|
|
Books for Kids and Tweens April 2024 |
|
|
|
|
| One Big Open Sky by Lesa Cline-RansomeTold through smooth, free-flowing poetry, this story gives you a deep dive into the lives of three Black homesteaders as they journey from Mississippi to Nebraska in 1879: smart 11-year-old Lettie, her hard-working mom Sylvia, and orphaned teenage teacher Philomena. (Ages 8-12.)
|
|
| The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry by Anna Rose JohnsonSet in 1912, this warmhearted historical adventure follows Lucy, a dreamy, orphaned 11-year-old with French and Ojibwe heritage, as she's sent to stay with a large Ojibwe family in a lighthouse on Lake Superior. For fans of: L.M. Montgomery's classic Anne of Green Gables. (Ages 8-12.) |
|
| Sona and the Golden Beasts by Rajani LaRoccaIn this absorbing fantasy, Sona Kalpani rescues a golden-eared wolf pup and discovers secrets about her forbidden magic abilities, leading her on a quest to save a loved one and free her homeland. Read-alike: Christina Soontornvat's The Last Mapmaker. (Ages 8-12.) |
|
| Blue Stars: The Vice Principal Problem by Kekla Magoon and Cynthia Leitich Smith; illustrated by Molly MurakamiEven though they're part of the same Black and Muscogee family, cousins Maya and Riley don't get along...until they find a common enemy in the vice principal ruining their middle school. This funny slice-of-life graphic novel kicks off a new series. (Ages 8-12.) |
|
| The Lumbering Giants of Windy Pines by Mo NetzShortly after they move to Windy Pines, Georgia, 11-year-old Jerry’s mom disappears. Determined to find her, Jerry -- along with new friend Chapel and Yiddish-speaking imaginary dragon Paul -- ventures into the eerie woods, discovering her mom’s secrets (and the advantages to demon-slaying in a wheelchair). (Ages 8-12.)
|
|
| Summer at Squee by Andrea WangPhoenny Fang and her squad of friends are finally senior campers at their beloved Chinese heritage summer camp (aka "Squee"). But why aren't this year's new campers as excited as they are? This authentic graphic novel about friendship and bicultural belonging will grab fans of Vera Brosgol's Be Prepared and Jen Wang's Stargazing. (Ages 10-13.) |
|
| Speak Up! by Rebecca BurgessIn real life, autistic 12-year-old Mia is a misunderstood middle schooler. But online, where she shares the music videos she makes with her best friend Charlie, she's the viral sensation known as Elle-Q. Readers looking for fun yet moving stories about self-expression will enjoy this graphic novel. (Ages 10-13.) |
|
| Wildoak by C.C. HarringtonIn 1963, an unlikely friendship blooms in Cornwall's Wildoak Forest when 11-year-old Maggie, who's mistreated because of her stutter, meets snow leopard cub Rumpus, an abandoned exotic pet. Vividly realistic details will make you feel like you're in the woods alongside these memorable characters. (Ages 9-13.) |
|
| Winston Chu vs. the Whimsies by Stacey LeeWhile honoring the anniversary of his beloved dad's death, 12-year-old Winston is caught in a strange incident at a mysterious shop called Mr. Pang’s Whimsies -- and the events that follow are even stranger still. This offbeat two-book series inspired by Chinese mythology concludes in Winston Chu vs. the Wingmeisters. Read-alikes: Katie Zhao's Dragon Warrior series. (Ages 8-12.) |
|
| Always, Clementine by Carlie SorosiakIt's a very welcome mousenapping when super-genius rodent Clementine is liberated from a science lab and left with kindly human caretakers. Quirky characters balance the more serious themes in this sweet and thoughtful read. (Ages 8-12.) |
|
| 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.) |
|
Contact your librarian for more great books!
|
|
|
Main Library
123 Capitol St.
Charleston, West Virginia 25301
304-343-4646https://kcpls.org |
|
|
|