“THE MIGHTY MISS MALONE,” by Christopher Paul Curtis, Wendy Lamb Books, Jan. 10, 2012, $15.99 (ages 9 and up) Deza Malone is the smartest girl in her class. She’s always first among her peers because she loves to learn. It’s apparent to anyone who knows her, and especially her teacher, who expects Deza to do…

“May B.” by Caroline Starr Rose, Schwartz & Wade, Jan 10, 2012, $15.99 (ages 9 and up) Pa pulls me close, the crisp money crackles Against my cheek. My first wage. “Till Christmas,” he says “Do your best.” I nod. But I know my best isn’t always good enough. May has been sent to help…

“MY VERY UNFAIRY TALE LIFE,” by Anna Staniszewski, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, Nov. 1, 2011, $6.99 (ages 9 and up) Fairy tales aren’t all they’re cracked up to be — at least not for Jenny. She’s an official adventurer who sees very little of sparkles and butterflies. As an official adventurer, Jenny has been tasked with traveling…

“LOCKED IN” and “CREEPED OUT,” by Z. Fraillon, Hardie Grant Books, Sept. 1, 2011, $8.99 each (ages 9-12) If you’re still looking for some creepy books to read for Halloween, “Locked in ” and “Creeped Out,” by Z. Fraillon are two very good options. Both part of the Monstrum House series, “Locked in ” and…

“WITH A NAME LIKE LOVE,” by Tess Hilmo, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Sept. 27, 2011, $16.99 (ages 9-12) Set in the 1950s, “With a Name Like Love” is the story of Ollie Love, the oldest daughter of the Reverend Everlasting Love, a traveling preacher. When their family arrives in the Southern town of Binder for…

“ICEFALL,” by Matthew J. Kirby, Scholastic, Oct. 1, 2011, $17.99 (ages 9-12) Solveig is a princess, the daughter of a Viking king. As such, she is privileged more than others, but not more than her brother, Harald, the crown prince or their older sister, Asa. Plain in looks and quiet in demeanor, Solveig is underappreciated….

“GHOST MESSAGES,” by Jacqueline Guest, Coteau Books, April 1, 2011, $8.95 (ages 9-12) The world became a smaller place in the mid-1800s. After years of fundraising and technological development a trans-Atlantic telegraph cable was laid across the floor of the Atlantic Ocean connecting Europe and North America, and expediting communication between the two. The time…

“THE WIZARD OF DARK STREET,” by Shawn Thomas Odyssey, Egmont, July 26, 2011, $16.99 (ages 9-12) If you ever have the chance to explore the streets of New York City, keep your eyes peeled. If you happen to be at the right place at the right time, you may be lucky enough to come across…

“SPELLBOUND: The Book of Elsewhere Vol. 2,” by Jacqueline West, Dial, July 12, 2011, $16.99 (ages 9-12) Imagination and creativity abound in The Books of Elsewhere, a series of books that celebrate ingenuity and friendship, all while solving action-packed mysteries. The story’s heroine is Olive, a young girl who moves into a crumbling Victorian mansion…

“QUEST FOR THE SCORPION’S JEWEL: Amerias Adventures Book One,” by Amy Green, Warner Press, July 2011, $7.99 (ages 9-12) Sometimes it’s the unlikeliest person who becomes a hero. Jesse, a 15-year-old whose leg was crippled after an accident, is one such hero in “Quest for the Scoripion’s Jewel,” the first book in the Amerias Adventures….