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| Watch Hollow by Gregory FunaroWhat it’s about: With their father’s clock shop failing, Oliver and Lucy Tinker know that their family has no choice but to accept a very strange offer: move to Blackford House in Watch Hollow so that their dad can fix its gigantic -- and possibly supernatural -- cuckoo clock.
Read it for: page-turning tension, magical clockwork, lurking evil, and an eerie, enchanted forest.
For fans of: Jonathan Auxier’s The Night Gardener. |
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How I Became a Spy : A Mystery of World War II London
by Deborah Hopkinson
An unlikely young spy in World War II London forges a detective team with a strong-willed American girl, his Jewish refugee friend and his trusty pup to decipher a notebook containing clues about a young woman's disappearance.
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Straw into Gold : Fairy Tales Re-Spun
by Hilary McKay
The award-winning author of Binny Bewitched reimagines 10 classic fairy tales with a twist, from a Rumpelstiltskin who is targeted by a fortune-hunter to an unlucky princess who discovers what is really underneath her mattresses.
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| Right as Rain by Lindsey StoddardWhat it’s about: Moving to New York City was supposed to be a fresh start for Rain’s family after her brother died, but Rain feels more stuck than ever: the city is loud and crowded, her parents are a mess, and her new neighbor Frankie does NOT want a new friend.
Why you might like it: You’ll feel for Rain as she grieves for her brother and tries to find her footing, both at school and at home. |
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| The Lost Girl by Anne UrsuWhat it’s about: After identical twins Iris and Lark are separated at school for the first time, protective, practical Iris can’t stop worrying about her shy, dreamy sister.
Featuring: an uncanny antique store; an extraordinary crow; a series of missing objects; and a sisterly bond that’s stronger than any monster.
Why you might like it: Though it’s set in the real world, The Lost Girl offers an intriguing blend of fantasy, mystery, and adventure. |
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| Lucky Broken Girl by Ruth BeharWhat it’s about: In 1966, things are looking up for Jewish Cuban immigrant Ruthie -- she's the hopscotch queen of Queens, her English is getting better, and her Papi finally lets her have a pair of go-go boots. Then, a car accident leaves her stuck in a full-body cast for a year.
Is it for you? If you like bittersweet, realistic stories about surviving tough situations, you don't want to miss Lucky Broken Girl.
Award buzz: winner of the 2018 Pura Belpré Award. |
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| The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker BradleyStarring: strong-willed Ada, who has a limp due to a clubfoot; Jamie, her little brother; and Susan, the prickly woman who takes them both into her home after they flee World War II-era London.
Why you might like it: After surviving years of abuse from her cruel mother, Ada is a tough character, but you’ll be drawn in by her anger, frustration, and eventual joy as she learns to trust in herself and her new home.
Award buzz: winner of the 2016 Schneider Family Book Award. |
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The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora
by Pablo Cartaya
Arturo's Miami summer is marked by the arrival of poetry enthusiast Carmen, who helps him use the power of protest to fight the plans of a land developer who wants to demolish his Abuela's restaurant.
Award buzz: honored in 2018 by the Pura Belpré Award.
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The Season of Styx Malone
by Kekla Magoon
Starring: ten-year-old Caleb, who's tired of spending every summer stuck in his boring Indiana town.
What happens: Styx Malone -- 16 years old and impossibly cool -- moves to the neighborhood and introduces Caleb and his brother Bobby Gene to a risky scheme that could earn them the freedom Caleb dreams about.
Award buzz: honored in 2019 by the Coretta Scott King Award.
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| Cilla Lee-Jenkins: Future Author Extraordinaire by Susan Tan; illustrated by Dana WulfekotteIntroducing: eight-and-a-half-year-old Cilla, who’s destined to be a big-name author someday. That means she’s got to start writing her life story now, before it's turned upside down by "The Blob," the new baby her mom is expecting.
Who it’s for: Anyone who's ever felt both loved and annoyed by their family will want to root for Cilla in this funny 1st book in a series.
Award buzz: honored in 2018 by the Asian/Pacific American Literature Award.
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Contact your librarian for more great books for ages 8-11!
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Chester Library 250 W Main St. Chester, New Jersey 07930 (908) 879-7612
chesterlib.org
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