| Twins by Varian Johnson; illustrated by Shannon WrightStarring: brainy, nervous Maureen and confident go-getter Francine, identical twin sisters who used to be best friends.
What happens: Starting middle school highlights the ways in which the sisters are growing apart, although they still agree about one thing: each wants to beat the other in the race for class president.
Art alert: Smart details and expressive faces make it easy to tell the feuding twins apart in this warm, funny read (the 1st in a series). |
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| Saucy by Cynthia KadohataWhat it's about: In search of something to set her apart from her three siblings, 11-year-old Becca adopts a lost, sick piglet and names it Saucy. But adding an ever-growing pig to an already busy, messy family turns out to be way more trouble than Becca expected.
Why you might like it: It's hard not to smile at Saucy's attitude-filled antics, and you'll want to spend even more time with Becca and her diverse, loving, perfectly imperfect family. |
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| One-Third Nerd by Gennifer Choldenko; illustrated by Églantine CeulemansWhat it's about: Either the dog or the family has to go! So says the landlord of the apartment where Liam and his family live with Cupcake, their German Shepherd who keeps peeing on the carpet. Can Liam and his younger sisters -- scientist Dakota and hug expert Izzy -- find a way to keep both their dog and their home?
You might also like: Dana Alison Levy's Family Fletcher series, for further slice-of-life stories about a quirky, loving family. |
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| The Vanderbeekers to the Rescue by Karina Yan GlaserWhat it's about: During one hectic week, the five Vanderbeeker kids team up to save their mom's baking business and investigate the abandoned pets that keep appearing at their already-crowded home.
Series alert: Although this is the 3rd book about the determined, energetic Vanderbeekers, the story stands on its own.
Further reading: Similar to the Vanderbeekers series, Emma Donoghue's Lotterys series focuses on the joys and challenges of life in a large multiracial family. |
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| Gone Crazy in Alabama by Rita Williams-GarciaWhat it's about: Sisters Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern travel from their Brooklyn home to rural Alabama so they can spend the summer of 1969 with their grandmother, Big Ma. While there, the girls discover the complicated history of their African American family and get tangled in a long-standing feud between Big Ma and her half-sister. Series alert: Warm, vivid, and authentic, Gone Crazy in Alabama is a satisfying conclusion to the award-winning series that begins with One Crazy Summer and P.S. Be Eleven. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books for ages 8-11!
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