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Stuffed
by Liz Braswell
What it’s about: Have you ever felt like your favorite toys could protect you from darkness and monsters? That’s how it feels for bullied 11-year-old Clark -- only in his case, it’s true.
What happens: Clark and his new friend, a handmade sock toy named Foon, must rescue Clark’s dad from the sinister shadow monster that stalks him.
Don’t miss: the chapters told from Foon’s unique point of view, as well as the patterns for making your own stuffed toys.
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Toby's story
by W. Bruce Cameron
What it's about: Left behind because he is less energetic than his littermates, a quiet beagle pup is adopted at last by a girl and her mother, a nursing-home employee who brings the pup in to comfort home residents.
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Goldilocks, go home
by Martha Freeman
What it's about: "Stranded in the home of The Three Bears for a week by Big Bad Wolf activity, a drama-prone teen Goldilocks, dubbed ""Furless"" by host Bobby Bear, endures adventures involving a hungry troll, Anansi the trickster spider and three pigs with a home-improvement show."
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| Allies by Alan GratzThe date: June 6, 1944, also known as D-Day, when one of the most important battles of World War II was fought.
The characters: young Americans Dee and Sid, both fighting on the front lines; French-Algerian Resistance spy Samira; Canadian paratrooper James; African American medic Henry; and many others who help to turn the tide of the war.
For fans of: serious, dramatic war stories like Projekt 1065 and Grenade, also by popular author Alan Gratz. |
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A zombie ate my homework
by Tom Greenwald
After Arnold Z. Ombee, a zombie, escapes a government lab, he is adopted by the Kinders, who agree to keep his identity secret and teach him how to act like a human boy, as he gets ready for his first test, the fifth grade
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| Zoey and Sassafras: Dragons and Marshmallows by Asia Citro; illustrated by Marion LindsayIntroducing: smart, curious Zoey and her cat Sassafras, who’ve just discovered that Zoey can see magical animals, just like her scientist mom can.
What happens: While her mom is away, Zoey has to use her own science know-how to help a sick baby dragon.
Why you might like it: Short chapters, cute artwork, and a can-do attitude make this series starter a winning choice. |
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| Meet Yasmin! by Saadia Faruqi; illustrated by Hatem AlyWhat it’s about: Pakistani American second-grader Yasmin uses her imagination in all kinds of ways: she maps her neighborhood, joins in painting and building projects at school, and finds inspiration in her mom’s colorful kameez.
Read it for: energetic art, zippy chapters, and a chance for those who don’t speak Urdu to learn some new words.
Try this next: Jules Jacqueline’s My Family Adventure, another chapter book about an adventurous, easy-to-like girl and her family. |
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| Megabat by Anna Humphrey; illustrated by Kass ReichWhat it's about: After moving into his new attic bedroom, Daniel Misumi discovers an unexpected roommate: Megabat, a talking fruit bat who just wants to go home to Borneo.
Why you might like it: It's hard not to smile at Megabat's unusual way of speaking (smooshfruit, anyone?) and love of Star Wars (he's even got a bendy-straw lightsaber).
Series alert: This illustrated story of cross-species friendship is the 1st in a series. |
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| Sam Wu Is Not Afraid of Ghosts by Katie and Kevin Tsang; illustrated by Nathan ReedWhat it’s about: After an embarrassing pants-wetting incident earns him the nickname Scaredy-Cat Sam, Sam Wu decides to prove his bravery by adopting a pet snake (no, he doesn’t need to hold it) and hunting the ghost that haunts his closet.
Series alert: This is the 1st book in a funny, eye-catching series, followed by Sam Wu Is Not Afraid of Sharks and Sam Wu Is Not Afraid of the Dark.
You might also like: Lenore Look’s Alvin Ho series. |
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| Mia Mayhem Is a Superhero! by Kara West; illustrated by Leeza HernandezStarring: eight-year-old Mia Macarooney, a "total disaster machine" who’s thrilled to learn that she’s not clumsy, she’s a superhero!
What happens: Mia’s parents are super too, and they help her through an awkward start at PITS (Program for In Training Superheroes).
For fans of: the easy-to-read style and page-turning action in Shannon and Dean Hale’s Princess in Black series. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books for ages 8-11!
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