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Reviewers say: "I wish I'd had these books as a kid. Hilarious!" -- Dav Pilkey, creator of Captain Underpants and Dog Man. What it's about: POP QUIZ! You are on the roof of a skyscraper. Every floor of that building has nasty things that just don't like you. And you REALLY need to get to the basement. Whaddaya do?! (And no, you can't just join the B-Team and fly away in their glamorous new spaceship.) Think quick, chico, because the multiverse is getting worse!
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The STEM Night Disaster by Kate BiberdorfWhat it is: The third installment of the Kate the Chemist series that shows kids that everyone can be a scientist! Perfect for fans of the Girls Who Code series. What it's about: Kate's school is having their first-ever STEM Night and the prizes are incredible! Kate is determined to win and comes up with the perfect experiment. But as she and her best friend, Birdie, start preparing, they find that Kate's project keeps getting messed up. Will Kate be able to use her science know-how to find out who is behind the STEM night sabotage? And will she fix her project before it's too late?
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What it's about: The magic mirror has sent me and my brother, Jonah (plus our puppy, Prince), into the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Fun! There's porridge to taste, chairs to sit on, and beds to nap in. But Goldilocks is in a LOT of trouble, and if we can't help her, we might get stuck here forever!
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Blasting Through the Solar System! by John HimmelmanWhat it is: In John Himmelman's early chapter book series, Albert Hopper is a frog--and a science hero! He seeks to explore the world and beyond, generating laughs and imparting STEM wisdom as he goes.
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Pug's Got Talent by Kyla MaySeries alert: This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line, Branches, aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow! What it's about: Bub's human, Bella, is putting on a pet talent show! Bub can't wait to wow the audience with his skateboarding stunts, not to mention his snazzy costume. But when dress rehearsal doesn't go as planned, Bub finds that it's up to him -- and his archenemy Duchess the cat -- to make things right. Can he and Duchess work together to make sure the show goes on?
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What it's about: King Viking, his robot army, and Miss Business are working together to create a perfect storm of trouble in Underland. It's up to Super Rabbit Boy and Mega Mole Girl to team up and save the day. But these two heroes are used to flying solo... Will they be able to save the day? Or will their squabbles spell disaster for Underland?
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| The Fabled Stables: Willa the Wisp by Jonathan Auxier; illustrated by Olga DemidovaWelcome to: the Fabled Stables, where human kid Auggie takes care of magical and "just plain weird" creatures.
What happens: An empty stall for a shapeshifting wisp appears in the Stables, letting Auggie know that that there's a young wisp nearby in danger -- and in need of a daring rescue.
Who it's for: This funny fantasy series-starter is packed with charming art, making it a great pick for fans of Adam Gidwidtz's Unicorn Rescue Society series. |
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| Aven Green, Sleuthing Machine by Dusti Bowling: illustrated by Gina PerryWhat it's about: When food disappears from school, outgoing eight-year-old Aven Green is on the case. She's got the all the confidence and smarts of a great detective -- in fact, since she was born without arms, she's pretty sure her arm cells went to her brain instead.
Try this next: for another bold kid who does her own thing, try Dawn Quigley's Jo Jo Makoons series; for more chapter book mysteries, try Dori Hillestad Butler's King & Kayla series. |
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| Our Friend Hedgehog: The Story of Us by Lauren CastilloWhat it's about: Hedgehog is happy on her tiny island with Mutty, her stuffed dog. But after a storm sweeps Mutty away, Hedgehog sets out to find him, and meets several helpful new friends along the way.
Why you might like it: The cute animals and cozy vibes in this series-starter will have you looking forward to the next book.
You might also like: Jacqueline Davies' Sydney & Taylor series, which also stars a hedgehog and friends. |
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| Mindy Kim and the Yummy Seaweed Business by Lyla Lee; illustrated by Dung HoIntroducing: seven-and-a-half-year-old Mindy Kim, who just moved to a new state with her dad after her mom died.
What it's about: Mindy wants to fit in at her new school and raise money for a puppy, so when new friend Sally wants to start a seaweed snack business, Mindy agrees, even though it's against the rules.
Series alert: There are already lots of books in the upbeat Mindy Kim series, and more coming in 2022. |
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Heartsong's Missing Foal by Whitney SandersonWhat it's about: Iris cannot wait for Heartsong to have her foal. Unicorns go into the Fairy Forest to have their babies, so Iris isn't surprised when Heartsong goes missing for a few days. But when the unicorn does not return, Iris and Ruby must go into the forest and find her. The Fairy Forest is filled with trickster magic and can be a dangerous place. Can Iris and Ruby find Heartsong and her missing foal before it is too late?
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