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Find out more about Christmas and explore our seasonal stuff: ![](https://www.libraryaware.com/996/Files/AnonymousDisplayWithCrop/a76f3da0-b541-4f7b-a71d-55e19e88f9b8?containerHeight=200&containerWidth=192&scaledHeight=200&scaledWidth=192&quality=95&dpi=120&verticalOffset=0&horizontalOffset=0) Especially for the kids: Merry Christmas and a happy New Year from Christchurch City Libraries to you and yours.
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New and Recently Released! |
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| El Deafo by Cece BellCece has a secret identity. Since she's deaf, she wears a Phonic Ear device at school, which (in her imagination, at least) transforms her into El Deafo, a superhero who can hear her teacher all over the school -- even in the bathroom! Despite this amazing power, Cece has a tough time finding friends who really understand her. El Deafo's cartoon illustrations -- in which everyone has rabbit ears -- show speech written out exactly as Cece hears (or mishears) it, inviting you to share her experience. If you loved Raina Telgemeier's Smile, don't miss this funny, honest memoir about the challenges and rewards of being different. |
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The iron trial
by Holly Black
Warned away from magic all of his life, Callum endeavors to fail the trials that would admit him to the Magisterium only to be drawn into its ranks against his will and forced to confront dark elements from his past. By the best-selling co-author of the Spiderwick Chronicles and the best-selling author of the Infernal Devices series.
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Teddy One-Eye: the autobiography of a teddy bear
by Gavin Bishop
A teddy bear comes into a little boy's life in 1950 when his mother is about to have a new baby. The teddy tells the story of his life, being dragged around, inside and out, on bikes, in wheelbarrows, on all sorts of adventures, and always being well loved. He even learns to read with the boy. As Teddy tells his story, he's also telling the boy's story. And the boy, of course, grows up, and Teddy gets left behind sometimes, once even on the beach overnight. Eventually the boy grows up and Teddy is put away in a trunk where he stays, for 17 years, when he is rediscovered by the boy's three daughters.
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| Space case: a Moon Base Alpha novel by Stuart GibbsLife among the colonists on Moon Base Alpha is surprisingly dull and predictable... until the base's doctor is found dead. Though it looks like an accident, Dash Gibson has reason to believe that Dr. Holtz may have been murdered. There's no shortage of suspects, so Dash recruits two tech-savvy new friends to help with his investigation, never forgetting that they might be trapped in space with a killer. Combining a futuristic setting with the style of an old-fashioned whodunit, Space Case is a clever, twisty mystery. |
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| When lunch fights back: wickedly clever animal defenses by Rebecca L. JohnsonAn awesomely gross book about weird wildlife. Focusing on animals with odd or unexpected ways of fending off predators, When Lunch Fights Back offers exciting, photo-illustrated action scenes of creatures escaping attack, followed by fascinating facts about each animal's ability. For instance, the hagfish (nickname: snot eel) can create an instant cloud of slime, and fluffy hoopoe chicks can shoot super-stinky streams of poop. |
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Dragons at Crumbling Castle: and other tales
by Terry Pratchett
An illustrated collection of fourteen short stories featuring "dragons and wizards, councilors and mayors, an adventurous tortoise and a monster in a lake, along with plenty of pointy hats and a few magic spells" written when the author was a teenaged newspaper reporter.
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In honour of National Kindness Day on November 13, we're celebrating R. J. Palacio's Wonder and its message of choosing kindness with this list of books about kids who are living with differences, coping with bullies, and searching for belonging. Wonder fans should also be sure to check out R. J. Palacio's latest book, 365 Days of Wonder.
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"When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind." ~ Wayne W. Dyer, American author and motivational speaker
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The one and only Ivan
by Katherine Applegate
When Ivan, a gorilla who has lived for years in a down-and-out circus-themed mall, meets Ruby, a baby elephant that has been added to the mall, he decides that he must find her a better life.
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| Out of my mind by Sharon M. DraperNearly 11 years old, Melody Brooks has never spoken a word. She has cerebral palsy and can't walk, talk, or feed herself, and her body "tends to move on its own agenda" -- but, while the kids and teachers around her don't know it, she is the smartest kid in the whole school. Being stuck inside her head is driving Melody out of her mind... until she gets a special computer that allows her to finally express her thoughts. But are people ready to hear them? This emotionally intense and compelling story, narrated by Melody, is a tribute to the strength and bravery of every kid with challenges to overcome. |
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Absolutely almost
by Lisa Graff
Ten-year-old Albie has never been the smartest, tallest, most athletic, greatest artist, or most musical in his class, as his parents keep reminding him, but new nanny Calista helps him uncover his strengths and take pride in himself.
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| Rain reign by Ann M. MartinFans of Kathryn Erskine's Mockingbird will be drawn to Rain Reign's heroine Rose, a fifth-grader with Asperger's. Rose's obsession with homonyms and her dedication to following rules make her a target for the mean kids at school, and life at home with her alcoholic dad isn't much better. At least she's got her Uncle Weldon, and the reassuring company of her dog, Rain. When Rain goes missing, however, the fragile order of Rose's world is shattered. It might sound like a tearjerker, but Rose's straight-shooting narration is endearing and sometimes funny, making Rain Reign easy to read and hard to resist. |
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Mockingbird
by Kathryn Erskine
Ten-year-old Caitlin, who has Asperger's Syndrome, struggles to understand emotions, show empathy, and make friends at school, while at home she seeks closure by working on a project with her father.
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| Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg SloanPlants, diseases, and the number seven -- these are Willow Chance's main interests. While her adoptive parents understand Willow's eccentric brilliance, the kids at school are less accepting. Still, she manages to befriend Mai Nguyen and her brother Quang-ha when she meets them at the school counsellor's office, and their friendship goes from exciting to crucial when Willow's parents die in a car crash and the Nguyens take her in. With a diverse, memorable cast of characters, this bittersweet story of a remarkable girl discovering family in unexpected places is "frank, charming, and delightfully odd" (Booklist). |
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| Loser by Jerry SpinelliThe bullies in his class call him "loser," but quirky Donald Zinkoff hardly notices. Although he's clumsy, he laughs too much, his schoolwork is sloppy, and (due to a stomach problem) he throws up a lot, Donald is good-natured and enthusiastic about pretty much everything. Does that make him a pathetic weirdo, or an unsung hero? It's up to you to decide in this fast-moving, feel-good story. If you relate to characters who, like Donald, are more caring than they are popular or talented, you may also enjoy Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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