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Top Art Book for Youth (Booklist October 15, 2021)
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Picturing a Nation: the Great Depression's Finest Photographers Introduce America to Itself by Martin W. SandlerISBN: 9781536215250
Publication Date: 2021-11-23
This book features photographs taken for the Farm Security Administration by ten renowned photographers, featuring scenes from regions throughout the United States. Grade 5-9
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The Power of Style by Christian AllaireISBN: 9781773214900
Publication Date: 2021-04-27
As a fashion-obsessed Ojibwe teen, Christian Allaire rarely saw anyone that looked like him in the magazines or movies he looked to for inspiration. Now the Fashion and Style Writer for Vogue, he is working to change that--because clothes are never just clothes. Men's heels are a statement of pride in the face of LGTBQ+ discrimination, while ribbon shirts honor Indigenous ancestors and keep culture alive. Allaire takes the reader through boldly designed chapters to discuss additional topics like cosplay, make up, hijabs, and hair, probing the connections between fashion and history, culture, politics, and social justice. Grade 6-10
Top Biographies for Youth (Booklist June 2021)
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One Real American by Joseph BruchacISBN: 9781419746574
Publication Date: 2020-10-27
ly S. Parker (1828-1895) is [a] unique but little-known [figure] in US history. A member of the Seneca, an Iroquois nation, Parker was an attorney, engineer, and tribal diplomat. Raised on a reservation but schooled at a Catholic institution, he learned English at a young age and became an interpreter for his people. During the American Civil War, he was commissioned as a lieutenant colonel and was the primary draftsman of the terms of the Confederate surrender at Appomattox. He eventually became President Grant's Commissioner of Indian Affairs, the first Native American to hold that post. Grade 6-10
Top Environmental and Sustainability for Youth (Booklist March 1, 2022)
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Conservation Canines by Isabelle Groc; Anjelica Huston (Foreword by)ISBN: 9781459821606
Publication Date: 2021-09-14
Examines the lives of dogs who work with humans to find new ways to solve environmental problems. Included are stories and examples of dogs working in the field to conserve wildlife. Grade 4-7
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The Elephant Doctor of India by Janie ChodoshISBN: 9781641603072
Publication Date: 2021-03-02
Journey into the heart of Assam, a remote land of tea plantations, paddy fields, and ancient forests, to tell the true story of the last viable population of Asian elephants and one man who is dedicated to saving them. Grade 5-8 (Lexile: 980)
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Fashionopolis (Young Readers Edition) by Dana ThomasISBN: 9780593325018
Publication Date: 2022-02-15
Shows how the process of making, buying, wearing, and disposing of clothes has a huge impact on the environment, on the people who work in clothing factories, and on our culture. Grade 5-8
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A Hot Mess by Jeff FleischerISBN: 9781541597778
Publication Date: 2021-11-02
A fascinating exploration of the potential effects of climate change for a YA audience. Grade 8-12.
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The Story of More (Adapted for Young Adults) by Hope JahrenISBN: 9780593381120
Publication Date: 2021-11-02
A young adult adaptation of Hope Jahren's nonfiction work, The Story of More: How We Got to Climate Change and Where We Go from Here. Grade 8-12
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When the World Runs Dry by Nancy F. CastaldoISBN: 9781616209711
Publication Date: 2022-01-18
A riveting narrative nonfiction account of the worldwide water crisis, explaining what's happening to the world's water supply, from industrial pollution to harmful algal blooms, and what kids can do about it. Grade 5-8
Top First Novels for Youth (Booklist November 1 & 15, 2021)
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Indivisible by Daniel AlemanISBN: 9780759556058
Publication Date: 2021-05-04
Mateo Garcia and his younger sister, Sophie, have been taught to fear one word for as long as they can remember: deportation. Over the past few years, however, the fear that their undocumented immigrant parents could be sent back to Mexico has started to fade. Ma and Pa have been in the United States for so long, they have American-born children, and they're hard workers and good neighbors. When Mateo returns from school one day to find that his parents have been taken by ICE, he realizes that his family's worst nightmare has become a reality. With his parents' fate and his own future hanging in the balance, Mateo must figure out who he is and what he is capable of, even as he's forced to question what it means to be an American.Daniel Aleman's Indivisible is a remarkable story--both powerful in its explorations of immigration in America and deeply intimate in its portrait of a teen boy driven by his fierce, protective love for his parents and his sister. Grade 7-10
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Me (Moth) by Amber McBrideISBN: 9781250780362
Publication Date: 2021-08-17
Moth has lost her family in an accident. Though she lives with her aunt, she feels alone and uprooted. Until she meets Sani, a boy who is also searching for his roots. If he knows more about where he comes from, maybe he’ll be able to understand his ongoing depression. And if Moth can help him feel grounded, then perhaps she too will discover the history she carries in her bones. Moth and Sani take a road trip that has them chasing ghosts and searching for ancestors. The way each moves forward is surprising, powerful, and unforgettable.
Here is an exquisite and uplifting novel about identity, first love, and the ways that our memories and our roots steer us through the universe. Grade 8+ (Lexile: 750)
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Perfectly Parvin by Olivia AbtahiISBN: 9780593109427
Publication Date: 2021-05-18
After being dumped at the beginning of freshman year, Iranian-American Parvin Mohammadi sets out to win the ultimate date to Homecoming. Grade 7-10
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A Pho Love Story by Loan LeISBN: 9781534441934
Publication Date: 2021-02-09
High school seniors Bàao and Linh, whose feuding families own competing Vietnamese restaurants, conceal their budding romance, as well as Linh's desire to become an artist. Grade 7+ (Lexile: 710)
Top Graphic Novels for Youth (Booklist February 1 2022)
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Oksi by Mari Ahokoivu; Silja-Maaria Aronpuro (Translator)ISBN: 9781646141128
Publication Date: 2021-10-26
From the heart of Finnish folklore comes a breathtaking tale of mothers, daughters, stars and legends, and the old gods and the new. Grde 7-10
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Other Boys by Damian AlexanderISBN: 9781250222824
Publication Date: 2021-09-28
Damian is the new kid at school, and he has a foolproof plan to avoid the bullying that's plagued him his whole childhood: He's going to stop talking. Starting on the first day of seventh grade, he won't utter a word. If he keeps his mouth shut, the bullies will have nothing to tease him about, right? Wrong--his vow of silence just makes him a bigger target, and it doesn't keep his classmates from discovering the many ways that Damian is different. His family doesn't look like the kind you see on TV: His mother is dead, his father is gone, and he's being raised by his grandparents in a low-income household. And he does things that other boys tease him about, like playing with dolls instead of action figures. But if boys can be so cruel, why does Damian have a crush on one? Grade 7+
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Squire by Nadia Shammas; Sara Alfageeh (Illustrator)ISBN: 9780062945853
Publication Date: 2022-03-08
Aiza has always dreamt of becoming a Knight. It's the highest military honor in the once-great Bayt-Sajji Empire, and as a member of the subjugated Ornu people, Knighthood is her only path to full citizenship. It's not how she imagined it, though. Aiza must navigate new friendships, rivalries, and rigorous training under the unyielding General Hende, all while hiding her Ornu background. As the pressure mounts, Aiza realizes that the "greater good" that Bayt-Sajji's military promises might not include her, and that the recruits might be in greater danger than she ever imagined. Grade 8-11
Top Health and Wellness for Youth (Booklist April 15, 2022)
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Burying the Moon by Andrée Poulin; Sonali Zohra (Illustrator)ISBN: 9781773066042
Publication Date: 2021-10-05
A beautifully illustrated novel in verse about a young Indian girl who tackles the taboos around sanitation in her village. Grade 4-7 (Lexile:620)
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Button Pusher by Tyler PageISBN: 9781250758347
Publication Date: 2022-04-12
Tyler's brain is different. He has a hard time paying attention. He acts out in goofy, unpredictable, immature, and sometimes dangerous ways. Nobody, including Tyler himself, understands why he does these things until his doctor diagnoses him with ADHD. But the label is only the start of Tyler's journey. Between managing his medications, controlling his impulses, and dealing with his parents' fighting, Tyler's preteen years are full of challenges. The biggest of all? Understanding how his race car brain is part of who he is. Biography Grade 5-8
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It Doesn't Have to Be Awkward by Drew Pinsky; Paulina PinskyISBN: 9780358396031
Publication Date: 2021-09-21
From celebrity M.D. Dr. Drew Pinsky and his daughter Paulina Pinsky comes an entertaining and comprehensive guide to sex, relationships, and consent in today's #Metoo era. Perfect for teens, parents, and educators to facilitate open and positive conversations around the tricky topic of consent. Grade 7-12
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Worser by Jennifer ZieglerISBN: 9780823449569
Publication Date: 2022-03-15
William Wyatt Orser's life is turned upside down after his mother has a stroke, but the socially awkward, word-loving twelve-year-old finds glimmers of hope when he discovers friends who share his love of wordplay and books. Grade 4-7
Top Historical Fiction for Youth (Booklist May 15, 2022)
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Cuba in My Pocket by Adrianna CuevasISBN: 9780374314675
Publication Date: 2021-09-21
In 1961 Cuba, with the threat of military service for children looming, twelve-year-old Cumba's parents send him to Miami, where he lives with a new family and misses his homeland. Grade 4-7
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I Must Betray You by Ruta SepetysISBN: 9781984836038
Publication Date: 2022-02-01
In a country governed by isolation, fear, and a tyrannical dictator, seventeen-year-old Cristian Florescu is blackmailed by the secret police to become an informer, but he decides to use his position to try to outwit his handler, undermine the regime, give voice to fellow Romanians, and expose to the world what is happening in his country. Grade 8-11
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Luck of the Titanic by Stacey LeeISBN: 9781524740986
Publication Date: 2021-05-04
After smuggling herself onto the RMS Titanic, British-Chinese teenager Valora Luck reunites with her twin brother and tries to convince him that their acrobatic training could be their ticket to a better life. Grade 7-11
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Pony by R. J. PalacioISBN: 0553508121
Publication Date: 2021-09-28
Twelve-year-old Silas is awoken in the dead of night by three menacing horsemen who take his father away. Silas is left shaken, scared, and alone, except for the presence of his companion, Mittenwool . . . who happens to be a ghost. When a pony shows up at his door, Silas makes the courageous decision to leave his home and embark on a perilous journey to find his father. Along the way, he will face his fears to unlock the secrets of his past and explore the unfathomable mysteries of the world around him. Grade 5-8 (Lexile: 740)
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So Many Beginnings: a Little Women Remix by Bethany C. MorrowISBN: 9781250761217
Publication Date: 2021-09-07
Four young Black sisters come of age during the American Civil War in this warm and powerful YA retelling of the classic novel Little Women, part of the Remixed Classics series. Grade 8-11
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Squire by Nadia Shammas; Sara Alfageeh (Illustrator)ISBN: 9780062945853
Publication Date: 2022-03-08
Aiza has always dreamt of becoming a Knight. It's the highest military honor in the once-great Bayt-Sajji Empire, and as a member of the subjugated Ornu people, Knighthood is her only path to full citizenship. It's not how she imagined it, though. Aiza must navigate new friendships, rivalries, and rigorous training under the unyielding General Hende, all while hiding her Ornu background. As the pressure mounts, Aiza realizes that the "greater good" that Bayt-Sajji's military promises might not include her, and that the recruits might be in greater danger than she ever imagined. Grade 8-11
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Voyage of the Sparrowhawk by Natasha FarrantISBN: 9781324019725
Publication Date: 2021-10-12
In the aftermath of World War One, everyone in the small town of Barton is rebuilding their lives. Ben needs to find his brother, Sam―who was wounded in action and is now missing―if he wants to avoid being sent to the orphanage. Lotti’s horrible aunt and uncle want to send her away from her beloved home to boarding school, just when she has successfully managed to get expelled from her last one.
When a chance encounter brings the two children together, each recognizes the other as a kindred spirit. But just as they’ve found their feet, disaster strikes, and Ben and Lotti must run away. They hatch a plan to cross the English Channel on Ben’s narrowboat, the Sparrowhawk, and track down Sam in France. But there’s something in France that Lotti is looking for, too. . . .Funny, heartwarming, and wise, Voyage of the Sparrowhawk is full of high stakes, twists and connections, and―most of all―adventure. Grade 4-7
Top History for Youth (Booklist February 1, 2022)
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Black Birds in the Sky by Brandy ColbertISBN: 9780063056664
Publication Date: 2021-10-05
In the early morning of June 1, 1921, a white mob marched across the train tracks in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and into its predominantly Black Greenwood District--a thriving, affluent neighborhood known as America's Black Wall Street. They brought with them firearms, gasoline, and explosives. In a few short hours, they'd razed thirty-five square blocks to the ground, leaving hundreds dead. The Tulsa Race Massacre is one of the most devastating acts of racial violence in US history. But how did it come to pass? What exactly happened? And why are the events unknown to so many of us today? These are the questions that . . . author Brandy Colbert seeks to answer in this . . . nonfiction account of the Tulsa Race Massacr. Grade 8-12
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The Black Panther Party by David F. Walker; Marcus Kwame Anderson (Illustrator)ISBN: 9781984857705
Publication Date: 2021-01-19
Founded in Oakland, California, in 1966, the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense was a radical political organization that stood in defiant contrast to the mainstream civil rights movement. This gripping illustrated history explores the impact and significance of the Panthers, from their social, educational, and healthcare programs that were designed to uplift the Black community to their battle against police brutality through citizen patrols and frequent clashes with the FBI, which targeted the Party from its outset. Grade 9-12
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From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry by Paula YooISBN: 9781324002871
Publication Date: 2021-04-20
A compelling account of the killing of Vincent Chin, the verdicts that took the Asian American community to the streets in protest, and the groundbreaking civil rights trial that followed. Grade 8-12
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The Genius under the Table by Eugene Yelchin (Illustrator)ISBN: 9781536215526
Publication Date: 2021-10-12
Drama, family secrets, and a KGB spy in his own kitchen! How will Yevgeny ever fulfill his parents’ dream that he become a national hero when he doesn’t even have his own room? He’s not a star athlete or a legendary ballet dancer. In the tiny apartment he shares with his Baryshnikov-obsessed mother, poetry-loving father, continually outraged grandmother, and safely talented brother, all Yevgeny has is his little pencil, the underside of a massive table, and the doodles that could change everything. With equal amounts charm and solemnity, award-winning author and artist Eugene Yelchin recounts in hilarious detail his childhood in Cold War Russia as a young boy desperate to understand his place in his family. Grade 5-8
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Overground Railroad (the Young Adult Adaptation) by Candacy TaylorISBN: 9781419749490
Publication Date: 2022-01-25
Overground Railroad chronicles the history of the Green Book, which was published from 1936 to 1966 and was the “Black travel guide to America.” For years, it was dangerous for African Americans to travel in the United States. Because of segregation, Black travelers couldn’t eat, sleep, or even get gas at most white-owned businesses. Grade 7-12
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Revolution in Our Time: the Black Panther Party's Promise to the People by Kekla MagoonISBN: 9781536214185
Publication Date: 2021-11-08
For too long the Panthers' story has been a footnote to the civil rights movement rather than what it was: a revolutionary socialist movement that drew thousands of members--mostly women--and became the target of one of the most sustained repression efforts ever made by the U.S. government against its own citizens. [This book] puts the Panthers in the proper context of Black American history, from the first arrival of enslaved people to the Black Lives Matter movement of today. Grade 7-12
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Why Longfellow Lied by Jeff LantosISBN: 9781580899338
Publication Date: 2021-08-03
Unravel the mystery of how and why Henry Wadsworth Longfellow twisted historical facts when he penned his famous poem, 'Paul Revere's Ride'" Grade 5-8 (Lexile: 1120)
Top Middle Grade Debuts (Booklist April 15, 2021)
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Boy, Everywhere by A. M. DassuISBN: 9781643791968
Publication Date: 2021-04-20
What turns citizens into refugees and then immigrants? In this powerful middle-grade debut, Sami and his family embark on a harrowing journey to save themselves from the Syrian civil war. Grade 6-8
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The Brave by James BirdISBN: 9781250791740
Publication Date: 2022-04-19
Collin can't help himself--he has a unique condition that finds him counting every letter spoken to him. It's a quirk that makes him a prime target for bullies, and a continual frustration to the adults around him, including his father.
When Collin asked to leave yet another school, his dad decides to send him to live in Minnesota with the mother he's never met. She is Ojibwe, and lives on a reservation. Collin arrives in Duluth with his loyal dog, Seven, and quickly finds his mom and his new home to be warm, welcoming, and accepting of his condition.
Collin's quirk is matched by that of his neighbor, Orenda, a girl who lives mostly in her treehouse and believes she is turning into a butterfly. With Orenda's help, Collin works hard to overcome his challenges. His real test comes when he must step up for his new friend and trust his new family. Grade 5-8
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Root Magic by Eden RoyceISBN: 9780062899576
Publication Date: 2021-01-05
It's 1963, and things are changing for Jezebel Turner. Her beloved grandmother has just passed away. The local police deputy won't stop harassing her family. With school integration arriving in South Carolina, Jez and her twin brother, Jay, are about to begin the school year with a bunch of new kids. But the biggest change comes when Jez and Jay turn eleven-- and their uncle, Doc, tells them he's going to train them in rootwork. Jez and Jay have always been fascinated by the African American folk magic that has been the legacy of their family for generations--especially the curious potions and powders Doc and Gran would make for the people on their island. But Jez soon finds out that her family's true power goes far beyond small charms and elixirs...and not a moment too soon. Because when evil both natural and supernatural comes to show itself in town, it's going to take every bit of the magic she has inside her to see her through. Grade 5-8
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Spindlefish and Stars by Christiane M. AndrewsISBN: 0316496014
Publication Date: 2020-09-22
When Clo's father goes missing, she takes the mysterious items he left behind and journeys across the sea to find him, but is stranded on a strange island and must learn to spin fish into yarn to unravel the secret of all that has happened. Grade 5-8
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Starfish by Lisa FippsISBN: 9781984814500
Publication Date: 2021-03-09
Bullied and shamed her whole life for being fat, twelve-year-old Ellie finally gains the confidence to stand up for herself, with the help of some wonderful new allies. Grade 5-8
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Twelve Nights by Andrew ZurcherISBN: 1524741612
Publication Date: 2021-02-16
Kay's father has gone missing on Christmas Eve! And when Kay and her sister Ell go to his office, everyone he works with claims never to have heard of him. So later that evening, when Kay wakes up to find two mysterious strangers outside her bedroom window, talking about her father and looking for the last remnants of his existence, she demands to know what's happened to her dad. The two strangers, Flip and Will, are wraiths, on a mission to bring Kay and Ell's father to their world--the world of woven stories and grand imagination that their father has spent his career studying. Only things in that world have gone very wrong, and the Bride of Bithynia, the only being who can set things right, is nowhere to be found. Can Kay and Ell find their father and join Flip and Will in a centuries-old battle to save the world? Grade 5-8
Top Mysteries for Youth (Booklist May 1, 2022)
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Drew Leclair Gets a Clue by Katryn BuryISBN: 9780358639602
Publication Date: 2022-03-01
A modern take on Harriet the Spy , twelve-year-old Drew uses her true crime expertise to catch the cyberbully in her school--only to discover that family, friendship, and identity are the hardest mysteries to solve. Grade 5-8
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The Ghoul of Windydown Vale by Jake BurtISBN: 9781250236579
Publication Date: 2022-01-25
opper Inskeep holds Windydown Vale's deepest and darkest secret: he is the ghoul that haunts the Vale, donning a gruesome costume to scare travelers and townsfolk away from the dangers of the surrounding swamps. When a terrified girl claims she and her father were attacked by a creature - one that could not have been Copper - it threatens not just Copper's secret, but the fate of all Windydown. Grade 5-8
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The Pear Affair by Judith Eagle; Jo Rioux (Illustrator)ISBN: 9781536217032
Publication Date: 2022-06-14
Penelope Magnificent spends as little time as possible with her awful parents--a grocery-mogul father and a fashion-obsessed mother who loves expensive purses more than she does her daughter. But when they mention an important trip to Paris, Nell begs to come along. Paris holds something very dear to her: her old au pair Perrine--Pear--who lives there. Pear used to write to Nell every week, promising to come to her rescue, but recently the letters stopped. With the help of a savvy bellboy named Xavier, Nell sets out from her parents' ultra-fancy Parisian hotel to find her beloved Pear. But Pear's old neighbors and coworkers are strangely tight-lipped. And as Nell's search for the truth takes her and Xavier to some of the darkest, most mysterious parts of the city, a sinister plot comes to light involving the destruction of a cherished--and delicious--part of Parisian life. Grade 4-7
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You'll Be the Death of Me by Karen M. McManusISBN: 9780593175866
Publication Date: 2021-11-30
Estranged friends Ivy, Mateo, and Cal witness a murder while skipping school, and the only way they can solve it is by revealing what they have been hiding from one another--and themselves. Grade 8-12
Top Novels for Tweens (Booklist April 15, 2021)
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Blazewrath Games by Amparo OrtizISBN: 1645670791
Publication Date: 2020-10-06
Lana Torres has always preferred dragons to people. In a few weeks, sixteen countries will compete in the Blazewrath World Cup, a tournament where dragons and their riders fight for glory in a dangerous relay. Lana longs to represent her native Puerto Rico in their first ever World Cup appearance, and when Puerto Rico’s Runner―the only player without a dragon steed―is kicked off the team, she’s given the chance.
But when she discovers that a former Blazewrath superstar has teamed up with the Sire―a legendary dragon who’s cursed into human form―the safety of the Cup is jeopardized. The pair are burning down dragon sanctuaries around the world and refuse to stop unless the Cup gets cancelled. All Lana wanted was to represent her country. Now, to do that, she’ll have to navigate an international conspiracy that’s deadlier than her beloved sport. Grade 7-10
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By the Book by Amanda SelletISBN: 9780358156611
Publication Date: 2020-05-12
In this clever rom-com debut a teen obsessed with nineteenth-century literature tries to cull advice on life and love from her favorite classic heroines to disastrous results. Grade 7-10
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Come on In by Adi Alsaid; Yamile Saied Méndez; Zoraida Córdova; Alaya Dawn Johnson; Sara Farizan; Isabel Quintero; Justine Larbalestier; Lilliam Rivera; Varsha Bajaj; Maria E. Andreu; Sharon Morse; Misa Sugiura; Nafiza Azad; Maurene Goo; Sona CharaipotraISBN: 9781335146496
Publication Date: 2020-10-13
This ... anthology explores the joys, heartbreaks and triumphs of immigration, with stories by critically acclaimed and bestselling YA authors who are shaped by the journeys they and their families have taken from home--and to find home. Grade 8+
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Dress Coded by Carrie FirestoneISBN: 9781984816436
Publication Date: 2020-07-07
An eighth grader starts a podcast to protest the unfair dress code enforcement at her middle school and sparks a rebellion. Grade 5-8 (Lexile: 760)
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Everything Sad Is Untrue by Daniel NayeriISBN: 9781646140008
Publication Date: 2020-08-25
At the front of a middle school classroom in Oklahoma, a boy named Khosrou (whom everyone calls "Daniel") stands, trying to tell a story. His story. But no one believes a word he says. To them he is a dark-skinned, hairy-armed boy with a big butt whose lunch smells funny; who makes things up and talks about poop too much. But Khosrou's stories, stretching back years, and decades, and centuries, are beautiful, and terrifying, from the moment his family fled Iran in the middle of the night with the secret police moments behind them, back to the sad, cement refugee camps of Italy.and further back to the fields near the river Aras, where rain-soaked flowers bled red like the yolk of sunset burst over everything, and further back still to the Jasmine-scented city of Isfahan. We bounce between a school bus of kids armed with paper clip missiles and spitballs to the heroines and heroes of Khosrou's family's past, who ate pastries that made people weep and cry "Akh, Tamar!" and touched carpets woven with precious gems. Like Scheherazade in a hostile classroom, Daniel weaves a tale to save his own life: to stake his claim to the truth. And it is (a true story) Grade 4-12 (Lexile 800)
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Hatch (Book 2 in Overthrow trilogy) by Kenneth OppelISBN: 1984894765
Publication Date: 2020-12-01
First the rain brought seeds. Seeds that grew into alien plants that burrowed and strangled and fed.
Seth, Anaya, and Petra are strangely immune to the plants' toxins and found a way to combat them. But just as they have their first success, the rain begins again. This rain brings eggs. That hatch into insects. Not small insects. Bird-sized mosquitos that carry disease. Borer worms that can eat through the foundation of a house. Boat-sized water striders that carry away their prey.
But our heroes aren't able to help this time--they've been locked away in a government lab with other kids who are also immune. What is their secret? Could they be...part alien themselves? Whose side are they on? Grade 5-9
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Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds; Danica Novgorodoff (Illustrator)ISBN: 9781534444959
Publication Date: 2020-10-13
A lyrical exploration of the reverberating effects of gun violence gets a compelling new look in this graphic adaptation that uses loose watercolors to complement the emotional ghostly atmosphere. Grade 7-10
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My Calamity Jane by Cynthia Hand; Brodi Ashton; Jodi MeadowsISBN: 9780062652812
Publication Date: 2020-06-02
Welcome to 1876 America, a place bursting with gunslingers, outlaws, and garou, better known as werewolves. After a garou hunt goes south and Calamity Jane finds a suspicious bite on her arm, she turns tail for Deadwood, where there's talk of a garou cure. But rumors can be deceiving, meaning the gang better hightail it after her before they're a day late and a Jane short. Grade 7-11
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Shuri: a Black Panther Novel (Marvel) by Nic StoneISBN: 9781338585476
Publication Date: 2020-05-05
For centuries, the Chieftain of Wakanda (the Black Panther) has gained his powers through the juices of the Heart-Shaped Herb. Much like Vibranium, the Heart-Shaped Herb is essential to the survival and prosperity of Wakanda. But something is wrong. The plants are dying. No matter what the people of Wakanda do, they can't save them. And their supply is running short. It's up to Shuri to travel from Wakanda in order to discover what is killing the Herb, and how she can save it, in the first volume of this all-new, original adventure. Grades 5 - 10 (Lexile: 780)
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Tornado Brain by Cat PatrickISBN: 9781984815316
Publication Date: 2020-05-05
Things never seem to go as easily for thirteen-year-old Frankie as they do for her sister, Tess. Unlike Tess, Frankie is neurodivergent. In her case, that means she can't stand to be touched, loud noises bother her, she's easily distracted, she hates changes in her routine, and she has to go see a therapist while other kids get to hang out at the beach. It also means Frankie has trouble making friends. She did have one--Colette--but they're not friends anymore. It's complicated. Then, just weeks before the end of seventh grade, Colette unexpectedly shows up at Frankie's door. The next morning, Colette vanishes. Now, after losing Colette yet again, Frankie's convinced that her former best friend left clues behind that only she can decipher, so she persuades her reluctant sister to help her unravel the mystery of Colette's disappearance before it's too late. A powerful story of friendship, sisters, and forgiveness, Tornado Brain is an achingly honest portrait of a young girl trying to find space to be herself. Grade 6-9
Top Romance Fiction for Youth (BooklistSeptember 2021)
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Blackout by Dhonielle Clayton; Tiffany D. Jackson; Nic Stone; Angie Thomas; Ashley Woodfolk; Nicola YoonISBN: 9780063088092
Publication Date: 2021-06-22
"Six critically acclaimed, bestselling, and award-winning authors bring the glowing warmth and electricity of Black teen love to this interlinked novel of charming, hilarious, and heartwarming stories that shine a bright light through the dark. Grade 8-12
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Instructions for Dancing by Nicola YoonISBN: 9781524718961
Publication Date: 2021-06-01
After picking up a book from the library, Yvette--who has given up on love--gains the ability to see how other people's romantic relationships will end. Grade 7+ (Lexile: 650)
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Love Is a Revolution by Renée WatsonISBN: 9781547600601
Publication Date: 2021-02-02
Harlem teenager Nala is looking forward to a summer of movies and ice cream until she falls in love with the very woke Tye and pretends to be a social activist. Grade 7-10
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Perfectly Parvin by Olivia AbtahiISBN: 9780593109427
Publication Date: 2021-05-18
After being dumped at the beginning of freshman year, Iranian-American Parvin Mohammadi sets out to win the ultimate date to Homecoming. Grade 7-10
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A Pho Love Story by Loan LeISBN: 9781534441934
Publication Date: 2021-02-09
High school seniors Bàao and Linh, whose feuding families own competing Vietnamese restaurants, conceal their budding romance, as well as Linh's desire to become an artist. Grade 7+ (Lexile: 710)
Top SF/Fantasy & Horror for Youth (Booklist August 2021)
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Eat Your Heart Out by Kelly deVosISBN: 9780593204825
Publication Date: 2021-06-29
Six disgruntled teens are forced to spend their winter break at fat camp during Flagstaff, Arizona's worst blizzard in a century, only to find that Camp Featherlite is even worse than expected because it is crawling with genetically-modified monsters. Grade 8-11
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The Electric Kingdom by David ArnoldISBN: 9780593202227
Publication Date: 2021-02-09
When a deadly Fly Flu sweeps the globe, it leaves a shell of the world that once was. Among the survivors are eighteen-year-old Nico and her dog, on a voyage devised by Nico's father to find a mythical portal; a young artist named Kit, raised in an old abandoned cinema; and the enigmatic Deliverer, who lives Life after Life in an attempt to put the world back together. As swarms of infected Flies roam the earth, these few survivors navigate the woods of post-apocalyptic New England, meeting others along the way, each on their own quest to find life and love in a world gone dark. Grade 7-12 (Lexile: 850)
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A Glasshouse of Stars by Shirley MarrISBN: 9781534488830
Publication Date: 2021-06-29
Inheriting First Uncle's home after he dies tragically and unexpectedly, eleven-year-old Meixing and her family immigrate to the New Land, where it will take all of Meixing's resilience and bravery to finally find her place of belonging in this new world. Grade 4-7 (Lexile: 870)
Top Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Debuts for Youth (Booklist August 2021)
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Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls by Kaela RiveraISBN: 9780062947550
Publication Date: 2021-04-13
When a powerful desert spirit kidnaps her sister, Cece Rios must learn forbidden magic to get her back. Living in the remote town of Tierra del Sol is dangerous, especially in the criatura months, when powerful spirits roam the desert and threaten humankind. But Cecelia Rios has always believed there was more to the criaturas, much to her family's disapproval. After all, only brujas--humans who capture and control criaturas--consort with the spirits, and brujeria is a terrible crime. When her older sister, Juana, is kidnapped by El Sombrerón, a powerful dark criatura, Cece is determined to bring Juana back. To get into Devil's Alley, though, she'll have to become a bruja herself--while hiding her quest from her parents, her town, and the other brujas. Thankfully, the legendary criatura Coyote has a soft spot for humans and agrees to help her on her journey. With him at her side, Cece sets out to reunite her family--and maybe even change what it means to be a bruja along the way. Grade 4-8
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Girl Giant and the Monkey King by Van HoangISBN: 1250240417
Publication Date: 2020-12-01
Eleven-year-old Thom Ngho is keeping a secret: she's strong. Like suuuuper strong. Freakishly strong. And it's making it impossible for her to fit in at her new middle school.
In a desperate bid to get rid of her super strength, Thom makes a deal with the Monkey King, a powerful deity and legendary trickster she accidentally released from his 500-year prison sentence. Thom agrees to help the Monkey King get back his magical staff if he'll take away her strength.
Soon Thom is swept up in an ancient and fantastical world in where demons, dragons, and Jade princesses actually exist. But she quickly discovers that magic can't cure everything, and dealing with the trickster god might be more trouble than it's worth. Grade 4-7
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The Monster Who Wasn't by T. C. ShelleyISBN: 9781547604562
Publication Date: 2020-09-15
This is the story of a creature who is both strange and unique. When he hatches down in the vast underground lair where monsters dwell, he looks just like a human boy – much to the disgust of everyone watching. Even the grumpy gargoyles who adopt him and nickname him 'Imp' only want him to steal chocolate for them from the nearby shops. He's a child with feet in both worlds, and he doesn't know where he fits. But little does Imp realise that Thunderguts, king of the ogres, has a great and dangerous destiny in mind for him, and he'll stop at nothing to see it come to pass …Grade 5-7
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Spindlefish and Stars by Christiane M. AndrewsISBN: 0316496014
Publication Date: 2020-09-22
When Clo's father goes missing, she takes the mysterious items he left behind and journeys across the sea to find him, but is stranded on a strange island and must learn to spin fish into yarn to unravel the secret of all that has happened. Grade 5-8
Top Sci-Tech for Youth (Booklist December 1, 2021)
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Exploring the Elements by Sara Gillingham (Artist); Isabel ThomasISBN: 9781838662318
Publication Date: 2020-11-18
This artful and accessible guide to the periodic table - the ultimate reference tool for scientists worldwide - names all 118 chemical elements and helps young readers understand the remarkable ways we have learned to use them.
Graphically stunning layouts feature each element's letter symbol and atomic number, exploring its attributes, characteristics, uses, and interesting stories behind its discovery. Complete with a comprehensive introduction, conclusion, and glossary, this is the perfect introduction to chemistry for inquisitive minds. Grade 4-7
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Race to the Bottom of the Earth by Rebecca E. F. BaroneISBN: 9781250257802
Publication Date: 2021-01-05
"In 1910, Captain Robert Scott prepared his crew for a trip that no one had ever completed: a journey to the South Pole. He vowed to get there any way he could, even if it meant looking death in the eye. Then, not long before he set out, the telegram arrived: "Proceeding to Antarctic - Roald Amundsen." What was to be an expedition had become a race. One hundred and eight years later, Captain Louis Rudd readied himself for a similarly grueling task: the first solo crossing of treacherous Antarctica. Then came the Instagram message: "On Nov. 1, I depart for the ice - Colin O'Brady." What was to be a journey had become a race. For fans of Michael Tougias' The Finest Hours, this gripping tale of two history-making moments is perfect for budding scientists, survivalists, and thrill seekers, Grade 4-8
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Wonder Women of Science: How 12 Geniuses Are Rocking Science, Technology, and the World by Tiera Fletcher; Ginger Rue; Sally Wern Comport (Illustrator)ISBN: 9781536207347
Publication Date: 2021-03-15
Searching the cosmos for a new Earth. Using math to fight human trafficking. Designing invisible (and safer) cars. Unlocking climate-change secrets. All of this groundbreaking science, and much more, is happening right now, spearheaded by the diverse female scientists and engineers profiled in this book. Grade 5-8
Top Sports Books (Booklist September 1, 2021)
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Ana on the Edge by A. J. SassISBN: 0316458619
Publication Date: 2020-10-20
Twelve-year-old Ana-Marie Jin, the reigning US Juvenile figure skating champion, is not a frilly dress kind of kid. So, when Ana learns that next season's program will be princess themed, doubt forms fast. Still, Ana tries to focus on training and putting together a stellar routine worthy of national success.
Once Ana meets Hayden, a transgender boy new to the rink, thoughts about the princess program and gender identity begin to take center stage. And when Hayden mistakes Ana for a boy, Ana doesn't correct him and finds comfort in this boyish identity when he's around. As their friendship develops, Ana realizes that it's tricky juggling two different identities on one slippery sheet of ice. And with a major competition approaching, Ana must decide whether telling everyone the truth is worth risking years of hard work and sacrifice. Grade 4-7
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Blazewrath Games by Amparo OrtizISBN: 1645670791
Publication Date: 2020-10-06
Lana Torres has always preferred dragons to people. In a few weeks, sixteen countries will compete in the Blazewrath World Cup, a tournament where dragons and their riders fight for glory in a dangerous relay. Lana longs to represent her native Puerto Rico in their first ever World Cup appearance, and when Puerto Rico’s Runner―the only player without a dragon steed―is kicked off the team, she’s given the chance.
But when she discovers that a former Blazewrath superstar has teamed up with the Sire―a legendary dragon who’s cursed into human form―the safety of the Cup is jeopardized. The pair are burning down dragon sanctuaries around the world and refuse to stop unless the Cup gets cancelled. All Lana wanted was to represent her country. Now, to do that, she’ll have to navigate an international conspiracy that’s deadlier than her beloved sport. Grade 7-10
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Lupe Wong Won't Dance by Donna Barba HigueraISBN: 1646140036
Publication Date: 2020-09-08
Lupe Wong is going to be the first female pitcher in the Major Leagues. She's also championed causes her whole young life. Some worthy ... like expanding the options for race on school tests beyond just a few bubbles. And some not so much...like complaining to the BBC about the length between Doctor Who seasons. Lupe needs an A in all her classes in order to meet her favorite pitcher, Fu Li Hernandez, who's Chinacan/Mexinese just like her. So when the horror that is square dancing rears its head in gym? Obviously she's not gonna let that slide. Grade 4-7
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The Racers: How an Outcast Driver, an American Heiress, and a Legendary Car Challenged Hitler's Best (Scholastic Focus) by Neal BascombISBN: 9781338277418
Publication Date: 2020-10-06
In the years before World War II, Adolf Hitler wanted to prove the greatness of the Third Reich in everything from track and field to motorsports. The Nazis poured money into the development of new race cars, and Mercedes-Benz came out with a stable of supercharged automobiles called Silver Arrows. Their drivers dominated the sensational world of European Grand Prix racing and saluted Hitler on their many returns home with victory.As the Third Reich stripped Jews of their rights and began their march toward war, one driver, René Dreyfus, a 32-year-old Frenchman of Jewish heritage who had enjoyed some early successes on the racing circuit, was barred from driving on any German or Italian race teams, which fielded the best in class, due to the rise of Hitler and Benito Mussolini.So it was that in 1937, Lucy Schell, an American heiress and top Monte Carlo Rally driver, needed a racer for a new team she was creating to take on Germany's Silver Arrows. Sensing untapped potential in Dreyfus, she funded the development of a nimble tiger of a new car built by a little-known French manufacturer called Delahaye. As the nations of Europe marched ever closer to war, Schell and Dreyfus faced down Hitler's top drivers, and the world held its breath in anticipation, waiting to see who would triumph. Grade 5-8 (Lexile: 1090)
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Skate for Your Life by Leo Baker; Ashley Lukashevsky (Illustrator)ISBN: 9780593223475
Publication Date: 2021-06-01
In this moving, personal story, professional skateboarder Leo Baker shares their journey within the sport and the importance of authenticity and allyship as a non-binary athlete. Grade 7-12 (Lexile: 890)