Under the Jolly Roger by L.A. Meyer

Ah-hoy! Jacky is back. Jacky Faber has made her way back to London by working on a whaleship. She'll do whatever it takes to get back to her beloved Jaimy. But, due to a misunderstanding -- so common for our Jacky -- her reunion with Jaimy is a disaster. And it leads to poor Jacky being pressed into service on a war ship. She is sure she will be released as soon as it is discovered that she is a female but Jacky just doesn't have that kind of luck. She finds herself as a midshipman on a ship with a cruel captain with none so pleasant plans for her. Through her cunning and a little bit of good luck, Jacky finds herself the captain of her own ship. But, good things never seem to last for Jacky. And what of poor Jaimy?

Afghanistan to Zimbabwe by Andrew Wojtanik

OK, I don't usually booktalk books like this. Why would I booktalk a reference book? Because it is so good. And it has a great back story. Young Andrew entered the National Geographic Bee in hopes of doing well. The first time, he didn't make it to the state finals. The second year he was determined to do better and he did make the nationals only to be eliminated in the preliminary round. As an 8th grader, it was his last chance to enter. And not only did he make the finals -- he won the national bee! When asked how he did it, he told about his secret. A 400 page study guide he had created. And now, his study guide is available to you! Filled with thousands of facts, this is a must to anyone who plans to enter the GeoBee. Or even those who are just interested in this kind of information.