When a family buys a house in a struggling town for just one dollar, they’re hoping to start over — but have they traded one set of problems for another? Twelve-year-old Lowen Grover, a budding comic-book artist, is still reeling from the shooting death of his friend Abe when he stumbles across an article about … Continue reading THE DOLLAR KIDS, By Jennifer Richard Jacobson, Illustrated by Ryan Andrews, Candlewick Press
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24 HOURS IN NOWHERE, by Dusti Bowling, Sterling Publishing
Welcome to Nowhere, Arizona, the least livable town in the United States. For Gus, a bright 13-year-old with dreams of getting out and going to college, life there is made even worse by Bo Taylor, Nowhere’s biggest, baddest bully. When Bo tries to force Gus to eat a dangerously spiny cactus, Rossi Scott, one of … Continue reading 24 HOURS IN NOWHERE, by Dusti Bowling, Sterling Publishing
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AFTERMATH, by Kelly Armstrong, Crown Publishing, Penguin Teen Canada (ARC)
DESCRIPTION: Three years after losing her brother Luka in a school shooting, Skye Gilchrist is moving home. But there's no sympathy for Skye and her family because Luka wasn't a victim; he was a shooter. Jesse Mandal knows all too well that the scars of the past don't heal easily. The shooting cost Jesse his … Continue reading AFTERMATH, by Kelly Armstrong, Crown Publishing, Penguin Teen Canada (ARC)
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THE STONE GIRL’S STORY, by Sarah Beth Durst, Clarion Books
DESCRIPTION: Exploring the power of stories and storytelling, Sarah Beth Durst presents the mesmerizing adventure of a girl made of living stone who braves unforeseen dangers and magical consequences on a crucial quest to save her family. Mayka and her stone family were brought to life by the stories etched into their bodies. Now time … Continue reading THE STONE GIRL’S STORY, by Sarah Beth Durst, Clarion Books
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SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF MAYBE, by Jo Watson Hackl, Random House
A Mississippi ghost town and an art mystery combine in this gorgeously written debut just right for fans of Three Times Lucky and A Snicker of Magic! How far would you go to find something that might not even exist? All her life, Cricket's mama has told her stories about a secret room painted by … Continue reading SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF MAYBE, by Jo Watson Hackl, Random House
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EVERY SHINY THING, by Cordelia Jensen and Laurie Morrison, Amulet Books/Abrams RE-READ
In this beautifully constructed middle-grade novel, told half in prose and half in verse, Lauren prides herself on being a good sister, and Sierra is used to taking care of her mom. When Lauren’s parents send her brother to a therapeutic boarding school for teens on the autism spectrum and Sierra moves to a foster … Continue reading EVERY SHINY THING, by Cordelia Jensen and Laurie Morrison, Amulet Books/Abrams RE-READ
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BOB, by Wendy Mass & Rebecca Stead, Feiwel & Friends
DESCRIPTION: A classic middle-grade tale of magic and friendship, about a girl who helps an old friend find home, by two New York Times–bestselling authors Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead. It’s been five years since Livy and her family have visited Livy’s grandmother in Australia. Now that she’s back, Livy has the feeling she’s forgotten … Continue reading BOB, by Wendy Mass & Rebecca Stead, Feiwel & Friends
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OPHELIA, by Charlotte Gingras, Illustrations by Daniel Sylvestre, Groundwood Books, House of Anansi Press
The kids at school call her rag girl because she hides under layers of oversized clothing, but she calls herself Ophelia. She hardly speaks to anyone — until one day a visiting author comes to give a talk in the school library. The writer speaks about what it means to create art, and at the … Continue reading OPHELIA, by Charlotte Gingras, Illustrations by Daniel Sylvestre, Groundwood Books, House of Anansi Press
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TRAPPED IN A VIDEO GAME, #2, Dustin Brady, Andrews McNeil Publishing
Jesse Rigsby is on a mission to save his friend Mark, but first he’s got to shake the Bigfoot chasing him through the school library. And then there’s the velociraptor in the bathroom. Oh yeah, don’t forget about the ginormous flame-throwing bat in the cafeteria. Jesse’s trapped in the invisible world of Go Wild – … Continue reading TRAPPED IN A VIDEO GAME, #2, Dustin Brady, Andrews McNeil Publishing
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DREAMING DANGEROUS, by Lauren DeStefano, Bloomsbury Kids
Brassmere Academy for the Extraordinary is a school for orphans with strange and wonderful gifts. Twelve-year-old Plum has lived there forever, and each night, she ventures into her dreams alongside her three best friends, Vien, Gwendle, and Artem, to fight monsters and journey on dangerous quests. But one night, Plum gets a mysterious warning that … Continue reading DREAMING DANGEROUS, by Lauren DeStefano, Bloomsbury Kids
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