Africa, Amazing Africa : Country by Country
by
Atinuke
A celebration of all 55 countries on the African continent! The beautifully-written text captures Africa’s unique mix of the modern and the traditional, as she explores its geography, its peoples, its animals, its history, its resources and its cultural diversity. The book divides Africa into five sections: South, East, West, Central and North, each with its own introduction. This is followed by a page per country, containing a delightful mix of friendly, informative text and colourful illustrations. The richest king, the tallest sand dunes and the biggest waterfall on the planet are all here, alongside drummers, cocoa growers, inventors, balancing stones, salt lakes, high-tech cities and nomads who use GPS!
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A Dog-Friendly Town by Josephine Cameron Welcome to: Carmelito, California, where 12-year-old Epic McDade and his family run a dog-friendly bed and breakfast that's currently packed with famous guests (both canine and human) getting ready for Carmelito's Annual Puppy Picnic.
What happens: After a diamond-covered dog collar is stolen, Epic and his siblings search for the culprit while trying to avoid nosy gossip bloggers.
You might also like: Elizabeth Eulberg's The Great Shelby Holmes, another dog-centric mystery with quirky characters and a vivid setting. | |
The Not Bad Animals
by
Sophie Corrigan
You humans have given us a bad rep! You say we're scary and spooky and dangerous and icky. Well we're here to set the record straight because we're fed up with the lies you've been spreading. So here are the facts about what we do, what we eat, how we communicate and how we actually help you humans loads. We're not bad animals at all! we're just misunderstood!
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The Inkberg Enigma
by
Jonathan King
A New Zealand author with a graphic-novel mystery adventure for eight- to twelve-year-olds in which a girl and boy uncover the secret that has corrupted their seaside town Miro and Zia live in Aurora, a fishing town nestled in the shadow of an ancient castle. Miro lives in his books; Zia is never without her camera. The day they meet, they uncover a secret. The fishing works, the castle, the town council: all are linked to an ill-fated 1930s Antarctic expedition. But the diary of that journey has been hidden and the sea is stirring up unusual creatures. Something has a powerful hold over the town.
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The Time of Green Magic by Hilary McKay What it's about: Moving into a vine-covered old house proves life-changing for Abi and her new stepsiblings: things from Abi's books start appearing in real life, 13-year-old Max tumbles into his first crush, and six-year-old Louis adopts a feline friend who becomes more menacing as it grows bigger and bigger.
Read it for: a stirring family story with an eerie blend of magic and reality. | | Something to Say by Lisa Moore Ramée What it's about: Jenae is okay with starting middle school without any friends -- she'd rather stay quiet and invisible. That begins to change, however, when she bonds with loud new kid Aubrey, and when a debate over her school's name (it's named after a racist celebrity) spurs her into speaking up.
If you like: the honesty, low-key humor, and authentic characters in this book, you'll want to pick up author Lisa Moore Ramée's previous book, A Good Kind of Trouble. | | Not Your All-American Girl by Madelyn Rosenberg and Wendy Wan-Long Shang What it's about: In 1984 Virginia, sensational singer Lauren is angry when she isn't cast as the lead in the school musical because her Chinese and Jewish looks aren't "all-American" enough. Lauren's white bestie Tara gets the part instead, and even worse, she doesn't understand why Lauren's mad.
Read it for: Lauren's fiery grandmas; the funny buttons Lauren makes; and Lauren's relatable search for belonging even when other people make her feel like she doesn't fit in. | |
Where the watermelons grow
by
Cindy Baldwin
What it's about: With her daddy working to save the failing family farm, it's up to 12-year-old Della to care for her baby sister and help her mama, who's acting strange and hearing voices again. Can some of the local Bee Lady's magic honey cure Mama's illness and keep the family from falling apart?
Why you might like it: By the end of this serious, heartfelt book, you'll feel like you really know Della and her family and friends.
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Counting Thyme by Melanie Conklin What it's about: Eleven-year-old Thyme can't stop feeling guilty. She knows that her family's recent move from California to New York was the only way for her little brother, Val, to get the cancer treatment he needs. But if she really wants her brother to get better, why can't she shake her homesickness?
Read it for: a sensitive, heartfelt story about a loving family dealing with a crisis. | |
Friend or fiction
by
Abby Cooper
Struggling through her father’s cancer treatments in her small Colorado town, Jade imagines a perfect best friend and writes about their shared adventures in a notebook, before a magical experiment brings her imaginary friend to life.
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The Someday Suitcase by Corey Ann Haydu What it's about: Lifelong best friends Danny and Clover are so close that quiet, scientific Clover thinks they're symbiotic -- they can't live without each other. So, when Danny develops major health problems, Clover wonders: Can her friendship help him get better? And if not, how will she get by without him?
For fans of: Ali Benjamin's The Thing About Jellyfish, another sincere story about the connections between science, friendship, and loss. | | More to the Story by Hena Khan What it is: an update of Louisa May Alcott's classic Little Women, starring Jameela, Maryam, Bisma, and Aleeza, four sisters from a close-knit Pakistani American family.
What happens: With a job on the school newspaper and an exciting new friendship with British newcomer Ali, Jameela's 7th-grade year is looking up... until her dad goes overseas for work and Bisma becomes seriously ill.
Who it's for: readers who like feisty heroines, cozy vibes, and modern, realistic family stories. | |
Be a Virus Warrior! : A Kid's Guide to Keeping Safe
by
Eloise Macgregor
Facts about coronaviruses are paired with essential information about social distancing, personal hygiene, and the things we can control in uncertain times, creating a learning experience designed to reduce anxiety.Book Annotation
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Love, Ish
by
Karen Rivers
Twelve-year-old Mischa "Ish" Love's longtime dream has been to someday live on Mars, but when she collapses on the first day of seventh grade, Ish receives a diagnosis which threatens her future plans
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Contact your librarian for more great books for ages 8-11!
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