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Books for Kids and Tweens May 2024 |
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| Blood City Rollers by V.P. Anderson; illustrated by Tatiana HillAfter a dream-shattering fall, 13-year-old figure skater Mina is kidnapped -- er, recruited -- by a team of vampires who need a human jammer to compete in the Paranoramal Roller Derby. Super-charged neon artwork adds to the high-octane vibes of this graphic novel series opener. (Ages 10-13.)
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| The Night War by Kimberly Brubaker BradleyIn 1942 Nazi-occupied France, German Jewish 12-year-old Miriam is separated from her family and hiding at a convent school. There, she finds not only a friendly ghost, but also the chance to help other refugees. Is she brave enough to take it? (Ages 9-13.) |
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| The Mystery of Locked Rooms by Lindsay CurrieWith her family in danger of losing their house, 7th-grader Sarah joins her best friends (and fellow puzzle experts) West and Hannah in a suspenseful hunt for the treasure hidden behind the riddles, codes, and escape rooms of an abandoned funhouse. Read-alikes: Chris Grabenstein's Mr. Lemoncello's Library series. (Ages 8-12.) |
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| Storm Dragons: Lightningborn by Julie KagawaThe floating kingdom of Gallecia is in danger, and the quest to rescue it from calamity brings together three unlikely companions: orphan Remy, dragon foundling Storm, and mage-in-training Gem (btw, she's also a princess). This exciting fantasy opens a new series that's perfect for fans of Alex London's Battle Dragons books. (Ages 8-12.) |
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| Ultraviolet by Aida Salazar"Whoever heard of having your whole vision change because you met some girl?" Everything looks different to 8th-grader Elio since he fell for Camelia, and in this honest story in verse, he tries to figure out how to "man up" like his dad expects and deal with his feelings. For fans of: Kwame Alexander and Jason Reynolds. (Ages 10-14.) |
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| Timid by Jonathan ToddBased on the author's own life in the 1980s, this funny and sensitive graphic novel follows shy cartoonist Cecil as he struggles to both fit in and be himself at a new middle school where he's one of the few Black kids. For fans of: Jerry Craft's New Kid series. (Ages 8-12.) |
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Adventure Begins at Your Library
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| Across the Desert by Dusti BowlingPreferring the internet to home life with her drug-addicted mom, Jolene makes friends with adventurous streamer Addie, who's twelve just like her. Then an accident in the Arizona desert causes Addie's stream to go dark, and Jolene sets out to rescue her in this moving, intense survival story. (Ages 9-13.) |
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| Wild Ride by Keith CalabreseAfter her older brother borrows a classic car (without permission) and loses it, 12-year-old Charley agrees to help him get it back, even as their rescue mission tangles them in a web of high-stakes crime. This urban adventure offers the humor and fast pace of an action movie. (Ages 9-13.) |
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| The Boy Who Met a Whale by Nizrana FarookA shipwreck survivor brings both trouble and excitement to island-dwelling Razi and his twin sister Shifa, sending them on a dangerous sea voyage. The twisty plot will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout this treasure hunt set in a fictional version of Sri Lanka. (Ages 8-12.) |
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| Lei and the Fire Goddess by Malia MaunakeaSince moving to Colorado, biracial 12-year-old Anna Leilani Kama’ehu feels embarrassed by her Hawaiian family's legends of gods and magic. But when Anna insults the goddess Pele, the (very real) goddess retaliates with danger and disaster that only Anna can stop. Read-alike: Lori M. Lee's Pahua and the Soul-Stealer. (Ages 8-12.) |
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| Bea Wolf by Zach Weinersmith; illustrated by BouletWritten in the over-dramatic style of an old-fashioned poem, this hilarious graphic novel tells the story of kids who are defended from mean neighbor Mr. Grindle by a champion "forged in sparkles and fury:" super-strong 5-year-old Bea Wolf. (Ages 8-12.) |
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| My Aunt Is a Monster by Reimena YeeLife takes an unexpectedly thrilling turn for bookish, blind, and recently orphaned Safia when she joins her Aunt Whimsy -- who’s been transformed by a curse into a funny, sharp-clawed monster -- on a globe-trotting adventure. This retro-cartoony graphic novel is a Summer Scares 2024 pick, along with Ophie's Ghosts by Justina Ireland and The Nest by Kenneth Oppel. (Ages 8-12.) |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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