Grand Ledge Area District Library: Books for Kids and Tweens: January 2026

Recent Releases

A World Without Summer: A Volcano Erupts, a Creature Awakens, and the Sun Goes Out
by Nicholas Day

The world was upside-down. The wind was fire. The sky was ash. The rain was rock. A couple of hundred years ago, on a quiet Indonesian island, a volcano called Tambora erupted with a force and violence that changed history. It tore apart the island, and in the months and years that followed, its fallout tore apart the world. The sun refused to shine; the rain refused to stop. Everything that everyone assumed would always be there--a world that made sense, a climate that made sense--was suddenly gone. From this riot of thunder and lightning, a young woman named Mary Shelley conceived of a scientist and his cursed creature. From the nightmare of Tambora, she wrote a nightmare of a book: Frankenstein--a terrifying reminder of how much damage we humans might do, without even realizing it.

This is the story of a volcano that changed the world and a creature that changed us. (Ages 10-14.)

Xolo
by Donna Barba Higuera; illustrated by Mariana Ruiz Johnson

In Aztec mythology, the feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl gets the credit for reviving humanity after their destruction. But in this eye-catching and emotional graphic novel, dog-headed Xolotl (god of lightning, misfortune, and death) proves himself as the real hero. For fans of: underdog characters and bright, bold artwork. (Ages 7-10.)

Coach
by Jason Reynolds

This follow-up to author Jason Reynolds' popular Track series takes you back to 1988, when Coach was a seventh-grade sprinter called Otie. Obsessed with Olympic track star Carl Lewis, Otie hopes to become an Olympian himself. But then his dad goes missing, and Otie has to balance hope against hard truths. If you love sports stories that feel like real life, you don't want to miss Coach. (Ages 10-13.)

Rodeo Hawkins and the Daughters of Mayhem: A Graphic Novel
by John Claude Bemis

When Sidney Poblocki runs away from his troubled home life, he winds up in a whole new world of trouble. Why are interdimensional assassins after him along with every other kid named Sidney Poblocki throughout the multiverse? Will he ever see his best bud Walt again now that Walt's memory of Sidney has been erased? And what the heck is the deal with Rodeo Hawkins and her ragtag gang of mischief-making girls, the Daughters of Mayhem? They claim they're trying to keep him safe, but Sidney isn't so certain 'safe' is even in their vocabulary. As Sidney is swept into a series of misadventures that will change the multiverse forever, one thing is for certain: with Rodeo Hawkins around, his life is about to be filled with a lot more mayhem. (Ages 9-12.)

Chris Makes a Friend
by Alex Gino

Sent to stay with their grandparents while their mom recovers from surgery, bookish 12-year-old Chris and her athletic younger sister Becca are both having a tough time. But then Chris meets Mia, and their friendship helps her understand more about herself and her complicated family. Read-alike: Different Kinds of Fruit by Kyle Lukoff. (Ages 8-12.)

The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls
by Judith Rossell

When she arrives at the Midwatch Institute, headstrong Maggie Fishbone discovers that the gloomy-seeming orphanage is actually a school that trains girls to "solve mysteries and do good deeds and fight bad guys." Set in a 1920s-era world of airships and motorcars, this clever story offers plenty of intrigue and thrills. (Ages 8-12.)

Traitors in Space: A Pick-Your-Own-Path Adventure
by Tim Collins

Imagine you are a brilliant young scientist who has been chosen for a research mission to a distant planet. On your way back to Earth, you are woken early from cryosleep by the ship's computer. It has detected an alien lifeform, but you don't see any sign of one. You look at your fellow crewmates and wonder if one of them has been taken over by an alien intelligence. Can you work out who can be trusted and who the aliens are before they take over your mind too? Approximately twenty illustrated puzzle missions are woven into the narrative at key turning points for full immersion in the story. Featuring twenty potential endings, gripping plot twists, and atmospheric illustrations, this alien adventure is truly out of this world. (Ages 8-12.)

Busted
by Dan Gemeinhart

An unexpected rent hike is threatening to push 12-year-old Oscar and his grandfather, Pops, from their home at Sunny Days Retirement Community. That's why Oscar agrees to a risky job: sneaking 104-year-old Jimmy Deluca, a rumored mobster, out of the retirement home. Things get out of hand fast in this hilarious joyride. (Ages 8-12.)

Ask your librarian for more great books!