| The List of Things That Will Not Change by Rebecca SteadWhat it's about: Twelve-year-old Bea looks back on the last few years of her life, describing her parents’ divorce, her dad’s marriage to his boyfriend Jesse, her hope of bonding with new stepsister Sonia...as well as some stuff she’s not proud of.
Why you might like it: Bea’s messy feelings -- excitement, anger, embarrassment, stress -- are so believable that you’ll feel like she’s a real person you know. |
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Clean Getaway
by Nic Stone
An 11-year-old boy confronts the realities of race relations, past and present, and his unconventional grandmother’s mysterious agenda during an unplanned Spring Break road trip through the once-segregated American South. By the award-winning author of Dear Martin.
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The Imaginaries : Little Scraps of Larger Stories
by Emily Winfield Martin
A full-color collection of favorite and original art by the best-selling creator of The Wonderful Things You Will Be complements depictions of fantastical characters and objects with hand-written captions designed to inspire the imagination.
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| Ways to Make Sunshine by Renée WatsonWhat it’s about: Fourth-grader Ryan has a talent for seeing the sunny side of things, and it’s a talent she needs when her dad loses his job, her family moves to a smaller house, and her brother keeps annoying her.
Why you might like it: There’s something new happening in every chapter, making it easy to pause your reading and pick it up again when you’re ready.
For fans of: Beverly Cleary’s classic Ramona Quimby series, which inspired this upbeat modern remix. |
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When Stars are Scattered
by Victoria Jamieson
A Somali refugee who spent his childhood at the Dadaab camp and the Newbery Honor-winning creator of Roller Girl present the graphic-novel story of a young refugee who struggles with leaving behind his nonverbal brother when he has an opportunity to help his family by going to school. Simultaneous and eBook.
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Inspired by Fairy Tales and Folklore
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| The House with Chicken Legs by Sophie AndersonWhat it's about: At age 12, Marinka is already training to take over her grandmother's role as a Yaga, a guardian who guides the dead through the gates to the afterlife. But Marinka longs for more: a permanent home (not just a traveling, chicken-legged house) and a real, living friend.
Try this next: For another creepy yet touching spin on Russian folk tales, try Baba Yaga's Assistant by Marika McCoola. |
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| The Serpent's Secret by Sayantani DasguptaWhat it's about: Kiran's a typical 6th grader -- until her 12th birthday, when her parents disappear and she's attacked by a rakkhosh demon. Soon, Kiran joins two princes (and their flying horses) on a quest to save her parents and discover her true identity as an interdimensional demon slayer.
Who it's for: Inspired by Bengali folktales and filled with action and laugh-out-loud humor, Kiran's adventures are a perfect fit for Rick Riordan fans.
Series alert: 1st in the Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond series. |
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| Xander and the Lost Island of Monsters by Margaret Dilloway; illustrated by Choong YoonIntroducing: Xander Miyamoto, a Japanese American middle schooler who’s good at computer programming, drawing cartoons, and not much else.
What happens: Xander’s grandmother reveals that he’s the last of the legendary warriors known as Momotaro, and Xander launches a magical quest to save the world from oni (demons). But does he have the courage and confidence to see it through?
Who it’s for: readers who are already familiar with folktales about Momotaro, as well as those who love mythology and high-stakes fantasy. |
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| Fairy Tale Comics: Classic Tales Told by Extraordinary Cartoonists by Chris Duffy (editor)What it is: a collection of 17 fairy tales with makeovers from a crew of comic artists.
What’s inside: the comfort of familiar stories (such as an exciting "Rapunzel" and a wordless, hysterically funny "Goldilocks and the Three Bears") mingled with the surprises of lesser-known tales (like the Japanese "The Boy Who Drew Cats").
Art alert: With a huge variety of art styles and artists (such as Raina Telgemeier and Brett Helquist), there’s something for everyone in Fairy Tale Comics. |
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| Shadows of Sherwood: A Robyn Hoodlum Adventure by Kekla MagoonIntroducing: Mischievous Robyn Loxley, who returns from a night of exploring Nott City to find that her parents have been kidnapped (along with other members of Parliament) and the power-hungry Governor Crown has taken over.
What happens: Robyn flees to nearby Sherwood, where she and several other parentless misfits begin to fight back against the Governor.
Series alert: Inspired by the legend of Robin Hood, this action-packed, futuristic adventure is the 1st in the Robyn Hoodlum series. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books for ages 8-11!
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