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The City of Ember

Jeanne DuPrau

Many hundreds of years ago, the city of Ember was created by the Builders to contain everything needed for human survival. It worked - but now the storerooms are almost out of food, crops are blighted, corruption is spreading through the city and worst of all - the lights are failing. Soon Ember could be engulfed by darkness-But when two children, Lina and Doon, discover fragments of an ancient parchment, they begin to wonder if there could be a way out of Ember. Can they decipher the words from long ago and find a new future for everyone? Will the people of Ember listen to them?

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The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels

Beth Lincoln

On the day they are born, every Swift child is brought before the sacred Family Dictionary. They are given a name, and a definition. A definition it is assumed they will grow up to match. 
Meet Shenanigan Swift: Little sister. Risk-taker. Mischief-maker.

Shenanigan is getting ready for the big Swift Family Reunion and plotting her next great scheme: hunting for Grand-Uncle Vile’s long-lost treasure. She’s excited to finally meet her arriving relatives—until one of them gives Arch-Aunt Schadenfreude a deadly shove down the stairs.

So what if everyone thinks she’ll never be more than a troublemaker, just because of her name? Shenanigan knows she can become whatever she wants, even a detective. And she’s determined to follow the twisty clues and catch the killer.

Deliciously suspenseful and delightfully clever, The Swifts is a remarkable debut that is both brilliantly contemporary and instantly classic. A celebration of words and individuality, it's packed with games, wordplay, and lots and lots of mischief as Shenanigan sets out to save her family and define herself in a world where definitions are so important.

Cover may vary.

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After Life

Gayle Forman

A Good Morning America Book Club YA Pick

"Gayle Forman has an uncanny ability to create characters in which we see ourselves, and her latest--which looks at where love goes, after a loss--is an honest, heartbreaking elegy to how memory makes relationships eternal." --Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"I was consumed by this thought-provoking, deftly written, multilayered novel. Gayle Forman reigns as the queen of breaking hearts with a touch of magic." --Adam Silvera, #1 New York Times bestselling author of They Both Die at the End

One spring afternoon after school, Amber arrives home on her bike. It's just another perfectly normal day. But when Amber's mom sees her, she screams.

Because Amber died seven years ago, hit by a car while on the very same bicycle she's inexplicably riding now.

This return doesn't only impact Amber. Her sister, Melissa, now seven years older, must be a new kind of sibling to Amber. Amber's estranged parents are battling over her. And the changes ripple farther and farther out: Amber's friends, boyfriend, and even people she met only once have been deeply affected by her life and death. In the midst of everyone's turmoil, Amber is struggling with herself. What kind of person was she? How and why was she given this second chance?

This magnificent tour de force by acclaimed author Gayle Forman brilliantly explores the porous veil between life and death, examines the impact that one person can have on the world, and celebrates life in all its beautiful complexity.

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I'll Tell You No Lies

Amanda McCrina

From Amanda McCrina, the acclaimed author of Traitor and The Silent Unseen, I'll Tell You No Lies is a riveting YA novel of the Cold War era about a girl in post-World War II America who becomes entangled with an escaped Soviet pilot and must learn to decipher truth from lies.

New York, 1955. Eighteen-year-old Shelby Blaine and her father, an Air Force intelligence officer, have just been wrenched away from their old life in West Germany to New York’s Griffiss Air Force Base, where he has been summoned to lead the interrogation of an escaped Soviet pilot. Still in shock from the car accident that killed her mother barely a month earlier, Shelby struggles with her grief, an emotionally distant father, and having to start over in a new home.

Then a chance meeting with Maksym, the would-be defector, spirals into a deadly entanglement, as the pilot’s cover story is picked apart and he attempts to escape his military and intelligence handlers—with Shelby caught in the middle. The more she learns of Maksym’s secrets, including his detention at Auschwitz during the war, the more she becomes willing to help him. But as the stakes become more dangerous, Shelby begins to question everything she has been told, even by her fugitive friend. Allies turn into enemies, and the truth is muddled by lies. Can she trust a traitor with her life, or will it be the last mistake she ever makes?

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Ida, in Love and in Trouble

Veronica Chambers

For fans of Bridgerton and The Davenports comes a sweeping historical novel from bestselling author Veronica Chambers about courageous (and flirtatious) Ida B. Wells as she navigates society parties and society prejudices to become a civil rights crusader.

Before she became a warrior, Ida B. Wells was an incomparable flirt with a quick wit and a dream of becoming a renowned writer. The eldest child of newly freed parents who thrived in a community that pulsated with hope and possibility after the Civil War, Ida had a big heart, big ambitions, and even bigger questions: How to be a good big sister when her beloved parents perish in a yellow fever epidemic? How to launch her career as a teacher? How to make and keep friends in a society that seems to have no place for a woman who speaks her own mind? And - always top of mind for Ida - how to find a love that will let her be the woman she dreams of becoming?

Ahead of her time by decades, Ida B. Wells pioneered the field of investigative journalism with her powerful reporting on violence against African Americans. Her name became synonymous with courage and an unflinching demand for racial and gender equality. But there were so many facets to Ida Bell and critically acclaimed writer Veronica Chamber unspools her full and colorful life as Ida comes of age in the rapidly changing South, filled with lavish society parties and dances, swoon-worthy gentleman callers, and a world ripe for the taking.

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Immortal Dark

Tigest Girma

"Entirely irresistible. Immortal Dark takes the best parts of vampire lore and brings the undying, violent enmity to full throttle. Tigest Girma pushes morally gray fantasy exactly where it needs to go, and you won't be able to look away." ―Chloe Gong, #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights

The Cruel Prince meets Ninth House in this dangerously romantic dark academia fantasy, where a lost heiress must infiltrate an arcane society and live with the handsome vampire she suspects killed her family and kidnapped her sister. 

It began long before my time, but something has always hunted our family.

Orphaned heiress Kidan Adane grew up far from the arcane society she was born into, where human bloodlines gain power through vampire companionship. When her sister, June, disappears, Kidan is convinced a vampire stole her--the very vampire bound to their family, the cruel yet captivating Susenyos Sagad.

To find June, Kidan must infiltrate the elite Uxlay University--where students study to ensure peaceful coexistence between humans and vampires and inherit their family legacies. Kidan must survive living with Susenyos--even as he does everything he can to drive her away. It doesn't matter that Susenyos's wickedness speaks to Kidan's own violent nature and tempts her to surrender to a life of darkness. She must find her sister and kill Susenyos at all costs.

When a murder mirroring June's disappearance shakes Uxlay, Kidan sinks further into the ruthless underworld of vampires, risking her very soul. There she discovers a centuries-old threat--and June could be at the center of it. To save her sister, Kidan must bring Uxlay to its knees and either break free from the horrors of her own actions or embrace the dark entanglements of love--and the blood it requires.

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The Girl I Am, Was, and Never Will Be

Shannon Gibney

A Michael L. Printz Award Honor Book
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the 21st Century (So Far)

Part memoir, part speculative fiction, this novel explores the often surreal experience of growing up as a mixed-Black transracial adoptee.

Dream Country author Shannon Gibney returns with a new book woven from her true story of growing up as the adopted Black daughter of white parents and the fictional story of Erin Powers, the name Shannon was given at birth by the white woman who gave her up for adoption. 

At its core, the novel is a tale of two girls on two different timelines occasionally bridged by a mysterious portal and their shared search for a complete picture of their origins. Gibney surrounds that story with reproductions of her own adoption documents, letters, family photographs, interviews, medical records, and brief essays on the surreal absurdities of the adoptee experience.

The end result is a remarkable portrait of an American experience rarely depicted in any form.

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To the Bone

Alena Bruzas

This gripping, shocking, and exquisitely crafted survival story reveals the truth of America's colonial history in a powerful new way—visceral and breathtaking.

After the long journey from England, Ellis arrives in America full of hope. James Fort is where a better life will begin for her: where she will work as an indentured servant to Henry Collins and his pregnant wife, gain financial security, and fall deeply in love with bold, glorious Jane Eddowes.

But as summer turns to fall, Ellis begins to notice the cracks in this new life—the viciousness of the colonists toward the Indigenous people and the terrifying anger Henry uses to control his wife and Ellis—leaving her to wonder if she has sentenced herself to a prison rather than a new home.

Then winter arrives and hunger grips the Fort. Ellis is about to learn that people will do whatever it takes to survive.

To the Bone is a riveting story of survival and horror that forcefully overturns the mythos of the American settler. It will stay with you, forever.

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On the Bright Side

Anna Sortino

A hopeful novel about love, disability, and the inevitability of change by the author of Give Me a Sign.

“Poignant, romantic, and deeply heartfelt.” —Amber Smith, New York Times bestselling author of The Way I Used to Be

Ellie’s Deaf boarding school just shut down, forcing her to leave the place she considered home and return to her hearing family. But being mainstreamed into public school isn't exactly easy. So her guidance counselor pairs her with Jackson, a student who’s supposed to help her adjust. Can the boy who tries to say the right things, and gets it all wrong, be the lifeline Ellie needs?

Jackson has been avoiding his teammates ever since some numbness in his legs cost them an important soccer match. With his senior year off to a lonely start, he’s intrigued when he’s asked to help the new girl, initially thinking it will be a commendable move on his part. Little does he know Ellie will soon be the person he wants most by his side when the strange symptoms he’s experiencing amount to a life-changing diagnosis.

Exploring what it means to build community, Anna Sortino pens a story about the fear of the unknown and the beauty of the unexpected, all wrapped up in a poignant romance that will break your heart and put it back together again.

"Tender, honest, and utterly human." —Adib Khorram, award-winning author of Darius the Great Is Not Okay

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Take a Sad Song

Ona Gritz

It's the summer of 1970, and 15-year-old Jane is still reeling from the death of her father. She starts partying to deal with her grief, but a frantic call from her mother leads to her arrest. Jane awaits her hearing with hope, but instead she is sentenced to a yearlong stay at the New York State Training School for Girls. She faces bullying and solitary confinement, and all seems lost. Then she's introduced to the Racket, an underground world of gender role-play, romantic relationships, and chosen families the inmates have created. She befriends and develops deep feelings for fellow inmate Jo-Jo, who shares her love of music. Jane comes to appreciate the complex lives of people she never would have gotten to know on the outside--but she knows that her new family can be taken away in an instant.

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The Strange House (Manga) Vol. 1

Uketsu

Based on the hit novel, this series follows a chilling mystery about a house designed for murder--which is now a live-action movie!

I've always had a fascination with the occult; you might even call it my specialty. I've been brought in as a consultant on many supernatural and strange mysteries. But nothing could have prepared me for this house. It seemed so ordinary at first, except for that one room. It had no doors, no windows, and was tucked away, leaving anyone to think it was just a wall. I knew that there was something more to it. It shouldn't be there, it shouldn't exist, and yet...

Just what is this house, and what dark secrets does it hold?

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Mr. Villain's Day Off 05

Yuu Morikawa

One evil supervillain spends most of his time hatching nefarious plots to take over the world--but on his days off, nothing gets between him and the cute pandas he adores! This fresh, charming comedy series answers the age-old question of what a villain does off the clock!

Even the heinous General, a member of the Evil League attacking Earth, can see that working overtime is inefficient! Leaving the office at a regular time is true righteousness! And after clocking out, one must revive their withered soul by watching videos of pandas and eating delicious food! But between a robot cat and a new leader shaking up the ranks of the Evil League, life is about to get a whole lot rowdier for one overburdened villain...

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Saint? No! I'm Just a Passing Beast Tamer!, Vol. 3

Inumajin

Am I trendy with the "Am I popular now? fluff?! Being a Beast Tamer rules!!" With the goddess's curse lifted and the royal capital saved, Kanata and Zaggy have set off in search of adventure and fluff! Deep in the woods, they come across a pair of goblins about to make a meal of an adorably furry puppy. Kanata rescues the poor puffball with zero hesitation, but this is no ordinary beast--he's the legendary Spirit Wolf Fenrir, and he seems to be very familiar with Kanata! Will Zaggy be replaced as her most faithful follower?

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Pearl: a Graphic Novel

Sherri L. Smith

With five starred reviews and numerous accolades, a beautifully crafted and captivating graphic novel from award-winning writer Sherri L. Smith and Eisner-nominated artist Christine Norrie about a Japanese-American girl who must survive years of uncertainty and questions of loyalty in Hiroshima during World War II.

Amy is a thirteen-year-old Japanese-American girl who lives in Hawaii. When her great-grandmother falls ill, Amy travels to visit family in Hiroshima for the first time. But this is 1941. When the Japanese navy attacks Pearl Harbor, it becomes impossible for Amy to return to Hawaii. Conscripted into translating English radio transmissions for the Japanese army, Amy struggles with questions of loyalty and fears about her family amidst rumors of internment camps in America -- even as she makes a new best friend and, over the years, Japan starts to feel something like home. Torn between two countries at war, Amy must figure out where her loyalties lie and, in the face of unthinkable tragedy, find hope in the rubble of a changed world.

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The Makers Club

Reimena Yee

Raina Telgemeier's Drama set in Southeast Asia. The Maker's Club, a gorgeous graphic novel from an Eisner-nominated author, is about a group of kids who blend art and science to create incredible projects in video gaming, fashion, and a whole lot more.

Join the Makers Club, where art and science come together! This graphic novel contains two stories in one. In the first story, readers meet Nadia and Priya, who are paired up for a science fair project. With Nadia's art and Priya's coding skills, they make a video game that's sure to impress, but soon learn there's more to teamwork than just having the individual skills. In the second story, old friends Aqilah and Yong Qiang reconnect at their new school. As they both try to pursue their passions in fashion design and engineering, they'll soon find that trying to do everything and please everyone catches up to you eventually.

Readers will love this colorful graphic novel that's all about friendship, crafting, and coming up with creative solutions.

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Lion Dancers

Cai Tse

A Junior Library Guild Selection 

Former best friends become bitter rivals when one returns to lion dancing after a long absence in this vibrant and heartfelt middle grade graphic novel perfect for fans of Haikyu!! and Fence.

Young Wei dreamed of being a legendary lion dancer just like his dad. With his best friend Hung performing as the tail and Wei controlling the head, he knew they could become the next generation of lion dance champions. But after his dad’s sudden passing, Wei abruptly quits lion dancing—and his friendship with Hung.

Years later, Wei is stuck…in life, in school, and on the bench at games. That is, until he crashes a junior lion dance practice and feels his long-sleeping passion wake up within him once more. The team is happy to have another member to carry on the tradition, especially as one as preternaturally talented as Wei. There’s just one person who doesn’t want him there: the self-proclaimed star, Hung.

As Wei and Hung fight to be considered the top lion dancer, both will have to learn how to face their mistakes head-on and remember what it really means to be part of a team.

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Cat Companions Maruru and Hachi Vol. 1

Yuri Sonoda

An odd couple of stray cats team up to share the trials and tribulations of life in this heartwarming manga.

Maruru lived a pampered life till one day, he ran after a flock of sparrows and couldn't find his way back home. He encounters Hachi, a tough stray, who says he doesn't need a spoiled house cat on his territory and chases him away. But then Maruru helps Hachi out of a jam, and they team up to face life on the street together.

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Steve, a Pretty Exceptional Horse

Kelly Collier

The first installment in a hilarious early graphic novel series, based on Kelly Collier’s popular picture book introducing the one and only (just ask him!) Steve the Horse. Steve the Horse wants to be exceptional … you know, like a peacock! His friend Bob tries to reassure him that he’s special, but Bob can’t seem to think of anything exceptional about him. Steve is discouraged ... That is, until he finds a shiny gold horn in the forest. Obviously, somebody left this exceptional horn for him to find! He ties it to his head and prances off to show his friends. Who’s exceptional now? Steve, that’s who! Only, as Steve’s friends make clear, dressing up and showing off are not the answer. Kids will relate to both the humor and life lessons from this endearingly oblivious horse!

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Taxi Ghost

Sophie Escabasse

In this hilarious and heartwarming graphic novel, a young girl's first period brings an unexpected gift: the ability to see ghosts! As she meets these spectral visitors, she uncovers her family's secret lineage of mediums, while learning about the power of compassion and community.

Adèle just wants to spend her winter break at the library, cozied up with her favorite books, and completely forgetting abut her friends who are all traveling to warmer climates. Unfortunately, life has other plans...not only does Adèle get her first period...but she learns she comes from a long line of mediums!

And if seeing ghosts wasn't enough of a surprise, Adèle learns that not only can she interact with them, but apparently, they've been using her sister's car to get around the city for years! When the ghosts won't leave her alone Adèle starts to get to know about them and their problems. Maybe helping them out will be just what she needs for an exciting winter break!

From Sophie Escabasse, the author of the beloved Witches of Brooklyn, comes a brilliant graphic novel that explores growing up and the importance of standing up for what you believe in.

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Tales of Terror: a Graphix Book (Marvel's Rocket and Groot)

Amanda Deibert

Join Marvel's fan-favorites Rocket and Groot in this delightfully spooky graphic novel adventure!

Determined to pull off another (not so) successful heist, Rocket and Groot find themselves trapped in the forest with a mysterious cloaked figure. The problem? They can't actually leave the woods until they tell the scariest story ever heard. Zombie aliens? Not scary enough. Bloodthirsty bugs? Nope, not good enough either. It isn't until the rest of the Guardians of the Galaxy arrive that Rocket and Groot even stand a chance!

Join the Guardians of the Galaxy in this hilarious (and spooky) Graphix adventure! It's perfect for young fans of the beloved Marvel characters.

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Disney Manga: Kilala Princess - The Collection, Book One

Rika Tanaka

Kilala is an ordinary girl who loves reading stories about princesses and their courageous adventures. When she comes across a sleeping prince and kisses him awake, she's tossed into an adventure straight out of a fairy tale! The prince, Rei, comes from a faraway land searching for the magical princess destined to save his kingdom. But the ruthless villains threatening his home are after him and Kilala's best friend, who they think is the magical princess. On top of it all, the Disney Princesses are the key to understanding the magic of their world. Now, they must travel to each of their worlds to rescue Kilala's best friend and protect Rei's home.

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Teddy Vs. the Slimy Evil

Braden Hallett

The secrets of Ravensbarrow have been buried far too long. Now they're coming to light . . .

Teddy and his friends uncover a monstrous--and cheesy--terror in the second installment of this laugh-out-loud series for fans of My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish and The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter.

Book 2: Teddy vs. the Slimy Evil

After facing a horde of brain-eating hamsters, Teddy is DONE with Ravensbarrow. He's desperate to move back to his hometown, but he'll need proof to convince his parents to leave. So when Teddy's new friends invite him to explore Ravensbarrow's mysterious trails, he sees his chance to capture some paranormal phenomena on camera. How dangerous can that be? Sure, people have disappeared in the misty forest. And the town legends about glowing mushrooms and murderous owls are . . . unsettling. Okay, FINE, Teddy is terrified. But all he needs is one little picture . . .

About the Series: Alongside a crew of misfits, Teddy untangles the supernatural mysteries of the rainy town of Ravensbarrow in this highly illustrated, action-packed horror comedy series.

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Super Dinosaur Compendium One

Robert Kirkman

"A rollicking science adventure with vile villains and a good mix of family issues—and, of course, dinosaurs." — School Library Journal

The Evil Max Maximus wants to get to Inner-Earth! He wants the dinosaurs that live there! He wants the powerful DynOre mineral that originates there! SUPER DINOSAUR and DEREK DYNAMO are the only ones who can stop him! The fate of the world rests on the shoulders of a ten year-old kid and his best friend, a nine-foot tall Tyrannosaurus Rex who loves to play video games.

Superstars Robert Kirkman (Invincible, The Walking Dead) and Jason Howard (Batman, The Flash) present the action-packed buddy story perfect for readers of all ages – and all species!

Collects the entire SUPER DINOSAUR #1-23 series and SUPER DINOSAUR ORIGIN SPECIAL #1.

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Season's Eatings

Lisi Harrison

The third title in the slightly scary, extremely addictive contemporary middle-grade series from New York Times bestselling authors Lisi Harrison and Daniel Kraus--perfect for fans of scary stories for kids, like R. L. Stine's Goosebumps, or books for preteens, like Ann M. Martin's The Babysitters Club.

It's the holiday season, but the Graveyard Girls aren't feeling the right type of spirit . . .

Gemma is struggling with trying to save the Spirit Sanctuary, while Whisper is reeling from her father's recent engagement announcement to Paisley's mother. Zuzu has taken on the assignment of town ghost whisperer, Frannie is looking for drama in her drama-less life, and Sophie is being haunted by a possessed doll. And through all this, the girls are receiving electrifying messages from beyond the grave that may lead them to Silas Hoke's missing bones.

For a not-so-merry fright, Gemma tells a deliciously creepy tale that takes the lesson of "be careful what you wish for" to a whole new level.

Fans of author Lisi Harrison's Monster High books will enjoy this new entry in the Graveyard Girls series of mystery books for kids. Anyone looking for scary books for 10-year-old girls will find exactly what they need in this thrilling next chapter in the Graveyard Girls series.

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The Night Librarian: A Graphic Novel

Christopher Lincoln

Night at the Museum meets The Land of Stories in this thrilling new graphic novel adventure series in which two siblings, a mysterious Night Librarian, and a motley cast of book characters try to save the New York Public Library

Twins Page and Turner know about the magic a library holds—they’ve been going to their beloved New York City public library for years, especially since their parents are always traveling for work.

But a secret mission involving their dad’s rare and valuable edition of Bram Stoker’s Dracula uncovers a world they’ve never known, featuring a mysterious Night Librarian, famous heroes (and villains) that have broken free from classic books, and an epic battle to save the library from total destruction.

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Spy School Goes Wild

Stuart Gibbs

In the twelfth book in Stuart Gibbs’s New York Times bestselling Spy School series, superspy middle schooler Ben Ripley gets lost on a perilous mission with one of his greatest enemies.

Ben Ripley is recruited for a top secret mission to bring down his nemesis, Murray Hill, once and for all. But when things go horribly wrong, Ben ends up lost in an extremely dangerous wilderness with Murray—and confronting a new, devious enemy—with none of his friends to help him. Now, Ben must figure out how to survive and deduce what evil plan his new enemy is plotting in time to thwart it.

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The Moosicians

Steve Behling

Meet The Moosicians--four ador-a-bull cows who share one dream: winning Amoorica's Next Big Thing. But there's trickery amuck. Will the other bands butcher their chances? Find out in this laugh-out-loud funny full-color graphic novel that's perfect for fans of Pizza and Taco, Fry Guys, Dog Man, and InvestiGators.

Hugh Oxley dreams of becoming a singer. But he's never left his farm. Daisy wants to shred on her guitar for big crowds. Tauro plays bass, and though he's a bull of few words, his notes can't be beat. Coco is a drummer. She's good. She's also INTENSE. Together, this ragtag crew is The Moosicians. They're hilarious, they're fun, and they're ready to ROCK.

But can The Moosicians win the music competition, or are ALL of their dreams doomed?

This laugh-out-loud graphic novel will have readers cheering for The Moosicians. Plus, there's a rat named Myrna. Wait, we didn't write that. Did Myrna . . . ? Never mind.

Hey, you there. Yeah you, reading this. Got any good trash that I can hide in? xoxo, Myrna the Rat

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Evelyn and Avery: the Art of Friendship

Elle Pierre

Set in a whimsical world with both human and animal friends, this debut graphic novel series is about besties who make crafts, mistakes, and friendships. Publishers Weekly Early Reader Spotlight Pick!

Kirkus Reviews says, "A cute yet complex tale about solving conflicts with creative solutions...Pierre's illustrations have a bubbly, lighthearted energy, and her characters physically express big emotions."

Eight-year-old Evelyn is beyond excited to enter her town's annual art show! She joins two of her friends with a plan to submit a group project, but Dylan and Avery (a playful and imaginative skunk kit) start butting heads early on in the creative process. When Evelyn tries to diffuse the tension, both friends end up angry at her and the group splits apart.

What will this mean for their art--and, more importantly, for their friendships

The first book in a new graphic novel series for young readers, Evelyn and Avery is all about navigating friendship and emotions, fostering different kinds of creativity, and forgiveness. Set in a world with both human and animal characters, the series is both relatable and whimsical.

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Barbie

Liz Sonneborn

Barbie changed what a doll could be. Before her, many dolls were baby dolls. Girls would care for these dolls and practice being mothers. But Barbie let girls imagine other futures. The iconic doll had many careers, inspiring girls to dream of new possibilities for themselves and for women.

In the early 1950s, Ruth Handler was watching her daughter, Barbara, and her friends play with paper dolls. The dolls resembled women. Handler saw how the girls imagined themselves as the dolls. But paper dolls were flimsy and delicate. Handler thought the kids' imaginations could take off even more if they had durable dolls. This led her to create Barbie dolls. These days about two Barbies are sold every second. Barbie has her own movies and TV series. The 2023 blockbuster Barbie dominated the box office. Learn more about Barbie and her impact.

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Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Wrath of the Triple Goddess

Rick Riordan

In his continuing quest to earn college recommendation letters from the gods, Percy has to pet sit the goddess Hecate's polecat and giant mastiff during Halloween week. What could go wrong?

Rick Riordan's newest Percy Jackson adventure is full of hilarious set pieces, a diverse cast of gods and monsters, and many other delightful tricks and treats.

Percy Jackson, now a high school senior, needs three recommendation letters from the Greek gods in order to get into New Rome University. He earned his first one by retrieving Ganymede's chalice. Now the goddess Hecate has offered Percy another "opportunity"--all he has to do is pet sit her polecat, Gale, and mastiff, Hecuba, over Halloween week while she is away. Piece of cake, right?

Percy, Annabeth, and Grover settle into Hecate's seemingly endless mansion and start getting acquainted with the fussy, terrifying animals. The trio has been warned not to touch anything, but while Percy and Annabeth are out at school, Grover can't resist drinking a strawberry-flavored potion in the laboratory. It turns him into a giant frenzied goat, and after he rampages through the house, damaging everything in sight, and passes out, Gale and Hecuba escape. Now the friends have to find Hecate's pets and somehow restore the house, all before Hecate gets back on Saturday. It's going to take luck, demigod wiles, and some old and new friends to hunt down the animals and set things right again.

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What Do We Know About the Yeti?

Ben Hubbard

The What Do We Know About? series explores the mysterious, the unknown, and the unexplained. Does the ape-like Yeti really roam the Himalayan mountain range?

Not quite human and not quite an animal, the Yeti has been the subject of speculation for centuries. In modern times, the Yeti has become a popular cryptid, appearing in movies, books, and TV shows. Although there are many claimed sightings of the Yeti, there is no real evidence that it exists. This elusive cryptid, also known as the Abominable Snowman, remains a mystery. Does the Yeti truly live in the snowy Himalayas? Have the Sherpa who live there spotted him at the highest altitudes? Here are the facts about what we really know about Yeti sightings, research, and lore.

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The Unofficial Alcatraz Handbook

Kristen Tracy

Get to know the history and mysteries of Alcatraz Island, home to one of the world's most famous prisons. This landmark off the coast of San Francisco was once home to many well-known criminals, including Al Capone.

Former Alcatraz Island volunteer and seasoned author Kristen Tracy takes young readers on an adventure through the historic prison's grounds in this dynamically illustrated book packed with interesting facts and important stories. From individual cells in the Main Cellhouse to the ruins of the Warden's House, readers will get an in-depth tour of the island and its buildings. Tracy also shares important stories about how Alcatraz got its name, famous escape attempts, the gardens and the birds of the island, as well as the Native American groups who once occupied "The Rock."

Award-winning illustrator Anika Orrock highlights the island’s beautiful (and also grim) history with stunning artwork that brings to life this mysterious island. Author Kristen Tracy brings her personality-filled writing to a classic topic sure to be a hit with young readers. Written with a sharp eye for detail and an occasionally comedic voice, this book provides curious kids with a compact yet thorough history of America’s most notorious prison island.

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Super Frenemies! (Simon and Chester Book #5)

Cale Atkinson

Join Simon and Chester in their fifth and most daring adventure yet! A hilarious early graphic novel series for fans of The Bad Guys and Dog Man.

The worst has happened: Chester has been sucked up by a ghost trap in an attempt to save his best friend Simon, who is a ghost.

Chester's school friend, Amie, blames Simon — after all, if Chester wasn't trying to save him, he wouldn't have been sucked up. And Simon blames Amie — after all, if Amie's dad wasn't a ghost hunter, there wouldn't be a trap there in the first place.

But these two sworn enemies are going to have to work together to save Chester before the containment unit is emptied . . . into the void! Will they save him in time? Will they change their minds about each other? Will Chester make some new ghoul friends while he's trapped? Read on to find out . . .

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A Sky Full of Dragons

Tiffany McDaniel

For younger fans of Witchlings and Eva Evergreen comes a light-hearted and whimsical middle grade fantasy about a young girl who must save her witch aunt from an uncommonly voracious hat.

Where dragons take flight, through the dark of the night. Where the fire ignites, you will find the light.

Aunt Cauldroneyes is always looking into cauldrons. She’s found everything from giggling moons to troll nose rings, but when she looks inside a purple cauldron one stormy night, she finds a girl with blue freckles. 

The old witch raises the girl and names her Spella. They live in Hungry Snout Forest in a crooked house with doors enchanted to smell like chocolate. In the attic full of floating fabric and biting buttons, Aunt Cauldroneyes teaches Spella how to make magical hats for creatures like unicorns and dragons, giants and goblins.

When Spella turns eight, she receives an invitation to Dragon’s Knob, a school for wand witchery and wizardry. But on the very night Spella is set to leave, a stranger appears with a growling hat that swallows Aunt Cauldroneyes and steals her away!

To rescue her aunt, Spella must go up into a sky full of dragons and to her new school. With protesters outside the gates threatening the school’s academic freedom and a deepening mystery within the walls, Spella and her new friend Tolden are thrust into the mystery of her aunt’s disappearance and a long-buried secret hidden somewhere in the school.

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Impossible Creatures

Katherine Rundell

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Two kids race to save the world’s last magical place in the first book of a landmark new fantasy series, from “a writer with an utterly distinctive voice and a wild imagination.” (Philip Pullman, author of The Golden Compass

*This spectacular book features foil and embossing on the jacket, full-color designed endpapers, red stained edges, and a red case cover with gold stamping.*

“An instant classic from one of the most gifted storytellers of our time, Impossible Creatures is an astonishing miracle of a book.” —Katherine Applegate, Newbery Medal Winner for The One and Only Ivan

A WALL STREET JOURNAL BEST CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE YEAR • A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY AND KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

The day that Christopher saved a drowning baby griffin from a hidden lake would change his life forever. 

It’s the day he learned about the Archipelago—a cluster of unmapped islands where magical creatures of every kind have thrived for thousands of years, until now. And it’s the day he met Mal—a girl on the run, in desperate need of his help.

Mal and Christopher embark on a wild adventure, racing from island to island, searching for someone who can explain why the magic is fading and why magical creatures are suddenly dying. They consult sphinxes, battle kraken, and negotiate with dragons. But the closer they get to the dark truth of what’s happening, the clearer it becomes: no one else can fix this. If the Archipelago is to be saved, Mal and Christopher will have to do it themselves.

Katherine Rundell’s story crackles and roars with energy and delight. It is brought vividly to life with more than 60 illustrations, including a map and a bestiary of magical creatures.

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Dr. Seuss Graphic Novel: The Grinch Takes a Vacation

Kaeti Vandorn

He's a little mean, definitely green, and now Dr. Seuss's beloved and iconic character, The Grinch, is starring in his very own chapter book graphic novel! Everyone's favorite holiday grump is back in a brand-new adventure and he already needs a vacation!

It's vacation time in Whoville but The Grinch doesn't understand...what is a vacation? 

Determined to learn what the Whos seem so excited about, The Grinch decides to give a vacation a try! Unfortunately the mountains are too snowy, the beach is too sandy and the theme park is too loud . . . vacations just might not be something that Grinches do? Thankfully, his dog Max isn't letting the Grinch give up that quickly!

Will there be some fun in the sun for everyone's favorite Grinch or is the Whos' favority grumpy neighbor doomed to stay home?

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Alex Wise vs. the Cosmic Shift

Terry J. Benton-Walker

No one ever said saving the world would be easy. In the second installment of this thrilling fantasy series all about finding your inner hero, a 12-year-old boy leads the charge against the Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Alex Wise is no superhero. Or at least, he doesn't feel like one. Sure, he vanquished Death and saved his sister Mags—with the help of some new magic powers, his best friend Loren and demi-god Liam. But the apocalypse shows no signs of slowing down. Now, Alex and his friends will have to find new allies and face new dangers—from battling a giant snake in a literal ghost town and infiltrating the Horsemen’s new home base on the Vegas Strip…on the back of a dragon. 

With everyone looking to him for answers, Alex isn't sure he's cut out for this world saving thing. And the closer he gets to Liam, the farther away he feels from Loren and from Mags, who hasn't been the same since she was possessed by Death. How can Alex lead a team if he doesn't even feel like he deserves to be a part of it? 

“Never has the apocalypse been so fun!"
—Mark Oshiro, author of THE INSIDERS and co-author with Rick Riordan of THE SUN AND THE STAR: A NICO DI ANGELO ADVENTURE.

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The Train of Dark Wonders

Alex Bell

Jump aboard for a journey to strange and spectacular lands…

The magical must-read middle-grade novel from the bestselling author of THE POLAR BEAR EXPLORERS’ CLUB and FROZEN CHARLOTTE. 

Bess has always loved her grandfather’s collection of curiosities. So she’s delighted when she’s handed the keys to his Odditorium. But unless she finds a way to draw in the crowds, she’ll have to close its doors for good.

When a mysterious train pulls into town, bound for The Land of Halloween Sweets, Bess hatches a plan and sneaks onboard. She is soon discovered by Beau the puppeteer, Louie the violinist and Maria the fire witch. Eager to join their adventure, Bess sets out to search for the rarest sweet of all – the ghostly gobstopper. 

But the land is ruled by the fearsome Candymaker. And beneath the sugary surface, things are more dangerous than they first appear...

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The Super Sunny Murder Club

Abiola Bello

A collection of sizzling summer-themed crime and mystery stories by thirteen of the most exciting children's book authors!

Co-edited by Serena Patel, the award-winning author of the Anisha: Accidental Detective series and by Robin Stevens, author of the bestselling Murder Most Unladylike series.

This gorgeous summery collection brings back together thirteen bestselling, award-winning and exciting authors: Abiola Bello, Annabelle Sami, Benjamin Dean, E.L. Norry, Elle McNicoll, Dominique Valente, Maisie Chan, Nizrana Farook, Patrice Lawrence, Robin Stevens, Roopa Farooki, Serena Patel and Sharna Jackson. With stunning illustrations by Harry Woodgate.

Grab your sunnies and your magnifying glass, and join the Murder Club for more sensational short stories as they lead you on a journey of foul play and murderously magnificent mysteries! Including sun-thieves, fantastical creatures of the deep, airport mayhem, weddings gone wrong, tropical resort travesties, and a very sticky situation at a berry picking farm.

This is the prefectly entertaining collection to pack in every young reader's summer holiday bag.

Serena Patel is the winner of the This Week Junior's Young Fiction Book of the Year award. Her debut children's series Anisha Accidental Detective won the fiction category of the Sainsbury's Children's Book Awards, being shortlisted for a British Book Award and the Blue Peter Prize 2021 and selected for The Reading Agency's Summer Reading Challenge. Serena lives in Walsall with her family.

Robin Stevens is the award winning and bestselling author of the Murder Most Unladylike mystery series. She was born in California and has been making up stories all her life. When she was twelve, her father handed her a copy of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd and she realised that she wanted to be either Hercule Poirot or Agatha Christie when she grew up. She spent her teenage years reading a lot of murder mysteries and hoping that she'd get the chance to do some detecting herself (she didn't). Robin lives in Oxford.

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The Monstrous Adventures of Mummy Man and Waffles

Steve Behling

"Mummy Man and Waffles is a nonstop thrill, chill, and slimy spill ride full of creepy crawlers and ludicrous laughs!" --John Patrick Green, New York Times bestselling author of the InvestiGators series

"A popcorn bucket of a book...propelled by one lighthearted narrow escape from danger after another." --Kirkus Reviews

Get ready for some spooky fun in the first installment of this all-new middle grade series from author Steve Behling, featuring side-splitting illustrations throughout by Robb Mommaerts!

Wen Wyler (aka Waffles) is eleven years old and is forced to spend the summer in Maine with his grandpa, a former Hollywood makeup and special effects artist for classic horror films. Ever seen The Beast with a Thousand Toes, Glaarg!?Or its sequel, Glaarg! Again!? If so, then you might be familiar with his work.

Wen, a horror movie aficionado, is persuaded to go when he finds out that part of the summer will be spent helping his grandpa sort through and organize his basement filled with props. Grandpa's young neighbor, Tanya, has already been corralled into helping, and together they dig in until Wen accidentally brings one of the props to life.

Mummy Man is a good guy, but the other creatures aren't so good. It's up to Wen, Tanya, and Mummy Man (and his pet turtle, Frank) to stop the creatures from turning the town into the nexus for an all-out monster invasion.

Now available in a lower-priced hardcover edition!

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Otto Normal's Monsterton: The Disappearance of White Pine Beach

Danielle McKechnie

Otto Normal and his mom have moved to Monsterton, but there's one problem--they're not monsters. In this first book of the hauntingly beautiful and highly illustrated Monsterton series with graphic novel pages interspersed throughout, Otto and his friends embark on a journey to find the legendary White Pine Beach. But the friends find much more than they bargained for when one of their own goes missing . . . possibly forever.

In this hauntingly delightful, highly illustrated first book in a new series, eleven-year-old Otto and his mom move to Monsterton, a gorgeous island on the border of the Belcarra forest and a mysterious place called The Dark. Monsterton is picturesque and beautiful; it's an idyllic place for monsters to be themselves. There's Hamish and his brother Ben, who have been created and sewn together by their pirate father; the royal vampires, Red and Rose, who are followed around by their dutiful guards; Remi, a ghost girl who can appear and disappear at will; Darby, a quiet girl made entirely of slime; and Luck, a zombie who always she thinks she's right. In Monsterton, each monster can be themselves. They are free to be as scaly, slimy, or scary as nature intended.

There's only one teeny, tiny problem. Otto and his mom aren't monsters.

As a human, Otto feels that he has to prove himself. After all, as Remi the ghost girl reminds him, he's so fragile. Along with Otto's new friends Hamish, Darby, and Luck, the group sets out to find the legendary White Pine Beach--a beach so mysterious, it's rumored to jump locations, never staying in the same place for too long. But what the ragtag team of monsters (and one human) discovers is far more mysterious than a location-jumping beach. And when one of their number doesn't return home with them . . . rumors swirl.

Can Otto find his new friend, fit in with the monsters, and stay true to himself? And what does a lost strix, a bird-girl living as an outcast in Belcarra, know?

This spooky, delightful, and charming full-color, highly illustrated novel with graphic novel inserts is perfect for fans of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and Five Nights at Freddy's. Debut author Danielle McKechnie weaves compelling lore and storytelling with delightful characters brought to life by illustrator Simón Estrada.

"McKechnie capably balances the characters' humorous antics with steadily rising stakes while Estrada's animated illustrations expertly utilize light and shadow to deepen the atmosphere of this promising series opener, a dual debut." - Publisher's Weekly

"Rich illustrations amp up the delightful eeriness with deeply saturated colors and a playfully rendered cast of ragtag characters who will leave readers eager for the next installment." - Kirkus

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Rise of Pegasus

Joan Holub

From the authors of the Goddess Girls and Heroes in Training series comes the first book in the School for Magical Monsters series about Pegasus’s first day at school—part of the Aladdin QUIX line!

Pegasus is very excited for his first day at the School for Magical Monsters! At his old school, he was the only creature there, but now, he won’t be alone. In fact, everyone there will find their special power—and Pegasus can’t wait to discover his!

But the first few days are a little rough—poor Pegasus keeps on stumbling over his hooves! And it seems like all his new friends start to receive their power before her does. With a little help from his new friends and a little magic, can Pegasus learn to soar at his new school?

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The Ghosts of Nameless Island

Carly Anne West

Twelve-year-old Gus Greenburg can see ghosts; in fact, he uses this paranormal superpower to help them "go on." But when Gus and his mom move into an old mansion on the mysterious and remote Nameless Island, he meets a ghost that's set out to hurt him. Bestselling author Carly Anne West weaves a spooky and thrilling series opener in this spine-tingling tale about mystery, family, and all things paranormal.

After his dad goes missing and his mom is hired to restore an old building called the Rotham Manor, twelve-year-old Gus Greenburg and his mom move to a quaint, secluded island called Nameless. Gus was hoping for a new start on the island (despite throwing up on the boat ride there . . . twice), but a mysterious ghost has another idea. Throw in a mean kid who hides rats in the manor, two new friends, an eclectic island chef who's competing to be on a reality TV show, and Gus's power to talk to the dead . . . well, that's a lot of chaos for one kid!

Gus needs to find out the identity of the mysterious ghost - and fast - or else he might be doomed to the same lethal fate.

That is, if the island's signature "Heavenly Hash" dish doesn't get to him first.

The Ghosts of Nameless Island is the first book in a new trilogy from bestselling author Carly Anne West. It's infused with Carly Anne West's signature wit and humor, and spooky enough for fans of Claribel Ortega's Ghost Squad, Scott Cawthon's Five Night's at Freddy's, and Carly's own Hello Neighbor series. This book also features black-and-white spot illustrations throughout.

"Along with this classically atmospheric setting and scary thumps and other noises aplenty, West treats readers to multiple specters that are even more rousingly hideous in her descriptions than in Skaffa's spiky, stylishly grotesque monochrome scenes and spot art . . . Hints of dark doings in the island's past also emerge before this trilogy opener ends with a sudden and terrifying cliffhanger . . . All the shivery feels, escalating to the nightmarish in spots." - Kirkus

"Join author Carly Anne West on Nameless Island for a haunting, spine-tingling mystery that will leave you on the edge of your seat! The Ghost of Nameless Island is an illustrated tale of hidden rats, mystery ghosts, and reality TV that is sure to lift your spirits." - Terrance Crawford, bestselling author of the Piggy series

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Welcome to Scare School

Jarrett Lerner

A young ghost tries his best to fit in with the rest of the ghouls in this sweet and spooky chapter book by acclaimed author Jarrett Lerner.

Bash, a young ghost who’s never been good at “ghost stuff” is heading off to Scare School, the world’s leading institution for elementary scare instruction, and he’s not happy about it. In fact, he’s kind of scared! His older sister Bella, precocious in every way, was a star student there and he knows the classes are hard and the teachers are tough. 

Even before his first day of school, Bash is worried about how he’s going to make it through the rigorous curriculum when he hasn’t been able to get the hang of basics like making himself invisible or passing through walls (without bonking his head!). Will the young ghost get booooted out of Scare School?

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Say What? How We Communicate

Radka Piro

This vibrant children's book delves into diverse forms of communication, using colorful illustrations and intriguing facts to explore speech, body language, the internet, and more.

Uncover the secrets of communication in this vibrant educational children's book. From the art of speech and body language to the wonders of modern technology, we will explore the varied forms of human interaction. With its bright and colorful illustrations, this book teaches young readers all about speech, gestures, facial expressions, touch, symbols, writing, and more. To add a fun twist, kids can search for various emotions hidden on the endpapers.

Designed for curious young minds, this book, illustrated by an award-winning artist, is an essential tool for understanding the intricate art of communication. It fosters social skills and emotional intelligence, offering kids ages 9-12 valuable insights into how to improve their relationships with those around them. Whether your child is a social butterfly or an introverted bookworm, this book is a treasure trove of knowledge that will enhance their communication skills.

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Mushrooms Know

Kallie George

An adorable, STEM-themed picture book for kids 4 to 8 that reveals the wisdom mushrooms have to teach us.

Mushrooms always wear their thinking caps. They know so many things. This vibrant and informative book shares the fascinating lessons that fungi can teach us: that small can be mighty, being unique is a reason to celebrate--and staying connected is key. Sara Gillingham's lively art and Kallie George's charming text captures the wondrous world of mushrooms, and everything we can learn from it.

Featuring over fifty kinds of mushrooms, Mushrooms Know shares:

  • Engaging informational side bars with wild facts about mushrooms (such as how some are so strong they can grow through cement, and others can glow in the dark!)
  • Backmatter that dives further into the science
  • Important life lessons (including how to help each other and keep our homes clean)

For budding mycologists and forest adventurers alike, this is a must-have addition to the science and nature bookshelf.

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Hike It

Iron Tazz

"Solid info combined with amazing destinations make this a good intro to hiking and backpacking"--Kirkus

Discover camping, hiking, and backpacking with internet sensation Iron Tazz

This fully illustrated book is the perfect introduction to enjoying America's great outdoors. Explore 20 National Parks with incredible trails that take you past snow-capped mountains, along stunning coastlines, and through ancient forests, and discover the majesty of nature with glorious artwork throughout. This book is packed with practical information, too.

Young adventurers 7+ will learn about:
* Navigating, and what to do if you get lost
* Essential hiking equipment
* How to leave no trace and protect the environment
* Pooping in the woods!
* Staying safe in the heat, snow, and rain
* Fire safety and setting up camp
* Encountering wildlife and safety
* Locating the North Star and understanding the night sky

Author and internet sensation Iron Tazz offers a wealth of information based on years of experience hiking every kind of trail and from sharing adventures with his own little boy. Full of kid-friendly tips and tricks for enjoying nature, this is the perfect book for learning how to hike your own hike.

National Parks and trails: Olympic National Park; Mount Rainier National Park; Redwood National Park; Death Valley National Park; Yosemite National Park; Acadia National Park; Wind River Range; Sawtooth National Forest; Grand Canyon National Park; Glacier National Park; Arches National Park; Yellowstone National Park; Great Smoky Mountains National Park; Crater Lake National Park; Petrified Forest National Park; Denali National Park and Preserve; Pacific Crest Trail; Appalachian Trail; North Cascades National Park; Continental Divide National Scenic Trail

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Black History Heroes: Chadwick Boseman

Chris Singleton

Chadwick Boseman, King of Wakanda, A Hero On and Off the Screen, shows the power of grit, perseverance, and character in a dynamic biography for kids.

★ "This empowering and engaging middle grade biography series about Black changemakers gets off to a strong start.....Strongly recommended for juvenile nonfiction collections."--School Library Journal, starred review

★ "The book beautifully chronicles Boseman's struggles and triumphs....Readers will be enraptured with this magnificent tribute to the life of Chadwick Boseman, who was a true hero that anyone could look up to."--Booklist, starred review

From Howard University to the red carpet at the Academy Awards, from James Brown to the Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman was a talented and multi-award-winning actor and performer. Prior to his death from colon cancer in 2020, Boseman's rise to fame might have seemed overnight to some, but decades of hard work and dedication to his craft brought him to the highest levels an actor can achieve. .

An inspiration to millions, the life of Chadwick Boseman is indeed proof that Black history matters.

Black History Heroes shares the lives and inspirations of black men and women who changed the world, yesterday, today, and for tomorrow. Written by acclaimed, former pro-baseball player, inspirational speaker, and author Chris Singleton

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You Are a Raccoon!

Laurie Ann Thompson

The second in an adorable, STEM nonfiction picture book series that encourages very young readers to learn—through gentle interactivity and play—about the animals who share their world

Crawl, cling climb! You may have seen a raccoon scurry up a tree or across the road just before dark. Did you know that raccoons stay up at night playing, hunting, and eating when you go to sleep? From birth to first stripes and beyond, discover all that goes into being a raccoon in this charming picture book, the second in the Meet Your World series.

This playful and informative series invites you to take a closer look at the amazing animals that live right alongside you in rural, suburban, and urban landscapes across North America. In each book, words and art inspire you to act out animal actions that are not so different from your own habits. And robust backmatter offers even more facts and fun. From the animals’ families and foods to their environments and behaviors, let’s meet your world!

"Truly a perfect blend of education and fun with the addition of adorable illustrations."SLJ

"Exceptionally adorable . . . Deftly connects natural human children’s activities to raccoon behaviors."Kirkus

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You Are a Garter Snake!

Laurie Ann Thompson

The fourth in the adorable, STEM nonfiction picture book series that encourages very young readers to learn—through gentle interactivity and play—about the animals who share their world

Stretch, bend, twist! You may haves seen a small, slim garter snake disappear between rocks or flowers. Did you know that garter snakes spray smelly stuff to scare off predators, sniff with their tongues, and cuddle together for winter? From birth to first shedding and beyond, discover all that goes into being a garter snake in this charming picture book, the fourth in the Meet Your World series.

This playful and informative series invites you to take a closer look at the amazing animals that live right alongside you in rural, suburban, and urban landscapes across North America. In each book, words and art inspire you to act out animal actions that are not so different from your own habits. And robust backmatter offers even more facts and fun. From the animals’ families and foods to their environments and behaviors, let’s meet your world!

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When We Flew Away: A Novel of Anne Frank Before the Diary

Alice Hoffman

Bestselling author Alice Hoffman delivers a stunning novel about one of contemporary history's most acclaimed figures, exploring the little-known details of Anne Frank's life before she went into hiding.

Anne Frank's The Diary of a Young Girl has captivated and inspired readers for decades. Published posthumously by her bereaved father, Anne's journal, written while she and her family were in hiding during World War II, has become one of the central texts of the Jewish experience during the Holocaust, as well as a work of literary genius.

With the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, the Frank family's life is turned inside out, blow by blow, restriction by restriction. Prejudice, loss, and terror run rampant, and Anne is forced to bear witness as ordinary people become monsters, and children and families are caught up in the inescapable tide of violence.

In the midst of impossible danger, Anne, audacious and creative and fearless, discovers who she truly is. With a wisdom far beyond her years, she will become a writer who will go on to change the world as we know it.

Critically acclaimed author Alice Hoffman weaves a lyrical and heart-wrenching story of the way the world closes in on the Frank family from the moment the Nazis invade the Netherlands until they are forced into hiding, bringing Anne to bold, vivid life.

Based on extensive research and published in cooperation with the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, When We Flew Away is an extraordinary and moving tour de force.

Perfect for Alice Hoffman fans and readers of every age.

"Adding new poignance to a story whose ending we already knew, Alice Hoffman has deftly recreated the child Anne Frank with all her wit, mischief, and uncertainties. This fictionalized account of the increasingly desperate years that preceded the famous diary breaks readers' hearts one more time. But it reminds us of how important it is to remember and honor all that was lost." -- Lois Lowry, Newbery Award-winning author of Number the Stars

"We can highly recommend Alice Hoffman's novel of Anne Frank's life, set in the dramatic and terrible circumstances of those first war years. We hope it will persuade young readers that contributing to a better world is both necessary and possible." --Ronald Leopold, Executive Director, Anne Frank House

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That Curious Thing

Chris Raschka

A delightful middle grade adventure by two-time Caldecott Medal winner Chris Raschka about good, evil, and cats. Generously illustrated with black-and-white illustrations.

When a twelve-year-old girl named Cleo and her cat, Muffin, become the newest members of PURR (Peace Urgently Requires Reasonableness), a secret society of cats fighting for peace, they aren't exactly sure what they're getting themselves into. Then, PURR discovers that KLAW (Cats Loving Awful Warfare), an evil secret society of cats, is planning to send dogs to space for ransom. PURR tasks Cleo to infiltrate KLAW as a secret spy so together they can stop them. It will take the intelligence, confidence, and tenacity of a feline to save the world from KLAW's evil plans. Does Cleo have what it takes

Includes gorgeous black-and-white watercolors by two-time Caldecott Medalist Chris Raschka.

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A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall

Jasmine Warga

From the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of A Rover's Story and Other Words for Home comes an extraordinary story about two friends, a ghost, a missing painting, and a turtle named Agatha. The perfect next read for fans of The Swifts, Kate DiCamillo, and Erin Entrada Kelly.

A painting has been stolen...!

When Rami sees a floating girl in the museum, he knows he has seen her somewhere before. Then he realizes: She looks just like the girl in the painting that has gone missing. But how does her appearance connect to the theft

Agatha the turtle knows--she has been watching from the garden. But she can't exactly tell anyone...can she

Will Rami, with the help of his classmate, Veda, be able to solve the mystery The clues are all around them, but they'll have to be brave enough to really look.

This is a whimsical, moving story about the universal desire to be seen and understood and how art can help us find connection, even when we are at our loneliest.

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The No-Brainer's Guide to Decomposition

Adrianna Cuevas

In Pura Belpré Honor-winning author Adrianna Cuevas's new spooky middle grade novel. Frani must fight to stop the undead from rising in her father's body-farm laboratory--that is, if she can embrace the true nature of her brain and its ADHD.

No one has ever called Frani Gonzalez squeamish. Seriously, whether it's guts (no big deal), bugs (move aside, she's got this), or anything else that you might find at the Central Texas Forensic Anthropology Research Facility, to her and her dad, the university's body farm is just home.

Having bodies buried in her backyard doesn't exactly make Frani the most popular kid in school, and the imaginary spider that lives in a web in her brain isn't helping either. Arañita's always to blame for the distracted thoughts weaving through Frani's mind. But when a hand reaches out of the ground and grabs her ankle, Frani realizes that she's got bigger problems.

Not everything is as it seems at the body farm, and now Frani must help the teenage zombie that crawled out of the dirt...before he gets too hungry. But as more and more zombies begin to appear--and they seem to get less and less friendly--can Frani embrace the true nature of her brain and count on new friendships to solve the body farm's mystery before it's overrun with the undead

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How to Be a Vet and Other Animal Jobs

Jess French

A friendly and fascinating book about how to work with animals, for children from 6+, written by vet and CBeebies presenter Dr. Jess French. Do you have what it takes to become a vet, a horse trainer, or to work at a nature reserve? Find out all about the incredible animal jobs you could do, from training to becoming an animal behaviorist or a wildlife rehabilitator to working at a zoo or even becoming a bug wrangler! This fully illustrated book will inspire any child with an interest in animals.

How to Be a Vet is the first in the How to Be a... series, authored exclusively by women, which explores a wide range of careers for young readers to aspire to.

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Miles Morales Untangles a Web

Terrance Crawford

Miles Morales is on the case in this original Marvel chapter book with black-and-white illustrations throughout!

Miles Morales loves spending time at the new center that Tony Stark has just opened. There, he and other kids can take classes, play sports, and even work on art projects. Which is exactly what Miles is doing when he discovers that someone is trying to steal top-secret files from the Stark Center.

Luckily, King T’Challa and his sister Shuri are in New York, and Shuri is just the tech genius who can help Miles save the day. Can this team identify and capture the villain before the Stark Center is completely destroyed?

Miles is determined to untangle this web in this chapter book that’s perfect for Marvel fans beginning to read on their own or for reading aloud!

© 2024 MARVEL.™

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Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Club: Time to Party

Molly Knox Ostertag

The party continues but the problems get bigger in this second installment of this original Dungeons & Dragons graphic novel series brought to you by New York Times bestselling author Molly Knox Ostertag and critically acclaimed illustrator Xanthe Bouma.

Olivia loves being the Dungeon Master of her after-school club, creating a world with magic and epic battles with adventure around every corner. She's always felt at home in her game, but now--with new members and new plotlines--her world has gotten more complicated than ever.

It doesn't help when Olivia's older sister, Lu, comes home from college and brushes off all Olivia's hard work, telling her to get real. A seed of doubt is planted, and suddenly the colorful world of her game starts to fade around her. Will Olivia be able to keep everything from changing, or will the party fall apart?

Praise for Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Club: Roll Call

"An absolutely wonderful story that exemplifies the joys, challenges, and lifelong memories forged between friends in the creative furnace of roleplaying games. The vibrant, energetic art further elevates the beautiful dichotomy between epic, fantasy adventures and finding one's place in those awkward teenage years. I couldn't help but see much of myself and my own youth in parts of each character as they find their companions in real life through their imaginary adventures, and the sense of unparalleled bonding one finds within a good game group resonates deeply throughout this story. I absolutely loved it." --Matthew Mercer, creator of Critical Role

"The power D&D has to help you explore and express yourself is on full display in this lovely story of friendship and growing up." --Kat Leyh, author of Snapdragon

"Perfectly captures the magic when the world you create with your friends becomes as real as the world around you." --Tim Probert, author of the Lightfall series

"A thrilling and gorgeous adventure that goes straight for your heart." --ND Stevenson, New York Times bestselling author of Nimona

"What Molly Ostertag and Xanthe Bouma pull off in Dungeon Club is nothing short of astounding. Contained within these magical pages are not one but two amazing stories: fantasy and reality woven masterfully together by Ostertag's spellbinding storytelling. An adventure filled with fun, magic, and deep insight into the trials and tribulations of High School, Dungeon Club is what we in the D&D world would call a 'Critical Hit'! To everyone who knows that there's always adventure and a little bit of magic just around the corner, this book will be a treasured artifact for years and years to come!" --Brennan Lee Mulligan, creator of Dimension 20

"Scoring high on charisma, this tale of personal growth is bound to win many a curious young fan over to D&D's allure." --Kirkus Reviews

"Middle grade readers intrigued by the cult classic RPG and fans fond of popular campaigns like Adventure Zone and Critical Role will enjoy the message of this series opener: 'Monsters are easier to fight when you've got people by your side.'" --ALA Booklist (starred review)

"For readers who are fans of or are curious about role-playing games, or those seeking heartwarming stories about friendship and imagination." --School Library Journal

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The Queen of Ocean Parkway

Sarvenaz Tash

An 11-year-old podcaster-turned-sleuth teams up with the new kid in the building to find their missing neighbor! A captivating adventure perfect for fans of When You Reach Me and Only Murders in the Building.

Eleven-year-old Roya is the superintendent’s kid in her regal Brooklyn apartment building, so she knows pretty much everything there is to know about its residents. An aspiring reporter, she even hosts a secret podcast about the lives of the building’s tenants. It’s a good distraction from the problems in her own life. 

But when Katya Petrov, one of her favorite tenants, goes missing, Roya discovers an eerie connection to Grandmother’s Predictions, an antique fortune-telling machine at Coney Island. "Grandmother" has been linked to multiple disappearances in the Petrov family over the last century. Now, with the help of a new friend who’s just moved in, it’s up to Roya to make her own headlines as she searches for Katya and attempts to break the Petrov curse once and for all.

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The Princess in Black and the Kitty Catastrophe

Shannon Hale

The Princess in Black may know how to handle all kinds of monsters, but a kitten set on destruction? Me-OW!

Duchess Wigtower had heard that pets are fun, but all her kitten has gotten her is nine lives' worth of problems. Eeeeek! It's time for someone else to deal with this catastrophe. Princess Magnolia is thrilled when a kitten lands on her doorstep, but just as she's about to play with Plumpkins (or should it be Hugmaster Floof?) the monster alarm goes off. When Princess Magnolia returns to her castle, her furry companion has carved up the wallpaper! In fact, each time Princess Magnolia leaves to help the Goat Avenger fight a very grouchy monster, her feline friend wreaks havoc. Has the Princess in Black finally met her match? Ten years after she first donned her cape, the Princess in Black returns for a purrfectly hilarious entry to the New York Times best-selling series.

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Popcorn

Rob Harrell

The beloved author of Wink is back with a hilarious and moving story about coping with anxiety on a day when everything is going wrong

Andrew’s just trying to make it through Picture Day, which is easier said than done when it seems like the whole world is out to get him—from a bully to a science experiment gone wrong to a someone else’s juice snot (don’t ask).

But as Andrew goes through the school day, and as one thing after another goes wrong, that little kernel of worry in his stomach is getting hotter and hotter, until it threatens to pop and turn into a public panic attack, his worst fear. He tries to keep his anxiety at bay, but the news that his grandmother with Alzheimer’s is missing is too much.

Interspersed with humorous spot art and “anxiety file” panels that depict the real, difficult feelings of anxiety and OCD and real tips for coping, this is a poignant, personal, and laugh-out-loud funny story about letting go of control and accepting help—all while trying to get the perfect school picture.

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Meesh the Bad Demon #2: The Secret of the Fang

Michelle Lam

Meesh the Bad Demon is no stranger to saving the world—but she never thought she’d have to do it twice! Can she defeat the darkness once and for all in this sequel of epic proportions?

When Meesh banded together with Fairy Princess Nouna to save the underworld, she never expected she’d have to… do it again someday. Though, as Meesh grows into her newly discovered destiny as the Guardian of the world, she figured there would be a few minor rescues, maybe some crime-fighting here or there.

But before long, her new friend Chai’s family is forced out of their home by an evil force who threatens to destroy all of fox-kind if they dare stay. Meesh suspects the same masked villain she faced before is behind all of this, but will she be able to stop them before it's too late?

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The Long Way Around

Anne Nesbet

In an exciting wilderness adventure, three cousins are cut off from their parents by a huge earthquake--and must hike long and treacherous mountain trails back to safety, with only each other to rely on.

During a hiking trip with their parents in the mountains of California, cousins Owen, Vivian, and Amy are finally allowed to camp for one night at a little lake all on their own. But when a massive earthquake blocks their return path, there's only one way home: the long way around, through a wilderness filled with fierce animals, raging rivers, unstable weather, and high passes. The hardest challenges the cousins face, however, are the troubles they've brought with them: bold Vivian's fear of starting middle school and of changes she can't control, Owen's lingering emotional scars from a car accident, and Amy's desire to live in stories rather than in boring regular life. Drawing on courage and humor, the cousins weather storms, make the most of dwindling rations, and face their deepest fears in order to bring each other safely home. This gripping contemporary novel from celebrated author Anne Nesbet is bursting with excitement, rich natural settings, and characters who will have readers rooting for them all the way.

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Lola

Karla Arenas Valenti

A simmering tale of magic, adventure, and the extraordinary bond between a brother and sister who'd journey to the ends of the Earth to save each other. From the acclaimed author of Lotería comes a heartfelt story rooted in Mexican magical realism.

A KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

Ten-year-old Lola has always been touched by magic. In her Mexico City home, built around a towering tree, she is accustomed to enchanted blooms that change with the seasons, a sandbox that spits out mysterious treasures, and mischievous chaneques that scuttle about unseen by all but her. Magic has always been a part of her life, but now she must embrace the extraordinary as never before.

Ever since The Thing That Happened, Lola's brother Alex has been sick. As his condition worsens, something begins eating away at the tree, causing its leaves and blossoms to crumble like ash. The two are related, Lola is sure of it, but how? Seeking a cure, she visits a grocery store oracle who bids her to follow the chaneques down one of their secret passages... into a hidden world.

Here in Floresta, a land of myths and monsters and marvels untold, lies the key to healing her brother. But the kingdom's young queen stands in the way. Lola must use her wits and face her deepest fears if there's any hope of saving Alex in time.

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Greenhouse of Horror

Liv Livingston

Liv’s class visits the greenhouse and encounters some strange plants in book three of the Spirited graphic chapter book series.

Liv’s science class has a new botany project: finding the plant that best represents them. Mrs. Arber, the ghost caring for (and haunting) the Gloomsdale Botanical Gardens, comes in to give a helping hand. In a town full of ghosts, Liv isn’t even sure she knows who she is, but when she meets a new ghost friend, she discovers that maybe she’s not the only one feeling like the odd-ghoul-out.

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Kristy and the Walking Disaster: a Graphic Novel (the Baby-Sitters Club #16)

Ann M. Martin

A Baby-sitters Club graphic novel adapted by National Book Award longlister and Eisner-nominated cartoonist Ellen T. Crenshaw!

They're lean, they're mean, they're the pride of Stoneybrook. Who are they? They're Kristy's Krushers!

When Kristy sees how much her little brothers and sister want to play on a softball team, she starts a ragtag team of her own. Maybe Kristy's Krushers aren't world champions (how could they be, with Jackie Rodowsky, walking disaster, playing for them?), but nobody beats them when it comes to team spirit.

Now Bart's Bashers have challenged the Krushers to a game. It's bad enough that the Bashers truly are lean and mean -- but what's worse is that Kristy has a crush on the Bashers' coach!

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Quagmire Tiarello Couldn't Be Better

Mylisa Larsen

Wry humor and sharp insight capture the distinctive voice of a young teen forced by his mother's unstable mental health to recalibrate his outlook and build a new life with found family. For fans of Gary D. Schmidt and Rebecca Stead.

A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BEST BOOK

A KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST BOOK

FIVE STARRED REVIEWS!

Quagmire Tiarello prides himself on not needing anything from anybody. Sure, his mom is skipping work again and showing signs of going into one of her full-out spins, but it's nothing he can't handle. He's used to her up-and-down moods, even if this time it feels a little different.

Then his mom disappears, and Quag must find shelter with an uncle he didn't know he had. Should he come clean about his mother's mental health challenges? Or can he use his carefully honed skills to bluff long enough to find his mom and get home? Readers will root for Quag as he finds himself rethinking his world and learning to accept help from the people who love him.

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Morgana and Oz Volume One

Miyuli

A September/October 2024 Kids' Indie Next List Selection

When a witch girl meets a vampire boy from a rival clan, sparks of love and war start to fly. Volume 1 collects episodes 1-19 of the hit fantasy WEBTOON series by Miyuli.

"An adorable adventure with a thrilling ending" --Kirkus

What happens when a struggling witch meets an angsty vampire? Either love or war.

Morgana belongs to a long line of witches, and Oz to the rival vampire clan. After a chance encounter . . . and maybe a few stray spells . . . these two need to find a way to work together, or risk all-out war between coven and clan.

Volume one features episodes 1-19 of the hit fantasy WEBTOON series.

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Kwame Crashes the Underworld

Craig Kofi Farmer

Discover a stunning middle grade fantasy about a boy hurled into the Ghanaian underworld to help his grandmother save humanity, perfect for fans of Tristan Strong and Amari and the Night Brothers.

Twelve-year-old Kwame Powell isn't ready to deal with losing his grandmother, even as he and his family head to Ghana for her celebration of life. 

He's definitely not ready when he's sucked into a magical whirlpool that leads straight to Asamando, the Ghanaian underworld. There, he comes face to face with his grandmother, who is very much alive, and somehow still...a kid? Together with his best friend, Autumn, and a talkative aboatia named Woo, Kwame must battle angry nature gods, and stop the underworld from destroying the land of the living.

But there's an even bigger problem: Only living souls can leave Asamando. In order to save the mortal world and return home, Kwame will need to find the courage to do the bravest thing of all -- learn how to say goodbye.

Praise for Kwame Crashes the Underworld:
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year
★ "A grand tale, funny and terrifying in turns, steeped in Ghanaian spirituality and folklore, and wrapped around themes of identity, obligation, true friendship, and devastating loss." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review
★ "This swashbuckling, supernatural adventure into the land of Ghanian mythology will have all readers (and especially fans of Rick Riordan Presents titles) craving more. Highly recommended." — School Library Journal, starred review
"Brimming with laughter, joy, and beautiful messages about grief, hope, lost loved ones, identity, and the ancestors, Kwame Crashes the Underworld rattles the spirit. Kwame Powell is a much-welcomed hero to the canon of children's books." — Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times-bestselling author of The Marvellers and The Memory Thieves
“Craig Kofi Farmer brings to life the myths of Ghana with heart, humor, and cinematic flair. I wish this book had existed when I was a child. I dare readers not to let Kwame Powell into their hearts.” — Roseanne A. Brown, New York Times-bestselling author of Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Vampire Hunting

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Camp Twisted Pine

Ciera Burch

Whispering Pines meets Small Spaces in this spooky middle grade novel about a girl whose first summer camp experience is disrupted by a menacing creature abducting her fellow campers.

Eleven-year-old Naomi loves all things outdoors—birds and beetles, bats and bunnies—in theory. She explores nature in the best possible way: the cold, hard facts in books. So when her parents’ announcement of their impending divorce comes hand in hand with sending Naomi and her younger twin brothers to summer camp while they figure things out, it’s salt in the wound for Naomi and her avoidance of hands-on experience.

Camp Twisted Pine could be worse. The counselors are nice, and Naomi likes her cabinmates, especially Jackie, whose blunt personality and frank dislike of the camp draws Naomi in quickly. Jackie is also hard of hearing and uses a hearing aid, and the girls quickly develop a routine of sign language lessons in their free time, which Naomi sees as a welcome break when all the s’mores-making and nature walks get to be a bit much. 

But the campers aren’t the only ones who roam the grounds of Camp Twisted Pine. When people start to go missing, including Jackie, Naomi has to find a way to save everyone—and herself. Her practical knowledge of the outdoors may still be rudimentary at best, but she has years of studying and the scientific method to fall back on. Can Naomi identify and stop the dangerous predator before it’s too late?

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What Is a Presidential Election?

Douglas Yacka

This revised edition (updated for the 2024 election) explains American presidential campaigns and includes stickers, activities, and a color-your-own Electoral Map!

Who can run for president? What are the differences between America's two major political parties? Is the Electoral College really a college?

The newly updated What Is a Presidential Election? answers these questions and many, many more. From stump speeches to campaign slogans, debates to nominating conventions, and finally to Election Night and Inauguration Day, readers will learn all about what it takes to run for--and win--the most powerful job on earth.

Activities throughout prompt readers to think about the issues they care most about and consider what makes a good president, sparking discussion with friends and family. Includes a sheet of presidential bobblehead stickers and a color-your-own Electoral Map for the upcoming 2024 election!

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Weirdo

Tony Weaver, Jr.

A Kirkus Best Book of the Year
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year
A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year
A People Magazine Best Book of the Year

From rising star Tony Weaver, Jr. comes a middle-grade graphic novel memoir about an awkward preteen who loves all things geeky but struggles with mental health issues and self-doubt, perfect for fans of Jerry Craft's New Kid.

Eleven-year-old Tony Weaver, Jr. loves comic books, anime, and video games, and idolizes the heroic, larger-than-life characters he finds there. But his new classmates all think he’s a weirdo. Bullied by his peers, Tony struggles with the hurt of not being accepted and tries to conform to other people's expectations. After a traumatic event shakes him to his core, he embarks on a journey of self love that will require him to become the hero of his own story. 

Weirdo is a triumphant, witty, and comedic story for any kid who's ever felt awkward, left out, or like they don't belong. An adolescence survival guide that will give every reader the confidence to make it to the other side.

Praise for Weirdo:

"I've been singing the praises of Tony Weaver Jr. for years, and here, I'm proud to say, he's given me one more reason to do so. Weirdo is more than a graphic novel about bullying or misfits. It's a blinding light of a tale about a boy who fights to become himself. About an oddball who finds wonder in his own weirdness. It's a reminder that we all have a place. And people. And some of us have a particular point of view on the world. I'm so happy Tony is using his to bring such palpable joy, love, and imagination to it." —Jason Reynolds, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Look Both Ways

"Tony’s Heartfelt story reminds us Why Embracing Individuality Radically Defies Obstacles." —Jerry Craft, 2020 Newbery and Coretta Scott King Book Award winner for New Kid

"Weirdo empowers readers to celebrate their own identities and offers hope to find the crew that will love you for all of your magnificent quirks!" —Jarrett J. Krosoczka, National Book Award finalist for Hey, Kiddo

"Weirdo is a powerful story filled with empathy about the effects of bullying and how we can attempt to cope with it." —Dan Santat, 2023 National Book Award Winner for A First Time for Everything

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Secret Factopia!

Paige Towler

Follow an ingenious trail of 400 facts about everything from secret recipes and escape artists to hidden treasure and invisibility cloaks.

You'll meet an underwear-stealing cat, find out about sharks that glow, uncover a toilet in disguise, and learn about the biggest ever game of hide-and-seek. And the facts aren't the only secrets in this book, for hidden among the illustrations are ten mice just waiting to be found!

Lavishly illustrated with witty illustrations that combine artwork and photography, and verified by the experts at Encyclopaedia Britannica, Secret FACTopia! sheds light on some of the world's most amazing "hidden" facts, which kids will be desperate to share with their friends and family.

Index included.

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My Encyclopedia of Very Important Dinosaurs

Kritika Gupta

This exciting introduction to dinosaurs is brimming with hundreds of fun facts about the prehistoric world.This book for children aged 5-9 takes you back in time to discover the prehistoric world. Learn facts about fossils, see Brachiosaurus bones up-close, and discover dozens of other incredible dinosaurs.This dinosaur encyclopedia will engage young readers through a balance of striking images and conversational, age-appropriate text, tapping into every child's natural curiosity and answering all their biggest questions about this amazing lost world.This children's dinosaur encyclopedia offers:- An updated issue with fun and fresh dinosaur content and dynamic dino-illustrations.- Feature pages that include a fact file of essential stats about each dinosaur that includes size, diet, and period - all colour coded by period for clarity.- Friendly and accessible text that is blended with bright illustrations to learn about favourite species.Bursting with up-to-date facts and discoveries, this exciting kid's encyclopedia includes everything from an in-depth exploration of the triassic, jurassic, and cretaceous periods and how fossils are made, to detailed profiles of popular dinosaurs such as Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, and Stegosaurus, to more unfamiliar species such as Microraptor, Guanlong, and Spinosaurus.More in the seriesMy Encyclopedia of Very Important Dinosaurs is part of the educational My Very Important Encyclopedia series. Complete the series and nurture your child's curiosity with My Encyclopedia of Very Important Adventures, teach them about different species with My Encyclopedia of Very Important Animals, or learn about everything and anything with My Encyclopedia of Very Important Things.

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Marvel Incredible Records

Melanie Scott

Did you know Quicksilver once sprinted halfway across the world in 92 seconds? Or that Titania can withstand temperatures hotter than lava? Discover the most mind-boggling records and stats about the heroes and villains of Marvel Comics!

With stunning illustrations and fun facts, Marvel Incredible Records is an updated edition of Marvel Absolutely Everything You Need to Know (published 2016) for young Marvel fans. How many suits does Iron Man have? Who's the smartest Super Hero in the universe? And just how old was Squirrel Girl when she discovered she could talk to squirrels? Find out all about Shuri's amazing inventions, Spider-Man's incredible spider-sense, and much more! Packed with astonishing feats and records from heroes, villains, and super-teams, this book will wow young readers.

© 2024 MARVEL

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Mysteries of Trash and Treasure: The Stolen Key

Margaret Peterson Haddix

New York Times bestselling author Margaret Peterson Haddix delivers the thrilling conclusion to her middle grade Mysteries of Trash and Treasure series as Colin and Nevaeh unravel their most personal mystery yet.

Colin has spent all summer solving mysteries with his friend Nevaeh. But they've only ever dealt with other people's mysteries--ones that are safe for Colin to think about. He's still stuck on the mystery surrounding his own father, who his mother refuses to talk about and he can't remember meeting.

Then one morning Colin finds a shoebox on his porch with a note on top: "Your father wanted you to have this." Inside the box is a key. This new clue makes Colin even more determined to find out the truth about his dad and why his parents split up when he was a baby. Colin and Nevaeh begin investigating Colin's father in a quest that takes them from eerie storage units to lock-lined bridges to, strangely, secrets in Nevaeh's family.

But the closer they get to connecting the clues, the more trouble awaits them. A serious accident leaves Nevaeh's family reeling--and Nevaeh racked with guilt. And digging into Colin's father's past may lead Colin and his mom into even more danger. Can Colin and Nevaeh solve the mystery before it's too late?

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Splinter & Ash

Marieke Nijkamp

"A winning addition to boundary-defying heroines like Alanna of Trebond and Sir Callie." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"An essential middle grade fantasy where all readers will find heroes to love and to cheer!" --Alex London, author of Battle Dragons and The Princess Protection Program

New York Times bestselling author Marieke Nijkamp's middle grade prose debut is an immersive fantasy for fans of B. B. Alston's Amari and the Night Brothers, Soman Chainani's School for Good and Evil, and Tamora Pierce's Tortall books. For two young misfits, a dangerous quest to save their kingdom will also mean saving each other.

Ash--or Princess Adelisa--is the youngest child of the queen, recently returned to the city of Kestrel's Haven after spending six years on the other side of the country. Ash was hoping for a joyous reunion, but the reality is far from it. Her mother is holding the kingdom together by a thread; her brother has only taunts and jibes for her; and court is full of nobles who openly mock and dismiss Ash, who uses a cane and needs braces to strengthen her joints.

Splinter is the youngest child of one of Haven's most prominent families. She's fierce, determined, and adventurous, and she has her sights set on becoming a knight just like her older brother. Even if everyone says she can't because she's not a boy. So what? She's not a girl, either.

A chance encounter throws Ash and Splinter into each other's orbits and changes the course of the kingdom's history. The princess and her new squire will face bullies, snobs, gossips, and their own disapproving families. But when they uncover a shadowy group of nobles plotting to overthrow the queen, they will show everyone how legends are born. Together.

The first in a trilogy, bestselling author Marieke Nijkamp's medieval fantasy is an action-packed love letter to nonbinary, queer, and disabled kids. Splinter & Ash evokes the classic adventure and atmosphere of fantasies by Lloyd Alexander and Tamora Pierce and the fresh, inclusive lens of writers such as Rick Riordan, Angie Thomas, and Soman Chainani. It invites everyone--no matter who they are or what they look like--to fight for what they believe in.

"Every kid deserves to see themselves as princesses or knights or whatever role they wish to play, and Nijkamp carves out the space for them to do so. Thoughtful, inclusive, and an outright joy, Splinter & Ash shines; a new classic that belongs on the shelves of every fantasy reader." --Nicole Melleby, author of Hurricane Season and coeditor of This Is Our Rainbow

"Splinter & Ash is a rare gem: a shining example of a fantasy novel that will engage readers of any age." --A. J. Sass, award-winning author of Ellen Outside the Lines and Ana on the Edge

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It Came from the Trees

Ally Russell

The legend of Bigfoot gets a bone-chilling update in this scary story about a young girl and her scout troop who are willing to brave the woods to find her missing friend when no one else will. Perfect for fans of Daka Hermon and Claribel A. Ortega!

The wilderness is in Jenna’s blood. Her Pap was the first Black park ranger at Sturbridge Reservation, and she practically knows the Owlet Survival Handbook by heart. But she’s never encountered a creature like the one that took her best friend Reese. Her parents don’t believe her; the police are worthless, following the wrong leads; and the media isn’t connecting the dots between Reese’s disappearance and a string of other attacks. Determined to save her friend, Jenna joins a new local scout troop, and ventures back into the woods.

When the troop stumbles across suspicious signs: huge human-like footprints near the camp, scratch marks on trees, and ominous sounds from the woods, Jenna worries that whatever took Reese is back to take her too. Can she trust her new scout leader? And will her new friend Norrie—who makes her laugh and reminds her so much of Reese—believe her?

After the unthinkable happens, the scouts, armed with their wits and toiletries, band together to fight the monster and survive the night.

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The Doomsday Archives: The Heart-Stealer Mask

Zack Loran Clark

Unlike her friends Emrys and Serena, Hazel is struggling to adjust to magic and to their new roles as the secret protectors of New Rotterdam. She's already worried about her mom, who works endless shifts at the hospital to make ends meet, and now she also has to worry about defending their entire town from supernatural forces. If only Hazel could figure out how to use her relic, the Magnus Crown, which has the power to transform matter, including turning lead into gold...gold that would certainly help ease her fa mily's financial issues. But before Hazel can crack the Crown's secrets, the trio discover a chilling new monster is hunting in New Rotterdam, luring its victims with visions of what they desire most. To Hazel's horror, the monster seems to know exactly what's in her heart and how to reel her in...With eerie black-and-white illustrations by Julian Callos and chilling Wiki excerpts, The Heart-Stealer Mask continues the deliciously creepy Doomsday Archives series by Zack Loran Clark and Nick EliopulosNew Rotterdam is no place for a kid--and that's what Emrys Houtman likes about it. Emrys obsessively documents his town's urban legends and cryptid sightings in a Wiki, along with his neighbors and fellow horror fans Hazel and Serena. It's all in good fun until one day, the trio stu mbles upon the Doomsday Archives, a collection of relics with dazzling powers and dangerous consequences. When a mysterious blood-red hourglass begins appearing around town and children begin to go missing, the trio must band together to stop the horrors plaguing New Rotterdam, or risk losing their home possibly their lives. Because after all this time hunting monsters, the kids have realized the monsters are now hunting them back.

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Men Have Called Her Crazy

Anna Marie Tendler

*NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER*

“This book is so many things I didn’t know I needed: a testament to the work of healing, a raw howl of anger, and an indictment of misogyny’s insipid, predictable, infuriating reign.” —Carmen Maria Machado, author of the National Book Award finalist Her Body and Other Parties and the Lambda Literary Award winner In the Dream House

A powerful memoir that reckons with mental health as well as the insidious ways men impact the lives of women. 

In early 2021, popular artist Anna Marie Tendler checked herself into a psychiatric hospital following a year of crippling anxiety, depression, and self-harm. Over two weeks, she underwent myriad psychological tests, participated in numerous therapy sessions, connected with fellow patients and experienced profound breakthroughs, such as when a doctor noted, “There is a you inside that feels invisible to those looking at you from the outside.”

In Men Have Called Her Crazy, Tendler recounts her hospital experience as well as pivotal moments in her life that preceded and followed. As the title suggests, many of these moments are impacted by men: unrequited love in high school; the twenty-eight-year-old she lost her virginity to when she was sixteen; the frustrations and absurdities of dating in her mid-thirties; and her decision to freeze her eggs as all her friends were starting families.

This stunning literary self-portrait examines the unreasonable expectations and pressures women face in the 21st century. Yet overwhelming and despairing as that can feel, Tendler ultimately offers a message of hope. Early in her stay in the hospital, she says, “My wish for myself is that one day I’ll reach a place where I can face hardship without trying to destroy myself.” By the end of the book, she fulfills that wish.

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What's Next

Melissa Fitzgerald

*INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER*

A behind-the-scenes look into the creation and legacy of The West Wing as told by cast members Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormack, with compelling insights from cast and crew exploring what made the show what it was and how its impassioned commitment to service has made the series and relationships behind it endure.

Step back inside the world of President Jed Bartlet’s Oval Office with Fitzgerald and McCormack as they reunite the West Wing cast and crew in a lively and colorful “backstage pass” to the timeless series. This intimate, in-depth reflection reveals how The West Wing was conceived, and spotlights the army of people it took to produce it, the lifelong friendships it forged, and the service it inspired. 

From cast member origin stories to the collective cathartic farewell on the show’s final night of filming, What’s Next will delight readers with on-set and off-camera anecdotes that even West Wing superfans have never heard. Meanwhile, a deeper analysis of the show’s legacy through American culture, service, government, and civic life underscores how the series envisaged an American politics of decency and honor, creating an aspirational White House beyond the bounds of fictional television. 

What’s Next revisits beloved episodes with fresh, untold commentary; compiles poignant and hilarious stories from the show’s production; highlights initiatives supported by the cast, crew, and creators; and makes a powerful case for competent, empathetic leadership, hope, and optimism for whatever lies ahead.

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Why Animals Talk

Arik Kershenbaum

"Animal communication doesn’t need to resemble human language to be full of meaning and nuance. Arik Kershenbaum delivers an expert overview of the astonishing discoveries made in the last few decades" —Frans de Waal

From leading zoologist Arik Kershenbaum, a delightful and groundbreaking exploration of animal communication and its true meaning

Animal communication has forever seemed intelligible. We are surrounded by animals and the cacophony of sounds that they make—from the chirping of songbirds to the growls of lions on the savanna—but we have yet to fully understand why animals communicate the way they do. What are they saying? This is only part of the mystery. To go deeper, we must also ask, what is motivating them?

Why Animals Talk is an exhilarating journey through the untamed world of animal communication. Following his international bestseller, The Zoologist’s Guide to the Galaxy, acclaimed zoologist Arik Kershenbaum draws on extensive original research to reveal how many of the animal kingdom’s most seemingly confusing or untranslatable signals are in fact logical and consistent—and not that different from our own. His fascinating deep dive into this timeless subject overturns decades of conventional wisdom, inviting readers to experience for the first time communication through the minds of animals themselves.

From the majestic howls of wolves and the enchanting chatter of parrots to the melodic clicks of dolphins and the spirited grunts of chimpanzees, these often strange expressions are far from mere noise. In fact, they hold secrets that we are just beginning to decipher. It’s one of the oldest mysteries that has haunted Homo sapiens for hundreds of thousands of years: Are animals talking just like us, or are we the only animals on the planet to have our own language?

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A Return to Common Sense

Leigh McGowan

Instant New York Times bestseller

A political book for non-political people from viral TikTok sensation PoliticsGirl. 

Something’s gone wrong in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. We can all feel it, but if we’re being honest, most of us don’t understand it. At the end of the day, we don’t have all the facts, and if you don’t know how something works, how do you fix it?

A Return to Common Sense is a concise, no-nonsense, dare we say fun, guide to how America works and a roadmap to reclaiming a government of, by, and for the people.

If we truly want to be a land of freedom and opportunity where everyone has a shot at a good life, we must acknowledge the ideals of America are in danger, but worth saving. We fought a revolutionary war for the idea of self-governance and pursuit of happiness—we can’t just give up on it now.

To address the crisis, Leigh McGowan offers Six American Principles. Six ideals, rooted in history, that we can all agree make America, America.

1. America is a land of freedom.
2. Everyone should have the opportunity to rise.
3. Every citizen should have a vote, and that vote should count.
4. Representatives should represent the people who elected them.
5. The law applies to all of us.
6. Government should be a force for good.

Using the Six Principles as guideposts, this book will lay out suggestions for America, to not only find its way out of the mess it’s currently in, but to set a course for a future of which we can all be truly proud.

It’s time to find the courage to step out of our comfort zones and off our team benches to reboot America. If we start here, we start strong.

We can fix this, but the way forward starts with understanding.

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Targeted: Beirut

Jack Carr

The first in a new in-depth nonfiction series examining the devastating terrorist attacks that changed the course of history from #1 New York Times bestselling author Jack Carr and Pulitzer Prize finalist James M. Scott, beginning with the 1983 Marine barracks bombing in Beirut. 

1983: the United States Marine Corps experiences its greatest single-day loss of life since the Battle of Iwo Jima when a truck packed with explosives crashes into their headquarters and barracks in Beirut, Lebanon. This horrifying terrorist attack, which killed 241 servicemen, continues to influence US foreign policy and haunts the Marine Corps to this day.

Now, the full story is revealed as never before by Jack Carr and historian and Pulitzer Prize finalist James M. Scott. Based on comprehensive interviews with survivors, extensive military records, as well as personal letters, diaries, and photographs, this is the authoritative account of the deadly attack.

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The Small and the Mighty

Sharon McMahon

A #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

From America’s favorite government teacher, a “fascinating and fun” (Adam Grant) portrait of twelve ordinary Americans whose courage formed the character of our country.

In The Small and the Mighty, Sharon McMahon proves that the most remarkable Americans are often ordinary people who didn’t make it into the textbooks. Not the presidents, but the telephone operators. Not the aristocrats, but the schoolteachers. Through meticulous research, she discovers history’s unsung characters and brings their rich, riveting stories to light for the first time. 

You’ll meet a woman astride a white horse riding down Pennsylvania Ave, a young boy detained at a Japanese incarceration camp, a formerly enslaved woman on a mission to reunite with her daughter, a poet on a train, and a teacher who learns to work with her enemies. More than one thing is bombed, and multiple people surprisingly become rich. Some rich with money, and some wealthy with things that matter more.

This is a book about what really made America – and Americans – great. McMahon’s cast of improbable champions will become familiar friends, lighting the path we journey in our quest to make the world more just, peaceful, good, and free.

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The Longest Con

Joe Conason

A sardonic chronicle of how conservatism turned into a racketeering enterprise – and why Donald Trump became the living emblem of the American right’s moral decay.

The Longest Con tells the fascinating story of the partisan con artists who have corrupted conservative politics in our time, creating a toxic phenomenon that culminated in the election of Donald Trump, a bumptious fraud whose checkered career and tawdry retinue, including his presidential cabinet, have featured almost every variety of scam. But long before he appeared, Trump’s path to power was blazed by the motley horde of swindlers and quacks who preceded him.

From the “professional anti-communists” (whose tactics even J. Edgar Hoover despised) to the “populist” grifters of the Tea Party movement and the religious charlatans of the “prosperity gospel” (who provided a pious front for Trump), the right-wing ripoff has remained remarkably consistent, even as personalities change and new technologies emerge: Stir up anger and resentment, demonize political opponents, promise vengeance, and collect donations from the gullible. It’s a highly lucrative game that any unscrupulous charlatan can play, as many have – and they are named in these pages.

In an unsparing and often comic narrative, Joe Conason explores the right’s long, steep descent into a movement whose principal aim is not to protect freedom or defend the Constitution, but merely to line the pockets of pretenders and blowhards whose malevolent tactics now endanger the nation.

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Countdown 1960

Chris Wallace

Instant New York Times Bestseller

The riveting new book on the momentous year, campaign, and election that shaped American history

It’s January 2, 1960: the day that Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy declared his candidacy; and with this opening scene, Chris Wallace offers readers a front-row seat to history. From the challenge of primary battles in a nation that had never elected a Catholic president, to the intense machinations of the national conventions—where JFK chose Lyndon Johnson as his running mate over the impassioned objections of his brother Bobby—this is a nonfiction political thriller filled with intrigue, cinematic action, and fresh reporting. Like with many popular histories, readers may be familiar with the story, but few will know the behind-the-scenes details, told here with gripping effect.

Featuring some of history’s most remarkable characters, page-turning action, and vivid details, Countdown 1960 follows a group of extraordinary politicians, civil rights leaders, Hollywood stars, labor bosses, and mobsters during a pivotal year in American history. The election of 1960 ushered in the modern era of presidential politics, with televised debates, private planes, and slick advertising. In fact, television played a massive role. More than 70 million Americans watched one or all four debates. The public turned to television to watch campaign rallies. And on the night of the election, the contest between Kennedy and Nixon was so close that Americans were glued to their televisions long after dawn to see who won. 

The election of 1960 holds stunning parallels to our current political climate. There were—potentially valid—claims of voter fraud and a stolen election. There was also a presidential candidate faced with the decision of whether to contest the result or honor the peaceful transfer of power.

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The Barn

Wright Thompson

The instant New York Times bestseller • Named a Best Book of the Year by The Washington Post, Slate, Vanity Fair, TIME, Buzzfeed, Smithsonian, BookPage, KCUR, and Kirkus

“It literally changed my outlook on the world…incredible.” —Shonda Rhimes

"The Barn is serious history and skillful journalism, but with the nuance and wallop of a finely wrought novel… The Barn describes not just the poison of silence and lies, but also the dignity of courage and truth.” — The Washington Post

“The most brutal, layered, and absolutely beautiful book about Mississippi, and really how the world conspired with the best and worst parts of Mississippi, I will ever read…Reporting and reckoning can get no better, or more important, than this.” —Kiese Laymon

“An incredible history of a crime that changed America.” —John Grisham

"With integrity, and soul, Thompson unearths the terrible how and why, carrying us back and forth through time, deep in Mississippi—baring, sweat, soil, and heart all the way through.” —Imani Perry

A shocking and revelatory account of the murder of Emmett Till that lays bare how forces from around the world converged on the Mississippi Delta in the long lead-up to the crime, and how the truth was erased for so long

Wright Thompson’s family farm in Mississippi is 23 miles from the site of one of the most notorious and consequential killings in American history, yet he had to leave the state for college before he learned the first thing about it. To this day, fundamental truths about the crime are widely unknown, including where it took place and how many people were involved. This is no accident: the cover-up began at once, and it is ongoing. 

In August 1955, two men, Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam, were charged with the torture and murder of the 14-year-old Emmett Till in Money, Mississippi. After their inevitable acquittal in a mockery of justice, they gave a false confession to a journalist, which was misleading about where the long night of hell took place and who was involved. In fact, Wright Thompson reveals, at least eight people can be placed at the scene, which was inside the barn of one of the killers, on a plot of land within the six-square-mile grid whose official name is Township 22 North, Range 4 West, Section 2, West Half, fabled in the Delta of myth as the birthplace of the blues on nearby Dockery Plantation.

Even in the context of the racist caste regime of the time, the four-hour torture and murder of a Black boy barely in his teens for whistling at a young white woman was acutely depraved; Till’s mother Mamie Till-Mobley’s decision to keep the casket open seared the crime indelibly into American consciousness. Wright Thompson has a deep understanding of this story—the world of the families of both Emmett Till and his killers, and all the forces that aligned to place them together on that spot on the map. As he shows, the full horror of the crime was its inevitability, and how much about it we still need to understand. Ultimately this is a story about property, and money, and power, and white supremacy. It implicates all of us. In The Barn, Thompson brings to life the small group of dedicated people who have been engaged in the hard, fearful business of bringing the truth to light. Putting the killing floor of the barn on the map of Township 22 North, Range 4 West, Section 2, West Half, and the Delta, and America, is a way of mapping the road this country must travel if we are to heal our oldest, deepest wound.

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Revenge of the Tipping Point

Malcolm Gladwell

Why is Miami...Miami? What does the heartbreaking fate of the cheetah tell us about the way we raise our children? Why do Ivy League schools care so much about sports? What is the Magic Third, and what does it mean for racial harmony? In this provocative new work, Malcolm Gladwell returns for the first time in twenty-five years to the subject of social epidemics and tipping points, this time with the aim of explaining the dark side of contagious phenomena.

Through a series of riveting stories, Gladwell traces the rise of a new and troubling form of social engineering. He takes us to the streets of Los Angeles to meet the world's most successful bank robbers, rediscovers a forgotten television show from the 1970s that changed the world, visits the site of a historic experiment on a tiny cul-de-sac in northern California, and offers an alternate history of two of the biggest epidemics of our day: COVID and the opioid crisis. Revenge of the Tipping Point is Gladwell's most personal book yet. With his characteristic mix of storytelling and social science, he offers a guide to making sense of the contagions of modern world. It's time we took tipping points seriously.

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Love & Whiskey

Fawn Weaver

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Embark on a captivating journey with Love & Whiskey. New York Times bestselling author Fawn Weaver unveils the hidden narrative behind one of America's most iconic whiskey brands. This book is a vibrant exploration set in the present day, delving into the life and legacy of Nearest Green, the African American distilling genius who played a pivotal role in the creation of the whiskey that bears Jack Daniel's name.

Set against the backdrop of Lynchburg, Tennessee, this narrative weaves together a thrilling blend of personal discovery, historical investigation, and the revelation of a story long overshadowed by time. Through extensive research, personal interviews, and the uncovering of long-buried documents, Weaver brings to light not only the remarkable bond between Nearest Green and Jack Daniel but also Daniel's concerted efforts during his lifetime to ensure Green's legacy would not be forgotten. This deep respect for his teacher, mentor, and friend was mirrored in Jack's dedication to ensuring that the stories and achievements of Nearest Green's descendants, who continued the tradition of working side by side with Jack and his descendants, would also not be forgotten.

Love & Whiskey is more than just a recounting of historical facts; it's a live journey into the heart of storytelling, where every discovery adds a layer to the rich tapestry of American history. Weaver's pursuit highlights the importance of acknowledging those who have shaped our cultural landscape; yet remained in the shadows.

As Weaver intertwines her present-day quest with the historical threads of Green and Daniel's lives, she not only pays homage to their legacy but also spearheads the creation of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey. This endeavor has not only brought Nearest Green's name to the forefront of the whiskey industry but has also set new records, symbolizing a step forward in recognizing and celebrating African American contributions to the spirit world.

Love & Whiskey invites readers to witness a story of enduring friendship, resilience, and the impact of giving credit where it's long overdue. It's an inspiring tale of how uncovering the past can forge new paths and how the spirit of whiskey has connected lives across generations. Join Fawn Weaver on this extraordinary adventure, as she navigates through the layers of history, friendship, and the unbreakable bonds formed by the legacy of America's native spirit, ensuring the stories of Nearest Green and his descendants live on in the heart of American culture.

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Morningside

Aran Shetterly

An unflinching look at the all but forgotten though no less shocking 1979 racial tragedy that divided Greensboro, N.C., and the nation, and the grassroots activists who, in their tireless fight for justice, refused to give up on America's promised ideals.

On November 3, 1979, as activist Nelson Johnson assembled people for a march adjacent to Morningside Homes in Greensboro, North Carolina, gunshots rang out. A caravan of Klansmen and Neo-Nazis sped from the scene, leaving behind five dead. Known as the "Greensboro Massacre," the event and its aftermath encapsulate the racial conflict, economic anxiety, clash of ideologies, and toxic mix of corruption and conspiracy that roiled American democracy then--and threaten it today.

In 88 seconds, one Southern city shattered over irreconcilable visions of America's past and future. When the shooters are acquitted in the courts, Reverend Johnson, his wife Joyce, and their allies, at odds with the police and the Greensboro establishment, sought alternative forms of justice. As the Johnsons rebuilt their lives after 1979, they found inspiration in Nelson Mandela's post-apartheid Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Martin Luther King Jr's concept of Beloved Community and insist that only by facing history's hardest truths can healing come to the city they refuse to give up on.

This intimate, deeply researched, and heart-stopping account draws upon survivor interviews, court documents, and the files from one of the largest investigations in FBI history. The persistent mysteries of the case touch deep cultural insecurities and contradictions about race and class. A quintessentially American story, Morningside explores the courage required to make change and the evolving pursuit of a more inclusive and equal future.

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Get What's Yours for Medicare - Revised and Updated

Philip Moeller

An updated and expanded edition of the top-selling consumer guide to Medicare. It explains how to choose the best plans, especially during Medicare’s annual enrollment period, how to use Medicare’s extensive health benefits, and changes to Medicare that are expanding what it will cover and moving care from hospitals into the home.

Medicare is the primary insurance plan for 70 million retired and disabled Americans. Understanding how Medicare works is essential to their health and well-being. However, Medicare has become more complicated—and more confusing. Get What’s Yours for Medicare is the authoritative consumer Medicare guide. It includes detailed chapters on when to enroll in Medicare, how to evaluate the often-bewildering choice of Medicare insurance plans, and, most importantly, how to use Medicare to find high-quality, affordable health care. The book also explains important upcoming changes to Medicare so consumers will know what to expect.

Medicare in 2024 is far different from the program described in the first edition of Get What’s Yours. The first part of this book discusses Medicare policies that affect the medical care you need now. The second part examines how Medicare is changing. These changes are part of the shift toward what is called managed care, which includes private Medicare Advantage plans. The newly updated Get What’s Yours for Medicare explains managed care in detail to clarify any questions about these programs.

Get What’s Yours for Medicare is the definitive guide to help you get the most out of your healthcare and ultimately alleviate the stress surrounding the complicated world of Medicare.

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The World of Minecraft

Mojang AB

Uncover the history of one of the most influential games of all time in The World of Minecraft. Explore how the critically acclaimed game evolved from a one-person project in 2009 to the global gaming phenomenon it is today.

The World of Minecraft is the definitive account of the game’s history, combining exclusive interviews from the Mojang studio and recollections from long-standing members of the gaming community. Read the stories behind mods like Feed The Beast, the growth of community-defining servers like Hypixel, and YouTube channels like The Yogscast, plus a personal account from Lydia Winters on the creation of Alex, the impact of Minecraft charity Block by Block, the origin of the phantom, and many more insights.

This must-have collector’s item includes a foreword from chief creative officer Jens “Jeb” Bergensten and an afterword from vanilla Minecraft game director Agnes Larsson, plus original concept art, beautifully detailed renders, and previously unseen archive materials that illustrate how the game has developed over its first fifteen years. Journey back into past eras of the game and look to the future in this comprehensive chronicle of Minecraft’s story.

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The Lost World of the Dinosaurs

Armin Schmitt

*A Library Journal Best Book of 2024*

"An insightful and informative meander through the evolution of dinosaurs and other extinct species, with a touch of personal flair."--Steve Brusatte, professor and paleontologist at the University of Edinburgh and New York Times bestselling author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs

An enrapturing tale of the age of the dinosaurs, tracing their earliest origins, their astounding two-hundred-million-year reign and their infamous demise

Dinosaurs. No other class of animals captures the hearts of both children and adults alike. Paleontologist Armin Schmitt brings us a firsthand account of the latest research on dinosaurs and their lives millions of years ago, including his spectacular global excavations and fascinating discoveries in the field. With the help of cutting-edge technology and unbelievable new finds, the age-old tale of the dinosaurs is now revitalized for the very first time, complete with astonishing illustrations by Ben Rennen that help us imagine dinosaurs like never before.

Though we're all familiar with popular dinosaurs such as the renowned Tyrannosaurus rex--every dino fan's favorite--Schmitt answers the questions we've all been asking, such as: 

  • What is excavating at a dig site like?
  • Why did birds survive the asteroid impact at the end of the Cretaceous, unlike the rest of the dinosaurs?
  • How has the field of paleontology changed since the Bone Wars?
  • Does climate change and its effects on the dinosaurs' survival compare to our current climate crisis today?

The Lost World of the Dinosaurs is an all-encompassing exploration traveling back in time into the world of the primeval giants, perfect for anyone interested in the largest land creatures that ever inhabited Earth.

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The Face That Changed It All

Beverly Johnson

A New York Times bestseller, this revelatory and redemptive memoir from Beverly Johnson, the first black supermodel to grace the cover of Vogue—and who, over five hundred magazine covers later, remains one of the most successful glamour girls of all time—goes behind the lens and glossy magazine covers.

Growing up a studious, bookish child during the socially conscious, racially charged 60s, Beverly Johnson never imagined that she would irrevocably change modern fashion by becoming the first black cover model of American Vogue in 1974. What followed has been a successful, multifaceted, and inspiring career in modeling. In The Face That Changed It All, Beverly Johnson brings her own passionate and deeply honest voice to the page to chronicle the highs, lows, and everything in between of her career.

In this “revealing, even harrowing” (USA TODAY) memoir, with glamorous tales about the hard partying of the 1970s and Hollywood during the ’80, Johnson details her many encounters and fascinating friendships with Jackie Kennedy, Calvin Klein, Andy Warhol, Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Jackson, Jack Nicholson, Keith Richards, and Warren Beatty. “Refreshingly brave and tough-minded in her self-assessment” (Variety), Johnson reveals the demons she wrestled with over the course of her storied career. She brings us into the heart of her struggles with racism, drug addiction, divorce, and a prolonged child custody battle over her daughter that tested her fortitude and sanity. She shares for the first time intimate details surrounding her love affair with the late tennis icon Arthur Ashe, pays homage to her mentor, the late Naomi Sims, while lifting the veil off the complicated, catty, and often times tense relationships between models during her fashion heyday.

Featuring gorgeous, never-before-seen photos from Johnson’s childhood and modeling days, The Face That Changed It All gives a no-holds-barred look at the lives of the rich, fabulous, and famous. It is also a story of failure and success in the upper echelons of the fashion world, and how Beverly Johnson emerged from her struggles smarter, happier, and stronger than ever.

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The Call to Serve

Jon Meacham

In honor of the one hundredth anniversary of George H. W. Bush’s birth, this visually stunning chronicle features never-before-published photos and memories celebrating the forty-first president’s vision of leadership as service to country—curated by Pulitzer Prize–winning biographer Jon Meacham.

Lavishly illustrated, The Call to Serve is an intimate, illuminating portrait of the forty-first president, a man who was so much more than just his politics. In words and images—many found in a lifetime of scrapbooks kept by Barbara Pierce Bush—Jon Meacham brings George H. W. Bush vividly to life. From the values of integrity, empathy, and grace that Bush learned in childhood to his leadership at the highest levels in tumultuous times, the forty-first president embodied an ideal of service that warrants attention in our own divided time.

Bush pursued a life of service to America through his heroic combat experience in the Pacific during World War II, his political rise in Texas, his serving as U.S. ambassador to the UN, his time as envoy to China and as director of the CIA, his tenure as Ronald Reagan’s vice president, and his election as the forty-first president of the United States. Set against the background of America during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, this book commemorates the legacy of a man who was far from perfect—he could be cutthroat on the campaign trail—but whose ambition was not an end unto itself. Bush’s drive to succeed was, rather, a means to put the values of balance, patriotism, and respect for others into action in the political arena. Toward the end of Bush’s life, the forty-fourth president, Barack Obama, said that Bush put the country first “both before he was president, while he was president, and ever since.”

Featuring more than 450 photographs, Meacham’s introduction and commentary throughout, and narration drawn from his biography of George H. W. Bush, Destiny and Power, this is an essential tribute to a uniquely American life.

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American Flygirl

Susan Tate Ankeny

One of WWII’s most uniquely hidden figures, Hazel Ying Lee was the first Asian American woman to earn a pilot’s license, join the WASPs, and fly for the United States military amid widespread anti-Asian sentiment and policies. 

Her singular story of patriotism, barrier breaking, and fearless sacrifice is told for the first time in full for readers of The Women with Silver Wings by Katherine Sharp Landdeck, A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell, The Last Boat Out of Shanghai by Helen Zia, Facing the Mountain by Daniel James Brown and all Asian American, women’s and WWII history books.

In 1932, Hazel Ying Lee, a nineteen-year-old American daughter of Chinese immigrants, sat in on a friend’s flight lesson. It changed her life. In less than a year, a girl with a wicked sense of humor, a newfound love of flying, and a tough can-do attitude earned her pilot’s license and headed for China to help against invading Japanese forces. In time, Hazel would become the first Asian American to fly with the Women Airforce Service Pilots. As thrilling as it may have been, it wasn’t easy.

In America, Hazel felt the oppression and discrimination of the Chinese Exclusion Act. In China’s field of male-dominated aviation she was dismissed for being a woman, and for being an American. But in service to her country, Hazel refused to be limited by gender, race, and impossible dreams. Frustrated but undeterred she forged ahead, married Clifford Louie, a devoted and unconventional husband who cheered his wife on, and gave her all for the cause achieving more in her short remarkable life than even she imagined possible.

American Flygirl is the untold account of a spirited fighter and an indomitable hidden figure in American history. She broke every common belief about women. She challenged every social restriction to endure and to succeed. And against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Hazel Ying Lee reached for the skies and made her mark as a universal and unsung hero whose time has come.

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An Unfinished Love Story

Doris Kearns Goodwin

The #1 New York Times bestseller from “America’s historian-in-chief” (New York magazine).

An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s by Doris Kearns Goodwin, one of America’s most beloved historians, artfully weaves together biography, memoir, and history. She takes you along on the emotional journey she and her husband, Richard (Dick) Goodwin embarked upon in the last years of his life.

Dick and Doris Goodwin were married for forty-two years and married to American history even longer. In his twenties, Dick was one of the brilliant young men of John F. Kennedy’s New Frontier. In his thirties he both named and helped design Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society and was a speechwriter and close advisor to Robert Kennedy. Doris Kearns was a twenty-four-year-old graduate student when selected as a White House Fellow. She worked directly for Lyndon Johnson and later assisted on his memoir.

Over the years, with humor, anger, frustration, and in the end, a growing understanding, Dick and Doris had argued over the achievements and failings of the leaders they served and observed, debating the progress and unfinished promises of the country they both loved.

The Goodwins’ last great adventure involved finally opening the more than three hundred boxes of letters, diaries, documents, and memorabilia that Dick had saved for more than fifty years. They soon realized they had before them an unparalleled personal time capsule of the 1960s, illuminating public and private moments of a decade when individuals were powered by the conviction they could make a difference; a time, like today, marked by struggles for racial and economic justice, a time when lines were drawn and loyalties tested.

Their expedition gave Dick’s last years renewed purpose and determination. It gave Doris the opportunity to connect and reconnect with participants and witnesses of pivotal moments of the 1960s. And it gave them both an opportunity to make fresh assessments of the central figures of the time—John F. Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., Robert Kennedy, Eugene McCarthy, and especially Lyndon Johnson, who greatly impacted both their lives. The voyage of remembrance brought unexpected discoveries, forgiveness, and the renewal of old dreams, reviving the hope that the youth of today will carry forward this unfinished love story with America.

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Knife

Salman Rushdie

NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST • #1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER • From Booker Prize winner Salman Rushdie, a searing, deeply personal account of enduring—and surviving—an attempt on his life thirty years after the fatwa that was ordered against him

A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, The New Yorker, Time, NPR, Town & Country, New York Post, Chicago Public Library, Kirkus Reviews

On the morning of August 12, 2022, Salman Rushdie was standing onstage at the Chautauqua Institution, preparing to give a lecture on the importance of keeping writers safe from harm, when a man in black—black clothes, black mask—rushed down the aisle toward him, wielding a knife. His first thought: So it’s you. Here you are.

What followed was a horrific act of violence that shook the literary world and beyond. Now, for the first time, and in unforgettable detail, Rushdie relives the traumatic events of that day and its aftermath, as well as his journey toward physical recovery and the healing that was made possible by the love and support of his wife, Eliza, his family, his army of doctors and physical therapists, and his community of readers worldwide.

Knife is Rushdie at the peak of his powers, writing with urgency, with gravity, with unflinching honesty. It is also a deeply moving reminder of literature’s capacity to make sense of the unthinkable, an intimate and life-affirming meditation on life, loss, love, art—and finding the strength to stand up again.

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Rebel Girl

Kathleen Hanna

An electric, searing memoir by the original rebel girl and legendary front woman of Bikini Kill and Le Tigre. Hey girlfriend I got a proposition, goes something like this: Dare ya to do what you want. Kathleen Hanna's rallying cry to feminists echoed far and wide through the punk scene of the '90s and beyond. Her band Bikini Kill embodies this iconic time, and today her personal yet feminist lyrics on anthems like 'Rebel Girl' and 'Double Dare Ya' are more powerful than ever. But where did this transformative voice come from? In Rebel Girl, Hanna's raw and insightful new memoir, she takes us from her tumultuous childhood home to her formative college years in Olympia, Washington, and on to her first years on tour, fighting hard for gigs and for her band. As Hanna makes clear, being in a 'girl band, ' especially a punk girl band, in those years was not a simple or safe prospect. Male violence and antagonism threatened at every turn, and surviving as a singer who was a lightning rod for controversy took limitless amounts of determination. But the relationships she developed during those years buoyed her--including with her bandmates, Tobi Vail, Kathi Wilcox, and Johanna Fateman; her friendships with Kurt Cobain and Ian MacKaye; and her introduction to Joan Jett--were all a testament to how the punk world could nurture and care for its own. Hanna opens up about falling in love with Ad-Rock of the Beastie Boys and her debilitating battle with Lyme disease, and she brings us behind the scenes of her musical growth in her bands Le Tigre and The Julie Ruin. She also writes candidly about the Riot Grrrl movement, documenting with love its grassroots origins but critiquing its later exclusivity. In an uncut voice all her own, Hanna reveals the hardest times along with the most joyful--and how it continues to fuel her revolutionary art and music.

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Life's Too Short

Darius Rucker

"Darius has always been one of my favorite people to sing with and to call a friend in this industry and yet even knowing him well for as long as I have, there are so many incredible stories in Life's Too Short that I enjoyed learning for the first time."--Sheryl Crow

*A NEW YORK TIMES Bestseller*

A raw, heartfelt memoir from Darius Rucker, the Grammy Award- winning country music sensation and multiplatinum-selling lead singer of Hootie & The Blowfish

In 1986 Darius Rucker cofounded Hootie & The Blowfish at the University of South Carolina. What began as a party band playing frat houses and dive bars quickly became a global pop rock phenomenon through their multiplatinum-selling debut album, cracked rear view, which featured era-defining hit songs like "Only Wanna Be with You," "Let Her Cry," and "Hold My Hand." Later, Darius would chart a pioneering path as a solo country music artist, with classic anthems like "Wagon Wheel" and "Alright."

Nearly forty years after the band's formation, Darius tells his remarkable story through the lens of the songs that shaped him--from Al Green, Stevie Wonder, and KISS to Lou Reed, Billy Joel, Nanci Griffith, and so many more.

Set against the soundtrack of his life, Darius recounts his childhood as the son of a single mother in Charleston, South Carolina. He traces the unlikely ascent of his band and shares wild tales of life on the road--but he also faces his missteps, defeats, and demons. As moving as it is entertaining, Life's Too Short is a timeless book about a man and his music.

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