|
|
|
24 Hours in Nowhere
by Dusti Bowling
Welcome 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.
|
|
|
A Good Kind of Trouble
by Lisa Moore Ramée
What it’s about: Smart, rule-following, seventh-grader Shayla doesn’t like to make waves -- just the thought of trouble makes her itchy. But when her formerly rock-solid friendships crumble and a police shooting prompts her to attend a Black Lives Matter protest with her family, Shay begins to wonder: are some kinds of trouble worth starting? Read it for: an honest look at middle school life starring relatable, real-sounding characters.
|
|
|
All Summer Long
by Hope Larson
What it’s about: With her best friend Austin ignoring her texts while he’s away at soccer camp, Bina has a lot of free time for playing her guitar and hanging out with Charlie, Austin’s surprisingly cool older sister.
Why Raina fans might like it: All Summer Long's expressive cartoon art and truthful take on friendship are a good fit for fans of Raina's realistic books.
Series alert: Keep an eye out for sequels -- there are two on the way!
|
|
| We Dream of Space by Erin Entrada KellyThe setting: Delaware, January 1986, where three very different siblings confront their own problems as they look forward to the launch of the space shuttle Challenger.
What happens: As their parents’ fighting gets worse and tragedy strikes the Challenger, Cash, Bird, and Fitch have to depend on each other like never before.
Why you might like it: Newbery Medalist Erin Entrada Kelly uses each kid’s point of view to give you a moving, up-close look at one family during a specific moment in time. |
|
| Twilight Hauntings by Angie SageIn a world... where Enchanters and Enchantment are illegal, orphan Alex is on the run, chased by terrifying Hauntings, with no clue about her identity besides a set of enchanted cards and no company besides her foster brother Louie and their pet pokkle.
What’s inside: thrilling action, offbeat humor, and a twisty plot, all set within an inviting, complex fantasy world.
Series alert: This is Book One of Enchanter’s Child, a new series from the author of the popular Septimus Heap books. |
|
|
Bone Jack
by Sara Crowe
What it's about: Ash should be proud to be leading this year's Stag Chase, an ancient ritual that persists in his modern English town. But with eerie incidents on the rise -- including his ex-best friend hiding in the woods and raving about old magic -- Ash's pride is replaced by fear that something sinister is stirring.
Who it's for: Blending fantasy, horror, and mythology, Bone Jack will captivate readers craving haunting, deeply creepy stories.
|
|
|
Elizabeth and Zenobia
by Jessica Miller
Featuring: 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.
|
|
| Making Friends by Kristen GudsnukWhat it’s about: After a doodle of her favorite anime character springs off the page and into life, awkward 7th-grader Dany realizes that the sketchbook she inherited from her grandma can make drawings real, giving Dany the chance to create a perfect best friend.
For fans of: the friendship-focused, slice-of-life graphic novels by Terri Libenson, Kayla Miller, and Svetlana Chmakova.
Series alert: Dany and her magical notebook return in a sequel, Back to the Drawing Board. |
|
| Rules for Stealing Stars by Corey Ann HayduWhat it’s about: Moving to an old house offers an unexpected escape for 11-year-old Silly and her sisters: each of the house’s closets leads to a different alternate world. It’s a relief to get away from their unpredictable alcoholic mother, but will the lure of new realities drive the sisters apart?
Is it for you? If you can handle the pain and sadness of the sisters’ situation, you’ll also get to delve into the spellbinding magic they discover and the hopeful connection they share. |
|
| The Book of Boy by Catherine Gilbert MurdockWhat it's about: Since life in his medieval French village is grim and lonely for Boy, an orphan with a hump on his back, he signs on as servant to a shady traveler named Secondus, and soon finds himself on a dangerous (and possibly magical) journey to collect seven holy relics.
Try this next: Avi's Crispin: The Cross of Lead for another unlikely friendship between misfits, or Adam Gidwitz's The Inquisitor's Tale for another blend of fantasy, faith, and gritty history. |
|
Contact your librarian for more books for ages 10-13!
|
|
|
Mary Riley Styles Public Library 601 S. Oak St. [Temporary Location] Falls Church, Virginia 22046 703-248-5030 (TTY 711)www.fallschurchva.gov/library |
|
|
|