Journal-Style Middle School Book Recommendations from the Ottawa Public Library

The Ottawa Public Library is back to share a list books perfect for middle schoolers. This month’s post is by Sarah Godding, CPPSA at the Alta Vista Branch of the Ottawa Public Library. The selection is inspired by the joys of journaling!

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It’s November and after ongoing COVID-19 constraints in Ottawa, many of us are reaching a point of fatigue. SIGH. Yet, with these limits placed on our proximity to others comes an opportunity to increase our proximity to ourselves!

Getting to know oneself is a beautiful pursuit at any age. Keeping a diary, daily log or journal is a wonderful way to grow our understanding, appreciation and acceptance of ourselves. Encouraging the kids in our lives to let it all out onto a page can prove to be a great release. We cannot fix what we do not acknowledge no matter how big or small.

Here are middle school reads which incorporate the diary/journal style of writing and, in doing so, allow the reader to feel closer to the characters.

Just Jaime by Terry Libenson
https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1168825026

Just Jaime follows two childhood best friends as they begin to cross the threshold from child to teen. The conflict is delicate as Jamie feels her best friend Maya is pulling away - but why? The chapters alternate narration of the last day of grade 7, with Jamie’s chapters taking a more intimate, handwritten diary approach, and Maya’s chapters laid out in a classic comic book style. This book allows the reader to navigate, along with the two friends, the turbulent dance of growing in and out of friendship and the importance and challenge of expressing hurt feelings. Through Jaime’s handwritten entries we are provided a wonderfully honest snapshot of the middle grade drama.

The Year I Didn’t Eat by Samuel Pollen
https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1149054026

We meet 14-year-old Max just before a Christmas dinner feast with his family. Tensions are high for the young bird enthusiast with anorexia. Lately Max feels no one understands him, no one but Ana. Max has been keeping a journal, upon his therapist’s request, and addresses his entries to “Ana”- his eating disorder. Ana is not a kind influence, to say the least. The story alternates between narration and diary entries to Ana. It’s through these entries to Ana that the audience gains insight into tough emotions Max has no other way to express. Max’s battle with anorexia affects his relationships big time! When his brother moves out and his parents get quiet, a new classmate named Evie might just be the gust of fresh air needed to help Max turn his ship around.

Can You See Me? by Libby Scott and Rebecca Westcott
https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1205782026

The next middle school diary style read stars Tally as she begins the sixth grade at a new school. She is really hoping to find her place, to be accepted, and to belong. Unfortunately, she believes that the only way she can make this happen is to hide parts of herself - like the fact that she has autism. We follow Tally through a combination of present-tense, third person writing and short diary entries. It’s through the diary entries, that the audience gains an honest understanding of Tally’s experience as a person with autism. In her entries she explains her exceptionality frankly and even provides the reader with definitions and eye-opening descriptions. This book was coauthored by a young girl with autism and the audience is better for it.

The Length of a String by Elissa Brent Weissman
https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1215230026

Imani is another middle schooler whose feelings of being separate and other are weighing her down. She is the only person of colour in her white Baltimore neighbourhood and she’s adopted. Then her great-grandmother dies, and leaves Imani the diary she kept as a 12-year-old fleeing the Nazis in Luxembourg. It’s through reading her journal entries and her own curiosity fuelled research that Imani gets to know her Grandma Anna. Though they may not be connected by blood, they share something some special similarities. A beautiful story of the power of connection!

Isaiah Dunn is my Hero by Kelly J. Baptist
https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1225423026

Our next character with a pension for reflection is the young Isaiah Dunn. He is 10 years old and loves writing poetry. Unfortunately, after his father passes the words stop flowing. The lose leaves Isaiah and his family feeling lost and uprooted. As many humans do when experiencing big feelings, he starts acting out and lands himself in an after-school meditation class with the class bully. Things get worse before they get better as Isaiah's mom’s depression takes a nosedive. The story lifts as the young boy finds journals full of stories about "Isaiah Dunn, superhero" that his dad left. The words on the page are so much more than that for young Isaiah and this connection to his father takes the story to the next level.

The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani
https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1085600026

Finally, we meet Nisha, a quiet, sensitive half Hindu, half Muslim girl trying to find her place in the world. Finding her place and her voice is complicated by her geography and the time. Nisha is part of the forced migration of the Hindu people from Pakistan to India due to the countries separation in 1947. 12-year-old Nisha turns to her diary every night to help her process her feelings of loss and alienation. In her diary she writes to her mother who passed away when she was a baby. Nisha builds a relationship with the mother she never knew through these entries and uses her words as a tool to bring her complicated thoughts and feelings into focus. It’s a beautiful tale of the challenging experience of forced migration from Pakistan to India, of being caught between two worlds and belief systems and of accepting these hurdles with grace.

Stories About Friendship

The Ottawa Public Library is back to share stories about Friendship. This month’s post is by Ann-Marie (Annie) Miller, Supervising Librarian, Children’s Department at the Ruth E. Dickinson Library.

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The world is just a better place when you have a friend.  Sometimes it is not all that easy to be a friend, or to have one.  Friendship is never instant or guaranteed.  Nevertheless, the process of becoming a friend can be rewarding.  Here are a few books celebrating the joys of friendship in its many forms.

Bear Can’t Sleep by Karma Wilson; illustrated by Jane Chapman

https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1126750026

 If you have yet to meet up with Bear and his circle of friends, this latest book is a great introduction to the series.  Bear should hibernate, but he just cannot get to sleep.  This is when his friends -  Mouse, Hare, Badger, Gopher, Mole, Raven and Wren -  all gather round to help out.  In rhyming text and luscious illustrations, we read about the friends making hot milk and singing lullabies.  When Bear sits up and begins to tell a story for his friends, he finally puts himself to sleep.  There are lots of books about Bear and his friends and you can read these stories to children from newborn to 5 years old.

Giraffe and Bird by Rebecca Bender

https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/617329026

 Giraffe and Bird annoy each other all the time.  Bird makes faces at Giraffe; Giraffe sticks his tongue out at Bird; Bird tweets in Giraffe’s ear; and Giraffe glares back at Bird.  So it goes all day long each one annoying the other until finally they just walk away.  When the big storm comes in at night, though, each one wishes the other was close by.  So, in the lonely light of day, they seek out one another once again.  Giraffe and Bird are the most annoying of friends but they just cannot abide being apart. This is only the first of four Gerald and bird stories each one illustrated with Rebecca’s expressive drawings.   They will help to shed a little light on sibling struggles for those two to five years old in your household.

Poetree by Shauna LaVoy Reynolds; illustrated by Shahrzad Maydani

https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1174168026

 Shy Sylvia delights in writing poetry for her favourite tree.  She hides her poems in the tree’s branches and one day a new poem falls out of the tree landing at her feet.   Someone else is writing poems. At first Sylvia believes that the tree is writing back to her;  that the tree is a new friend.  Then Sylvia finds out that it is Walt, a classmate, who is writing the poems.  Sylvia and Walt form a new friendship composing poems for their tree and for one another while sitting together under the branches.  Their poems are a delight to read.  This is a lovely, rich story joyfully illustrated for those 5 to 7 years old.

Harold and Hog Pretend For Real! by Dan Santat

https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1167672026

Every Grade One child loves to read about Mo Willem’s Elephant and Piggie.  Harold and Hog idolize them, too, and do their best to pretend to be Elephant and Piggie.  They discover that Hog is too careful to be Piggie and Harold is too carefree to be Elephant.  However, it is still fun to pretend to be best friends when you actually are best friends. A great addition to the early reading shelf for children 5 to 7 years old.

 Come Over to My House by Dr. Seuss; illustrated by Katie Kath

https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/983845026

 If your child started out reading with Hop on Pop and The Cat in the Hat, they will dive into this slightly more advanced reader with enthusiasm.  In finely crafted rhyming text, Dr. Seuss takes us on a worldwide adventure exploring houses and customs on every continent.  It doesn’t matter where you are in the world the reader is invited to ‘come over and play’.  We find that all houses all over the world are alike ‘when a friend asks you in’.  This book will expand your child’s world and keep those 6 and 7 years old reading.

Wolfie & Fly Band on the Run by Cary Fagan; illustrated by Zoe Si

https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1078918026

Renata Wolfman is always called Wolfie by her neighbour, Livingston Flott.  Wolfie calls Livingston, Fly. Wolfie likes to read and learn new things; Fly likes to have imaginative adventures.  There is a talent show coming up at school and Wolfie’s parents are encouraging her to enter.  Wolfie is happier just learning about her interest of the day – helicopters.  That is all before Fly comes in through the window with his guitar and gets Wolfie drumming along with to his new song.  Fly’s imagination takes off and before long it’s like the two of them are on stage in a stadium performing before thousands of screaming fans.  When they come back to the kitchen, they are ready to take on the annual Talent Show.  An entertaining story for those 7 or 8 years old.

Tom Swift Inventor’s Academy: the Drone Pursuit  by Victor Appleton https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1167734026

Tom and Noah have spent the weekend building a surveillance drone and now they want to test it out in the hallways of their school, the prestigious Swift Academy.  When their drone is spotted, they park it unobtrusively in the ceiling just outside a classroom.  When they go to retrieve the drone after class, it is gone.  So, begins the mystery.  Who has taken the drone, where is it now and why was it taken?  Tom and his friends worry that the theft is mixed up with an attempt to hack into the high tech company next door – the company owned by Tom’s father.  It takes quite a lot of adventuresome sleuthing to uncover the truth.  This is an exciting early novel for children 9 to 12 years old.  There are more mysteries to come in this series.

Journey of the Pale Bear by Susan Fletcher

https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1145907026

A fatherless boy and a newly captured polar bear are an unlikely pair to form the bonds of lifelong friendship yet this is exactly what happens when they meet.  The boy, Arthur, is a runaway looking for his Father’s family and hoping to obtain his inheritance.  The bear is a gift from the King of Norway to the King of England and the year is 1252.  Arthur’s only hope of gaining passage to England is to sign onto the ship transporting the bear and to become the bear’s caregiver.  As it turns out, Arthur has a way with animals and the pair develops a true understanding of one another.  Whether they are dealing with the bullies on board ship, a pirate attack, a shipwreck or their run through the countryside, Arthur and the bear stick together. This novel is based on the true story of a pale bear kept in the menagerie at the Tower of London by King Henry III.  The bear lived for many years and this version suggests it was because of the gentle care given to it by his friend, Arthur. A unique plotline for this age group but there is enough adventure here to engage those 10 to 12 years old.

Hidden Gem 

Gus & Me: The Story of My Granddad and My First Guitar by Keith Richards; illustrated by Theodora Richards

https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/792141026

 Yes, this is a picture book by that Keith Richards and it is illustrated by his daughter, Theodora.  The book recounts Keith’s close relationship with his Grandfather formed during their long walks together throughout Keith’s childhood.  Grandfather Gus lived in a ‘house full of instruments and cake’ and had been a ‘soldier, a baker and the leader of a dance band’.  It was Gus who handed Keith his first guitar and challenged him to learn how to play it.  Each double page spread is illustrated with Theodora’s fanciful drawings. This is a book and CD set which means you can have the text read to you by Keith himself.  The back matter includes a set of family photos.  This is what I call a picture book for adults.  Keep the tissues close at hand.

October 2019 booklist from the Ottawa Public Library

The Ottawa Public Library is back to share some of their new books for children with us. This month’s post is by Kristina Roudiy, Children's Program & Public Service Assistant at the Alta Vista branch of the Ottawa Public Library

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Picture book: Find Spot at the library / 2019

For ages 1-3.
Some of you might remember reading Spot’s adventures as a child. The first books in the series were published in the 1980’s. The books have since been reedited. This is the latest Spot the dog board book! Spot explores a library and, as always, plays hide-and-seek with the reader.

Picture book: The book hog / 2019

For ages 3-5.
The author of The Watermelon Seed is back with another brightly-coloured title. In this one, the main character, a pig, loves his scooter and…books. But he has a secret: he does not know how to read them! Until, one day, he meets a whole community of book lovers and a dedicated librarian at his local branch. The illustrations reflect the story in that the books first look blurry, and once the pig learns how to read, they start having lines & titles (some of which the readers will recognize!).

Picture book: The night library / 2019

For ages 3-7.
This is the story of a young boy who receives a book for his eighth birthday. He is less than thrilled with the gift, since he is a reluctant reader. But his interest in reading will be rekindled once he finds himself into a dream where the two lion statues from the New York Public Library come to life and take him onto a magical exploration of the various library rooms. The art in this picture book will make readers feel like going to visit the New York library building! Classic references are also hidden in the illustrations: The-cat-in-the-hat, Peter Rabbit, the Polar Express.

Non-fiction: Planting stories: the life of librarian and storyteller Pura Bulpré

For ages 4-7.
This brightly-coloured picture book tells the true story of a Puerto Rican woman, Pura Bulpré, who starts working at the New York Public Library and finds out that there is not a single book on the shelf about Latin American culture. She decides to write her own books and to share stories with the Storytime families. Soon, she travels across the country to present and to inspire.

Early Reader: Otter: I love books! / 2019

For ages 5-7.
If you don’t know Otter, you ought to start with the introduction title: “I am Otter”! The Ottawa Public Library owns 7 titles in the series. This is Otter’s latest adventure. He feels like going to somewhere fun, like the circus or the sea, but his keeper takes him to… a library.

Chapter book: The library of ever / 2019

For ages 7-9.
Science fiction novel. Eleven-year-old girl Lenora thought accompanying her nanny to the public library would be pretty boring -that is, until she walks into the library and somehow finds a magic portal to a very special library that contains the knowledge of the whole universe. There, Lenora is given the job of Apprentice Librarian and has to fight the Forces of Darkness.

An excellent, timely, book for initiating a discussion about intellectual freedom and censorship. 

Chapter book : The book case : an Emily Lime mystery / 2019

For ages 8-11.
Mystery novel set in England in the 1950’s. Daphne arrives at St Rita’s and finds out that it’s a rather unconventional boarding school. The classrooms are numbered in a random manner and the head librarian is nowhere to be seen. Daphne becomes friends with library assistant Emily and student George. Together, they decide to investigate a library break-in and a missing student.

Chapter book: The library shelves: an interactive mystery adventure / 2019

For ages 7-11.
During their field trip to the local public library, grade 6 schoolfriends Catalina, Edward, James and Samantha notice a scratching sound, as well as some yellow bookmarks sticking out of library books. Do they follow the source of the sound, or do they collect the bookmarks with riddles on them? Your choice! This is a “Choose your own story” book, with 12 possible endings.

Chapter book: Property of the rebel librarian / 2018

For ages 8-12.
This is the story of twelve-year-old June who decides to start an underground library in her school locker, when their school library bans the majority of the books from their shelves. But her boyfriend Graham does not understand her activism and joins in the censorship. How will June manage, especially once her loan log goes missing? Good food-for-thought on book banning. 

Non-fiction: You wouldn’t want to live without libraries! / 2019

For ages 6-12.
Children are well familiar with the “You wouldn’t want…” non-fiction series, as the Ottawa Public Library has about 70 titles in their collection, covering topics such as : inventions, history, nature, science, health, biographies, and more. This newly published title uses fun cartoon graphics to depict how libraries have become a space for the community to share and to be together.

By the way, did you know that October is “Library Month”? The Ottawa Public Library takes the opportunity every year in October to hide and give away Golden Tickets. For more information, click here : https://bit.ly/2o9wk9y  

Books to Celebrate Spring from the Ottawa Public Library

The Ottawa Public Library is back to share their top 10 most notable 2019 books for young kids. This month’s post is by Ann-Marie Miller, Supervising Librarian, Children’s Department, Ruth E. Dickinson Branch of the Ottawa Public Library.

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Wake Up! poem by Helen Frost; photographs by Rick Lieder

This rhythmic poem imagines a spring day and the luscious nature photographs take us there. Baby birds, frogs, fawns and more will surely delight and the poetry challenges us to wake up and take note of these wonders.  Captions for each photograph are given under thumbnail pictures in the final pages.

Duck and Hippo in the Rainstorm by Jonathon London; illustrated by Andrew Joyner

A rollicking day in the spring rain with friends, Duck and Hippo.  Duck has an umbrella but is Hippo too big to get under it?  Will he be able to ride down the stream in it?  Will he be able to hold onto it when the wind comes along?  No matter what befalls the duo, they stick together to end the day with a warm cup of tea.  

Little Blue Truck’s Springtime by Alice Schertle; illustrated by Jill McElmurry

The little blue truck and his friend toad are on the road once more.  On this beautiful spring day who will they see along the way? Open the flaps to find all of the cute little baby animals on the farm.  Your little ones will go back to this story again and again.

Early Readers

It’s Spring!  by Samantha Berger and Pamela Chanko; illustrated by Melissa Sweet 

First Robin arrives to announce that spring is here and then each animal rushes to tell the next. From the new Story Play series, this story is told in rhyming text suitable for the beginning reader. There are questions throughout to prompt discussion and a two-page spread of related activities on the endpapers.

Pig and Goose and the First Day of Spring by Rebecca Bond

On the first day of spring, Pig sets out to have a picnic and meets a new friend, Goose.  The story of their day together is told in three little chapters as Pig tries to fly, shares her picnic and invites Goose to join her friends for their spring party.  A delightful tale suitable for grade one or two.  

Mouse Loves Spring by Lauren Thompson; illustrated by Bucket Erdogan

Mouse and Momma go exploring on one windy spring day and meet up with a butterfly, a snail, a bird and many more forest friends.  The simple, repetitive text and delightful illustrations will encourage your beginning reader.

Early Novels

Heartwood Hotel: Better Together by Kallie George; illustrated by Stephanie Graegin.

The Heartwood Hotel is having a festival – the Spring Splash.  There is a competition for the cutest egg, a talent show for the insects, a race to find the best blossom and a big finale planned.  At the festival finale the owls swoop in and Mona, the mouse, must try to save the staff and guests.  An engaging story with sympathetic characters and plenty of action for your grade two or three reader. 

Stink: Hamlet and Cheese by Megan McDonald; illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds

This time, the popular Stink, has no plans for Spring Break so his friend Sophie invites him to join her at Shakespeare Camp.  On the first day, Stink finds he is the only boy in camp!  Will this one-sided group ever put together the play planned for the last day of camp?  With oversized font and humorous illustrations, this is a great story for the grade two or grade three crowd. 

Batcat and the Seven Squirrels by Eric Walters; illustrated by Kasia Charko

Would seven motherless baby squirrels and a homeless cat all in one backyard spell trouble?  Not this time as the cat, called Batcat, adopts the babies and joins in the quest to raise them.  A heartwarming story drawn from the childhood experiences of the author. The large well-spaced font and the black and white illustrations make this book a solid choice for those just stepping up to novels. 

Children’s Novels

Saving Winslow by Sharon Creech

Sharon Creech is a master of the heartwarming story and this book is a great introduction to her list.  Winslow is a pitiful, motherless, miniature donkey born on Uncle Pete’s farm and brought home to Louie wrapped in a blanket.  Winslow’s mother has fallen ill and cannot care for him.  Louie has a disastrous track record as a pet owner.  Yet Louie is determined to save Winslow and, with his friend Nora’s help, he just might be successful. 

Vanished: A Framed! Novel by James Ponti

Florian has a particular knack for noticing small details. He names it TOAST – The Theory Of All Small Things. Florian and his friend, Margaret, use TOAST to solve big mysteries. They are so successful with this that they have been engaged by the FBI as Special Agents.  Their assignment is to find out who is pulling pranks at the prestigious private school which the President’s daughter attends.  A thoughtful, but still adventuresome, mystery.  Check out Framed by the same author with the same characters. 

Elephant Secret by Eric Walters

For those who love animals, this story is set in an elephant sanctuary where Samantha and her Dad care for their herd.  Many of their number have come from unfortunate circumstances.  When the newest baby comes along, it is not exactly what they were expecting.  They have a secret to keep and their territory to defend – even when a generous benefactor comes along.  What begins as an idyllic nature story becomes a rousing adventure.  Suitable for those in grades five or six.

Non-Fiction

Spring after Spring: How Rachel Carson Inspired the Environmental Movement by Stephanie Roth Sisson

When Rachel Carson wrote Silent Spring in 1962 she inspired the modern environmental movement.  Here we learn how Rachel grew up loving the natural world, eventually becoming the biologist who changed how we think about the impact of pesticides on nature.  An interesting introduction to this field for those in grade four and beyond.

New Books at the Ottawa Public Library

The Ottawa Public Library is back to share some of their new fall books for children with us. This month’s post is by Ann-Marie Miller, Supervising Librarian, Children’s Dept., Ruth E. Dickinson Library.

A Home in the Barn by Margaret Wise Brown; illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

This is a new release from the much-loved author of Goodnight Moon and many more well-known picture books.  The text begins and ends with a memorable rhyme and the story takes us through a day in the cozy barn while the winter wind rattles outside.  Pinkney’s illustrations here are scrumptious, as always.

Take Your Turn and Time to Share by Nancy Parent; illustrated by Luigi Aimé

In large format suitable for the 3-5 year old crowd, the classic stories by Rev. Awdry are adapted in a new series: Thomas & Friends Really Useful Stories.  The stories focus on those gentle life lessons which all children must learn. 

How Do Dinosaurs Learn to Read? By Jane Yolen; illustrated by Mark Teague

This is the new entry in the entertaining How Do Dinosaurs… series.  With big, bold, mischievous dinosaurs romping through every page and rhyming text  printed  in big well-spaced fonts, this one is sure to engage.  The end pieces provide tips for parents on teaching the alphabet and encouraging reading. 

The Bunny Band by Bill Richardson; illustrated by Roxanna Bikadoroff

A bunny caught looting badger’s garden promises to help the garden grow if he is released.  The bunny returns nightly after that with his bunny band to serenade the garden.  Magically, the harvest is grand and all share in the abundance.  A wonderful fable, well-told in rhyming text 

Where is Robin? by Maggie Testa; illustrated by Patrick Spaziante

This is an early reader that is sure to appeal to even the most reluctant beginner.  The story of Robin’s disappearance is told in only 100 words making it an excellent choice for starting your child’s lifelong reading adventures. 

Unlimited Squirrels in I Lost My Tooth by Mo Willems

The creator of Elephant & Piggie, now gives us Unlimited Squirrels.  In I Lost My Tooth! , Zoom Squirrel has lost a front tooth! The Squirrels leap into action when they discover the missing tooth is a baby tooth! The book features a funny, furry adventure, bonus jokes, quirky quizzes and nutty facts. Great for the grade 1 crowd.

Meet Yasmin by Saadia Faruqi; illustrated by Hatem Aly

This is the first in a series of early readers featuring Yasmin Ahmad. Yasmin is a spirited second-grader who’s always on the lookout for those “aha” moments to help her solve life’s little problems. A creative thinker and curious explorer, Yasmin and her multi-generational Pakistani American family will delight and inspire readers. 

Bear country: Bearly a Misadventure by Doreen Cronin; illustrated by Stephen Gilpin

The chicken squad is hungry but the caretaker who feeds them is missing and there is a bear in the neighbourhood.  Doreen Cronin provides another amusing adventure for second graders.  The large fonts and many illustrations make this an easily accessible first novel. 

Magic School bus rides Again: Sink or Swim by Judy Katschke

The Magic School Bus Rides Again with new chapter books for the grade 2-3 crowd to explore.  Here science facts are wrapped up in just the right amount of adventure to keep those new readers engaged.  In Sink or Swim Ms. Frizzle takes the bus under the sea and the class is sent off in their own mini-subs to explore. Will there be sharks? 

Babymouse Tales from the Locker: Lights, Camera, Middle School! By Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm

Babymouse is back in a new series, Tales from the Locker.   The new series is in the very popular illustrated novel format.  This gives you a chance to transition your graphic novel reader to a more text-rich format while still providing plenty of visual appeal.   In this first story, Babymouse joins the middle school film club with hopes of directing a masterpiece.

Jack and the Geniuses at the Bottom of the World
by Bill Nye and Gregory Mone; illustrated by Nicholas Iluzada

Jack and the Geniuses is a new series from Bill Nye, yes - the Science Guy.  In At the Bottom of the World, Jack and the geniuses, who are two foster children living with Jack’s family, take off to Antarctica with their neighbour, Dr. Hank, for a science competition.  When an old colleague of Dr. Hank’s goes missing on the ice, the intrigue and adventure begins.  Bill Nye makes sure that all scientific facts are accurate and there is more information about the Antarctic at the end of the book.

Inkling by Kenneth Oppel

This is the story of an ink blot that leaps off the page. The Rylance family is stuck. Dad's got writer's block. Ethan is troubled by a school project and Sarah pines for a puppy. One night the ink from Mr. Rylance’s drawings runs together--and then leaps off the page! This small burst of creativity is about to change everything. Kenneth Oppel is the much acclaimed author of Firewing, Sunwing and Silverwing as well as many other prizewinning novels.  Suitable for grade 4 or 5 students.

Chase: Get Ready to Run and Escape: Don’t Stop Running  by Linwood Barclay

Once your child has read Chase, they will be asking for Escape just to find out what happens to Chipper and Jeff.  Chipper is a dog that has been implanted with a computer and Jeff is the orphan son of the scientists working on the project.  Both are being chased by The Institute for the secrets they know.  Jeff and Chipper both know they will never be safe if they are captured.  Linwood Barclay is a well-known author of adult adventure.  Suitable for grade 6 to 8 students.