Trails Up and Down Under

Books for Readers in the Middle Grades

To order any of these titles, contact the library by email, mail or phone. You may also request these titles online through our OPAC. Happy Reading!

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Trails Up

Alien Secrets by Annette Curtis Klause.
RC 37955.
Aboard a space freighter en route to the planet where her scientist parents are based, Robin (Puck) Goodfellow, almost thirteen and recently expelled from her proper English boarding school, befriends an alien called Hush (for short). Hush has had a cherished artifact stolen from him, and he believes it is on the ship. Puck vows to help him retrieve it, and is soon enmeshed in a mystery with an abundance of suspects. For grades 6-9 and older readers.

Club Earth by Gail Gauthier.
BR 13105 or LP 118.
When their house becomes a vacation resort for aliens from other planets, Robby and Will enjoy the excitement before finally finding a way to get rid of their free-loading guests. For grades 4-7.

Coast to Coast by Betsy Byars.
RC 37070.
From South Carolina to California, thirteen-year-old Birch and her grandfather, Pop, fly his beloved Piper J-3 Cub, a small plane with two seats, one behind the other. Their adventures across rivers, plains, mountains, and deserts take them many days. They encounter turbulent weather and other difficulties, and gain a whole new view of the earth and of themselves. For grades 5-8.

Copernicus: Founder of Modern Astronomy by Catherine M. Andronik.
RC 55175.
Biography of Nicolaus Copernicus, 1473-1543, born in Poland during the Renaissance. As a scientist who studied the skies, he developed the theory, since proved, that the Earth revolves around the Sun. Includes four science activities. For grades 4-7.

Countdown by Ben Mikaelsen.
RC 49755.
NASA has selected Elliott as its first junior astronaut. From space he talks by radio with people on Earth, including Vincent, a Maasai youth. Elliot and Vincent argue over their respective beliefs and customs but finally realize that such difference need not be barriers to friendship. For grades 5-8.

Earth’s Place in Space by Roy A. Gallant.
RC 54633.
Relates the history of people's struggle to understand Earth's place in the universe, from the earliest myth-making to discoveries made possible by the Hubble telescope in outer space. For grades 5-8.

Find Where the Wind Goes: Moments from My Life by Mae Jemison.
RC 53721.
Memoir of the first African American woman astronaut, who traveled aboard the Endeavour space shuttle on September 12, 1992. Describes her childhood, education including a medical degree, time in the Peace Corps in Africa, and NASA training. For grades 6-9.

John Glenn’s Return to Space by Greg Vogt.
RC 52682.
A brief summary of the American space program. Covers astronaut training, equipment, and responsibilities. Focuses on John Glenn's second flight into space in 1998 at age seventy-seven, comparing it with his first flight in 1962. For grades 4-7.

Scientific American Inventions from Outer Space: Everyday Uses for NASA Technology by David Baker.
RC 51546.
Details products, services, and inventions that are available to the public because of forty years of successful research by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Includes keyboards for disabled workers, home water filters, the shock-absorbing soles of running shoes, and other achievements. For grades 6-9.

Space Missions by Deborah A. Shearer.
BR 14925.
Brief descriptions of past activities performed by scientists and astronauts during space travel. Includes accounts of experiments executed remotely by robots and aboard the international space station. Uncontracted braille. For grades 3-6 and older readers.

Trails Down Under

Angel’s Gate by Gary Crew.
RC 45508.
As the artistic younger brother, Kimmy wants to measure up to the expectations of his high-spirited, teenage sister, Julia. When a gold digger is murdered in the Australian hills, his two "wild" children hide. Kimmy defends the children in life-threatening circumstances, proving himself resourceful and brave. For grades 5-8.

Australia: The Land Down Under by Jacqueline Drobis Meisel.
RC 50599.
Discusses the history, geography, people, and culture of Australia--the only country that is also a continent. Includes a list of pertinent facts and a glossary. For grades 4-7.

Australia, the Pacific and Antarctica by Martyn Bramwell.
BR 13915.
Brief information on the geography, population, and economy of the continents of Australia and Antarctica as well as the numerous islands in the Pacific Ocean that lie in the Southern Hemisphere. For grades 5-8.

The Bamboo Flute by Garry Disher.
RC 37860.
Australia, 1932. Twelve-year-old Paul is buried in the realities of hard work, poverty, and the fear of losing the family farm. He dreams of the music of long ago when his father whistled and his mother played their now repossessed piano. One day Paul meets Eric the Red, a homeless drifter (Paul has been warned to stay away from strangers), and the older man helps Paul to make an instrument of his own. For grades 4-7 and older readers.

The Fat Man by Maurice Gee.
RC 48607.
Loomis, New Zealand, is going through hard times, and Colin Potter, twelve, is always hungry. Herbert Muskie, a very fat former town resident, catches Colin stealing a candy bar. Seeking revenge for Loomis's meanness toward him years ago, Herbert uses psychological threats to involve Colin and his family in wrongdoing. For grades 6-9.

The Fire in the Stone by Colin Thiele.
RC 10074.
Adventure set in the wilds of Australia. Ernie Ryan's dreams come true when he discovers a priceless vein of opal in a mine. The dream becomes a nightmare, however, when someone robs the claim and set a deadly trap to protect the cache. For grades 6-9.

Kensuke’s Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo.
RC 56829.
After eleven-year-old Michael and his dog Stella are washed overboard from his parents' sailboat near Australia, they wake up on an apparently deserted island. But Michael's signal fire brings an angry, elderly man, Kensuke, out of the forest. As they gradually learn to trust each other, Kensuke teaches Michael survival skills. For grades 4-7.

Moon-Dark by Patricia Wrightson.
RC 29668.
Blue, a fisherman's dog, is increasingly bothered by a war between bush rats and bandicoots, as well as the sudden mysterious presence of Red Dog. Much seems somehow wrong in this remote area of Australia since more humans have moved in and encroached on the animals' territory. One dark night, the animals call on the ancient moon spirit who explains the problem that the humans have caused--and only the animals can correct. For grades 4-7.

The Quicksand Pony by Alison Lester.
RC 48419.
Australia. Biddy is excited to join her parents on their annual cattle drive. But when her beloved pony, Bella, gets stuck in quicksand, Biddy is forced to leave her behind. Hoping that the tide has freed Bella, Biddy returns, only to find mysterious footprints leading the pony away. For grades 4-7.

Rachel by Ivan Southall.
RC 27857.
For thirteen-year-old Rachel, growing up in a turn-of-the-century Australian mining town has many trying experiences. One evening while walking home from a piano lesson, she is chased by a gang of boys and runs wildly into the Devil's Hot Pot, a forbidden area of abandoned mines and treacherous gullies. Eddie Crawford, one of her pursuers who is "sweet on her," follows to help. For grades 6-9 and older readers.

Rain Comes to Yamboorah by Reginald Ottley.
BR 966.
An Australian youth working on an outback cattle station lives with the tedium of ranch life through long days of draught until action is needed to save a rancher. For grades 5-8.

Shadow Shark by Colin Thiele.
RC 29575.
Twelve-year-old Joe has come from Melbourne to live in a small coastal town with his cousin Meg, also twelve, and her family. When Scarface, a twenty-foot white shark appears, Uncle Harry, a shark hunter, and the cousins go after the dangerous animal. Disaster strikes when their boat catches on fire, and Meg, Joe, and Uncle Harry, who is badly injured, land on Wayward Island without any means of getting help. For grades 5-8.

Somewhere around the Corner by Jackie French.
RC 43204.
Barbara, a homeless girl, is caught in the middle of a demonstration taking place in Sydney, Australia, in 1994. She is scared to death until a kindly old man suggests that in her mind she "go around the corner" to escape. Barbara tries that and suddenly finds herself back in 1932. For grades 5-8.

The Steps by Rachel Cohn.
RC 56162.
Twelve-year-old Annabel of Manhattan is sent to visit her dad in Australia over Christmas. She instantly dislikes her step- and half-siblings but gradually begins to adjust to a new culture and a new family. For grades 5-8.

To the Wild Sky by Ivan Southall.
BR 955.
When their pilot dies of a heart attack, six children are marooned aloft in a small airplane somewhere over the heart of Australia. This is the story of their faulty landing and early attempts to cope with their situation and each other. For grades 5-8.

Trouble on the Tracks by Donna Jo Napoli.
RC 48835.
Thirteen-year-old Zach is with his obnoxious ten-year-old sister, Eve, on an overnight train ride through the Australian desert. On board Eve runs afoul of bird smugglers who throw both children off the train. Alone in the outback, Zach and Eve have to find help. For grades 4-7.