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"There are two kinds of stories -- the kind people make up to help them explain something they can’t believe, and the kind people make up to help them believe something they can’t explain." ~ From Beth Hautala's Waiting for Unicorns
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New and Recently Released!
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| The Honest Truth by Dan GemeinhartFiction. Faced with yet another bout of cancer, 12-year-old Mark decides to take a big chance. With only his devoted dog, Beau, for company, Mark runs away to follow his dream of climbing Mount Ranier. The pain of his illness, however, is just one of the many obstacles (both human and natural) that Mark faces on the way to the summit. Meanwhile, Mark's best friend Jessie -- the only person who knows where he is -- can't decide whether or not to reveal what might be her friend's final secret. Combining hard-hitting emotion with "heart-racing suspense" (Publishers Weekly) this story of friendship and survival will keep you turning pages until the very end. |
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| The Book of Storms by Ruth HatfieldFantasy. Danny O'Neill's parents are stormchasers, but Danny is the one chasing down clues after his parents' disappearance during a violent thunderstorm. His search leads him to a powerful magical item that gives him the ability to talk to animals and plants -- and makes him the target of a ruthless otherworldly villain. Though it's filled with imaginative twists and relatable characters, this series opener also offers just enough chills and gore to keep you on the edge of your seat. For another creepy yet whimsical fantasy about a boy who can communicate with the natural world, pick up Piers Torday's The Last Wild. |
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| Waiting for Unicorns by Beth HautalaFiction. Before Talia's mother died, the two of them could stay home in Massachusetts when Talia's dad travelled. But now, the still-grieving Talia is forced to go with her father to icy Manitoba so that he can study beluga whales while Talia stays with Sura, a local Inuit woman. Even though she tries to hold on to hope (in the form of a jar full of wishes), Talia feels cold inside and out. Can the wild beauty of her surroundings and the company of new friends help her warm up to new possibilities? Memorable characters and lyrical writing make Waiting for Unicorns a perfect choice for readers who prefer thoughtful, realistic stories.
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| The Stolen Moon by Rachel SearlesScience Fiction. Traveling aboard the Fleet starship Kuyddestor, superpowered siblings Chase and Lilli Garrety are forced to hide their abilities from the controlling Federation. Revealing their powers wouldn't be safe, especially since they don't even know where their powers came from. Of course, hunting for answers isn't safe either -- Chase, Lilli, and their friends encounter hacking, hijacking, and a power-hungry mastermind on their journey to discover the truth about their past. If you're a fan of Star Wars, Star Trek, or any other stories featuring believable characters in futuristic settings, you won't want to miss the sweeping action and intergalactic intrigue in this sequel to The Lost Planet. |
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| The Truth About Twinkie Pie by Kat YehFiction. If you had the chance to reinvent yourself, who would you want to become? Brainy seventh grader GiGi wants to be the funny, outgoing person her mom would be if she was still alive. So when GiGi's older sister DiDi wins a million-dollar cooking contest and moves them from their South Carolina trailer park to a wealthy New York neighborhood, GiGi embraces the chance to start over -- though making friends may be challenging at her snobby new private school. Cute guys, mean girls, family secrets, and comfort food recipes (such as Heartbreak on Toast and Madder'n Heck Smashed Potatoes) add flavor to this dramatic but lighthearted read. |
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| Better Nate than Ever by Tim FederleFiction. Thanks to his passion for musical theater, 13-year-old Nate Foster often feels out of step with his classmates and even his own family members. Desperate for adventures beyond his small Pennsylvania town, Nate concocts a daring plan to travel by bus to New York City and audition for the starring role of Elliott in E.T.: The Musical. Join Nate as he follows his dreams and discovers more about himself and his troubled family in this witty and winning debut novel (followed by a sequel, Five, Six, Seven, Nate!) from Broadway performer Tim Federle. |
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| Will & Whit by Laura Lee GulledgeGraphic Novel. Wilhemina "Will" Huckstep is 16 years old and afraid of the dark. She doesn't talk much about the reason for her fear -- instead she builds lamps with recycled junk from her aunt's antique store and hangs out with her quirky, creative friends. When a group of teens planning an art carnival arrives in town, Will joins in enthusiastically. But when tropical storm Whitney causes a blackout, Will has to face the darkness and find a way to go on with the show. Bold, expressive illustrations perfectly capture Will's feelings and imagination in this smart and inviting graphic novel. |
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| Here's How I See It: Here's How It Is by Heather HensonFiction. Every summer, aspiring actress and middle school misfit June "Junebug" Cantrell gets a chance to fit in as a member of the stage crew at her parents' theater, the Blue Moon Playhouse. But this summer, nothing is going the way it's supposed to: her parents are separated, her older sister has turned into a diva, and she's forced to work with Trace, the weird new intern. Junebug's over-the-top disappointment as real life fails to live up to her theatrical fantasies is sure to make readers (especially theater buffs) smile as they root for her dreams to edge just a bit closer to reality. |
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| Drama by Raina TelgemeierGraphic Novel. Callie adores theater and has a hand in most of her middle school's productions -- but since she can't sing (a fact she hilariously demonstrates), she'll be designing sets for their run of Moon Over Mississippi. That is, if she can overcome her limited carpentry skills, deal with squabbling fellow crew members, and boost ticket sales. Then, when super-cute twin brothers Justin and Jesse join the production, Callie's got the added distraction of figuring out which one of them she's crushing on more. Funny, entertaining, and full of realistic drama both onstage and off, this is a great pick for fans of Hope Larson's Chiggers. |
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| When the Black Girl Sings by Bil WrightFiction. Lahni Schuler feels like an outsider everywhere. She's the only black student at her Connecticut prep school, and her adoptive parents are loving, but both white. To make matters worse, a scary guy at school seems to be stalking her, and her parents may be getting a divorce. It's almost too much to handle, until one Sunday when Lahni attends a local church and is swept up in the music of the amazing gospel choir. After a teacher nominates her for a talent competition, Lahni joins the church choir to practice her singing -- and gets more than she could have dreamed of from the experience. Fans of Angela Johnson's Heaven -- and anyone who's looking for an upbeat story with a great characters and a strong heroine -- say Amen! |
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