Books like 'Swim That Rock'
Readers who enjoyed Swim That Rock by John Rocco & Jay Primiano also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary action / adventure realistic coming-of-age family children organized-crime friendship crime high-school
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Wish You Were Eyre by Heather Vogel Frederick
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe book club says bon voyage to Concord and bonjour to France! It’s a dream come true for Megan, who’s jet-setting to Paris for Fashion Week with Gigi. Meanwhile, back in Concord, Mrs. Wong decides to run for mayor, so Emma and Stewart team up to make her campaign a success...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship high-school realistic action-adventure audiobook -
![The Unteachables by Gordon Korman, Sarah Beth Goer]()
The Unteachables by Gordon Korman, Sarah Beth Goer
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsA hilarious new middle grade novel from beloved and bestselling author Gordan Korman about what happens when the worst class of kids in school is paired with the worst teacher—perfect for fans of Ms. Bixby’s Last Day.The Unteachables are a notorious class of misfits, delinquents, and academic train wrecks...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship high-school realistic action-adventure audiobook -
![Pies & Prejudice by Heather Vogel Frederick]()
Pies & Prejudice by Heather Vogel Frederick
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsRight before the start of freshman year, Emma’s family unexpectedly moves to England. The book club members are stunned—but thanks to videoconferencing, they can still keep the club alive, and they decide to tackle Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice . And when the girls try to bring Emma home by starting a bake sale, it becomes a thriving business: Pies & Prejudice...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship high-school realistic action-adventure audiobook -
![Greetings from Witness Protection! by Jake Burt]()
Greetings from Witness Protection! by Jake Burt
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsA funny and poignant debut middle-grade novel about a foster-care girl who is placed with a family in the witness protection program, and finds that hiding in plain sight is complicated and dangerous.Nicki Demere is an orphan and a pickpocket. She also happens to be the U.S. Marshals’ best bet to keep a family alive. . . -
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![Bass & Trouble by Cathleen Cole, Frank Jensen]()
Bass & Trouble by Cathleen Cole, Frank Jensen
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThey thought it was over. They were wrong… Bass and Julie should have been on their way to happily ever after. The Vikings had beaten back the Guzman cartel.Everything could finally return to normal. That didn’t happen. Because the FBI showed up and turned their whole world upside down... -
![The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant, Stephen Gammell]()
The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant, Stephen Gammell
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThe relatives' station wagon: it smelled like a real car, looked like a rainbow, and was roomy enough for a crowd. Lucky! Because a big crowd in all shapes and sizes piled into that old wagon at four o'clock one summer morning and piled out of it the next day at their relatives' place on the north side of the mountains. All in good moods...Categorized as:
children family friendship realistic action-adventure book children-books contemporary -
![The Recruit by Robert Muchamore]()
The Recruit by Robert Muchamore
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 44 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... -
![Louder Than Hunger by John Schu]()
Louder Than Hunger by John Schu
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsRevered teacher, librarian, and story ambassador John Schu explores anorexia—and self-expression as an act of survival—in a wrenching and transformative novel-in-verse. But another voice inside me says, We need help. We’re going to die. Jake volunteers at a nursing home because he likes helping people... -
![Wild Bird by Wendelin Van Draanen]()
Wild Bird by Wendelin Van Draanen
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratings3:47 a.m. That's when they come for Wren Clemens. She's hustled out of her house and into a waiting car, then a plane, and then taken on a forced march into the desert. This is what happens to kids who've gone so far off the rails, their parents don't know what to do with them any more. This is wilderness therapy camp...Categorized as:
coming-of-age crime family friendship high-school realistic survival action-adventure -
![Hustler's Hope by Naomi Porter]()
Hustler's Hope by Naomi Porter
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhat they say is true, only abstinence is a sure thing.It was only three unforgettable encounters.Still, what the biker doesn't know won't hurt him.A sinful dirty talker, who calls me Nurse Naughty, isn’t daddy material.Or is he?When the truth comes out in the emergency room, Hustler claims me on the spot.He won’t take “not in this lifetime” for an answer... -
![Tyrell by Coe Booth]()
Tyrell by Coe Booth
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsAn astonishing new voice in teen literature, writing what is sure to be one of the most talked-about debuts of the year.Tyrell is a young, African American teen who can't get a break. He's living (for now) with his spaced-out mother and little brother in a homeless shelter. His father's in jail... -
![Football Genius by Tim Green]()
Football Genius by Tim Green
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsNew York Times bestselling author and former NFL player Tim Green scores a touchdown with this exhilarating and action-packed story about an ordinary boy who becomes a hero you can really root for. Perfect for fans of Mike Lupica.Twelve-year-old Troy White has a phenomenal gift: He can predict football plays before they even happen. Any position. Any player. Any team... -
![Yara's Spring by Jamal Saeed, Sharon McKay]()
Yara's Spring by Jamal Saeed, Sharon McKay
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsComing of age against all odds in the midst of the Arab Spring.Growing up in Aleppo, Yara’s childhood has long been shadowed by the coming revolution. But when the Arab Spring finally arrives at Yara’s doorstep, it is worse than even her Nana imagined: sudden, violent, and deadly. When rescuers dig Yara out from under the rubble that was once her family’s home, she emerges to a changed world...Categorized as:
realistic family coming-of-age survival friendship high-school children historical-fiction -
![What the Moon Saw by Laura Resau]()
What the Moon Saw by Laura Resau
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsClara Luna's name means "clear moon" in Spanish. But lately, her head has felt anything but clear. One day a letter comes from Mexico, written in Spanish: Dear Clara, We invite you to our house for the summer. We will wait for you on the day of the full moon, in June, at the Oaxaca airport. Love, your grandparents. Fourteen-year-old Clara has never met her father's parents...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship high-school realistic action-adventure book -
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![My Best Friend by Julie Fogliano]()
My Best Friend by Julie Fogliano
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA story of first friendship.she is my best friend i think i never had a best friend so i’m not sure but i think she is a really good best friend because when we were drawing she drew me and i drew her... -
![Hunting the Hunter by Gordon Korman]()
Hunting the Hunter by Gordon Korman
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsIT'S NOT OVER...Hairless Joe. Aiden and Meg Falconer have known him as a threat. A killer. A madman. But now they've discovered that he holds the key to freeing their parents from prison.The Falconer kids know what they have to do: Hunt the hunter and trap the killer - even if he's armed and very dangerous. It's their only chance, and they're going to take it... and risk everything... -
![Crocodile Tears by Anthony Horowitz]()
Crocodile Tears by Anthony Horowitz
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 43 ratingsNew Year's Eve in Scotland and for once Alex Rider is enjoying a normal life. But then he meets Desmond McCain, the dynamic chief of an international charity, First Aid, and what starts as a simple card game rapidly becomes a duel to the death. Suddenly Alex is in more danger than ever before and his life is threatened without his even knowing why...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age crime high-school male-mc realistic survival action-adventure -
![Bang! by Sharon G. Flake]()
Bang! by Sharon G. Flake
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAs violence continues in his community, a 13-year-old boy must make some difficult choices to set his life on another course.Bang! Guns really sound like that, you know. Bang! And people bleed from everywhere, and blood is redder than you think. And little kids look funny in caskets. That's 'cause they ain't meant to be in one, I guess...Categorized as:
coming-of-age crime family friendship high-school realistic survival action-adventure -
![Now You See Them, Now You Don't by Gordon Korman]()
Now You See Them, Now You Don't by Gordon Korman
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsCATCH THEM...One man holds the key to freeing Aiden and Meg Falconer's parents from prison: a mysterious figure named Frank Lindenauer. Aiden and Meg must cross the country to try to catch him... even as the FBI tries to catch them first.In California, Aiden and Meg fall in with a crowd that already has its share of trouble. They want to believe they've found friends who will help them out... -
![Froggy Goes to School by Jonathan London]()
Froggy Goes to School by Jonathan London
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsFroggy's mother knows that everyone's nervous on the first day of school. "Not me!" says Froggy, and together they leapfrog to the bus stop -- flop flop flop. Froggy's exuberant antics, complete with sound effects, will delight his many fans and reassure them that school can be fun."This is a great read-aloud with sounds and words that encourage active participation... -
![Thirteen Plus One by Lauren Myracle]()
Thirteen Plus One by Lauren Myracle
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWinnie has finally gotten the hang of junior highÑ gaining two fabulous BFFs and a perfect (OK, sometimes perfect) boyfriend in the process. And with graduation just around the corner, the countdown to high school has begun. Not that Winnie is obsessing about it, since she has a whole bunch of things to check off her To-Do-Before-High-School list...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship high-school realistic action-adventure book -
![Bound to be Bad by Annie Barrows]()
Bound to be Bad by Annie Barrows
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe adventures of Ivy and Bean continue in the latest installment from series creators Annie Barrows and Sophie Blackall. In Ivy and Bean Bound to Be Bad the two girls decide to be so good and kind and pure of thought that wild animals will befriend them. When this doesn't work, they decide that perhaps a little badness can be good... -
![The Other Side of Lost by Jessi Kirby]()
The Other Side of Lost by Jessi Kirby
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsGirl Online meets Wild in this emotionally charged story of girl who takes to the wilderness to rediscover herself and escape the superficial persona she created on social media.Mari Turner’s life is perfect. That is, at least to her thousands of followers who have helped her become an internet starlet...Categorized as:
coming-of-age family friendship high-school realistic survival action-adventure book -
![Notes from the Midnight Driver by Jordan Sonnenblick]()
Notes from the Midnight Driver by Jordan Sonnenblick
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsFrom hot new talent Jordan Sonnenblick, a "Tuesdays with Morrie" for teens. Coincides with the publication of his new hardcover novel.16-year-old Alex decides to get even. His parents are separated, his father is dating his former third-grade teacher, and being 16 isn't easy, especially when it comes to girls...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship high-school male-mc realistic action-adventure -
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![Bloomability by Sharon Creech]()
Bloomability by Sharon Creech
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsKidnapped!The kidnappers are actually her Aunt Sandy and Uncle Max, but that doesn't matter to Domenica Santolina Doone, better known as Dinnie. She feels as if she's being taken out of the country against her will. Certainly no one asked her opinion. Dinnie is used to change-with her family constantly moving from state to state while her father searches for one new "opportunity" after another...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship high-school realistic action-adventure audiobook -
![Eagle Strike by Anthony Horowitz]()
Eagle Strike by Anthony Horowitz
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 45 ratingsROGUE AGENT!Sir Damian Cray: Millions adore him. He is a philanthropist, peace activist, and the world's most famous vintage pop star. But still it's not enough - not if he is to save the world. Trouble is, only Alex Rider recognizes that it's the world that needs saving from Sir Damian Cray... -
![Break Us by Jennifer Brown]()
Break Us by Jennifer Brown
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsNikki Kill doesn’t see the world in black and white. Her synesthesia shades everything in view, transforming numbers, words, and emotions into colorful clues. Which means she’s a dangerous commodity to anyone with something to hide.Nikki has already taken on the Hollises—one of L.A.’s most powerful families—for murdering her half sister, Peyton... -
![I'm With Stupid by Geoff Herbach, Nick Podehl]()
I'm With Stupid by Geoff Herbach, Nick Podehl
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratings“Deep, moving, LOL funny, and completely original.” – School Library Journal on Nothing SpecialFelton Reinstein has never been good with stress. Which is why he's seriously freaking out. Revealing his college choice on national TV? It's a heart attack waiting to happen. Deciding on a major for the next four years of his life? Ridiculous. He barely even knows who he is outside of football. And so.Categorized as:
coming-of-age family friendship high-school male-mc realistic action-adventure audiobook -
![The Boys Return by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor]()
The Boys Return by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIt’s spring break and the only assignment Wally Hatford and Caroline Malloy have is to do something that they have never done before. Wally’s sure that will be a cinch once he hears the great news about the mighty Benson brothers coming to stay for vacation. It will be nonstop action all the way...Categorized as:
children friendship realistic family children-books fiction middle-grade contemporary -
![A Traitor Among the Boys by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, Morris Gleitzman]()
A Traitor Among the Boys by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, Morris Gleitzman
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe Hatford boys' New Year's resolution is "the girls can stay . . . but only if they play by our rules." Their mother insists that they "treat those girls as though they were your sisters." Okay, but somehow the boys' interpretation owes more to sibling rivalry than to brotherly love...Categorized as:
realistic children friendship family children-books fiction middle-grade contemporary -
![The Journey Back by Priscilla Cummings]()
The Journey Back by Priscilla Cummings
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsEscaped and on the run, can Digger find redemption? His bold escape from a juvenile detention facility nearly kills him, but soon an angry fourteen-year-old Digger is on the run, hijacking a tractor trailer, "borrowing" a bicycle, and stealing a canoe. When injuries stop him, Digger hides at a riverside campground, where he befriends a young boy and a girl his own age... -
![Dime by E.R. Frank]()
Dime by E.R. Frank
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe startling realities of teen prostitution are revealed in this eye-opening, heartbreaking story from the author of "America," which "Booklist "called a piercing, unforgettable novel and "Kirkus Reviews "deemed a work of sublime humanity. As a teen girl in Newark, New Jersey, lost in the foster care system, Dime just wants someone to care about her, to love her. A family... -
![Faker by Gordon Korman]()
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 Stowaway Solution by Gordon Korman]()
The Stowaway Solution by Gordon Korman
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsOUT TO SEA...The FBI is after them. So is a killer. Their parents are in jail. And friends are nowhere to be found. Fugitives far from home, Aiden and Meg Falconer only have each other to trust.But when the chase gets too intense on land and the Falconers stow away on a seabound freighter, things start to fall apart. The crew is suspicious... and a monster storm is on its way... -
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![Let's Do Nothing! by Tony Fucile]()
Let's Do Nothing! by Tony Fucile
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsDon't move! A master of animation explores the elusive art of doing nothing in this comical tale of two very active imaginations.Frankie and Sal have already played every sport and board game invented, baked and eaten batches of cookies, and painted a zillion pictures...Categorized as:
children friendship male-mc realistic action-adventure book children-books contemporary -
![Runner by Carl Deuker]()
Runner by Carl Deuker
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsFrom the award-winning author of "Night Hoops" and "Painting the Black" comes this suspenseful, psychologically astute novel with themes of terrorism and patriotism, fear and courage... -
![A French Girl in New York by Anna Adams]()
A French Girl in New York by Anna Adams
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsMaude Laurent is a spirited sixteen-year-old orphan who grew up in a small, provincial town in the north of France with a passion for piano and a beautiful voice. One day in Paris, she is discovered by an American music producer who takes her to New York to live with him and his close-knit family while producing her first album, with help from teen pop star, Matt... -
![Travel Team by Mike Lupica]()
Travel Team by Mike Lupica
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThe #1 Bestseller!Twelve-year-old Danny Walker may be the smallest kid on the basketball court -- but don't tell him that. Because no one plays with more heart or court sense. But none of that matters when he is cut from his local travel team, the very same team his father led to national prominence as a boy...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship male-mc realistic action-adventure audiobook -
![The Last Dog on Earth by Daniel Ehrenhaft]()
The Last Dog on Earth by Daniel Ehrenhaft
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsLogan Moore 14 hates everyone. Dad Dr Craig Westerly, who left. Step-dad Bob, who wants control. Kids like too-good Devon. Except Jack. A mangy pup who only likes Logan.A new disease turns dogs vicious in days, spreads to humans. Logan runs with Jack when nobody believes she is immune. Meanwhile, Portland U. begs reclusive Craig back for old prion disease work... -
![I'll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan]()
I'll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsEmily Bell believes in destiny. To her, being forced to sing a solo in the church choir--despite her average voice--is fate: because it's while she's singing that she first sees Sam. At first sight, they are connected.Sam Border wishes he could escape, but there's nowhere for him to run. He and his little brother, Riddle, have spent their entire lives constantly uprooted by their unstable father... -
![A Solitary Blue by Cynthia Voigt]()
A Solitary Blue by Cynthia Voigt
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsJeff Greene was only seven when Melody, his mother, left him with his reserved, undemonstrative father, the Professor. So when she reenters his life years later with an invitation to spend the summer with her in Charleston, Jeff is captivated by her free spirit and warmth, and he eagerly looks forward to returning for another visit the following year... -
![A Year Without Autumn by Liz Kessler]()
A Year Without Autumn by Liz Kessler
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsOn her way to visit her best friend, Autumn, Jenni Green suddenly finds she's been transported exactly one year forward in time. Now she discovers that in the year that's gone by, tragedy has struck and her friendship with Autumn will never be the same again...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship realistic action-adventure book children-books -
![Break the Rules by Joanna Philbin]()
Break the Rules by Joanna Philbin
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe only daughter of supermodel Katia Summers, witty and thoughtful Lizzie Summers likes to stick to the sidelines. The sole heir to Metronome Media and daughter of billionaire Karl Jurgensen, outspoken Carina Jurgensen would rather climb mountains than social ladders. Daughter of chart-topping pop icon Holla Jones, stylish and sensitive Hudson Jones is on the brink of her own music breakthrough...Categorized as:
coming-of-age family friendship high-school realistic action-adventure book contemporary -
![Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish by Pablo Cartaya]()
Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish by Pablo Cartaya
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsMarcus Vega is six feet tall, 180 pounds, and the owner of a premature mustache. When you look like this and you're only in the eighth grade, you're both a threat and a target. Marcus knows what classmates and teachers see when they look at him: a monster.But appearances are deceiving. At home, Marcus is a devoted brother...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship high-school male-mc realistic action-adventure -
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![IQ by Roland Smith]()
IQ by Roland Smith
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsStep-siblings Q (Quest) and Angela are thrust into the work of the U.S. Secret Service and the Israeli Mossad when Angela realizes she's being followed, and Q learns the secret about Angela's real mother - a former Secret Service agent... -
![Connect the Stars by Marisa de los Santos]()
Connect the Stars by Marisa de los Santos
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFrom Saving Lucas Biggs authors Marisa de los Santos and David Teague comes another heartwarming middle grade adventure about two misfits who discover the importance of just being themselves.When thirteen-year-olds Aaron and Audrey meet at a wilderness camp in the desert, they think their quirks are enough to prevent them from ever having friends...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship realistic survival action-adventure audiobook -
![The Boys Start the War by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor]()
The Boys Start the War by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe first book in the hilarious trilogy featuring the feuding Hatford and Malloy families. When a new family--with three daughters--moves into the neighborhood, the Hatford brothers decide to make Caroline and her sisters so miserable that they'll want to go back to Ohio...Categorized as:
children family friendship realistic action-adventure book children-books contemporary -
![The Great Treehouse War by Lisa Graff, Ariana Delawari]()
The Great Treehouse War by Lisa Graff, Ariana Delawari
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 14 ratings4 hoursKids vs. parents! An epic treehouse sleepover! An awesome group of friends! An exciting new book from National Book Award finalist Lisa Graff. Winnie's last day of fourth grade ended with a pretty life-changing surprise...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship realistic action-adventure animals audiobook -
![Sting by Jude Watson]()
Sting by Jude Watson
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsNever do a favor for a friend. Twelve-year-old March McQuin forgot rule number one for cat burglars, which is how he and his twin sister, Jules, found themselves dangling upside down twenty feet above a stone floor at three in the morning. Their target was a set of stunning diamonds and it should have been an easy job, in and out. Except another thief got there first... -
![Nerd Camp by Elissa Brent Weissman]()
Nerd Camp by Elissa Brent Weissman
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsTen-year-old Gabe has just been accepted to the Summer Center for Gifted Enrichment. That means he’ll be spending six weeks at sleepaway camp, writing poetry and perfecting logic proofs. SCGE has been a summer home of some legendary middle-school smarty-pants (and future Jeopardy! contestants), but it also has a reputation for being, well, a nerd camp. Gabe isn’t a nerd...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship realistic action-adventure book children-books
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