Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians by Jarrett J Krosoczka. Alfred A Knopf, 2009. 100 pages

Welcome the new superheros--- Lunch Lady-- serving justice AND lunch-- this time she is fighting the evil librarians who are trying to rid the library of video games--AAAARRRGGGH!!! A new graphic for the elementary set-- clean lines and simple, humorous drawings with unsaturated light color create a lighter, simpler juvenile graphic than Secret Science Alliance-- while several of the themes remain the same-- set in a school with friends who must solve a mystery only they can see--in the end, the kids- and the Lunch Lady--overcome! The spare and uncluttered pages will appeal to both younger students as well as reluctant readers. And, of course, Lunch Ladies and Librarians.

Lone Wolf (Wolves of the Beyond) by Kathryn Laskey. Scholastic Press, 2009. 250 pages.

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riodan. Disney-Hyperion, 2006. 400 pages

Very Harry Potteresque-- Young Percy Jackson learns at the age of 12 that he is really a demi-god-- his absent father is really Neptune, God of the Sea. For his own safety he must leave his mortal mother and his home in Manhattan and travel to Camp Half-Blood with his best friend who, it turns out, is not a boy at all, but a Satyr (goat feet). He learns the skills needed to survive the greek monsters and must go one a quest with Grover and new friend Annabeth. They must find who has stolen lightning from Zeus-- but before they do, lots of adventures and humor and learning about Greek mythology
Very Harry Potter-- if for a younger set who like the US setting, the fresh and sassy and smart alecky Percy and a lot more action-- less pages but still a healthy read. i enjoyed it. An 11 year old i am very friendly with Loved it and cannot wait to read them all--fancies himself a young Percy i have no doubt-- just waiting to be rescued and sent to live with his exciting new family...
A very good series-- i recommend it absolutely-- kids love it. it will not have the adult followers that HP did, but it is not as deep as HP-- still
i do not hesitate to recommend it and even put it on the city of boston's myths and legends summer book list for middle school grades 6-8.