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Kids' Books September 2017
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The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart
by Stephanie Burgis
Fantasy. Aventurine is disgusted by what she's become: a human! Ugh! One cup of enchanted hot chocolate has transformed her from a fierce young dragon into a fangless human girl. The only upside to this change is that as a human, Aventurine can escape her over-protective family and follow her newfound passion…for chocolate, of course. Readers who love feisty heroines will root for Aventurine as she becomes an apprentice chocolatier, collects a group of diverse friends, and puzzles out her place in the human world. For another confectionary fantasy, try The Whizz Pop Chocolate Shop by Kate Saunders.
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| The Losers Club by Andrew ClementsFiction. It's called the Losers Club to prevent people from joining. Lots of members are the last thing that book-loving sixth-grader Alex wants in a club that he only started because his after-school program doesn't have any choices for kids who just want to sit and read. Alex is fine with sharing his quiet reading time with Losers Club co-founder Nina (who, okay, he kind of likes), but frustrated by the other people who join – people like his former best friend who turned into a total jerk. Funny and hopeful, The Losers Club is sure to satisfy fans of author Andrew Clements' popular school stories. |
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The Girl with the Ghost Machine
by Lauren DeStefano
Paranormal Fiction. What would you sacrifice to see a lost loved one again? Ever since her mother died, Emmaline's father has been building a machine to bring back her ghost. It's Emmaline, however, who figures out how to make the machine work…and discovers that each visit from a ghost destroys a memory of that person. Hiding her discovery from everyone but her twin best friends, Emmaline has to decide if bringing back ghosts is really worth the price. If you're looking for an outside-the-box ghost story, don't miss this creepy, thoughtful, and heartbreaking tale -- and make sure you have some tissues ready!
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The Great Treehouse War
by Lisa Graff
Fiction. Winne's parents' divorce agreement is a little bit weird. In order to divide their daughter's time equally, they build a fancy treehouse between their yards, so that Winnie can spend three days a week with each parent and one day in the treehouse. It's a stressful set-up, and when the push-and-pull between her parents becomes too much, Winnie climbs into the treehouse and refuses to come down until they see reason. She's soon joined by nine of her friends with demands of their own, leading to an outrageous kids versus adults standoff that you won't soon forget.
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| Beanstalker and Other Hilarious Scary Tales by Kiersten WhiteFairy Tales. Though the characters are familiar -- Cinderella, Snow White, Little Red Riding Hood -- these fairy tales don't end with happily-ever-afters. Filled instead with bloodthirsty monsters and dark shadows, they play with both words and expectations: here, Rapunzel has a short, spiky 'do and a long pet snake named Herr. As funny as they are scary, the stories all share a snarky narrator, who often butts in with comments such as "fee fie foe fum, Jack, that plan was really dumb…" If you like the gross and gruesome style of Adam Gidwidtz's Grimm series, you'll want to devour these "disturbingly delightful" (Kirkus Reviews) tales. |
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| Public School Superhero by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts; illustrated by Cory ThomasGraphic Novel Hybrid. Stainlezz Steel is a powerful superhero who's always battling villains and looking out for the little guy. He's also the fictional creation of 6th-grader Kenny Wright, who lives with his grandma, loves chess, and gets bullied at his crowded city school. The school's new principal, however, actually seems to care about Kenny, so when an unwanted transfer threatens to take her away, Kenny channels Stainlezz Steel for the courage to step up and speak out. Peppered with comic book-style illustrations, Public School Superhero is an honest (and hilarious) peek into one kid's life and imagination. |
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| The Marvels by Brian SelznickFiction. In 1766, young Billy Marvel survives a shipwreck and gets a job at a fancy London theater. In 1990, Joseph Jervis runs away from school to look for his uncle in London. Billy's story is presented entirely through lifelike, carefully shaded pencil illustrations, while Joseph's is told only through words. The way in which these two characters connect might surprise you, even if you're already familiar with Brian Selznick's layered, award-winning storytelling. Based on a true story, The Marvels is a bittersweet tale of lost love and found family that will stay with you long after the final page. (Fans of Brian Selznick may also be interested in the movie version of his book Wonderstruck, in theaters this fall.) |
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| Lost in NYC: A Subway Adventure by Nadja Spiegelman; illustrated by Sergio Garcia SanchezGraphic Novel Hybrid. It's field trip day, and as Mr. Bartle's 6th grade class gets ready to visit the Empire State building, new kid Pablo feels sure that he can manage the New York City subway on his own. Yet when the class boards one train, Pablo winds up on another, leading Alicia (his subway-savvy field trip partner) on a fast-paced chase through the city. Busy artwork reflects the colorful bustle of real-life NYC, while maps and diagrams help you follow Pablo and Alicia's travels. If your eyes are especially sharp, you might even spot the Where's Waldo-like characters who appear throughout this unusual graphic novel hybrid. |
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| Desmond Pucket Makes Monster Magic by Mark TatulliFiction. Desmond Pucket considers himself a "Gourmet of Gore," and relishes nothing more than using his special effects skills to pull disgusting practical jokes at school. The school disciplinary officer, however, isn't amused by toilet goblins or exploding zombie heads -- Desmond will have to change his ways if he wants to go on the upcoming class trip. Only now, another prankster is creating slimy surprises…and letting Desmond take the blame! Readers who enjoy the cartoon illustrations, gross-out jokes, and instructions for special effects in this series opener won't want to miss the sequels, starting with Desmond Pucket and the Mountain Full of Monsters. |
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| Hamster Princess: Harriet the Invincible by Ursula VernonGraphic Fantasy. Princess Harriet Hamsterbone is no Sleeping Beauty, that's for sure. For one thing, she's a hamster. For another, she refuses to hide just because she's been cursed to fall into an enchanted sleep on her 12th birthday. Believing instead that the curse will protect her until age 12, Harriet rides forth on her trusty quail to fight monsters, go cliff-diving, and generally have adventures before her fateful birthday. And when the curse finally does strike…well, you'll have to read this witty, cartoon-illustrated chapter book (the 1st in a series) to find out what happens! |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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