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Curse of the Night Witch by Alex Aster Welcome to: Emblem Island, where everyone is born with an emblem that shapes their fate.
What happens: Twelve-year-old Tor Luna tries to wish away his leadership emblem, only to have it replaced by a curse that will kill him in one week -- unless he goes on a perilous quest to find the legendary Night Witch.
For fans of: other fast-paced series starters inspired by Latin American myths, such as Tehlor Kay Mejia’s Paola Santiago and the River of Tears. | | Doodleville by Chad Sell In a world... where art comes to life, Drew brings her sketchbook full of mischievous doodles on an art club trip to the museum. There, the doodles escape and start causing trouble for the famous paintings, as well as for the other kids in art club.
Why you might like it: Bright, inviting illustrations help to balance the realistic worries and friendship problems in this graphic novel from the creator of The Cardboard Kingdom. | |
The Amazing Life of Azaleah Lane
by
Nikki Shannon Smith
The story: Azaleah loved her class field trip to the National Zoo in Washington D.C, and is looking forward to earning extra credit by building a diorama of a tiger in his natural habitat for extra credit--but before she can even begin her task she has to solve the mystery of her younger sister's favorite missing stuffed animal because her parents and older sister are too busy and Tiana is ready to throw a tantrum.
The author: Nikki Shannon Smith is a local author who lives in Davis and has presented at the Mary L. Stephens Davis Branch Library!
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Gold Rush Girl
by
Avi
The story: Finding freedom and friendship in 1848 San Francisco while her father searches for gold, Tory embarks on a mud-caked search for her kidnapped brother throughout San Francisco Bay’s treacherous Rotten Row area and its hundreds of abandoned ships.
Why you should read it: Spot-on details and high suspense make this a vivid, absorbing historical adventure.
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Rise of the Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste Starring: Corrine La Mer, a brave girl who protects her Caribbean island community from the fearsome trickster jumbies, even though she’s half-jumbie herself.
What it’s about: When kids begin disappearing from the beach, Corrine turns to Mama D'Leau, leader of the ocean jumbies. Mama agrees to help, but only at a dangerous price.
Series alert: You can dive into this vivid fantasy series with this 2nd book, or start at the beginning The Jumbies. | | Race to the Bottom of the Sea by Lindsay Eagar What it’s about: Brilliant 11-year-old inventor Fidelia Quail is still recovering from the deaths of her marine biologist parents when she’s kidnapped by Merrick the Monstrous, a pirate who needs her science skills to retrieve a sunken treasure.
Read it for: humor, high seas adventure, a historical setting with futuristic tech, and characters who are more than they seem. | | Edison: The Mystery of the Missing Mouse Treasure by Torben Kuhlman; translated by David Henry Wilson Welcome to: Mouse University, where young mouse Pete and his elderly professor research an old shipwreck, build a mouse-sized submarine, and journey to the ocean floor in search of treasure.
Why you might like it: The art does the storytelling in this mostly wordless book -- you’ll be spellbound by the precise details and clever touches in the sophisticated illustrations.
You might also like: Armstrong and Lindbergh, two further tales of mouse trailblazers from German author/artist Torben Kuhlmann. | | Aquicorn Cove by Katie O'Neill What it's about: While visiting the seaside town where she used to live -- and where her mom died -- a girl named Lana rescues a tiny orange aquicorn (imagine a cross between a seahorse and a unicorn) and discovers that her family's past could affect the future of these magical creatures.
Art alert: From cool coastal blues to candy-bright pastels, the imaginative art in this graphic novel brims with color. | |
Contact your librarian for more great books for ages 8-11!
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