Chatham-Kent Public Library: Kids and Tweens: April 2026

Bunns Rabbit
by Alan Barillaro

When Bunns is born with small but perfectly functional rabbit ears, the warren is abuzz with auguries. Surely such short ears spell bad luck for the community. Sheltered in her family’s burrow, Bunns listens to the rhythm of her mother’s heartbeat—Thump, thump, thump—a song of home and belonging. Her father explains that unlike a rabbit’s words or thumping feet, a heartsong cannot lie. But the unknown world of the meadow, the sounds and smells above, call to Bunns. When at last she’s ready to brave the staring and whispering of neighbors who fear her because she’s different, and the disapproving elders who threaten to banish her family, she finds a world beyond the warren where myths and riddles, magic voyages, and important new friends await. Can the “bad omen bunny” follow her own heartsong to a destiny—a wish—meant just for her

The Discovery of Finnegan Wilde
by Caroline Pignat

Finnegan Wilde steals to survive. Always on the run from gangs and police, Finn is also fleeing her own mysterious past, glimpsed only through nightmares and an unusual Celtic mark on her arm.

In a chance encounter outside the museum, she scores a journal filled with strange diagrams, maps, and a drawing identical to her mark,

Eddie, a young apprentice archaeologist, has spent months trying to decipher an ancient manuscript he and his father excavated from a bog. They believe it was written by Tomas, a 9th century monk, and that it holds the clue to finding the legendary Cauldron of Plenty, one of four Treasures of Ireland. But when Eddie's father is seriously injured by a gang in an attempted robbery, Eddie alone must find the Cauldron.

When their search brings them together, Finn and Eddie realize the mark on her arm and his ancient manuscript are connected. Eddie is just as suspicious of this wild girl with no home, no past, and no rules. But if they can work together, perhaps - as Tomas hoped - they will make the greatest discovery of all.

Hattie Mae Begins Again
by Sharon G. Flake

Hattie Mae is from Seed County, North Carolina. She knows hard work: milking cows, plucking chickens, minding the garden. Her hands are made for manual labor, her feet for dirt—that is, according to Lisa and some of the girls at Miss Abigail’s School for Exceptional Young Ladies in Philadelphia. In their eyes, Hattie Mae will never break into upper society and is unworthy of becoming a doctor or a lawyer.

Though Hattie Mae sticks out like a sore thumb and has more in common with the hundreds of Black folks pouring into the city looking for better opportunities during the Great Migration, she knows that she belongs. She just has to prove it to the rest of the girls—and maybe even to herself.

Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero
by Kelly J. Baptist

Isaiah is now the big man of the house. But it's a lot harder than his dad made it look. His little sister, Charlie, asks too many questions, and Mama's gone totally silent.

Good thing Isaiah can count on his best friend, Sneaky, who always has a scheme for getting around the rules. Plus, his classmate Angel has a few good ideas of her own--once she stops hassling Isaiah.

And when things get really tough, there's Daddy's journal, filled with stories about the amazing Isaiah Dunn, a superhero who gets his powers from beans and rice. Isaiah wishes his dad's tales were real. He could use those powers right about now!

Where Only Storms Grow
by Alyssa Colman

It’s been four years since rain fell on the Oklahoma panhandle and the closeness between the Stanton twins has dried up as much as the land. Howe Stanton has been practicing running away and longs for the family to quit this land of dust where only troubles grow. Despite the scoliosis that causes Joanna Stanton near-constant pain, she isn’t ready to give up like her brother. But when Daddy leaves the family behind to find work in California, saving the farm from ruin falls on Howe’s unwilling and Joanna’s uneven shoulders.

To pay the mortgage, Joanna takes a job at the local hospital and discovers purpose in helping others. Howe finds unexpected joy in caring for his father’s horse and escapes in a borrowed book.

But then a tragedy in town reveals the dust’s deadly dangers. With the worst storm of the Dust Bowl bearing down on their home, Howe and Joanna must put aside their differences and work together, or everyone and everything they love will be lost to the dust.

Choir Grrrl
by Ashley Granillo

Alondra was born into a musical family.

Her dad, the former frontman of a famous alt-rock band, expects her and her sisters to follow in his footsteps. The girls have formed their own band, which will open for their dad during his comeback tour.

Despite secretly liking quieter music, Alondra is committed to preparing for the tour. She’ll do whatever it takes: Change the sound of her voice. Suppress her discomfort with some fans’ behavior. Act the part of a hardcore riot grrrl.

But when a classmate invites her to join a choir club, Alondra discovers a new way of making music. Choir lets her express herself in ways that the band doesn’t.

Afraid to upset the delicate balance in her family, Alondra secretly practices with the choir between shows with her sisters’ band―until her secrets are exposed. Will she be forced to choose between her two voices, or can she bring the different parts of her life into harmony?

A Place to Hang the Moon
by Kate Albus

It is 1940 and William, Edmund, and Anna, aren't terribly upset by the death of the not-so-grandmotherly grandmother who has taken care of them since their parents died.

But the children do need a guardian, and in the dark days of World War II London, those are in short supply, especially if they hope to stay together. Could the mass wartime evacuation of children from London to the countryside be the answer?

It's a preposterous plan, but off they go-- keeping their predicament a secret, and hoping to be placed in a temporary home that ends up lasting forever. Moving from one billet to another, the children suffer the cruel trickery of foster brothers, the cold realities of outdoor toilets and the hollowness of empty stomachs.

But at least they find comfort in the village lending library-- a cozy shelter from the harshness of everyday life, filled with favorite stories and the quiet company of Nora Müller, the kind librarian. The children wonder if Nora could be the family they've been searching for. . . . But the shadow of the war, and the unknown whereaouts of Nora's German husband complicate matters.

Breathing Underwater
by Sarah Allen

Olivia is on the road trip of her dreams, with her trusty camera and her big sister Ruth by her side. Three years ago, before their family moved from California to Tennessee, Olivia and Ruth buried a time capsule on their favorite beach. Now, they’re taking an RV back across the country to uncover the memories they left behind. But Ruth’s depression has been getting worse, so Olivia has created a plan to help her remember how life used to be: a makeshift scavenger hunt across the country, like pirates hunting for treasure, taking pictures and making memories along the way.

All she wants is to take the picture that makes her sister smile. But what if things can never go back to how they used to be? What if they never find the treasure they’re seeking? Through all the questions, loving her sister, not changing her, is all Olivia can do―and maybe it’s enough.

Detective Sweet Pea: The Case of the Golden Bone
by Sara Varon

Sweet Pea’s got a pretty sweet life. The animals in her hometown of Parkville have always gotten along with one another, and she’s free to spend her days doing what she loves best: making art, hanging out with friends, and digging through the trash for tasty treats. When two new dogs move to town, Sweet Pea is eager to show them the sights and smells of Parkville . . . especially its most famous attraction, the one-of-a-kind GOLDEN CHEW BONE! But the Golden Chew Bone has VANISHED! Parkville needs a detective, and Sweet Pea’s spectacular sense of smell makes her the perfect pup to crack the case.

Horse Named Sky
by Rosanne Parry

Young colt Sky was born with the urge to run. Alongside his band, he moves across the range searching for fresh water and abundant grazing. But humans have begun to encroach on Sky’s homelands. With fewer resources to share, Sky knows that he must leave if his family is to survive. He hopes that one day he’ll be strong and brave enough to return and challenge the stallion to lead the herd.

Being a lone wild horse in a vast landscape is not easy, and things get even more dangerous when Sky is captured and forced to run for the Pony Express. Now, against all odds, Sky must find a way to escape and reunite with his family.

Cassi and the House of Memories
by Dean Stuart

Cassi loves spending time with her grandfather. His games, songs, and stories have always brought her endless joy. This visit with him, though, is different: Grandpa seems to be losing track of things, including everything from the stories they’re sharing to who Cassi herself is. So when he goes missing after wandering off from his own backyard, Cassi knows she has to figure out where he’s gone.

What she discovers is a world filled with memories, none of them her own. As she leaps from one memory to the next, she knows she’s getting closer and closer to finding her grandfather—but only if she can make sure he doesn’t slip away forever.

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