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Books for Kids and Tweens August 2026 |
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Kestrel Takes Flight
by Joy McCullough
Two starred reviews A girl learns to stand up for herself and embrace the true meaning of home against the backdrop of the Montana wilderness in this heartfelt novel in verse by acclaimed author Joy McCullough that is a quietly powerful exploration of courage, chosen family, and learning to trust yourself (Booklist). A kestrel is the smallest bird of prey in North America. Kestrel doesn't feel much like the fierce bird for which she is named. Not after being rushed away from her grandfather's strict church community to the wilds of Montana. Her mother has gotten a job at a conservation institute, where she'll work with a special breed of dog to help make interactions between humans and bears safer. At first, Kes is terrified of the dogs and angry at her mother for ripping her from the only world she's known. But with some distance from her grandfather, she starts to understand how badly his bark hurt. In this new terrain, can Kestrel discover a safe place to spread her wings and soar?
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The Island at the Edge of Night
by Lucy Strange
From award winning author Lucy Strange, The Island at the Edge of Night is a dark, suspenseful mystery set on an island where science and magic blur and danger and secrets unfold.Faye Fitzgerald does not remember what she's done to land herself at the Auk Island School. She remembers so little about the night that changed her life. Growing up surrounded by nature with her botonist father in the Forest House, she can't cope with the bleak and treeless island where the school sits in seclusion.Where she and the other children are treated more like prisoners than pupils.While her fellow students begin to defy the horrible headmaster within the walls of the school, something is begging for Faye's attention on the outside. The Knife, the only mountain on the island, is calling for her. And it will draw her into a web of secrets that she could have never thought possible.In this gripping mystery that weaves in and around the line between science and magic, a murdered prince, a majestic stag, and a key that will open any door lead Faye on a dangerous journey across the desolate landscape to uncover what happened and the truth about her father's scientific discoveries.The Island at the Edge of Night is a masterfully written, gripping mystery rooted in family and the healing power of nature from the Queen of Gothic.
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| Raven, Rising by Christine Hartman DerrTwelve-year-old Cherokee kid Raven is a skillful baker -- some of her treats even have a hint of magic. But she hasn't baked at all since her parents died. Stuck in a new town and a new school she hates, Raven grapples with guilt, grief, and trying to find friends when it feels like she'll never fit in. (Ages 8-12.)
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| Offside by Christina Diaz Gonzalez; illustrated by Mari CostaAfter their middle school finally makes the soccer team tryouts co-ed, sabotage from the guys means that Nicky and Fabiola are the only two girls who make the cut. With such a bad start, not to mention some language differences, can the new team figure out how to work together? This graphic novel combines on-the-field action with authentic emotions. Read-alikes: Tryouts by Sarah Sax; The Breakaways by Cathy G. Johnson. (Ages 9-13.) |
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Fatal Glitch: Camp Zero
by Erin Entrada Kelly
Black Mirror meets Goosebumps in the first installment of this fast-paced middle-grade horror series by New York Times-bestselling authors Erin Entrada Kelly and Eliot Schrefer featuring tales of technology gone wrong.Eleven-year-old Sofia Mendoza is a gamer, not a camper. She should be at home building landscapes and fighting monsters in Sandbox, not deep in the forest with six other kids, who might as well be playing her favorite game in tutorial mode.Even worse, there's something off about this summer camp. There are creepy, mechanical vultures, cloaked NPC figures, and the only adult is Monarch, a grim woman in combat boots.And then the game of elimination begins.Sofia may be caught in the clutches of Camp Forestjaw, but she'll do anything to survive. Anything. The problem is, in Forestjaw, everything you've ever done--no matter how long ago--comes back to you . . .
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The Thing about Giants: (A Middle Grade Fantasy Adventure about Friendship, Courage, and Looking Beyond Appearances for Ages 8-12)
by Christopher Galvin
Jacq is destined to hunt fearsome giants to protect her city--but when she meets a sensitive young giant named Corman in the forest, she realizes the world isn't quite what she's been taught. A page-turning adventure full of heart. Twelve-year-old Jacq Dyer is the daughter of two renowned giant hunters, although she's never had much stomach for what they do. In a city built from giants' bones, people rely on hunters to keep them prosperous and safe, and everyone knows that giants are violent, senseless creatures . . . aren't they? But when an accident leaves Jacq lost and injured in the wilderness, she ends up face-to-face with Corman, a frightened young giant-. Corman has just lost his dad to hunters, and he and Jacq must learn to trust each other if they're going to find their ways home. But as they start finding out the truth about giant hunting--and the shadowy Resistance Jacq has grown up hating--they discover there's more at stake than either of them know. With captivating world-building and rich characters, debut author Christopher Galvin offers an engrossing and thought-provoking tale.
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Wombat Waiting
by Katherine Applegate
An instant #1 New York Times bestseller An instant indie bestseller An Indie Next pick From the Newbery Award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The One and Only Ivan and Odder comes a stunning middle grade standalone novel-in-verse about compassion, resilience, and surprising friendships, following a dog named Wombat in the aftermath of a catastrophic fire.Wombat isn't actually a wombat--but when the homeless dog is discovered, singed and ash-covered after a terrible fire destroys a community, someone tags her with the nickname and it sticks.Wombat is a destiny dog. Something inside of her (she nicknames it Voice') keeps telling her there's a special someone out there who is meant to be her person.Surrounded by a devastated town, Wombat takes up residence on bench near the makeshift community center, an old brick warehouse that, for the most part, survived the flames. A small part of the community center evacuation site has been repurposed for the local wildlife rehab sanctuary that burned down. All of the animals were spared, and the temporary quarters include an elderly fruit bat and a young Northern saw-whet owl.No matter what, Wombat refuses to move from her perch, despite the efforts of many humans. Clearly the dog is waiting for someone. But for whom? And what are the odds they survived?Fans of modern classics like Because of Winn-Dixie, Pax, and Katherine Applegate's own Crenshaw and Odder, and timeless tales like Charlotte's Web, will find a friend in Wombat and her story.
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| Crumble by Meredith McClaren; illustrated by Andrea BellAt first, Emily is successful at practicing her family's special skill: magically baking good feelings into desserts for their bakery. But then tragedy strikes, and Emily's sadness begins seeping into her baked goods. Cute, colorful artwork balances the serious elements in this touching graphic novel. (Ages 7-11.) |
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| The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest by Aubrey HartmanNot quite alive and not quite dead, Clare the fox is content with his cozy home in Deadwood Forest, where he ushers souls into the Afterlife. That changes, however, when a badger soul named Gingersnipes makes Clare question everything he once understood. This charming and bittersweet story is sure to tug on your heartstrings. (Ages 8-12.) |
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| The Strongest Heart by Saadia FaruqiHis dad's untreated mental illness has always made life unstable for sarcastic, folktale-loving Mo. But when they move from New York to Texas to stay with Mo's aunt and cousin, Mo begins to wonder if life could be different. Fans of realistic fiction should check out this painfully honest yet hopeful story, inspired by the author's own family. (Ages 10-13.) |
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School for Woodland Creatures
by Lauren Castillo
It's the first day of school for Hedgehog and her forest friends in this cozy classroom caper about overcoming doubts and letting your light shine, with full-color art on every page from a beloved Caldecott Honor winner. We all have different strengths and weaknesses, Our uniqueness is what makes us shine... When the humans of Hedge Hollow head off to school, Hedgehog and her furry, feathery friends decide to start a school of their very own Owl will teach reading. Beaver will teach shop. Mole will teach geography. Hen will teach math. And Hedgehog . . . Hedgehog isn't so sure. After all, you have to be an expert to teach a class, don't you? Hedgehog doesn't feel like an expert in anything. Lucky for Hedgehog her friends are happy to lend a paw, sharing laughter and kind words as they figure out a solution. From the award-winning author-illustrator of Our Friend Hedgehog: The Story of Us comes a tale of overcoming doubts and taking pride in doing what you love.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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New Carlisle-Olive Township Public Library
408 S. Bray St.
New Carlisle, Indiana 46552
(574) 654-3046ncpl.lib.in.us |
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