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Kids' Books September 2018
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| Finding Langston by Lesa Cline-RansomeWhat it's about: After his mother's death in 1946, 11-year-old Langston and his dad move from rural Alabama to Chicago, Illinois, where the heartbroken boy finds refuge in the local library and the poetry of his namesake, Langston Hughes.
You might also like: Janice N. Harrington's Catching a Storyfish, another sincere, powerful book about a homesick kid finding comfort in words. |
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Ashes to Asheville
by Sarah Dooley
Embarking on a wild road trip to fulfill their late mother's dying wish, two sisters separated by court rulings against their surviving adoptive gay parent share one calamity after another while rediscovering the bonds that make them a family.
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| The Girl in the Locked Room by Mary Downing HahnWhat it's about: Jules has lived in lots of old mansions (her dad restores them), but Oak Hill gives her an uneasy feeling -- and that's before she sees an eerie shadow through the window of a locked upstairs room.
Read it for: a nameless ghost, a centuries-old murder, and a page-turning mystery.
For fans of: paranormal stories that are creepy but not leave-the-lights-on scary. |
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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 new series. |
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All's faire in middle school
by Victoria Jamieson
Eleven-year-old Imogene (Impy) has grown up with two parents working at the Renaissance Faire and is eager to begin her own training as a squire, but first she'll need to prove her bravery while navigating the embarrassments caused by her eccentric family and outmaneuvering a clique of spiteful mean girls.
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| Pennybaker School is Headed for Disaster by Jennifer BrownWelcome to: the Pennybaker Hill Academy for the Uniquely Gifted, where new kid Thomas' magic tricks aren't very impressive compared to classmates who juggle chainsaws, talk to hedgehogs, or play the didgeridoo.
What happens: Thomas is accused of stealing from the school, and nobody except his weird neighbor Chip will help him find the real thief.
Series alert: This 1st book in the Pennybaker School series combines mystery and off-the-wall humor to create an uproarious read. |
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The Dark Stairs : a Herculeah Jones Mystery
by Betsy Cromer Byars
Despite the disapproval of her private detective mother, Herculeah Jones is determined to solve the mystery--and possible murder--at the "Dead Oaks" estate, but she soon begins to think that she has taken her adventure too far.
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| The Real McCoys by Matthew Swanson; illustrated by Robbi BehrStarring: fourth-grade detective Moxie McCoy, who makes it her business to live up to her name, whether she's searching for a new best friend or for Tiddlywhump Elementary's missing mascot. Her enthusiasm, however, outweighs her sleuthing skills, leading Moxie to some offbeat conclusions and plenty of trouble.
Series alert: This zany, cartoon-illustrated mystery is the 1st in a series.
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Sammy Keyes and the Night of Skulls
by Wendelin Van Draanen
Junior high detective Sammy Keyes and her friends take a detour through a graveyard on Halloween night and find themselves in the middle of a mystery involving three missing people, two human skulls and one ghoulish embalmer.
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| The Mystery of the Missing Everything by Ben H. WintersWhat it's about: After Mary Todd Lincoln Middle School's only trophy is stolen and the principal threatens to cancel the eighth grade class trip unless it's returned, semi-experienced sleuth Bethesda Fielding races to crack the case.
Why you might like it: With a huge cast of quirky characters -- some of them familiar to readers of Bethesda's first case, The Secret Life of Ms. Finkleman -- this fast and funny mystery will keep you guessing. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books for ages 8-11!
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