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Middle Grade
A selection of middle grade fiction titles featured on ALU’s Kids’ Litspace.
All Books in this Collection
Showing 33–48 of 58 results
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Northern Kids
$12.95Children and teenagers experience Canada’s North in a way that adults do not. They have shaped its history, and yet how often are they asked to tell its story? Northern Kids is a collection of tales about the unforgettable young people of the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and remote regions of the western provinces. Based on personal interviews and thorough archival research, each true story is narrated in the voice of a young northerner. Travel along with these kids as they hunt for caribou or hidden gold, mush a dogsled team, climb over the Chilkoot Pass, float down the Yukon River on a homemade raft, and explore the Arctic tundra through every season. While Northern Kids celebrates the independent spirit of young north?erners—their wilderness skills, sense of humour and love of fun—it also takes an unflinching look at their hardships. At the end of each story, a section called “What do we know for sure?” offers the reader detail and historical context. This is the fourth book in the Courageous Kids series, which includes Kidmonton: True Stories of River City Kids, Rocky Mountain Kids, Island Kids, and now Northern Kids. For more about this exciting series, please visit www.courageouskids.ca.
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Old Brown Suitcase, The
$14.95The Old Brown Suitcase, an award winning book that has sold extraordinarily well both nationally and internationally, now appears in a new edition by Ronsdale Press. The novel narrates the absorbing story of a young girl who survived the Holocaust against all odds.
At age fourteen, Slava comes to Canada with her parents and sister and a suitcase filled with memories of a lost childhood, memories that now haunt her new life. She cannot forget the hunger, stench and disease in the Warsaw Ghetto, nor the fear and humiliation of being incarcerated behind a high brick wall. She cannot forget her extraordinary escape from the Ghetto when she walked alone through the gate while the guards were looking the other way. Nor can she forget being swallowed up in a strange and unknown place to survive under a hidden identity.
The story juxtaposes heart-wrenching scenes from a child’s life in war-torn Poland with the life of a teenager trying to adjust to a new country in time of peace. In Canada, it is not easy for Slava to build a bridge between two cultures; nor is it easy to live with the turmoil of her immediate past. At the same time she must face the new challenges involved in being an immigrant, a Jew and a teenage girl. This new edition appends notes on the Warsaw ghetto and a bibliography for future reading.
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Outlaw in India
$11.95In Outlaw in India, the fifth volume in the best-selling Submarine Outlaw series, Alfred and his crew of Seaweed the seagull and Hollie the dog begin their exploration of India with a piece of bad luck when they surface behind a frigate and bring the wrath of the Indian navy down upon them. After a near fatal encounter off Kochi, Alfred befriends a ten-year-old homeless and illiterate but highly intelligent boy, and is given the chance to explore the changing face of India through the eyes of one of its “untouchables.” Discovering India to be an ancient land filled with extremes of beauty, wealth, tradition and danger, Alfred is tricked into making an overland pilgrimage to Varanasi, one of the world’s oldest cities. Along the journey he witnesses practices which deny human equality and dignity, but also happy events that celebrate the spirit of new beginnings, as personified in Ganesh, the Hindu god with four arms and the head of an elephant. Alfred cannot help falling in love with India, the most beautiful place he has ever seen. And for the first time, he leaves a part of himself behind.
“Perhaps the most imposing character in Outlaw in India is not a character at all. It is India. The country, as Alfred experiences it, is a living entity, a complicated being of the expected (e.g., the heat and amazing foods) and the surprising (e.g., discrimination and kindness). Though the series could easily be promoted as a great adventure series for boys, the Submarine Outlaw books will continue to garner fans of both genders for its great characters and adventure with a frisson of the impossible and the hope for everything working out well (a.k.a. the happy ending). Readers will continue to find all that here in Outlaw in India, fresh and engrossing, just as each new book in the series has offered.” – CanLit for Little Canadians
“Outlaw in India . . . is a stand-alone novel that can be enjoyed without reading the others. . . . The plot is full of incident and excitement. . . . This fifth volume is the best Submarine Outlaw book yet. It’s a fast-paced, fun read with interesting themes that will appeal to anyone who likes travel and adventure. Highly Recommended.” – CM Magazine
“[T]houghtful and philosophical . . . a Humanities curriculum would be well served to add . . . [Outlaw in India] . . . to a list of recommended reads in multicultural literature.” – The Deakin Review of Children’s Literature
Lexile Measure: 700L
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Peanut Butter And Chaos
$12.95Nominated for a 2023/24 Red Cedar Award
Nominated for the 2024 MYRCA Sundogs!
When twelve-year-old Sam is struck by a bolt of lightning out of a clear blue sky, he suddenly sees everything in pixels. His life is further upended by Flum, a non-binary being from a parallel world, a missing neighbour, and astonishing powers that may not last long. Science and magic collide as Sam races to solve a mystery and help Flum return home. But what happens when solving one mystery sparks another?Peanut Butter and Chaos is a middle grade fantasy grounded in science.
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Pete’s Gold
$10.95Pete’s Gold, a novel for readers ten and up, is a captivating book of adventure that will appeal in particular to boys. Luanne Armstrong takes the classic adventure story of the search for gold and updates it with the inclusion of a young boy’s contemporary problems. Pete has been sent to stay with his grandmother in the country for the summer because his parents are splitting up. At first, he thinks country life will be boring, but that is before he hears of a hidden stash of gold – gold that may allow his grandmother to keep the farm that is heavily mortgaged. Along the way, Pete makes new friends. He also finds himself being chased by a ghost, trapped in a cave with a skeleton, and lost on the far side of the lake, far from help. Through the stories told by his grandmother, and with the companionship of a wonderful dog, Pete begins to discover what really matters to him. Although he has always had a hard time talking to adults, by helping his grandmother, Pete discovers a new sense of maturity and self-confidence. In this adventurous but sensitive story, Luanne Armstrong draws us into a world of discovery, fun, friendship and family.
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Pickles vs. the Zombies
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Pirate Glitterbeard
$14.95Alone In his cabin, Pirate Glitterbeard sprinkled pink glitter onto his beard and put on his finest pink skirt!
All aboard The Heart’s Desire! Pirate Glitterbeard loves everything pink and glittery. Will his crew rebel when they find out? In this rollicking sea tale, the captain and his quirky crew journey to find their treasure – the Wikkie-Tikkie’s legendary meat pies. But, argh, evil Pirate Squidlips and her ship, The Rotten Turnip draw near…
teacher resources available https://www.rebelmountainpress.com/pirate-glitterbeard-teacher-resources.html
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Project Superhero
$13.95Join 13-year-old Jessie as she keeps a diary of her class’s yearlong research project on superheroes, which culminates in the Superhero Slam: a head-to-head debate battle! It’s shy, comics-obsessed Jessie’s dream come true . . . and worst nightmare. She decides to champion Batgirl, a regular person (albeit with major talent and training under her utility belt), and soon Jessie wonders what it would take to be Batgirl. Will she prove to her best friends, Cade and Audrey, that she’s more than a sidekick? Can she take down archenemy Dylan at the Slam?Combining science facts, lively illustrations, and comic-book trivia with actual correspondence from superhumans such as NYPD Sergeant Mike Bruen, Olympian Clara Hughes, and Captain Marvel writer Kelly Sue DeConnick, Project Superhero is a celebration of the heroes among us and of one girl’s super-secret identity: herself.
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River Odyssey
$11.95In the third volume of the Submarine Outlaw Series, Alfred sets off in his submarine up the dark and wilful St. Lawrence River. With Hollie and Seaweed, his dog and seagull crew, Alfred follows the route of Jacques Cartier, nearly five hundred years before them, as they sail down the Strait of Belle Isle into the largest river mouth in the world. But the St. Lawrence is a treacherous river, concealing many dangers beneath its surface, not least of all the cursed and ghostly Empress of Ireland, a sunken ocean-liner that has claimed the lives of over a thousand people and that reaches up to entangle the sub as they pass. Alfred must sail to Montreal to confront the man who abandoned him at birth – his father. Only then will he escape the unfinished business that haunts him. But is the quest worth the danger? And why is Alfred plagued with bad luck? Is someone, or something, trying to turn him back?
“Submarine Outlaw and its sequels have firmly established themselves as a riveting adventure series that has gathered a significant following who are anxiously awaiting this next installment. And they will not be disappointed! This personal quest and the internal struggles that it evokes for Alfred give this book a new dimension and allow his character to be more fully developed. . . . Roy continues to keep this series fresh and engaging. We will all join Alfred in anticipating his next voyage.” – Atlantic Books Today
“The age-old quest for the father gives depth to this exciting adventure story. Readers who discover the Submarine Outlaw in this book will want to read his earlier adventures and will eagerly await the next one. Highly recommended.” – CM Magazine
“Great books for reluctant readers. The language is clear and simple, the plot is full of exciting episodes-completely engaging.” – Kim Aippersbach
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Rocky Mountain Kids
$12.95With careful research and imagination, author Linda Goyette has created a collection of 25 stories based on the true stories of named children of the past and present.
Too often the youngest Canadians are erased from our historical memory. Rocky Mountain Kids provides firstperson creative non-fiction narratives from the region’s children, many of whom went on to be influential adults. In the style of its successful predecessor, Kidmonton, these are lively and entertaining stories, but they don’t flinch in their description of hardship and heroism. Balanced and well-researched, Goyette writes of First Nations, Métis, immigrant and settler children as well as contemporary kids of the Rockies, with informative postscript to help readers distinguish between the fact and the fiction. Against the timeless backdrop of the Rockies, we can all embrace a sense of childhood wonder.
Please visit www.courageouskids.ca for more information on the whole Courageous Kids series.
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Rosa Rose
$10.00Silver Medal for the Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards
Honorable mention in the Lion and the Unicorn Award for Excellence in North American Poetry
From Terry Fox to Ghandi, Rosa Parks to Elijah Harper, Robert Priest has collected some of his most inspiring poems together in this book for young people. Priest, an award-winning poet and musician, has written these thought-provoking poems to introduce children to men and women across the planet that have changed the world. Illustrated with bold line drawings by Joan Krygsman, Rosa Rose is a captivating book sure to delight all readers.
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Shadows of Disaster
$15.95“Sometimes it’s good to take a risk.” Twelve-year-old Jolene knows that her grandfather’s words are true, but she’s not a risk-taker like her twin brother. Frustrated, Jolene convinces herself that it would be easier to take risks if she were a boy. Her grandfather disagrees, but then her father thinks her grandfather might be as crazy as his old stories. For her part, Jolene thinks her father, who’s trying to preserve history in a Museum of Disasters, is the crazy one.
Jolene learns the truth when they take a trip to the Crowsnest Pass to research the Frank Slide, and she discovers that her grandfather has found a way to step back into time. In 1903, disguised as a boy, Jolene must face the wrath of an impatient teacher, challenge her ability as a gymnast, and disentangle herself from an embarrassing love triangle. She must also face the fact that the generous people of the town of Frank are living in the path of disaster and she cannot save them.
She can, however, save herself and her grandfather and does so in a desperate race against time. But the lessons of the past are not lost in the present. Jolene discovers a way to revitalize her father’s museum by preserving the story in history, and she prepares herself to take a few risks herself – as a girl. An historical novel for readers age nine and up, Shadows of Disaster brings to life Canada’s deadliest rockslide through a portrait of a young girl learning to be her own self.
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Stir of Shadows
$16.99Marigold has never felt like she truly belonged with her family. And neither has Frederick. When a phoenix feather brings the young teens together for the first time, they finally understand why: they are twins, separated as children.
The two soon learn they have other siblings, and that if they successfully reunite with their brother and sister before the feather bursts into flame, they will all fulfill otherworldly destinies. What they don’t know is that their mysterious sister is a villainous witch who has been trapped in the cover of a grimoire to keep the world safe from her murderous scorn.
Meanwhile, Teagan finds herself in a hopeless situation and faces losing her tail forever. Time’s running out, and it’s up to Asher and Ariana to save her… if only they knew she was in danger.
Will Asher and Ariana save Teagan in time?Will Marigold and Frederick risk releasing the witch to make their dreams come true? And if they do, will the land of Rhyme ever be the same?
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Stormstruck
$11.95This historical time-travel novel, for children ten and up, is the third volume in Cathy Beveridge’s ongoing series on Canadian disasters. Once again we meet Jolene and her twin brother Michael, this time in an RV on the shores of the Great Lakes, where her father and grandfather are conducting research into the Great Storm of 1913.
Away from home, twelve-year-old Jolene feels fragile and lost, lacking a sure sense of direction in her life. When Grandpa discovers a time crease that enables them to step back into 1913, Jolene embraces the opportunity, feeling that she may find some help for her self-doubts in witnessing an earlier time.
At first, however, the past offers no answers. Jolene’s high-spirited new friend Em is a total mystery, and her ardent support of the suffragettes reinforces Jolene’s self-doubts. Then Em inadvertently leads the twins onto the Regina as the ship sails onto Lake Huron and into the Great Storm. When the order to abandon the sinking ship comes, they manage to escape and spend a night clinging to a raft in frigid waters. With her twin brother injured, Jolene is forced to draw on all her resources to allow the threesome to survive. In the process, she discovers her inner strength and a new passion for life.
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Submarine Outlaw
$11.95Submarine Outlaw takes young adult readers on a unique journey when Alfred, a young boy who wants to be an explorer – not a fisherman, as his family demands – teams up with a junkyard genius to build a submarine that he sails around the Maritimes. The book takes the reader through the hands-on process of submarine construction into the world of real ocean navigation, replete with a high-seas chase, daring rescue and treasure hunting. Children will identify with Alfred’s desire for an adventurous life and the sense of empowerment that comes with building his own submarine and operating it independently. They will also love the unusual crew – a rescued dog and a quirky seagull. The First Prize Winner of the Atlantic Writers Competition, Submarine Outlaw shows how any great goal in life takes a good deal of patience, determination and hard work. But also how hard work on one’s dream becomes an act of joy.
“Philip Roy’s Submarine Outlaw is a wildly imaginative story of adventure full of surprises and fast paced, yet there is also wisdom and insight to be found here.” – Lesley Choyce
“Submarine Outlaw and its sequels have firmly established themselves as a riveting adventure series that has gathered a significant following who are anxiously awaiting this next installment. And they will not be disappointed! This personal quest and the internal struggles that it evokes for Alfred give this book a new dimension and allow his character to be more fully developed. . . . Roy continues to keep this series fresh and engaging. We will all join Alfred in anticipating his next voyage.” – Atlantic Books Today
“A truly riveting adventure story, Submarine Outlaw will likely capture the heart and minds of all who have longed to escape the confines of their everyday world and try something exciting and even dangerous.” – janeonbooks.edublogs.org
“A refreshing Canadian novel about following a dream.” – Resource Links
“A terrific and uniquely imaginative premise for an Atlantic Canada novel for kids.” – The Chronicle Herald
“Submarine Outlaw is so well written it is totally believable. Dramatic and touching. Highly recommended!” – Hi-Rise Newspaper
“Submarine Outlaw is a fast-paced, adventure novel that leaves you wanting more. . . . I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a great read.” – What If? Magazine
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Survivor’s Leave
$10.95It’s 1944, and two young Canadian able seamen, Glen Cassley and Arthur “Ding Dong” Bell, find their ship sinking beneath them after a German submarine unleashes an acoustic torpedo. Miraculously, everyone on board survives, and Glen shouts out triumphantly:
“You know what this means, Ding? Survivor’s Leave. We qualify for Survivor’s Leave!”
With fun and adventure on their minds, Glen and Ding set off for London. But there is no rest from battle, for the Germans have begun dropping a new kind of bomb, the horrific V-1s, or doodlebugs. When a neighbour and her baby are trapped under their collapsed and burning home, an injured Glen is on the frontlines.
Glen and Ding then accept an offer to travel to Cornwall where they are to stay in a rundown manor house, Penraven. Their stay turns out to be more exciting than the boys could have imagined. Built atop a cave-riddled cliff, Penraven has been the home of smuggling, murder, dungeons and ghosts. To add to the excitement, the boys meet two young English girls who turn out to be charming company!
But the young seamen soon discover that sinister forces have an interest in what lies hidden below Penraven, for the Nazis have hatched an unprecedented scheme involving biological warfare, and it seems the caves are the perfect place from which to set the destruction in motion.