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

History Smashers: The Space Race
by Kate Messner

Myths! Lies! Failed satellite launches? Head to the launch pad with beloved educator and New York Times bestselling author Kate Messner, because the History Smashers are busting the biggest misconceptions about the Space-Race, and the facts are blasting off in 10-9-8 On April 14, 1969, President John F. Kennedy announced that the U.S. would put a man on the moon kicking off the Space Race, right? WRONG! The Space Race was already well underway by 1969...and honestly, the U.S. was lightyears behind the Russians when it came to space exploration. Alright, but once the U.S. got going, it was smooth sailing to the stars, right? Not exactly. Space exploration always comes with risk, and the truth is to learn about our universe, it took the work of many scientists, politicians, and passionate everyday citizens like you. Ready to bust new myths? Check out more titles in the History Smashers series.

Hand-Me-Down: A Graphic Memoir
by Damian Alexander

Damian’s mother died when he was a baby, and he has lived with his grandma ever since. Now, all he has left of his mother are old photos and the stories Nanny shares with him. Nanny has a lot of stories, some about his mom and some about her own childhood growing up in foster care. When Damian feels lonely, he imagines what life was like when his mother and grandmother were middle schoolers like him. Through memories, stories, and daydreams, he feels closer to the mother he lost and begins to see the mother he found.

Dare You to Dance: (A Graphic Novel)
by Rebecca Mock

Gracie is ready to take on the ballet world -- starting with the Young Dancer Summer Workshop in New York! It's a two week summer course, and while she misses her family in Ohio, she is ready to show this ballet school that she has what it takes. Too bad none of the other students got the memo and now Gracie feels like she's already being left in the dust! Luckily, she knows the best way to get herself motivated is with a good rival and who better to pick than the star of the class, Sariah! Except Sariah doesn’t seem interested in a fun competition with Gracie. In fact, she's so serious that it seems like she barely enjoys dancing at all? Can Gracie break through to Sariah and find the exciting rival she wants? Or is this rivalry, and Gracie's future in ballet, both doomed before it can even start?

Transylvania County
by Jenny Howard

Digby Romer has never lived in one place for very long; despite his best intentions, he’s managed to get kicked out of every European boarding school his parents have shipped him off to. Now, his dad has dragged him to live with his aunt and uncle in small-town USA, with hopes that a slower-paced life will finally fix Dig’s so-called “behavioral issues.” But all is not well here in Transylvania County, even if the locals insist that the legends of cryptids and monsters lurking in the woods are nothing more than lore. On his first night in town, Dig is convinced that he spots a gigantic, fanged beast in the woods―but nobody believes him. And then the school’s PE teacher disappears, replaced by a greasy, suspicious man named Renfield who must have an ulterior motive. When more people begin to disappear, Dig sets off with a ragtag crew―his smartypants cousin, the bossy class president, and a survivalist loner―to get to the bottom of things. Something is hunting in Transylvania County, and these kids might have to break a few rules to find out who. Luckily, if there’s one thing Dig is good at, it’s making trouble.

The Baby-Sitters Club Fan Edition: Baby-Sitter Summer
by Ann M. Martin

A first-of-its-kind Fan Edition spin-off of the beloved series, featuring an all-star lineup of authors and Ann M. Martin. Claudia travels to Los Angeles where she'll stay with family friends and learn more about her beloved grandmother Mimi. Kristy heads with the Papadakis family to an island off Massachusetts. There she meets another baby-sitter, a girl her age named Rowan, and what starts as a friendship turns into an unexpected crush. Dawn is a counselor at a drama camp handling a bunch of unruly campers, including her own brother. Jessi is dragged to her mom's college reunion weekend, where she is supposed to baby-sit alongside a girl who is not a good baby-sitter. And Mallory gets to travel all the way to Ireland, to meet a bunch of cousins for the first time.
Meanwhile, Mary Anne and Stacey are home in Stoney-brook. Stacey doesn't mind -- there's a really cute boy in a band at the country fair who catches her eye… and starts to take up all her time. Which leaves Mary Anne feeling lonely and shy… until she finds the things that truly make her happy.