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Kids' BooksSeptember 2015
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Hello, readers!Do you have a question about books for children? Interested in a personalized suggestion? Please feel welcome to email me at amassey@dconc.gov, or visit your librarian at any Durham County Library location. See you at the library! Allie Massey, Children's Librarian Southwest Regional Library
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| Chasing Secrets by Gennifer CholdenkoHistorical Fiction. Despite the lack of science classes at her fancy finishing school, 13-year-old Lizzie Kennedy hopes to become a doctor. It's an unusual ambition for a girl in 1900, but Lizzie is smart and curious. That curiosity leads her to question the rumors of a bubonic plague outbreak in Chinatown, especially after Chinatown is quarantined and Jing (the Kennedys' cook and father to Lizzie's friend Noah) is trapped inside. Blending strange-but-true history with politics and mystery, Chasing Secrets will captivate readers of all kinds. For another visit to San Francisco with author Gennifer Choldenko, check out the Al Capone at Alcatraz series, beginning with Al Capone Does My Shirts. |
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| Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew HolmGraphic Novel. An unexpected trip to her grandpa's Florida retirement community isn't the vacation she'd have picked, but for the summer of 1976, ten-year-old Sunny isn't given a choice. At least she manages to find a friend besides Gramps: Buzz, the superhero-obsessed neighbor kid, encourages Sunny's newfound love of comic books. Funny scenes of Buzz and Sunny's antics balance out more serious moments when Sunny flashes back to the troubling incidents with her brother that led to the last-minute change in her family's summer plans. Whether you're already a fan of the Holm siblings (creators of Babymouse) or you just appreciate upbeat, honest family stories, you don't want to miss Sunny Side Up. |
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| Shadows of Sherwood: A Robyn Hoodlum Adventure by Kekla MagoonAdventure. Mischievous Robyn Loxley likes to explore Nott City at night, but one evening she returns home to find that she wasn't the only one sneaking around: her parents (along with other members of Parliament) have been kidnapped and the power-hungry Governor Crown has taken over the government. Clutching the handful of confusing clues her father left behind, Robyn flees to nearby Sherwood, where she meets several other parentless misfits, and together they begin to fight back against the Governor's control. Inspired by the tale of legendary hero Robin Hood, this action-packed near-future adventure is the 1st in the Robyn Hoodlum series. |
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| Firefly Hollow by Alison McGhee; illustrated by Christopher DeniseAnimal Fantasy. They might be small, but the animals of Firefly Hollow dream big. Baseball superfan Cricket wants to become a famous catcher. Daring Firefly hopes to fly all the way to the moon. And Vole, the last of his kind, longs to sail away in search of his long-missing family. Along with Peter, a "miniature giant" (human kid) who recently lost his best friend, these three brave creatures follow their dreams, allowing readers to follow along both through the story and through the warm, colorful illustrations. Readers who love the human-animal friendships and bittersweet feeling of books like Kate DiCamillo's The Tale of Despereaux should be sure to pick up Firefly Hollow. |
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| The Accidental Afterlife of Thomas Marsden by Emma TrevayneFantasy. The note on the body ends with a warning: "Tell no one!" As grave robbers in Victorian England, 11-year-old Thomas and his father have dug up a lot of bodies, but this one is unusual -- not only because of the note, but because it looks just like Thomas, right down to his birthmark. Determined to find the truth about the identical boy, Thomas is soon tangled up in a bizarre mystery involving faeries, spirits, séances, and secrets. Like Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book, this creepy yet whimsical fantasy oozes with atmosphere and suspense. |
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Focus on: School Supplies
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| Never Glue Your Friends to Chairs by Katherine Applegate; illustrated by Brian BiggsFiction. First-grader Roscoe is in the time-out corner -- again. Why is he there? He's happy to tell you, so that you don't make the same mistake. See, Roscoe only wanted to help his teacher with the class play for the school's open house. When the antennae on the bee costumes kept falling off, and the other kids kept getting out of their seats, Roscoe decided that the "don't you dare" tube of Super-Mega-Gonzo Glue would be the perfect solution to both problems... Cartoon-illustrated and easy to read, this chapter book is the 1st in the Roscoe Riley Rules series by Newbery Medalist Katherine Applegate. |
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| Knights of the Lunch Table: The Dodgeball Chronicles by Frank CammusoGraphic Novel. It's only his first day at Camelot Middle School, and Artie King is already in trouble. Not only is he on the principal's bad side, he's also been challenged to face the school's ruling gang of bullies (known as the Horde) in a high-stakes dodgeball match. Unable to back down, Artie and his new friends Percy, Wayne, Gwen, and Mr. Merlyn find help in an unexpected place: a strange locker that only Artie can open. Readers familiar with the legends of King Arthur will chuckle at the goofy in-jokes in this graphic novel, which kicks off the Knights of the Lunch Table series. |
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| The Year of the Book by Andrea Cheng; illustrated by Abigail HalpinFiction. Shy Anna Wang would love to spend all of her time reading. Books are more dependable than her former friend Laura, less frustrating than her hardworking but embarrassing mom, and easier to understand than her weekend lessons at Chinese school. But as her year in fourth grade continues, Anna starts to realize that she might not know what's really going on with Laura, and that it might actually be worthwhile to care about people who aren't characters in books. Quiet, sweet, and realistic, The Year of the Book is filled with mentions of Anna's favorite books, which are all real books you can find and read at your own library. |
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| The Homework Machine by Dan GutmanFiction. After four mismatched ten-year-olds are assigned to the same study group, one of them makes a startling confession. Even though geeky Brenton Damagatchi is smart enough to ace his homework, he's built a machine to do it for him. Despite some misgivings, the whole group begins using the machine, and at first, it seems like a dream come true. But readers know that the unlikely friends are heading for trouble -- the book is made up of police interviews with various characters. Anyone who's ever longed for life without homework will be intrigued by this "dramatic and thought-provoking story" (School Library Journal). |
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| The Red Pencil by Andrea Davis Pinkney; illustrated by Shane W. EvansNovel in Verse. Amira loves her family, though she'd be happy to have fewer responsibilities on their farm in Darfur, Sudan. With her twelfth birthday in sight, Amira hopes that she might soon get the chance to break with tradition and go to school. Her hopes are shattered, however, after a militia attack leaves her family heartbroken and homeless. Amira is among the surviving refugees, but grief has stolen her voice. Can the gift of a red pencil help her unlock her creativity and find hope again? Older readers who are moved by the powerful poetry and pictures in The Red Pencil may also want to try Linda Sue Park's A Long Walk to Water. |
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Looking for More Great Books? |
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For personalized reading recommendations from Durham County librarians, you may want to try My Next 5! Simply complete an online form to tell us a little about what genres, books, and authors you like (or dislike). A DCL librarian will review your submission and reply within three days with a list of the next five books you should read.
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NextReads is a service of Durham County Library and NoveList, a comprehensive database of fiction and nonfiction titles for all ages, including recommendations, articles, and lists for your fiction and nonfiction needs. Durham County Library cardholders can access NoveList from any computer.
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librarywebmaster@durhamcountync.gov
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