To celebrate the release of THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY AND THE PERILOUS JOURNEY by Trenton Lee Stewart, Kidsreads.com has teamed up with Little, Brown for Young Readers to give 25(!) lucky kids the chance to win a Bag of Books containing not only a copy of THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY AND THE PERILOUS JOURNEY, but also some of the coolest books from some of your favorite series published by Little, Brown for Young Readers. In a big tote bag, winners will receive one copy of THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY and the sequel, THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY AND THE PERILOUS JOURNEY, along with ATHERTON: THE HOUSE OF POWER and ATHERTON: RIVERS OF FIRE by Patrick Carman, MAXIMUM RIDE: THE ANGEL EXPERIMENT by James Patterson and VAMPIRATES: DEMONS OF THE OCEAN by Justin Somper.

-Read reviews of THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY and THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY AND THE PERILOUS JOURNEY.

-Visit the official website of the series, www.MysteriousBenedictSociety.com

Stephanie Watson's debut work of fiction, ELVIS & OLIVE, follows two unlikely friends who form a spying club in order to uncover secrets in their neighborhood. In this interview with Kidsreads.com's Alexis Burling, Watson explains how and why she kept the writing of this novel a secret, and describes some of her own childhood friends and memories that inspired elements of the story. She also elaborates on the book's lesson concerning forgiveness, shares a few of her non-writing hobbies and reveals the unusual things she does when she thinks no one is looking.

ELVIS & OLIVE by Stephanie Watson
Natalie Wallis thought she'd be spending her summer riding her bike around and around her block --- but that was before she met her quirky new neighbor, Annie Beckett. Before long, Annie is revealing the hiding place beneath her porch, the dead bird she keeps in her pocket, and the details of her mother's death. Natalie and Annie become fast friends, and soon, they've hatched a plan to spy on their neighbors, using the inscrutable code names Elvis and Olive. Spying is the most fun Natalie's ever had --- but are some things best kept secret?

-Click here to read an excerpt from OUTCAST.
-Click here to see the Warriors: Power of Three series feature.

-Click here to read an excerpt from QUESTE.
-Click here to see the Septimus Heap series feature.

-Click here to see the Geronimo Stilton series feature.

Our Earth is the only planet in the Universe known to be suitable for life. It contains millions of different life forms, all perfectly adapted to their environments, but it has changed dramatically over time.

Embark on a visual exploration of Earth's amazing habitats --- from the polar ice caps to the struggling savannas, the Ethiopian highlands to the ocean floors of the Pacific. Examine how climate change affects the plants and animals that live in these habitats and learn about practical, positive steps you can take to help protect and preserve our fragile planet.

May’s roundup of Cool New Books includes SAVVY, an enchanting first novel from Ingrid Law that introduces readers to the Beaumont family, whose members have harbored a magical secret --- they each possess a special supernatural power that strikes when they turn 13; THE BATTLE OF THE LABYRINTH by Rick Riordan, the fourth adventure featuring Percy Jackson and the other half-blooded Olympians who populate Camp Half-Blood; RIVERS OF FIRE, a riveting sequel to Patrick Carman’s ATHERTON: THE HOUSE OF POWER, in which the world collapses and a new danger emerges; EVER, Newbery Honor author Gail Carson Levine’s spellbinding tale of a girl confronted with a terrible destiny; and SEEKERS, the debut of a thrilling new animal fantasy series from the author of the bestselling Warriors books.

May’s roundup of New in Paperback titles includes PETER PAN IN SCARLET by Geraldine McCaughrean, the first-ever authorized sequel to J. M. Barrie's classic tale; SUMMER BALL, the follow-up to Mike Lupica's TRAVEL TEAM that reintroduces readers to Danny Walker, a boy who's passionate about basketball; FAIREST, in which Gail Carson Levine boldly rewrites the Snow White tale into a story that bears little resemblance to the original but offers much more scope for the imagination; THE CASE OF THE LEFT-HANDED LADY, Nancy Springer’s second mystery featuring Sherlock Holmes’s sister, Enola; and the Edgar Award-winning ROOM ONE, a thought-provoking work of fiction from Andrew Clements about a fifth-grader who tries to figure out why he sees a face in the window of a supposedly empty house.

THE SEER OF SHADOWS by Avi
In THE SEER OF SHADOWS, prolific, award-winning author Avi takes readers back in time to when photography seemed truly magical and spirits seemed to lurk in every corner. The Newbery Medalist’s latest work of fiction is a first-rate ghost story that effectively blends history and mystery. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

CLEMENTINE'S LETTER written by Sara Pennypacker and illustrated by Marla Frazee
What's a third grade student to do when the teacher she adores might win a big prize that involves leaving his classroom for the entire year? That's Clementine's problem. Can she live with her solution? Find out in Sara Pennypacker’s thoroughly enjoyable chapter book. Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.

STINK AND THE GREAT GUINEA PIG EXPRESS written by Megan McDonald and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
In this good-natured and subtly educational tale, Stink and his friends, Webster and Sophie, are determined to find homes for 101(!) homeless guinea pigs. Along the way, Stink not only learns fascinating facts about the adorable little rodents, he also falls in love with the one he names Astro, even though he knows his parents will never let him keep it. Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.

SMILES TO GO by Jerry Spinelli
Champion chess player Will Tuppence loves skateboarding, star gazing and eating pepperoni pizza while playing Monopoly with his best friends. Will is also a first-class worrier whose life would be much happier if his little sister would stop pestering him and he could work up the courage to invite a girl to the freshman dance. Reviewed by Donna Volkenannt. 

WELL WITCHED by Frances Hardinge
Ryan and his friends don't think twice about stealing some money from a wishing well. After all, who's really going to miss a few tarnished coins? The well witch does. And she demands payback: Now Ryan, Josh and Chelle must serve her…and the wishes that lie rotting at the bottom of her well. Reviewed by Sarah Hannah Gómez.

THE POSTCARD by Tony Abbott
At the beginning of his summer vacation, Jason finds out that his grandmother has died. As Jason barely knew her, her death turns out to be more of an annoyance than a sad goodbye, for now he has to travel south to Florida to help his dad clean out her house. But then a strange phone call and an old postcard pull Jason into a family mystery and an adventure of a lifetime. Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman.

SWINDLE by Gordon Korman
Sixth grader Griffin Bing is an 11-year-old boy who likes to make detailed plans. But after he and his best friend, Ben Slovak, spend the night in a haunted house on the eve of its destruction, things happen that Griffin didn’t plan for at all. Reviewed by Donna Volkenannt.

THE TIME TRAVELERS: Book One in The Gideon Trilogy by Linda Buckley-Archer
Gideon Seymour, thief and gentleman, hides from the villainous Tar Man. Suddenly the sky peels away like fabric and from the gaping hole fall two curious-looking children. Peter Schock and Kate Dyer have fallen straight from the 21st century, thanks to an experiment with an antigravity machine. Before Gideon and the kids have a chance to gather their wits, the Tar Man takes off with the machine --- and Peter and Kate's only chance of getting home. Reviewed by Sarah Sawtelle.

THE TIME THIEF: Book Two in The Gideon Trilogy by Linda Buckley-Archer
An accident with an antigravity machine catapulted Peter Schock and Kate Dyer back to 1763. A bungled rescue attempt leaves Peter stranded in the 18th century while a terrifying villain, the Tar Man, takes his place and explodes onto 21st-century London. While the NASA scientists responsible for the situation question whether it is right to rescue Peter, Kate decides to take matters into her own hands --- but things don't go as planned. Reviewed by Sarah Sawtelle.

Poll:

During the school year, do you usually have enough time to read for pleasure?

Yes
No
Sometimes


How many books would you like to read for pleasure this summer?

1-3
4-6
7-9
10 or more
None

-Click here to participate in the poll.
 

Question:

Summer vacation is a great time to catch up on books you didn't have time to read during the school year.  Name up to five books on your "summer catch-up" reading list.

-Click here to answer the question.