Intermediate (ages 9-14)

Material appropriate for intermediate age groups

Magic Spring

Once upon a time, in a small village in Korea, there lived a childless old couple. They worked hard and lived good, simple lives, wanting only a baby to love and care for. But their rich, greedy neighbor sneered at their patched-up clothes. And when he saw the old man chopping wood he’d taunt him: “Ha! Old Man, where is your son to help you?”

Then one day, a mysterious bluebird leads the old man to a magic spring that makes him young again. But that’s only half the magic, as the miraculous power of the spring brings justice to the greedy neighbor, and a child for the couple from the least likely place of all.

Season of Secrets

Sent by their father to live in the country with their grandparents after the sudden death of their mother, Molly’s older sister Hannah expresses her grief in a raging rebellion while imaginative Molly finds herself increasingly distracted by visions, that seemingly only she can see, of a strange hunt in the nearby forest.

Candle Man, Book Two: The Society of Dread

Dr. Saint is no more, Lord Dove has disappeared, and the Dodo has slipped back into seclusion. But for Theo Wickland, descendent of the Victorian crime fighter of legend, The Candle Man, the adventure is just beginning. Now head of the Society of Good Works, Theo is determined to turn the activities of the order toward the betterment of humanity, starting with bringing the Network, the fascinating, secret underground maze of tunnels, back to its former glory. But dark forces still lurk below the London streets–mysterious–creatures, and enemies of the Candle Man, long thought dead. They continue to plot the downfall of the world. Old enemies become new allies as Theo cobbles together a group to stop the sinister plans of these evil beings before they prove deadly. It is up to the new Candle Man and his Society of Dread to snuff out these nefarious plans, before it’s too late.

Faerie Path #5: The Enchanted Quest

Far from the Realm of Faerie, a quest to save immortality . . . A deadly plague is sweeping through Faerie, and no one is immune to its bite. Now, with the guidance of the Dream Weaver, Tania, Rathina, and a mortal ally, Connor, must head off to find the Divine Harper—the only one who can help Tania renew the Faerie Covenant of Immortality. Their quest will soon take them outside the borders of Faerie, to hostile and unwelcoming lands beyond. On their travels, Tania and her companions encounter danger at every turn as they battle pirates, contend with mysterious and mystical beings, and try to outwit those under the sinister grip of the Dark Arts. But when Tania’s beloved Edric appears, it looks as if they have help at last. Or do they? As tensions and dangers rise, Tania is forced to question everything and everyone around her in order to decide if she is prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice to save her loved ones.

The Bloomswell Diaries

Benjamin Bloomswell is pleased to be staying with his uncle in America while his parents are off on another business trip. Its like a vacation. But when a series of newspaper articles, telephone calls and mysterious disappearances result in his being sent to and having to escape from a sinister orphanage and the criminals who run it, he knows he’s somehow got to find a way back to Europe. He has to get to his sisters boarding school before anyone else does. And somehow, he has to find his parents, who are also in trouble. But how…

Sequins, Secrets, and Silver Linings

When they meet a Ugandan refugee girl who’s an amazing designer, three trendy London teens combine their talents to create some kind of wonderful. Nonie’s a freak for fashion. Bleeding-heart Edie wants to green the planet. And starter-starlet Jenny has just landed a small part in a big Hollywood blockbuster. But when these trendy London besties meet a Ugandan refugee girl named Crow, sketching a dress at the Victoria & Albert Museum, their worldview gets a makeover. As they learn about the serious situation in Crow’s homeland, they decide to pool their talents to call attention to the crisis. One of Crow’s designs on the red carpet at the Oscars and they come up with a chic way to raise awareness.

Eye of the Wolf

Daniel Pennac’s fable of a boy and a wolf who dare to meet each other’s gaze unfolds with humor, poignancy, and philosophical resonance. They were born worlds apart, the wolf from the Far North and the boy from Yellow Africa. Now all that separates them is a cage at the zoo. The wolf has lost much on his journey, including an eye and his beloved pack. But when he finally consents to trust the strange, still little boy who has been watching him, to meet his eye, their lives intersect with unforgettable results. Master storyteller Daniel Pennac weaves the events of two lives into a mythic tapestry that ultimately and magnificently reveals the fellowship of all creatures. Ten illustrations by Max Grafe enhance this fabulous translation from the French.

Words In The Dust

A daughter of Afghanistan discovers new friends and opportunities after the defeat of the Taliban. Zulaikha hopes for peace, now that the Taliban have been driven from Afghanistan; a good relationship with her hard stepmother; and one day even to go to school, or to have her cleft palate fixed. Zulaikha knows all will be provided for her–“Inshallah,” God willing. Then she meets Meena, who offers to teach her the Afghan poetry she taught her late mother. And the Americans come to the village, promising not just new opportunities and dangers, but surgery to fix her face. These changes could mean a whole new life for Zulaikha.

See the review at WOW Review Volume 5, Issue 4

Santa Claus in Baghdad: Stories about Teens in the Arab World

A collection of eight stories, most previously published in other anthologies, about what it is like to grow up in the Middle East today.

Saving Zasha

In 1945 Russia, those who own German shepherds are considered traitors, but thirteen-year-old Mikhail and his family are determined to keep the dog a dying man brought them, while his classmate Katia strives to learn his secret.

See the review at WOW Review, Volume 4, Issue 3