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| 24 Hours in Nowhere by Dusti BowlingWelcome to: Nowhere, Arizona, a sad, boring town where nothing ever happens...until the day that five kids -- including dirtbike racer Rossi, brainy Gus, and obnoxious bully Bo -- venture into the Dead Frenchman Mine in search of legendary gold.
What's inside: a vivid setting and touches of humor, as well as cave-ins, bat guano, mountain lion encounters, and unexpected friendships forged in shared danger. |
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| Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish by Pablo CartayaStarring: 14-year-old Marcus Vega, six feet tall and already sporting a mustache.
What happens: After Marcus punches a bully who insulted his brother, their mom takes them both to visit family in Puerto Rico, where Marcus begins searching for his long-absent father.
Why you might like it: Whether or not you're familiar with Puerto Rico, you'll feel like you're there with Marcus as he explores the music, food, places, and people of the island. |
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| Sheets by Brenna ThummlerFeaturing: Wendell, a sheet-wearing ghost who can't leave the human world behind; and Marjorie, who's grieving for her mom while also going to school, running the family laundromat, and taking care of her dad and brother.
What happens: Marjorie catches Wendell in the laundromat (hey, it's full of sheets!), and both lonely characters find the friendship they need.
Art alert: Soft pastels and spectral blue-grays add to the wistful, haunting atmosphere in this graphic novel. |
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| Nightbooks by J.A. WhiteWhat it's about: Alex is on his way to destroy his notebooks full of horror stories when he suddenly finds himself inside one: he's held captive by a fearsome witch who demands that he tell her a terrifying tale every night.
Reviewers say: "Readers who prefer their magic dark will be spellbound" (Booklist).
Try this next: For books with a similar feel but a more hair-raising edge, try Tom McNeal's Far Far Away or Adam Gidwitz's Grimm series. |
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| School of the Dead by AviWhat it's about: After his Uncle Charlie's death, seventh-grader Tony is comforted by appearances from Charlie's ghost -- after all, the two of them shared an interest in the supernatural. Less comforting is Tony's new school, where students go missing, spirits haunt secret passageways, and no one is what they seem.
Is it for you? Pairing a suspenseful plot with otherworldly chills, School of the Dead is just creepy enough to satisfy fans of mystery and horror alike. |
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The Inn Between
by Marina Cohen
During a long car trip, best friends Quinn and Kara explore the strange and creepy goings-on at a remote Nevada inn when Kara's family stops for the night
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| Elizabeth and Zenobia by Jessica MillerFeaturing: shy, faint-hearted Elizabeth, who's uneasy about moving into Witheringe House, her father's uncanny childhood home; and her unusual friend Zenobia, who's obsessed with finding spirits inside the East Wing.
What's inside: living wallpaper, a magical book, an overgrown hedge maze, and a bone-chilling family secret.
Is it for you? If you can't get enough billowing fog and simmering suspense, you won't want to miss this gothic mystery. |
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Cast no shadow
by Nick Tapalansky
Greg, who was born without a shadow, is an outcast in his town until he encounters Eleanor, a ghost haunting an abandoned mansion, and their budding romance unleashes an ominous danger that threatens the entire town
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| Thornhill by Pam SmyWhat it is: an eerie, captivating blend of words and art that pulls you into the lives of two girls who lived decades apart.
What happens: In 1982, mute orphan Mary plans her revenge on the bullies at the Thornhill Institute for Children, while in 2017, lonely Ella sees a girl wandering the grounds of the abandoned Institute. Then Ella finds Mary's diaries, and their stories collide.
For fans of: the layered storytelling of Brian Selznick or Ransom Riggs. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books for ages 10-13!
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