Black-Eyed Susan Nominees
Accountable by ISBN: 9780374314347Publication Date: 2023-08-22YALSA AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN NONFICTION WINNER ● From the New York Times-bestselling author of The 57 Bus comes Accountable, a propulsive and thought-provoking true story about the revelation of a racist social media account that changes everything for a group of high school students and begs the question: What does it mean to be held accountable for harm that takes place behind a screen? "Powerful, timely, and delicately written." --Ibram X. Kendi, #1 New York Times-bestselling and National Book Award-winning author When a high school student started a private Instagram account that used racist and sexist memes to make his friends laugh, he thought of it as "edgy" humor. Over time, the edge got sharper. Then a few other kids found out about the account. Pretty soon, everyone knew. Ultimately no one in the small town of Albany, California, was safe from the repercussions of the account's discovery. Not the girls targeted by the posts. Not the boy who created the account. Not the group of kids who followed it. Not the adults--educators and parents--whose attempts to fix things too often made them worse. In the end, no one was laughing. And everyone was left asking: Where does accountability end for online speech that harms? And what does accountability even mean? Award-winning and New York Times-bestselling author Dashka Slater has written a must-read book for our era that explores the real-world consequences of online choices.
Four for the Road by ISBN: 9781665902304Publication Date: 2023-08-15The Perks of Being a Wallflower meets The End of the F***ing World in this dark young adult comedy about four unlikely friends dealing with the messy side of grief who embark on a road trip to Graceland full of "laughter, tears, budding romance, and well-placed insights" (Kirkus Reviews, starred review). Asher Hunting wants revenge. Specifically, he wants revenge on the drunk driver who killed his mom and got off on a technicality. No one seems to think this is healthy, though, which is how he ends up in a bereavement group (well, bereavement groups. He goes to several.) It's there he makes some unexpected friends: There's Sloane, who lost her dad to cancer; Will, who lost his little brother to a different kind of cancer; and eighty-year-old Henry, who was married to his wife for fifty years until she decided to die on her own terms. And it's these three who Asher invites on a road trip from New Jersey to Graceland. Asher doesn't tell them that he's planning to steal his dad's car, or the real reason that he wants to go to Tennessee (spoiler alert: it's revenge)--but then again, the others don't share their reasons for going, either. Complete with unexpected revelations, lots of chicken Caesar salads at roadside restaurants, a stolen motorcycle, and an epic kiss at a rest stop minimart, what begins as the road trip to revenge might just turn into a path towards forgiveness.
Goth Girl, Queen of the Universe by ISBN: 9781635830781Publication Date: 2022-07-19Bounced between foster homes since the age of seven, Jessica knows better than to set down roots. Most of the kids at her new Michigan high school think she's a witch anyway (because, you know, goth). The only one who gives her the time of day is geeky Oscar, who wants to recruit her fashion skills for his amateur cosplay group. But Jess is fine showing off her looks to her Insta fans--until a woman claiming to be her biological mother barges into her DMs.Jess was claimed by the state when her biomom's mental illness made her unstable. While their relationship is far from traditional, blood ties are hard to break. There's only one problem: Jess can't reunite with her mom in New York City without a bunch of paperwork and she worries her social worker will never approve the trip. That's when she remembers Oscar's cosplay group, which is aiming for that big convention in New York . . .So, Jess joins Oscar's team--with every intention of using them to get to her mom. But her plan gets complicated when she discovers that, actually, cosplay is pretty great, and so is having friends. And Oscar, who Jess thought was just a shy nerd, can be as gallant and charming as the heroes he pretends to be. As the big convention draws near, Jess will have to decide whether or not chasing a dream of "family" is worth risking the family she's built for herself.
Hollow Fires by ISBN: 9780316282642Publication Date: 2022-05-10This powerful, gripping thriller from a New York Times bestselling author shows the insidious nature of racism, the terrible costs of unearthing hidden truths--and the undeniable power of hope. Safiya Mirza dreams of becoming a journalist. And one thing she's learned as editor of her school newspaper is that a journalist's job is to find the facts and not let personal biases affect the story. But all that changes the day she finds the body of a murdered boy. Jawad Ali was fourteen years old when he built a cosplay jetpack that a teacher mistook for a bomb. A jetpack that got him arrested, labeled a terrorist--and eventually killed. But he's more than a dead body, and more than "Bomb Boy." He was a person with a life worth remembering. Driven by Jawad's haunting voice guiding her throughout her investigation, Safiya seeks to tell the whole truth about the murdered boy and those who killed him because of their hate-based beliefs. This gripping and powerful book uses an innovative format and lyrical prose to expose the evil that exists in front of us, and the silent complicity of the privileged who create alternative facts to bend the truth to their liking.
The Honeys by ISBN: 9781338745337Publication Date: 2023-08-01From Ryan La Sala, the wildly popular author of Reverie, comes a twisted and tantalizing horror novel set amidst the bucolic splendor of a secluded summer retreat. Mars has always been the lesser twin, the shadow to his sister Caroline's radiance. But when Caroline dies under horrific circumstances, Mars is propelled to learn all he can about his once-inseparable sister who'd grown tragically distant. Mars's genderfluidity means he's often excluded from the traditions -- and expectations -- of his politically-connected family. This includes attendance at the prestigious Aspen Conservancy Summer Academy where his sister poured so much of her time. But with his grief still fresh, he insists on attending in her place. What Mars finds is a bucolic fairytale not meant for him. Folksy charm and sun-drenched festivities camouflage old-fashioned gender roles and a toxic preparatory rigor. Mars seeks out his sister's old friends: a group of girls dubbed the Honeys, named for the beehives they maintain behind their cabin. They are beautiful and terrifying -- and Mars is certain they're connected to Caroline's death. But the longer he stays at Aspen, the more the sweet mountain breezes give way to hints of decay. Mars's memories begin to falter, bleached beneath the relentless summer sun. Something is hunting him in broad daylight, toying with his mind. If Mars can't find it soon, it will eat him alive.
Lore by ISBN: 9781484799925Publication Date: 2023-01-03THE INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLER "Epic from start to finish." --Marie Lu, #1 New York Times best-selling author of Warcross "A brilliant and breathless twist on classic mythology!" --Marissa Meyer, #1 New York Times best-selling author of The Lunar Chronicles Every seven years, the Agon begins. As punishment for a past rebellion, nine Greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals. They are hunted by the descendants of ancient bloodlines, all eager to kill a god and seize their divine power and immortality. Long ago, Lore Perseous fled that brutal world, turning her back on the hunt's promises of eternal glory after her family was murdered by a rival line. For years she's pushed away any thought of revenge against the man--now a god--responsible for their deaths. Yet as the next hunt dawns over New York City, two participants seek her out: Castor, a childhood friend Lore believed to be dead, and Athena, one of the last of the original gods, now gravely wounded. The goddess offers an alliance against their mutual enemy and a way to leave the Agon behind forever. But Lore's decision to rejoin the hunt, binding her fate to Athena's, will come at a deadly cost--and it may not be enough to stop the rise of a new god with the power to bring humanity to its knees. From the #1 New York Times best-selling author of The Darkest Minds comes a sweepingly ambitious, high-octane tale of power, destiny, love, and redemption. NOW IN PAPERBACK WITH EXCLUSIVE ART AND BONUS CONTENT!
Love in English by ISBN: 9780062996510Publication Date: 2021-02-02A fresh, joyful YA novel that is layered with themes of immigration, cultural identity, and finding your voice in any language. Sixteen-year-old Ana is a poet and a lover of language. Except that since she moved to New Jersey from Argentina, she can barely find the words to express how she feels. At first Ana just wants to return home. Then she meets Harrison, the very cute, very American boy in her math class, and discovers the universal language of racing hearts. But when she begins to spend time with Neo, the Greek Cypriot boy from ESL, Ana wonders how figuring out what her heart wants can be even more confusing than the grammar they're both trying to master. After all, the rules of English may be confounding, but there are no rules when it comes to love. With playful and poetic breakouts exploring the idiosyncrasies of the English language, Love in English is witty and effervescent, while telling a beautifully observed story about what it means to become "American."
Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses by ISBN: 9781683693079Publication Date: 2022-05-10"Emotional, thoughtful, and a true testament to the power of friendship"-Locus Magazine Teen Wolfmeets Emergency Contactin this sharply observed, hilarious, and heartwarmingdebut young adult novel about friendship, chronic illness, and . . . werewolves. Priya worked hard to pursue her premed dreams at Stanford, but the fallout from undiagnosed Lyme disease sends her back to her childhood home in New Jersey during her sophomore year-and leaves her wondering if she'll ever be able to return to the way things were. Thankfully she has her online pen pal, Brigid, and the rest of the members of "oof ouch my bones," a virtual support group that meets on Discord to crack jokes and vent about their own chronic illnesses. When Brigid suddenly goes offline, Priya does something out of character- she steals the family car and drives to Pennsylvania to check on Brigid. Priya isn't sure what to expect, but it isn't the horrifying creature that's shut in the basement. With Brigid nowhere to be found, Priya begins to puzzle together an impossible but obvious truth- the creature might be a werewolf-and the werewolf might be Brigid. As Brigid's unique condition worsens, their friendship will be deepened and challenged in unexpected ways, forcing them to reckon with their own ideas of what it means to be normal.
Promise Boys by ISBN: 9781250866974Publication Date: 2023-01-31Promise Boys is a blockbuster, dark academia mystery about three teens of color who must investigate their principal's murder to clear their own names. This page-turning thriller is perfect for fans of Karen McManus, Jason Reynolds, Angie Thomas, and Holly Jackson. "Thrilling, captivating, and blade-sharp." --Karen M. McManus, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying The prestigious Urban Promise Prep school might look pristine on the outside, but deadly secrets lurk within. When the principal ends up murdered on school premises and the cops come sniffing around, a trio of students--J.B., Ramón, and Trey--emerge as the prime suspects. They had the means, they had the motive . . . and they may have had the murder weapon. But with all three maintaining their innocence, they must band together to track down the real killer before they are arrested. Or is the true culprit hiding among them? Find out who killed Principal Moore in Nick Brooks's murder mystery, Promise Boys--The Hate U Give meets One of Us Is Lying. "A brilliant pulls-no-punches mystery." --Adam Silvera, #1 New York Times bestselling author of They Both Die at the End A Boston Globe-Horn Book Award 2023 Honoree. A New York Public Library and Kirkus Best Book of the Year!
We Deserve Monuments by ISBN: 9781250327932Publication Date: 2024-02-06"An absolute must read." --Buzzfeed "A gripping portrayal of the South's inherent racism and a love story for queer Black girls." --Teen Vogue Family secrets, a swoon-worthy romance, and a slow-burn mystery collide in We Deserve Monuments, the award-winning debut novel from Jas Hammonds. What's more important: Knowing the truth or keeping the peace? Seventeen-year-old Avery Anderson is convinced her senior year is ruined when she's uprooted from her life in DC and forced into the hostile home of her terminally ill grandmother, Mama Letty. The tension between Avery's mom and Mama Letty makes for a frosty arrival and unearths past drama they refuse to talk about. Every time Avery tries to look deeper, she's turned away, leaving her desperate to learn the secrets that split her family in two. While tempers flare in her avoidant family, Avery finds friendship in unexpected places: in Simone Cole, her captivating next-door neighbor, and Jade Oliver, daughter of the town's most prominent family--whose mother's murder remains unsolved. As the three girls grow closer--Avery and Simone's friendship blossoming into romance--the sharp-edged opinions of their small southern town begin to hint at something insidious underneath. The racist history of Bardell, Georgia is rooted in Avery's family in ways she can't even imagine. With Mama Letty's health dwindling every day, Avery must decide if digging for the truth is worth toppling the delicate relationships she's built in Bardell--or if some things are better left buried.
Cursed Princess Club Volume One by ISBN: 1990259790Publication Date: 2023-01-032024 Texas Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List selection, STARRED title Just because you're cursed doesn't mean you're not special. Gwendolyn, the youngest of the King's three daughters, is living proof that princesses don't always have it all. She isn't like a typical fairy-tale princess, or other princesses in the Pastel Kingdom. Gwendolyn, with her big heart and love of baking, isn't particularly attractive. Unlike her sisters who have woodland creatures do their hair and makeup, or have flowers blossom wherever they sleep, Gwendolyn is a bit...different. So when her father proposes marriage for her and her sisters to make an alliance with the Plaid Kingdom, it breaks Gwendolyn's heart to hear that Prince Fredrick thinks she's "really ugly." Overwhelmed and ashamed, she runs away into the forest and encounters the twisted world of the Cursed Princess Club, where her life will never be the same. The Cursed Princess Club are a ragtag band of outcasts, misfits and cursed princesses who have created an incredible friendship circle. It is among these friends where Gwendolyn learns to embrace her uniqueness and find her people. Ringo Award Nomination for Best Humor Webcomic
Danger and Other Unknown Risks by ISBN: 0593224841Publication Date: 2023-04-04WINNER OF THE 2024 EISNER AWARD FOR BEST PUBLICATION FOR TEENS "Easily my favorite book of the year." -Tillie Walden, Eisner Award-winning creator of Spinning A twisty, spellbinding adventure about a girl and her dog who want to save the world, Danger and Other Unknown Risks is the highly anticipated YA graphic novel debut from Eisner Award-winning and New York Times bestselling creators Ryan North and Erica Henderson. I'm gonna tell you a story, and I'm gonna ask that you let me finish before you say anything. Here's the deal-on midnight of January 1st, 2000, the world ended. But it wasn't technology that killed it- It was magic. Now, years later, the Earth has transformed. Magic works (sort of). People are happy (sort of). But this new world isn't stable, and unless Marguerite de Pruitt and her canine pal, Daisy, do something about it, it'll tilt into deadly chaos. Good thing they've been training their whole lives for this and are destined to succeed. Or so they think. Ryan North and Erica Henderson, the bestselling masterminds behind Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, serve up a graphic novel that is equally laugh-out-loud adventure and emotional gut punch. A story about the search for truth, chosen family, and rebirth, the journey of Marguerite and Daisy seeks to ask one vital question- How far are you willing to go to save the world?
Hollow by ISBN: 1684158516Publication Date: 2022-10-04Sleepy Hollow and queer romance meet in this coming-of-age tale from the co-creator of Lumberjanes! Isabel "Izzy" Crane and her family have just relocated to Sleepy Hollow, the town made famous by--and obsessed with--Washington Irving's legend of the Headless Horseman. But city slicker-skeptic Izzy has no time for superstition as she navigates life at a new address, a new school, and, with any luck, with new friends. Ghost stories aren't real, after all.... Then Izzy is pulled into the orbit of the town's teen royalty, Vicky Van Tassel (yes, that Van Tassel) and loveable varsity-level prankster Croc Byun. Vicky's weariness with her family connection to the legend turns to terror when the trio begins to be haunted by the Horseman himself, uncovering a curse set on destroying the Van Tassel line. Now, they have only until Halloween night to break it--meaning it's a totally inconvenient time for Izzy to develop a massive crush on the enigmatic Vicky. Can Izzy's practical nature help her face the unknown--or only trip her up? As the calendar runs down to the 31st, Izzy will have to use all of her wits and work with her new friends to save Vicky and uncover the mystery of the legendary Horseman of Sleepy Hollow--before it's too late. New York Times-bestselling writer Shannon Watters (Lumberjanes) and debut author Branden Boyer-White are joined by artist Berenice Nelle (Wanderlicht) in a coming of age tale that's at once a faithful homage and a free-wheeling spin-off of the classic Legend of Sleepy Hollow and everyone's favorite headless specter.
Kaiju No. 8, Vol. 1 by ISBN: 1974725987Publication Date: 2021-12-07Kafka wants to clean up kaiju, but not literally! Will a sudden metamorphosis stand in the way of his dream? With the highest kaiju-emergence rates in the world, Japan is no stranger to attack by deadly monsters. Enter the Japan Defense Force, a military organization tasked with the neutralization of kaiju. Kafka Hibino, a kaiju-corpse cleanup man, has always dreamed of joining the force. But when he gets another shot at achieving his childhood dream, he undergoes an unexpected transformation. How can he fight kaiju now that he's become one himself?! Kafka hopes to one day keep his pact with his childhood friend Mina to join the Japan Defense Force and fight by her side. But while she's out neutralizing kaiju as Third Division captain, Kafka is stuck cleaning up the aftermath of her battles. When a sudden rule change makes Kafka eligible for the Defense Force, he decides to try out for the squad once more. There's just one problem--he's made the Defense Force's neutralization list under the code name Kaiju No. 8.
Knee Deep Book One by ISBN: 1620109387Publication Date: 2023-05-30A 2024 Black-Eyed Susan Book Award Nominee In the year 2223, a teenage girl must venture through underground tunnels and canals in search of her parents who disappeared while on a mining expedition. Two hundred years in the future, refugees from an environmental cataclysm have fled underground. They survive, scrounging out a living in a twisted maze of tunnels and canals. Scavengers, mistitfs, bandits, renegades and mutants are among the citizens of this subterranean realm. They are sewerfolk, their home, the bowels of a utopian city that was never completed. Life is hard enough, but an overzealous mining company, PERCH wants to get their claws on this new underground frontier and they don't mind bulldozing any sewerfolk that get in their way. Caught in the middle is a young girl, Cricket. She's in a desperate search to find her family that fled underground. Join Cricket as she explores this savage new world, to find her parents and unlock the secrets of a past long forgotten, in the three-part graphic novel series for all ages, Knee Deep.
Northranger by ISBN: 0063007398Publication Date: 2023-06-06In this swoony and spooky teen summer romance graphic novel set on a Texas ranch, sixteen-year-old Cade Muñoz finds himself falling for the ranch owner's mysterious and handsome son, only to discover that he may be harboring a dangerous secret. Cade has always loved to escape into the world of a good horror movie. After all, horror movies are scary--but to Cade, a closeted queer Latino teen growing up in rural Texas--real life can be way scarier. When Cade is sent to spend the summer working as a ranch hand to help earn extra money for his family, he is horrified. Cade hates everything about the ranch, from the early mornings to the mountains of horse poop he has to clean up. The only silver lining is the company of the two teens who live there--in particular, the ruggedly handsome and enigmatic Henry. But as unexpected sparks begin to fly between Cade and Henry, things get...complicated. Henry is reluctant to share the details of his mother's death, and Cade begins to wonder what else he might be hiding. Inspired by the gothic romance of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey and perfect for fans of Heartstopper and Bloom comes a modern love story so romantic it's scary.
Over My Dead Body by ISBN: 0063056313Publication Date: 2022-08-30Fans of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina will love diving into the mysterious and witchy world of award-nominated creator Sweeney Boo. Enchanting full-color illustrations will be sure to charm readers as they explore the halls of Younwity's Institute of Magic and the forbidden forest that lies beyond. In the days leading up to Samhain, the veil between the world of the dead and the living is at its thinnest. One day, everything was exactly as it was supposed to be. And the next, the closest thing Abby ever had to a sister, Noreen, was just... gone. Distracted by the annual preparations for the Samhain festival, Abby's classmates are quick to put Noreen's disappearance aside. The Coven will find her, Abby's friends say. They have it under control. But Abby can't let it go. Soon a search for answers leads her down a rabbit hole that uncovers more secrets than Abby can handle. As mounting evidence steers her toward the off-limits woods that surround the academy, she begins to see that Noreen's disappearance mysteriously has a lot in common with another girl who went missing all those years ago...
The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich (a Graphic Novel) by ISBN: 9780316538701Publication Date: 2023-05-09NATIONAL BESTSELLER! A New York Public Library Best Book of 2023 * Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2023 * YALSA 2024 Great Graphic Novel for Teens * An ALA Rainbow List Pick * 2024 ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers "A spectacular, feel-good, comfy romance." --Kirkus Reviews A nobleman with a secret and a princess on a mission find love--and lots of grilled cheese sandwiches--when they least expect it, in this funny, heartfelt graphic novel rom-com. Lady Camembert wants to live life on her own terms, without marriage. Well, without marrying a man, that is. But the law of the land is that women cannot inherit. So when her father passes away, she does the only thing she can: She disguises herself as a man and moves to the capital city of the Kingdom of Fromage to start over as Count Camembert. But it's hard to keep a low profile when the beautiful Princess Brie, with her fierce activism and great sense of fashion, catches her attention. Camembert can't resist getting to know the princess, but as the two grow closer, will she able to keep her secret? A romantic comedy about mistaken identity, true love, and lots of grilled cheese.
Project Nought by ISBN: 0358381681Publication Date: 2023-02-21For fans of Kiss Number 8 and On a Sunbeam, this debut graphic novel is a fast-paced time travel adventure with a hint of romance that has garnered 1.5 million views as a Tapas webcomic. Ren Mittal's last memory in the year 1996 is getting on a bus to visit his mystery pen pal Georgia. When he wakes up in 2122, he thinks he might be hallucinating...he's not! Tech conglomerate Chronotech sponsors a time-travel program to help students in 2122 learn what history was really like...from real-life subjects who've been transported into the future...and Ren is one of them. In 2122, Ren's life in the 1990s is practically ancient history--and Ren's not sure how to feel about that. On top of it all, he learns that his memory will be wiped of all things 2122 before he's sent back to the '90s. Adding to Ren's complicated feels, he's forming a crush on his student guide, Mars. And when he crosses paths with the absolute last person he expected to see in the future, he has a bigger problem on his hands: What if Chronotech isn't the benevolent organization they claim to be, and he and his fellow subjects are in great danger?
Twelfth Grade Night-Arden High, Book 1 by ISBN: 1368064655Publication Date: 2022-10-11Vi came to Arden High for a fresh start and a chance to wear beanies and button-ups instead of uniform skirts. And though doing it without her twin feels like being split in half, Vi finds her stride when she stumbles (literally!) into broody and beautiful poet-slash-influencer, Orsino. Soon Vi gets roped into helping plan the school's Twelfth Grade Night dance, and she can't stop dreaming about slow dancing with Orsino under the fairy lights in the gym. The problem? All Vi's new friends assume she's not even into guys. And before Vi can ask Orsino to the dance, he recruits Vi to help woo his crush, Olivia. Who has a crush of her own . . . on Vi. Star-crossed love abounds in this hilarious and romantic story of self-discovery, mistaken identities, and the magic that happens when we open our hearts to something new.
Concealed by ISBN: 1338647229Publication Date: 2022-11-01The 2022 Edgar Award Winner for Best Juvenile Mystery! What if you had no name, no past, and no home? Ivette. Joanna. And now: Katrina Whatever her name is, it won't last long. Katrina doesn't know any of the details about her past, but she does know that she and her parents are part of the Witness Protection Program. Whenever her parents say they have to move on and start over, she takes on a new identity. A new name, a new hair color, a new story. Until their location leaks and her parents disappear. Forced to embark on a dangerous rescue mission, Katrina and her new friend Parker set out to save her parents--and find out the truth about her secret past and the people that want her family dead. But every new discovery reveals that Katrina's entire life has been built around secrets covered up with lies and that her parents were actually the ones keeping the biggest secret of all. Katrina must now decide if learning the whole truth is worth the price of losing everything she has ever believed about herself and her family.
Harboring Hope by ISBN: 9780063214491Publication Date: 2075-12-31The inspirational true story of how twenty-two-year-old Henny Sinding courageously helped smuggle hundreds of Jewish families in occupied Denmark to safety in Sweden during the Holocaust. A middle grade nonfiction novel-in-verse by award-winning author Susan Hood. It wouldn't be easy, but they had to try. It was their only chance to survive. In 1943, Henny Sinding, only twenty-two years old, and the crew of Gerda lll, a lighthouse supply boat, risked everything to smuggle their Jewish compatriots across the Øresund strait to safety in Sweden during World War ll. In Henny's words, "It was the right thing to do so we did it. Simple as that." But what happened when their operation's cover was blown and it was Henny's turn to escape This incredible true story in-verse about courage, community, humanity, and hope is perfect for fans of Lifeboat 12, Alias Anna, and Alan Gratz. Includes extensive back matter with primary sources, additional information, further reading, and photographs. A JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD GOLD STANDARD SELECTION!
Hunters of the Lost City by ISBN: 1683692896Publication Date: 2022-04-26"Reminiscent in feel to Kelly Barnhill's The Girl Who Drank the Moon, this lovely fantasy introduces a complicated, brave, and believable heroine. . . . An absolute delight."-Kirkus Reviews, starred review Packed with shocking twists, frightening monsters, and dark magic, this is a page-turning fantasy adventure for middle-grade fans of Holly Black and Tamora Pierce. Twelve-year-old Octavia grew up believing the town of Vittoria was the only one left in the world. The sole survivors of a deadly magical war and plague, the people of Vittoria know there's no one alive outside the town walls-except the terrible monsters that prowl the forest. But then the impossible happens- Octavia meets another girl beyond the walls, someone who isn't Vittorian. Everything she's ever believed is thrown into question, and there's no going back. In her quest for the truth, Octavia discovers a world full of lies, monsters, and magic. She'll have to use every scrap of her skill, wits, and courage to uncover what's real about Vittoria and the rest of the world.
The Midnight Children by ISBN: 1250362652Publication Date: 2025-03-04The #1 New York Times and Indie bestseller! From Dan Gemeinhart, the acclaimed author of The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise, comes an extraordinary story about a family of runaways who take up residence in a small town, and the outcast boy who finds his voice and his people--perfect for fans of Katherine Applegate and Kate DiCamillo. "Dan Gemeinhart's best yet and that's saying something." --Padma Venkatraman, Walter Award-winning author of The Bridge Home In the dead of night, a truck arrives in Slaughterville, a small town curiously named after its windowless slaughterhouse. Seven mysterious kids with suitcases step out of the vehicle and into an abandoned home on a dead-end street, looking over their shoulders to make sure they aren't noticed. But Ravani Foster covertly witnesses their arrival from his bedroom window. Timid and lonely, Ravani is eager to learn everything he can about his new neighbors: What secrets are they hiding? And most mysterious of all...where are the adults? Yet amid this shadowy group of children, Ravani finds an unexpected friend in the warm and gutsy Virginia. But with this friendship comes secrets revealed--and danger. When Ravani learns of a threat to his new friends, he must fight to keep them safe, or lose the only person who has ever understood him. Full of wonder, friendship, and mystery, The Midnight Children explores the meaning of "home," what makes a family, and what it takes to find the courage to believe in yourself. * "A story of fierce friendship, bravery, loyalty, and finding--or making--a place to belong." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review "Equal parts Kate DiCamillo and Shirley Jackson, this book is unlike anything else I've ever read--you will love it." --Jonathan Auxier, New York Times-bestselling author of Night Gardener and Sweep: the Story of a Girl and her Monster
The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne by ISBN: 0593430395Publication Date: 2023-03-07Action! Humor! Fantasy! "Kicking off a new series with a bang (several bangs, in fact), Stroud sends two young fugitives with murky pasts fleeing murderous pursuers across a fractured future Britain." --Kirkus Reviews, starred Scarlett McCain is a shoot-first ask-questions-later kind of outlaw. She scrapes by on bank heists, her wits--and never looking back. She's on the run from her latest crime when she comes across Albert Browne. He is the sole survivor of a horrific accident, and against her better judgement, Scarlett agrees to guide him to safety. This is a mistake. Soon there are men with dogs and guns and explosives hot on their heels. Scarlett's used to being chased by the law, but this is extreme. It was only a little bank she'd robbed . . . As they flee together across the wilds, fighting off monstrous beasts, and dodging their pursuers, Scarlett comes to realize that Albert Browne is hiding a terrible secret. And that he may be the most dangerous threat of all. In this fast-paced, quick-witted whirlwind of a story, Jonathan Stroud introduces two unlikely allies--the outlaws Scarlett and Browne--who are about to become the most notorious renegades in all that's left of Britain.
The Probability of Everything by ISBN: 0063256568Publication Date: 2024-09-24"One of the best books I have read this year (maybe ever)." --Colby Sharp, Nerdy Book Club NPR Books We Love 2023 | Publishers Weekly Best of 2023 | Winner of the Governor General's Literary Awards for Young People's Literature A heart-wrenching middle grade debut about Kemi, an aspiring scientist who loves statistics and facts, as she navigates grief and loss at a moment when life as she knows it changes forever. Eleven-year-old Kemi Carter loves scientific facts, specifically probability. It's how she understands the world and her place in it. Kemi knows her odds of being born were 1 in 5.5 trillion and that the odds of her having the best family ever were even lower. Yet somehow, Kemi lucked out. But everything Kemi thought she knew changes when she sees an asteroid hover in the sky, casting a purple haze over her world. Amplus-68 has an 84.7% chance of colliding with earth in four days, and with that collision, Kemi's life as she knows it will end. But over the course of the four days, even facts don't feel true to Kemi anymore. The new town she moved to that was supposed to be "better for her family" isn't very welcoming. And Amplus-68 is taking over her life, but others are still going to school and eating at their favorite diner like nothing has changed. Is Kemi the only one who feels like the world is ending? With the days numbered, Kemi decides to put together a time capsule that will capture her family's truth: how creative her mother is, how inquisitive her little sister can be, and how much Kemi's whole world revolves around her father. But no time capsule can change the truth behind all of it, that Kemi must face the most inevitable and hardest part of life: saying goodbye. "My heart hurt as I raced through the last chapters of this unique book that shines a light on family, friends, grief, and love." --Lisa Yee, author of Maizy Chen's Last Chance
Rick Riordan Presents: Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting by ISBN: 1368066380Publication Date: 2023-08-15Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents best-selling YA author Roseanne A. Brown's vampire slayer adventure influenced by Ghanaian folklore. For most kids, catching fireflies is a fun summer activity. For twelve-year-old Serwa Boateng, it's a matter of life and death.That's because Serwa, a Slayer, and knows that some fireflies are really adze, shapeshifting vampires from the forests of Southeastern Ghana. When an adze infiltrates her school, it's up to her to whip some of her classmates into fighting shape before they all become firefly food. And when she uncovers a secret that upends everything she thought she knew about her family, Serwa will have to decide which side of herself--normal girl or Slayer--is the right one.
Simon Sort of Says by ISBN: 1368099580Publication Date: 2024-09-03NEWBERY HONOR AWARD * LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD * SCHNEIDER FAMILY BOOK AWARD HONOR * FINALIST FOR THE AUDIE AWARD FOR BEST MIDDLE GRADE AUDIOBOOK OF THE YEAR "Funny, poignant and--most important--hopeful." --New York Times Simon O'Keeffe's biggest claim to fame should be the time his dad accidentally gave a squirrel a holy sacrament. Or maybe the alpaca disaster that went viral on YouTube. But the story the whole world wants to tell about Simon is the one he'd do anything to forget: the one starring Simon as a famous survivor of gun violence at school. Two years after the infamous event, twelve-year-old Simon and his family move to the National Quiet Zone--the only place in America where the internet is banned. Instead of talking about Simon, the astronomers who flock to the area are busy listening for signs of life in space. And when Simon makes a friend who's determined to give the scientists what they're looking for, he'll finally have the chance to spin a new story for the world to tell. Simon Sort of Says, the Newbery Honor-winning novel by Erin Bow, is a breathtaking testament to the lasting echoes of trauma, the redemptive power of humor, and the courage it takes to move forward without forgetting the past. This paperback includes discussion questions and an interview with the author.
Two Degrees by ISBN: 1338735675Publication Date: 2022-10-04The instant #1 New York Times bestseller! #1 New York Times bestselling author Alan Gratz (Refugee; Ground Zero) is back, tackling the urgent topic of climate change in this breathtaking, action-packed novel that will keep readers turning pages while making their own plans to better the world. Fire. Ice. Flood. Three climate disasters. Four kids fighting for their lives. Akira is riding her horse in the California woods when a wildfire sparks--and grows scarily fast. How can she make it to safety when there are flames everywhere? Owen and his best friend, George, are used to seeing polar bears on the snowy Canadian tundra. But when one bear gets way too close for comfort, do the boys have any chance of surviving? Natalie hunkers down at home as a massive hurricane barrels toward Miami. When the floodwaters crash into her house, Natalie is dragged out into the storm--with nowhere to hide. Akira, Owen, George, and Natalie are all swept up in the devastating effects of climate change. They are also connected in ways that will shock them--and could alter their destinies forever. Bestselling author Alan Gratz is at the top of his game, shining a light on our increasingly urgent climate crisis while spinning an action-packed story that will keep readers hooked--and inspire them to take action.
What Happened to Rachel Riley? by ISBN: 0063213109Publication Date: 2024-11-19ALA Notable Children's Book Regional Indie Bestseller Audie Award Winner Edgar Award Nominee Cybils Award Nominee YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults New York Public Library Best Book of the Year Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Amazon Best Book of the Year SLJ Best Book of the Year Texas Lone Star Reading List Capital Choices Noteworthy Book for Children BookPage Best Book of the Year In this engrossing and inventive contemporary middle grade novel that's Where'd You Go, Bernadette with a #MeToo message, an eighth grader uses social media posts, passed notes, and other clues to find out why a formerly popular girl is now the pariah of her new school. Anna Hunt may be the new girl at East Middle School, but she can already tell there's something off about her eighth-grade class. Rachel Riley, who just last year was one of the most popular girls in school, has become a social outcast. But no one, including Rachel Riley herself, will tell Anna why. As a die-hard podcast enthusiast, Anna knows there's always more to a story than meets the eye. So she decides to put her fact-seeking skills to the test and create her own podcast around the question that won't stop running through her head: What happened to Rachel Riley? With the entire eighth grade working against her, Anna dives headfirst into the evidence. Clue after clue, the mystery widens, painting an even more complex story than Anna could have anticipated. But there's one thing she's certain of: If you're going to ask a complicated question, you better be prepared for the fallout that may come with the answer.
Buzzing (a Graphic Novel) by ISBN: 0316628417Publication Date: 2023-07-182024 Eisner-Nominated for Best Publication for Kids * A 2024 ALA Notable Children's Book * New York Public Library Best Book of 2023 ★ "Heartwarming [and] authentic" --Shelf Awareness, starred review A moving middle grade graphic novel about friendship, belonging, and learning to love yourself despite the voices in your head. Isaac Itkin can't get away from his thoughts. As a lonely twelve-year-old kid with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), everything from studying to looking in the mirror becomes a battle between him and a swarm of unhelpful thoughts. The strict therapy his mother insists on doesn't seem to be working, but when a group of friends invites him to join their after-school role-playing game, the thoughts feel a little less loud, and the world feels a little brighter. But Isaac's therapist says that exposure to games can have negative effects on kids with OCD, and when his grades slip, his helicopter mother won't let him play anymore. Now Isaac needs to find a way to prove to himself, to his mother, and to the world that the way to quiet the noise in his head may have been inside him all along.
Eerie Tales from the School of Screams by ISBN: 1250195039Publication Date: 2023-07-18From the director of the Oscar-nominated movie Boxtrolls comes a middle grade horror anthology that will leave you holding onto your blankets for dear life! Perfect for fans of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and Goosebumps! School is tough. School is scary. School is EERIE. No one knows this better than Davis and Emily. But they're not scared of school because of tough tests or merciless vice-principals. No, they're scared because their teacher wants her students to present the class with the spookiest, most chilling stories they can think of. From the twisted mind of Graham Annable comes five horrifying stories that will scare your skeleton right out of your skin. Are you ready to stare down "The Face in the Forest"? Do you think you can handle the truth behind "The Village that Vanished?" Lock the doors, turn on all the lights, and arm yourself with candy-- you'll need all the help you can get to face these nightmares.
The Faint of Heart by ISBN: 0063116219Publication Date: 2023-06-13"Beautiful, tender, and relevant. Full of mystery, and not surprisingly, full of heart."--Tillie Walden, award-winning author of Spinning What would you do if you were the only person left with a heart The only person left who felt anything at all Would you give in to the pressure to conform Or would you protect your heart at all costs Part Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and part Severance, this debut teen graphic novel is a vivid and haunting read for fans of Nimona and This One Summer. Not that long ago, the Scientist discovered that all sadness, anxiety, and anger disappeared when you removed your heart. And that's all it took. Soon enough, the hospital had lines out the door--even though the procedure numbed the good feelings, too. Everyone did it. Everyone except high school student June. But now the pressure, loneliness, and heartache are mounting, and it's becoming harder and harder to be the only one with a heart. One day, June comes across an abandoned heart in a jar. The heart in the jar intrigues her, it baffles her, and it brings her hope. But the heart also brings her Max, a classmate with a secret of his own. And it may rip June's own heart in two. Part speculative fiction and part cautionary tale, The Faint of Heart is a moving and ethereal debut that questions morality and the feelings that seem too big to contain.
Lost in Taiwan (a Graphic Novel) by ISBN: 1368040888Publication Date: 2023-05-23In this exciting graphic novel about stepping out of your comfort zone, a traveler finds himself lost in Taiwan with no way of finding his brother--but he soon learns that this forced disconnect is helping him explore and experience the big wide world around him. THIS WASN'T PAUL'S IDEA. The last thing he's interested in is exploring new countries or experiencing anything that might be described as "cultural enrichment." But like it or not, he's stuck with his brother, Theo, for two weeks in Taiwan, a place that--while fascinating to Theo--holds no interest to Paul at all. While on a short trip to a local electronics store, Paul becomes hopelessly lost in Taiwan's twisting, narrow streets, and he has no choice but to explore this new environment in his quest to find his way back to Theo's apartment. In an unfamiliar place with no friends--and no GPS!--there's no telling what adventures he could happen upon. And who knows? Maybe it turns out he has friends in Taiwan, after all.
Pearl of the Sea by ISBN: 1946395749Publication Date: 2023-01-31FROM THE AWARD-WINNING ANIMATION TEAM BEHIND THE FILMS KHUMBA, ZAMBEZIA, AND SEAL TEAM 2024 YALSA Great Graphic Novels for Teens 2023 ALA Best Graphic Novels for Children Pearl has always felt more comfortable in the sea than surrounded by the people in her sleepy South African town who always seem to let her down. But when a new friend from below the surface is taken by poachers, Pearl may need a little help after all. Since her mother left, Pearl has spent more and more time in the ocean, fishing to help her father pay the bills. But when she gets mixed up with a group of illegal abalone poachers and starts diving near a restricted wreck, Pearl meets an ancient sea monster named Otto--who isn't quite as monstrous as she thought. And when Otto's enemies come back to finish what they started, Pearl is the only one who can save him, but only if she has the courage to let go of her past and open up to others--including the girl from class she's got a crush on. With her one-eyed pup sidekick and a whole lot of nerve, Pearl may just be able to save Otto and finally tell the truth to her father... and, more importantly, to herself. With vibrant full-color illustrations, Pearl of the Sea is a South African adventure story exploring how we are both bound to and freed by nature, seen through the eyes of a tough teen-aged heroine determined to live life by her own rules.
Play Like a Girl by ISBN: 0063064685Publication Date: 2022-09-27Debut author Misty Wilson chronicles her seventh-grade experience as the only girl on her town's football team in this empowering graphic memoir about teamwork, friendship, crushes, and touchdowns. Misty never shies away from a challenge, on or off the field. So when the boys tell her she can't play football, there's only one thing to do: join their team and show them what she's got. But the training is rougher than she thought--and so are the other guys, who aren't thrilled about having a girl on their team. Middle school isn't so easy, either. Misty wants to fit in with the popular kids, but they think a girl playing football is "weird." Even her best friend doesn't get it. Can Misty find a way to score points with her teammates, make new friends, and show everyone--including herself--what it means to play like a girl? "I am a huge fan of Misty and her courageous journey of staying true to herself. Readers will love her!" --Terri Libenson, New York Times bestselling author of the Emmie & Friends series "This is the book I wish I'd had as a kid. Misty's passion for football and her fight to play in a male-dominated sport while balancing friendship and crushes makes for a winning read!" --Dr. Jen Welter, first female NFL coach, first female running back in men's pro football, and founder of Grrridiron Girls
Santiago! by ISBN: 0823454894Publication Date: 2023-01-03A graphic novel retelling of the inspiring true story of polymath Santiago Ram n y Cajal, visionary pioneer of modern neuroscience, and his early dreams of becoming an artist. Based on a true story, Santiago Ram n y Cajal is every child who has struggled to navigate the expectations of adults. As a young boy, all Santiago wanted to do was be an artist. But his father wanted him to become a doctor, insisting that pursuing art was not a true profession. Although Santiago was forbidden by his parents to make art, Santiago secretly kept at it-making homemade paints and brushes and honing his craftsmanship. He also loved figuring out how things worked and made slingshots for his friends and even a fully functioning (and very dangerous) cannon. Sadly, the one thing he couldn't figure out was his father. After years of locking horns, Santiago's father seemed to win, and Santiago was sent to medical school. As a medical student he discovered the wonders of how animal bodies work, and his studies eventually led him to the microscopic mysteries of the brain. Using the artistic skills he honed as a child, Santiago painted brain cells to unlock their secrets. His pursuit of art had trained him to be observant, persistent, resourceful, and creative in his research. In 1906, he won the Nobel Prize for medicine and is considered the father of modern neuroscience-proving anything is possible, even for a mischief maker. A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
Stars in Their Eyes: a Graphic Novel by ISBN: 1338818791Publication Date: 2023-08-01A Stonewall Honor Book In this lighthearted YA romance, Maisie and Ollie discover that nothing beats the feeling of falling in love for the first time. Maisie is on her way to Fancon! She's looking forward to meeting her idol, Kara Bufano, the action hero from her favorite TV show, who has a lower-leg amputation, just like Maisie. But when Maisie and her mom arrive at the convention center, she is stopped in her tracks by Ollie, a cute volunteer working the show. They are kind, charming, and geek out about nerd culture just as much as Maisie does. And as the day wears on, Maisie notices feelings for Ollie that she's never had before. Is this what it feels like to fall in love? Perfect for fans of Heartstopper and Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me, this graphic novel debut is a fresh, one-of-a-kind story that celebrates the excitement of meeting someone special for the first time.
Sunshine: a Graphic Novel by ISBN: 1338356313Publication Date: 2023-04-18The extraordinary -- and extraordinarily powerful -- follow-up to Hey, Kiddo. When Jarrett J. Krosoczka was in high school, he was part of a program that sent students to be counselors at a camp for seriously ill kids and their families. Going into it, Jarrett was worried: Wouldn't it be depressing, to be around kids facing such a serious struggle? Wouldn't it be grim? But instead of the shadow of death, Jarrett found something else at Camp Sunshine: the hope and determination that gets people through the most troubled of times. Not only was he subject to some of the usual rituals that come with being a camp counselor (wilderness challenges, spooky campfire stories, an extremely stinky mascot costume), but he also got a chance to meet some extraordinary kids facing extraordinary circumstances. He learned about the captivity of illness, for sure but he also learned about the freedom a safe space can bring. Now, in his follow-up to the National Book Award finalist Hey, Kiddo, Jarrett brings readers back to Camp Sunshine so we can meet the campers and fellow counselors who changed the course of his life.
Twig Volume 1 by ISBN: 1534323465Publication Date: 2022-11-15"A charming romp through a visually stunning world." --Kirkus Meet Twig. He's about to start a new job. And nothing is going to be the same ever again. After the death of his father, a funny little blue-haired creature named Twig inherits the role of Placeling and must embark on the quest of a lifetime to repair a magical gemstone before a terrible darkness descends on the world. Join Twig on the first day of his new job in this inspiring and imaginative tale of hope, heartache, and the determination to overcome insurmountable odds! I HATE FAIRYLAND and MIDDLEWEST Eisner Award-winning writer SKOTTIE YOUNG and artist KYLE STRAHM (SPREAD, UNEARTH) come together for an all-new high fantasy adventure series for fans of Jeff Smith's Bone and The Dark Crystal. Collects TWIG issues #1-5.
