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The School for Good and Evil

Soman Chainani

Description

Good and evil aren't always as simple as they appear...

At the School for Good and Evil, failing your fairy tale is not an option.

Welcome to the School for Good and Evil, where best friends Sophie and Agatha are about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime.

With her glass slippers and devotion to good deeds, Sophie knows she'll earn top marks at the School for Good and join the ranks of past students like Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Snow White. Meanwhile, Agatha, with her shapeless black frocks and wicked black cat, seems a natural fit for the villains in the School for Evil.

The two girls soon find their fortunes reversed—Sophie's dumped in the School for Evil to take Uglification, Death Curses, and Henchmen Training, while Agatha finds herself in the School for Good, thrust among handsome princes and fair maidens for classes in Princess Etiquette and Animal Communication.

But what if the mistake is actually the first clue to discovering who Sophie and Agatha really are...?

The School for Good and Evil is an epic journey into a dazzling new world, where the only way out of a fairy tale is to live through one.

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The Girl Who Drank the Moon (Winner of the 2017 Newbery Medal)

Kelly Barnhill

Description

Sometimes the story you've been told isn't the whole truth...

Every year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. They hope this sacrifice will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch in the Forest, Xan, is kind. She shares her home with a wise Swamp Monster and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon. Xan rescues the children and delivers them to welcoming families on the other side of the forest, nourishing the babies with starlight on the journey.

One year, Xan accidentally feeds a baby moonlight instead of starlight, filling the ordinary child with extraordinary magic. Xan decides she must raise this girl, whom she calls Luna, as her own. As Luna’s thirteenth birthday approaches, her magic begins to emerge--with dangerous consequences. Meanwhile, a young man from the Protectorate is determined to free his people by killing the witch. Deadly birds with uncertain intentions flock nearby. A volcano, quiet for centuries, rumbles just beneath the earth’s surface. And the woman with the Tiger’s heart is on the prowl...

The Newbery Medal winner from the author of the highly acclaimed novel The Witch’s Boy.

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cover with title and author and illustration of an Asian girl looking out at the sky

Eyes That Weave the World's Wonders

Joanna Ho

Description

From New York Times bestselling Joanna Ho, of Eyes that Kiss in the Corners, and award-winning educator Liz Kleinrock comes a powerful companion picture book about adoption and family. A young girl who is a transracial adoptee learns to love her Asian eyes and finds familial connection and meaning through them, even though they look different from her parents'.

Her family bond is deep and their connection is filled with love. She wonders about her birth mom and comes to appreciate both her birth culture and her adopted family's culture, for even though they may seem very different, they are both a part of her, and that is what makes her beautiful. She learns to appreciate the differences in her family and celebrate them.

An Amazon Best Book of the Month for January 2024!

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cover with title and author and simple illustation of a kid holding a teddy bear

We Belong Together

Todd Parr

Description

Perfect for all kinds of families, We Belong Together is about sharing your home and sharing your heart-whether through adoption, fostering, pet rescue, or any other special circumstance. With a deep understanding of how personal and unique each adoption is, Todd Parr masterfully shows with simplicity and sensitivity that we all belong together.

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cover with title and author and illustration of a girl mixing something in a bowl

Family Recipe

Coco Simon

Description

Molly has always considered her adopted family her real family. She’s never had reason to question where she fits until she has to do a report on her family tree for school. Suddenly, she has nothing but questions. If the point of a family tree is to show where she comes from, is it okay to include people that aren’t her birth family? Being mixed up with doubt may not be a recipe for success, but when Molly reaches out to the people she depends on, they are ready to support her, as always. Molly is soon ready to serve up a perfectly sweet look at what family really is—because the main ingredient in any real family is love.

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cover with title and author with illustrations of four boys doing various activities

The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher

Dana Alison Levy

Description

The start of the school year is not going as the Fletcher brothers hoped. Each boy finds his plans for success veering off in unexpected and sometimes diastrous directions. And at home, their miserable new neighbor complains about everything. As the year continues, the boys learn the hard and often hilarious lesson that sometimes what you least expect is what you come to care about the most.






 

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cover with title and author and a girl looking out a window with a princess crown on

Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born

Jamie Lee Curtis

Description

In asking her parents to tell her again about the night of her birth, a young girl relives a cherished tale she knows by heart. Focusing on the significance of family and love, this a unique and beautiful story about adoption and the importance of a loving family.

A beautiful adoption story, Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born also speaks to the universal childhood desire to know more about the excitement, awe, love, and sleeplessness that a new baby brings to a family.

Tell me again about the night I was born.

Tell me again how you would adopt me and be my parents.

Tell me again about the first time you held me in your arms.

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Sisters

Judith Caseley

Description

Kika has just been adopted -- and she's worried. There's so much that's new to her: a different language, new friends to make, and something she's never had before -- a family.

Melissa has a new sister -- and she's excited. There's so much to share with Kika: trips to the playground, afternoons at the library, and birthday parties.

Through each new experience, Kika and Melissa discover that sisterhood can be fun, challenging, and sometimes unpredictable, but always rewarding. Best of all, a sister is a friend for life.

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cover with title and author and illustration of a king and queen holding a thread

The Red Thread

Grace Lin

Description

According to an ancient Chinese belief, when a child is born an invisible red thread connects that child's soul to all those people--present and in the future--who will play a part in his or her life. As each birthday passes, the thread shortens, bringing closer those people who are fated to be together. Inspired by this legend, beloved author/illustrator Grace Lin has created a lovely adoption fairy tale.

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Adoption

Anita Ganeri

Description

What does being adopted mean for young children? This picture book uses child-friendly text and interactive questions to address that question. It includes a helpful section with advice, practical tips, and activities for caregivers and teachers.

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Let It Glow

Marissa Meyer

Description

When Aviva Davis and Holly Martin meet at the holiday pageant tryouts for their local senior’s center, they think they must be seeing double. While they both knew they were adopted, they had no idea they had a biological sibling, let alone an identical twin! The similarities are only skin deep, though, because while Aviva has a big personality and even bigger Broadway plans, Holly is more the quiet dreamer type who longs to become a famous author like her grandfather.

One thing the girls do have in common is their curiosity about how the other celebrates the holidays. What better way to discover the magic of the holidays than to experience them firsthand? The girls secretly trade lives, planning to stage a dramatic reveal to their families. Two virtual strangers swapping homes, holidays, and age-old traditions–what could possibly go wrong? Find out in this sweet as a sugarplum and satisfying as a latke middle grade novel by Marissa Meyer, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles, and Joanne Levy, award-winning author of Sorry for Your Loss and several other books for tweens.

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cover with title and author and illustration of two boys sitting on a hill sharing ice cream

Nearly Exactly Almost Like Me

Jennifer Bradbury

Description

A loyal big brother makes a case for why his adopted little brother is just like him when a pesky kid on the playground questions their physical differences in this charming picture book.

When they hear the singsong tune of an ice cream truck, two brothers race to get in line! Big brother beats little brother and holds their spot. But when little brother catches up, another kid challenges him joining his brother in line: no cutting! Everyone knows that cutting doesn’t count when you’re siblings, but the kid doesn’t believe they can be brothers when they don’t look anything alike. 

The brothers may not be biologically related, but they’re still brothers, and they have so much else in common! They both like candy way too much, love swimming but hate baths, and know their parents love them. Big brother knows that differences on the surface don’t matter when in his heart, his little brother is just like him.

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Vanishing Daughters

Cynthia Pelayo

Description

A haunted woman stalked by a serial killer confronts the horrors of fairy tales and the nightmares of real life in a breathtaking novel of psychological suspense by a Bram Stoker Award-winning author.

It started the night journalist Briar Thorne's mother died in their rambling old mansion on Chicago's South Side.

The nightmares of a woman in white pleading to come home, music switched on in locked rooms, and the panicked fear of being swallowed by the dark...Bri has almost convinced herself that these stirrings of dread are simply manifestations of grief and not the beyond-world of ghostly impossibilities her mother believed in. And more tangible terrors still lurk outside the decaying Victorian greystone.

A serial killer has claimed the lives of fifty-one women in the Chicago area. When Bri starts researching the murders, she meets a stranger who tells her there's more to her sleepless nights than bad dreams--they hold the key to putting ghosts to rest and stopping a killer. But the killer has caught on and is closing in, and if Bri doesn't answer the call of the dead soon, she'll be walking among them.

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Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng

Kylie Lee Baker

Description

"A compelling, gory, ghostly romp."
—Paul Tremblay, New York Times bestselling author of Horror Movie

"This is what it felt like to live in New York City during lockdown: haunted, absurd, terrifying, ridiculous, and full of hungry ghosts."
—Grady Hendrix, New York Times bestselling author of How to Sell a Haunted House

In this explosive horror novel, a woman is haunted by inner trauma, hungry ghosts, and a serial killer as she confronts the brutal violence experienced by East Asians during the pandemic.

Cora Zeng is a crime scene cleaner, washing away the remains of brutal murders and suicides in Chinatown. But none of that seems so terrible when she’s already witnessed the most horrific thing possible: her sister, Delilah, being pushed in front of a train.

Before fleeing the scene, the murderer shouted two words: bat eater.

So the bloody messes don’t really bother Cora—she’s more bothered by the germs on the subway railing, the bare hands of a stranger, the hidden viruses in every corner, and the bite marks on her coffee table. Of course, ever since Delilah was killed in front of her, Cora can’t be sure what's real and what’s in her head.

She pushes away all feelings and ignores the advice of her aunt to prepare for the Hungry Ghost Festival, when the gates of hell open. But she can't ignore the dread in her stomach as she keeps finding bat carcasses at crime scenes, or the scary fact that all her recent cleanups have been the bodies of East Asian women.

As Cora will soon learn, you can’t just ignore hungry ghosts.

For fans of Stephen Graham Jones and Gretchen Felker-Martin, Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng is a wildly original, darkly humorous, and subversive contemporary novel from a striking new voice in horror.
 

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The Lamb

Lucy Rose

Description

DAKOTA JOHNSON TEATIME BOOK CLUB PICK · INSTANT #2 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

A FOLK TALE. A HORROR STORY. A LOVE STORY. AN ENCHANTMENT.

"A dark, gorgeous concoction.”—New York Times

“Beautiful, terrifying . . . . Destined to become a classic."—Washington Post

From an incendiary new talent, a contemporary queer folktale about a mother and daughter living in the woods, for fans of Angela Carter, Margaret Atwood, and Julia Armfield.

Margot and Mama have lived by the forest ever since Margot can remember.

When Margot is not at school, they spend quiet days together in their cottage, waiting for strangers to knock on their door. Strays, Mama calls them. People who have strayed too far from the road. Mama loves the strays. She feeds them wine, keeps them warm. Then she satisfies her burning appetite by picking apart their bodies.

But Mama’s want is stronger than her hunger sometimes, and when a beautiful, white-toothed stray named Eden turns up in the heart of a snowstorm, Margot must confront the shifting dynamics of her family, untangle her own desires, and make her bid for freedom.

With this gothic coming-of-age tale, debut novelist Lucy Rose explores how women swallow their anger, desire, and animal instincts—and wrings the relationship between mother and daughter until blood drips from it.

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Something in the Walls

Daisy Pearce

Description

A Library Reads Pick!

Most Anticipated by Goodreads, E! News, BookRiot, and more!

Unbearably tense, utterly propulsive, and studded with folklore and horror, Something in the Walls is perfect for anyone who loves Midsommar and The Haunting of Hill House.

Newly-minted child psychologist Mina has little experience. In a field where the first people called are experts, she’s been unable to get her feet wet. Instead, she aimlessly spends her days stuck in the stifling heat wave sweeping across Britain, and anxiously contemplating her upcoming marriage to careful, precise researcher Oscar. The only reprieve from her small, close world is attending the local bereavement group to mourn her brother’s death from years ago. That is, until she meets journalist Sam Hunter at the grief group one day. And he has a proposition for her.

Alice Webber is a thirteen-year-old girl who claims she’s being haunted by a witch. Living with her family in their crowded home in the remote village of Banathel, Alice’s symptoms are increasingly disturbing, and money is tight. Taking this job will give Mina some experience; Sam will get the scoop of a lifetime; and Alice will get better, Mina is sure of it.

But instead of improving, Alice’s behavior becomes increasingly inexplicable and intense. The town of Banathel has a deep history of superstition and witchcraft. They believe there is evil in the world. They believe there are ways of...dealing with it. And they don’t expect outsiders to understand.

As Mina races to uncover the truth behind Alice’s condition, the dark cracks of Banathel begin to show. Mina is desperate to understand how deep their sinister traditions go–and how her own past may be the biggest threat of all.

"Unexpected, mesmerizing, and totally original...will keep you guessing until its wild end." -#1 International Bestselling author Darby Kane 

"Harrowing and moving...Pearce has written something magical. There are scenes in this book I'll never forget." -Kristi DeMeester, author of Such a Pretty Smile

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How to Survive a Horror Story

Mallory Arnold

Description

Seven authors enter the manor

Can they survive the story within?

When legendary horror author Mortimer Queen passes, a group of writers find themselves invited to his last will and testament reading expecting a piece of his massive fortune. Each have their own unique connection to the literary icon, some known, some soon to be discovered, and they've been waiting for their chance to step into the author's shoes for some time.

Instead, they arrive at his grand manor and are invited to play a game. The rules are simple, solve the riddle and progress to the next room. If they don't, the manor will take one of them for itself.

You see, the Queen estate was built on the bones of Mortimer's family, and like any true horror story, the house is still very, very hungry.

With the clever, locked-room thrills of Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone with the ghostly horror of The Fall of the House of Usher, How to Survive a Horror Story is a bright, biting, thrill-ride that begs us to contemplate how the best horror stories come to be.

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Whistle

Linwood Barclay

Description

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

"Terrific."-- Stephen King on Whistle

New York Times bestselling author Linwood Barclay enters new territory with a supernatural chiller in which a woman and her young son move to a small town looking for a fresh start, only to be haunted by disturbing events and strange visions when they find a mysterious train set in a storage shed.

Evil has a one track mind....

Annie Blunt has had an unimaginably terrible year. First, her husband was killed in a tragic hit-and-run accident, then one of the children's books she's built her writing and illustrating career on ignited a major scandal. Desperate for a fresh start, she moves with her son Charlie to a charming small town in upstate New York where they can begin to heal.

But Annie's year is about to get worse.

Bored and lonely in their isolated new surroundings, Charlie is thrilled when he finds a forgotten train set in a locked shed on their property. Annie is glad to see Charlie happy, but there's something unsettling about his new toy. Strange sounds wake Annie in the night--she could swear she hears a train, but there isn't an active track for miles--and bizarre things begin happening in the neighborhood. Worse, Annie can't seem to stop drawing a disturbing new character that has no place in a children's book.

Grief can do strange things to the mind, but Annie is beginning to think she's walked out of one nightmare straight into another, only this one is far more terrifying...

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The Bewitching

Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Description

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Three women in three different eras encounter danger and witchcraft in this eerie multigenerational horror saga from the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic.

“In Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s sure hands, every uncovered secret is fraught with intrigue and creeping horror.”—Tananarive Due, Bram Stoker Award–winning author of The Reformatory

“Back then, when I was a young woman, there were still witches”: That was how Nana Alba always began the stories she told her great-granddaughter Minerva—stories that have stayed with Minerva all her life. Perhaps that’s why Minerva has become a graduate student focused on the history of horror literature and is researching the life of Beatrice Tremblay, an obscure author of macabre tales.

In the course of assembling her thesis, Minerva uncovers information that reveals that Tremblay’s most famous novel, The Vanishing, was inspired by a true story: Decades earlier, during the Great Depression, Tremblay attended the same university where Minerva is now studying and became obsessed with her beautiful and otherworldly roommate, who then disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

As Minerva descends ever deeper into Tremblay’s manuscript, she begins to sense that the malign force that stalked Tremblay and the missing girl might still walk the halls of the campus. These disturbing events also echo the stories Nana Alba told about her girlhood in 1900s Mexico, where she had a terrifying encounter with a witch.

Minerva suspects that the same shadow that darkened the lives of her great-grandmother and Beatrice Tremblay is now threatening her own in 1990s Massachusetts. An academic career can be a punishing pursuit, but it might turn outright deadly when witchcraft is involved.

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Going Home in the Dark

Dean Koontz

Description

"As kids, outcasts Rebecca, Bobby, Spencer, and Ernie were inseparable friends in the idyllic town of Maple Grove. Three left to pursue lofty dreams--and achieved them. Only Ernie never left. When he falls into a coma, his three amigos feel an urgent need to return home. Don't they remember people lapsing into comas back then? And those people always awoke--didn't they? After two decades, not a lot has changed in Maple Grove, especially Ernie's obnoxious, scary mother. But Rebecca, Bobby, and Spencer begin to remember a hulking, murderous figure and weirdness piled on mystery that they were made to forget. As Ernie sinks deeper into darkness, something strange awaits any friend who tries to save him. For Rebecca, Bobby, and Spencer, time is running out to remember the terrors of the past in a perfect town where nothing is what it seems. For Maple Grove, it's a chance to have the 'four amigos, ' as they once called themselves, back in its grasp"--

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Direct Descendant

Tanya Huff

Description

In the town of Lake Argen in Northern Ontario, the cell signal is always strong, families stay close, and local businesses flourish, from the tacky guest house to Cassidy Prewitt's specialty bakery. It's quiet. Few tourists, and fewer newcomers—those who leave seem never to think of the town again. It's Cassie's job to keep it that way, since she became the conduit for Lake Argen's friendly ancestral agreement with the Dark.

Usually her duties mean attending community meetings and tracking the odd escaped eldritch horror. Sometimes horror-sitting for the cuter ones. The disappearance of a trust-fund city boy doesn't worry her, much. She was very convincing when she told the cops he'd just wandered into the woods. But when Melanie Solvich arrives to inquire further, Cassie's on the case. Melanie's curious, funny, a great listener, and a honey-blond ex-teacher with elbow dimples. Getting closer to her perfect woman beats dealing with the Dark any day.

Except... city boy didn't wander off. He drove a rune-inscribed knife through his foot and vanished into the earth. Not the sort of thing the Dark can ignore. Lake Argen's in danger and Cassie has to choose: her hometown or Melanie. Surely an army of unearthly monsters won't stand in the way of true love?

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The Starving Saints

Caitlin Starling

Description

USA Today Bestseller!

“As brilliant as it is bizarre. From the very first page you know you are in the hands of an author at the height of their abilities. . . . This is the unhinged cannibal book of my dreams—and my nightmares.” —Ava Reid, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Study in Drowning

“Enthralling, weird, and brilliant. A medieval pseudo-historical horror tale that explores what happens when our prayers are answered but we’re not sure what has answered them, or what it will demand of us in return. There’s no other story like this, and I mean that in the best possible way.” —Christopher Buehlman, bestselling author of Between Two Fires

From the nationally bestselling author of The Luminous Dead and The Death of Jane Lawrence, a transfixing fever dream of medieval horror following three women in a besieged castle that descends ravenously into madness under the spell of mysterious, godlike visitors.

Aymar Castle has been under siege for six months. Food is running low and there has been no sign of rescue. But just as the survivors consider deliberately thinning their number, the castle stores are replenished. The sick are healed. And the divine figures of the Constant Lady and her Saints have arrived, despite the barricaded gates, offering succor in return for adoration.

Soon, the entire castle is under the sway of their saviors, partaking in intoxicating feasts of terrible origin. The war hero Ser Voyne gives her allegiance to the Constant Lady. Phosyne, a disorganized, paranoid nun-turned-sorceress, races to unravel the mystery of these new visitors and exonerate her experiments as their source. And in the bowels of the castle, a serving girl, Treila, is torn between her thirst for a secret vengeance against Voyne and the desperate need to escape from the horrors that are unfolding within Aymar’s walls.

As the castle descends into bacchanalian madness—forgetting the massed army beyond its walls in favor of hedonistic ecstasy—these three women are the only ones to still see their situation for what it is. But they are not immune from the temptations of the castle’s new masters… or each other; and their shifting alliances and entangled pasts bring violence to the surface. To save the castle, and themselves, will take a reimagining of who they are, and a reorganization of the very world itself. 

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Make a Move, Sunny Park!

Jessica Kim

Description

From the author of Stand Up, Yumi Chung! comes a funny and utterly charming novel about friends—how to make them, how to let go of them, and how to be your own BFF.

This is the story of Sunny Park, a seventh-grade student at Ranchito Mesa Middle who loves the K-pop band Supreme Beat, hanging out with her cool grandma, dancing when no one is watching, snacking on shrimp chips, and being there for Bailey, her best friend since third grade. When Bailey decides that she and Sunny should audition for the school dance team in a ploy to parent-trap Bailey’s divorced mom and dad, Sunny agrees even though the thought of performing in public makes her pits sweat. After all, she’d do anything for Bailey. In a twist of fate, Sunny makes the team and Bailey doesn’t, and when Sunny reluctantly joins, it’s the start of a painful and drawn-out parting of ways for the two girls. As Sunny takes her first steps out from behind her friend’s shadow, she’ll have to figure out who she wants to be when she’s in the spotlight—and who she wants dancing alongside her.

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When You Trap a Tiger

Tae Keller

Description

WINNER OF THE NEWBERY MEDAL • WINNER OF THE ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN AWARD FOR CHILDREN'S LITERATURE • #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A PARADE BEST KIDS BOOK OF ALL TIME • A KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST MIDDLE GRADE BOOK OF THE CENTURY

Would you make a deal with a magical tiger? This uplifting story brings Korean folklore to life as a girl goes on a quest to unlock the power of stories and save her grandmother.

Some stories refuse to stay bottled up...

When Lily and her family move in with her sick grandmother, a magical tiger straight out of her halmoni's Korean folktales arrives, prompting Lily to unravel a secret family history. Long, long ago, Halmoni stole something from the tigers. Now they want it back. And when one of the tigers approaches Lily with a deal--return what her grandmother stole in exchange for Halmoni's health--Lily is tempted to agree. But deals with tigers are never what they seem! With the help of her sister and her new friend Ricky, Lily must find her voice...and the courage to face a tiger.

Tae Keller, the award-winning author of The Science of Breakable Things, shares a sparkling tale about the power of stories and the magic of family. 

"If stories were written in the stars ... this wondrous tale would be one of the brightest." —Booklist, Starred Review

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Witchlings

Claribel A. Ortega

Description

THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!

Perfect for fans of Wicked, Upside-Down Magic, and the Wizard of Oz. This is a page-turning adventure about fitting in, standing out, and the magical power of friendship.

Every year, in the magical town of Ravenskill, Witchlings who participate in the Black Moon Ceremony are placed into covens and come into their powers as full-fledged witches.

And twelve-year-old Seven Salazar can't wait to be placed in the most powerful coven with her best friend! But on the night of the ceremony, in front of the entire town, Seven isn't placed in one of the five covens. She's a Spare!

Spare covens have fewer witches, are less powerful, and are looked down on by everyone. Even worse, when Seven and the other two Spares perform the magic circle to seal their coven and cement themselves as sisters, it doesn't work! They're stuck as Witchlings--and will lose their magic.

Seven invokes her only option: the impossible task. The three Spares will be assigned an impossible task: If they work together and succeed at it, their coven will be sealed and they'll gain their full powers. If they fail... Well, the last coven to make the attempt ended up being turned into toads. Forever.

But maybe friendship can be the most powerful magic of all...

With action-packed adventure, a coven of quirky witchlings, Claribel A. Ortega's signature humor, and girl-power vibes, you won't be able to put down this middle-grade Latine witch story, perfect for fans of Amari and the Night Brothers or Harry Potter.

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The Mystwick School of Musicraft

Jessica Khoury

Description

Humor and heart shine in this middle grade fantasy about a girl who attends a boarding school to learn how to use music to create magic, perfect for fans of Nevermoor and The School for Good and Evil series.

Amelia Jones always dreamed of attending the Mystwick School of Musicraft, where the world's most promising musicians learn to create magic.

So when Amelia botches her audition, she thinks her dream has met an abrupt and humiliating end--until the school agrees to give her a trial period. Amelia is determined to prove herself, vowing to do whatever it takes to become the perfect musician. Even if it means pretending to be someone she isn't.

Meanwhile, a mysterious storm is brewing that no one, not even the maestros at Mystwick, is prepared to contain. Can Amelia find the courage to be true to herself in time to save her beloved school from certain destruction?

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Haru, Zombie Dog Hero

Ellen Oh

Description

"Tender character relationships between both pup and human, and the myriad fully realized animals Haru meets along his journey, combine for a multilayered and thoroughly heartfelt must-read."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Oh covers heavy, relevant topics in this tense middle-grade novel, informing young readers about animal cruelty, environmental pollution caused by biotechnology facilities, and racial microaggressions within social-economic classes." --Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Ellen Oh of Spirit Hunters delivers this spooky middle grade novel about the friendship between a Korean American boy and his dog, Haru--who becomes a zombie! Fans of Frankenweenie will enjoy this scary yet heartwarming read.

Even though the world is changing and zombie attacks are on the rise, the bond between this boy and his dog remains strong, and when their town is threatened, Haru must rescue them all. Winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award Honor for Children's Literature, Ellen Oh delivers another standout story.

Eleven-year-old Luke and his dog, Haru, are the best of friends. Totally inseparable. But when their nasty landlord falsely accuses Haru of biting her, Haru is kidnapped!

As Luke and his friends go on a serious mission to find and bring Haru home again, they discover mysterious experiments happening at the old laboratory at Painted Lake, owned by an evil multibillionaire named Mr. Thomas Sinclair. And Luke and his friends soon fear that Sinclair's scientists could be doing illegal testing that may endanger Haru and their whole town.

As more strange clues emerge, the boys realize their world is changing fast, and soon Painted Lake is plagued by zombie attacks. But the love between Luke and Haru endures, ultimately helping to save them all.

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Meesh the Bad Demon #1

Michelle Lam

Description

A tale of unlikely heroes and myths is made real in this debut graphic novel series about a “bad” demon trying to find her place in the underworld. But she’ll have to save it first!

Meesh is a bad demon. “Bad” in that she always sees the good in those around her—which isn’t how a demon is meant to feel or act. 

Bullied by the other demons, twelve-year-old Meesh is more likely to be found reading magazines from Plumeria City—the fairy realm—and fangirling about the fairy princesses.

But when disaster strikes and all of demon-kind is threatened, Meesh must journey to other worlds in search of help.

As luck would have it, she meets a fairy princess right away. Things in the fairy realm aren't so perfect either, though. As Meesh makes surprising new friends and unites a band of outcasts, she learns there's much more to being a demon than she ever realized. And learning to love herself might just uncover the secret to saving her home.

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The Dragon Warrior

Katie Zhao

Description

"An exhilarating tale. . . Readers will be enthralled." --J.C. Cervantes, New York Times bestselling author of The Storm Runner

A debut novel inspired by Chinese mythology, this middle-grade fantasy follows an outcast as she embarks on a quest to save the world from demons--perfect for fans of Aru Shah and the End of Time and The Serpent's Secret.

As a member of the Jade Society, twelve-year-old Faryn Liu dreams of honoring her family and the gods by becoming a warrior. But the Society has shunned Faryn and her brother Alex ever since their father disappeared years ago, forcing them to train in secret.

Then, during an errand into San Francisco, Faryn stumbles into a battle with a demon--and helps defeat it. She just might be the fabled Heaven Breaker, a powerful warrior meant to work for the all-mighty deity, the Jade Emperor, by commanding an army of dragons to defeat the demons. That is, if she can prove her worth and find the island of the immortals before the Lunar New Year.

With Alex and other unlikely allies at her side, Faryn sets off on a daring quest across Chinatowns. But becoming the Heaven Breaker will require more sacrifices than she first realized. . . What will Faryn be willing to give up to claim her destiny? 

This richly woven contemporary middle-grade fantasy debut, full of humor, magic, and heart, will appeal to readers who love Roshani Chokshi and Sayantani DasGupta.

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Winnie Zeng Unleashes a Legend

Katie Zhao

Description

An epic new fantasy series inspired by Chinese mythology that #1 New York Times bestselling author Kwame Mbalia calls "a hilarious tussle between homework, family, and heroism." When a girl awakens the stuff of legends from an old family recipe, she must embrace her extraordinary heritage to save the world.

Winnie Zeng has two goals: survive her first year of middle school and outdo her stuck-up archnemesis, David Zuo. It won’t be easy, since, according to her older sister, middle school is the pits. Luckily, Winnie studied middle school survival tactics in comic books and anime, and nothing will stop her from being the very best student.
 
But none of Winnie’s research has prepared her to face the mother of all hurdles: evil spirits. When she makes mooncakes for a class bake sale, she awakens the stuff of legends from her grandmother’s old cookbook, spilling otherworldly chaos into her sleepy town.
 
Suddenly Winnie finds herself in a race against time, vanquishing demons instead of group projects. Armed with a magic cookbook and a talking white rabbit, she must embrace her new powers and legacy of her ancestors. Because if she doesn’t, her town—and rest of the world—may fall to chaos forever.

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Storm Singer

Sarwat Chadda

Description

Skandar and the Unicorn Thief meets One Thousand and One Nights in this “action-packed, fantastically imaginative” (BCCB) middle grade fantasy from Rick Riordan Presents author Sarwat Chadda about a girl with the magical power to control the elements with her song.

In a land ruled by fierce winged warriors known as eagle garudas, twelve-year-old Nargis is just a poor, lowly human, a Worm who hates the garudas that killed her parents. But even though she can’t fly—and her childhood attempt left her walking with a crutch—she is far from powerless. Nargis is a spirit singer: able to coax small bits of wind, water, fire, and earth to do her bidding through song…well, sometimes.

When Nargis loses control of her power in a high-stakes kite fight, she is exiled. Cast into the desert, she discovers Mistral, an injured boy who turns out to be an eagle garuda, the prince of her enemies! He’s on a mission to take back his throne from a terrible vulture garuda. In spite of their mutual distrust, the two have no choice but to forge an unlikely alliance if they want to escape the desert alive.

And as Nargis and Mistral battle dangerous assassins, befriend crafty sky pirates, and sneak into the mysterious sky castle of Alamut, Nargis discovers she carries a family secret, one that could bring Monsoon’s rains back to the desert, but only if she’s willing to risk her life in the bargain…

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The Last Fallen Star

Graci Kim

Description

Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents Graci Kim's thrilling debut about an adopted Korean-American girl who discovers her heritage and her magic on a perilous journey to save her witch clan family.

Graci Kim does such an amazing job of blending Korean mythology into the modern world, I am now wondering how I ever lived without knowing all this cool information.--New York Times #1 best-selling author Rick Riordan

Riley Oh can't wait to see her sister get initiated into the Gom clan, a powerful lineage of Korean healing witches their family has belonged to for generations. Her sister, Hattie, will earn her Gi bracelet and finally be able to cast spells without adult supervision. Although Riley is desperate to follow in her sister's footsteps when she herself turns thirteen, she's a saram--a person without magic. Riley was adopted, and despite having memorized every healing spell she's ever heard, she often feels like the odd one out in her family and the gifted community.
Then Hattie gets an idea: what if the two of them could cast a spell that would allow Riley to share Hattie's magic? Their sleuthing reveals a promising incantation in the family's old spell book, and the sisters decide to perform it at Hattie's initiation ceremony. If it works, no one will ever treat Riley as an outsider again. It's a perfect plan!

Until it isn't. When the sisters attempt to violate the laws of the Godrealm, Hattie's life ends up hanging in the balance, and to save her Riley has to fulfill an impossible task: find the last fallen star. But what even is the star, and how can she find it?

As Riley embarks on her search, she finds herself meeting fantastic creatures and collaborating with her worst enemies. And when she uncovers secrets that challenge everything she has been taught to believe, Riley must decide what it means to be a witch, what it means to be family, and what it really means to belong.

A fun, new magical world that promises more adventures to come.--Kirkus Reviews
 


 

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Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind

Misa Sugiura

Description

A thrilling fantasy series about a twelve year old girl who sets out to save her Shinto goddess mother—and the world—by facing down demons intent on bringing chaos.

“A grand adventure.” —Brandon Mull, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Fablehaven

“A wild ride of a novel…hilarious.” —Sayantani DasGupta, New York Times bestselling author of The Kingdom Beyond

All Momo wants for her twelfth birthday is an ordinary life—like everyone else's. At home, she has to take care of her absentminded widowed mother. At school, kids ridicule her for mixing up reality with the magical stories her mother used to tell her.

But then Momo’s mother falls gravely ill, and a death hag straight out of those childhood stories attacks Momo at the mall, where she’s rescued by a talking fox . . . and “ordinary” goes out the window. It turns out that Momo's mother is a banished Shinto goddess who used to protect a long-forgotten passageway to Yomi—a.k.a. the land of the dead. That passageway is now under attack, and countless evil spirits threaten to escape and wreak havoc across the earth.

Joined by Niko the fox and Danny—her former best friend turned popular jerk, whom she never planned to speak to again, much less save the world with—Momo must embrace her (definitely not "ordinary") identity as half human, half goddess to unlock her divine powers, save her mother’s life, and force the demons back to Yomi.

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Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor

Xiran Jay Zhao

Description

Percy Jackson meets Tristan Strong in this hilarious middle grade “edge-of-your-seat adventure” (James Ponti, New York Times bestselling author of City Spies) that follows a young boy as he journeys across China to seal the underworld shut and save the mortal realm.

Zachary Ying never had many opportunities to learn about his Chinese heritage. His single mom was busy enough making sure they got by, and his schools never taught anything except Western history and myths. So Zack is woefully unprepared when he discovers he was born to host the spirit of the First Emperor of China for a vital mission: sealing the leaking portal to the Chinese underworld before the upcoming Ghost Month blows it wide open.

The mission takes an immediate wrong turn when the First Emperor botches his attempt to possess Zack’s body and binds to Zack’s AR gaming headset instead, leading to a battle where Zack’s mom’s soul gets taken by demons. Now, with one of history’s most infamous tyrants yapping in his headset, Zack must journey across China to heist magical artifacts and defeat figures from history and myth, all while learning to wield the emperor’s incredible water dragon powers.

And if Zack can’t finish the mission in time, the spirits of the underworld will flood into the mortal realm, and he could lose his mom forever.

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Lia Park and the Missing Jewel

Jenna Yoon

Description

Perfect for fans of the Storm Runner and Aru Shah series, this “intriguing, fast-paced” (Kirkus Reviews) middle grade fantasy follows a young girl who must venture to the undersea kingdom of the Dragon King in Korea to save her parents from an evil diviner spirit.

Twelve-year old Lia Park just wants to fit in. Her parents work with a mysterious organization that makes them ridiculously overprotective. Lia’s every move has been scrutinized since she was born, and she’d love to have the option of doing something exciting for once. So when she gets invited to the biggest birthday party of the year—and her parents say she can’t go—Lia sneaks out. 

But her first act of rebellion not only breaks her parents’ rules, but also an ancient protection spell, allowing an evil diviner spirit to kidnap and ransom her parents for a powerful jewel that her family has guarded for years. With just the clothes on her back and some very rusty magical skills, Lia finds herself chasing mysterious clues that take her to her grandmother’s home in Korea.

From there, she has to make their way to the undersea kingdom of the Dragon King, the only person who knows where the powerful jewel might be. Along with her friend, Joon, Lia must dig deep and find courage to stand up for those who are weak—and become the hero her parents need.

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Dragon Pearl

Yoon Ha Lee

Description

Rick Riordan Presents Yoon Ha Lee's space opera about thirteen-year-old Min, who comes from a long line of fox spirits. But you'd never know it by looking at her. To keep the family safe, Min's mother insists that none of them use any fox-magic, such as Charm or shape-shifting. They must appear human at all times. Min feels hemmed in by the household rules and resents the endless chores, the cousins who crowd her, and the aunties who judge her. She would like nothing more than to escape Jinju, her neglected, dust-ridden, and impoverished planet. She's counting the days until she can follow her older brother, Jun, into the Space Forces and see more of the Thousand Worlds. When word arrives that Jun is suspected of leaving his post to go in search of the Dragon Pearl, Min knows that something is wrong. Jun would never desert his battle cruiser, even for a mystical object rumored to have tremendous power. She decides to run away to find him and clear his name. Min's quest will have her meeting gamblers, pirates, and vengeful ghosts. It will involve deception, lies, and sabotage. She will be forced to use more fox-magic than ever before, and to rely on all of her cleverness and bravery. The outcome may not be what she had hoped, but it has the potential to exceed her wildest dreams. This sci-fi adventure with the underpinnings of Korean mythology will transport you to a world far beyond your imagination.
 

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The Autumnal

Daniel Kraus

Description

Her estranged mother's death brings Kat Somerville back to Comfort Notch, New Hampshire, a home town she can barely remember. As she and her daughter Sybil try to settle into a new life, Kat discovers that sometimes home is best forgotten.

WELCOME TO COMFORT NOTCH! HOME OF AMERICA'S PRETTIEST AUTUMN. YOU'LL NEVER WANT TO LEAVE.

Following the death of her estranged mother, Kat Somerville and her daughter, Sybil, flee a difficult life in Chicago for the quaint--and possibly pernicious--town of Comfort Notch, New Hampshire. From NY Times best-selling author, Daniel Kraus (The Shape of Water, Trollhunters, The Living Dead), and rising star Chris Shehan, comes a haunting vision of America's prettiest autumn.

Collects the complete eight issue series.

“Superb, fall-toned art plays on a recurring theme of leaves. The gripping, violent plot and the sharply drawn mother-daughter dynamic at its core are a complex combo that will easily satisfy genre fans.” --PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

'Bestselling Kraus makes his graphic debut with another terror-inducing narrative, brilliantly illustrated by Shehan and Wordie (lettered by Jim Campbell). The full-color, saturated visuals never slow down, the unpredictable panels constantly in motion as if unable to hold the story back. The petrifying horror won’t be contained - "She grows. She waits." ' - BOOKLIST Starred Review

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A Guest in the House

E.M. Carroll

Description

Winner of the 2024 LA Times Book Prize
Winner of the 2024 Lammy Award Winner for LGBTQ+ Comic
New York Times' Notable Book of 2023
Winner of the 2024The Doug Wright Award for Best Book

In E.M. Carroll's haunting adult graphic novel horror story A Guest in the House, a young woman marries a kind dentist only to realize that there’s a dark mystery surrounding his former wife’s death.

After many lonely years, Abby’s just gotten married. She met her new husband—a recently widowed dentist—when he arrived in town with his young daughter, seeking a new start. Although it’s strange living in the shadow of her predecessor, Abby does her best to be a good wife and mother. But the more she learns about her new husband’s first wife, the more things don’t add up. And Abby starts to wonder . . . was Sheila’s death really by natural causes? As Abby sinks deeper into confusion, Sheila’s memory seems to become a force all its own, ensnaring Abby in a mystery that leaves her obsessed, fascinated, and desperately in love for the first time in her life.

E.M. Carroll's masterful balance of black and white, surreal colors, rich textures, and dramatic lettering is assured to bring this story to life and give readers a chill up their spine as they read.

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Ice Cream Man: Sundae Edition Vol. 2

W. Maxwell Prince

Description

The most critically acclaimed comic of the last five years introduces its second helping of deluxed-ness: THE SUNDAE EDITION, VOL. 2! Collecting another 12 issues (plus some more) of the bestselling anthology comic ICE CREAM MAN, this oversized hardcover features standalone stories that manage to push the boundaries of the comics medium while also telling emotionally compelling yarns. From a comic thatÕs a perfect palindrome (it can be read first-to-last panel, or last-to-first), to an experiment with crossword puzzles, to an instruction manual for how to be a ghost, to a live telethon for a VERY sick JerryÑthereÕs still something here for readers of every stripe. The Ice Cream Man is back in townÉcare for a treat? Collects ICE CREAM MAN #13-24, HAHA #6, and ICE CREAM MAN QUARANTINE COMIX SPECIAL

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Harrow County Omnibus Volume 1

Cullen Bunn

Description

The first half of the highly acclaimed, Eisner-nominated horror fantasy tale, collected in a value-priced omnibus.

Emmy always knew that the woods surrounding her home crawled with ghosts and monsters. But on the eve of her eighteenth birthday, she learns that she is connected to these creatures--and to the land itself--in a way she never imagined.

Collects issues 1-16 of Harrow County.

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Fatale

Ed Brubaker

Description

The bestselling, award-winning team of ED BRUBAKER and SEAN PHILLIPS finally collect their hit book FATALE under one cover in this gorgeous compendium edition. Josephine is cursed, and in a series that darkly blends American crime noir with unnamed Lovecraftian horrors, we follow her from 1950s San Francisco, where crooked cops hide deeper evils, to mid-Õ70s L.A., where burnt-out actors and ex-cult groupies are caught in a web around a satanic snuff film, then back through the ages of time...and in the middle of it all is Josephine, with a power to die or kill for.

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Basketful of Heads

Joe Hill

Description

Joe Hill, the horror mastermind behind NOS4A2 and Locke & Key, arrives at DC with the twisted tale of June Branch-trapped with four cunning criminals who have snatched her boyfriend for deranged reasons of their own. Now she must fight for her life with the help of an impossible 8th-century Viking axe that can pass through a man’s neck in a single swipe-and leave the severed head still conscious and capable of supernatural speech. Each disembodied head has a malevolent story of its own to tell, and it isn’t long before June finds herself in a desperate struggle to hack through their lies and manipulations...racing to save the man she loves before time runs out. But is June Branch a woman fighting for her life-or a deranged axe murderer with a basketful of paranoid fantasies? The truth is even more horrifying than a basketful of heads. Collects Basketful of Heads #1-7.

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The Deviant, Vol. 1

James Tynion IV

Description

Hannibal meets Silent Night, Deadly Night in this pitch-black holiday horror story that cuts right through our most taboo notions. As snow falls over Milwaukee in 1972, a blood-stained Santa Claus commits unimaginable atrocities against young men. Fifty years later, a troubled young writer interviews this so-called Deviant Killer, who still maintains his innocence from behind bars. And as Christmas approaches once again, the past returns, wielding a sharpened ax. Multiple Eisner Award-winning writer JAMES TYNION IV (W0RLDTR33, THE DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH) and acclaimed artist JOSHUA HIXSON (The Plot, Children of the Woods unite for a psychological crime thriller that explores the intersection of queer identities and a broader scope of cultural transgression and deviance. Collects THE DEVIANT #1-4 Select praise for THE DEVIANT: One of the most impressive fi rst issues of a comic book weÕve had in 2023. JAMES TYNION and JOSHUA HIXSON knock it out of the park creating story you canÕt help but be immersed by. This may be the most terrifying version of Santa Clause we have seen. ItÕs definitely a must read for fans of horror. —Comic Book Revolution ThereÕs something truly haunting and chilly about THE DEVIANT, not unlike Robert EggersÕ The Witch. Mood and tension come together in an excellent opening issue thatÕs filled with unease. ThereÕs a hopelessness that rings throughout that makes it hard to put this book down. - AIPT Horror and Christmas don't overlap much in popular culture, but this creative team has masterfully blended the two here—while throwing in an homage to The Silence of the Lambs. —Comicon A creepy, terrifying read in the mode of THE CLOSET. And JOSHUA HIXSON's design for the main killer character is terrifying. -Comic Book Club podcast

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Outcast by Kirkman & Azaceta Book 1

Robert Kirkman

Description

This hardcover features the first twelve issues of the hit comic book series, along with covers and a sketchbook, in one oversized hardcover volume. Perfect for long-time readers and fans of the Cinemax TV show.

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House of Slaughter #1

James Tynion IV

Description

Discover the inner workings of the House of Slaughter in this new horror series exploring the secret history of the Order that forged Erica Slaughter into the monster hunter she is today. You know Aaron Slaughter as Erica's handler and rival. But before he donned the black mask, Aaron was a teenager training within the House of Slaughter. Surviving within the school is tough enough, but it gets even more complicated when Aaron falls for a mysterious boy destined to be his competition.

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American Vampire

Scott Snyder

Description

A new vampire for a new century. Cunning, ruthless, and rattlesnake mean, Skinner Sweet has a reputation for cussedness as long as he is ornery. As the first vampire conceived on American soil, however, he's not your usual creature of the night. Stronger, fiercer and powered by the sun, Sweet is the first of a new breed of bloodsucker: the American Vampire. Forty-five years after rising from his grave, Sweet finds himself in 1920s Los Angeles, where the young and beautiful are drawn like moths to the burning lights of Hollywood. Something beyond simple human greed is at work here, however, as struggling young actress Pearl Jones is about to discover. When her movie-star dreams are transformed into a bloody nightmare, Sweet provides her only chance for survival as well as the power to take revenge.

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1984

George Orwell

Description

April, 1984. Winston Smith thinks a thought, starts a diary, and falls in love. But Big Brother is watching him, and the door to Room 101 can swing open in the blink of an eye.

Its ideas have become our ideas, and Orwell's fiction is often said to be our reality. The definitive book of the 20th century is re-examined in a radical new adaptation exploring why Orwell's vision of the future is as relevant as ever.

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I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Maya Angelou

Description

Maya Angelou’s debut memoir is a modern American classic beloved worldwide. Her life story is told in the documentary film And Still I Rise, as seen on PBS’s American Masters.

Here is a book as joyous and painful, as mysterious and memorable, as childhood itself. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings captures the longing of lonely children, the brute insult of bigotry, and the wonder of words that can make the world right. Maya Angelou’s debut memoir is a modern American classic beloved worldwide.
 
Sent by their mother to live with their devout, self-sufficient grandmother in a small Southern town, Maya and her brother, Bailey, endure the ache of abandonment and the prejudice of the local “powhitetrash.” At eight years old and back at her mother’s side in St. Louis, Maya is attacked by a man many times her age—and has to live with the consequences for a lifetime. Years later, in San Francisco, Maya learns that love for herself, the kindness of others, her own strong spirit, and the ideas of great authors (“I met and fell in love with William Shakespeare”) will allow her to be free instead of imprisoned.
 
Poetic and powerful, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings will touch hearts and change minds for as long as people read.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings liberates the reader into life simply because Maya Angelou confronts her own life with such a moving wonder, such a luminous dignity.”—James Baldwin

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Of Mice and Men

John Steinbeck

Description

A controversial tale of friendship and tragedy during the Great Depression

A Penguin Classic

Over seventy-five years since its first publication, Steinbeck’s tale of commitment, loneliness, hope, and loss remains one of America’s most widely read and taught novels. An unlikely pair, George and Lennie, two migrant workers in California during the Great Depression, grasp for their American Dream. They hustle work when they can, living a hand-to-mouth existence. For George and Lennie have a plan: to own an acre of land and a shack they can call their own. When they land jobs on a ranch in the Salinas Valley, the fulfillment of their dream seems to be within their grasp. But even George cannot guard Lennie from the provocations, nor predict the consequences of Lennie's unswerving obedience to the things George taught him.

Of Mice and Men represents an experiment in form, which Steinbeck described as “a kind of playable novel, written in a novel form but so scened and set that it can be played as it stands.” A rarity in American letters, it achieved remarkable success as a novel, a Broadway play, and three acclaimed films. This edition features an introduction by Susan Shillinglaw, one of today’s leading Steinbeck scholars.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

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The Color Purple

Alice Walker

Description

Read the original inspiration for the new, boldly reimagined film from producers Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg, starring Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, and Fantasia Barrino.

Celebrating its fortieth anniversary, The Color Purple writes a message of healing, forgiveness, self-discovery, and sisterhood to a new generation of readers.  An inspiration to authors who continue to give voice to the multidimensionality of Black women’s stories, including Tayari Jones, Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, Jesmyn Ward, and more,  The Color Purple remains an essential read in conversation with storytellers today.

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award

A powerful cultural touchstone of modern American literature, The Color Purple depicts the lives of African American women in early-twentieth-century rural Georgia. Separated as girls, sisters Celie and Nettie sustain their loyalty to and hope in each other across time, distance, and silence. Through a series of letters spanning nearly thirty years, first from Celie to God, then from the sisters to each other, the novel draws readers into a rich and memorable portrayal of Black women—their pain and struggle, companionship and growth, resilience and bravery.

Deeply compassionate and beautifully imagined, The Color Purple breaks the silence around domestic and sexual abuse, and carries readers on an epic and spirit-affirming journey toward transformation, redemption, and love.


“Reading The Color Purple was the first time I had seen Southern, Black women’s literature as world literature. In writing us into the world—bravely, unapologetically, and honestly—Alice Walker has given us a gift we will never be able to repay.” —Tayari Jones

The Color Purple was what church should have been, what honest familial reckoning could have been, and it is still the only art object in the world by which all three generations of Black artists in my family judge American art.” —Kiese Laymon

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Water for Elephants

Sara Gruen

Description

Over 10 million copies sold worldwide! * Now A Broadway Musical Starring Grant Gustin and Isabella McCalla

#1 New York Times Bestseller * A Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, & USA Today Bestseller

"This colorful headlong tale of a Depression-era circus simply can't be beat." —Stephen King

A Major Motion Picture starring Reese Witherspoon, Robert Pattinson, and Christoph Waltz

Jacob Janowski’s luck had run out--orphaned and penniless, he had no direction until he landed on a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. A veterinary student just shy of a degree, he was put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It was the Great Depression and for Jacob the circus was both his salvation and a living hell. There he met Marlena, the beautiful equestrian star married to August, the charismatic but brutal animal trainer. And he met Rosie, an untrainable elephant who was the great hope for this third-rate traveling show. The bond that grew among this group of misfits was one of love and trust, and ultimately, it was their only hope for survival.

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The Kite Runner (Essential Edition)

Khaled Hosseini

Description

The #1 New York Times bestselling novel beloved by millions of readers the world over.

New York Times Readers Pick: 100 Best Books of the 21st Century 

“A vivid and engaging story that reminds us how long his people [of Afghanistan] have been struggling to triumph over the forces of violence—forces that continue to threaten them even today.”—The New York Times Book Review

The unforgettable, heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father’s servant, caught in the tragic sweep of history, The Kite Runner transports readers to Afghanistan at a tense and crucial moment of change and destruction. A powerful story of friendship, it is also about the power of reading, the price of betrayal, and the possibility of redemption; and an exploration of the power of fathers over sons—their love, their sacrifices, their lies.
 
Since its publication in 2003 Kite Runner has become a beloved, one-of-a-kind classic of contemporary literature, touching millions of readers, and launching the career of one of America's most treasured writers.

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The Handmaid's Tale (Graphic Novel)

Margaret Atwood

Description

The stunning graphic novel adaptation • A must-read and collector’s item for fans of “the patron saint of feminist dystopian fiction” (New York Times).
 
Look for The Testaments, the sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale
 
In Margaret Atwood’s dystopian future, environmental disasters and declining birthrates have led to a Second American Civil War. The result is the rise of the Republic of Gilead, a totalitarian regime that enforces rigid social roles and enslaves the few remaining fertile women. Offred is one of these, a Handmaid bound to produce children for one of Gilead’s commanders. Deprived of her husband, her child, her freedom, and even her own name, Offred clings to her memories and her will to survive.

Provocative, startling, prophetic, The Handmaid’s Tale has long been a global phenomenon. With this beautiful graphic novel adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s modern classic, beautifully realized by artist Renée Nault, the terrifying reality of Gilead has been brought to vivid life like never before.

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The Bluest Eye

Toni Morrison

Description

From the 1993 Nobel Prize-winner comes a novel so charged with pain and wonder that it becomes poetry (The New York Times). First published in 1965, The Bluest Eye is the story of a black girl who prays--with unforeseen consequences--for her eyes to turn blue so she will be accepted. Includes a new Foreword by the author.

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The Catcher in the Rye

J. D. Salinger

Description

The "brilliant, funny, meaningful novel" (The New Yorker) that established J. D. Salinger as a leading voice in American literature--and that has instilled in millions of readers around the world a lifelong love of books.   "If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth."   The hero-narrator of The Catcher in the Rye is an ancient child of sixteen, a native New Yorker named Holden Caufield. Through circumstances that tend to preclude adult, secondhand description, he leaves his prep school in Pennsylvania and goes underground in New York City for three days.

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Gender Queer

Maia Kobabe

Description

In 2014, Maia Kobabe, who uses e/em/eir pronouns, thought that a comic of reading statistics would be the last autobiographical comic e would ever write. At the time, it was the only thing e felt comfortable with strangers knowing about em. Now, Gender Queer is here. Maia’s intensely cathartic autobiography charts eir journey of self-identity, which includes the mortification and confusion of adolescent crushes, grappling with how to come out to family and society, bonding with friends over erotic gay fanfiction, and facing the trauma and fundamental violation of pap smears. Started as a way to explain to eir family what it means to be nonbinary and asexual, Gender Queer is more than a personal story: it is a useful and touching guide on gender identity—what it means and how to think about it—for advocates, friends, and humans everywhere.

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cover with title and author and an illustration of an old house

There's a Ghost In This House

Oliver Jeffers

Description

A young girl lives in a haunted house, but she has never seen a ghost. Are they white with holes for eyes? Are they hard to see? Step inside and help the girl as she searches under the stairs, behind the sofa, and in the attic for the ghost.

From New York Times bestselling author-illustrator Oliver Jeffers comes a delightful picture book that breaks the fourth wall about young girl's determination to find the ghost haunting her house. Includes tracing paper pages that make the silly ghosts appear on each page. Perfect for Halloween!

 

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Gustavo, the Shy Ghost

Flavia Z. Drago

Description

Gustavo is good at doing all sorts of ghostly things: walking through walls, making objects fly, and glowing in the dark. And he loves almost nothing more than playing beautiful music on his violin. But Gustavo is shy, and some things are harder for him to do, like getting in a line to buy eye scream or making friends with other monsters. Whenever he tries getting close to them, he realizes they just can’t see him. Now that the Day of the Dead is fast approaching, what can he do to make them notice him and to share with them something he loves? With fancifully detailed artwork and visual humor, debut picture-book creator Flavia Z. Drago’s vivid illustrations tell a sweet and gently offbeat story of loneliness, bravery, and friendship that is sure to be a treat for little ghouls and goblins everywhere.

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cover with title and author and two illustrated cute ghosts

Fitz and Cleo

Jonathan Stutzman

Description

Fitz and Cleo are siblings by chance, but best friends by choice. Oh, and they also happen to be ghosts!

Join Cleo, a happy-go-lucky kind of gal, and Fitz, her science-minded brother, as they laugh their way through eleven gut-busting stories, including exploring the beach with a new friend, enjoying some ice cream, playing baseball, and gazing at the stars.
 

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cover with title and author and illustration of a ghost and girl on a bench under a fall tree

Little Ghost Makes a Friend

Maggie Edkins Willis

Description

Little Ghost and his mom have been happily haunting their creaky old house for years, just the two of them. When a new girl moves in next door, Little Ghost wants to introduce himself. But making friends can be scary…until he comes up with the perfect plan: he’s going to invite her over for a Halloween party! But what costume will make her want to be friends with him?

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Cover with title and author and illustration of two ghosts

I Hate Everything!

Sophy Henn

Description

A ghost is having a very bad day. He feels like he hates EVERYTHING! Lucky for him, he has a good ghost friend to talk it through with. Because if he doesn’t really hate sweets or flowers or dressing up, and he definitely doesn’t hate his friend, then maybe he doesn’t hate everything after all…

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Boo Who?

Ben Clanton

Description

Boo is new. And even if the other kids are welcoming, it can be scary being new, especially for a shy ghost who can’t play any of their games. (“You tagged me? Oh, sorry. I couldn’t feel it.”) Can Boo find a way to fit in and make friends with the rest of the group? From the creator of Rex Wrecks It! comes a funny story about feeling invisible — and finding a way to be seen and appreciated for who you are.

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The Little Ghost Who Lost Her Boo!

Elaine Bickell

Description

Perfect for Halloween! 

Poor Little Ghost has lost her scary BOO, so she sets out on a nighttime hunt to find it. She searches high and low, but it's nowhere to be found! Will she ever find her lost BOO?

With bold and gorgeous art accompanied by bouncy, rhyming text, The Little Ghost Who Lost Her Boo is a charming, not-so-spooky read aloud perfect for Halloween or any time of year!
 

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The Scariest Book Ever

Bob Shea

Description

Reader beware! This is the scariest book ever! Or so claims its melodramatic ghost narrator. You can go ahead and turn the page, but don't expect him to come with you. Anything might pop out of that black hole in the middle of the forest. What do you mean it's just a bunny? Well, it's probably a bunny with big fangs. Watch out, it's--picking pumpkins with its friends, you say? Actually, despite the ghost's scare-mongering, none of the animal characters in the illustrations seem scary at all. . . . What's up with that? Many delights, such as surprises after the page turn, an alarmist narrator, and punch lines to anticipate make this book a scream for both kids and parents.

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The Ghosts Went Floating

Kim Norman

Description

The ghosts went floating, 
one by one,
BOO-rah! BOO-rah!
when Halloween had just begun.
BOO-rah! BOO-rah!
The ghosts went floating, one by one,
so why don’t YOU come join the fun?

Trick-or-treat with ghosts, skeletons, witches, zombies, and all sorts of cute and creepy creatures in this fun-filled Halloween counting adventure!

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To Catch a Ghost

Rachel Michelle Wilson

Description

Show-and-tell isn't for the faint of heart, so grab your camera, flashlight, and backpack -- it's time to catch yourself a ghost! Once you find a good one, spend some quality time together. This will provide all the information you need to build the perfect ghost trap. It will also probably complicate things. So, when the moment finally arrives, you may be confident you can catch a ghost...but can you catch a friend?

A ghostly good tale about the high stakes of show-and-tell, unexpected friendships, and accepting the unknown -- brought to life with Rachel Michelle Wilson's playful and heartfelt illustrations.

 

 

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Leo

Mac Barnett

Description

You would like being friends with Leo. He likes to draw, he makes delicious snacks, and most people can't even see him. Because Leo is also a ghost. When a new family moves into his home and Leo's efforts to welcome them are misunderstood, Leo decides it is time to leave and see the world. That is how he meets Jane, a kid with a tremendous imagination and an open position for a worthy knight. That is how Leo and Jane become friends. And that is when their adventures begin. This charming tale of friendship—from two of the best young minds in picture books: the author of the Caldecott Honor–winning Extra Yarn and the illustrator of the Bologna Ragazzi Award–winning Josephine—is destined to become a modern classic that will delight readers for years to come.

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cover with title and author and illustration of a girl standing outside a house with ghosts coming out the windows

Ghosts in the House!

Kazuno Kohara

Description

At the edge of town lives a clever girl with a spooky problem: Her house is haunted! Luckily, she happens to be a witch and knows a little something about taking care of ghosts. She catches them, puts them in the washing machine, airs them out to dry, and gives them new lives as sofa covers, table cloths, and, of course, bed sheets to cozy up under. Fresh and charming illustrations in dynamic orange, black and white bring this resourceful heroine and these spooky ghosts to life.

 

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Aggie and the Ghost

Matthew Forsythe

Description

Aggie is very excited to live on her own—until she finds out her new house is haunted. But no fear, the situation is nothing that can’t be fixed with a carefully considered list of rules: No haunting after dark. No stealing socks. No eating all the food.

But the ghost doesn’t like playing by the rules and challenges Aggie to an epic game of tic-tac-toe—winner gets the house.

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Pumpkin Day at the Zoo

Susan Meissner

Description

When farmers and pumpkin patch owners donate their pumpkins to the zoo, the animals chomp, chew, play, and give hearty hoorays for their favorite squishy squash! Grab a pumpkin and follow along as this lighthearted, lyrical zoo book for preschoolers and elementary-age kids from bestselling novelist Susan Meissner celebrates the fall season in the most entertaining way.

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Yellow Time

Lauren Stringer

Description

Children and animals alike excitedly anticipate yellow time, when the trees release their colorful leaves to blanket the earth, crows raise their voices joyfully from the bare branches, and squirrels busy themselves preparing their nests for winter. This lyrical celebration of the beauty and fun of autumn is sure to become a perennial fall favorite.

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Strega Nona's Harvest

Tomie dePaola

Description

In this humorous tale, Strega Nona attempts to teach Big Anthony about gardening and the importance of orderly planting. But when Big Anthony does not follow her directions and uses her growing spell, his small vegetable patch turns into an unruly jungle! What will they do with all the extra vegetables?

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Pride Puppy!

Robin Stevenson

Description

A young child and their family are having a wonderful time together celebrating Pride Day--meeting up with Grandma, making new friends and eating ice cream. But then something terrible happens: their dog gets lost in the parade! Luckily, there are lots of people around to help reunite the pup with his family.

This rhyming alphabet book tells a lively story, with rich, colorful illustrations that will have readers poring over every detail as they spot items starting with each of the letters of the alphabet. An affirming and inclusive book that offers a joyful glimpse of a Pride parade and the vibrant community that celebrates this day each year.

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Hush Hush, Forest

Mary Casanova

Description

While we are tucked in, snug in warm blankets as we listen to bedtime stories, the woods around us whisper another tale. As the golden leaves waft through the lengthening shadows, the loon sings one last lullaby, the whirring hummingbird takes one last sip, the industrious beaver saws one last branch for her lodge. Here, in enchanting words and woodcuts, is the magic of night falling and winter approaching in the North Woods. Hush Hush, Forest peers through twilight's window at the raccoon preening, the doe and fawn bedding down, the last bat of the season flitting away. The owl surveys, the rabbit scurries, the bear hunkers, readying her den.

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book cover with title and author and three colorful circles

Mixed: A Colorful Story

Arree Chung

Description

In the beginning, there were three colors . . .

Reds,

Yellows,

and Blues.

All special in their own ways, all living in harmony—until one day, a Red says "Reds are the best!" and starts a color kerfuffle. When the colors decide to separate, is there anything that can change their minds?

A Yellow, a Blue, and a never-before-seen color might just save the day in this inspiring book about color, tolerance, and embracing differences.

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book cover with title and author and illustrations of stylized colorful letters and diverse kids

An ABC of Equality

Chana Ginelle Ewing

Description

From A to Z, simple explanations accompanied by engaging artwork teach children about the world we live in and how to navigate our way through it. Each right-hand page includes a brightly decorated letter with the word it stands for and an encouraging slogan. On the left, a colourful illustration and bite-size text sum up the concept. Cheerful people from a range of backgrounds, ethnicities, and abilities lead the way through the alphabet.

  • L is for LGBTQIA. Find the words that make you, you.
  • N is for No. No means no.
  • P is for Privilege. Be aware of your advantages.
  • X is for Xenophobia. Ask questions and you'll see there's nothing to be afraid of.

Ask more Questions, share your Kindness, and learn to Understand the world.

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Book cover with title and author and child wearing fun sunglasses

What Riley Wore

Elana K. Arnold

Description

Riley wears whatever clothes feel right each day. On Monday, Riley feels shy and wears a bunny costume to school. On Tuesday, a scary trip to the dentist calls for a super hero cape. For a trip out with Otto and Oma, a ball gown is the perfect outfit.

This charming picture book is a gentle exploration of self-expression and source of encouragement for being true to oneself despite the expectations of others.

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The Very Last Leaf

Stef Wade

Description

Lance Cottonwood is the best and brightest of the leaves, but even the top students on the tree have worries. Can Lance conquer his fear of falling and just let go when the time comes for his final exam, or will he let his worries take over? In this funny and encouraging picture book, best-selling author Stef Wade (A Place for Pluto) tells an engaging story and deftly addresses social and emotional struggles many kids encounter each day...feeling anxious, wanting to be perfect, facing fears, etc. These themes combined with illustrator Jennifer Davison's delightful characters and rich autumnal colors make The Very Last Leaf a perfect book for the start of a new school year, the arrival of autumn, or any period of transition in life.

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book cover with title and author and illustration of Native American girl

Sharice's Big Voice

Sharice Davids

Description

This picture book autobiography tells the triumphant story of Sharice Davids, one of the first Native American women elected to Congress, and the first LGBTQ congressperson to represent Kansas. When Sharice Davids was young, she never thought she'd be in Congress. And she never thought she'd be one of the first Native American women in Congress. During her campaign, she heard from a lot of doubters. They said she couldn't win because of how she looked, who she loved, and where she came from. But here's the thing: Everyone's path looks different and everyone's path has obstacles. And this is the remarkable story of Sharice Davids' path to Congress. Beautifully illustrated by Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley, an Ojibwe Woodland artist, this powerful autobiographical picture book teaches readers to use their big voice and that everyone deserves to be seen--and heard! The back matter includes information about the Ho-Chunk written by former Ho-Chunk President Jon Greendeer, an artist note, and an inspiring letter to children from Sharice Davids

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Cover image for "Let It Grow"

Let It Grow

Mary Ann Fraser

Description

A young boy has a pumpkin seed. A very small pumpkin seed. A very small but special pumpkin seed. And what will become of this very small but special seed? He'll only find out if he lets it grow...and grow...and grow! Because sometimes the smallest things can lead to the biggest adventures! In a world full of immediacy and instant gratification, author Mary Ann Fraser plants the seed of patience in her playful picture book about the life cycle of a giant pumpkin and the rewards of letting it grow.

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Uncle Bobby's Wedding

Sarah S. Brannen

Description

When Chloe's favorite uncle announces that he's getting married, everyone is excited. Everyone except Chloe, that is. What if Uncle Bobby no longer has time for picnics, swimming, or flying kites? Chloe just wants to keep having fun with her favorite uncle, but she's afraid everything is going to change. Can Uncle Bobby and his boyfriend Jamie show Chloe that when it comes to family, the more the merrier? In this inspiring, love-filled story, Chloe learns that she's not losing an uncle . . . she's gaining one. 
 

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Cover image for "Leaf Man"

Leaf Man

Lois Ehlert

Description

Fall has come, the wind is gusting, and Leaf Man is on the move. Is he drifting east, over the marsh and ducks and geese Or is he heading west, above the orchards, prairie meadows, and spotted cows

No one's quite sure, but this much is certain: A Leaf Man's got to go where the wind blows.

Ehlert crafts each illustration out of actual fall leaves on every spread to reveal gorgeous landscapes. This playful and whimsical book celebrates the natural world and the rich imaginative life of children.

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Cover image for "One Leaf, Two Leaves, Count with Me!"

One Leaf, Two Leaves, Count with Me!

John Micklos Jr.

Description

Count your way through the seasons! In spring, the tree’s leaves appear, one by one. By summer, there’s a glorious canopy. And when autumn winds blow, leaves fly from the tree, one after another, leading us into winter. There’s a world of activity to spy in and around this beautiful tree as the wild creatures, and one little boy, celebrate the cycles of nature. As little ones count leaves, look for animals, and enjoy the changing seasonal landscape, bouncy rhymes and bold illustrations make learning to count easy—corresponding numerals reinforcing the learning fun.

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A is for Activist

Innosanto Nagara

Description

A is for Activist is an ABC board book written and illustrated for the next generation of progressives: families who want their kids to grow up in a space that is unapologetic about activism, environmental justice, civil rights, LGBTQ rights, and everything else that activists believe in and fight for. 

The alliteration, rhyming, and vibrant illustrations make the book exciting for children, while the issues it brings up resonate with their parents' values of community, equality, and justice. This engaging little book carries huge messages as it inspires hope for the future, and calls children to action while teaching them a love for books.

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Pinny in Fall

Joanne Schwartz

Description

On a crisp fall day, Pinny decides to go for a walk. She packs a sweater, her rain hat, a book, a snack and her treasure pouch. Set for adventure, Pinny's day includes a windy game of tag with her friends, an exciting call for help from the lighthouse keeper and a surprising encounter with the falling autumn leaves.

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Book Cover with title and author and illustration of several diverse people celebrating

This Day in June

Gayle E. Pitman

Description

This day in June . . . Parade starts soon . . . Rainbow arches . . . Joyful marches!

In a wildly whimsical, validating, and exuberant reflection of the LGBTQ+ community, This Day in June welcomes readers to experience a pride celebration and share in a day when we are all united. Also included is a Note to Parents and Other Caregivers with information on how to talk to children about sexual orientation and gender identity in age-appropriate ways, as well as a Reading Guide chock-full of facts about LGBTQ+ history and culture.

 

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Cover image for "When the Leaf Blew in"

When the Leaf Blew in

Steve Metzger

Description

A wonderfully zany story about what happens on a farm when a leaf blows into the barn! 
When the leaf blows into the barn, 
The cow sneezes "Ah choo!" 
And when the cow sneezes "Ah choo!"
The spider falls on top of the owl. 
With simple, repetitive text and silly, expressive illustrations, children will fall for this hilarious autumn story about the way one leaf turns an entire barnyard upside down!

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Milo Imagines the World

Matt de la Peña

Description

Milo is on a long subway ride with his older sister. To pass the time, he studies the faces around him and makes pictures of their lives. There's the whiskered man with the crossword puzzle; Milo imagines him playing solitaire in a cluttered apartment full of pets. There's the wedding-dressed woman with a little dog peeking out of her handbag; Milo imagines her in a grand cathedral ceremony. And then there's the boy in the suit with the bright white sneakers; Milo imagines him arriving home to a castle with a drawbridge and a butler. But when the boy in the suit gets off on the same stop as Milo--walking the same path, going to the exact same place--Milo realizes that you can't really know anyone just by looking at them.

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Sparkle Boy

Lesléa Newman

Description

Casey loves to play with his blocks, puzzles, and dump truck, but he also loves things that sparkle, shimmer, and glitter. When his older sister, Jessie, shows off her new shimmery skirt, Casey wants to wear a shimmery skirt too. When Jessie comes home from a party with glittery nails, Casey wants glittery nails too. And when Abuelita visits wearing an armful of sparkly bracelets, Casey gets one to wear, just like Jessie. The adults in Casey's life embrace his interests, but Jessie isn't so sure. Boys aren't supposed to wear sparkly, shimmery, glittery things. Then, when older boys at the library tease Casey for wearing "girl" things, Jessie realizes that Casey has the right to be himself and wear whatever he wants. Why can't both she and Casey love all things shimmery, glittery, and sparkly?

Here is a sweet, heartwarming story about acceptance, respect, and the freedom to be yourself in a world where any gender expression should be celebrated. Sparkly things are for everyone to enjoy!

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Cover image for "Fall Frolic in the City"

Fall Frolic in the City

Cathy Goldberg Fishman

Description

Frolic through the city in the fall and experience the sights, sounds, colors, and smells of the multitude of different holidays we celebrate this season. From Rosh Hashanah to Halloween and Día de Muertos, everyone has a reason to celebrate. With simple rhymes, a counting pattern, and stunning papercraft art reminiscent of Ezra Jack Keats, this diverse board book is the perfect introduction to autumn and the cultural melting pot that makes the city so special.

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book cover with title and author and illustration of two adult penguins and a baby penguin

And Tango Makes Three

Justin Richardson

Description

And Tango Makes Three is the bestselling, heartwarming true story of two penguins who create a nontraditional family.

At the penguin house at the Central Park Zoo, two penguins named Roy and Silo were a little bit different from the others. But their desire for a family was the same. And with the help of a kindly zookeeper, Roy and Silo get the chance to welcome a baby penguin of their very own.

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Cover image for "How to Bake an Apple Pie"

How to Bake an Apple Pie

Jean Reagan

Description

When the weather is cool and the apples are fresh, the best things to do is warm up by baking an apple pie! It's grandma's favorite! Join Grandpa to create a delicious surprise to warm Grandma's heart on a chilly autumn day. Plus, you can learn a few tips and tricks from the experts — kids! 

This Step Into Reading story features a fun Grandpa and grandchild relationship, and all the shared moments that come with baking from scratch together. Perfect for children who are ready to read on their own!

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I Am Jazz

Jessica Herthel

Description

From the time she was two years old, Jazz knew that she had a girl's brain in a boy's body. She loved pink and dressing up as a mermaid and didn't feel like herself in boys' clothing. This confused her family, until they took her to a doctor who said that Jazz was transgender and that she was born that way. Jazz's story is based on her real-life experience and she tells it in a simple, clear way that will be appreciated by picture book readers, their parents, and teachers.

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Cover image for "Little Critter: The Fall Festival"

Little Critter: The Fall Festival

Mercer Mayer

Description

Fall is an exciting season in Critterville!

Every year, Little Critter® and his family take a trip to one of the most beloved events in Critterville--the Fall Festival. From picking apples and taking hayrides to choosing the perfect pumpkin, no wonder everyone loves this time of year.

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Fall Leaf Project

Margaret McNamara

Description

The first-graders of Robin Hill School love to look at all the different fall leaves. When they hear that in some states the leaves don't change color, they come up with a plan to share fall with other first-graders.

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This Is Where We Die

Cindy R. X. He

Description

Eight friends went on a trip. Only six made it out alive. Now a killer has one night to make sure the survivors pay for what they did . . . so that zero make it out alive. From the author of Perfect Little Monsters comes another incredible twisty thriller.

Sadie, Will, Isla, Anthony, Emily, and Charlie are survivors. They were the six (out of eight) to return from a ski holiday turned nightmare two years ago. Although... nobody knows exactly what happened; the details hushed up via the wealth and connections of Sadie's rich parents.

When an exclusive private island with a mansion for rent goes viral on social media, their graduating class persuades Sadie to rent it for the weekend. The six arrive first by helicopter and wait for the rest of their classmates to join them by boat the next day.

But nobody ever comes.

Cut off from the rest of the world with no cell service and no means off the island, paranoia and terror mount as they start to be picked off one by one by an unseen killer. Their past has finally caught up with them, and they'll need to figure out who is killing them before they all wind up dead.

"A page-turner that will leave the reader wondering if the ending was preventable or inevitable." -Booklist (STARRED REVIEW)

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Tenderly, I Am Devoured

Lyndall Clipstone

Description

An Indie Next Selection!

Perfect for fans of Saltburn, A Study in Drowning, and Don't Let the Forest In, Tenderly, I Am Devoured is a moody, monstrously Gothic romantic folk horror in which a young woman must bind herself to a dangerous chthonic god with the help of the son of a rival family to save her family's legacy—and herself—from ruin.

Expelled from her prestigious boarding school following a violent incident, eighteen-year-old Lacrimosa Arriscane returns home in disgrace to discover her family on the point of financial ruin. Desperate to save them, she accepts a marriage of convenience... to Therion, the chthonic god worshipped by Lark’s isolated coastal hometown.

But when her betrothal goes horribly wrong, Lark begins to vanish from the mortal realm. Her only hope is to seek help from Alastair Felimath: the brilliant, arrogant boy who was her first heartbreak, and his alluring older sister, Camille. As the trio delve into the folklore of gods, Lark falls under the spell of both Felimath siblings.

Ensnared by a fervent romance, they perform a bacchanalia with hopes the hedonistic ritual will repair the connection between Lark and her bridegroom. Instead, they draw the ire of something much darker, which seeks to destroy Therion—and Lark as well.

Featuring a polyamorous bisexual romance, lush prose, and flower-threaded horror, Tenderly, I am Devoured is a romantic folk horror that is intoxicating as chthonic liquor, and as unstoppable as the haunted tides.

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Bad Creek

Peyton June

Description

“June's debut is atmospheric and haunting, capturing the heart-pounding exhilaration of exchanging ghost stories around a campfire. The perfect spine-tingling read for summer!”—Tori Bovalino, author of My Throat an Open Grave

Three lifelong friends confront restless ghosts and malevolent family secrets in this fierce, propulsive debut young adult horror novel.

Iris, Gum, and Aidan are vacationing in Bad Creek, just like every summer. Except Iris’s older sister, Glory, drowned in the lake last year, and Iris can’t seem to move on; Gum is hiding his sexuality from his family while being viciously haunted by Glory’s rotting ghost; and Aidan is distraught over a drunken argument with Glory that he fears may have led to her death. When Iris sleepwalks to the dilapidated house that Glory obsessively sketched in her final days, she and the boys begin to uncover a sinister history in the very bones of the town. The trio must reckon with the events of last summer and uncover what lurks within Bad Creek before it takes Iris’s life next.

Gripping and vengeful, Bad Creek confronts the intersection of religion, sexuality, and feminism, and forces readers to reckon with monsters in all their forms—human included.

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If We Survive This

Racquel Marie

Description

The Walking Dead meets Yellowjackets in If We Survive This, a tense and emotional young adult horror novel from award-winning author Racquel Marie about a teen girl leading a group of survivors on a perilous journey during the apocalypse.

Flora Braddock Paz is not the girl who survives. A colorful creative who spends as much time fearing death as she does trying to hide that fear from her loved ones, she’s always considered herself weak. But half a year into the global outbreak of a rabies mutation that transforms people into violent, zombielike "rabids," she and her older brother, Cain, are still alive. With their mom dead, their dad missing, and their Los Angeles suburb left desolate, they form a new plan: venture out to the secluded Northern California cabin they vacationed in growing up—their best chance at a safe haven and maybe even seeing their dad again.

The dangers of the world have changed, but so has Flora. Still, their journey up the state is complicated by encounters with familiar faces, hidden truths, new allies, and painful memories of the whole family’s final time making this trip the previous year. And for Flora, one thing inevitably remains: No matter how far you run, death is never far behind.

"Marie delves into the genre with resounding success: alternating chapters titled “Now” and “Then” juxtapose Flora’s life in survival mode with society pre-apocalypse. Introspective portrayals of OCD and steadfast siblinghood combine with standout depictions of classic horror tropes bursting with sci-fi zombie gore in this tightly paced novel."Publishers Weekly, starred review

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Deadstream

Mar Romasco-Moore

Description

Rear Window meets The Ring in this sinister YA thriller, in which a teen girl witnesses the livestreamed murder of a popular online streamer by a paranormal entity . . . and could be its next victim.

After surviving a car accident that claimed the life of her best friend, Teresa is now terrified to leave the safety of her bedroom. Since then, her only solace and window to the outside world has been the online community she found through streaming.

But one night, the safe world Teresa created starts to break down. A shadowy figure appears in the background of her favorite's streamer's video, and his behavior mysteriously changes over the next few days before he dies in front of thousands of viewers. Teresa finds herself at the center of a life-and-death investigation as the world tries to figure out what or who this figure could be . . . especially as it begins appearing in the other people's streams, compelling them to "open the door" and let it in—including Teresa’s own. In order to save herself and the rest of the internet from this relentless entity, Teresa must venture outside of the mental and physical walls she’s created. But will she be able to conquer her fears before anyone else loses their life?

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