Eugene McGillicudy works hard to tie for first place on the spelling test. His success leads to a confrontation with arch-enemy Meredith during a spelling bee, and Eugene must summon his alter ego, Captain Awesome. The story is slight, but a mystery superhero introduced at the end will pique readers' interest. Cartoon black-and-white illustrations appear with cruder drawings attributed to Eugene.

BRANFORD, Anna . Violet Mackerel's Personal Space . illus. by Elanna Allen. 116p. S &; S / Atheneum . Sept. 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-3591-9 ; pap. $5.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-3592-6 ; ebook $5.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-3593-3 . LC 2012025783. Gr 1-3 BRUEL, Nick . Bad Kitty School Daze . illus. by author. 160p. Roaring Brook / A Neal Porter Bk. 2013. PLB $13.99. ISBN 978-1-59643-670-1 . LC 2012015359. Gr 35 COTLER, Steve . Cheesie Mack Is Running Like Crazy . Bk. 3. illus. by Douglas Holgate. 240p. Random . June 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-307-97713-7 ; PLB $18.99. ISBN 978-0-307-97714-4 ; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-307-97715-1 . LC 2012017978. Gr 36 DELANEY, Joseph . Slither . Bk. 11. illus. by Patrick Arrasmith. 398p. (The Last Apprentice Series). HarperCollins / Greenwillow . 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-219234-9 . LC 2012042032. Gr 58 HOLUB, Joan &; Suzanne Williams . Hades and the Helm of Darkness . Bk. 3. illus. by Craig Phillips. 128p. (Heroes in Training Series). S &; S / Aladdin . 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-5725-6 ; pap. $5.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-5267-1 ; ebook $5.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-5268-8 . LC 2012942890. Gr 24 HOLUB, Joan &; Suzanne Williams . Pheme the Gossip . 272p. (Goddess Girls Series). S &; S / Aladdin . 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-6138-3 ; pap. $5.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-4937-4 ; ebook $5.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-4938-1 . LC 2013930969. Gr 36 HUNTER, Erin . The Sun Trail . Bk. 1. illus. by Wayne McLoughlin. 312p. (Warriors: Dawn of the Clans Series). HarperCollins / Harper . 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-206346-5 ; PLB $17.89. ISBN 978-0-06-206347-2 . Gr 4 Up JOBLING, Curtis . Storm of Sharks . Bk. 5. 454p. (Wereworld Series). Viking . May 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-670-78558-2 . Gr 68 KENYON, Sherrilyn . Inferno . Bk. 4. 464p. (Chronicles of Nick Series). St. Martin's / Griffin . 2013. Tr $18.99. ISBN 978-1-250-00283-9 ; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-250-02340-7 . Gr 710 KIRBY, Stan . Captain Awesome and the Ultimate Spelling Bee . Bk. 7. illus. by George O'Connor. 128p. S &; S / Little Simon . 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-5156-8 ; pap. $4.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-5156-8 . LC 2011046177. Gr 13 KOWITT, H. N. Jinx of the Loser . Bk. 3. illus. by author. 224p. (The Loser List Series). Scholastic . May 2013. Tr $9.99. ISBN 978-0-545-50794-3 ; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-545-53955-5 . Gr 47 MULL, Brandon . Chasing the Prophecy . Bk. 3. 512p. (Beyonders Series). S &; S / Aladdin . 2013. Tr $19.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-9796-2 ; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-9800-6 . LC 2012035223. Gr 5–8 SMITH, Clete Barrett . Aliens in Disguise . illus. by Christian Slade. 240p. (The Intergalactic Bed and Breakfast Series). Hyperion / Disney . 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4231-6598-9 . LC 2012019758. Gr 3–6 STINE, R.L. How I Met My Monster . Bk. 3. 140p. (Goosebumps Most Wanted Series). Scholastic . 2013. pap. $6.99. ISBN 978-0-545-41800-3 ; ebook $6.99. ISBN 978-0-545-51017-2 . Gr 3–5 TASHJIAN, Janet . My Life as a Cartoonist . illus. by Jake Tashjian. 288p. Holt . May 2013. Tr $12.99. ISBN 978-0-8050-9609-5 . Gr 4–7 PEIRCE, Lincoln . Big Nate: Game On! illus. by author. 224p. Andrews McMeel . 2013. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4494-2777-1 . LC 2012952339. Gr 2–4 PENNYPACKER, Sara . Clementine and the Spring Trip . Bk. 6. illus. by Marla Frazee. 160p. Hyperion / Disney . 2013. RTE $14.99. ISBN 978-1-4231-2357-6 . LC 2011052991. Gr 2–4 WARNER, Gertrude Chandler . The Boardwalk Mystery . Bk. 131. 128p. (The Boxcar Children Series). Albert Whitman . 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-8075-0802-2 ; pap. $5.99. 978-0-8075-0803-9. LC 2012020161. Gr 2–5 WEST, Jacqueline . The Strangers . Bk. 4. illus. by Poly Bernatene. 320p. (The Books of Elsewhere Series). Dial . July 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-8037-3690-0 . LC 2012040004. Gr 4–6