Books like 'Wrecker'
Readers who enjoyed Wrecker by Carl Hiaasen also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary mystery action / adventure realistic humor friendship children family crime historical-fiction
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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...Categorized as:
children crime friendship humor law-enforcement realistic action-adventure audiobook -
Big Game by Stuart Gibbs
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWhen someone takes aim at Rhonda Rhino, FunJungle's pregnant (and endangered) Asian greater one-horned rhinoceros, the zoo steps up security measures in order to protect this rare animal and her baby.But the extra security isn't enough;someone is still getting too close for comfort... -
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... -
Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsAn utterly wonderful debut novel of love, crime, magic, fate and a boy’s coming of age, set in 1980s Australia and infused with the originality, charm, pathos, and heart of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.The mind can take you anywhere you want to goEli Bell’s life is complicated...Categorized as:
coming-of-age crime family friendship historical-fiction humor realistic 21st-century -
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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 crime humor law-enforcement realistic action-adventure animals anthropomorphism -
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... -
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... -
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...Categorized as:
children realistic humor romantic-love friendship law-enforcement middle-grade mystery -
City of the Dead by James Ponti
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIn this fourth installment in the New York Times bestselling series from Edgar Award winner James Ponti, the young group of spies go codebreaking in Cairo in another international adventure perfect for fans of Spy School and Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls.Codename Kathmandu, better known as Kat, loves logic and order, has a favorite eight-digit number, and can spot a pattern from a mile away... -
Forbidden City by James Ponti
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIn this third “thrilling” (Kirkus Reviews) installment in the New York Times bestselling series from Edgar Award winner James Ponti, the young group of spies help a fellow agent in another international adventure perfect for fans of Spy School and Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls... -
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:
children coming-of-age family friendship historical-fiction humor law-enforcement realistic -
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... -
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 coming-of-age family friendship humor law-enforcement realistic action-adventure -
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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...Categorized as:
children family friendship humor law-enforcement realistic action-adventure audiobook -
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 outdoors action-adventure book children-books contemporary -
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. . . -
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. . . -
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 family humor law-enforcement realistic action-adventure book children-books -
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. .Categorized as:
children family friendship humor law-enforcement realistic action-adventure audiobook -
Belly Up by Stuart Gibbs
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsTwelve-year-old Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt Fitzroy believes that Henry, the hippopotamus at the brand-new FunJungle, has been murdered. The zoo’s top brass claim the hippo went belly up the natural way, but Teddy and his feisty friend Summer McCraken have other ideas... -
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... -
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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... -
Shatterproof by Roland Smith
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsAfter pulling some spectacular heists, Amy and Dan have become two of Interpol's most wanted criminals. So when Vesper One orders them to steal the world's largest diamond, they know they're facing life in prison...or worse. But with the Cahill hostages still in peril, Amy and Dan have no choice but to launch a mission that leads them to an ancient city full of dangerous secrets... -
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... -
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...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age crime family friendship historical-fiction humor law-enforcement -
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...Categorized as:
children family friendship humor law-enforcement realistic action-adventure audiobook -
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...Categorized as:
children crime friendship humor law-enforcement realistic action-adventure audiobook -
Explorer Academy by Trudi Trueit
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsAdventure, danger, and a thrilling global mission await 12-year-old Cruz Coronado as he joins an elite school for explorers.Cruz leaves his tranquil home in Hawaii to join 23 talented kids from around the globe to train at the Explorer Academy with the world's leading scientists to become the next generation of great explorers. But for Cruz, there's more at stake...Categorized as:
children family friendship law-enforcement outdoors action-adventure book children-books -
Golden Gate by James Ponti
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAfter thwarting a notorious villain at an eco-summit in Paris, the City Spies are gearing up for their next mission. Operating out of a base in Scotland, this secret team of young agents working for the British Secret Intelligence Service’s MI6 division have honed their unique skills, such as sleight of hand, breaking and entering, observation, and explosives... -
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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... -
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 law-enforcement realistic action-adventure audiobook book -
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... -
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... -
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 historical-fiction law-enforcement realistic action-adventure audiobook book -
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 -
"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... -
Look Into My Eyes by Lauren Child
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsHey, buster! Crack open this new series starring Ruby Redfort — Clarice Bean's favorite all-action heroine — and you will literally be on the edge of your wits.Everyone knows that Clarice Bean is exceptionordinarily keen on the Ruby Redfort books...Categorized as:
children crime friendship historical-fiction humor law-enforcement realistic action-adventure -
Find and Keep by K. Sterling
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAiden and Lane return with Lavender and Sage in another Boys Of Lake Cliff book. A baby can cause quite a stir in a town like Lake Cliff. Sometimes, in ways you wouldn't expect. Mr. Lavender reminds us that he'll only be predictable when it suits him and changing one's stripes can be tricky. Big changes are coming to Lake Cliff and a baby's just the beginning... -
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Dare You by Jennifer Brown
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIn the second book of the suspenseful Shade Me trilogy, Nikki Kill becomes embroiled in another mystery where only her synesthesia can help her unravel the dark truth.Nikki Kill didn’t realize that trying to find out who killed Peyton Hollis would tangle her in a web of dangerous family secrets that would rock her identity to the core... -
Winterborne Home for Mayhem and Mystery by Ally Carter
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFive orphans. Two sword-wielding vigilantes. One mansion. No rules. April thought she had her happy ending. After all, she has her new house and new friends and new guardian. But she also has a very big new secret. The kids of Winterborne House are the only ones who know that Gabriel Winterborne—famous billionaire and terrible cook—is really a sword-wielding vigilante...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship law-enforcement realistic action-adventure audiobook -
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... -
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...Categorized as:
children crime family law-enforcement realistic action-adventure book children-books -
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... -
Sammy Keyes and the Hollywood Mummy [With 3 Cassettes] by Wendelin Van Draanen, Tara Sands
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsThe sixth Sammy Keyes book is one of the most exciting yet, as Sammy and her friend Marissa decide to blow town and take a bus to the seedy, insane town of Hollywood to surprise (and shake some sense into) Sammy's mother, the elusive Lady Lana...Categorized as:
children family friendship humor law-enforcement realistic 21st-century action-adventure
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