Welcome to Quirk Scouts!
Do you have a curious middle grade reader in your life who loves adventure, whether its a magical journey or real-world scenarios? Then you might know a Quirk Scout!
Welcome to your one-stop shop to finding a great new book (or series!) for your middle grader. Browse our selection below to learn more about these books and score the perfect pick!
The best-selling (and wildly hilarious) Worst-Case Scenario series is back with 40 extreme survival tips for kids ages 8 to 12, great for adventurous fans of the I Survived series.
Erupting volcanoes. Ravenous sharks. Pooping in the woods.
The great outdoors is a weird, wonderful, and scare-your-pants-off terrifying place. Whether you’re freezing in the Arctic, escaping quicksand in the jungle, or befriending tarantulas in the desert, this guide has you covered. (Figuratively, not literally. We didn’t have the budget for a blanket-sized book.)
Bust this guide open and discover step-by-step instructions for surviving the most extreme situations that Planet Earth can throw at you. Learn how to:
⚠️ Dodge a charging rhinoceros
⚠️ Ride out a sandstorm
⚠️ Navigate by the stars
⚠️ Build a snow cave
⚠️ Cross piranha-infested waters
⚠️ And much more!
Yeah, the outdoors can be scary, but you’ve got this indispensable, laugh-out-loud survival guide. So what are you waiting for? Get out there!
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Start the Series!
Hanging with Vampires
by Insha Fitzpatrick
Educators’ Guide Scavenger Hunt
“Fans of all things supernatural will be horrified—and highly entertained.”—Kirkus Reviews
Discover everything about vampires in this laugh-out-loud nonfiction handbook packed with spooky legends, fascinating history, and weird facts perfect for middle-grade readers and mythology fans!
Are vampires real? Who was Vlad the Impaler? Do vampire bats ever feed on humans? Find out in Hanging with Vampires, a field guide for the curious and the adventurous. Crack open the lid on this guide and you’ll get:
- Bloodcurdling vampire mythology! What exactly is a vampire, anyway?
- Spine-chilling history and science! Uncover how the vampire legend got its start in the medieval ages.
- A who’s who of vampires! Get to know classic, iconic, and terrifying vampires in pop culture, from Dracula to Adventure Time.
Hanging with Vampires is the first book in the Totally Factual Field Guide to the Supernatural series, a hilarious and haunting exploration of how myths and legends shape our lives. Sink your fangs into vampire lore and literature with enchanting illustrations and fun activities, like making garlic bread. It’s a spooky world out there–grab your guide, and let’s go!
Look for the next volume, Chilling with Ghosts, for another frightfully good read!
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Chilling with Ghosts
by Insha Fitzpatrick
The Ultimate Ghost Story Activity
Discover everything about ghosts in this fun handbook packed with spooky tales, engrossing science, and fascinating history–perfect for middle grade readers and mythology fans!
Boo! Do you believe in ghosts? What’s up with haunted houses? And how exactly do you bust a ghost? Uncover the spooky and spectacular world of ghosts in Chilling with Ghosts, a field guide for the curious and the adventurous. Step into the unknown—if you dare!—and discover:
- Scary ghost stories of all kinds! Learn how to tell your very own ghost story.
- Terrifying tales from history and weird science! Find out what ghost fungus is and meet a couple of Shakespearean ghosts.
- A globe-trotting tour of haunted spots! Travel all around the world, from the Catacombs of Paris to the Stanley Hotel.
Chilling with Ghosts is the second book in the Totally Factual Field Guide to the Supernatural series, a hilarious and haunting exploration of how myths and legends shape our lives. Get to know ghost lore with enchanting illustrations and hands-on activities, like brewing homemade ectoslime. It’s a spooky world out there—grab your guide, and let’s go!
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Sightseeing with Aliens
by Insha Fitzpatrick
Blast Off Bottle Rocket Activity Alien Pop Quiz
Discover everything about aliens in this fun book packed with eerie accounts of the extraterrestrial,
fascinating science, and weird facts–perfect for middle grade readers and young sci-fi fans.
Incoming transmission . . . Are there aliens out there? What’s the deal with Area 51? Can outer space support human life? Explore the extraterrestrial in Sightseeing with Aliens, a field guide for the curious and the adventurous. Get to know alien lore and try out hands-on activities, such as creating a time capsule and taking on the Seven-Day Earthling Challenge to help Planet Earth. Blast off to space and discover:
- Weird science and eye-opening history! Unearth humanity’s forays into space and meet the Mars rovers.
- Fascinating accounts of alien encounters! What really happened in the 1947 Roswell Incident?
- Out-of-this-world science fiction! Tune in to iconic alien media, from The War of the Worlds to Star Trek.
The third book in the Totally Factual Field Guide to the Supernatural series, Sightseeing with Aliens is a hilarious and unabashedly weird investigation into how the unknown can shape our lives. The whole galaxy is out there—grab your guide, and let’s go!
For more on the supernatural, check out Hanging with Vampires and Chilling with Ghosts!
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Kid Olympians: Summer
Written by Robin Stevenson and illustrated by Allison Steinfeld
Educators’ Guide Trading Cards
Featured in the New York Times
Triumphant, relatable, and totally true biographies tell the childhood stories of a diverse group of international athletes who have captured the world’s attention at the Summer Olympics and Paralympics, like Simone Biles, Jesse Owens, Naomi Osaka, Tatyana McFadden, and 12 other incredible olympians.
Athletes throughout history have dreamed of competing in the Olympics—
and some were kids themselves when those dreams and plans began! In Kid Olympians: Summer, discover the childhood stories of legends such as:
- Usain Bolt, who used to skip practices to go to the arcade and play video games.
- Serena Williams, who sometimes hit her tennis ball over the fence on purpose!
- Tatyana McFadden, who had to fight to be allowed on her school’s track team
Featuring kid-friendly text and full-color illustrations, you’ll be inspired to dream bigger, faster, and higher than ever before!
The diverse and inspiring group also includes Michael Phelps, Yusra Mardini, Dick Fosbury, Ibtihaj Muhammad, Gertrude Ederle, Nadia Comaneci, Ellie Simmonds, Tommie Smith, Wilma Rudolph, and Megan Rapinoe.
Looking for even more totally true and inspiring childhood stories? Check out Kid Athletes!
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Kid Musicians
Written by Robin Stevenson and illustrated by Allison Steinfeld
on sale november 12, 2024
Inspiring, relatable, and totally true biographies tell the childhood stories of a diverse group of musicians, including Taylor Swift, Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Styles, Mariah Carey, Yo-Yo Ma, Paul McCartney, and 10 other influential performers.
Every superstar musician started out as a kid—and many discovered their love of music early on. Before leaving their mark on the world, these groundbreaking performers, songwriters, and musicians were regular kids. Tune in to the childhood stories of musical legends such as:
- Beyoncé, who used to play truth or dare in the middle of the night with the rest of her music group.
- Dolly Parton, who sometimes made up her own stories for class book reports.
- Louis Armstrong, who played instruments in parades all over New Orleans.
- Taylor Swift, who grew up on a Christmas tree farm!
Featuring kid-friendly text and full-color illustrations, Kid Musicians will inspire readers to express themselves and march to the beat of their own drum.
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A Brush with Magic
By Flora Ahn
On Sale October 22, 2024
A heartfelt, magical middle grade adventure—inspired by Korean folklore and set in modern-day Seoul—about sisterhood and belonging, perfect for fans of Kelly Yang and Janae Marks.
What if an ancient ink brush, oceans away in Korea, could unlock long-buried family secrets?
It’s finally summer break, and twelve-year-old Yumi is headed to Korea with her older sister, Minji, for the very first time. She can’t wait to explore the city of Seoul together—but Minji has other plans. The moment they land, Minji ditches Yumi to hang out with their cousins, who are more fashionable, better at soccer, and all-around cooler than Yumi. Lost and alone, Yumi is stuck at home painting with her grandfather.
Everything changes when she finds an intriguing ink brush in a neighborhood art shop—and accidentally summons a creature straight out of her grandfather’s retellings of Korean fairy tales. With a new friend by her side and an ink brush that has the power to bring anything she paints to life, Yumi feels unstoppable. From bustling street markets and ancient palaces to riding the subway, Yumi and her friend explore everything Seoul has to offer.
But when the magic takes a dark turn, Yumi must dig deep to hear her own voice and protect the family she loves—even if they don’t always understand each other.
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More from Flora Ahn
A Spoonful of Time
Nick and Tesla and the High-Voltage Danger Lab
by Bob Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith
Solve mysteries using DIY science projects with twin sleuths Nick and Tesla in this zany, action-packed middle grade adventure by “Science Bob” Pflugfelder!
Summer break is about to get weird. After their parents disappear, twins Nick and Tesla are sent to live with their Uncle Newt, an eccentric inventor with his very own science lab. Soon, the young sleuths find themselves investigating a mysterious family right in their own neighborhood. As they race to uncover the truth, Nick and Tesla must build a bottle rocket launcher, a 9-volt battery burglar alarm, and an electromagnet picker-upper to save the day.
Now in paperback, the first book in the popular Nick and Tesla series features laugh-out-loud jokes, fun illustrations, and five DIY science projects with step-by-step instructions for readers to try at home.
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Nick and Tesla and the Robot Army Rampage
by Bob Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith
Join twins Nick and Tesla as they build homemade robots and race to solve a mystery in this zany, action-packed middle grade adventure sequel by “Science Bob” Pflugfelder.
It’s up to Nick and Tesla to save the day–again! When a rash of robberies hits the town of Half Moon Bay, the two young sleuths head straight to their Uncle Newt’s science lab. They’ll have to build their very own battlebots, robo-bugs, and hoverbots to outsmart a criminal mastermind. Can Nick and Tesla crack the case before it’s too late?
Now in paperback, this second book in the popular Nick and Tesla series features laugh-out-loud jokes, fun illustrations, and five DIY science projects with step-by-step instructions for readers to try at home.
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Nick and Tesla and the Secret Agent Gadget Battle
by Bob Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith
Uncover a secret agent and build spy gadgets with twin sleuths Nick and Tesla in this zany, action-packed middle grade adventure by “Science Bob” Pflugfelder!
After rescuing a kidnapped heiress and taking down a robot army, 11-year-old twins Nick and Tesla could really use a break. But before they can kick back and relax, the young sleuths discover there’s a spy in their midst! Someone in the town of Half Moon Bay is spying on their Uncle Newt, an eccentric inventor. To uncover the true identity of this secret agent, Nick and Tesla must build their own spy gadgets, from burglar alarms and code wheels to a water balloon trap and more.
Now in paperback, this third book in the popular Nick and Tesla series features laugh-out-loud jokes, fun illustrations, and five DIY science projects with step-by-step instructions for readers to try at home.
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Nick and Tesla and the Super-Cyborg Gadget Glove
by Bob Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith
Super-Cyborg Gadget Glove Activity
Build a super-cyborg gadget glove and save the science museum with twin sleuths Nick and Tesla in this zany, action-packed middle grade adventure by “Science Bob” Pflugfelder!
Just like their eccentric genius Uncle Newt, 11-year-old twins Nick and Tesla love science—and they can’t wait for the grand reopening of the science museum in Half Moon Bay. But when someone sabotages the new Hall of Genius exhibit, the animatronic replicas of history’s greatest scientists go haywire. The two young sleuths must engineer their very own DIY super-cyborg gadget glove—complete with a false-alarm alarm, a UV-light secret message reader, and more—to catch the culprit and save the museum.
Now in paperback, this fourth book in the popular Nick and Tesla series features laugh-out-loud jokes, fun illustrations, and four DIY science projects with step-by-step instructions for readers to try at home.
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