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| The Last Gargoyle by Paul DurhamWhat it's about: Don't call Penhallow Fitch a gargoyle. He's a Grotesque, thank you very much, and the guardian of a Boston apartment building. When the Boneless King, ruler of the underworld, comes after the building's newest residents, Penhallow -- along with a peculiar new friend, Viola -- is determined to fight.
You might also like: Similar to The Last Gargoyle, Anne Nesbet's A Box of Gargoyles offers intriguing mysteries, sinister villains, touches of humor, and (you guessed it) gargoyles. |
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| Black Panther: The Young Prince by Ronald L. SmithWhat it's about: Years before he becomes the superhero Black Panther, Prince T'Challa is sent from his homeland of Wakanda to a school on the South Side of Chicago. The move is supposed to keep him safe, but even middle school can be dangerous...and T'Challa's school might be hiding a paranormal threat.
For fans of: the recent Black Panther movie, or Shannon and Dean Hale's The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (another story about a Marvel superhero's school days). |
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| My Diary from the Edge of the World by Jodi Lynn AndersonWhat it's about: In Gracie's world, migrating dragons attack strip malls, ghosts linger in backyards, sasquatches lurk in the woods, and Dark Clouds appear before people die. After a Dark Cloud arrives for Gracie's brother, their parents take the family on a wild road trip in search of a safe haven from the supernatural.
Is it for you? If you prefer fantasy stories rooted in reality, you'll love the eccentric characters and bittersweet plot in this imaginative read, written in the form of Gracie's diary.
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| From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess by Meg CabotStarring: average New Jersey sixth-grader Olivia Harrison, who's just as shocked as anyone when Princess Mia Thermopolis shows up at school and informs Olivia that they're half-sisters.
Why you might like it: Whether or not you're familiar with the Princess Diaries movies or books, you can enjoy all of the exciting (and awkward) moments that Olivia shares in her notebook as she adjusts to a royal lifestyle. |
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| Diary of a Mad Brownie by Bruce CovilleStarring: Scottish brownie Angus Cairns, a pint-sized magical creature bound by a curse to serve his new mistress, Alex Carhart. Through Angus' diary (as well as through texts, zany illustrations, and hilariously bad poetry), you can watch as neat-freak Angus clashes with messy 11-year-old Alex...and as the two reluctantly join forces after the curse threatens Alex's family.
Read this next: Want more funny books about magical creatures in the human world? Try Adam Rex's Cold Cereal Saga. |
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| The Thing About Luck by Cynthia KadohataWhat it's about: After their parents are called away to Japan, Summer and her brother Jaz have to spend wheat-harvesting season with their old-fashioned grandparents instead. Jiichan and Obaachan are equal parts caring and frustrating, and their health isn't great -- which means that when things go wrong, it's up to Summer to make her own luck.
Is it for you? If you're looking for realistic yet offbeat characters, you'll enjoy getting to know Summer's family through this peek into her journal. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Huntington Beach Public Library Central Library 7111 Talbert Avenue Huntington Beach, California 92648 714.842.4481www.hbpl.org |
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