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"If one reads enough books one has a fighting chance. Or better, one's chances of survival increase with each book one reads." ~ Sherman Alexie, Native American (Spokane/Coeur d'Alene) author and filmmaker
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New and Recently Released!
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| I Kill the Mockingbird by Paul AcamporaFiction. What's the best way to make someone want something? Tell them they can't have it, of course. That’s the logic behind "I Kill the Mockingbird," a campaign invented by 8th graders Lucy, Elena, and Michael. They believe that more people should read their favorite book (Harper Lee's classic To Kill a Mockingbird), so they begin hiding local bookstore and library copies while using social media to promote their efforts. And it works! But as interest in the book grows, so does the campaign, which quickly spins out of control. Book lovers will appreciate the smart, authentic dialogue in this inspiring and fast-paced read. |
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| The Night Gardener by Jonathan AuxierHorror/Fantasy. Despite rumors that the place is haunted, newly orphaned siblings Molly and Kip have little choice but to accept jobs at the run-down Windsor family estate. What they find at the eerie manor house is curious indeed: the family is pale and secretive, mysterious footprints appear in the night, and a giant, menacing tree grows inside the house, granting wishes to the inhabitants…at a terrible price. Filled with well-drawn characters and spooky, shivery thrills, The Night Gardener is "a tale that will keep readers glued to the page" (Booklist). For another story about a sinister tree and a nightmarish villain, pick up M.P. Kozlowsky's Juniper Berry. |
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| The Great Greene Heist by Varian JohnsonFiction. Thirteen-year-old con man Jackson Greene has been on his best behavior ever since the ill-fated heist that lost him the friendship of his crush, Gaby. But when Gaby's run for student council is threatened by a shady plot to rig the election, the temptation of a counter-con is too much for Jackson. With the help of his diverse, funny crew of middle school schemers and swindlers, he puts together an elaborate plan to steal back the election. This twisty, page-turning caper is sure to satisfy readers looking for mystery, intrigue, and an undeniably cool main character.
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| West of the Moon by Margi PreusHistorical Fiction. Imagination is a source of strength in this brutal yet lyrical story from Newbery Honor-winning author Margi Preus. Set in Norway in the 1800s, West of the Moon is the story of Astri, whose aunt and uncle have separated her from her sister, Greta, and sold her to a cruel goat farmer named Svaalberd. Drawing courage from the brave characters of Scandinavian folktales, Astri manages to outwit the wicked Svaalberd, stealing his hidden treasure before rescuing Greta and embarking on a perilous escape to America. Astri is a gutsy, compelling heroine, and her adventure will appeal to fans of historical fiction tinged with fantasy. |
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| The Thickety: A Path Begins by J.A. WhiteFantasy. It's been years since Kara's mother was executed for being a witch, but Kara and her family still feel the suspicion of their neighbors on the island of De'Noran. Though Kara doesn't want to believe that she might have inherited her mother's powers, she's strangely drawn to the murky depths of the forest known as the Thickety, where she discovers fantastical, frightening creatures -- and an irresistible source of magical power. If you like the forbidden forest setting and dangerous magic of Sage Blackwood's Jinx, don't miss this "darkly bewitching" (School Library Journal) 1st book in the Thickety series. |
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| Trapped: How the World Rescued 33 Miners from 2,000 Feet Below the Chilean Desert by Marc AronsonNonfiction. Imagine: you're stuck thousands of feet below the surface of the earth. There's hardly any food. It's brutally hot, and it gets harder to breathe every day. Those were the conditions that 33 Chilean miners endured for 69 days in 2010. Trapped is the astonishing account of their ordeal, as well as the heroic (and sometime bizarre) efforts of their rescuers. Alongside fascinating insights into the history, science, politics, and mythology of mining, author Marc Aronson vividly describes miners' suspenseful struggles and the increasingly desperate attempts to save them. Eye-catching photos, diagrams, and quotations drive home the drama of this real-life survival story. |
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| The Raft by S.A. BodeenAdventure. After a storm causes her plane to crash into the Pacific Ocean, 15-year-old Robie finds herself adrift on a leaky raft with only the unconscious co-pilot and a circling tiger shark for company. Her only food (107 Skittles) doesn't last long, and soon she's is trying every possible method -- including catching fish with her hoodie -- to keep herself and her companion fed, hydrated, and afloat. Robie's determination to stay alive forces her to make some wrenching decisions, and though she isn't always likable, her first-person narration is tight and intense, making Raft "a white-knuckler you can read in a single sitting" (Booklist). |
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| Nation by Terry PratchettFiction. Mau is headed home in a canoe after a solo rite of passage when a tsunami kills every other member of his island nation. The deadly wave also wrecks an English ship on the island's shore, depositing a girl named Ermintrude. Soon, refugees from nearby islands begin to arrive, and Mau and Ermintrude must take the lead in establishing a new nation if they hope to survive. But Mau isn't sure who he is without his people, Ermintrude no longer knows what to believe about the world, and great danger awaits them both. Part survival adventure, part fantasy, and full of marvelous characters and comic relief, Nation is a riveting and memorable read. |
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| Peak by Roland SmithAdventure. Peak Marcello -- who wryly notes that "it could have been worse...my parents could have named me Crampon" -- is arrested at the top of a NYC skyscraper after climbing it to leave his tag. He's saved from juvie by his estranged father, who leads expeditions up Mount Everest and offers to whisk Peak away with him. Now 14-year-old Peak has a shot at being the youngest person ever to summit Everest -- if he doesn't join the frozen corpses littering the climbing routes. Want to read another nail-biting account of mountaineering? Try Mark Pfetzer's true story Within Reach. |
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| Bad Island by Doug TennapelGraphic Novel. You may think that your family's vacation was a nightmare, but you've got nothing on Reese and his family -- after their boat trip goes horribly awry, they end up shipwrecked on an island that's inhabited by some very unusual and dangerous creatures. We aren't going to spoil this intricately plotted and suspenseful story for you by giving too much away, but here are a few hints: fans of Indiana Jones-style adventure, wildly creative world-building, and science fiction are in for a rare treat in Bad Island. For a similarly scary, fun, and action-packed graphic novel, check out Don Wood's Into the Volcano. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Prince George's County Memorial Library System 6532 Adelphi Rd. Hyattsville, Maryland 20782 301-699-3500http://www.pgcmls.info/ |
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