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The Barren Grounds (The Misewa Saga #1)
By David A. Robertson. 2020
Narnia meets traditional Indigenous stories of the sky and constellations in an epic middle grade fantasy series from award-winning author…
David Robertson.Morgan and Eli, two Indigenous children forced away from their families and communities, are brought together in a foster home in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They each feel disconnected, from their culture and each other, and struggle to fit in at school and at their new home -- until they find a secret place, walled off in an unfinished attic bedroom. A portal opens to another reality, Askí, bringing them onto frozen, barren grounds, where they meet Ochek (Fisher). The only hunter supporting his starving community, Misewa, Ochek welcomes the human children, teaching them traditional ways to survive. But as the need for food becomes desperate, they embark on a dangerous mission. Accompanied by Arik, a sassy Squirrel they catch stealing from the trapline, they try to save Misewa before the icy grip of winter freezes everything -- including them.
Spell sweeper
By Lee Edward Fodi. 2021
Featuring a failed young wizard and her cleanup crew, this delightfully dysfunctional middle grade fantasy is an imaginative twist on…
magic school that's perfect for fans of Nevermoor and The School for Good and Evil. Cara Moone is a wizard—but she's basically flunked out of wizard school. Now she's in training to be a MOP, also known as Magical Occurrence Purger, also known as it's Cara's job to sweep up the hazardous dust a real wizard's spells leave behind. A real wizard, that is, like Harlee Wu, the so-called Chosen One destined to save the magical world. But when one of Harlee's spells goes awry and leaves behind a rift in the fabric of magic itself, it'll take more than magic to clean up the mess. Luckily, messes are kind of Cara's thing. Magic is messy—and fantastically fun—in this underdog story packed with humor, adventure, and attitude
Freewater
By Amina Luqman-Dawson. 2022
Debut author Amina Luqman Dawson pens a lyrical, accessible historical middle-grade novel about two enslaved children's escape from a plantation…
and the many ways they find freedom. After an entire young life of enslavement, twelve-year-old Homer escapes Southerland Plantation with his little sister Ada, leaving his beloved mother behind. Much as he adores her and fears for her life, Homer knows there's no turning back, not with the overseer on their trail. Through tangled vines, secret doorways, and over a sky bridge, the two find a secret community called Freewater, deep in the recesses of the swamp.In this new, free society made up of escaped slaves and some born-free children, Homer cautiously embraces a set of spirited friends, almost forgetting where he came from. But when he learns of a threat that could destroy Freewater, he hatches a plan to return to Southerland plantation, overcome his own cautious nature, and free his mother from enslavement. Loosely based on a little-mined but important piece of history, this is an inspiring and deeply empowering story of survival, love, and courage.
Space case: a Moon Base Alpha novel (Moon Base Alpha)
By Stuart Gibbs. 2014
After the death of Moon Base Alpha's top lunar scientist, twelve-year-old moon-colonist Dashiell Gibson suspects it was murder. However, no…
one believes him, and Dash investigates the clues left behind. For grades 4-7 and older readers. 2014
The Barren Grounds: The Misewa Saga, Book 1 (The Misewa Saga #1)
By David A. Robertson. 2020
Narnia meets traditional Indigenous stories of the sky and constellations in an epic middle grade fantasy series from award-winning author…
David Robertson.Morgan and Eli, two Indigenous children forced away from their families and communities, are brought together in a foster home in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They each feel disconnected, from their culture and each other, and struggle to fit in at school and at their new home -- until they find a secret place, walled off in an unfinished attic bedroom. A portal opens to another reality, Askí, bringing them onto frozen, barren grounds, where they meet Ochek (Fisher). The only hunter supporting his starving community, Misewa, Ochek welcomes the human children, teaching them traditional ways to survive. But as the need for food becomes desperate, they embark on a dangerous mission. Accompanied by Arik, a sassy Squirrel they catch stealing from the trapline, they try to save Misewa before the icy grip of winter freezes everything -- including them.
What Kids Did: Stories of Kindness and Invention In the Time of COVID-19
By Erin Silver. 2020
In the spring of 2020, the Covid-19 virus changed the world and made daily life much more challenging. We had…
to stay apart, away from work, school, and our normal routines. But, all around the world, kids came up with creative and thoughtful ways to help others. From making 3-D printed medical equipment to food bank fundraising to a neighbourhood joke stand, to creating a semi-automatic hand-washing machine, kids made a difference in their communities. Let's celebrate and take inspiration from their stories.
Moon Mission: The Epic 400-Year Journey to Apollo 11
By Sigmund Brouwer. 2019
This riveting narrative told from the astronauts' points of view offers a unique approach to the story behind Apollo 11's…
successful --- though nearly disastrous --- 1969 moon landing. Readers are brought along on the ride of a lifetime, as they relive every step of the mission, including the nail-biting (and relatively unknown) crucial moments when it came close to failure. From ignition to moon walk to splashdown, the story is structured in eleven exciting episodes. And, setting this book apart, each episode is linked to the innovations and discoveries from the past four centuries that made it possible --- from Copernicus to Einstein, the sextant to Velcro. It's a new perspective on an epic journey, and the science, technology, engineering and math that set it in motion! Bestselling and award-winning author Sigmund Brouwer offers children an original look at the historic feat that captivated the world in July of 1969. The information is thoroughly researched and includes NASA-sourced photographs throughout. Highly readable and with a compelling modern graphic design, this engaging book is sure to generate interest among a broad range of readers. At the same time, it's teeming with math, engineering, science and technology lessons that give young readers the opportunity to make the connections between what they learn in school and awesome things that happened in the real world. There are strong curriculum links here, including earth and space systems, physical sciences, chemistry, math, engineering, technology and applied science, as well as history.
The uncorker of ocean bottles (Recorded Books new reader)
By Michelle Cuevas. 2017
The whimsical story a man who has spent his life delivering the messages found in ocean bottles, and the day…
he receives a message that turns out to be a party invitation. Grades K-3. 2017.
The probability of everything
By Sarah Everett. 2023
A heart-wrenching middle grade debut about Kemi, an aspiring scientist who loves statistics and facts, as she navigates grief and…
loss at a moment when life as she knows it changes forever. Eleven-year-old Kemi Carter loves scientific facts, specifically probability. It's how she understands the world and her place in it. Kemi knows her odds of being born were 1 in 5.5 trillion, and that the odds of her having the best family ever were even lower. Yet somehow, Kemi lucked out. But everything Kemi thought she knew changes when she sees an asteroid hover in the sky, casting a purple haze over her world. Amplus-68 has an 84.7% chance of colliding with earth in four days, and with that collision, Kemi's life as she knows it will end. But over the course of the four days, even facts don't start to feel true to Kemi anymore. The new town she moved to that was supposed to be "better for her family" isn't very welcoming. And Amplus-68 is taking over her life, but others are still going to school and eating at their favorite diner like nothing has changed. Is Kemi the only one who feels like the world is ending? With the days numbered, Kemi decides to put together a time capsule that will capture her family's truth: how creative her mother is, how inquisitive her little sister can be, and how much Kemi's whole world revolves around her father. But no time capsule can change the truth behind all of it, that Kemi must face the most inevitable and hardest part of life: saying goodbye. A stunning portrait of grief, loss, and that moment in life that splits the world into "before" and "after," Sarah Everett's middle grade debut is an unforgettable reading experience, from each insightful phrase, all the way to the explosive ending
The great turkey walk
By Kathleen Karr. 1998
Missouri, 1860. Simon, fifteen, has just finished the third grade for the fourth time, and his teacher thinks he should…
try something new. When Simon ends up at his neighbor's turkey farm and learns that turkeys are more valuable in Colorado, he decides to drive a flock to Denver--eight hundred miles away. If he makes it, he just might be a rich man. For grades 4-7
Space on Earth: How Thinking Like an Astronaut Can Help Save the Planet
By Dave Williams. 2023
Really “high” tech to inspire us for sustainable solutions on Earth.Who could imagine an idea born on a space station…
would help sustain our planet? Astronauts, living on the International Space Station, have to protect their resources because their lives depend on it. They learn to conserve water, air, food, energy, and waste.These efforts have in turn lead to amazing and innovative ideas for air quality, food production, and water purification here on Earth.With vivid, energetic illustrations, photographs, and Dr. Dave’s experiments on key topics, readers learn about technological innovations such as waterless toilets and the world’s tallest air purification tower.
The Probability of Everything
By Sarah Everett. 2023
“One of the best books I have read this year (maybe ever).” —Colby Sharp, Nerdy Book ClubNPR Books We Love…
2023 | Publishers Weekly Best of 2023 | Winner of the Governor General's Literary Awards for Young People's LiteratureA heart-wrenching middle grade debut about Kemi, an aspiring scientist who loves statistics and facts, as she navigates grief and loss at a moment when life as she knows it changes forever.Eleven-year-old Kemi Carter loves scientific facts, specifically probability. It's how she understands the world and her place in it. Kemi knows her odds of being born were 1 in 5.5 trillion and that the odds of her having the best family ever were even lower. Yet somehow, Kemi lucked out.But everything Kemi thought she knew changes when she sees an asteroid hover in the sky, casting a purple haze over her world. Amplus-68 has an 84.7% chance of colliding with earth in four days, and with that collision, Kemi’s life as she knows it will end.But over the course of the four days, even facts don’t feel true to Kemi anymore. The new town she moved to that was supposed to be “better for her family” isn’t very welcoming. And Amplus-68 is taking over her life, but others are still going to school and eating at their favorite diner like nothing has changed. Is Kemi the only one who feels like the world is ending?With the days numbered, Kemi decides to put together a time capsule that will capture her family’s truth: how creative her mother is, how inquisitive her little sister can be, and how much Kemi's whole world revolves around her father. But no time capsule can change the truth behind all of it, that Kemi must face the most inevitable and hardest part of life: saying goodbye."My heart hurt as I raced through the last chapters of this unique book that shines a light on family, friends, grief, and love." —Lisa Yee, author of Maizy Chen's Last Chance
The curse of eelgrass bog
By Mary Averling. 2024
Dark secrets and unnatural magic abound when a twelve-year-old girl ventures into a bog full of monsters to break a…
mysterious curse. Nothing about Kess Pedrock&’s life is normal. Not her home (she lives in her family&’s Unnatural History Museum), not her interests (hunting for megafauna fossils and skeletons), and not her best friend (a talking demon&’s head in a jar named Shrunken Jim). But things get even stranger than usual when Kess meets Lilou Starling, the new girl in town. Lilou comes to Kess for help breaking a mysterious curse—and the only clue she has leads straight into the center of Eelgrass Bog. Everyone knows the bog is full of witches, demons, and possibly worse, but Kess and Lilou are determined not to let that stop them. As they investigate the mystery and uncover long-buried secrets, Kess begins to realize that the curse might hit closer to home than she&’d ever expected, and she&’ll have to summon all her courage to find a way to break it before it&’s too late
Whales to the rescue: how whales help engineer the planet (Ecosystem guardians)
By Adrienne Mason. 2022
"It's not just humans combating global warming. Meet one of Earth's ecosystem engineers! In this fascinating and unique book, a…
marine biologist reveals how whales are ecosystem engineers--animals that create, modify or maintain a habitat or ecosystem. Whales do this by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. They store loads of carbon in their bodies for decades, even centuries; when they die, they sink to the ocean floor, taking their carbon with them. More carbon in the ocean means less carbon in the atmosphere. And it's all thanks to whales! Now kids get one more reason to love these amazing creatures! Whales are helping the planet!" -- Provided by publisher
Island in the salish sea
By Sheryl McFarlane. 2018
This gorgeously illustrated picture book is a celebration of summer vacation and West Coast island life. Every day is different…
on Gran's island in the Salish Sea as granddaughter climbs big-leaf maples, eats blackberries, explores tide pools and sandstone caves and examines ancient middens and petroglyphs. She and Gran watch harbor seals sunning themselves and Gran's neighbor carving an eagle out of a piece of cedar while drinking fresh nettle tea. And on her way home, our young narrator sees a pod of orcas, breaching, tail lobbing and spy-hopping as she says goodbye to the island for another summer
Indrazaal et la quête de l'océan
By Kama La Mackerel. 2023
Indrazaal vit au sommet d'une montagne, sur une île. Un matin, suite à un rêve enchanteur, l'enfant décide de partir…
à la rencontre de l'océan. À travers ses rencontres avec la faune et la flore, Indrazaal nous emmène à la découverte de la beauté écologique de l'île. Avec douceur et poésie, nous y découvrons la force, la magie et la résilience qui la constituent
Shamus the Urban Rez Dog, P.I.
By Leslie Gentile. 2023
Jewellery is missing from the store where Mom works and she’s the main suspect. With Shamus’s help, the kids set…
out to catch the real thief, with surprising and hilarious results, including a false closet wall, a lucky bowling ball, and a vicious poodle named Hepzibah.
A galaxy of whales
By Heather Fawcett. 2024
A perfect summer read about whale watching and friendship both lost and found, from the author of Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia…
of Faeries and The Islands of Elsewhere When Fern hears about a photo contest with a big cash award, she decides she’ll enter and win! After all, photography is her passion (and was an interest she shared with her dad, who has recently died). She knows she can take a prize-worthy photo of a whale during one of the whale-watching tours her mom runs. But her neighbor (and nemesis), Jasper, is also planning to enter the contest. It’s another frustration for Fern while she’s already coping with the worry that her best friend, Ivy, might not want to spend time with her anymore. She’s hoping to use the prize money to buy something that will attract Ivy’s interest. This summer story has everything: the trials and pleasures of friendship, a rousing feud and a touch of adventure, a beautiful exploration of healing after grief, a very moving finale, and a whole lot of whale-watching fascination
Rocket says clean up! (Rocket Says...)
By Nathan Bryon. 2020
While visiting her grandparents, who run whale-watching tours in Jamaica, Rocket sees first-hand how plastic is harming ocean creatures,and organizes…
a crew to clean up the local beach. For preschool to grade 2
The extraordinary orbit of alex ramirez
By Jasminne Paulino. 2025
A powerful debut novel in verse about a neurodivergent seventh grader who dreams of traveling to the stars one day.…
“This story is about a boy who is certain of his own magic in the midst of the doubtful adults around him. A kid who knows not even the sky, but the stars are the limit. Which makes Paulino's debut...extraordinary.” —Jason Reynolds, author of National Book Award finalist Look Both Ways and Newbery Honor Book Long Way Down Seventh grader Alex's favorite things to do are watching YouTube videos of rocket launches with his Papi and spending hours on the NASA website reading about astronauts and planets. He even dreams of going to space one day himself, and knows he'll have to study hard in order to get there. But Alex is in his grade's SC (self-contained) classroom, which means doing the same dull worksheets every day and reading books his sister read back in the third grade. Worst of all, being in SC means nobody thinks he's ready to join Ms. Rosef's mainstream science class—the class Alex knows will be the first step on his path to NASA. When his teacher says "not yet" for the millionth time, Alex decides it's time to make a change. Now he's ready to try everything he can to get the people in his life—his teachers, his parents, and the kids at school—to understand that he, Alex Ramirez, is capable of the extraordinary