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Kids' Reads - December 2025 |
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| The Last Ember by Lily Berlin DoddAfter wealthy 12-year-old chemist Eva is unknowingly given the egg of an aerimander, a supposedly extinct, dragon-like creature, she joins forces with orphaned would-be thief Dusty to keep the egg out of evil hands. Witty humor and thoughtful takes on science and magic will draw fantasy fans to this series opener. (Ages 10-13.)
The Aerimander Chronicles (1) |
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| Chris Makes a Friend by Alex GinoSent 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. (Ages 8-12.)
Read-alike: Different Kinds of Fruit by Kyle Lukoff.
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| Fooled by Susan Haas with Lexi HaasAlong with the other disabled kids at her unsupportive middle school, wheelchair-using fantasy fan Lil Evers is used to being sidelined. But after some wizard school roleplaying accidentally convinces people that she and her friends can do magic, Lil is suddenly getting a lot of attention -- both good and bad. Likeable, authentic characters anchor this own voices story. (Ages 8-12.)
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| Winging It by Megan Wagner Lloyd; illustrated by Michelle Mee NutterTwelve-year-old Luna doesn't want to move across the country with her dad, especially not to move in with the strict grandma she hardly knows. But after discovering old nature journals from the mom she never knew, Luna finds unexpected connections to her new home. Cartoony art and honest emotions make this graphic novel a strong choice for realistic fiction fans. (Ages 8-12.)
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| Time Lions and the Chrono-Loop by Krystal Sutherland and Martin SeneviratneBritish Sri Lankan twins Patrick and Pearl are so brilliant that they've created their own time travel device. But are they smart enough to make the right choices when they're approached by both a secret society of timeline protectors and a tech CEO who wants to "fix history"? This fast-paced and twisty adventure is the 1st in a duology. (Ages 10-13.)
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Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life
by Rachel Renée Russell
With brand-new, full-colour illustrations, the book that started the #1 NYT bestselling 'Dork Diaries' series comes alive in full bloom and geared for a new modern middle grade audience.
Fourteen-year-old Nikki Maxwell writes in her diary of her struggle to be popular at her exclusive new private school, then of finding her place after she gives up on being part of the elite group. (Ages 9-13)
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The Last Kids on Earth and the Destructor's Lair
by Max Brallier
Jack and Quint race through the Monster Dimension to stop Rezzoch the Ancient, Destructor of Worlds, from destroying Earth, but their mission leads to a mysterious creature and a confrontation that could change everything. (Ages 8-12)
Last Kids on Earth (10)
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Firefox Moon
by Eoin Colfer
Acclaimed, mega-bestselling Eoin Colfer, named a master storyteller by School Library Journal, returns to the world of Juniper Lane for a lively new adventure! This time, Juniper takes off on a summertime quest in a story sure to delight young readers all year round. (Ages 8-12)
Juniper Lane Adventures (2)
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How to Save a Library
by Colleen Nelson
Casey is tired of always being the new kid at school. His dad calls moving an adventure, but Casey thinks it's just lonely. Now, living in The Gates, Casey finally feels settled-that is until the library, and his dad's job, seems to be threatened. (Ages 8-12)
Colleen Nelson lives in Winnipeg, MB.
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| Night Chef by Mika SongNight Chef is a raccoon cook who lives inside the walls of a fancy human restaurant. When she meets baby crow Ichi, Night Chef ventures out of her safe home in search of the hatchling's family. Illustrated with watercolor art and set in a cozy animal-centric world, this graphic novel will appeal to both foodies and fantasy fans. (Ages 6-10.)
Read-alike: Rutabaga the Adventure Chef by Eric Colossal.
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The First Cat in Space: And the Baby Pirate's Revenge (4)
by Mac Barnett
After Captain Babybeard steals a treasure map from the Queen of the Moon, the notorious pirate sees nothing but piles of gold in his future. But a mutiny, led by his first mate, the Martian Pirate James Plantain, leaves Babybeard marooned on a deserted island. Betrayed by his crew, the little captain seeks an unlikely alliance... Will Captain Babybeard get revenge? Will First Cat, the Moon Queen, and LOZ 4000 recover their treasure map? Or will the moon fall into the hands of a nefarious banana? (Ages 8-12)
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Besties: Set Sail (4)
by Kayla Miller
Busy besties Beth and Chanda are all aboard for a relaxing ocean getaway! Can the two friends find their sea legs and ride the emotional waves together? (Ages 8-12)
Illustrator Kristina Luu lives in Vancouver, BC.
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Hilda and Twig: Wake the Ice Man (2)
by Luke Pearson
Hilda and her new friend, Burku the giant are enjoying playing together in the Wilderness. There is just one thing that would make everything more fun ... snow! It just so happens that Twig has accidentally woken the Ice Man, unfortunately, that means there's a lot more than a snow flurry headed straight for Hilda! Can Twig save the day? (Ages 5-9)
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Little Batman: Month One
by Morgan Evans
Gotham City finds itself reeling from the Joker’s attack, and Damian Wayne (a.k.a. Little Batman) is eager to get back into the fight. That’s going to be harder than it sounds, as Bruce now wants Damian to put the cowl aside and embrace the value of his secret identity. (Ages 8-12)
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39 Clues: The Sword Thief (3)
by Peter Lerangis
Amy and Dan Cahill have been located once again, this time in the company of the notoriously unreliable Alistair Oh. Could they have been foolish enough to make an alliance? (Ages 8-12)
39 Clues: The Graphic Novels
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Whatever After: If the Shoe Fits (2)
by Sarah Mlynowski
Abby and her little brother, Jonah, are ordinary kids...except for one little thing. They have a magic mirror in their basement that sends them into different fairy tales. This time, when the mirror slurps them up, they're taken to the story of Cinderella. (Ages 8-12)
Sarah Mlynowski lives in Montreal, QC. Punjabi-Canadian illustrator Anu Chouhan lives in Vancouver, BC.
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Adventure Time: Best of Buds (1)
by Nick Winn
When Finn and Jake save the newly installed Computer Princess from the clutches of the evil Ice King - he just wants a bride, OK, is that too much to ask?! - the two escort her back to the Computer Kingdom, where she gives the Best of Buds a new quest: find the powerful guide for heroes, the Enchiridion, and bring it back to her so she can scan it for her digital archive! (Ages 10+)
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Barb, the Last Berzerker: Barb vs. the Leech Queen (4)
by Dan Abdo
After arriving in the city of Skulladune, best friends Barb and Porkchop are manipulated by a sinister force into a wild, high-stakes competition to become city marshal, putting their bond to the test as they face off in absurd challenges. (Ages 8-12)
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Wings of Fire, Legends: Darkstalker (1)
by Tui T. Sutherland
The first-ever special edition of the NYT bestselling 'Wings of Fire' series soars back in time to the origin of Pyrrhia's most dangerous dragon: Darkstalker. (Ages 8-12)
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Beginning Readers - start here! |
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| Growing Home by Beth Ferry; illustrated by The Fan BrothersIn this quirky illustrated chapter book, you'll meet the non-human residents of the Tupper household: grumpy goldfish Toasty, pretty plant Ivy, wise spider Arthur, and sweet violet Ollie. They're an unlikely bunch, but with the help of a magical antique, they might be able to protect their home from looming threats. (Ages 6-9.)
Read-alike: Lauren Castillo's Our Friend Hedgehog.
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| Catty Corner Lands on Her Feet by Julie MurphyShy second-grader Catty, who's half-cat and half-girl, is about to try human school for the first time. Can she find her way, or will her failure to fit in "go down in hissssstory"? (Ages 6-9.)
For more pun-filled stories about Catty, check out the next book in the series, Catty Corner Pounces Into Action.
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| Jasper Rabbit's Creepy Tales: Troubling Tonsils! by Aaron Reynolds; illustrated by Peter BrownBlending humor and horror, this series starter stars Charlie Marmot, who's supposed to have his tonsils removed -- except his tonsils seem to have a mind of their own, as well as a thirst for revenge! Told in the eerie style of an old-school black-and-white TV show, this illustrated chapter book will keep you guessing until the end. (Ages 6-9.)
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| Amina Banana and the Formula for Friendship by Shifa Saltagi Safadi; illustrated by Aaliya JaleelThird-grader Amina and her family have just moved from Syria to the United States, and Amina's got a scientific plan for making friends at school. But even the best plans can fall through, especially when English is SO confusing. Thankfully, friendship finds Amina in unexpected ways in this heartfelt series starter. (Ages 7-10.)
Next in the series: Amina Banana and the Formula for Winning.
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Max and Chaffy: Welcome to Animal Island (1)
by Jamie Smart
Graphic Novel
Max Boggle loves finding things. He loves putting them back where they belong even better! When Orlando the pilot mentions a mysterious creature that he's spotted in the woods, Max can't wait to find out more. Armed with his curiosity and three clues in his notebook, Max discovers the elusive Chaffy. (Ages 5-8)
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The Trouble with Tyrannosaurs
by Ian Billings
Meet Moss, a dino-dung shoveler working in Primordia's royal stables. Moss dreams of being a knight, but stable boys don't usually grow up to be knights. Fate takes a twist when Moss discovers that he has a gift for speaking to dinosaurs. He is enlisted to train the previously-untrainable Tyrannosaurus rex belonging to the king's daughter, Princess Opal! When a treacherous knight launches a coup against the king, the castle descends into chaos. Can Moss and Opal save the Kingdom? Or will they be added to the dino-dung pile? (Ages 7-10)
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Amy and the Missing Puppy
by Callie Barkley
Introducing The Critter Club! Amy and her friends solve a canine caper in this start to a pet-friendly illustrated chapter book series. It's Spring Break in Santa Vista, and everyone has big plans...everyone except for Amy, that is! As her best friends head out of town on exciting adventures, Amy resigns herself to helping out at her mom's vet clinic. At least she'll be around cute animals! But when Santa Vista's cold and elusive millionaire, Marge Sullivan, brings her puppy Rufus for a check-up, Amy encounters an unexpected mystery. After her friends return home, the girls get to the bottom of what happened to Rufus--and discover a way to help other lost and lonely animals in their town. With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, The Critter Club chapter books are perfect for beginning readers. (Ages 9-12)
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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