| 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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Everything is awesome : a search-and-find celebration of LEGO history
by Simon Beecroft
"Find hidden toys, pirates, ghosts and more in fantastic scenes based on classic LEGO® playsets. This full-color hardcover activity book will entertain LEGO® fans ages 6 to 8 as they pour over the highly detailed scenes! With its focus on the iconic toy's history, this book will make a great gift for LEGO® fans and collectors of all ages"
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| Black Ballerinas: My Journey to Our Legacy by Misty Copeland; illustrated by Salena BarnesWhat it is: mini-biographies of Black ballerinas past and present, describing their game-changing skills, the way they challenged the racism of American dance, and the inspiration they offer to young dancers today.
Art alert: The biographies include watercolor art of each strong, graceful ballerina, making the book as interesting to look at as it is to read.
About the author: Author and ballerina Misty Copeland made history as the first African American female principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre. |
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Max Meow : pugs from Planet X
by John Gallagher
In this meow-tacular adventure, Rex Rocket, an Intergalactic Space Guard, helps Max and Mindy save Kittyopolis when the space pugs go after the space meatball that gave Max his powers.
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As large as life
by Jonny Marx
"With 26 habitats to explore and more than 250 animals from the amoeba to the whale, this beautifully illustrated book puts into context the size of all creatures, great and small"
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Besties : work it out by Kayla MillerWhen best friends Beth and Chandra are asked to dogsit at Ms. Langford’s luxurious house while she’s away, they find their dream job turning into a nightmare after a prized possession is broken and they must somehow figure out how to pay for a replacement.
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The best ever bread book
by Lizzie Munsey
Filled with simple step-by-step recipes for baking delicious bread for every occasion, this cookbook takes readers on a journey of discovery, revealing that there’s so much more to bread than meets the eye. Illustrations.
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The throne of fire : the graphic novel
by Orpheus Collar
A graphic novel adaptation of the second entry in the best-selling series finds the offspring of famed Egyptologist Dr. Julius Kane embarking on a worldwide search for the "Book of Ra" while battling the forces of the gods of chaos.
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The Biggest Footprint : Eight Billion Humans. One Clumsy Giant
by Rob Sears
here are eight billion of us humans. All breathing, eating, fidgeting and thinking deep thoughts. It's an unimaginably large number. Or is it? Say hello to the mega human: all the people in the world smooshed into one spectacular giant. Even though it's not the smartest of creatures, the mega human is slowly beginning to understand the problems it has created for Planet Earth's future and how it might be able to fix them. Making use of brain-bending stats and smoosh theory, The Biggest Footprint is a journey of self-discovery suitable for anyone and everyone identifying as human.
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| Second Sleep by Diane StanleyWhat it's about: After their mom unexpectedly disappears, Max and Rosie are sent to the family's lakeside cabin with their Grandma Mozelle. There, they find a crew of maybe-magical nighttime friends, and some captivating clues about what's happened to their mom.
Read it for: a realistic story of family and friendship with heart, mystery, and a fantasy twist. |
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| Stuck by Jennifer SwenderStarring: Austin, who's moved schools enough times to become an expert on blending in and hiding his difficulties with reading.
What happens: Austin finds a real friend in energetic classmate Bertie, who wants him to join the Safety Squad with her -- which requires a written test.
Why you might like it: Austin is a determined, observant character who's easy to relate to, whether or not you live with a learning disability. |
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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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| Aven Green, Sleuthing Machine by Dusti Bowling: illustrated by Gina PerryWhat it's about: When food disappears from school, outgoing eight-year-old Aven Green is on the case. She's got the all the confidence and smarts of a great detective -- in fact, since she was born without arms, she's pretty sure her arm cells went to her brain instead.
Try this next: for another bold kid who does her own thing, try Dawn Quigley's Jo Jo Makoons series; for more chapter book mysteries, try Dori Hillestad Butler's King & Kayla series. |
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| Our Friend Hedgehog: The Story of Us by Lauren CastilloWhat it's about: Hedgehog is happy on her tiny island with Mutty, her stuffed dog. But after a storm sweeps Mutty away, Hedgehog sets out to find him, and meets several helpful new friends along the way.
Why you might like it: The cute animals and cozy vibes in this series-starter will have you looking forward to the next book.
You might also like: Jacqueline Davies' Sydney & Taylor series, which also stars a hedgehog and friends.
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Mr. Tiger, Betsy, and the blue moon
by Sally Gardner
A mysterious talking tiger, his troupe of acrobats and a half-mermaid work together to figure out how to turn the moon blue, appease a grumpy giant and invent the rarest and best-tasting ice cream in the world. By the award-winning author of Maggot Moon.
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Kitty and the twilight trouble
by Paula Harrison
Girl by day, cat by night, Kitty, a little girl with catlike superpowers, sets off on her sixth nighttime adventure, in this chapter book series that emphasizes friendship, family, building self-confidence and bravery.
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Grimwood : Laugh Your Head Off With the Funniest New Series of the Year
by Nadia Shireen
Fox cub siblings Ted and Nancy are on the run from Princess Buttons, the scariest street cat in the Big City. They flee for Grimwood, expecting to find refuge in the peaceful countryside. Instead, they are met with thieving eagles, dramatic ducks, riotous rabbits and a whole host of unusual characters. Grimwood is weird. But when Princess Buttons tracks them down, Nancy and Ted and the animals of Grimwood must unite in a mind-bending race against time.
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Gracie and the Grumpy Pony : Gracie and the Grumpy Pony by Olivia TuffinAt Sunshine Stables, dreams become adventures! Gracie is so excited to be paired with Bobby at pony camp. He looks gorgeous and he rides like a dream! But there's a problem nothing she does makes him happy and it's breaking her heart! Gracie won't give up. She'll find a way to win over her wonderful pony!
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Contact your librarian for more great books for ages 8-11!
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