book!

First, there is something definitely end-of-the-world spooky going on here. You may have heard about the year 2012, when the old Mayan calendar ends. Supposedly the world will end on that date - not that WE believe that!

Fourteen-year-old Max Murphy is the son of Mayan archaeologists and he is quite angry when they leave him home when they set off on a sudden expedition to Central America. Unexpectedly, he receives a ticket to join them, but when he gets to his uncle's home in Puerto Muerto, he discovers that they are missing in the jungle. And his uncle, who is supposedly in the banana business, seems to be involved with some dangerous characters buying and selling illegal Mayan artifacts.

When he first learns about the Mayan story of the Jaguar Stones, Max dismisses it as just an old legend about the long-dead Mayan gods - but then he finds a real Jaguar stone. Soon he finds himself deep in the jungle with Ix Sak Lol (who goes by the nickname Lola) and they are running for their very lives!

Book two, The End of the World Club, is already out - so now is the time to catch up in this new and very timely trilogy.

Click here to check out the super Jaguar Stones website! Lots of information on the Mayas, the mysterious Mayan calendar, Mayan glyphs, and even the ballgame played by the ancient Mayans.

Storm Runners by Roland Smith

Here's another great adventure story from one of our favorite authors - Roland Smith!

Thirteen-year-old Chase and his father are storm runners. They race around the country trying to get in the path of floods, hurricanes and tornadoes. Chase has been trained well on how to survive just about anything and his "go to" backpack is always with him - full of the supplies he would need to survive on his own. And, he is an expert at changing schools since they travel so much.

Chase's dad owns M. D. Emergency Services, which helps people before and after disasters. But something else is also affecting them both. After the tragic death of Chase's mom and sister in one storm and after Chase watched his dad actually get struck by lightning - something strange has been going on. What are they really running after?

Chase is on his way home from his new school when Hurricane Emily strikes land, causing a flash flood which sweeps his school bus off the road. This story is non-stop action from that point on!

And this is only the beginning. Storm Runners is a new series - book two will be called The Surge.

Hero by Mike Lupica

Zach Harriman was fourteen-years-old when his father died unexpectedly in a plane crash. Zach's dad was a famous man - a "special adviser' to Presidents. A man whose reputation was larger than life. A man who got things done.

What Zach didn't know was how his father did these things. As Zach discovers, his father had special abilities. He really was a superhero. And now that he is dead, Zach seems to be developing special powers of his own.

Is Zach ready to take on the role of hero? One thing is for certain - he wants to discover how and why his father died.


Click here to read the first chapters online. Watch the book trailer below.




Hero by Mike Lupica

Dark Life by Kat Falls

OK, you should not judge a book by its cover but the cover of Dark Life is amazing! You really need to pick this book up and check out its cover. I kept running my hand over it as I read it.

Fortunately, Dark Life is also a exciting and well-written science fiction story. And it is also non-stop action!

Fifteen year-old Ty was born under the sea, where his parents and other settlers live and farm on the sea floor. Global warming and over-population have made "topside" a hard place to live, with people crowded into huge multi-story apartment buildings. The Topsiders look down on those living the Dark Life, under the sea, but they need the food the settlers raise and catch on their farms.

It's dangerous under the sea but Ty, his sister Zoe, and the other kids born undersea feel right at home. There are rumors of special "gifts" the kids are developing, perhaps due to the deep water pressure. When Gemma, a girl from the Topside, arrives in search of her missing brother, she and Ty suddenly find themselves facing new and surprising dangers - not all of them native to the sea.

I really enjoyed this new world found under the sea. From the slang and technology, to the way the kids zip around on manta boards, to the wonders of ocean life - it was all believable and compelling. Besides all the action there are several surprising twists and revelations. There is also a satisfying conclusion although I hope we can return one day to more adventures of Ty, Gemma, and Zoe in the Dark Life.

Click here to watch a terrific video book trailer about Dark Life!

Click here to read the first chapter of Dark Life online!

The BIG 39 Clues Summer Book Club

Get ready for the BIG Maltby summer reading club - The 39 Clues. the 39 Clues books are a terrific mix of adventure, history, biography, geography and mystery. Brother and sister, Dana and Amy, are hunting the hidden 39 clues, left by their Aunt Grace, in order to inherit one million dollars. The books follow Dana and Amy as they pursue the clues. The books are also written by several of our favorite authors.

There are lots of ways to participate this summer.

1. Go to our local Barnes and Noble store beginning May 25th for our monthly book club meeting. Find all the dates and times here. Our reading therapy dog Caesar will also be there to greet you.

2. Join the Scholastic Read for the World Record Challenge. Login in here

3. Play online here.

The 39 Clues books:
Book 1: The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan
Book 2: One False Note by Gordon Korman
Book 3: The Sword Thief by Peter Lerangis
Book 4: Beyond the Grave by Jude Watson
Book 5: The Black Circle by Patrick Carman
Book 6: In Too Deep by Jude Watson
Book 7: The Viper's Nest by Peter Lerangis
Book 8: The Emperor's Code by Gordon Korman
Book 9: (due out May 25, 2010) by Linda Sue Park
Book 10: (due ou August 31, 2010) by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Watch the Advanced Agent Training video featuring The 39 Clues authors: Rick Riordan, Gordon Korman, Peter Lerangis, Jude Watson, and Patrick Carman

Leviathan

The word leviathan means something that is the largest or most massive thing of its kind. The Leviathan in Scott Westerfeld's novel is a huge airship - something like a blimp or a dirigible - only this huge ship is alive!

Leviathan is a steampunk science fiction novel. Steampunk novels remind you of Jules Verne, who wrote 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Although the world seems old-fashioned with steam-powered locomotives or ships - it is also futuristic with new and marvelous inventions or creations.

Leviathan is also an alternate-history science fiction novel. It is takes place in the weeks during the beginning of World War I. The event that sparked the war was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, who was the heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In this story, Alek is his son. Now that his parents are dead, their enemies are after him! He escapes with a few of his father's loyal men in a Clanker machine called a walker. This is also the story of Deryn Sharp, who is hiding her real identity as a girl so that she can fulfill her dream of flying in airships, especially the living airship Leviathan.

Leviathan is an action-filled novel with exciting battle scenes. It is also lavishly illustrated with fascinating and detailed drawings of this original world. Click on the title above to see examples of these marvelous illustrations.

Click here to read the first chapter of Leviathan online.

Cryptid Hunters by Roland Smith

Roland Smith is one of my favorite adventure writers. He worked as a zookeeper and wildlife biologist before he became a writer. Animals still are important in most of the books he writes.

Cryptid Hunters is about the search for animals that are strange or mysterious. Some cryptids, like the Coelacanth, were thought to be extinct until they were discovered again. Other cryptids are really unbelievable - like Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster.

In this book thirteen-year-old twins Grace and Marty have come to live with their Uncle Wolfe, a cryptid hunter. Along with his research team, they all go in search of a living dinosaur called the Mokele-mbembe and find lots of mystery and thrilling adventure along the way.

The sequel to Cryptid Hunters has just been released. It is called Tentacles. This time the group is in search of a giant squid! If you would like to watch a short video interview with Roland Smith, just click the title link above.

Airman

Flying machines! Sword fighting! Villains! Poison! Diamonds! Princesses! Castles! Prisons! Airman by Eoin Colfer has all this and more.

Eoin (pronounced Owen) Colfer is the author of the Artemis Fowl books. This book is equally exciting and full of action. Written in the style of Jules Verne, this steampunk science fiction story is perfect for fans of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Count of Monte Cristo, or The Princess Bride.

Conor Broekhart is the hero of this story. His life has been full of legendary adventures from being born in a balloon during a terrorist attack to saving the princess from a burning tower. He dreams of becoming a brilliant scientist and a daring aeronaut. Suddenly his good fortune disappears when he is imprisoned by the evil Marshall Bonvilain. Conor rises to the challenge, building an incredible flying machine in hopes of escape.

To read the first chapter for free online, click on the title Airman. I guarantee that this is a page turner you won't want to put down!

To watch a video book trailer click on this link, click here

Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow

Twelve-year-old Jake Ransom's parents were archaeologists who disappeared on an expedition to find a new Mayan temple. Jake and his older sister Kady were left in the care of their kindly guardians, but they missed their parents terribly. The last gift their parents sent home to them were two halves of a gold coin, each with a mysterious symbol on it. Jake and Kady wore them every day, including the day they traveled to the British Museum for the grand opening of a collection of Mayan items collected by their parents. That evening there was an attack on the museum that threw Jake and Kady into danger and adventure beyond their imagining.

Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow is the first book in an exciting new series. Although this book had a good satisfying ending, it also left me wondering where Jake would find adventure next and how Jake would continue to put the clues together about his parents' disappearance. If you are a fan of movies like The Mummy or Indiana Jones - this is the book for you!

The author, James Rollins, has written several adventure thrillers for adults. Just like his adult books, this one involves scientific curiosities and ancient civilizations. If you click on the title above, you can visit the author's website and watch short video clips about how he created the character of Jake Ransom, as well as some clues about Jake's next adventure.

Go Big or Go Home

Will Hobbs is certainly one of our favorite authors of good outdoor adventure books. Go Big or Go Home is his newest book and it will appeal to fans of extreme sports as well. Cousins Brady and Quinn are enjoying another summer filled with mountain biking, caving and fishing when something new comes crashing in. And it really crashes in!

Brady had crawled out his bedroom window to watch the Perseid meteor shower when an ear-shattering explosion filled the night and a flaming meteor crashed into his house and right through his bed. Underneath the wreckage Brady found the culprit - a fist-sized meteorite.

Possession of this meteorite sends Brady and Quinn off on more adventures, especially as something seriously dangerous begins to overtake their lives. Eventually the boys discover that the meteorite has brought a threat to Earth.

Go Big or Go Home is a fast, exciting read. I know you will enjoy it.

Click on the title link to read an interview with the author, Will Hobbs, and learn where he got his ideas for this book.