Looking for a great book for your older elementary-age child? I have collected a variety of genres that will surely grab their interest and hold it until the end of the book. These books are best suited for ages nine and up.
Race for the Ruby Turtle, by Stephen Bramucci, has the elements for adventure which includes mystery and treasure. Jake finds himself at his great-aunt’s cabin deep in the forest, when he hears about the strange story of a magnificent turtle with a Ruby-colored shell. When he discovers this turtle for himself, everything changes for him. Jake has some big decisions to make in what to do with this knowledge about the turtle which makes the story’s plot accelerate with the reader. By story’s end, you will learn the power of a great story.
Swift & Hawk: Undercover, by Logan Mack, is a story about two young spies who are out to stop weaponized robots who are about to be released into the streets. However, this is just the first case they need to crack as more cases are revealed throughout the book. This high energy adventure will keep you reading all the way to the end.
All the Small Wonderful Things, by Kate Foster, has eleven-year-old Alex beginning middle school and due to his autism, making friends can be difficult. He decides that he can impress the other students, (and make friends in the process), by entering his small dog in a contest. But this turned out to be a lot harder that he thought. As he navigates through classmates, new neighbors and making friends, he finds that life is rich with wonderful small things. This is a wonderful story of hope and heart.
The Rhythm of Time, by Questlove with S.A. Cosby, is a thrilling story about time travel. Rahim has a best friend, Kasia, who is an inventor. She made X-ray glasses and now she has invented a cellphone that has a special capacity to time travel back to 1997. Rahim soon learns that when he goes back in time that his actions can affect the future. What happens to Rahim when he time travels will keep you on your toes to the end.
Tangled Up in Mayhem, by Merrill Wyatt, is a mystery that is set in an amusement park. Two kids, Sloan and Amelia, have been hired to try and find a hidden document that has been said to be buried somewhere in an amusement park. But as they search, they find much more than they bargained for and some of what they find can be dangerous. This is book three in this series but it stands alone. Check out the other two books: Tangled Up in Luck and Tangled Up in Nonsense.
The Sky Over Rebecca, by Matthew Fox, finds Kara discovering two pair of footprints in the snow in Stockholm. She decides to follow them and finds two refugees, Rebecca and Samuel, stuck in a time warp from WWII. They must make it to the British plane in time or they will be stuck in this time forever. This is how this book begins and doesn’t let up until the end as Kara attempts to help them. But will she get stuck as well?
Rosie Frost & the Falcon Queen, by Geri Halliwell-Horner, is an exciting fantasy adventure that begins when Rosie moves to an island for extraordinary teens. She finds the headmaster is menacing and hiding many secrets. But when the island comes under a big threat, she must try to win the Falcon Queen games. Here is a book so full of adventure as Rosie has much to overcome, you’ll turn the pages all the way to the end.
The Many Assassinations of Samir, The Seller of Dreams, by Daniel Nayeri and gorgeously painted with full page illustrations sprinkled throughout by Daniel Miyares, is this year’s Newbery Honor Award Winner. Traveling along the Silk Road, a young Monk and his guardian, Samir, travel on what becomes a very exciting journey. The story is griping and well written. But I will warn you, the first sentence will grab you and not let up until the end! 
The Dark is Rising Sequence, by Susan Cooper, a reissue, comes in a boxed set of five books that are outstanding and were first published over fifty years ago. The first book in this series, Over Sea, Under Stone is probably one of my most favorite books. The second book, The Dark is Rising, won the Newbery Honor Medal back in 1974. The fourth book in this series, The Grey King, won the Newbery Medal in 1976. The books are based on old Arthurian and Celtic folklore. The forces of good versus evil are found throughout along with magic. But it’s the storytelling that is so compelling and well done. All five books are still terrific reads today!
