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By Christina Matula. 2024
"I can't wait for readers to explore Hong Kong with Holly-Mei. I have no doubt they will love both as…
much as I did." —Erin Entrada Kelly, 2018 Newbery Medalist and 2021 Newbery Honoree on The Not-So-Uniform Life of Holly-MeiReturn to Hong Kong in the third book of this charming middle grade series starring Holly-Mei, a girl navigating her new city, new school, and new friendships.Holly-Mei is caught in the middle.Holly-Mei Jones has finally settled into her new friend group in Hong Kong—that is until suddenly everyone starts talking about dating. Which Holly-Mei is not ready for.At least she has her school&’s Experience Week to look forward to. Holly-Mei can&’t wait to show off Taiwan, where her beloved Ah-Ma is from, to her friends. The trip is going to be perfect…right?Maybe not. On top of the pressure to date, Holly-Mei starts to wonder if maybe being half-Taiwanese isn&’t enough. In the face of these big questions, will Holly-Mei be able to finally feel like she belongs?Praise for The Not-So-Uniform Life of Holly-Mei&“Unique and universal all at once.&” —Kate Messner, author of Breakout and Chirp&“A charming, truthful, and heartfelt middle grade debut.&” —Katie Zhao, author of The Dragon Warrior series and Last Gamer Standing&“From the very first line, I felt as if Holly-Mei was taking me by the hand and pulling me into her story.&” Lauren Child, author and illustrator of the Charlie and Lola and Clarice Bean seriesRead all the books in the Holly-Mei series!The Not-So-Uniform Life of Holly-MeiThe Not-So-Perfect PlanThe Not-So-Simple QuestionBy Scott Reintgen. 2024
In this sequel to the New York Times bestselling, &“pulse-pounding&” (Publishers Weekly) A Door in the Dark, Ren&’s intellect and…
cunning are stretched to the limit in her quest to take down the system that stole her father&’s life.Ren Monroe is a wolf among lions. After infiltrating one of the greatest Houses in Kathor through her successful bond with Theo Brood, she finds Theo&’s father is two steps ahead. He exiles Theo and isolates Ren, strategically working to break her unwelcome grasp on his son—and foiling Ren&’s first step to enacting the revenge she&’s been planning her whole life. Ren might have more resources than she&’d ever imagined growing up, but she&’ll still get nowhere without allies. Enter House Tin&’Vori. Years ago, House Brood led an unprecedented raid to destroy a fellow House of Kathor. But a few siblings survived, and they haven&’t forgotten the horrors waged against their family. Quietly, they&’ve plotted their own revenge, waiting for the right moment to strike. And Ren Monroe might be their best chance. Like fire, the Tin&’Vori siblings are as dangerous as they are useful, both gifted in rare magics. Ren must decide how to unleash them against House Brood without hurting Theo in the process. Her feelings for Theo are growing past the boundaries of their bond, and Ren finds herself balanced on a knife&’s edge, a breath away from immense power or utter ruin.By Veera Hiranandani, Supriya Kelkar, Maulik Pancholy, Simran Jeet Singh, Aisha Saeed, Reem Faruqi, Rajani LaRocca, Naheed Hasnat, Sayantani DasGupta, Mitali Perkins. 2024
Discover stories of fear, triumph, and spectacular celebration in this warm-hearted novel of interconnected stories that celebrates the diversity of…
South Asian American experiences in a local community center. Discover stories of fear, triumph, and spectacular celebration in the fictional town of Maple Grove, New Jersey, where the local kids gather at the community center to discover new crushes, fight against ignorance, and even save a life. Cheer for Chaya as she wins chess tournaments (unlike Andrew, she knows stupid sugary soda won't make you better at chess), and follow as Jeevan learns how to cook traditional food (it turns out he can cook sabji-- he just can't eat it). These stories, edited by bestselling and award-winning Pakistani-American author Hena Khan, are filled with humor, warmth, and possibility. They showcase a diverse array of talented authors with heritage from the Indian subcontinent, including beloved favorites and rising stars, who each highlight the beauty and necessity of a community center that everyone calls home.By A. M. Dassu. 2024
In this stand-alone companion novel to the acclaimed Boy, Everywhere, A. M. Dassu returns to extend the story of Sami's…
best friend Ali, who organizes a charity soccer match for their friend Aadam while his whole life is privately unraveling.After their friend Mark's mum wins the lottery and gets a giant house with an indoor pool, Ali and Sami have been having the time of their lives hanging at Mark's house. Even their friend Aadam gets a job there, which means he can make more money for his legal battle for UK residency. But when some money goes missing, Aadam is accused of stealing it--and all three boys are unceremoniously kicked out of Mark's house in suspicion. On top of that, Ali's dad, who abandoned the family when Ali was little, is suddenly turning up everywhere in town, and a half-brother Ali never knew has shown up at Ali's school. Ali feels miserable and resentful about it, making it hard to be a good friend. The boys know Aadam is innocent, and if he doesn't raise thousands of pounds right away, he could get deported back to Syria amidst its civil war. At least Ali has a plan: they'll host a charity football penalty match to raise money for Aadam so he can stay in the UK. But can Ali pull together the match--even if he feels his whole life at home is falling apart?By JonArno Lawson. 2016
Overview: In this wordless picture book, a little girl collects wildflowers while her distracted father pays her little attention. Each…
flower becomes a gift, and whether the gift is noticed or ignored, both giver and recipient are transformed by their encounter. "Written" by award-winning poet JonArno Lawson and brought to life by illustrator Sydney Smith, Sidewalk Flowers is an ode to the importance of small things, small people, and small gesturesBy Abi Elphinstone. 2023
'A wonderful whirlwind of magic and adventure, and every bit as enchanting as the original Peter Pan. I absolutely loved…
it!' Catherine DoyleNumber 14 Darlington Road, looks like a perfectly ordinary townhouse - at first glance, anyway, but magic is good at hiding . . . when it's waiting for the right person to discover it . . .Martha Pennydrop is ten, and desperate to grow up. But growing up is a tricky business. It means turning your back on imagination, fun and magic, because those were the things that led to the Terrible Day when something awful nearly happened to Martha's younger brother, Scruff, which would have been All Her Fault.But when Martha and Scruff discover a drawer full of mysterious gold dust in the bedroom of their new house - along with a window that's seemingly impossible to close - it's the start of an incredible adventure to a magical world: Neverland! The Pennydrop's new house used to belong to another family - the Darlings - who once visited this world themselves. Now Peter Pan is back, and in need of their help. Neverland is in the icy grip of a terrible curse - cast long ago by Captain Hook. And only Martha and Scruff can save it . . .A reluctant Martha and excited Scruff are swept off to Neverland and into the company of the Lost Kids. But when Scruff is kidnapped, Martha must rediscover all the imagination, magic and belief she has buried deep inside herself for so long, to save him - and Neverland itself.Praise for Saving Neverland'Abi Elphinstone's imagination is as colourful and enticing as a sweetshop. In reimagining Peter Pan, she blows fairy dust over the classic tale and makes it fly . . . the perfect bedtime story for children of all ages.' M.G. Leonard 'Saving Neverland soars with Joy' Piers Torday'An awfully big new adventure in Neverland that's icy, dicey, delightful and dazzling in equal measure!' Peter Bunzl 'Full of wit, wonder and high-stakes action, with the most brilliant cast of characters . . . a true classic and Abi Elphinstone's best book yet!' Emma Carroll 'Daring, joyful, funny' Maz EvansBy Sarah Ann Juckes. 2019
"This is well-written, sensitive on issues such as sexual abuse, and, whether in her tower or the outside world, Ele's…
voice and vision of the world will keep readers intrigued." Books for Keeps 'Impossible to put down - this is a writer to watch.' C.J. Skuse_____Here's the thing about being Inside. Ain't no one believes that they are.Ele has never been Outside, but she knows it exists - she just has to prove it. Her whole world is Inside. Trapped with her books and the Others and Him. She has never seen a tree or felt the rain but that's about to change. Ele's getting out. For good. ____In the spirit of Emma Donoghue's Room, Outside is a poignant story of strength, friendship and unconditional love, even in the most challenging of circumstances.By K M Peyton. 1990
Tom and Jo are the perfect professional couple, and think they have it all. But when Tom starts to think…
that he wants to be a father, and Jo can't bear the thought of sacrificing her career for a baby, Tom looks elsewhere. When he meets Camilla, a dangerous triangle begins - one that will spiral into disaster.By Jacqueline Wilson. 2008
There's no one quite like my big sister Jodie . . .Quiet, cautious Pearl has always adored her bold, brash,…
bad big sister Jodie. When their parents get new jobs at a grand, fusty old boarding school, Melchester College, the girls have to move there - and when they arrive, things start to change. Jodie has always been the leader - but now it's Pearl who's making new friends. Jodie just seems to be getting into more and more trouble - arguing with Mum, scaring the little children, flirting with the gardener. She really doesn't fit in with the posh teenagers at the school.Pearl begins to wonder if she needs Jodie as much as she used to. But when Firework Night comes around and a tragic event occurs, Pearl realises quite how much Jodie means to her . . .A touching, powerful story from the mega-bestselling Jacqueline Wilson, told with warmth and sensitivity.By Emma Smith-Barton. 2019
*Shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2020**Shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award 2020**Shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association Debut…
Romantic Novel Award 2020* 'Powerful, relatable and uplifting' - Emily Barr, author of The One Memory of Flora BanksHow can I hold myself together, when everything around me is falling apart?Neena's always been a good girl - great grades, parent-approved friends and absolutely no boyfriends. But ever since her brother Akash left her, she's been slowly falling apart - and uncovering a new version of herself who is freer, but altogether more dangerous. As her wild behaviour spirals more and more out of control, Neena's grip on her sanity begins to weaken too. And when her parents announce not one but two life-changing bombshells, she finally reaches breaking point. But as Neena is about to discover, when your life falls apart, only love can piece you back together.By Frances Hodgson Burnett. 2008
Alone in a new country, wealthy Sara Crewe tries to make friends at boarding school and settle in.But when she…
learns that she'll never see her beloved father again, her life is turned upside down. Transformed from princess to pauper, she must swap dancing lessons and luxury for drudgery and a room in the attic. Will she find that kindness and generosity are all the riches she truly needs?With deeply poignant introduction written by bestselling author of Chinese Cinderella, A Little Princess is one of the twelve wonderful classic stories being relaunched in Puffin Classics in March 2008.By Christiane M. Andrews. 2022
For fans of Kelly Barnhill, Wolfish is an expansive, adventurous fantasy unlike anything you've ever read, inspired by the myth of twin…
boys Romulus and Remus. Shortlisted for the Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction! Twelve-year-old Rae is content as the adopted daughter of shepherds, helping with the flock and reveling in the beauty of her family&’s hillside farm. But after a frightening encounter with a wolf—to whom she feels a sudden, peculiar connection—Rae realizes there is much more to her past, and her future, than she could have imagined. Meanwhile, a young girl named Alba goes about her days as an oracle&’s apprentice, a duty that confines her to a distant, watery cave. But when she bestows a troubling prophecy on the rising boy-king, her words unintentionally begin a reign of terror, and send Alba on a desperate mission alongside Rae and the wolf. Inspired by Roman mythology, this mysterious and uniquely magical adventure explores the intricate roles of nature and fate in our lives, the power of language to shape our world, and the boundless importance of love and kindness.By Tess Sharpe. 2023
Nina LaCour meets Jenny Han in this beautiful and charming story of six moments that lead to two girls, one…
kiss, and eventually, three little words that were maybe always true. After years of bickering, Penny and Tate have called a truce: they&’ll play nice. They have to. Their mothers (life-long best friends) need them to be perfect, drama-free daughters when Penny&’s mother becomes a living liver donor to Tate&’s mom. Forced to live together as their moms recover, the girls&’ truce is essential in keeping everything—their jobs, the house, the finances, the Moms&’ healing—running smoothly. They&’ve got to let this thing between them go. There&’s one little hitch: Penny and Tate keep almost kissing. It&’s just this confusing thing that keeps happening. You know, from time to time. For basically their entire teenaged existence. They&’ve never talked about it. They&’ve always ignored it in the aftermath. But now they&’re living across the hall from each other. And some things—like their kisses—can&’t be almosts forever. Told through the two girls&’ present, and six moments from their past, this dynamic love story shows that sometimes the person you need the most has been there for you all along.By Gail Anderson-Dargatz. 2024
Charlotte is going to prove her grandma is right—the lake monster is real! When Charlotte gets a drone for her…
fourteenth birthday, she’s determined to get footage of Dottie, the elusive lake monster of Dorothy Lake. Her grandma, who has dedicated her life to searching for the monster, is the joke of the town. But when Charlotte manages to capture a video of the monster and posts it online, she’s the sudden target of a media storm. Now everyone is making fun of her too. Worse, droves of monster hunters arrive in her town, crowding the lake. When their boat propellers threaten to hurt Dottie, Charlotte is faced with a difficult choice.By Melinda Di Lorenzo. 2024
Key Selling Points When her younger brother disappears with their overdue rent money, a self-reliant teenage girl goes searching for…
him and finds unexpected help and romance along the way. This book examines dysfunctional families, sibling conflict and the hardships of poverty and alcoholism, and demonstrates the power of resilience and learning to accept help. A romantic thriller that genuinely depicts a teen meeting and falling for someone while struggling with a high-stakes situation. The author has written many romance novels, and this is her third Soundings title, following Counting Scars and Racing Hearts . Enhanced features (dyslexia-friendly font, cream paper, larger trim size) to increase reading accessibility for dyslexic and other striving readers.By Patricia MacLachlan. 2024
In this final middle grade novel by Newbery Award–winning author Patricia MacLachlan, a young girl tries to untangle her love…
of baseball from her complicated relationship with her professional pitcher father.Lucy&’s father is a minor league baseball player, a professional pitcher hoping to get called up to the majors, and Lucy inherited his passion for the game. But she&’s never played pitcher. She worries her skills would be compared to her dad&’s and she&’d never measure up. And his pitching may mean big things for his career and their family, but it&’s also what keeps him away from home so much of the year. Sometimes, Lucy isn&’t sure what would be worse: being bad at pitching or being great. Still, this summer, Lucy wants to learn to throw the perfect knuckleball. She wakes up at the crack of dawn to practice in secret, without her friends Tex and Robin—or even the goats who watch them play. Even as she trains relentlessly, Lucy wonders if she&’ll ever feel brave enough to share her progress with her mom or dad. Can she prove to them, and herself, that she has what it takes?By Tracy Badua. 2024
HBO’s Insecure meets Dazed and Confused in this messy, tender YA novel about a friendship breakup, set against the backdrop of a chaotic night…
at a music festival, from rising talent Tracy Badua.Jana Rubio and her best friend, Maddy Parsons, have an epic senior year finale queued up: catching their favorite band at the Orchards, an outdoor music festival a two-hour drive away. When a blowup over Maddy’s time-sucking boyfriend exposes a rift that may have already been growing between them, Jana calls off their joint trip and gets a lift to the festival from her church friend Nathan…only to realize Maddy and her boyfriend are along for the ride, too.All Jana wants is to enjoy the concert and get home as soon as possible. But then Nathan loses his car keys crowd-surfing, and it’s up to Jana and Maddy to find them. As they navigate stolen phones and missing friends, scale Ferris wheels and crash parties, the two of them are forced to reckon with the biggest obstacle of all: repairing their friendship.Will Jana and Maddy find their way home—and also back to each other?By Aisling Fowler. 2024
Phoenix and her friends vow to save Ember from all but certain doom in this final unmissable chapter in the…
sweeping series that New York Times bestselling author B. B. Alston called “the best kind of children’s fantasy story.”Following the shocking events at Icegaard, Phoenix and her friends gather with the Hunters, desperate to unite the warring clans before their enemy, the Master, launches his attack on Ember.The Cavern of Light offers hope in the form of a legendary weapon, but the friends must brave the unknown, facing down new and deadly creatures in search of the artifact that could save their world.As an epic final showdown draws near, Phoenix is determined not to lose anyone else that she loves. But the Master is more brutal and powerful than she ever imagined, and as Phoenix’s past and present collide, unthinkable sacrifices will have to be made to defeat him.By Louis Bayard. 2016
With her mama recently dead and her pa sight unseen since birth, fourteen-year-old Amelia is suddenly in charge of her…
younger brother and sister--and of the family gas station. Harley Blevins, local king and emperor of Standard Oil, is in hot pursuit to clinch his fuel monopoly. To keep him at bay and keep her family out of foster care, Melia must come up with a father--and fast. And so when a hobo rolls out of a passing truck, Melia grabs opportunity by its beard. Can she hold off the hounds till she comes of age?By James Goodhand. 2022
Will Parks needs to man up.A man stands. A man fights. A man bleeds.These are the first lessons you learn…
in a town where girls are objects, words are weak and fists do the talking.Will's more at home in the classroom than the gym, and the most important woman in his life is his gran. So how can a boy who's always backed away from a fight become the hero who saves the day?Because a disaster is coming. One that Will can prevent. But only if he learns the most important lesson of all: sometimes to step up, you have to man down.A searingly powerful exploration of toxic masculinity, perfect for fans of Juno Dawson or They Both Die at the End.'Stylish, thought-provoking thriller territory . . . Highly recommended' - The Irish Times'Staggeringly good . . . had me hanging on every word' Louisa Reid, author of Wrecked and Lies Like Love'Good books make you feel something. Great books change the way you feel about everything. Man Down is a great book. No one is writing about young men's lives with as much warmth, empathy and humour as James is right now.' Samuel Pollen, author of The Year I Didn't Eat'Utterly compelling, completely original and will undoubtedly be one of the standout books of 2022. An absolute must read' - Adam Simcox, author of The Dying Squad'An excellent look at what it means to "be a man" amid a culture of peer pressure and toxic masculinity while navigating desire and friendship. Loved it.' - Anna Stephens, author of Godblind'Emotionally complex, dark and clever - a very unexpected, thoughtful and original book. I can honestly think of no other YA quite like it.' - Gina Blaxill, author of Saving Silence