Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage

As a baby, Mo LeBeau flowed into the small town of Tupelo Landing on the flood of a hurricane. She has searched for her "upstream mother" for eleven years with no success. However, Mo enjoys a good life with the Colonel, a cafe owner who has forgotten his own past, and Miss Lola, a spitfire woman who showed up in Tupelo Landing not long after Mo. When a strange lawman comes to town and a mysterious murder threatens the peace of the small community, Mo is determined to solve the mystery and save the people she loves.

Three Times Lucky is an engaging mystery with plenty of twists. It is also a wonderful collection of heartwarming and quirky characters you would love to meet. Written for middle grade readers, Three Times Lucky is perfect for tweens and adults alike. Mo and her best friend Dale make a perfect sleuthing duo that will capture the hearts of all ages. The story is suspenseful enough for older readers, but remains gentle enough to be elementary school appropriate.

Interest level--10 and up

NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society by Michael Buckley

With his good looks and star athletic abilities, Jackson Jones leads the popular crowd at Nathan Hale Elementary. He spends his time playing football and mocking or tormenting all nerds. However, when Jackson gets braces and an ugly headgear, his world changes. He finds himself one of the outcasts he used to torture.

Without football and friends, Jackson starts to notice strange things around his elementary school and soon stumbles upon the headquarters of NERDS: the National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society. The nerds he used to tease are actually a group of secret agents working to save the world. Jackson wants to join their group, but first he must convince the others and himself that he belongs. NERDS is a lighthearted adventure novel with plenty of humor as well as important life lessons. It is a fun read for middle grade and tween readers.

AR Level--5th grade Interest level--9-12 years old

The Arctic Code (The Dark Gravity Sequence Book 1) by Matthew J. Kirby

Not far in the future, a new ice age is gripping the world. Glaciers cover most land masses forcing humanity to settle nearer and nearer the equator. Eleanor Perry lives in Phoenix where temperatures stay mostly above zero. However, Eleanor's mother, a climatologist, is currently stationed in the Arctic trying to solve the energy crisis. When Dr. Perry sends Eleanor confidential information and then goes missing, Eleanor is determined to save her mother. She travels to the Arctic and finds herself trapped by politics and the harsh, frozen landscape, but Eleanor will not give up.

This fast-paced Arctic adventure will entertain a variety of middle grade and tween readers. The young characters are intelligent and realistic and their journey is memorable. A good pick for adventure lovers, The Arctic Code also teaches valuable lessons about friendship and family loyalty.

Recommended ages--10 and up