Titles with Trailers Tuesday: The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall by Mary Downing Hahn

Today's (late!) post features a former Iowa Children's Choice Award nominee, The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall by Mary Downing Hahn.

Here's what Booklist has to say about the story: "Twelve-year-old book lover Florence is thrilled to be leaving Miss Medleycoate's Home for Orphan Girls to live at Crutchfield Hall with her newly discovered great-aunt, great-uncle, and cousin James. Six months before, James's sister Sophia died in an accident, and Florence quickly discovers that Sophia's ghost is haunting Crutchfield to punish James for his part in her death. Sophia is full of malice and pride, and as she grows in strength, Florence fears for James's safety, yet she feels powerless to resist Sophia's control..."

This book, like many others by Mary Downing Hahn, features supernatural characters and is full of suspense. On her official website, you can read about this book and others you may have read, including The Old Willis Place and Wait Till Helen Comes.

If you're looking for suspenseful mysteries, you'll want to try a Mary Downing Hahn book; you won't be disappointed!

Titles with Trailers Tuesday: Book of the Dead in the Tombquest Series by Michael Northrup

Like many of our Tuesday posts, today's featured book is also the first in a series--Book of the Dead, Book #1 in the Tombquest series by Michael Northrup.

Like the Infinity Ring and Spirit Animal series--among others from Scholastic--this series has its own interactive, online material. You can visit the official website HERE, where you can create an account (with parent permission) to play the online game related to the book, read the blog and forums related to the story, and see videos.

In the book, main character Alex is searching for something--anything--to save his mother's life. She is certain the Egyptian Book of the Dead can help, but using it also unleashes Death Walkers. When his mom and the Lost Spells disappear, can Alex find her?

Titles with Trailers Tuesday: Mercy Watson to the Rescue in the Mercy Watson Series by Kate DiCamillo

Author Kate DiCamillo's novels, like The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane and Flora & Ulysses, are popular choices among our students.

Today we feature a series of her books, the Mercy Watson books. The first in the series is Mercy Watson to the Rescue.

On Kate DiCamillo's official website, you can see a brief summary of the book:

And, you can read an excerpt of the first chapter online:

Take a look at the trailer--does Mercy seem like a pig you'd like to know better? If so, be sure to look for her at the library when school starts next month!

Titles with Trailers Tuesday: El Deafo by Cece Bell

Today's post is the first in this series to feature a graphic novel. New to the library this year was Cece Bell's autobiographical graphic novel El Deafo.

Cece Bell's work is already familiar to us in the library; one of her books, Bee-Wigged, was an Iowa Goldfinch Award nominee a few years ago, and we also have Rabbit & Robot in the library.

Unlike some of her previous books, El Deafo is loosely based on her own childhood and her experiences as someone who struggled to make friends, especially as a child who was hard of hearing and wearing a hearing aid, the Phonic Ear. Even though she can now hear, the Phonic Ear also allows her to hear things that she maybe shouldn't, which leads to some interesting moments. 

If you want to learn more about any of her books, read her biography, or find out more about upcoming releases, you can visit her official website.

Titles with Trailers Tuesday: The Janitors Series by Tyler Whitesides

Another book series is showcased in today's Titles with Trailers Tuesday. While the series isn't new, it is new to our library: the Janitors series by Tyler Whitesides.

In the first book of this four-book series, we meet the janitors at Welcher Elementary, and they know a secret related to the students there. Maybe they're falling asleep in math? Bored while listening to the English teacher? Uninterested in geography? Twelve-year-olds Spencer and friend Daisy fight with and against this secret janitor group that has wizarding abilities. Can these two trust any of the janitors? And can they protect their school? (from Amazon.com)

The author has an official website that features all of the books, along with videos and contests related to them. 

Here is the video for Book 1 in the series:

What's not to love about magical janitors?! Pick up the series to find out more!

Titles with Trailers Tuesday: The Iron Trial by Cassandra Clare & Holly Black

Today's featured book is the same one that generated quite a bit of buzz at the spring Book Fair, The Iron Trial by Holly Black & Cassandra Clare.

This is the first book in the Magisterium series and tells the story of Callum (or Cal), who's been told his whole life to stay away from magic. When the Iron Trial is held, Cal tries to do his worst so he won't be admitted to the Magisterium, but his worst is still enough to get him admitted. Now that he finds himself at the magical school, he finds that sinister things await. Will he and his new friends know how to protect themselves or who they can trust?

Scholastic has a website devoted to the series--you can CLICK HERE to see videos, play games, and learn more about the characters.

You can also check out the trailer:

Titles with Trailers Tuesdays: Magyk in the Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage

At all times during the past school year, books in the Septimus Heap series were checked out. The first in that series, Magyk, is the featured book for today's Titles with Trailers Tuesday.

This is the book description from our catalog: "Ten-year-olds Septimus Heap, the seventh son of the seventh son, and Jenna, the little girl Septimus's father found abandoned in the snow the night Septimus was born are taken away and are threatened by the evil wizard DomDaniel, who intends to finish off the entire royal line."

The series of seven books is just the beginning of the magical and adventurous worlds that author Angie Sage created. If you like this series, be sure to pick up the newest book in her new series, Path Finder in the Todhunter series. You can read about all of her books at her official website.

Check out the trailer for Magyk:

And if you like the first book, be sure to read the rest of the series!