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Best friends / : Best Friends
by Nicole Andelfinger
"Starting middle school, inseparable twins Jessica and Elizabeth realize they might not be as alike as they thought when they are divided by different interests, becoming their own person.
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| Moongarden by Michelle A. BarryWhat it's about: In the year 2448, centuries after Earth's plants turned toxic and humanity spread across the solar system, moon resident Myra has a secret. Everyone at her elite school assumes she'll have mathematical magic, like her parents. But Myra's never felt any magic abilities -- not until she finds a hidden (and highly illegal) garden.
Why you might like it: This science fiction update of The Secret Garden is set in a fascinating future society with problems a lot like ours. (Ages 9-13.) |
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Africana : An Encyclopedia of an Amazing Continent
by Kim Chakanetsa
"With beautiful illustrations bringing this fact-filled encyclopedia to life, the incredible history and diversity of the African continent are explored by showcasing the people, landscapes and wildlife from different regions. Illustrations."
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| Ode to a Nobody by Caroline Brooks DuBoisStarring: 8th-grader Quinn, whose life is a mess: her parents are fighting, her perfect brother is away at college, and her best friend Jack would rather hang out with new girl Jade. But at least she can let some feelings out in the daily poems she writes.
What happens: A tornado tears through Quinn's town, showing her just how messy things can get.
How it's told: through Quinn's honest, heartfelt poems written before, during, and after the tornado. (Ages 9-13.) |
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| Swift & Hawk: Cyberspies by Logan MacxWhat it's about: After their parents are kidnapped, middle school friends Caleb, a prodigy at AI programming, and Zenobia, an expert robotics engineer, join up with a top-secret intelligence agency for a high-stakes rescue mission.
Read it for: codebreaking, cool spy technology, a pulse-pounding pace, and an international mystery.
For fans of: Stuart Gibbs' Spy School series or Anthony Horowitz's Alex Rider adventures. (Ages 9-12.) |
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The glass witch
by Lindsay Puckett
Twelve-year-old Adelaide Goode, the weakest witch born to the Goode family in centuries, accidentally unleashes a curse that threatens to erase her magic if she fails to break the spell before midnight on Halloween.
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Children of the rush
by Russell, James
It's 1861, and gold fever is sweeping the world. Otherwise sensible adults have gone mad and will do anything to get their hands on the precious metal. But two children have been caught up in the rush. Michael and Atarangi couldn't be more different, but they share one thing: each has a remarkable and magical talent. Circumstances conspire to bring the children together in the remote and inhospitable goldfields, and they're thrust into a world where lawlessness, greed, and cruelty reign. When the children find out that a cut-throat gang stalks the goldfields, preying upon the innocent, they have a choice to make: turn a blind eye, or fight back?
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Doodleville : art attacks!
by Chad Sell
"When her doodles send the Art Institute of Chicago into an art-to-art battle, Drew and her art club must fix the mess before centuries worth of masterpieces are destroyed forever.
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Te Wehenga : the Separation of Ranginui and Papatūānuku
by Tait, Mat
Award winning illustrator Mat Tait has written and illustrated this masterpiece, which brings this ancient story to life for a new generation of 8 to 12 year olds. Mat's fluency in te reo makes this an exceptional bilingual offering, with te reo Māori being woven in with English in a seamless approach to bilingual text. His visceral illustrations are powerful and beautiful, making this a landmark publication
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| The Robber Girl by Franny BillingsleyWhat it's about: Robber Girl is 11 when Gentleman Jack, an outlaw and the only caretaker she's ever known, is jailed for robbing a stagecoach. Renamed Starling, the wild girl refuses to be tamed by the Judge who adopts her, instead following her own quest to free Jack and rediscover her past.
Read it for: a magic-filled Western setting; poetic writing; a spirited heroine you'll root for; and some hilarious psychic conversations between Starling and her treasured dagger. (Ages 10-13.) |
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Atua : Māori Gods and Heroes
by Bishop, Gavin
"Before the beginning there was nothing. No sound, no air, no colour: nothing. Te kore, nothing. No one knows how long this nothing lasted because there was no time. However, in this great nothing there was a sense of waiting. Something was about to happen. Meet the gods, demigods and heroes of the Māori world, and explore Aotearoa's exciting legends from the Creation to the Migration"
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| Take Back the Block by Chrystal D. GilesWhat it's about: Real estate developers are trying to buy up his old, familiar neighborhood, and stylish 11-year-old Wes is stressed by how it's breaking up his tight-knit crew of friends. How is it okay for poor families to get pushed out? And how can Wes possibly fight back?
You might also like: Maurice Broaddus' Unfadeable, another authentic read about a likeable kid figuring out how to stand up for their home. (Ages 8-13.)
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Whiti : Colossal Squid of the Deep
by Victoria Cleal
"The colossal squid has been the most popular exhibit at Te Papa since it arrived there in 2007. Now this appealing book for young readers tells the fascinating story of these creatures from the deep, through sparkling and informative text and amazing illustrations. A must-have natural history book for young readers and their whānau and teachers"
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Cub
by Cynthia L Copeland
Author and artist Cindy Copeland comes of age, discovers new talents and finds her voice as a cub reporter at her local newspaper during the Watergate era.
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Class Act
by Jerry Craft
Starring: 8th-grader Drew Ellis, still waiting for a growth spurt while dealing with the pressures of being one of the only Black kids at his prep school.
Why you might like it: You might relate to the way Drew has to work "twice as hard to go half as far," even as you laugh at the funny dialogue and clever visual jokes.
Series alert: Though it's a sequel to the mega-popular New Kid, Class Act stands on its own. (Ages 9-13.)
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| The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba HigueraAsleep: In 2061, 12-year-old aspiring storyteller Petra Peña and her family board a spaceship off the doomed Earth, entering suspended animation for the journey to a new planet.
Awake: When she's revived hundreds of years later, Petra discovers that the sinister Collective has wiped out almost everyone's memories of Earth. Only Petra remembers the stories that could save humanity.
For fans of: the brave characters, fascinating dystopian worlds, and intense emotions of Lois Lowry's classic Giver quartet. (Ages 10-14.) |
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| Too Bright to See by Kyle LukoffWhat it's about: Bug's family home in Vermont has always been haunted, but now that Uncle Roderick has died and it's just Bug and Mom, the ghosts seem to be trying to say something -- something about why Bug is uncomfortable with best friend Moira's obsession with clothes, makeup, and boys.
Why you might like it: This story of self-discovery offers genuinely spine-chilling moments alongside honest emotions and a thoughtful, relatable main character. (Ages 9-13.)
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| The Chance to Fly by Ali Stroker and Stacy DavidowitzStarring: musical-obsessed 13-year-old Nat, new in town and already missing her wheelchair racing team and her best friend Chloe. Landing a role in a kids' production of Wicked might be just the thing to help her find new friends, and maybe start to feel at home.
Who it's for: theater kids of all kinds, and fans of upbeat realistic stories.
Author buzz: Co-author Ali Stroker is also an award-winning performer, and the first person to appear on Broadway in a wheelchair. (Ages 9-12.) |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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