The Charlotte & William Bloomberg Medford Public Library
April, 12 2025 12:09:10
A Game of Noctis
By Fagan, Deva
A thrilling middle grade fantasy about a girl who must participate in a deadly game with a ragtag team of players to save her grandfather from a terrible fate - perfect for fans of James Riley and Shannon Messenger!. In the opulent, sinking city of Dantessa, the Great Game rules all. Pia Paro believes that so long as you follow the rules, you always have a chance at winning. But after her beloved Gramps is sentenced to a life of servitude, Pia accepts a dangerous offer and joins a team of players seeking to win the most perilous game of all: Noctis. The Seafoxes - Pia's new teammates - are unlike anyone she's ever met. There's brash, bold Carlo; macabre Serafina; kindhearted Pasquale; and their dashing ringleader, Vittoria. Each has their own reason for playing, and soon, Pia begins to question all her long-held beliefs.
Publisher: n/a
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9781665930192
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Hardcover
Pax
By Pennypacker, Sara
National Book Award Longlist * New York Times Bestseller * An Amazon Best Book of the YearFrom bestselling and award-winning author Sara Pennypacker comes a beautifully wrought, utterly compelling novel about the powerful relationship between a boy and his fox. Pax is destined to become a classic, beloved for generations to come.Pax and Peter have been inseparable ever since Peter rescued him as a kit. But one day, the unimaginable happens: Peter's dad enlists in the military and makes him return the fox to the wild.At his grandfather's house, three hundred miles away from home, Peter knows he isn't where he should be - with Pax. He strikes out on his own despite the encroaching war, spurred by love, loyalty, and grief, to be reunited with his fox.Meanwhile Pax, steadfastly waiting for his boy, embarks on adventures and discoveries of his own. . . .
Publisher: n/a
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9780062377012
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Hardcover
Mummies Around the World
By Carlson-berne, Emma
From Egyptian pharaohs to bodies preserved in bogs, young readers will learn about human and animal mummies throughout history. This book explores how mummies are made and the spooky stories around them.
Publisher: n/a
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9781728491196
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August 1
Ink Girls
By Nijkamp, Marieke
Every secret is a story waiting to happen.From New York Times-bestselling author Marieke Nijkamp and illustrator Sylvia Bi, this debut middle grade graphic novel celebrates the power that everyone - even those often overlooked - has to create change. In a vibrant city, two girls from very different walks of life join forces to fight censorship and protect the people they love. Eleven-year-old Cinzia is a printer's apprentice. She adores Mestra Aronne for taking her in - most guilds don't have room for apprentices with a crippled leg - and she loves life in the raggedy workshop that smells of paper and printing, where secrets and stories are always circulating. So when Mestra Aronne is imprisoned for publishing accusations against the ruling family, Cinzia will do anything to prove that Mestra Aronne only told the truth.
Publisher: n/a
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9780063027107
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Paperback
A Mango-Shaped Space
By Mass, Wendy
Mia Winchell has synesthesia, the mingling of perceptions whereby a person can see sounds, smell colors, or taste shapes. Forced to reveal her condition, she must look to herself to develop an understanding and appreciation of her gift in this coming-of-age novel.
Publisher: n/a
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9780316058254
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Paperback
The Playbook
By Alexander, Kwame
FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Kwame Alexander shares poetry and inspiring lessons about the rules of life, as well as upliftingquotes from athletes such asStephen CurryandVenus Williamsandother exemplarslike Sonia Sotomayor and Michelle Obamain this motivational and inspirational book just right for graduates of any age and anyone needing a little encouragement.
Publisher: n/a
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9780606398145
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Library Binding
Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus
By Bowling, Dusti
"Aven is a perky, hilarious, and inspiring protagonist whose attitude and humor will linger even after the last page has turned." - School Library Journal (Starred review) Aven Green loves to tell people that she lost her arms in an alligator wrestling match, or a wildfire in Tanzania, but the truth is she was born without them. And when her parents take a job running Stagecoach Pass, a rundown western theme park in Arizona, Aven moves with them across the country knowing that she'll have to answer the question over and over again.Her new life takes an unexpected turn when she bonds with Connor, a classmate who also feels isolated because of his own disability, and they discover a room at Stagecoach Pass that holds bigger secrets than Aven ever could have imagined. It's hard to solve a mystery, help a friend, and face your worst fears. But Aven's about to discover she can do it all . . . even without arms.Autumn 2017 Kids' Indie Next Pick Junior Library Guild Selection Library of Congress's 52 Great Reads List 2018
Publisher: n/a
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9781454923466
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Hardcover
The Stonekeeper's Curse
By Kibuishi, Kazu
Graphic novel star Kazu Kibuishi returns with his mysterious world full of new allies . . . and old enemies!Emily and Navin's mother is still in a coma from the arachnopod's poison, and there's only one place to find help: Kanalis, the bustling, beautiful city of waterfalls. But when Em, her brother, and Miskit and the rest of the robotic crew aboard the walking house reach the city, they quickly realize that seeking help is looking for trouble, dangerous trouble.
Publisher: n/a
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9780439846837
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Paperback
The City of Ember
By Duprau, Jeanne
NOW A MAJOR motion picture starring Bill Murray, Tim Robbins, Martin Landau, Saoirse Ronan, and Harry Treadaway! This tie-in edition of The City of Ember features a movie-art cover and an 8-page photo insert. Jeanne DuPrau's instant classic tells the story of the great, underground city of Ember, designed as a last refuge for the human race. But when the storerooms run out of food and the lights begin to fail, it's up to two teens, Lina and Doon, to decipher the fragments of an ancient parchment and find a way out of Ember.
Publisher: n/a
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9780385736282
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Paperback
What Makes Us Human
By Santos, Victor D.o.
A poetic riddle about language, history, and culture, released in partnership with UNESCO in honor of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022-2032) . Can you guess what I am? I have been around a very, very long time. You hardly knew me as a baby, but now you cannot get me out of your head. There are thousands of me, all over the globe, and some of those forms are disappearing. I can connect you to the past, present, and future. Who am I - and why am I so important to humanity? Clever and thought-provoking, What Makes Us Human is an accessible introduction to how language connects people across the world. This unique book celebrates all the amazing ways communication shapes our lives, including through text messages on phones, Braille buttons in elevators, and endangered languages at risk of disappearing.
Publisher: n/a
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9780802856258
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Hardcover
Next Stop
By Fong, Debbie
Stand-alone debut Next Stop is a heartfelt graphic-novel from award-winning illustrator Debbie Fong that tackles tough topics with warmth and humor.. Pia is a soft-spoken middle schooler whose life is turned upside down after the loss of her younger brother, followed by her parents' decision to move to a new town. In an effort to get her mind off of the troubles at home, Pia goes on a bus tour with a family friend, stopping at weird and wacky roadside attractions. The final destination: a mysterious underground lake. The locals say it has magical powers; Pia won't admit she believes in it, but she's holding on to hope that the waters may hold the answer to mending her broken family.. The trip is much more than the final stop. The friendships that Pia makes along the way are just as valuable as the destination itself.
Publisher: n/a
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9780593425206
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Hardcover
The Girl Who Drank the Moon
By Barnhill, Kelly Regan
Winner of the 2017 Newbery Award The New York Times Bestseller An Entertainment Weekly Best Middle Grade Book of 2016 A New York Public Library Best Book of 2016 A Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2016 An Amazon Top 20 Best Book of 2016 A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2016 A School Library Journal Best Book of 2016 Named to KirkusReviews' Best Books of 2016 2017 BOOKLIST Youth Editors' Choice Every year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. They hope this sacrifice will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch in the Forest, Xan, is kind. She shares her home with a wise Swamp Monster and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon. Xan rescues the children and delivers them to welcoming families on the other side of the forest, nourishing the babies with starlight on the journey. One year, Xan accidentally feeds a baby moonlight instead of starlight, filling the ordinary child with extraordinary magic. Xan decides she must raise this girl, whom she calls Luna, as her own. As Luna's thirteenth birthday approaches, her magic begins to emerge--with dangerous consequences. Meanwhile, a young man from the Protectorate is determined to free his people by killing the witch. Deadly birds with uncertain intentions flock nearby. A volcano, quiet for centuries, rumbles just beneath the earth's surface. And the woman with the Tiger's heart is on the prowl . . . The Newbery Medal winner from the author of the highly acclaimed novel The Witch's Boy.
Publisher: n/a
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9781616205676
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Hardcover
Wildwood
By Meloy, Colin
For fans of The Chronicles of Narnia comes the first book in the Wildwood Chronicles, the New York Times bestselling fantasy adventure series by Colin Meloy, lead singer of the Decemberists, and Carson Ellis, acclaimed illustrator of The Mysterious Benedict Society. In Wildwood, Prue and her friend Curtis uncover a secret world in the midst of violent upheavala world full of warring creatures, peaceable mystics, and powerful figures with the darkest intentions. And what begins as a rescue mission becomes something much greater as the two friends find themselves entwined in a struggle for the very freedom of this wilderness. A wilderness the locals call Wildwood.Wildwood captivates readers with the wonder and thrill of a secret world within the landscape of a modern city.
Publisher: n/a
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9780062024701
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Paperback
Art Club
By Doucet, Rashad
Drawn from the author's own childhood like New Kid, this contemporary graphic novel paints a picture of an aspiring young artist on a mission to prove that the arts are worth fighting for.. Dale Donavan has heard the same lecture over and over again: Art will get you nowhere in life. A kid with a creative streak, Dale wants nothing more than to doodle, play video games, and create comics forever - maybe even as a full-time job one day. But between his grandfather pushing him to focus on his studies and a school with zero interest in funding arts programs, Dale feels like his future has already been decided for him. That is, until he comes up with the perfect plan: What if he starts an after-school art club, gathers a team of creative students like himself, and proves all the naysayers - his stubborn vice principal in particular - wrong? This might just work, but if the club isn't financially successful by the end of the semester, the school with shut them down.
Publisher: n/a
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9780759556393
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Paperback
Sisters
By Telgemeier, Raina
Raina Telgemeier's #1 New York Times bestselling, Eisner Award-winning companion to Smile! Raina can't wait to be a big sister. But once Amara is born, things aren't quite how she expected them to be. Amara is cute, but she's also a cranky, grouchy baby, and mostly prefers to play by herself. Their relationship doesn't improve much over the years, but when a baby brother enters the picture and later, something doesn't seem right between their parents, they realize they must figure out how to get along. They are sisters, after all. Raina uses her signature humor and charm in both present-day narrative and perfectly placed flashbacks to tell the story of her relationship with her sister, which unfolds during the course of a road trip from their home in San Francisco to a family reunion in Colorado.
Publisher: n/a
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9780545540605
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Paperback
Paige Not Found
By Wilde, Jen
An adventure story that examines consent and privacy in a way that books have not had to before this generation where everything is online.A week ago, if someone had told Paige she'd be stuck in traffic with three total strangers on a mission to stop a global organization from controlling their minds, she would have laughed. But somehow this is real life. She adjusts her noise cancelling headphones, trying to drown out more of the car horns and music blaring from a neighboring sedan. Her fists clench and unclench. Inside her shoes, her toes wiggle, trying to let out some of her nervous energy.As much as Paige hates the word normal, it's a pretty good word to describe her life, and the kind of night she was having just before a single email turned her world upside down.
Publisher: n/a
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9781338880564
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Hardcover
The Secret of the Ravens
By Cacao, Joanna
In this charming middle grade graphic novel, orphan twins Elliot and Liza find themselves taking on a series of mysterious raven quests in order to make money and survive - only for Liza to be mortally injured during one of their adventures. Now, Elliot must team up with a mysterious dark mage in order to save her.Twin siblings Elliot and Liza only have each other. Their parents are gone. Their home was taken, and to survive on their own, they're forced to scrounge up plastic and metal to trade for coin within an abandoned garbage heap. Desperate to escape the vagabond cycle that they're trapped in, the answer to their plight seemingly appears when they stumble upon a Raven Quest - magical tasks offered by mysterious message-carrying ravens that when successfully completed, promise the victors coin and untold riches.
Publisher: n/a
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9780358650119
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Paperback
Timmy Failure
By Pastis, Stephan
Meet "detective" Timmy Failure, star of the kids' comedy of the year. Created by New York Times best-selling cartoonist Stephan Pastis.Take Timmy Failure - the clueless, comically self-confident CEO of the best detective agency in town, perhaps even the nation. Add his impressively lazy business partner, a very large polar bear named Total. Throw in the Failuremobile - Timmy's mom's Segway - and what you have is Total Failure, Inc., a global enterprise destined to make Timmy so rich his mother won't have to stress out about the bills anymore. Of course, Timmy's plan does not include the four-foot-tall female whose name shall not be uttered. And it doesn't include Rollo Tookus, who is so obsessed with getting into "Stanfurd" that he can't carry out a no-brainer spy mission.
Publisher: n/a
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9780763669270
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Print book
It Ain't So Awful, Falafel
By Dumas, Firoozeh
Zomorod is eleven and originally from Iran, but please, call her Cindy. From a New York Times bestselling memoirist, a humorous, voice-driven debut novel about growing up Iranian in Southern California during the Iranian Revolution and hostage crisis of the late 1970s.
Publisher: n/a
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9780606401395
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Library Binding
Murder Is Bad Manners
By Stevens, Robin
Two friends form a detective agency - and must solve their first murder case - in this "sharp-witted debut" (Publishers Weekly, starred review) that is the first adventure in a brand-new middle grade mystery series set at a 1930s boarding school.Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are best friends at Deepdean School for Girls, and they both have a penchant for solving mysteries. In fact, outspoken Daisy is a self-described Sherlock Holmes, and she appoints wallflower Hazel as her own personal Watson when they form their own (secret!) detective agency. The only problem? They have nothing to investigate. But that changes once Hazel discovers the body of their science teacher, Miss Bell - and the body subsequently disappears. She and Daisy are certain a murder must have taken place, and they can think of more than one person with a motive. Determined to get to the bottom of the crime - and to prove that it happened - before the killer strikes again, Hazel and Daisy must hunt for evidence, spy on their suspects, and use all the cunning, scheming, and intuition they can muster. But will they succeed? And can their friendship stand the test?
Publisher: n/a
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9781481422123
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Hardcover
The Harlem charade
By Tarpley, Natasha
Seventh-graders Jin, Alexandra, and Elvin come from very different backgrounds and circumstances, but they all live in Harlem, and when Elvin's grandfather is attacked they band together to find out who is responsible--and the search leads them to an enigmatic artist whose missing masterpieces are worth a fortune, and into conflict with an ambitious politician who wants to turn Harlem into an historic amusement park.
Publisher: n/a
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9781509427338
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Audiobook
Fourth Down and Inches
By Mcclafferty, Carla Killough
"When the 1905 football season ended, nineteen players were dead and countless others were critically injured. The public was outraged. The game had reached a make-or-break moment - fourth down and inches. Coaches, players, fans, and even the president of the United States had one last chance: change football or leave the field. Football's defenders managed to move the chains. Rule changes and reforms after 1905 saved the game and cleared the way for it to become America's most popular sport. But they didn't fix everything. Today, football faces a new injury crisis as dire as 1905's. With increased awareness about brain injury, reported concussions are on the rise among football players. But experts fear concussions may only be the tip of the iceberg. The injuries are almost invisible, but the stakes couldn't be higher: the brains of millions of young football players across the country. Award-winning author Carla Killough McClafferty takes readers on a bone-crunching journey from football's origins to the latest research on concussion and traumatic brain injuries in the sport. Fourth Down and Inches features exclusive photography and interviews with scientists, players, and the families of athletes who have literally given everything to the game. It's fourth and inches. Can football save itself again?"
Publisher: n/a
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9781467710671
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Print book
Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish
By Cartaya, Pablo
One boy's search for his father leads him to Puerto Rico in this moving middle-grade novel, for fans of Ghost and See You in the Cosmos.Marcus Vega is six feet tall, 180 pounds, and the owner of a premature mustache. When you look like this and you're only in the eighth grade, you're both a threat and a target. After a fight at school leaves Marcus facing suspension, Marcus's mom decides it's time for a change of environment. She takes Marcus and his younger brother to Puerto Rico to spend a week with relatives they don't remember or have never met. But Marcus can't focus knowing that his father--who walked out of their lives ten years ago--is somewhere on the island. So begins Marcus's incredible journey, a series of misadventures that take him all over Puerto Rico in search of his elusive namesake. Marcus doesn't know if he'll ever find his father, but what he ultimately discovers changes his life. And he even learns a bit of Spanish along the way.
Publisher: n/a
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9781101997260
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Hardcover
So Done
By Chase, Paula
When best friends Tai and Mila are reunited after a summer apart, their friendship threatens to combust from the pressure of secrets, middle school, and the looming dance auditions for a new talented-and-gifted program.Fans of Rene Watson's Piecing Me Together will love this memorable story about a complex friendship between two very different African American girls - and the importance of speaking up. Jamila Phillips and Tai Johnson have been inseparable since they were toddlers, having grown up across the street from each other in Pirates Cove, a low-income housing project. As summer comes to an end, Tai can't wait for Mila to return from spending a month with her aunt in the suburbs. But both girls are grappling with secrets, and when Mila returns she's more focused on her upcoming dance auditions than hanging out with Tai. Paula Chase explores complex issues that affect many young teens, and So Done offers a powerful message about speaking up. Full of ballet, basketball, family, and daily life in Pirates Cove, this memorable novel is for fans of Ali Benjamin's The Thing About Jellyfish and Jason Reynolds's Ghost.
Publisher: n/a
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9780062691781
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Paperback
Better Nate Than Ever
By Federle, Tim
"The Nate series by Tim Federle is a wonderful evocation of what it's like to be a theater kid. Highly recommended." - Lin-Manuel Miranda, star and creator of the musical, Hamilton A New York Times Notable Book of the Year A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year A Slate Favorite Book of the Year A small-town boy hops a bus to New York City to crash an audition for E.T.: The Musical in this winning middle grade novel that The New York Times called "inspired and inspiring."Nate Foster has big dreams. His whole life, he's wanted to star in a Broadway show. (Heck, he'd settle for seeing a Broadway show.) But how is Nate supposed to make his dreams come true when he's stuck in Jankburg, Pennsylvania, where no one (except his best pal Libby) appreciates a good show tune? With Libby's help, Nate plans a daring overnight escape to New York.
An inspiring picture book biography about Rosalind Franklin, the groundbreaking chemist who helped discover the structure of DNA, by the award-winning, bestselling author of Who Says Women Can't Be Doctors?. Rosalind Franklin was a Jewish scientist with a remarkable talent as a chemist. Although there were few women working in this field in the 1950s, Franklin, using crystallography, captured an image that held the secret to unlocking the structure of DNA: the double helix. Her Photo 51 was used by her male colleagues without her knowledge, and they went on to win the Nobel Prize, while Franklin never found out how instrumental her work was to the discovery of the double helix. This incredible story uncovers the life and work of an extraordinary scientist, rightfully celebrating her landmark contributions to history.
A Game of Noctis
By Fagan, Deva
A thrilling middle grade fantasy about a girl who must participate in a deadly game with a ragtag team of players to save her grandfather from a terrible fate - perfect for fans of James Riley and Shannon Messenger!. In the opulent, sinking city of Dantessa, the Great Game rules all. Pia Paro believes that so long as you follow the rules, you always have a chance at winning. But after her beloved Gramps is sentenced to a life of servitude, Pia accepts a dangerous offer and joins a team of players seeking to win the most perilous game of all: Noctis. The Seafoxes - Pia's new teammates - are unlike anyone she's ever met. There's brash, bold Carlo; macabre Serafina; kindhearted Pasquale; and their dashing ringleader, Vittoria. Each has their own reason for playing, and soon, Pia begins to question all her long-held beliefs.
Pax
By Pennypacker, Sara
National Book Award Longlist * New York Times Bestseller * An Amazon Best Book of the YearFrom bestselling and award-winning author Sara Pennypacker comes a beautifully wrought, utterly compelling novel about the powerful relationship between a boy and his fox. Pax is destined to become a classic, beloved for generations to come.Pax and Peter have been inseparable ever since Peter rescued him as a kit. But one day, the unimaginable happens: Peter's dad enlists in the military and makes him return the fox to the wild.At his grandfather's house, three hundred miles away from home, Peter knows he isn't where he should be - with Pax. He strikes out on his own despite the encroaching war, spurred by love, loyalty, and grief, to be reunited with his fox.Meanwhile Pax, steadfastly waiting for his boy, embarks on adventures and discoveries of his own. . . .
Mummies Around the World
By Carlson-berne, Emma
From Egyptian pharaohs to bodies preserved in bogs, young readers will learn about human and animal mummies throughout history. This book explores how mummies are made and the spooky stories around them.
Ink Girls
By Nijkamp, Marieke
Every secret is a story waiting to happen.From New York Times-bestselling author Marieke Nijkamp and illustrator Sylvia Bi, this debut middle grade graphic novel celebrates the power that everyone - even those often overlooked - has to create change. In a vibrant city, two girls from very different walks of life join forces to fight censorship and protect the people they love. Eleven-year-old Cinzia is a printer's apprentice. She adores Mestra Aronne for taking her in - most guilds don't have room for apprentices with a crippled leg - and she loves life in the raggedy workshop that smells of paper and printing, where secrets and stories are always circulating. So when Mestra Aronne is imprisoned for publishing accusations against the ruling family, Cinzia will do anything to prove that Mestra Aronne only told the truth.
A Mango-Shaped Space
By Mass, Wendy
Mia Winchell has synesthesia, the mingling of perceptions whereby a person can see sounds, smell colors, or taste shapes. Forced to reveal her condition, she must look to herself to develop an understanding and appreciation of her gift in this coming-of-age novel.
The Playbook
By Alexander, Kwame
FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Kwame Alexander shares poetry and inspiring lessons about the rules of life, as well as upliftingquotes from athletes such asStephen CurryandVenus Williamsandother exemplarslike Sonia Sotomayor and Michelle Obamain this motivational and inspirational book just right for graduates of any age and anyone needing a little encouragement.
Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus
By Bowling, Dusti
"Aven is a perky, hilarious, and inspiring protagonist whose attitude and humor will linger even after the last page has turned." - School Library Journal (Starred review) Aven Green loves to tell people that she lost her arms in an alligator wrestling match, or a wildfire in Tanzania, but the truth is she was born without them. And when her parents take a job running Stagecoach Pass, a rundown western theme park in Arizona, Aven moves with them across the country knowing that she'll have to answer the question over and over again.Her new life takes an unexpected turn when she bonds with Connor, a classmate who also feels isolated because of his own disability, and they discover a room at Stagecoach Pass that holds bigger secrets than Aven ever could have imagined. It's hard to solve a mystery, help a friend, and face your worst fears. But Aven's about to discover she can do it all . . . even without arms.Autumn 2017 Kids' Indie Next Pick Junior Library Guild Selection Library of Congress's 52 Great Reads List 2018
The Stonekeeper's Curse
By Kibuishi, Kazu
Graphic novel star Kazu Kibuishi returns with his mysterious world full of new allies . . . and old enemies!Emily and Navin's mother is still in a coma from the arachnopod's poison, and there's only one place to find help: Kanalis, the bustling, beautiful city of waterfalls. But when Em, her brother, and Miskit and the rest of the robotic crew aboard the walking house reach the city, they quickly realize that seeking help is looking for trouble, dangerous trouble.
The City of Ember
By Duprau, Jeanne
NOW A MAJOR motion picture starring Bill Murray, Tim Robbins, Martin Landau, Saoirse Ronan, and Harry Treadaway! This tie-in edition of The City of Ember features a movie-art cover and an 8-page photo insert. Jeanne DuPrau's instant classic tells the story of the great, underground city of Ember, designed as a last refuge for the human race. But when the storerooms run out of food and the lights begin to fail, it's up to two teens, Lina and Doon, to decipher the fragments of an ancient parchment and find a way out of Ember.
What Makes Us Human
By Santos, Victor D.o.
A poetic riddle about language, history, and culture, released in partnership with UNESCO in honor of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022-2032) . Can you guess what I am? I have been around a very, very long time. You hardly knew me as a baby, but now you cannot get me out of your head. There are thousands of me, all over the globe, and some of those forms are disappearing. I can connect you to the past, present, and future. Who am I - and why am I so important to humanity? Clever and thought-provoking, What Makes Us Human is an accessible introduction to how language connects people across the world. This unique book celebrates all the amazing ways communication shapes our lives, including through text messages on phones, Braille buttons in elevators, and endangered languages at risk of disappearing.
Next Stop
By Fong, Debbie
Stand-alone debut Next Stop is a heartfelt graphic-novel from award-winning illustrator Debbie Fong that tackles tough topics with warmth and humor.. Pia is a soft-spoken middle schooler whose life is turned upside down after the loss of her younger brother, followed by her parents' decision to move to a new town. In an effort to get her mind off of the troubles at home, Pia goes on a bus tour with a family friend, stopping at weird and wacky roadside attractions. The final destination: a mysterious underground lake. The locals say it has magical powers; Pia won't admit she believes in it, but she's holding on to hope that the waters may hold the answer to mending her broken family.. The trip is much more than the final stop. The friendships that Pia makes along the way are just as valuable as the destination itself.
The Girl Who Drank the Moon
By Barnhill, Kelly Regan
Winner of the 2017 Newbery Award The New York Times Bestseller An Entertainment Weekly Best Middle Grade Book of 2016 A New York Public Library Best Book of 2016 A Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2016 An Amazon Top 20 Best Book of 2016 A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2016 A School Library Journal Best Book of 2016 Named to KirkusReviews' Best Books of 2016 2017 BOOKLIST Youth Editors' Choice Every year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. They hope this sacrifice will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch in the Forest, Xan, is kind. She shares her home with a wise Swamp Monster and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon. Xan rescues the children and delivers them to welcoming families on the other side of the forest, nourishing the babies with starlight on the journey. One year, Xan accidentally feeds a baby moonlight instead of starlight, filling the ordinary child with extraordinary magic. Xan decides she must raise this girl, whom she calls Luna, as her own. As Luna's thirteenth birthday approaches, her magic begins to emerge--with dangerous consequences. Meanwhile, a young man from the Protectorate is determined to free his people by killing the witch. Deadly birds with uncertain intentions flock nearby. A volcano, quiet for centuries, rumbles just beneath the earth's surface. And the woman with the Tiger's heart is on the prowl . . . The Newbery Medal winner from the author of the highly acclaimed novel The Witch's Boy.
Wildwood
By Meloy, Colin
For fans of The Chronicles of Narnia comes the first book in the Wildwood Chronicles, the New York Times bestselling fantasy adventure series by Colin Meloy, lead singer of the Decemberists, and Carson Ellis, acclaimed illustrator of The Mysterious Benedict Society. In Wildwood, Prue and her friend Curtis uncover a secret world in the midst of violent upheavala world full of warring creatures, peaceable mystics, and powerful figures with the darkest intentions. And what begins as a rescue mission becomes something much greater as the two friends find themselves entwined in a struggle for the very freedom of this wilderness. A wilderness the locals call Wildwood.Wildwood captivates readers with the wonder and thrill of a secret world within the landscape of a modern city.
Art Club
By Doucet, Rashad
Drawn from the author's own childhood like New Kid, this contemporary graphic novel paints a picture of an aspiring young artist on a mission to prove that the arts are worth fighting for.. Dale Donavan has heard the same lecture over and over again: Art will get you nowhere in life. A kid with a creative streak, Dale wants nothing more than to doodle, play video games, and create comics forever - maybe even as a full-time job one day. But between his grandfather pushing him to focus on his studies and a school with zero interest in funding arts programs, Dale feels like his future has already been decided for him. That is, until he comes up with the perfect plan: What if he starts an after-school art club, gathers a team of creative students like himself, and proves all the naysayers - his stubborn vice principal in particular - wrong? This might just work, but if the club isn't financially successful by the end of the semester, the school with shut them down.
Sisters
By Telgemeier, Raina
Raina Telgemeier's #1 New York Times bestselling, Eisner Award-winning companion to Smile! Raina can't wait to be a big sister. But once Amara is born, things aren't quite how she expected them to be. Amara is cute, but she's also a cranky, grouchy baby, and mostly prefers to play by herself. Their relationship doesn't improve much over the years, but when a baby brother enters the picture and later, something doesn't seem right between their parents, they realize they must figure out how to get along. They are sisters, after all. Raina uses her signature humor and charm in both present-day narrative and perfectly placed flashbacks to tell the story of her relationship with her sister, which unfolds during the course of a road trip from their home in San Francisco to a family reunion in Colorado.
Paige Not Found
By Wilde, Jen
An adventure story that examines consent and privacy in a way that books have not had to before this generation where everything is online.A week ago, if someone had told Paige she'd be stuck in traffic with three total strangers on a mission to stop a global organization from controlling their minds, she would have laughed. But somehow this is real life. She adjusts her noise cancelling headphones, trying to drown out more of the car horns and music blaring from a neighboring sedan. Her fists clench and unclench. Inside her shoes, her toes wiggle, trying to let out some of her nervous energy.As much as Paige hates the word normal, it's a pretty good word to describe her life, and the kind of night she was having just before a single email turned her world upside down.
The Secret of the Ravens
By Cacao, Joanna
In this charming middle grade graphic novel, orphan twins Elliot and Liza find themselves taking on a series of mysterious raven quests in order to make money and survive - only for Liza to be mortally injured during one of their adventures. Now, Elliot must team up with a mysterious dark mage in order to save her.Twin siblings Elliot and Liza only have each other. Their parents are gone. Their home was taken, and to survive on their own, they're forced to scrounge up plastic and metal to trade for coin within an abandoned garbage heap. Desperate to escape the vagabond cycle that they're trapped in, the answer to their plight seemingly appears when they stumble upon a Raven Quest - magical tasks offered by mysterious message-carrying ravens that when successfully completed, promise the victors coin and untold riches.
Timmy Failure
By Pastis, Stephan
Meet "detective" Timmy Failure, star of the kids' comedy of the year. Created by New York Times best-selling cartoonist Stephan Pastis.Take Timmy Failure - the clueless, comically self-confident CEO of the best detective agency in town, perhaps even the nation. Add his impressively lazy business partner, a very large polar bear named Total. Throw in the Failuremobile - Timmy's mom's Segway - and what you have is Total Failure, Inc., a global enterprise destined to make Timmy so rich his mother won't have to stress out about the bills anymore. Of course, Timmy's plan does not include the four-foot-tall female whose name shall not be uttered. And it doesn't include Rollo Tookus, who is so obsessed with getting into "Stanfurd" that he can't carry out a no-brainer spy mission.
It Ain't So Awful, Falafel
By Dumas, Firoozeh
Zomorod is eleven and originally from Iran, but please, call her Cindy. From a New York Times bestselling memoirist, a humorous, voice-driven debut novel about growing up Iranian in Southern California during the Iranian Revolution and hostage crisis of the late 1970s.
Murder Is Bad Manners
By Stevens, Robin
Two friends form a detective agency - and must solve their first murder case - in this "sharp-witted debut" (Publishers Weekly, starred review) that is the first adventure in a brand-new middle grade mystery series set at a 1930s boarding school.Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are best friends at Deepdean School for Girls, and they both have a penchant for solving mysteries. In fact, outspoken Daisy is a self-described Sherlock Holmes, and she appoints wallflower Hazel as her own personal Watson when they form their own (secret!) detective agency. The only problem? They have nothing to investigate. But that changes once Hazel discovers the body of their science teacher, Miss Bell - and the body subsequently disappears. She and Daisy are certain a murder must have taken place, and they can think of more than one person with a motive. Determined to get to the bottom of the crime - and to prove that it happened - before the killer strikes again, Hazel and Daisy must hunt for evidence, spy on their suspects, and use all the cunning, scheming, and intuition they can muster. But will they succeed? And can their friendship stand the test?
The Harlem charade
By Tarpley, Natasha
Seventh-graders Jin, Alexandra, and Elvin come from very different backgrounds and circumstances, but they all live in Harlem, and when Elvin's grandfather is attacked they band together to find out who is responsible--and the search leads them to an enigmatic artist whose missing masterpieces are worth a fortune, and into conflict with an ambitious politician who wants to turn Harlem into an historic amusement park.
Fourth Down and Inches
By Mcclafferty, Carla Killough
"When the 1905 football season ended, nineteen players were dead and countless others were critically injured. The public was outraged. The game had reached a make-or-break moment - fourth down and inches. Coaches, players, fans, and even the president of the United States had one last chance: change football or leave the field. Football's defenders managed to move the chains. Rule changes and reforms after 1905 saved the game and cleared the way for it to become America's most popular sport. But they didn't fix everything. Today, football faces a new injury crisis as dire as 1905's. With increased awareness about brain injury, reported concussions are on the rise among football players. But experts fear concussions may only be the tip of the iceberg. The injuries are almost invisible, but the stakes couldn't be higher: the brains of millions of young football players across the country. Award-winning author Carla Killough McClafferty takes readers on a bone-crunching journey from football's origins to the latest research on concussion and traumatic brain injuries in the sport. Fourth Down and Inches features exclusive photography and interviews with scientists, players, and the families of athletes who have literally given everything to the game. It's fourth and inches. Can football save itself again?"
Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish
By Cartaya, Pablo
One boy's search for his father leads him to Puerto Rico in this moving middle-grade novel, for fans of Ghost and See You in the Cosmos.Marcus Vega is six feet tall, 180 pounds, and the owner of a premature mustache. When you look like this and you're only in the eighth grade, you're both a threat and a target. After a fight at school leaves Marcus facing suspension, Marcus's mom decides it's time for a change of environment. She takes Marcus and his younger brother to Puerto Rico to spend a week with relatives they don't remember or have never met. But Marcus can't focus knowing that his father--who walked out of their lives ten years ago--is somewhere on the island. So begins Marcus's incredible journey, a series of misadventures that take him all over Puerto Rico in search of his elusive namesake. Marcus doesn't know if he'll ever find his father, but what he ultimately discovers changes his life. And he even learns a bit of Spanish along the way.
So Done
By Chase, Paula
When best friends Tai and Mila are reunited after a summer apart, their friendship threatens to combust from the pressure of secrets, middle school, and the looming dance auditions for a new talented-and-gifted program.Fans of Rene Watson's Piecing Me Together will love this memorable story about a complex friendship between two very different African American girls - and the importance of speaking up. Jamila Phillips and Tai Johnson have been inseparable since they were toddlers, having grown up across the street from each other in Pirates Cove, a low-income housing project. As summer comes to an end, Tai can't wait for Mila to return from spending a month with her aunt in the suburbs. But both girls are grappling with secrets, and when Mila returns she's more focused on her upcoming dance auditions than hanging out with Tai. Paula Chase explores complex issues that affect many young teens, and So Done offers a powerful message about speaking up. Full of ballet, basketball, family, and daily life in Pirates Cove, this memorable novel is for fans of Ali Benjamin's The Thing About Jellyfish and Jason Reynolds's Ghost.
Better Nate Than Ever
By Federle, Tim
"The Nate series by Tim Federle is a wonderful evocation of what it's like to be a theater kid. Highly recommended." - Lin-Manuel Miranda, star and creator of the musical, Hamilton A New York Times Notable Book of the Year A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year A Slate Favorite Book of the Year A small-town boy hops a bus to New York City to crash an audition for E.T.: The Musical in this winning middle grade novel that The New York Times called "inspired and inspiring."Nate Foster has big dreams. His whole life, he's wanted to star in a Broadway show. (Heck, he'd settle for seeing a Broadway show.) But how is Nate supposed to make his dreams come true when he's stuck in Jankburg, Pennsylvania, where no one (except his best pal Libby) appreciates a good show tune? With Libby's help, Nate plans a daring overnight escape to New York.
The Second Favorite Daughters Club 1
By Oakes, Colleen
For fans of Sisters and Netflix's The Baby-sitter's Club, a contemporary series for the siblings who always come in last.. Santana Barnes is tired of playing second fiddle to her ballet protégé, honor student older sister Victoria. Casey Hammond is sick of her cute-as-a-button, adventurous little sister Sage, who steals all of their dad's attention.. When the girls meet in their middle school library, they learn they have a lot in common: they both love reading, they hate after-school activities, and most important, they are clearly their parents' second-favorite children.. So they decide to do something about it. They create the Second Favorite Daughters Club. The members? Just the two of them. The mission? To become their parents' favorite children by undermining their love-hoarding siblings.
Remembering Rosalind Franklin
By Stone, Tanya Lee
An inspiring picture book biography about Rosalind Franklin, the groundbreaking chemist who helped discover the structure of DNA, by the award-winning, bestselling author of Who Says Women Can't Be Doctors?. Rosalind Franklin was a Jewish scientist with a remarkable talent as a chemist. Although there were few women working in this field in the 1950s, Franklin, using crystallography, captured an image that held the secret to unlocking the structure of DNA: the double helix. Her Photo 51 was used by her male colleagues without her knowledge, and they went on to win the Nobel Prize, while Franklin never found out how instrumental her work was to the discovery of the double helix. This incredible story uncovers the life and work of an extraordinary scientist, rightfully celebrating her landmark contributions to history.