Books like 'The Big Splash'
Readers who enjoyed The Big Splash by Jack D. Ferraiolo also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary mystery action / adventure humor realistic law-enforcement friendship children bullying noir
-
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... -
Spy School Goes South by Stuart Gibbs, Gibson Frazier
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 18 ratings7 Hours and 10 MinutesBen is taken to Mexico by his nemesis in the hopes that he'll finally be able to take down SPYDER in this latest addition to the New York Times bestselling Spy School series... -
اردوی مرگ by Stuart Gibbs
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsSchool may be out for summer, but top-secret training continues for aspiring spy Ben Ripley—and so does the danger.Ben Ripley is a middle-schooler whose school is not exactly average—he’s spent the last year training to be a top-level spy and dodging all sorts of associated danger. So now that summer’s finally here, Ben’s ready to have some fun and relax... -
Evil Spy School by Stuart Gibbs
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsWhen Ben gets kicked out of the CIA’s spy school, he enrolls with the enemy. From New York Times bestselling author, Stuart Gibbs, this companion to the Edgar Award–nominated Spy School and Spy Camp is rife with action, adventure, and espionage...Categorized as:
children humor law-enforcement realistic action-adventure audiobook book children-books -
-
Panda-monium by Stuart Gibbs
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsTeddy Fitzroy returns as FunJungle’s resident sleuth when the zoo’s newest addition goes missing—before she even arrives!FunJungle is frenzied, awaiting the arrival of its most thrilling animal yet—Li Ping—a rare and very expensive giant panda that the zoo went to enormous lengths to secure. But when the truck transporting Li Ping shows up, its precious cargo has vanished into thin air...Categorized as:
children humor law-enforcement realistic action-adventure animals anthropomorphism 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... -
Mission Manhattan by James Ponti
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIn this fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling series from Edgar Award winner James Ponti, the young group of spies take on New York City in another international adventure perfect for fans of Spy School and Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls...Categorized as:
realistic children friendship law-enforcement middle-grade mystery action-adventure fiction -
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 law-enforcement realistic action-adventure animals anthropomorphism -
Spy School Project X by Stuart Gibbs
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIn the tenth book in the New York Times bestselling Spy School series, Ben Ripley races against time and across state lines—by car, train, boat, and plane—to avoid his new cyber enemies and track down Murray Hill.Ben Ripley’s longtime nemesis, Murray Hill, has put a price on Ben’s head and accused him of being at the center of a conspiracy on the internet... -
The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict by Trenton Lee Stewart, Diana Sudyka
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsBefore there was a Mysterious Benedict Society, there was simply a boy named Nicholas Benedict. Meet the boy who started it all....Nine-year-old Nicholas Benedict has more problems than most children his age. Not only is he an orphan with an unfortunate nose, but he also has narcolepsy, a condition that gives him terrible nightmares and makes him fall asleep at the worst possible moments...Categorized as:
bullying children friendship humor law-enforcement realistic action-adventure audiobook -
Poached by Stuart Gibbs
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsTeddy Fitzroy’s back for another zoo mystery—this time it’s a koala caper—in this action-packed follow-up to Belly Up that School Library Journal called a “whopper of a whodunit that delivers plenty of suspects, action, slapstick, gross bodily functions, red herrings, and animal trivia...Categorized as:
bullying children friendship humor law-enforcement realistic action-adventure animals -
Framed! by James Ponti, Brian Holden
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 18 ratings*from Publisher's Weekly*The middle-grade series is about a boy with “amazing observation skills” and his genius female best friend; it was pitched as “part Watson and Holmes, and part Watson and Crick... -
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 friendship humor law-enforcement realistic action-adventure animals audiobook -
Payback by Gordon Korman
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsFrom the master of middle grade, Gordon Korman, comes the final book in the bestselling Masterminds series — about a group of kids who discover they were cloned from the DNA of some of the greatest criminal masterminds in history.After a serious betrayal from one of their former friends, the clones of Project Osiris are on the run again... -
-
Mad Dogs by Robert Muchamore
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsCHERUB agents are highly trained, extremely talented—and all under the age of seventeen. For official purposes, these agents do not exist. They are sent out on missions to spy on terrorists, hack into crucial documents, and gather intel on global threats—all without gadgets or weapons... -
The Falcon's Feather by Trudi Trueit
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsCruz, Sailor, and Emmett, along with their new ally Bryndis, embark on their first globe-trotting mission aboard the ship Orion. Cruz jumps right back into school and starts using the latest technology in submersible underwater dives, but is soon reminded of the dangers of exploration when his equipment fails and he almost drowns...Categorized as:
children friendship law-enforcement action-adventure book children-books contemporary fiction -
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... -
Take Your Last Breath by Lauren Child
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsCrack open Ruby Redfort’s second adventure — and you will literally be on the edge of your wits.Everyone’s favorite girl detective is back for a second mind-blowing installment, packed with all the off-the-wall humor, action, and friendship of the first book. This time, though, it’s an adventure on the wide-open ocean, and Ruby is all at sea. . .Categorized as:
children friendship humor law-enforcement realistic action-adventure book children-books -
Thea Stilton and the Legend of the Fire Flowers by Thea Stilton
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsJoin Thea Stilton and the Thea Sisters in this adventure packed with mystery and friendship!The Thea Sisters are in Hawaii to compete in an international hula festival. The mouselets are having a great time -- until they learn that the festival is located on the side of a volcano that is about to erupt! No one else seems know about the danger...Categorized as:
children friendship humor law-enforcement action-adventure animals anthropomorphism book -
The Grift of the Magi: a Heist Society novella by Ally Carter
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsKatarina Bishop is a thief. To many it wouldn’t matter that she now uses her considerable skills to resteal valuable works of art and return them to their rightful homes. She’s still a thief. So that’s why Kat’s surprised when an Interpol agent comes to her one snowy evening, asking for her help... -
Big Trouble in the Big Apple by Thea Stilton, Tea Stilton
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsGeronimo's adventurous sister Thea narrates this fabulous adventure that's packed with action, mystery, and friendship! The Thea Sisters are off to New York City for another fabumouse adventure! Nicky has been training to run the Big Apple Marathon, and her friends are there to support her. While in the city, they all visit Pamela's family and have a delicious dinner at the family's pizzeria...Categorized as:
children friendship humor law-enforcement action-adventure animals book children-books -
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... -
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...Categorized as:
children humor law-enforcement realistic action-adventure book children-books contemporary -
Sammy Keyes and the Killer Cruise by Wendelin Van Draanen
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratings"The most winning junior detective ever in teen lit. (Take that, Nancy Drew!)" —Midwest Children's Book Revie wSammy knew that getting to know her new rockstar dad on a cruise would be a little uncomfortable. . . . But when the heiress to a perfume empire disappears from the ship, it turns out everyone's in for a rocky ride... -
-
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. . -
Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsA hidden book. A found cipher. A game begins . . . .Twelve-year-old Emily is on the move again. Her family is relocating to San Francisco, home of her literary idol: Garrison Griswold, creator of the online sensation Book Scavenger, a game where books are hidden all over the country and clues to find them are revealed through puzzles...Categorized as:
children friendship law-enforcement realistic 21st-century action-adventure audiobook book -
The Sleepwalker by Robert Muchamore
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsIn the ninth breathtaking title in the bestselling CHERUB series, James is getting into trouble on campus, while Lauren has an air crash to investigate... -
The Alcatraz Escape by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsSleuthing duo Emily and James tackle their most challenging mystery yet set on the haunting Alcatraz Island in Book 3 of the New York Times bestselling Book Scavenger series!Legendary literary game-maker Garrison Griswold is back in action―this time with “Unlock the Rock...Categorized as:
children friendship law-enforcement realistic action-adventure audiobook book children-books -
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 friendship humor law-enforcement realistic action-adventure animals audiobook -
Sammy Keyes and the Wild Things by Wendelin Van Draanen
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsThis is not the summer camping trip of Sammy's dreams. She imagined shady glades, meandering streams, a deer or two. What she gets are scrubby shrubs, blazing sun, rattlesnakes, ticks, and scorpions. Her fellow campers are desperate to catch a rare glimpse of an endangered condor. To Sammy, the trip is nothing more than the painful in pursuit of the unspeakably ugly...Categorized as:
children humor law-enforcement realistic action-adventure audiobook book children-books -
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... -
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... -
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsA New York Times BestsellerKyle Keeley is the class clown, popular with most kids, (if not the teachers), and an ardent fan of all games: board games, word games, and particularly video games. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, the most notorious and creative gamemaker in the world, just so happens to be the genius behind the building of the new town library... -
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle of Ages by Trenton Lee Stewart, Eric Pollins
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsThe brilliant and beloved gang from the New York Times bestselling series is back! Since The Mysterious Benedict Society debuted twelve years ago, the series has become a modern classic, drawing comparisons to J.K. Rowling and Roald Dahl and selling over three million copies. Some time has passed since the inimitable quartet of Reynie, Sticky, Kate, and Constance have had a mission together... -
-
Shadow Wave by Robert Muchamore
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsA CHERUB agent must choose between the agency and his own beliefs in the twelfth and final book of the CHERUB series, which Rick Riordan says has “plenty of action.”CHERUB agents are highly trained, extremely talented—and all under the age of seventeen. For official purposes, these agents do not exist... -
Smells Like Treasure by Suzanne Selfors
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWhen Homer Pudding receives a mysterious note emblazoned with the letters L.O.S.T., he knows the moment he has been waiting for has arrived. It is time to meet the society of Legends, Objects, Secrets, and Treasures, take his Uncle's place, and become a true adventurer. With his best friend, Dog, at his side, everything seems to be going as planned..Categorized as:
children humor law-enforcement realistic action-adventure animals book children-books -
Sammy Keyes And The Art Of Deception by Wendelin Van Draanen
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsSammy Keyes has a lot of nerve. Wearing high-tops to a fancy reception at an art gallery. Asking why a framed orange splot is worth $10,000. Eyebrows rise. Noses turn up.But then Sammy tackles a thief who tries to break up the soiree with a stickup. Now the patrons of the arts are glad she has a lot of nerve...Categorized as:
children humor law-enforcement realistic action-adventure audiobook book children-books -
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... -
Sammy Keyes and the Psycho Kitty Queen by Wendelin Van Draanen
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 15 ratings"The most winning junior detective ever in teen lit. (Take that, Nancy Drew!)" —Midwest Children's Book Review It's Sammy's birthday, which should be a good thing, except that Dorito, Sammy's cat, is missing, and while Sammy's searching for him, she finds three dead cats in dumpsters around town...Categorized as:
children humor law-enforcement realistic action-adventure audiobook book children-books -
Sammy Keyes and the Curse of Moustache Mary [With 4 Cassettes] by Wendelin Van Draanen, Tara Sands
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsIn this fifth Sammy Keyes mystery, the normally unflappable heroine encounters a corpse, an arsonist, and an irate policeman - and her first real experiences with adolescent angst...Categorized as:
children humor law-enforcement realistic action-adventure audiobook book children-books -
The Second Story by Neil Patrick Harris
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsGrowing up in an orphanage, Leila was bullied for being different. But she turned her hardship into skill by becoming an escape artist—a valuable trait when belonging to a group of magical best friends. When a famous psychic comes to town, however, Leila and her pals won't be able to escape the big mystery heading their way... -
The Unbreakable Code by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsMr. Quisling is definitely up to something mysterious, and Emily and James are on high alert. First, there’s the coded note he drops at a book event. Then, they uncover a trail of encrypted messages in Mark Twain-penned books hidden through Book Scavenger. What’s most suspicious is that each hidden book triggers an arson fire.As the sleuthing friends dig deeper, they discover Mr...Categorized as:
children friendship law-enforcement realistic action-adventure audiobook 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 law-enforcement realistic action-adventure book children-books contemporary -
The Midnight Children by Dan Gemeinhart
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsAn extraordinary story about a family of runaways who take up residence in a small town, and the outcast boy who finds his voice and his people.In the dead of night, a truck arrives in Slaughterville, a small town curiously named after its windowless slaughterhouse... -
-
"Shouldn't You Be in School?" by Lemony Snicket
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIs Lemony Snicket a detective or a smoke detector? Do you smell smoke? Young apprentice Lemony Snicket is investigating a case of arson but soon finds himself enveloped in the ever-increasing mystery that haunts the town of Stain'd-by-the-Sea... -
Rock Harbor Search and Rescue by Colleen Coble, Robin Caroll
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIn "Rock Harbor Search and Rescue," a middle grade fiction novel based on Colleen Coble's bestselling Rock Harbor series for adults, kids will enjoy the mixture of pets, adventure, suspense, and a mystery.Emily O'Reilly is obsessed with all things Search and Rescue. She volunteers with the team and goes on rescue missions with her stepmom... -
The Light Jar by Lisa Thompson
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA story of fear and hope, loneliness and friendship -- full of the heart, engaging characters, and propulsive, page-turning mystery that made The Goldfish Boy so beloved.Nate and his mother are running away. Fleeing from an emotionally abusive situation, they hide out in an abandoned cottage in the middle of a forest. Though it's old and run-down, at least it's a place of their own...Categorized as:
children friendship law-enforcement realistic abuse action-adventure book children-books -
Beetle Boy by M.G. Leonard
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe glorious start to a middle-grade trilogy about a brilliant boy, his loyal friends, and some amazingly intelligent beetles that brings together adventure, humor, and real science! Darkus Cuttle's dad mysteriously goes missing from his job as Director of Science at the Natural History Museum...Categorized as:
bullying children friendship humor law-enforcement action-adventure animals audiobook -
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... -
Sammy Keyes & the Runaway Elf by Wendelin Van Draanen
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsIt's Christmas, but leave it to Sammy Keyes to find trouble even in the midst of the holiday parade. Trying to help a friend, she reluctantly volunteers on the Canine Calendar float, only to have the famous cover dog dog-napped on her watch! The animal's owner orders Sammy to find the dog before the $50,000 ransom being demanded comes due...Categorized as:
children humor law-enforcement realistic action-adventure audiobook book children-books
Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.