For readers who love Neil Gaiman's Coraline and mysteries comes a spooky new read just in time for Halloween. Part modern fairy tale, part mystery, all spooky, The Peculiar Peggs of Riddling Woods keeps readers guessing until the very last page. Something odd is going on in the town of Suds. Children are fading to gray and disappearing. When Poppy’s mother dies, she goes to stay with her Gran [...]
As the follow-up to the award winning New Kid, Class Act by author Jerry Craft is another must read. It delivers a powerful message for children (and adults) to absorb, especially in a time where there is a lot of attention being focused on social justice and equality. Craft is able to present the internal and external conversations that capture how different, and yet similar, we all are. Though this is a story focused on [...]
Forced into exile on an enchanted, moving island, ex-princess Noa Marchena has two missions: reclaim her family’s stolen throne and ensure that the dark powers her older brother, Julian, possesses don’t go to his head in the process. But between babysitting her annoying little sister, Mite, and keeping an eye on the cake-loving sea monster that guards the moving island, Noa has her hands full. When the siblings learn that their enemies are searching [...]
For twelve-year-old JJ, an invitation to a free weekend at the famously haunted Barclay Hotel is the best thing that could happen to a ghost hunter, which he is. He pulls the guilt card on his workaholic CEO mom and she agrees to take the weekend off and go. When they arrive, they meet the other guests: a cowboy, an actress, a librarian, and a detective with his granddaughter, Penny. Once all the guests have [...]
Quintessence by Jess Redman Happy Book Birthday to Jess Redman’s Quintessence, a beautiful tale of hope that is equal parts fairy tale and STEM science. Alma suffers from panic attacks. Things have gotten so bad for her she feels like the spark that makes her herself is fading. Moving to the town of Four Points has only made things worse. She struggles to fit in. But then she meets [...]
Monsterstreet #4: Camp of No Return by J.H. Reynolds Welcome to the fourth installment of the series R.L. Stine calls “Fast, Funny and Frightening.” It’s the week after the Fourth of July but it feels more like Halloween. Harper is thrilled to be going to the prestigious Camp Moon Lake where she can leave her parents’ looming divorce behind. With its outdoor movie theater, water park and chocolate buffet [...]
The Stitchers (Fright Watch #1) by Lorien Lawrence Congratulations to Lorien Lawrence on her debut middle grade novel, The Stitchers (Fright Watch #1) (August 18, 2020 from Abrams Kids/Amulet Books.) Puts the thrill back into chill. Why don’t Quinn and Mike’s neighbors ever age? Have they discovered a fountain of youth or is there something much more sinister going on? Creepy neighbors, funeral homes and a dangerous secret spell [...]
Alan L. Hart (1890-1962) was a leader in the field of medicine. He pioneered the use of the new x-ray technology to diagnose tuberculosis which was the number cause of death at the beginning of the 20th century. His innovative test meant tuberculosis could be diagnosed early enough to save patients’ lives. The death rate dropped dramatically after his method became standard. Alan was also the first person in the United States to have gender [...]
Twelve-year-old Malcolm Greeley is never lonely when he’s alone. He has a cast of characters sharing space in his brain. Creative, imaginative, smart, and painfully shy, Malcolm’s interior life is where he feels safe, unlike his attempts at sports. After three years of trying to play baseball, it’s apparent that Malcolm did NOT inherit his father’s athletic ability. He knows that his father is disappointed in him and wonders if that is one reason his [...]
There are two types of kids, ones who have a dog and ones who ask for a dog sometime in their life. This is the reason dog books are a popular category in children's literature. What makes books stand out from the rest in this category is the author's ability to tell a story that connects with the reader on a truly emotional level. Jennifer Li Shotz, author of Max and Scout, delivers once again in her [...]
