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Books for Kids and Tweens January 2023 |
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| Moongarden by Michelle A. BarryWhat it's about: In the year 2448, centuries after Earth's plants turned toxic and humanity spread across the solar system, moon resident Myra has a secret. Everyone at her elite school assumes she'll have mathematical magic, like her parents. But Myra's never felt any magic abilities -- not until she finds a hidden (and highly illegal) garden.
Why you might like it: This science fiction update of The Secret Garden is set in a fascinating future society with problems a lot like ours. (Ages 9-13.) |
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| Superworld: Save Noah by Yarrow and Carrie CheneyIntroducing: 12-year-old Noah, the only non-superpowered person in all of Superworld. He might also be the only person who can lead the team to defend the world from the biggest supervillain yet.
Art alert: With artwork featuring 3D models, this pun-filled, series-starting adventure has the look and high-energy vibes of an animated movie.
Try this next: William Boniface's Ordinary Boy series. (Ages 9-12.)
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| Ode to a Nobody by Caroline Brooks DuBoisStarring: 8th-grader Quinn, whose life is a mess: her parents are fighting, her perfect brother is away at college, and her best friend Jack would rather hang out with new girl Jade. But at least she can let some feelings out in the daily poems she writes.
What happens: A tornado tears through Quinn's town, showing her just how messy things can get.
How it's told: through Quinn's honest, heartfelt poems written before, during, and after the tornado. (Ages 9-13.) |
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| Swift & Hawk: Cyberspies by Logan MacxWhat it's about: After their parents are kidnapped, middle school friends Caleb, a prodigy at AI programming, and Zenobia, an expert robotics engineer, join up with a top-secret intelligence agency for a high-stakes rescue mission.
Read it for: codebreaking, cool spy technology, a pulse-pounding pace, and an international mystery.
For fans of: Stuart Gibbs' Spy School series or Anthony Horowitz's Alex Rider adventures. (Ages 9-12.) |
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| Dungeon Club: Roll Call by Molly Knox Ostertag and Xanthe Bouma What it's about: It's always been just Jess and her best friend Olivia in the Forgotten Realms of their two-person Dungeons & Dragons game. So why does Olivia suddenly want to expand their D&D party to new players?
Art alert: Lots of the colorful art in this graphic novel is from Jess' point of view, showing how she sees middle school friendships as a complicated RPG.
Who it's for: D&D fans, of course, plus anyone looking for an upbeat, imaginative read. (Ages 9-12.) |
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| The Switch by Roland SmithIn a world... where a global electromagnetic pulse has left people without electricity, 13-year-old Henry leaves the safety of his family's farm and ventures into the cutthroat outside world in search of his missing father.
Read it for: a gripping, suspenseful tale of human bonds -- and human greed -- in the wake of an epic disaster.
You might also like: Mary E. Lambert's Distress Signal. (Ages 8-12.) |
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| The Robber Girl by Franny BillingsleyWhat it's about: Robber Girl is 11 when Gentleman Jack, an outlaw and the only caretaker she's ever known, is jailed for robbing a stagecoach. Renamed Starling, the wild girl refuses to be tamed by the Judge who adopts her, instead following her own quest to free Jack and rediscover her past.
Read it for: a magic-filled Western setting; poetic writing; a spirited heroine you'll root for; and some hilarious psychic conversations between Starling and her treasured dagger. (Ages 10-13.) |
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| Take Back the Block by Chrystal D. GilesWhat it's about: Real estate developers are trying to buy up his old, familiar neighborhood, and stylish 11-year-old Wes is stressed by how it's breaking up his tight-knit crew of friends. How is it okay for poor families to get pushed out? And how can Wes possibly fight back?
You might also like: Maurice Broaddus' Unfadeable, another authentic read about a likeable kid figuring out how to stand up for their home. (Ages 8-13.)
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| Final Season by Tim GreenStarting lineup: Going into his sixth-grade season, quarterback Ben is looking forward to being coached by his dad, a former NFL player. But then old injuries impact his dad's health, and Ben begins to wonder if the joy of playing is worth the risks.
Why you might like it: Thrilling gridiron clashes balance out the serious questions Ben faces.
Did you know? Final Season is based on the real-life experiences of author and football player Tim Green. (Ages 9-13.) |
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| The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba HigueraAsleep: In 2061, 12-year-old aspiring storyteller Petra Peña and her family board a spaceship off the doomed Earth, entering suspended animation for the journey to a new planet.
Awake: When she's revived hundreds of years later, Petra discovers that the sinister Collective has wiped out almost everyone's memories of Earth. Only Petra remembers the stories that could save humanity.
For fans of: the brave characters, fascinating dystopian worlds, and intense emotions of Lois Lowry's classic Giver quartet. (Ages 10-14.) |
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| Too Bright to See by Kyle LukoffWhat it's about: Bug's family home in Vermont has always been haunted, but now that Uncle Roderick has died and it's just Bug and Mom, the ghosts seem to be trying to say something -- something about why Bug is uncomfortable with best friend Moira's obsession with clothes, makeup, and boys.
Why you might like it: This story of self-discovery offers genuinely spine-chilling moments alongside honest emotions and a thoughtful, relatable main character. (Ages 9-13.)
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| The Chance to Fly by Ali Stroker and Stacy DavidowitzStarring: musical-obsessed 13-year-old Nat, new in town and already missing her wheelchair racing team and her best friend Chloe. Landing a role in a kids' production of Wicked might be just the thing to help her find new friends, and maybe start to feel at home.
Who it's for: theater kids of all kinds, and fans of upbeat realistic stories.
Author buzz: Co-author Ali Stroker is also an award-winning performer, and the first person to appear on Broadway in a wheelchair. (Ages 9-12.) |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Las Vegas-Clark County Library District
7060 W. Windmill Lane
Las Vegas, Nevada 89113
(702) 734-7323
https://lvccld.org
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