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Books for Kids and Tweens January 2026 |
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New titles to enjoy in the New Year! |
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| The Stolen Songbird by Judith Eagle; illustrated by Jo RiouxWhile her moms are traveling, 12-year-old Caro and her secret pet rabbit, His Nibs, are sent to stay with strict great-aunt Gam. It's there that Caro discovers a stolen painting and gets caught up with a treacherous gang of art thieves. This twisty illustrated mystery plunges you into an adventure across 1950s London. (Ages 8-12.) |
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| Xolo by Donna Barba Higuera; illustrated by Mariana Ruiz JohnsonIn Aztec mythology, the feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl gets the credit for reviving humanity after their destruction. But in this eye-catching and emotional graphic novel, dog-headed Xolotl (god of lightning, misfortune, and death) proves himself as the real hero. For fans of: underdog characters and bright, bold artwork. (Ages 7-10.)
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| Agent Cupcake by Mel Hilario and Lauren Davis; illustrated by Katie LonguaJoining the Mystical Beasts Bureau as their first ever human spy, 12-year-Miguel Mangayayam feels pressure to do well -- and that's before he's partnered with ultra-cool unicorn operative Agent Cupcake. Cute, cartoony artwork amps up the energy in this offbeat graphic novel fantasy. For fans of: Adam Gidwitz's Unicorn Rescue Society books or Stuart Gibbs' Spy School series. (Ages 9-13.)
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The Better to Eat You With
by Tehlor Mejia
As her parents head toward divorce, twelve-year-old Evan spends her summer with her best friend Billie, but everything begins to fall apart as Billie drifts away, her mother's health obsession intensifies, and a growing hunger consumes her, just as a sinister presence in the woods emerges, leaving her to wonder if the real monster is inside her.
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| At the Speed of Gus by Richard ScrimgerFor 13-year-old Gus, having ADHD means that his racing thoughts can become a maze, and sometimes it's tough to separate imagination from reality. When a school suspension gives him time to visit his sister on Vancouver Island, the journey is anything but straightforward. This honest, funny whirlwind of a story offers a peek into one kid's brain. (Ages 9-12.)
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The Dirt!: Wild Life Under the Soil's Surface
by Lindsey Leigh
Did you know there is an entire ecosystem right beneath our feet? Have you ever heard of the 'poop loop?' This graphic nonfiction title will both educate and excite young readers about the wonders (and creepiness!) of animals that live underground, including worms, beetles, armadillos, badgers, and even the tiniest of protozoa. Author and illustrator Lindsey Leigh continues her popular and humorous trilogy by introducing critters of all sizes in this fact-filled book about the dirt-dwelling creatures that contribute to the soil food web and are crucial to the health of the world.
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How to Train Your Dragon School: Doom of the Darkwing
by Cressida Cowell
"Disastrous Lesson Number One: The Art of Battle. It was supposed to be a quiet, sensible lesson. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third never meant to get into trouble. But things take an unexpected turn along the way and Hiccup and his friends soon find themselves adrift on stormy seas in a sinking ship facing imminent doom. Join Hiccup and his dragons, Toothless and Windwalker, in their hilarious adventures at the Isle of Berk's Training School.
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Flying in Colors
by Padma Prasad Reddeppa
Aunties tell nine-year-old Pavi that she's asking too many big women questions, but she's tired of grown-up secrets. How are babies born? And why do people die? A beautiful debut about family, tradition, and the healing that comes from finding the answers.
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Grady Jones and the Great Detective Game
by Kerry Douglas Dye
Glass Onion meets Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library in this twisty, laugh-out-loud middle grade mystery about an inexperienced detective who plans to solve a local murder to achieve greatness.Only you can solve the mystery of my murder. Grady Jones has spent nearly all twelve years of his life trying to find a way to be great at something. So when a mysterious note is delivered to his door, addressed to him, asking Grady to solve the murder of his town's reclusive billionaire, Grady believes his search is over. He'll be a Great Detective! The only problem is he is not known for being very observant...or intuitive...or clever. Oh, and he has no idea how to solve a mystery. Luckily, he has some friends who have skills of deduction, and together, they might have the chops to figure out the murderer. Then a stranger also named Grady Jones comes to town, and Grady fears the note might not have been meant for him at all. And if that's the case, how will he ever become Great? In this hilarious mystery about mistaken identity, one boy must make life-changing decisions, perhaps most important of all: is it more important to be a Great Detective, or a great friend?
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A Little Too Haunted
by Justine Pucella Winans
The only thing worse than having ghost hunters for parents is having fake ghost hunters for parents. Luna Catalano would know. Her moms are haunted house flippers who use their home reno skills and pretend psychic powers to turn spooky old houses into ghost-free modern homes. Not only does their job require the family to move all the time--meaning Luna is completely friendless--but the only thing haunting any of those houses is bad decor. For once Luna wishes there was an actual, for-real ghost. When they move yet again, Luna isn't expecting much. But this house feels... different. Things start out innocent enough--items not where they should be, strange noises--but soon things turn sinister. Her moms are waking up with cuts and bruises, and disturbing drawings showing them with even worse injuries are being left in Luna's room. With the help of her next-door neighbors and a mysterious woman who seems to know a lot about the home, Luna starts to piece together what exactly happened in that house before she moved in. But not everything is as it seems. In order to save her moms, Luna will have to get the story right before everything goes completely wrong.--Provided by publisher.
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Outsider Kids: A Parachute Kids Graphic Novel (Parachute Kids #2)
by Betty C. Tang
After seven months on their own as undocumented immigrants, the Lin siblings have settled into their new lives in California. Jia-Xi (Jesse) has a new job, Ke-Gang (Jason) has a new crush, and Feng-Li (Ann) is excited to celebrate her eleventh birthday with her new friends. Their parents still await visa approval in Taiwan, so the trio is trying to take better care of one another and stay under the radar of immigration authorities. But when their stuck-up cousin Josephine--a violin prodigy--arrives with her privilege and demands, suddenly their world is in turnaround. Will they have to give up the life they worked so hard to achieve?--Provided by publisher.
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Two-Headed Chicken: Chaos in the Cosmic Library
by Tom Angleberger
Our zany hero, Two-Headed Chicken, has traveled the multiverse using the AstroCap and romped through the chronoverse using the TimeCap. Now they dare to ask: What happens if they use both caps at the same time? Answer: Chaos! Unfortunately, the chaos is so ridiculous that the reader slams their book closed, trapping the double-noggined main character in eternal darkness. But wait! Two-Headed Chicken escapes into the Cosmic Library, which contains every book ever written. Now, still pursued by the chicken-hungry moose Kernel Antlers, Two-Headed Chicken hops their way through a parade of familiar titles, from a hundred-acre wood to a kissy vampire novel, interacting with the befuddled characters and leaving mayhem in their wake. With interactive puzzles and activities and wall-to-wall jokes, Tom Angleberger delivers another absurdist delight in this madcap series--
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Need a good read? Fill out the form at this web address and the KidSpace Staff will email book suggestions tailored JUST FOR YOU! |
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Gail Borden Public Library District
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Main Library - 270 N. Grove Ave., Elgin, IL 60120 - 847-742-2411
Rakow Branch - 2751 W. Bowes Rd., Elgin, IL 60124 - 847-531-7271
South Elgin Branch - 127 S. McLean Blvd., South Elgin, IL 60177 - 847-931-2090
http://www.gailborden.info/
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If a title in this list is not available in the format you prefer, please request it online.
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