Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Strange Night Writing of Jessamine Colter | 1988 | Cynthia C. DeFelice | Buy |
| 2 | The Dancing Skeleton | 1989 | Cynthia C. DeFelice | Buy |
| 3 | The Light on Hogback Hill | 1993 | Cynthia C. DeFelice | Buy |
| 4 | Lostman’s River | 1994 | Cynthia C. DeFelice | Buy |
| 5 | The Apprenticeship of Lucas Whitaker | 1996 | Cynthia C. DeFelice | Buy |
| 6 | Nowhere to Call Home | 1999 | Cynthia C. DeFelice | Buy |
| 7 | Cold Feet | 2000 | Cynthia C. DeFelice | Buy |
| 8 | Under the Same Sky | 2003 | Cynthia C. DeFelice | Buy |
| 9 | The Missing Manatee | 2005 | Cynthia C. DeFelice | Buy |
| 10 | Signal | 2009 | Cynthia C. DeFelice | Buy |
| 11 | Wild Life | 2011 | Cynthia C. DeFelice | Buy |
| 12 | Fort | 2015 | Cynthia C. DeFelice | Buy |
Cynthia C. DeFelice’s standalone novels span nearly three decades and cover a wide range of subjects for middle grade readers. Many of these books feature kids who are on their own or in unfamiliar situations, forced to figure things out without much adult help. Nature, rural settings, and survival are common threads throughout.
Her earlier books like The Strange Night Writing of Jessamine Colter (1988) and The Light on Hogback Hill (1993) have a slightly eerie quality, while later novels like Signal (2009), Wild Life (2011), and Fort (2015) are more grounded in contemporary outdoor adventure. Titles like Nowhere to Call Home and The Apprenticeship of Lucas Whitaker offer historical settings and are often used in school curricula. These are solid choices for readers who enjoy independent characters and stories set outside the city.