The Windeby Puzzle

 by Lois Lowry

When a body was found in Germany in the early 50's in a peat bog, it was so well preserved they thought it was a recent murder. They soon realized it was the body of a young person from several thousand years earlier. There was still skin, and hair, and pieces of cloth on the body. They assumed it was a girl, but years later, realized it was a young man. Lowry took this actual event, and told the story of how the body ended up in the bog from two perspectives--a young girl, and then, a young boy. The stories are sad, because you know how they end, but fascinating and rich in historical detail. She even figures out a way to somehow connect the two tales seamlessly.  

A quick, emotional, and highly engaging read from one of the kid lit greats.

What Lives in the Woods

                                                           

By Lindsay Currie

Ginny's dad renovates old houses, and he's got an opportunity to bring Woodmoor Manor back to life and restore it to its former glory. Ginny isn't happy about this, though--she'd rather be with her friends back in Chicago. Making matters worse, Woodmoor has a reputation for creepy events, and Ginny starts experiencing supernatural events herself. Can Ginny figure out what's causing the unexplained events? I really enjoy this author. She has such an easy-to-read style to her writing, and I love her scary, but not TOO scary plots. If you haven't given her a try yet, what are you waiting for?

 

The Lake House

by Sarah Beth Durst

Claire, Revya, and Mariana are strangers on their way to summer camp on a remote Maine island. When their boat driver drops them off, he directs them half a mile up a path to the Lake House, ensures them that they'll be greeted by the camp director, and leaves. When the girls reach the camp, they find to their horror that the house has recently burned down. It’s still smoking, and there are no signs of life. A run back to the dock reveals that the boat is long gone. There’s no cell service, there’s very little food, and they soon discover that whatever happened wasn’t an accident, which means they could be next. Part survival tale, part horror story, part coming-of-age tale–this book has a lot going for it. The action starts immediately, and doesn’t let up. The cast of characters is diverse and multi-faceted. Claire has crippling anxiety, Mariana is gifted at fixing cars and tinkering with machines, and Revya has a background in MMA fighting. Readers will enjoy watching these complex characters grow and change when confronted with unimaginable challenges. A plot twist takes the story in an unexpected direction, with plenty of nail-biting and chills-inducing moments. 
 

Hold Back the Tide

by Melinda Salisbury

Alva knows her father killed her mother years ago, but she doesn't know if he knows she knows... Not for sure, anyway. But she thinks he suspects, and she lives in fear of him finding out how much she hates him. She's 16 now, and she has a plan to escape. She has to be so careful to ensure her father doesn't suspect her plans. But Alva's about to learn something about her father, and her small Scottish village, that will change everything. 
 

The Tryout

by Christina Soontornvat

Love this completely accurate portrayal of middle school in the south. Soontornvat is on fire right now--all her books are winners. Anyone who has ever lived through middle school will find something to relate to in this book!

 

Scritch Scratch

 

by Lindsay Currie

Claire's got problems. Her best friend has a new best friend, her big brother is a jerk, and her dad is trying to make ends meet by writing books about ghosts and giving ghost tours in a giant bus that takes tourists around Chicago. She hates that ghost bus. But when his assistant gets sick, he needs Claire to help pass out flyers and keep an eye on the tourists. On the bus, she catches a glimpse of a boy in old-fashioned clothes, soaking wet with haunting eyes. When she looks again, he's gone. Then strange things start happening at her house, like bathtubs overflowing and dresser drawers full of water. It's clear she's being haunted, but what does the ghost want from her? And why has he chosen Claire?

Long Lost

by Jacqueline West

I just kept coming back to this wonderful middle grade mystery! 

Fiona's sister Arden is a very talented figure skater. Arden's whole life, their parents have driven two hours to take her to intense practices and competitions, all in the hopes that she might have an Olympic and professional skating career. When their parents can't take the driving anymore, they uproot the whole family and move to Lost Lake, where the training center is. Fiona couldn't be less interested in Arden's skating, and is righteously indignant that she has to leave her present (friends, school) for Arden's future.

While the rest of the family goes to skate practice their first summer in Lost Lake, Fiona goes to the library. She finds a book with an enticing green cover, and gets involved in the story. One of the things I love about this book is that we (the readers) get to read the book as Fiona reads it, and we can see why she becomes so obsessed with it. When she realizes she can't take it home because she doesn't have  a library card yet, she hides it, but the next day the book is gone. The librarian is all shifty when she asks about it, and the creepy little blond boy who's always in the library too seems to know something. 

Where is the book? What's it really about? Will we, the readers, ever get to finish it along with Fiona?