| Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster by Jonathan AuxierWhat it's about: As a chimney sweep in Victorian London, orphan Nan Sparrow is used to loneliness and grimy, dangerous work. Then one day she's rescued from an accident by a strange creature -- a golem -- who becomes her loyal companion.
Why you might like it: Blending fantasy, history, and Jewish folktales, Sweep has something for lots of different readers.
Try this next: Katherine Rundell's Rooftoppers, another historical tale offering a kid's rooftop view of a famous city. |
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| The Parker Inheritance by Varian JohnsonWhat it's about: After finding intriguing clues in her grandmother's attic, bookish 12-year-old Candice and her new friend Brandon search for buried treasure in a small Southern town haunted by the ugly history of racism.
Why you might like it: Switching between Candice's present-day story and her grandmother's in 1957, this suspenseful puzzle mystery encourages you, just like the characters, to piece the clues together. |
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| The House That Lou Built by Mae RespicioThe project: Although 12-year-old Lou loves her large Filipino family, she craves a space of her own, and has big plans to build a tiny house on the patch of land she inherited from her dad.
The problem: After Lou’s ownership of the land is challenged, she has to act fast and get creative to make her dream house a reality.
Why you might like it: You’ll be rooting for bold, capable Lou and her colorful collection of family and friends. |
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| Camp Panda: Helping Cubs Return to the Wild by Catherine ThimmeshWhat it is: A fascinating, fact-filled book about how humans are helping to increase the threatened giant panda population by preparing panda cubs for life in the wild.
Art alert: Camp Panda is packed with photos of cute, fuzzy baby pandas, as well as memorable pictures of human scientists wearing panda costumes!
You might also like: Nancy F. Castaldo’s Back from the Brink, another hopeful book that explores efforts to save endangered species. |
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| The Collectors by Jacqueline WestBe careful what you wish for: After Van, a hearing impaired kid with talent for noticing things, spots a strange girl and a silver squirrel diving for pennies in a fountain, he follows them back to the underground realm of the Collectors, who collect wishes and try to prevent their scariest consequences.
Series alert: This imaginative and fast-moving fantasy is followed by a sequel, A Storm of Wishes. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books for ages 8-11!
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