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Books for Kids and Tweens February 2023 |
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| Sincerely Sicily by Tamika BurgessStarring: fashion-forward Black Panamanian writer Sicily, who's starting 6th grade at a new school without her old friends.
What happens: Adjusting to the change is tough when Sicily's new classmates view her Afro-Latina heritage with confusion and hostility, and her own abuela gives her a hard time about her braids and dark skin.
Available On Audio Book! (Ages 8-12) |
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The Elephant Girl by James Patterson & Ellen Banda-AakuWhat is it: Loosely inspired by true events, this is an unforgettable survival story of a Maasai girl who faces down poachers to find a future among the elephants. Starring: Clever, sensitive Jama, who likes elephants better than people. Who it's for: Anyone look for a moving exploration of the bonds between creatures and the power of belonging (Ages 10-14) |
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Holler of the Fireflies by David Barclay MooreWhat it's about: At STEM camp in the mountains of West Virginia, Brooklyn kid Javari encounters the same old racism in a different setting. But he also meets local kid (and agent of chaos) Cricket, who introduces Javari to Affrilachian culture and expands his ways of thinking.
You might also like: Jason Reynolds' As Brave As You, another moving, thoughtful story about a city boy whose summer in the country helps him see how the past impacts the present. (Ages 10-13.)
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Frizzy by Claribel A. Ortega; illustrated by Rose BousamraStarring: Dominican American middle schooler Marlene, who's tired of spending Sundays at the salon so that her curls can be painfully straightened into her family's idea of "good hair."
What happens: Marlene's defense of her natural hair lands her in trouble at first, but also leads her to connect with her cool Tia Ruby...and her own confidence.
Art alert: Warm pastel artwork brings Marlene's world to life in this sweet, authentic graphic novel. (Ages 8-12.)
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Maya and the Lord of Shadows by Rena BarronWhat Happens: War is coming. Despite everything Maya and her father have done, the veil that protects the human world is failing. The Lord of Shadows has raised an army powerful enough to challenge the orishas. Maya's honing her guardian powers, but when an attack hits close to home, Maya doesn't have any more time to prepare. She must face the Lord of Shadows or risk losing everything. With her friends by her side, Maya leads the charge in an epic showdown that takes her across worlds and to the edge of the universe. Series Alert: This is the electrifying conclusion to Barron's acclaimed trilogy. Find the rest of it HERE. (Ages 9-12) |
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Lumberjackula by Mat HeagertyWhat It's About: Torn between parents who each want him to be like them, half-lumberjack/half-vampire Jack just wants to dance and must summon the confidence to be who he wants to be and to show off his awesome dance moves. For Fans Of: Bright, bold illustrations and attention-grabbing, whimsical fantasy comics (Ages 7-12) |
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| Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor by Ally CarterWelcome to: Winterborne House, a huge cliffside mansion turned group home where 12-year-old April and four fellow foster kids discover secret passages, surprising dangers, and unexpected bonds.
Read it for: the likeable characters, fast-paced adventure, and the satisfaction of watching a twisty mystery unspool.
Try this next: Jessica Lawson’s Nooks & Crannies, for another puzzling mystery featuring a group of kids in an eerie old manor. (Ages 8-12) |
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The Rembrandt Conspiracy by Deron R. HicksWhat Happens: Art and Camille team up, once again, to solve a large museum theft, using one of the biggest heists in history to help them solve the case For Fans Of: Attention grabbing, fast paced, intricate plots and stories about daring adventures and criminal masterminds Series Alert: For the rest of the Lost Art series, look HERE. (Ages 10-12) |
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| The Ambrose Deception by Emily EctonStarring: quiet go-getter Melissa, scheming slacker Wilf, and popular fast-talker Bondi, three middle school strangers.
What happens: Each of the kids receives three secret clues as part of a competition for a high-dollar scholarship. But when the clues reveal something much bigger, they know it's time to team up.
You might also like: classics like Ellen Raskin's The Westing Game, another brain-teasing puzzle mystery set in the Chicago area. (Ages 10-13) |
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Temple Alley Summer by Sachiko KashiwabaOne rainy night: Kazu sees a strange figure in a white kimono sneak out of his house - was he dreaming? Did he see a ghost? The next day at school, the very same person is sitting in his class. All his friends are convinced that the ghost-girl Akari has been their friend for years. If that isn't weird enough, Kazu learns that his house is in the exact location of an ancient temple called Kimyō, which, legend has it, could bring the dead back to life For fans of: Studio Ghibli and fantasy adventures! (Ages 8-13) |
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| The Strangers by Margaret Peterson HaddixWhat it's about: It's weird enough when Chess, Emma, and Finn Greystone see the news about three kidnapped siblings who share their names and birthdays. But when their mother disappears, leaving behind a coded letter, the Greystones are sure that something very weird is going on.
Featuring: high stakes, alternate worlds, and the points of view of all three kids.
Series alert: If you're intrigued by this mystery, don't miss the sequels, The Deceivers and The Messengers. (Ages 8-13) |
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InvestiGators: Ants in Our P.A.N.T.S. by John Patrick GreenWhat Happens: With agent Brash trapped in a mysterious coma, the technicians at S.U.I.T. have designed the ultimate replacement: RoboBrash! This high-tech replica has been programmed with all of the original Brash's crime-fighting skills and knowhow--but it seems he's got a few bugs in his system! Will Mango and his new partner be enough to stop the giant ants that are on a rampage in the city? Orchestrated by the spaced-out villain, Maestronaut, and Houdino, the dinosaur escape artist, it seems criminals are certainly upping the ANT-y! Series Alert: Check out the rest of the InvestiGators series HERE! (Ages 7-10) |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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