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The Girl Who Speaks Bear
by Sophie Anderson
What it’s about: The villagers call her “Yanka the Bear,” not just because she was found in a bear cave as a baby, but also because she’s so much bigger than most 12-year-olds. When Yanka’s legs transform into bear legs, her curiosity about her origins sends her into the Snow Woods in search of answers.
For fans of: Kelly Barnhill’s The Girl Who Drank the Moon, as well as other enchanting fairy tale-style fantasies featuring witches, dragons, and daring heroines.
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When You Trap a Tiger
by Tae Keller
What it’s about: Having grown up with her halmoni’s Korean folkales, Lily knows better than to make a deal with a magical talking tiger. But when the tiger offers to heal Halmoni’s illness in return for Lily releasing the stories Halmoni stole years ago, Lily can’t say no.
Why you might like it: Combining Lily’s extraordinary quest with her everyday family life, When You Trap a Tiger is a good choice for fantasy fans who enjoy getting to know authentic characters.
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The Best At It
by Maulik Pancholy
What it’s about: Nervous about fitting in as he starts seventh grade, Rahul takes his grandfather’s advice and sets out to find one thing he’s good at and become the best at it.
What happens: While fending off bullies and fostering a crush on classmate Justin, Rahul throws himself into football, acting, Mathletes...he’s got to be good at something, right?
About the author: This funny, honest, and hopeful book is the first by actor Maulik Pancholy -- you might know him as the voice of Sanjay from TV's Sanjay and Craig.
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Black Brother, Black Brother
by Jewell Parker Rhodes
What it’s about: At their mostly white prep school, dark-skinned Donte faces relentless racist bullying, while his light-skinned brother Trey is effortlessly popular. After being framed and arrested for an offense committed by Alan, the captain of the fencing team, a fed-up Donte decides to train as fencer and beat Alan at his own game.
Further reading: Similar to Black Brother, Black Brother, Jason Reynolds’ Track series stars realistic African American characters who find confidence and pride through sports (and their teammates).
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| Hour of the Bees by Lindsay EagarWelcome to: New Mexico, where Carol and her family are visiting Grandpa Serge to help him move into assisted living.
What happens: At first, Carol thinks Serge’s impossible stories are due to his dementia. Yet as she learns more about the Mexican side of her family -- and as she begins seeing supposedly magical bees -- Carol comes to understand both herself and Serge’s stories in a different way.
You might also like: Laura Resau's The Lightning Queen, another captivating tale that spans generations. |
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| Making Friends by Kristen GudsnukWhat it’s about: After a doodle of her favorite anime character springs off the page and into life, awkward 7th-grader Dany realizes that the sketchbook she inherited from her grandma can make drawings real, giving Dany the chance to create a perfect best friend.
For fans of: the friendship-focused, slice-of-life graphic novels by Terri Libenson, Kayla Miller, and Svetlana Chmakova.
Series alert: Dany and her magical notebook return in a sequel, Back to the Drawing Board. |
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| Rules for Stealing Stars by Corey Ann HayduWhat it’s about: Moving to an old house offers an unexpected escape for 11-year-old Silly and her sisters: each of the house’s closets leads to a different alternate world. It’s a relief to get away from their unpredictable alcoholic mother, but will the lure of new realities drive the sisters apart?
Is it for you? If you can handle the pain and sadness of the sisters’ situation, you’ll also get to delve into the spellbinding magic they discover and the hopeful connection they share. |
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| The Book of Boy by Catherine Gilbert MurdockWhat it's about: Since life in his medieval French village is grim and lonely for Boy, an orphan with a hump on his back, he signs on as servant to a shady traveler named Secondus, and soon finds himself on a dangerous (and possibly magical) journey to collect seven holy relics.
Try this next: Avi's Crispin: The Cross of Lead for another unlikely friendship between misfits, or Adam Gidwitz's The Inquisitor's Tale for another blend of fantasy, faith, and gritty history. |
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Contact your librarian for more books for ages 10-13!
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Michigan City Public Library 100 E. 4th Street Michigan City, Indiana 46360 219-873-3044mclib.org/ |
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