Sink or Swim by Steve Watkins

Twelve-year-old Colton Graham admires his older brother, Danny. Danny has worked hard to provide for Colton and their mother ever since their father died. To bring in better income, Danny enlisted in the Navy soon after Pearl Harbor. But before Danny leaves for boot camp, he is seriously injured in a boating accident. With Danny in the hospital and their family desperately needing money, Colton takes Danny’s enlistment papers and his identity.

Sink or Swim is a gripping novel loosely based on the true story of Calvin Graham. Twelve-year-old Calvin ran away to join the Navy and was injured while serving in the South Pacific. Thinking Calvin was living with relatives, his mother saw a newsreel showing Calvin after he rescued several of his shipmates. She contacted the Navy and, at thirteen, Calvin was sent home but not before receiving a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart for bravery. It is very apparent that Watkins did extensive research to authentically showcase what many WWII sailors experienced during that time. On this bed of fruitful research, Watkins can spend quality time developing Colton’s character and crafting a meaningful read. A fantastic historical-fiction story for ages 12 and up.

Wizard for Hire by Obert Skye

Seven-year-old Ozzy Toffy and his PhD parents spontaneously move to an off-grid cabin deep in the Oregon woods. But soon after moving in armed men kidnap Ozzy’s parents leaving him on his own. Thankfully a basement full of canned goods, a talking mechanical bird, and Ozzy’s own determination help him to survive. Seven years later, fourteen-year-old Ozzy finally escapes the confines of his forest home to experience the world and search for his parents. A magazine ad catches his eye to hire a wizard to solve any problem. Ozzy employs the wizard, Rin, and their adventures begin. Several hearty breakfasts, road trips, car chases, and snoopings later, Rin and Ozzy discover the corporation behind the Toffy’s disappearance.

What do you get when you mix adventure, heart, and mystery, with magic and humor, plus survival and science-fiction? You get the rich, complex recipe behind Wizard for Hire. Readers follow Ozzy as he creates a happy life in his forest-cloaked cabin. Eventually that type of existence is not enough for him. Ozzy wants his parents and he needs answers. But the more he involves the authorities, the more his secluded way of life is threatened. Having no choice, he turns to an unusual source for help, a so-called “wizard”. Ozzy wants Rin to wave a magic wand and solve it all effortlessly, but no one works that way, not even a wizard. Only hard work, persistence, and faith can solve Ozzy’s problems, but Rin adds just a pinch of magic to the mix. A fun, action-packed read for ages 12 and up.

Dragonwatch: A Fablehaven Adventure by Brandon Mull

The dragons may have helped Kendra, Seth, and the fairies to thwart the demons, but their unstable alliance is cracking under pressure. With a newfound taste for power & freedom, Celebrant, the dragon king, encourages his subjects to defy their sanctuary confines so that they can return the world to the Age of Dragons. However, all dragons are magically bound inside their sanctuaries’ borders by the powers of the Dragonwatch society and by special magical artifacts. But something is making the borders of the Wyrmroost sanctuary weaken, causing Celebrant to challenge any caretaker’s authority. After close scrutiny, it is decided that Kendra and Seth’s combined powers can refortify Wyrmroost against Celebrant. However, once the siblings become the new caretakers, they still detect a magical weakness. Together, Kendra and Seth go on a treacherous mission to find a missing magical artifact that can help swing the balance of power back to their favor and keep the rebelling dragons in line.

Mull returns to the roots of his writing career by revisiting the colorful, fully-fledged world he created in Fablehaven. With Dragonwatch, Mull brings back his loveable, heroic protagonists, Kendra and Seth, as they face another life-threatening power against all magical creature sanctuaries. How would Kendra and Seth react to a new threat after all that they have been through? For Kendra, her extensive experience has made her more mature and ready to face almost any situation with confidence. For Seth, he has matured some but he still fosters an impetuous nature that can either get him into trouble or save lives. When the siblings are called as caretakers to Wyrmroost, Kendra wants to be super cautious while Seth throws caution to the wind. Only by working together do they find a powerful balance. A fun, more mature read great for old and new fans of the Fablehaven series.