Books like 'The Big Break'
Readers who enjoyed The Big Break by Mark Tatulli also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary action / adventure mystery realistic humor coming-of-age friendship children grief myths
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Neverseen by Shannon Messenger
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 42 ratingsSophie Foster is on the run—but at least she's not alone.Her closest friends from the Lost Cities have gone with her to join the Black Swan. They still have doubts about the shadowy organization, but the only way to find answers is to start working with them. And as they settle into their new lives, they uncover secrets far bigger than anything they’d imagined... -
The Enchantress Returns by Chris Colfer
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 59 ratingsAfter decades of hiding, the evil Enchantress who cursed Sleeping Beauty is back with a vengeance.Alex and Conner Bailey have not been back to the magical Land of Stories since their adventures in The Wishing Spell ended... -
Spy School Secret Service by Stuart Gibbs
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIn the fifth book in the New York Times bestselling Spy School series, Ben goes undercover in the White House to take on a SPYDER operative determined to assassinate the president.Thirteen-year-old Ben Ripley has had a lot of field success despite only just beginning his second year at Spy School, something even graduates rarely experience... -
Exile by Shannon Messenger
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 45 ratingsSophie Foster thought she was safe. Settled into her home at Havenfield, surrounded by friends, and using her unique telepathic abilities to train Silveny--the first female alicorn ever seen in the Lost Cities--her life finally seems to be coming together. But Sophie's kidnappers are still out there...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age friendship humor paranormal action-adventure animals audiobook -
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In an Instant by Suzanne Redfearn
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 61 ratingsLife is over in an instant for sixteen-year-old Finn Miller when a devastating car accident tumbles her and ten others over the side of a mountain. Suspended between worlds, she watches helplessly as those she loves struggle to survive.Impossible choices are made, decisions that leave the survivors tormented with grief and regret...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friendship ghosts grief paranormal realistic action-adventure audiobook -
The Midnight Gang by David Walliams
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsWelcome to the Midnight Gang! Midnight is the time when all children are fast asleep, except of course for… the Midnight Gang. That is when their adventures are just beginning…When Tom gets hit on the head by a cricket ball, he finds himself at Lord Funt Hospital, and is greeted by a terrifying-looking porter... -
Lion Down by Stuart Gibbs
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsTeddy Fitzroy returns as FunJungle’s resident sleuth when a lion is falsely accused of killing a distinguished dog in the latest novel in New York Times bestselling author Stuart Gibbs’s FunJungle series...Categorized as:
children friendship humor realistic action-adventure animals anthropomorphism audiobook -
Home for the Holidays by Heather Vogel Frederick
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThis Christmas season, join the girls of the mother-daughter book club for a variety of holiday-themed adventures! Becca, Megan, Emma, Cassidy and Jess have plenty of reading material to bring on their trips, too, because the book club is tackling the Betsy-Tacy series before their next meeting on New Year’s Eve. But unfortunately, nothing goes quite as planned for any of the girls...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age friendship humor realistic 21st-century action-adventure audiobook -
The Law of Finders Keepers by Sheila Turnage
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsPirates, family, and the truth about Mo's Upstream Mother collide in the conclusion to the Newbery Honor and New York Times bestselling Three Times Lucky When the Colonel and Miss Lana share the clues about Mo's watery origins that they've been saving, it seems the time is finally right for the Desperado Detectives (aka Mo, Dale, and Harm) to tackle the mystery of Mo's Upstream Mother...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age friendship humor realistic action-adventure animals audiobook -
The Serpent's Shadow by Rick Riordan
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 72 ratingsHe's b-a-a-ack! Despite their best efforts, Carter and Sadie Kane can't seem to keep Apophis, the chaos snake, down. Now Apophis is threatening to plunge the world into eternal darkness, and the Kanes are faced with the impossible task of having to destroy him once and for all... -
Percy Jackson and the Sword of Hades / Horrible Histories: G by Rick Riordan
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsThe goddess Persephone has summoned Percy, Thalia, and Nico to the Underworld in order to retrieve Hades' powerful sword before it falls into the wrong hands... -
The Last Present by Wendy Mass
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsDon't miss the latest entry in the incredible Willow Falls series by Wendy Mass!Amanda and Leo have a history with birthdays. Now their friend's little sister, Grace, has fallen into a strange frozen state on her birthday, and Amanda and Leo must travel in time in order to fix whatever's wrong. As they journey back to each of Grace's birthdays, they start seeing all sorts of patterns . .Categorized as:
children coming-of-age friendship humor paranormal realistic action-adventure audiobook -
City Spies by James Ponti, Loredana Serratore
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsSara Martinez is a hacker. She recently broke into the New York City foster care system to expose her foster parents as cheats and lawbreakers. However, instead of being hailed as a hero, Sara finds herself facing years in a juvenile detention facility and banned from using computers for the same stretch of time... -
You Have to Stop This by Pseudonymous Bosch
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsThe finale to the New York Times bestselling Secret Series! I always feared this day would come. A secret is meant to stay secret, after all. And now we've come to this: the fifth and final (I swear!) book in my saga of secrets... -
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Restart by Gordon Korman
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsThe amazing New York Times bestseller about what you can do when life gives you a second chance.Chase's memory just went out the window.Chase doesn't remember falling off the roof. He doesn't remember hitting his head. He doesn't, in fact, remember anything. He wakes up in a hospital room and suddenly has to learn his whole life all over again . . . starting with his own name.He knows he's Chase...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age friendship humor realistic action-adventure amnesia audiobook -
Dark Dragon's Wolf by Anastasia Wilde
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMayah, princess of the Draken House of Al-Maddeiri, has been haunted by ghosts for years. Visions, dreams, and nightmares—ghosts reaching out to her, begging her to save them... -
Sammy Keyes and the Showdown in Sin City by Wendelin Van Draanen, Tara Sands
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAmber and her best friend Justin are spending the summer at Camp Cushetunk. Amber is having a great time learning to ride and take care of the Cinnamon, the sweetest horse everuntil she becomes the target of pranks. Amber and her friends plot revenge, but things dont turn out as planned and the horsing around leads to real trouble... -
13 Gifts by Wendy Mass
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsWendy Mass turns to another magical birthday: 13!When Tara, a self-proclaimed shrinking violet, steals the school mascot, a goat, in order to make some friends with the popular crowd and gets caught, she gets herself in a heap of trouble...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age friendship humor paranormal realistic action-adventure audiobook -
Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics by Chris Grabenstein
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsWelcome, boys and girls, readers of all ages, to the first-ever Library Olympiad! Kyle and his teammates are back, and the world-famous game maker, Luigi Lemoncello, is at it again! This time Mr. Lemoncello has invited teams from all across America to compete in the first ever LIBRARY OLYMPICS. Will it be fun? Like the commercials say. . -
The Odds of Getting Even by Sheila Turnage
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsHumor and action abound in this second follow-up to the Newbery honor winner and New York Times bestseller, Three Times LuckyThe trial of the century has come to Tupelo Landing, NC. Mo and Dale, aka Desperado Detectives, head to court as star witnesses against Dale's daddy--confessed kidnapper Macon Johnson. Dale's nerves are jangled, but Mo, who doesn't mind getting even with Mr...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age friendship humor realistic action-adventure animals audiobook -
Mr. Lemoncello's All-Star Breakout Game by Chris Grabenstein
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsMr. Lemoncello is going LIVE ACROSS THE NATION with his brand new television BREAKOUT!After months of anticipation, Mr. Lemoncello is launching his first-ever GAME SHOW on the world-famous Kidzapalooza TV network—where kids rule! Kyle can't wait to audition! But only a lucky few will make it through the auditions to compete in front of MILLIONS of viewers in Mr... -
Eleven Birthdays by Wendy Mass
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsGROUNDHOG DAY meets FLIPPED in this tale of a girl stuck in her birthday.It's Amanda's 11th birthday and she is super excited -- after all, 11 is so different from 10. But from the start, everything goes wrong. The worst part of it all is that she and her best friend, Leo, with whom she's shared every birthday, are on the outs and this will be the first birthday they haven't shared together...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age friendship humor paranormal realistic action-adventure audiobook -
Mr. Lemoncello's Great Library Race by Chris Grabenstein
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratings#1 New York Times bestselling author Chris Grabenstein is back with the third fantastically fun, puzzle-packed MR. LEMONCELLO adventure!On your marks. Get set. Lemon, cello, GO!Everyone's favorite game maker, Mr... -
Emily Windsnap and the Siren's Secret by Liz Kessler
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsFollow the siren call to Emily's magical new adventure! Can the spunky half-mer girl pass Neptune's test--and help humans and merpeople get along? Emily Windsnap is finally enjoying a swimmingly peaceful life on Allpoints Island, hanging out with her mermaid BFF, Shona, and her new friend Aaron (half-merperson like herself )... -
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The Widow's Broom by Chris Van Allsburg
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsA widow finds herself in possession of an extraordinary broom left by a witch who fell into the widow's garden... -
Finally by Wendy Mass
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsA humorous look at what it means to FINALLY turn twelve years old.NARRATOR: TBAFORMAT: 5 CDs, UnabridgedYou can pierce your ears when you're twelve. You can go to the mall with your friends when you're twelve. You can babysit little Timmy next door when you're twelve. You can get a cell phone when you're twelve. Hey, you can even ride in the front passenger-side seat when you're twelve... -
Me (Moth) by Amber McBride
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsMoth has lost her family in an accident. Though she lives with her aunt, she feels alone and uprooted.Until she meets Sani, a boy who is also searching for his roots. If he knows more about where he comes from, maybe he’ll be able to understand his ongoing depression. And if Moth can help him feel grounded, then perhaps she too will discover the history she carries in her bones... -
Dear Mothman by Robin Gow
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsPoet and author Robin Gow’s moving middle-grade novel in verse Dear Mothman is about a young trans boy dealing with the loss of his friend by writing to his favorite cryptid.Halfway through sixth grade, Noah’s best friend and the only other trans boy in his school, Lewis, passed away in a car accident. Adventurous and curious, Lewis was always bringing a new paranormal story to share with Noah... -
Sammy Keyes and the Search for Snake Eyes by Wendelin Van Draanen
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsThe most winning junior detective ever in teen lit. (Take that, Nancy Drew!) --Midwest Children's Book ReviewSammy's softball team is in contention for the Junior Slugger's Cup, and all she wants to do is hunker down behind the home plate and catch strikes. But Heather Acosta brings new meaning to the term foul ball as she schemes to get Sammy kicked off the team...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age humor realistic action-adventure audiobook book children-books -
Ghost in the Machine by Patrick Carman
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe chilling second book in the innovative series from bestselling author Patrick Carman. Strange things are happening in Skeleton Creek...and Ryan and Sarah are trying to find out why. Ryan writes down everything in his journal, and Sarah records everything on her videocam...Categorized as:
children friendship ghosts paranormal realistic action-adventure book children-books -
The Mysterious Benedict Society: Mr. Benedict's Book of Perplexing Puzzles, Elusive Enigmas, and Curious Conundrums by Trenton Lee Stewart, Diana Sudyka
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThis exclusive companion book to the bestselling Mysterious Benedict Society series is a mind-bending collection that will put YOU to the test! With full-color artwork throughout, this companion features ingenious new puzzles, riddles, and brainteasers compiled by Mr. Benedict himself, with the help of Reynie, Kate, Sticky, Constance, and other Society associates...Categorized as:
children friendship realistic action-adventure book children-books contemporary fiction -
Canyon Echoes by Jerry B. Jenkins, Chris Fabry
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsBryce and Ashley Timberline are normal 13-year-old twins, except for one thing—they discover action-packed mystery wherever they go. Whether it's searching for a missing writer or fearing for their lives at the bottom of a canyon, Bryce and Ashley never lose their taste for adventure. Wanting to get to the bottom of any mystery, these twins find themselves on a nonstop search for the truth...Categorized as:
realistic coming-of-age children mystery christian contemporary young-adult children-books -
Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsHow did a raw chicken get inside Yasmany's locker?When Sal Vidon meets Gabi Real for the first time, it isn't under the best of circumstances. Sal is in the principal's office for the third time in three days, and it's still the first week of school. Gabi, student council president and editor of the school paper, is there to support her friend Yasmany, who just picked a fight with Sal... -
What Not to Do If You Turn Invisible by Ross Welford
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA surprising, stunningly beautiful, and funny novel about a girl who turns invisible and, in the process, discovers who she really is, from the author of TIME TRAVELING WITH A HAMSTER Twelve-year-old Ethel Leatherhead only meant to cure her acne, not turn herself invisible. But that's exactly what happens when she combines herbs bought on the Internet with time spent in a secondhand tanning bed... -
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This Can't Be Happening at Macdonald Hall! by Gordon Korman
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIn Gordon Korman's beloved first book, Bruno and Boots team up...and school is never the same!Bruno and Boots are always in trouble. So the Headmaster, aka "The Fish" decides it would be best to separate them. Bruno must now room with ghoulish Elmer Dimsdale, plus his plants, goldfish, and ants. And Boots is stuck with nerdy, preppy, paranoid George Wexford-Smyth III.Of course, this means war...Categorized as:
children friendship humor realistic action-adventure boarding-school book children-books -
The Key to Extraordinary by Natalie Lloyd
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsEveryone in Emma's family is special. Her ancestors include Revolutionary War spies, brilliant scientists, and famous musicians--every single one of which learned of their extraordinary destiny through a dream. For Emma, her own dream can't come soon enough... -
The Mystwick School of Musicraft by Jessica Khoury, Suzy Jackson
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsLength: 8 hrs and 18 minsHumor, heart, and a symphony of magic take center stage in this middle-grade fantasy, perfect for fans of Nevermoor and The School for Good and Evil series.Amelia Jones has always dreamed of attending the Mystwick School of Musicraft, where the world’s most promising musicians learn to create magic...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age friendship ghosts grief paranormal action-adventure audiobook -
Eight Keys by Suzanne LaFleur
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsElise and Franklin have always been best friends. Elise has always lived in the big house with her loving Uncle and Aunt, because Elise's parents died when she was too young to remember them. There's always been a barn behind the house with eight locked doors on the second floor.When Elise and Franklin start middle school, things feel all wrong. Bullying. Not fitting in...Categorized as:
realistic coming-of-age friendship children middle-grade young-adult fiction mystery -
Second Form At Malory Towers by Enid Blyton
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsDarrell, Sally, Gwendoline, Mary-Lou and all the other girls from the First Term at Malory Towers are now in the second form and they are as lively as ever. Mam'zelle Dupont is still trying to be strict, Alicia plays a terrible trick with invisible chalk and Gwendoline and Daphne inevitably get into trouble...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age friendship humor realistic 20th-century action-adventure audiobook -
First Term at Malory Towers by Enid Blyton
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsDarrell's off to her new school.But what has she packed?1. Tennis racket? Yes2. Pocket-money? Yes3. A lid for her temper? NoOh dear! Malory Towers has a whole trunkload of trouble to come!Darrell and her friends grow together as they share their school days. There are new students to induct, sporting matches to be won, tempers to control and tricks to play on teachers...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age friendship humor realistic 20th-century action-adventure audiobook -
Max by James Patterson
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 59 ratingsJames Patterson's bestselling Maximum Ride series is back, with Max and the gang as The Protectors. Someone--or something--is decimating ships and sea life off Hawaii's coast, and Max and her flock find themselves sucked into the Navy's top-secret investigation of the catastrophe. Their objective: Rescue Max's activist mom from a wicked subterranean enemy...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age friendship humor paranormal realistic action-adventure alpha-mc -
Ghost in the Attic by Dori Hillestad Butler
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA brand-new young chapter book series from Edgar Award winner Dori Hillestad Butler! After successfully solving the mystery of the ghost in the library, Kaz and Claire land the first case for their detective agency--a haunted attic in a neighbor's home! With a little help from Grannie, Kaz and Claire discover that what appeared to be something spooky has a much simpler explanation...Categorized as:
children friendship ghosts paranormal action-adventure book children-books contemporary -
A Wish For Jinnie by Audrey Davis
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsDo you ever feel that life has got it in for you? Jinnie Cooper certainly does.Unlucky in love, broke and exiled to a sleepy Scottish village, she really needs to shake things up.When she gains possession of a battered old lamp, Jinnie's world changes in ways she could never have imagined... -
Pilfer Academy: A School So Bad It's Criminal by Lauren Magaziner
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratings"[A] weird and silly world that mirrors Hogwarts."* Fans of Spy School, Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library and Roald Dahl will gobble up this hilarious story about a secret boarding school for thieves-in-training!Troublemaking George has never heard of Pilfer Academy, a top-secret school for training young crooks, until he's kidnapped as its newest student...Categorized as:
children friendship humor realistic action-adventure boarding-school book children-books -
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Legend of the Ghost Dog by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA thrilling mystery set against a stark landscape and the inspiration of Nome's real-life dog hero, Balto.Twelve-year-old Tee didn't think she believed in ghosts . . . until a walk in the woods around her new rural Alaskan home changes her mind. She and her beagle, Henry, are stalked by a wolfish, decidedly spooky shadow. There's something out there - and it's not of this world...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age friendship ghosts paranormal realistic action-adventure animals -
Operation Redwood by S. Terrell French
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratings"Sibley Carter is a moron and a worldclass jerk." When Julian Carter-Li intercepts an angry e-mail message meant for his greedy, high-powered uncle, it sets him on the course to stop an environmental crime!His uncle’s company plans to cut down some of the oldest remaining California redwood trees, and it’s up to Julian and a ragtag group of friends to figure out a way to stop them... -
Faker by Gordon Korman
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe story of a family of liars... and the son who wants to break the family tradition.Trey knows the routine. His dad gets him into a school full of kids with rich parents. Trey makes friends, and his dad makes connections. Soon, there's the con, where Trey's dad suckers the other parents into investing in one of his schemes... -
The Rise of the Black Wolf by Derek Benz, J.S. Lewis
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIn THE RISE OF THE BLACK WOLF Max and his fellow Grey Griffins, Ernie, Harley, and Natalia, set off on another extraordinary adventure - traveling to Scotland to visit Max's dad for the winter holidays. It doesn't take long before strange things start to happen to the four kids while they explore Mr. Sumner's ancient castle... -
Gilda Joyce: The Ghost Sonata by Jennifer Allison
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhen her best friend, Wendy Choy, qualifies to compete in an international piano competition in Oxford, England, irrepressible Gilda Joyce finds a way to get an invitation herself—as a page-turner. Wendy settles into an exhausting practice schedule, made worse by strange nightmares, while Gilda finds herself falling in love with a British boy... -
Zorgamazoo by Robert Paul Weston
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsZorgamazoo is the story of an adventurous girl; a mysterious creature; a bizarre lottery; a secret map; an alien world; some outrageous kidnappings; and a sport that brings together the finer points of cricket, swimming and chess. It also has lobotomies. In short, it's about saving the universe from boredom. And it rhymes—all 280 pages worth...
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