"What strange creatures brothers are!" ~ Jane Austen (1775-1817), English novelist, Mansfield Park
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New and Recently Released!
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| Heap House by Edward CareyFantasy/Horror. In the middle of London's ever-shifting (and sometimes carnivorous) trash piles lies Heap House, home of the loathsome Iremonger family. Even among this eccentric crowd, young Clod Iremonger stands out due to his ability to hear certain objects speak. The objects become much louder after the arrival of servant girl Lucy Pennant, spurring Clod and Lucy to investigate the Iremonger family's murky past. Though it's more sophisticated than Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events, Heap House has a similar foreboding, old-fashioned feel. Black-and-white illustrations enhance the atmosphere in this "richly imagined and more-than-a-little-sinister fantasy" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| The Perfect Place by Teresa E. HarrisFiction. Smart and spirited 12-year-old Treasure is not happy about moving to rural Black Lake, Virginia -- it's hot, it's boring, and it contains foul-tempered Great-Aunt Grace. But with her dad missing and her mom trying to track him down, Treasure and her sister Tiffany have no choice but to stay with their great aunt. Can two people as fiercely stubborn as Treasure and Great-Aunt Grace ever figure out how to understand each other? Find out in this funny, heartfelt, and unforgettable book. For further authentic stories about girls living with unconventional relatives, check out Rita Garcia-Williams' One Crazy Summer or Richard Peck's A Year Down Yonder. |
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Cool Story, Bro: Guys & Brothers
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| Sasquatch in the Paint by Kareem Abdul-JabbarSports Fiction. Nobody at school noticed geeky Theo until a growth spurt made him the tallest kid in eighth grade. Now, Theo is pressured into joining the basketball team, despite the fact that he is a terrible player. As he practices, however, Theo actually starts to get into the game. Though he's embarrassed when new girl Rain (aka "Crazy Girl") nicknames him Sasquatch, and worried when basketball interferes with the academic team he loves, Theo is determined to find his confidence on the court. Sports fans who enjoy this "tough but realistic" (Publishers Weekly) series debut from basketball star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will want to follow it up with the next book, Stealing the Game, or try Kwame Alexander's The Crossover. |
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| Reckless by Cornelia Funke; translated by Oliver LatschFantasy. After his father goes missing, 12-year-old Jacob discovers that a mirror in his house is a portal to another world -- the dark and magical Mirrorworld. For many years after discovering the portal, Jacob visits Mirrorworld and retrieves enchanted fairy-tale objects (such as locks of Rapunzel's hair) for profit, but when his younger brother, Will, follows him into the mirror, disaster looms. Reckless is sure to make fans of somewhat dark, action-packed fantasy adventures (like Chris Wooding's Malice) shiver with glee. |
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| Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie by David LubarFiction. Surviving the first year of high school is proving to be even more difficult than honor student Scott expected. His homework is endless. The girl he likes is dating a jerk. He's not athletic (gym class is torture), but he's assigned to cover sports for the school newspaper. And things aren't any less confusing at home since his mom announced that she's pregnant. Written as a journal of sarcastic advice from Scott to his future sibling, this diary-style book -- think Wimpy Kid, only older -- offers realistic challenges, relatable characters, and laugh-out-loud humor. |
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| After Ever After by Jordan SonnenblickFiction. In Drums, Girls, & Dangerous Pie, Jeffrey Alper's big brother, Steven, stayed strong for him during Jeffrey's treatment for leukemia. Now, in After Ever After, Jeffrey is in eighth grade and in remission -- but the side effects of his treatments go beyond physical and learning challenges; for much of his life, he's felt like "Jeffrey Alper, Official Town Cause." Worst of all, Steven has taken off to Africa to join a drum circle and "find himself," so Jeffrey has to handle the stresses of school, friends, his physical condition, and maybe even his first girlfriend by himself. If you like novels that are emotionally intense and yet very funny, don't miss After Ever After. |
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| Into the Volcano by Don WoodGraphic Novel. The Pugg brothers, Duffy and Sumo, are pulled out of class one winter day and informed by their father that they're going to the Hawaiian island of Kocalaha with a cousin they've never met, Mr. Come-and-Go (a big, bald, imposing guy in a suit). They'll be staying with their Aunt Lulu, whom they've also never met. When Lulu sends the boys on an expedition into a volcano that's about to erupt -- supposedly to explore their heritage -- their lives are put at risk and staggering family secrets are revealed. Fast-paced and filled with amazing artwork, Into the Volcano will thrill fans of mystery, adventure, and skin-of-the-teeth survival tales. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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