Artemis Fowl meets Men in Black in this exhilarating debut middle grade fantasy, the first in a trilogy filled with #blackgirlmagic. Perfect for fans of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, the Percy Jackson series, and Nevermoor. Amari Peters has never stopped believing her missing brother, Quinton, is alive. Not even when the police told her otherwise, or when she got in trouble for standing up to bullies who said he was gone for good. So when she finds a ticking briefcase in his closet, containing a nomination for a summer tryout at the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, she's certain the secretive organization holds the key to locating Quinton -- if only she can wrap her head around the idea of magicians, fairies, aliens, and other supernatural creatures all being real.
Publisher: n/a
|
9780062975164
|
Book
Shadow School #1
By White, J. A.
From the acclaimed author of Nightbooks and The Thickety comes a spooky series, perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman, Adam Gidwitz, and Stranger Things! Cordelia Liu knew Shadow School was going to be different. Still, she didn't expect the school grounds to be filled with ghosts. Cordelia soon realizes she's not the only one who can see the ghosts; her new friend Benji can too. Together with super-smart Agnes, the trio are determined to find out why the ghosts are there, and whether there's a way to set them free. But the school was created with more sinister intentions, and someone is willing to go to extreme lengths to ensure that the ghosts remain trapped forever. J. A. White's Nightbooks has been praised as "equally twisting and terrifying" in a School Library Journal starred review. Kirkus added: "A thrilling tale of magic that is just scary enough." Middle grade readers will love J. A. White's Shadow School series as well!
Publisher: n/a
|
9780062838285
|
Book
Concealed
By Gonzalez, Christina Diaz
Ivette. Joanna. And now: Katrina. Whatever her name is, it won't last long. Katrina doesn't know any of the details about her past, but she does know that she and her parents are part of the Witness Protection Program. Whenever her parents say they have to move on and start over, she takes on a new identity. A new name, a new hair color, a new story. Until their location leaks and her parents disappear. Forced to embark on a dangerous rescue mission, Katrina and her new friend Parker set out to save her parents -- and find out the truth about her secret past and the people that want her family dead. But every new discovery reveals that Katrina's entire life has been built around secrets covered up with lies and that her parents were actually the ones keeping the biggest secret of all.
Publisher: n/a
|
9781338647204
|
Book
Curse of the Night Witch
By Aster, Alex
A fast-paced series starter perfect for fans of Aru Shah and the End of Time and filled with adventure, mythology, and an unforgettable trio of friends. On Emblem Island all are born knowing their fate. Their lifelines show the course of their life and an emblem dictates how they will spend it. Twelve-year-old Tor Luna was born with a leadership emblem, just like his mother. But he hates his mark and is determined to choose a different path for himself. So, on the annual New Year's Eve celebration, where Emblemites throw their wishes into a bonfire in the hopes of having them granted, Tor wishes for a different power. The next morning Tor wakes up to discover a new marking on his skin...the symbol of a curse that has shortened his lifeline, giving him only a week before an untimely death.
Publisher: n/a
|
9781492697206
|
Book
Double the Danger and Zero Zucchini
By Uhrig, Betsy
Books aren't supposed to be dangerous. Are they? Alex Harmon prefers running over sitting still reading. But when his aunt offers to pay him to point out the boring parts in her children's book, he figures it's an easy way to make ten bucks. The problem is that her book is about a grumpy frog and a prize-winning zucchini. It doesn't have only a few boring pages ... the whole thing is a lost cause. Alex gives his aunt some ideas to help her out -- like adding danger and suspense. But books can't just be interesting. They also have to be believable. Soon Alex recruits his friends to help him act out scenes so he can describe all the important details. He's even getting plot twists from a mysterious stranger (who might also be a ghost). Too late, Alex discovers that being a real-life stunt double for a fictional character can land you in terrible trouble -- even if your friends are laughing their heads off!
Publisher: n/a
|
9781534467651
|
Book
Dragon Ops
By Mancusi, Mari
One wrong move, and it's game over. Welcome to DRAGON OPS, the world's first augmented-reality video-game theme park. Set on a once-deserted island, our three beta players -- classic gamer geek Ian; his adventure-seeking sister, Lily; and their too-cool-for-gaming cousin, Derek-have been lucky enough to score an invite to play before the fully immersive experience opens to the public. But once inside, they find themselves trapped in a game taken over by a rogue AI dragon called Atreus, and suddenly the stakes go beyond the virtual world. With no cheat codes, guidebooks, save points, or do-overs, they'll need all their cunning and video-game hacks to beat the game and survive in real life. Action-packed and unputdownable, Dragon Ops will thrill gamers and reluctant readers alike with high-tech adventure and electrifying twists and turns.
Publisher: n/a
|
9781368040907
|
Book
The Elephant in the Room
By Sloan, Holly Goldberg
It's been almost a year since Sila's mother traveled halfway around the world to Turkey, hoping to secure the immigration paperwork that would allow her to return to her family in the United States. The long separation is almost impossible for Sila to withstand. But things change when Sila accompanies her father (who is a mechanic) outside their Oregon town to fix a truck. There, behind an enormous stone wall, she meets a grandfatherly man who only months before won the state lottery. Their new alliance leads to the rescue of a circus elephant named Veda, and then to a friendship with an unusual boy named Mateo, proving that comfort and hope come in the most unlikely of places. A moving story of family separation and the importance of the connection between animals and humans, this novel has the enormous heart and uplifting humor that readers have come to expect from the beloved author of Counting by 7s.
Publisher: n/a
|
9780735229945
|
Book
Lola Benko, Treasure Hunter
By Mcmullen, Beth
Having a world-traversing archaeologist dad means twelve-year-old Lola Benko is used to moving around and not putting down roots anywhere. But every day and every hunt for something hidden is an adventure, and no matter what, she and her dad are an unbeatable team. Then her father disappears. The official story is that he was caught in a flash flood, but Lola's research shows the day in question was perfectly pleasant. And it will take more than empty reassurances from suspect strangers for Lola to give up on her dad. She has a feeling his disappearance has to do with a mythical stone he was studying -- a stone so powerful, it could control the world. But in the wrong hands, it could end it, too ... With the help of some new friends at her school, it's up to Lola to go on the most important hunt of her life.
Publisher: n/a
|
9781534456693
|
Book
Pixie Pushes On
By Bundy, Tamara
A young girl learns bittersweet life lessons on the family farm after her sister gets polio, in this poignant and funny novel set in the heartland in the 1940s. Pixie's defenses are up, and it's no wonder. She's been uprooted, the chickens seem to have it in for her, and now her beloved sister, Charlotte, has been stricken with polio and whisked away into quarantine. So it's not surprising Pixie lashes out. But her habit of making snap judgements -- and giving her classmates nicknames like "Rotten Ricky" and "Big-Mouth Berta" -- hasn't won her any friends. At least life on the farm is getting better with the delivery of its newest resident -- a runt baby lamb. Raising Buster takes patience and understanding -- and this slowing down helps Pixie put things in better perspective.
Publisher: n/a
|
9780525515166
|
Book
Quintessence
By Jess, Redman,
Three months ago, twelve-year-old Alma moved to the town of Four Points. Her panic attacks started a week later, and they havent stopped even though she's told her parents that they have. Shes homesick and friendless and every day she feels less and less like herself. But one day she finds a telescope in the towns junk shop, and through its lens, she watches a star -- a star that looks like a child -- fall from the sky and into her backyard. Alma knows what its like to be lost and afraid, to long for home, and she knows that its up to her to save the star. And so, with the help of some unlikely new friends from Astronomy Club, she sets out on a quest that will take a little bit of science, a little bit of magic, and her whole self.
Publisher: n/a
|
9780374309763
|
Book
Rivals
By Greenwald, Tommy
The people of Walthorne love their basketball -- and one of the things they love most is the special rivalry between the Walthorne North Middle School Cougars and the Walthorne South Middle School Panthers. As the season begins, two star players are feeling the heat: Austin Chambers, captain of Walthorne North, worries that he's not good enough to live up to his father's legacy, while across town, the brilliantly talented Carter Haswell, captain of Walthorne South, is already under pressure to get a scholarship that might ease his family's financial stress. While both boys do whatever they can to make sure their team wins, Alfie Jenks, a school sports reporter, discovers that behind-the-scenes scandals are just as much a part of youth sports as on-the-court action.
Publisher: n/a
|
9781419748271
|
Book
Scritch Scratch
By Currie, Lindsay
For fans of Small Spaces comes a chilling ghost story about a malevolent spirit, an unlucky girl, and a haunting mystery that will tie the two together. Claire has absolutely no interest in the paranormal. She's a scientist, which is why she can't think of anything worse than having to help out her dad on one of his ghost-themed Chicago bus tours. She thinks she's made it through when she sees a boy with a sad face and dark eyes at the back of the bus. There's something off about his presence, especially because when she checks at the end of the tour ... he's gone. Claire tries to brush it off, she must be imagining things, letting her dad's ghost stories get the best of her. But then the scratching starts. Voices whisper to her in the dark. The number 396 appears everywhere she turns.
Publisher: n/a
|
9781728209722
|
Book
The Smartest Kid in the Universe
By Grabenstein, Chris
Bestselling Author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library and coauthor of Max Einstein!
"For centuries, humans have consumed information through their eyes and our ears," said Dr. Backbridge. "Here is my prediction. In the not-too-distant future, we are going to ingest information. You won't need to read a book or attend lectures. The chemicals in these pills will do your learning for you." Twelve-year-old Jake's middle school is about to be shut down. Jake and his friends know their school's worth saving -- if they could only figure out how! When Jake spies a bowl of jellybeans at the hotel where his mom works, he eats them. But uh-oh -- those weren't just jellybeans, one of the scientists at his mom's conference is in the process of developing the first ingestible information pills.
Publisher: n/a
|
9780525647782
|
Book
Starfish
By Fipps, Lisa
Ever since Ellie wore a whale swimsuit and made a big splash at her fifth birthday party, she's been bullied about her weight. To cope, she tries to live by the Fat Girl Rules -- like "no making waves," "avoid eating in public," and "don't move so fast that your body jiggles." And she's found her safe space - her swimming pool -- where she feels weightless in a fat-obsessed world. In the water, she can stretch herself out like a starfish and take up all the room she wants. It's also where she can get away from her pushy mom, who thinks criticizing Ellie's weight will motivate her to diet. Fortunately, Ellie has allies in her dad, her therapist, and her new neighbor, Catalina, who loves Ellie for who she is. With this support buoying her, Ellie might finally be able to cast aside the Fat Girl Rules and starfish in real life -- by unapologetically being her own fabulous self.
Publisher: n/a
|
9781984814500
|
Book
Words on Fire
By Nielsen, Jennifer A.
New York Times bestselling author Jennifer A. Nielsen transports readers to a corner of history with this inspiring story of a girl who discovers the strength of her people united in resisting oppression. Danger is never far from Audra's family farm in Lithuania. She always avoids the occupying Russian Cossack soldiers, who insist that everyone must become Russian -- they have banned Lithuanian books, religion, culture, and even the language. But Audra knows her parents are involved in something secret and perilous.In June 1893, when Cossacks arrive abruptly at their door, Audra's parents insist that she flee, taking with her an important package and instructions for where to deliver it. But escape means abandoning her parents to a terrible fate. As Audra embarks on a journey to deliver the mysterious package, she faces unimaginable risks, and soon she becomes caught up in a growing resistance movement. Can joining the underground network of book smugglers give Audra a chance to rescue her parents?
Amari and the Night Brothers
By Alston, B. B.
Artemis Fowl meets Men in Black in this exhilarating debut middle grade fantasy, the first in a trilogy filled with #blackgirlmagic. Perfect for fans of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, the Percy Jackson series, and Nevermoor. Amari Peters has never stopped believing her missing brother, Quinton, is alive. Not even when the police told her otherwise, or when she got in trouble for standing up to bullies who said he was gone for good. So when she finds a ticking briefcase in his closet, containing a nomination for a summer tryout at the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, she's certain the secretive organization holds the key to locating Quinton -- if only she can wrap her head around the idea of magicians, fairies, aliens, and other supernatural creatures all being real.
Shadow School #1
By White, J. A.
From the acclaimed author of Nightbooks and The Thickety comes a spooky series, perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman, Adam Gidwitz, and Stranger Things! Cordelia Liu knew Shadow School was going to be different. Still, she didn't expect the school grounds to be filled with ghosts. Cordelia soon realizes she's not the only one who can see the ghosts; her new friend Benji can too. Together with super-smart Agnes, the trio are determined to find out why the ghosts are there, and whether there's a way to set them free. But the school was created with more sinister intentions, and someone is willing to go to extreme lengths to ensure that the ghosts remain trapped forever. J. A. White's Nightbooks has been praised as "equally twisting and terrifying" in a School Library Journal starred review. Kirkus added: "A thrilling tale of magic that is just scary enough." Middle grade readers will love J. A. White's Shadow School series as well!
Concealed
By Gonzalez, Christina Diaz
Ivette. Joanna. And now: Katrina. Whatever her name is, it won't last long. Katrina doesn't know any of the details about her past, but she does know that she and her parents are part of the Witness Protection Program. Whenever her parents say they have to move on and start over, she takes on a new identity. A new name, a new hair color, a new story. Until their location leaks and her parents disappear. Forced to embark on a dangerous rescue mission, Katrina and her new friend Parker set out to save her parents -- and find out the truth about her secret past and the people that want her family dead. But every new discovery reveals that Katrina's entire life has been built around secrets covered up with lies and that her parents were actually the ones keeping the biggest secret of all.
Curse of the Night Witch
By Aster, Alex
A fast-paced series starter perfect for fans of Aru Shah and the End of Time and filled with adventure, mythology, and an unforgettable trio of friends. On Emblem Island all are born knowing their fate. Their lifelines show the course of their life and an emblem dictates how they will spend it. Twelve-year-old Tor Luna was born with a leadership emblem, just like his mother. But he hates his mark and is determined to choose a different path for himself. So, on the annual New Year's Eve celebration, where Emblemites throw their wishes into a bonfire in the hopes of having them granted, Tor wishes for a different power. The next morning Tor wakes up to discover a new marking on his skin...the symbol of a curse that has shortened his lifeline, giving him only a week before an untimely death.
Double the Danger and Zero Zucchini
By Uhrig, Betsy
Books aren't supposed to be dangerous. Are they? Alex Harmon prefers running over sitting still reading. But when his aunt offers to pay him to point out the boring parts in her children's book, he figures it's an easy way to make ten bucks. The problem is that her book is about a grumpy frog and a prize-winning zucchini. It doesn't have only a few boring pages ... the whole thing is a lost cause. Alex gives his aunt some ideas to help her out -- like adding danger and suspense. But books can't just be interesting. They also have to be believable. Soon Alex recruits his friends to help him act out scenes so he can describe all the important details. He's even getting plot twists from a mysterious stranger (who might also be a ghost). Too late, Alex discovers that being a real-life stunt double for a fictional character can land you in terrible trouble -- even if your friends are laughing their heads off!
Dragon Ops
By Mancusi, Mari
One wrong move, and it's game over. Welcome to DRAGON OPS, the world's first augmented-reality video-game theme park. Set on a once-deserted island, our three beta players -- classic gamer geek Ian; his adventure-seeking sister, Lily; and their too-cool-for-gaming cousin, Derek-have been lucky enough to score an invite to play before the fully immersive experience opens to the public. But once inside, they find themselves trapped in a game taken over by a rogue AI dragon called Atreus, and suddenly the stakes go beyond the virtual world. With no cheat codes, guidebooks, save points, or do-overs, they'll need all their cunning and video-game hacks to beat the game and survive in real life. Action-packed and unputdownable, Dragon Ops will thrill gamers and reluctant readers alike with high-tech adventure and electrifying twists and turns.
The Elephant in the Room
By Sloan, Holly Goldberg
It's been almost a year since Sila's mother traveled halfway around the world to Turkey, hoping to secure the immigration paperwork that would allow her to return to her family in the United States. The long separation is almost impossible for Sila to withstand. But things change when Sila accompanies her father (who is a mechanic) outside their Oregon town to fix a truck. There, behind an enormous stone wall, she meets a grandfatherly man who only months before won the state lottery. Their new alliance leads to the rescue of a circus elephant named Veda, and then to a friendship with an unusual boy named Mateo, proving that comfort and hope come in the most unlikely of places. A moving story of family separation and the importance of the connection between animals and humans, this novel has the enormous heart and uplifting humor that readers have come to expect from the beloved author of Counting by 7s.
Lola Benko, Treasure Hunter
By Mcmullen, Beth
Having a world-traversing archaeologist dad means twelve-year-old Lola Benko is used to moving around and not putting down roots anywhere. But every day and every hunt for something hidden is an adventure, and no matter what, she and her dad are an unbeatable team. Then her father disappears. The official story is that he was caught in a flash flood, but Lola's research shows the day in question was perfectly pleasant. And it will take more than empty reassurances from suspect strangers for Lola to give up on her dad. She has a feeling his disappearance has to do with a mythical stone he was studying -- a stone so powerful, it could control the world. But in the wrong hands, it could end it, too ... With the help of some new friends at her school, it's up to Lola to go on the most important hunt of her life.
Pixie Pushes On
By Bundy, Tamara
A young girl learns bittersweet life lessons on the family farm after her sister gets polio, in this poignant and funny novel set in the heartland in the 1940s. Pixie's defenses are up, and it's no wonder. She's been uprooted, the chickens seem to have it in for her, and now her beloved sister, Charlotte, has been stricken with polio and whisked away into quarantine. So it's not surprising Pixie lashes out. But her habit of making snap judgements -- and giving her classmates nicknames like "Rotten Ricky" and "Big-Mouth Berta" -- hasn't won her any friends. At least life on the farm is getting better with the delivery of its newest resident -- a runt baby lamb. Raising Buster takes patience and understanding -- and this slowing down helps Pixie put things in better perspective.
Quintessence
By Jess, Redman,
Three months ago, twelve-year-old Alma moved to the town of Four Points. Her panic attacks started a week later, and they havent stopped even though she's told her parents that they have. Shes homesick and friendless and every day she feels less and less like herself. But one day she finds a telescope in the towns junk shop, and through its lens, she watches a star -- a star that looks like a child -- fall from the sky and into her backyard. Alma knows what its like to be lost and afraid, to long for home, and she knows that its up to her to save the star. And so, with the help of some unlikely new friends from Astronomy Club, she sets out on a quest that will take a little bit of science, a little bit of magic, and her whole self.
Rivals
By Greenwald, Tommy
The people of Walthorne love their basketball -- and one of the things they love most is the special rivalry between the Walthorne North Middle School Cougars and the Walthorne South Middle School Panthers. As the season begins, two star players are feeling the heat: Austin Chambers, captain of Walthorne North, worries that he's not good enough to live up to his father's legacy, while across town, the brilliantly talented Carter Haswell, captain of Walthorne South, is already under pressure to get a scholarship that might ease his family's financial stress. While both boys do whatever they can to make sure their team wins, Alfie Jenks, a school sports reporter, discovers that behind-the-scenes scandals are just as much a part of youth sports as on-the-court action.
Scritch Scratch
By Currie, Lindsay
For fans of Small Spaces comes a chilling ghost story about a malevolent spirit, an unlucky girl, and a haunting mystery that will tie the two together. Claire has absolutely no interest in the paranormal. She's a scientist, which is why she can't think of anything worse than having to help out her dad on one of his ghost-themed Chicago bus tours. She thinks she's made it through when she sees a boy with a sad face and dark eyes at the back of the bus. There's something off about his presence, especially because when she checks at the end of the tour ... he's gone. Claire tries to brush it off, she must be imagining things, letting her dad's ghost stories get the best of her. But then the scratching starts. Voices whisper to her in the dark. The number 396 appears everywhere she turns.
The Smartest Kid in the Universe
By Grabenstein, Chris
Bestselling Author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library and coauthor of Max Einstein!
"For centuries, humans have consumed information through their eyes and our ears," said Dr. Backbridge. "Here is my prediction. In the not-too-distant future, we are going to ingest information. You won't need to read a book or attend lectures. The chemicals in these pills will do your learning for you." Twelve-year-old Jake's middle school is about to be shut down. Jake and his friends know their school's worth saving -- if they could only figure out how! When Jake spies a bowl of jellybeans at the hotel where his mom works, he eats them. But uh-oh -- those weren't just jellybeans, one of the scientists at his mom's conference is in the process of developing the first ingestible information pills.
Starfish
By Fipps, Lisa
Ever since Ellie wore a whale swimsuit and made a big splash at her fifth birthday party, she's been bullied about her weight. To cope, she tries to live by the Fat Girl Rules -- like "no making waves," "avoid eating in public," and "don't move so fast that your body jiggles." And she's found her safe space - her swimming pool -- where she feels weightless in a fat-obsessed world. In the water, she can stretch herself out like a starfish and take up all the room she wants. It's also where she can get away from her pushy mom, who thinks criticizing Ellie's weight will motivate her to diet. Fortunately, Ellie has allies in her dad, her therapist, and her new neighbor, Catalina, who loves Ellie for who she is. With this support buoying her, Ellie might finally be able to cast aside the Fat Girl Rules and starfish in real life -- by unapologetically being her own fabulous self.
Words on Fire
By Nielsen, Jennifer A.
New York Times bestselling author Jennifer A. Nielsen transports readers to a corner of history with this inspiring story of a girl who discovers the strength of her people united in resisting oppression. Danger is never far from Audra's family farm in Lithuania. She always avoids the occupying Russian Cossack soldiers, who insist that everyone must become Russian -- they have banned Lithuanian books, religion, culture, and even the language. But Audra knows her parents are involved in something secret and perilous.In June 1893, when Cossacks arrive abruptly at their door, Audra's parents insist that she flee, taking with her an important package and instructions for where to deliver it. But escape means abandoning her parents to a terrible fate. As Audra embarks on a journey to deliver the mysterious package, she faces unimaginable risks, and soon she becomes caught up in a growing resistance movement. Can joining the underground network of book smugglers give Audra a chance to rescue her parents?