Book of the Month
The Islanders by Eleven-year-old Jake’s life has just turned upside-down. His father was wounded in Afghanistan, and his mother is going to leave to care for him. That means Jake’s spending the summer on tiny Dewees Island with his grandmother. The island is a nature sanctuary—no cars or paved roads, no stores or restaurants. To make matters worse, Jake’s grandmother doesn’t believe in cable or the internet. Which means Jake has no cell phone, no video games...and no friends. This is going to be the worst summer ever!
He’s barely on the island before he befriends two other kids—Macon, another “summer kid,” and Lovie, a know-it-all who lives there and shows both Jake and Macon the ropes of life on the island. All three are struggling with their own family issues and they quickly bond, going on adventures all over Dewees Island. Until one misadventure on an abandoned boat leads to community service. Their punishment? Mandatory duty on the Island Turtle Team. The kids must do a daily dawn patrol of the beach on the hunt for loggerhead sea turtle tracks. When a turtle nest is threatened by coyotes, the three friends must find a way to protect it. Can they save the turtle nest from predators? Can Jake’s growing love for the island and its inhabitants (be they two-legged, four-legged, feathered, or finned) help to heal his father? [print | ebook | audiobook]
Fiction
Lost! by An ancient myth about a statue leads eleven-year-old Carter and twelve-year-old Anna down a trail deep into the Costa Rican jungle. They get turned around, then chased by howler monkeys. Carter and Anna try to find their way back to the familiar path, but the tangle of vines and trees all look the same. They are . . . lost! [print]
Harvey and the Collection of Impossible Things by For city strays, life on the streets can be unforgiving. When every day is filled with territorial animals, fast-moving traffic, and aggressive boys with sticks, it takes more than a little courage to get by. Harvey, a stray cat struggling to survive, is searching for a home of his own—one that's safe and dry, with a view of the sky. But when the unexpected kindness of one woman saves him from the harsh city elements, he is forced to rethink what makes a home and who, if anyone, he can depend on. With the sage advice of Chester the dog and three talkative sparrows, Harvey will learn that trusting and helping others are some of the bravest things you can do. [print | ebook]
The Beatryce Prophecy by In a time of war, a mysterious child appears at the monastery of the Order of the Chronicles of Sorrowing. Gentle Brother Edik finds the girl, Beatryce, curled in a stall, wracked with fever, coated in dirt and blood, and holding fast to the ear of Answelica the goat. As the monk nurses Beatryce to health, he uncovers her dangerous secret, one that imperils them all--for the king of the land seeks just such a girl, and Brother Edik, who penned the prophecy himself, knows why. [print | ebook | audiobook]
The Secret Explorers and the Lost Whales by Meet The Secret Explorers! This group of brilliant kids comes together from all four corners of the globe to fix problems, solve mysteries, and gather knowledge all over the planet - and beyond. Whenever their help is needed, a special sign will appear on a door. They step through to the Exploration Station and receive their mission... In The Lost Whales, marine life expert Connor needs to use his underwater expertise to help save a pod of humpback whales that have lost their way. Along with space expert Roshni, he sets out in a submarine to search for a way to steer the whales back on track, but encounters unexpected problems along the way, including lost baby whales and a fleet of boats. Will The Secret Explorers manage to succeed in their mission?
[print | ebook]
Ben Yokoyama and the Cookie of Doom by When Ben reads his fortune-cookie fortune, he's alarmed and inspired. Immediately, he begins drafting a bucket list of unfinished tasks and lifelong dreams (finish his 1000-piece model of the Taj Mahal, eat an entire cake, etc....). As Ben marches himself in and out of trouble, takes useful risks, and helps both his parents to see the bigger picture, readers discover how something that seems scary can instead be empowering--leading to friendships that might never have been made, neighbors that might never have been known, and apple pies that might otherwise never have been baked. [print | e-book]
Danny Chung Sums It Up by Eleven-year-old Danny’s life is turned upside down when his Chinese grandmother comes to live with his family in England. Things get worse when Danny finds out he’ll have to share his room with her, and she took the top bunk! At first, Danny is frustrated that he can’t communicate with her because she doesn’t speak English—and because he’s on the verge of failing math and Nai Nai was actually a math champion back in the day. It just feels like he and his grandmother have nothing in common. His parents insist that Danny help out, so when he’s left to look after Nai Nai, he leaves her at the bingo hall for the day to get her off his back. But he soon discovers that not everyone there is as welcoming as he expected . . .Through the universal languages of math and art, Danny realizes he has more in
common with his Nai Nai than he first thought. [print | ebook]
Monday - into the Cave of Thieves (Total Mayhem #1) by When the forces of chaos interrupt the most important meal of Dash's day and conspire against him, his friends, his school, his town, and indeed the entire planet, Dash needs to take things into his own hands, and some crazy stuff starts to happen. [print | eaudiobook]
Skunk and Badger by No one wants a skunk. They are unwelcome on front stoops. They should not linger in Important Rock Rooms. Skunks should never, ever be allowed to move in. But Skunk is Badger’s new roommate, and there is nothing Badger can do about it. When Skunk plows into Badger’s life, everything Badger knows is upended. Tails are flipped. The wrong animal is sprayed. And why-oh-why are there so many chickens? [print | audiobook | ebook]
Bob by Visiting her grandmother in Australia, Livy, ten, is reminded of the promise she made five years before to Bob, a strange, green creature who cannot recall who or what he is. [print | e-book | audiobook]
Clementine by While sorting through difficulties in her friendship with her neighbor Margaret, eight-year-old Clementine gains several unique hairstyles while also helping her father in his efforts to banish pigeons from the front of their apartment building.
[print | e-book | audiobook]
Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat #1 by Klawde, the exiled ruler of the planet Lyttyrboks, and Raj, who just moved from Brooklyn to tiny Elba, Oregon, forge an unlikely friendship as they find their footing in a strange new world. [print | e-book]
Wishtree by An old red oak tree tells how he and his crow friend, Bongo, help their human neighbors get along after a threat against an immigrant family is carved into the tree's trunk. [print | audiobook]
Mac Undercover by One day, Mac (smartest boy in his class in a small town in California) receives a telephone call from the Queen of England, recruiting him to find the crown jewels (well, actually just the Coronation Spoon) and so Mac embarks on his first adventure as a secret agent--with the assurance that the Queen will give him a note excusing him from school. [print | audiobook]
Timmy Failure by Meet Timmy Failure, the founder, president, and CEO of the best detective agency in town, probably the nation. And his lazy sidekick, Total, a 1,500-pound polar bear. [print | e-book | audiobook]
Hachiko Waits by Professor Ueno's loyal Akita, Hachiko, waits for him at the train station every afternoon, and even after the professor has a fatal heart attack while at work, Hachiko faithfully continues to await his return until the day the dog dies. Based on a true story. [print | audiobook]
My Pet Slime (My Pet Slime Book 1) by Piper Maclane wants a pet so badly, but she's allergic to everything. So she creates her own--out of slime! It has big eyes, a little mouth, and two arms just long enough for hugs. When a strange turn of events brings her slime to life, Piper learns how fun, challenging, and messy it can be to care for a pet--especially one made out of slime! [print]
Abigail Adams, Pirate of the Caribbean by When Abigail Adams decides there's more to life than doing chores in the White House, she joins a crew of Caribbean pirates! [print | e-book | audiobook]
Wedgie and Gizmo by While his human Elliot adjusts to his new home and stepfamily, Gizmo, an evil genius guinea pig, searches for a new evil lair where he can plot to take over the world, but Gizmo is constantly thwarted by Elliot's little stepsister Jasmine (who likes to play dress-up), Abuela (who may or may not like to eat cavies), and Wedgie (a Corgi superhero and Gizmo's nemesis). [print | ebook | eaudiobook]
The Magic Misfits by Six young magicians and illusionists team up to save their small town from a crooked carnival owner and his goons.
[print | playaway | ebook | eaudiobook]
Graphic Novels
Animal Rescue Friends by Welcome to Animal Rescue Friends, where any stray can find a friendly face—furry or otherwise. This first collection of middle-grade comics includes five tales of found family: A lonely girl living in the suburbs finds happiness with a stray pit bull; a protective mama ferret and her six kits learn to trust a shelter volunteer; a shy boy stands up for himself with the help of a strong-willed bunny; a cantankerous cat helps to mend a troubled relationship; and the shelter's unofficial mascot eventually finds a home. Perfect for animal-loving kids, this adorable comics series will inspire and uplift. [print]
Bear by Bear is a service dog who would do anything for his owner and best friend Patrick who is blind. But when Bear suddenly loses his vision, he worries he’s lost his purpose in life—protecting Patrick! Following the misguided advice from some self-serving raccoons, Bear embarks on a transformative journey to regain his eyesight. Out of both necessity and survival, he learns to tap into his other senses and begins to see the world from a new perspective that is at times more rich and colorful than the world he’s always known. [print | ebook]
Max Meow Book 1: Cat Crusader by Max is just a regular cat in Kittyopolis, trying to make it big as a podcaster UNTIL he accidentally takes a bite of an RADIOACTIVE SPACE MEATBALL at his best friend, scientist Mindy's, SECRET LAB. Then before you can say MEOWZA, Max becomes...(drum roll!)...The CAT CRUSADER! Being a super hero is fun (Super strength? Check! Flying? YES!!!)--but not if you get so cocky, you forget your best friend! Will Max learn to listen? Will he and Mindy make up? And together, can Max and Mindy save Kittyopolis from the evil Agent M and BIG BOSS?! [print | ebook]
Aster and the Accidental Magic by Quiet . . . birds . . . nature. That's what Aster expects when her parents move their whole family to the middle of nowhere. It's just her (status: super-bored), her mom and dad (status: busy with science), her brother (status: has other plans), and . . .magic? [print | ebook]
Pawcasso by Every Saturday, Pawcasso trots into town with a basket, a shopping list, and cash in paw to buy groceries for his family. One day, he passes eleven-year-old Jo, peering out the window of her house, bored and lonely. Astonished by the sight of an adorable basket-toting dog on his own, Jo follows Pawcasso, and when she’s seen alongside him by a group of kids from her school, they mistake her for Pawcasso’s owner. Excited to make new friends, Jo reluctantly hides the truth and agrees to let “her” dog model for an art class the kids attend. What could go wrong? But what starts as a Chihuahua-sized lie quickly grows Great Dane-sized when animal control receives complaints about a dog roaming the streets off-leash. With Pawcasso’s freedom at stake, is Jo willing to spill the truth and risk her new friendships? [print]
Cat Ninja (Cat Ninja Book 1) by Raised from a kitten by a kindly old ninja master, Claude now spends his days as the pampered house cat of an eleven-year-old boy. But when trouble arises, Claude dons his mask and springs into action as Cat Ninja--Metro City's secret protector. [print]
The Cardboard Kingdom by Follows the adventures of a group of neighborhood children who create costumes from cardboard and use their imagination in adventures with knights, robots, and monsters. [print | e-book]
Pilu of the Woods by Willow loves the woods near her house. One day, Willow meets Pilu, a lost tree spirit who can't find her way back home. Willow offers to help Pilu, and the two quickly become friends. Pilu isn't sure she's ready to return home yet—which infuriates Willow, who's determined to make up for her own mistakes by getting Pilu back safely. As a storm rages and Willow's emotions bubble to the surface, they suddenly take on a physical form, putting both girls in danger, forcing Willow to confront her inner feelings once and for all. [print]
Nightlights by Every night, tiny stars appear out of the darkness in little Sandy's bedroom. She catches them and creates wonderful creatures to play with until she falls asleep, and in the morning brings them back to life in the whimsical drawings. When a mysterious new girl appears at school, Sandy's drawings are noticed for the first time, but Morfie's fascination with Sandy's talent soon turns into something far more sinister. [print]
The Singing Rock and Other Brand-New Fairy Tales by Four original, wry and utterly charming fairy tales comprise this new collection for young readers. [print]
