Dwight Foster Public Library: Kids' Books (for Ages 8-12): September 2026

Raise the Bar: A Graphic Novel
by Fernanda Frick H.

A graphic novel about one girl's weightlifting dreams and how far she'll go for them. Sam Sanchez might not have a coach or proper equipment, but she's going to become Chile's first weightlifting gold medalist. She just knows it. When there's an opportunity to train at the high-performance center with her weightlifting hero and Olympic gold medalist Eva Dos Santos . . . well, Sam can't let that opportunity pass. Even if it means going behind her parents' back. As she makes friends (and a rival) during training and tries to qualify for the Pan American Games, she'll find out how far hard work and perseverance can take her and just how much weight she's able to hold.

Earth to Chris Cleevy: A Graphic Novel
by Christof Bogacs

Aliens have invaded Earth--or so it would seem--in this contemporary middle grade graphic novel that follows 11-year-old Chris Cleevy as he navigates the emergence of his OCD and his mom's new boyfriend. Chris Cleevy's out-of-this-world imagination has always been fueled by his love of sci-fi. Thankfully, simple routines like tying his shoelaces and picking out his socks have kept him grounded right here on Earth. But his carefully constructed world is shattered when his mom brings home her new boyfriend, Phil. Despite Phil's friendly demeanor, Chris becomes convinced Phil's a member of the mind-controlling alien race from one of his science-fiction stories. Chris believes, however, that his routines will shield his mind from Phil's alien influence. As the world becomes harder and harder to navigate, Chris discovers the source controlling his behaviors may have a different, more earthly origin. Earth to Chris Cleevy is a poignant exploration of mental health, the ups and downs of middle school, and what it means to accept yourself for who you are even when you're still trying to figure that out.

Shook
by Julian Randall

Malik Page—though unless you're his mama, call him "Shake"—dreams of making the Marshall Grove varsity basketball squad as an eighth grader. Then he'll be on his way to joining the ranks of Chicago legends like his pops and late Uncle Kenny. But when Shake fractures his ankle in a championship game, he's sidelined for the first time since his first dribble. As his world is turned upside down, Shake feels like there’s ginger ale bubbling in his chest and sweat slicking on his palms. With a best friend who’s getting more distant by the day, a growing silence between him and his dad, and varsity tryouts fast approaching, Shake will have to cross up every obstacle to find a way back onto the court—and back to being himself. Thankfully in Marshall Grove, the sky is always full of hope.

Secrets at Sparhawk Point
by Anna Rose Johnson

1943. Sparhawk Point, Michigan may be a small town, but it's home. For the Swedish Ahlstrom girls, it's the only place they've ever known—a place they may have to leave if their father's church can't find more parishioners. The Ojibwe Robicheaux boys are struggling, too: their father is off at war, and a lack of tourists means no income from their two rental cottages. These kids can't bear the thought of leaving. . . so they'll have to make new residents come to them, and fast. After spotting an unknown object in the water, they find their solution. Drawing on inspiration from Ojibwe stories of the mysterious Mishipeshu—the riser of storms on Lake Superior—the children spread stories of their very own "American Loch Ness monster" to bring curious visitors to their shores. But their plan works too well! People become afraid to visit. To save their families, they'll need to convince everyone that the creature isn't real. . . even if that may prove to be their biggest lie yet.

Science Year by Year: A Visual History - From Stone Tools to Space Travel
by DK

From simple machines to modern-day marvels, you’ll follow incredible illustrated timelines that plot the entire history of science and highlight the most momentous discoveries. A jaw-dropping collection of more than 1,500 photographs, illustrations, maps, and graphics charts the evolution of science year by year, century by century. You’ll meet influential inventors and famous faces from the past, including Aristotle, Leonardo da Vinci, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Marie Curie, and Stephen Hawking. You’ll visit places of scientific importance, such as prehistoric cave art, Stonehenge, Hiroshima and the first atomic bomb, the Moon landings, and the Higgs boson particle. These huge events are made simple thanks to eye-catching images, helpful timelines, and accessible, informative text. Landmark people and periods are combined in this one stunning volume for children, showcasing the ideas, experiments, and technologies that have shaped our daily lives and transformed the world today.