Feldman, Jody. The Gollywhopper Games. Greenwillow Books, 2008. ISBN 978-0061214509. Ages 10-14.

Gil Goodson wants more than anything to start over in a new town with his family, somewhere where they are not constantly reminded of the Incident that ruined everything. So when the town’s Golly Toy & Game Company announces its 50^th anniversary ultimate competition, Gil sees his chance to win enough to give them that new life. As one of thousands of kids competing in the competition, Gil must solve puzzles and master trivia, as well as complete physical stunts, better and faster than all the others. But will the attention he receives from the games be too much for his family after all the bad press? And does he have what it takes to win it all? Fans of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory won't want to miss this gollywhopper of a read!

Blume, Judy. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 1970. ISBN 0689841582. Ages 10-12.

A lot is changing for Margaret—a new town, new school, new friends. Lucky for her she can always talk to God about what is going on. But when her new friends start asking her about her faith, how can she explain to them that she doesn’t go to church or belong to any one religion? Soon Margaret finds herself searching for the perfect religion for her—visiting a synagogue, attending church services, and participating in confession—all the while dealing with a changing body and new feelings she feels only God can understand. This timeless coming of age story is a must-read for all preteen girls.

Dowd, Siobhan. The London Eye Mystery. David Fickling Books, 2007. ISBN 978-0375849763. Ages 9-12.

When Ted and Kat’s cousin Salim comes to visit, their mothers agree to take them for a ride on the London Eye, the largest observation wheel of its kind, so that Salim can get a one-of-a-kind view of the city. Waiting in the long line, the children are approached by a stranger who offers them a free ticket, which they give to Salim since he is the visitor. Ted and Kat watch as Salim enters one of the observation capsules and track his ride, but when the capsule returns and the other riders exit, Salim is nowhere to be found. Thus begins this captivating story as Ted and Kat attempt to solve the mystery of his disappearance, relying on Ted’s special skills and brain “that run on a different operating system” to discover their cousin’s whereabouts before it is too late.

Beil, Michael D. The Red Blazer Girls: The Ring of Rocamadour. Alfred A. Knopf, 2009. ISBN 978-0375848148. Ages 9-12.

After Sophie sees the ghostly face in the church window next to their private school, she and her friends Margaret and Rebecca are quickly swept up in a mystery involving an eccentric old lady who has found a mysterious birthday card addressed to her estranged daughter containing the first of several clues in an elaborate scavenger hunt. With the help of some good friends and a pretty cool teacher, the girls work together to solve puzzles involving everything from religion to literature (and even math!), in the hopes of finding the treasure at the end before several other suspicious characters get their hands on it first. But will it be enough to bring a broken family together again? And can the girls do it without getting expelled—or even arrested?