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| The Swag Is in the Socks by Kelly J. BaptistThe gift: On his birthday, seventh-grade loner Xavier Moon receives a wild pair of socks from his larger-than-life great uncle, along with a challenge to "get your sad self together."
The response: Trying to be as bold as his new socks, Xavier sets out to join the Scepter League, an exclusive club for boys with leadership abilities.
You might also like: Janae Marks' From the Desk of Zoe Washington, another funny, honest read about a kid facing challenges and finding confidence. |
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| Ace Takes Flight by Cory McCarthyWhat it's about: It's 2048, and 11-year-old Ace is finally living his dreams as a cadet at the Biological Enhancement Systems Technology (B.E.S.T.) Program, where students train to receive "augmentations" to their minds and bodies. Ace longs for wings -- but does he have what it takes to earn them?
Read it for: fast-paced action, characters you'll want to hang out with, and a fascinating future setting.
Series alert: Ace Takes Flight kicks off the exciting B.E.S.T. World trilogy. |
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What it's about: Looking forward to showing off his inventions at the Contraption Convention, Rube Goldberg gets distracted when strange incidents plague the town, he gets in a fight with his friends and his anxiety kicks in. Series alert: The hilarious first book in an all-new illustrated middle-grade series starring young inventor Rube Goldberg.
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Katt Loves Dogg by James PattersonWhat it's about: During a family reunion at the Eastern Wilderness Reserve, adventurers and expert trackers Molly the katt and Oscar the dogg must outsmart the rule-makers when two of their cousins run away together. Read it for: humor and paw-some story adventures.
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Featuring: a failed young wizard and her cleanup crew, this delightfully dysfunctional middle grade fantasy is an imaginative twist on magic school that’s perfect for fans of Nevermoor and The School for Good and Evil. What it's about: Training to be a Magical Occurrence Purger—one who cleans up messes real wizards leave behind—failed wizard Cara Moone must fix a rift in the fabric of magic itself when the so-called Chosen One’s spell goes awry.
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Meranda and the Legend of the Lake by Meagan MahoneyWhat it's about: Anne of Green Gables meets Song for a Whale with a touch of Nancy Drew in this debut middle-grade mystery. Reviewers say: "Mahoney's debut novel combines the fantastical and contemporary to create an accessible story for young readers ... An intriguing mystery set in the mythical backdrop of a coastal Canadian town, starring an unstoppable girl driven by curiosity and her adventurous nature. " -Booklist
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| The Fabled Stables: Willa the Wisp by Jonathan Auxier; illustrated by Olga DemidovaWelcome to: the Fabled Stables, where human kid Auggie takes care of magical and "just plain weird" creatures.
What happens: An empty stall for a shapeshifting wisp appears in the Stables, letting Auggie know that that there's a young wisp nearby in danger -- and in need of a daring rescue.
Who it's for: This funny fantasy series-starter is packed with charming art, making it a great pick for fans of Adam Gidwidtz's Unicorn Rescue Society series. |
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The Magical Reality of Nadia by Bāsim YūsufFrom Bassem Youssef, a.k.a. "The Jon Stewart of the Arab World," comes a hilarious and heartfelt story about prejudice, friendship, empathy, and courage. Competing to design a new exhibit for the local museum, a sixth grade Egyptian immigrant is teased about her heritage by a newcomer, before an ancient amulet she wears imparts a hilarious and helpful secret.
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The Puck Drops Here by Kevin SylvesterA special group of kids must save the world with -- what else? -- HOCKEY! There are people out there, nasty mean greedy people, who want to rule the Earth. People such as evil scientist (and former mediocre goalie) Clarence Crosscheck. Only one thing is stopping them . . . hockey. This hilarious new high-action series from Kevin Sylvester pits six ordinary kids with super hockey skills against the forces of evil -- specifically, the nefarious wannabe genius, Clarence Crosscheck.
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The Barren Grounds by David RobertsonWhen two indigenous foster children find a secret portal to another reality, they encounter Ochek, the only hunter supporting his starving community of Misewa, and the three try to save Misewa before the icy winter freezes everything. Some other books by author David Robertson are the adult title Black Water, the teen graphic series The Reckoner Rises, and the picture book On the Trapline. Media mentions: CBC Radio (Canada): Unreserved (Sep 2020), Forest of Reading nominee 2021
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Contact your librarian for more great books for ages 8-11! infoservices@bradford.library.on.ca |
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