The Lost Boy
Hardcover | Paperback | Kindle Edition
Written by Greg Ruth
Illustrated by Greg Ruth
Cover by Greg Ruth
Scholastic/Graphix
Release Date: August 27, 2013
Cover Price: $12.99

When young Nate moves to a new town with his family he is quickly dragged into a decades-old mystery upon finding an old tape recorder. He soon befriends Tabitha, a local girl who believes the tape might contain information about the disappearance of boy who went missing years ago. But as they investigate, the two find they are being watched by the animals, pursued by dog-riding grasshoppers and pulled toward a mystical kingdom that exists in the nearby forest.

The Lost Boy is a middle school-aged graphic novel written and drawn by Greg Ruth.

The Silver Six
Library Bound | Paperback | Kindle Edition
Written by A.J. Lieberman
Illustrated by Darren Rawlings
Scholastic
Release Date: June 25, 2013
Paperback Cover Price: $10.99

Reading a graphic novel that’s geared for the 8-12 crowd can be a bit of a chore. My point is that I have an entirely different outlook on life than your average ten year old. Though my wife might argue that statement given the chance. And while I try to read most everything that my youngest child picks up, I’m usually forcing myself to get through it. Not so with The Silver Six. This comic from Scholastic is everything you want your children to read.

Centered around a young orphan named Phoebe, we watch as her world is turned upside down after being placed into the child welfare system with innumerable others. Banding together with five other children who are also tired of it all, they attempt an escape. Retreating to an isolated moon that they all coincidentally share ownership in, our mini-heroes find themselves the target of corporate greed. Between attempts on their life and the threat of the orphanage again, these six brave kids are in for the fight of their lives. Not to mention that the future of the world is at stake, too.

Can You See What I See?:
Out Of This World
Picture Puzzles to Search and Solve
Hardcover
Written by Walter Wick
Scholastic/Cartwheel Books
Release Date: April 1, 2013
Cover Price: $13.99

And now a little something for the younger reader. And I do mean younger. Every child loves to play hide and seek, right? Well this is hide and seek in book form. Like most look and find styled books, Can You See What I See: Out Of This World is chock full of hidden items and it’s up to us to discover where these random items are located.

The back of the book says it’s for “All Ages” but I’m pretty sure they meant it for the three to seven demographic…with a little help from any siblings, parents, etc. that might be around to throw in an assist. With well known photographer Walter Wick leading the way, children will have a blast searching for the people and items that are hidden in plain sight throughout the pages of this entertaining book.

Star Wars: A Galactic Pop-up Adventure
By Matthew Reinhart and Lucasfilm
Orchard Books/Hachette
Release Date: October 16, 2012

It’s a rare delight to find a product that can bring out the 8-year-old in even the most jaded adult. Star Wars: A Galactic Pop-up Adventure is a sure bet to send your mind spinning with child-like wonder. You’ll begin your journey of discovery in this book with a sense of amusement that quickly transitions into an immersive curiosity. Pop-ups lead to further pop-ups which occasionally cover even more pop-ups. This book is wonderfully engineered to keep you excavating eac page for more treasures.

The book serves as a high-level encyclopedia of the pre-Episode 4 Star Wars universe. The text is obviously not the draw here, but what’s included is informative and relevant. Each pop includes a brief history and background on the character, ship, or monster in question. The level of detail is impressive for a pop-up book that could just as easily say nothing and still sell incredibly well.

Ghost Buddy: Zero to Hero
Paperback | Kindle Edition
By Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver
Scholastic
Release Date: January 1, 2012

Ghost Buddy is a very interesting story about a boy named Billy Broccoli who is going through a series of changes. His mom has recently remarried and now he has a stepfather and a stepsister. They all move to a new home and now Billy has to attend a new school where his mom is the Principal.

If that isn’t enough of an adjustment, Billy discovers that his new room is inhabited by the ghost of a young boy from the past named Hoover Porterhouse. Hoover Porterhouse, or “The Hoove,” as he prefers to be called, is a rambunctious ghost who is very confident and decides to help Billy be cool at his new school. Billy needs help because he is a nerdy kid who is very unpopular. Of course, Billy encounters a bully and Hoove also offers him assistance in overcoming his bully problem.