Fiction Books for 9–12 Year Olds

932 fiction books for 9–12 year olds, sorted by rating — page 4 of 10.

Firefly Summer

Pura Belpré

At a plantation in rural Puerto Rico around the turn of the century the foreman pursues the mystery surrounding his family.

FIRST KISS WITH FANGS

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This paranormal romance delivers a fresh take on first love with its compelling blend of supernatural tension and authentic teenage emotions, following a human protagonist's unexpected connection wit...

FLASH GORDON

an escape pod containing Flash Gordon, a freckle\u002Dfaced girl with endless curiosity and energy but no memory of her identity. When the Ark crashes on planet Omnia X, the new friends find themselves at odds with the “Merciless Emperor” Prince Azimuth, who dominates the planet’s kingdoms with his rage\u002Dpowered dark magic. Flash is shocked to discover the tyrant is no older than she is, while Azimuth’s sister, Princess Aura, is even more surprised by the fear her brother has for their unexpected visitor. Seeking to use this, Aura saves the girl from the gladiatorial arena and takes her to Arboria, a land of rebellious tree\u002Dfolk and gallant knights led by the honorable Captain Barin. But as the determined Flash readies herself to save Dale and liberate Omnia, she is blind to the Princess’ own ambitions and the unsettling reason behind the Prince’s fixation on her. Johnson’s illustrations, delightfully influenced by shojo manga, are rich with detailed characters set against simple, colorful storybook\u002Dstyle backgrounds, capturing expressive facial expressions—even during an intense battle with a giant, razor\u002Dtoothed axolotl. Bennett, who has worked on some of Marvel’s and DC’s biggest properties, displays her talent for inclusive storytelling—this universe is filled with more than just the white and green faces so many space operas feature. The spirit of Alex Raymond’s original creation is here, too\u003B there’s an intoxicating combination of sword\u002Dand\u002Dsorcery tropes with laser guns and flying saucers. The book never talks down to its audience, and this heartfelt adventure will be great for kids to share with parents, or even for longtime fans looking for a reminder of what made them love Flash Gordon—and comics—in the first place."

This thrilling space opera rockets readers into a universe of interplanetary adventure, where the heroic Flash Gordon battles the tyrannical Ming the Merciless across the exotic landscapes of Mongo. ...

FLIGHT OF THE CHICXULUB

Genre

This gripping science fiction adventure plunges readers into a high-stakes mission to save Earth from a second dinosaur-level extinction event, blending cutting-edge astrophysics with pulse-pounding ...

FLIP

Genre

This innovative picture book transforms the traditional reading experience into an interactive adventure, inviting young readers to physically engage with the story by flipping the book upside down t...

FLOAT

Genre

This visually stunning picture book explores the magical world of water through the eyes of a young child discovering what happens when everyday objects meet puddles, ponds, and rain-filled skies. Th...

Flood Friday

Lois Lenski

DIVDIVWill Sally and her family ever be able to go home? /divDIVWhen heavy rains cause the river to flood, Sally, her family, and many of their neighbors have to evacuate their homes. With nothing but the clothes on their backs, they seek shelter at the local school. At first, it seems like an adven

FLORA & ULYSSES

Kate DiCamillo

“Forget paranormal romance; this horror-humor-romance pastiche is where those in search of hot nonhumans should set their sights.” — Kirkus Reviews When Cynthia Rothschild’s best friend, Annie, falls head over heels for the new high-school librarian, Cyn can totally see why. He’s really young and su

Flotsam

David Wiesner

In this extraordinary Caldecott Medal winner and New York Times bestseller by David Wiesner, a beach day is the springboard to a wildly imaginative exploration of fantastical mysteries of the deep—and of human connections through time. A young boy comes to the beach eager to collect and examine flot

FOLK REMEDY

Genre

This chilling exploration of traditional healing practices and their shadowy consequences delivers a potent blend of supernatural suspense and psychological depth, perfect for readers who crave stori...

Forfeiture

murderous timbermen in the Brazilian rainforest. Above the Arctic Circle, an old Inuit woman takes her skeptical, indolent “grandson” to a remote old village (from which oil companies uprooted them) to enact an obscure ritual. Both use ancestral memories to summon help from an advanced extraterrestrial civilization of color\u002Dshifting, somewhat reptilian humanoids of about 8 feet in stature who call themselves the Indigo. Eons ago, interstellar Indigo explorers were awestruck by Earth’s unparalleled biodiversity and beauty and left such safeguards behind to protect the planet. The two distress signals prompt the aliens’ return in massive ships that intimidate even the Earth’s superpowers. Meeting with a few chosen human representatives (including the U.S. president), the Indigo are horrified at the state of Earth, now beset by pollution, species extinctions, unsustainable economic development, war, and other existential threats. The Indigo give humanity one year to reverse the failing state of the world\u003B meanwhile, they will remain as noninterfering “Observers.” Some Indigo opinion\u002Dleaders grow quite fond of humanity’s arts and music\u003B others harbor no affection for the predatory apes and begin a grim judgment process. A radical\u002Denvironmentalist spin on Arthur C. Clarke’s Childhood’s End (1953), Nebra’s narrative will find favor with those who have fantasies of captains of industry and world leaders being brought to account by a galactic Greenpeace for crimes against nature: “Dolphins in terror, surrounded by humans with an enclosing net and frantically writhing and rolling in a red sea, the blood of their family. A Hawksbill turtle, grotesquely deformed by the plastic ring slowly choking it. The hillside shorn of its trees, the fertile soil pointlessly pouring away in streams with every rain.” The polemical material is balanced by fairly nuanced characterizations (including developing nation indigenes, too often idealized by sympathetic writers as unspoiled, cardboard Edenic angels), good pacing, and a final act that is fairly unputdownable."

On Craig Island, a vast landscape of ice north of the Arctic Circle, three travellers are hunting duck. Among them is expert Inuit hunter and guide, Edie Kiglatuk; a woman born of this harsh, beautiful terrain. The two men are tourists, experiencing Arctic life in the raw, but when one of the men is

Fox & Son Tailers - WBD 2025

Paddy Donnelly

'A beautiful story with a heart-warming ending ... and with foxes! I love it.' Chris Haughton Rory's dad, Fox, is a tailer. The BEST in the business! Animals come from all over to have their tails made by him. But Rory is bored of making the same old tails. He has his own amazing ideas ...

Fox in Socks

Dr. Seuss

Kids will love learning how wacky words can be with this classic book of tongue twisters from Dr. Seuss! This board book edition features abridged text and sturdy pages for little readers. When a fox in socks meets Knox in a box, this rhyming romp is just getting started. Add chicks with bricks, blo

FRANCISCO DE SAAVEDRA’S AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR

the British, he was taken as a prisoner to Jamaica, which he realized was an excellent opportunity for espionage. After talking his way out of incarceration, he made his way to Havana, the Spanish base of operations in the Caribbean. The Spanish allied with the French, hoping to drive the British out of the area, and Saavedra, a genius in money matters, financed his lifelong friend Bernardo de Gálvez’s successful rout of the British from Pensacola in British West Florida. At this point, the dispirited and nearly bankrupt Americans turned in desperation to their allies, the Spanish and the French. Saavedra wrangled loans in record time from far and wide to pay for the Battle of Yorktown in 1781—a decisive conflict that effectively sealed the independence of the United States of America. From there, he went from strength to strength, even reluctantly becoming the Spanish prime minister for a time. Ever a modest man, he once said, “In one way or another this contrast between my true and apparent merit is one of the keys to my life.”In a book that fairly bristles with endnotes and indices, one might expect to encounter very dry prose, but Giesler proves to be a graceful and often lively writer. This biography of Saavedra engagingly addresses all the momentous affairs in which he had a hand, and Giesler relies greatly on Saavedra’s diaries and letters. The author points out that his subject was not only savvy in financial matters but was also a talented administrator. The situation in Havana, for example, often pitted the old guard, who not only jealously guarded their privileges but were also overly cautious in military matters, against the young and rash—Bernardo de Gálvez being a good example of the latter. Saavedra, the author establishes, was the perfect go\u002Dbetween, compromiser, and schmoozer, who could handle people set in their ways and young fire\u002Deaters. The powers back in Madrid, including his patron, José de Gálvez, saw the Central American colonies as simply cash cows—but Saavedra, the man who was actually there, in Cuba, in Mexico, and later in Venezuela, realized that the colonists had legitimate grievances and deserved respect and audience. Giesler reveals his subject’s prescience in realizing that if the colonists didn’t get that respect, they would eventually rise in revolt, which is, of course, exactly what happened. Saavedra died in Seville in 1819, perhaps the most respected man in all of Spain at the time—a man for whom the term “national treasure” is fitting."

This compelling historical account chronicles the crucial but often overlooked contributions of Spanish official Francisco de Saavedra during the American Revolutionary War. Drawing from extensive ar...

FREE PIANO (NOT HAUNTED)

the emergence of the ghost of the piano’s original owner from its keyboard: 1980s one\u002Dhit\u002Dwonder pop star Vision. Vision’s cool vibes are eventually too much to resist, though, and she becomes a welcome source of support as Margot reckons with her mom’s long working hours, feeling like her dad’s “dumb invisible daughter,” and the success of @sonsofsmash, her best friends’ social media channel about smashing things, which is gaining the followers she’s desperate for. But Vision isn’t the only ghost in the machine, and Margot may be in danger. The art features amusing details, vivid gradients, and bright colors (like Vision’s candy apple red hair and blue eyeshadow), as well as expressively drawn characters. Margot, who has light skin and blond hair, grapples with feelings of abandonment and betrayal when her existence is clearly a lower priority to her father than his own fame in a way that’s accessible and grounding, balancing emotional depth with the creepy mystery. "

This cleverly titled middle-grade novel delivers exactly what it promises: a free piano with a surprisingly un-supernatural backstory, wrapped in a contemporary tale of friendship and family dynamics...

Friendroid

M.M. Vaughan

“[An] unrelentingly funny sc-fi story.” —BCCB (starred review) Stranger Things meets robots in this sweet and “noteworthy” (Booklist) story about an unlikely friendship between two boys—one human, one android. Danny’s a kid. Eric’s a kid, too. He’s also a robot, but he doesn’t know that. For Danny,

FROM COCINAS TO LUCHA LIBRE RINGSIDES

themes, including “Building Bridges, Building Community” and “Belonging…Dolor y Alegría.” The authors and illustrators run with the inspiration provided by food and sports, exploring the nuances of diaspora culture and belonging through the lens of their diverse Latinx heritages. The varied artistic styles include both full\u002Dcolor and black\u002Dand\u002Dwhite illustrations. While the central focus on Latinx identity is strongly developed throughout, some of the entries feel too similar to one another to stand out on their own, making this collection better for dipping into and browsing than reading cover to cover. Some stories are brief and humorous while others are longer, more thoughtful pieces reflecting on serious topics. The strongest narratives are the ones rooted in memoir and family history, such as Valerie Martínez Cabrera and Andrés Vera Martínez’ “Lamesa” (a story of enduring Chicano cultural pride in mid\u002D20th\u002Dcentury Texas, which features atmospheric, sepia\u002Dtoned illustrations) and “El Limber” by Rafael Rosado (a charmingly buoyant slice\u002Dof\u002Dlife tale set in 1970s Puerto Rico)."

This is the third edition of an established and leading book on family law in Nigeria. Since the last edition in 1990 significant judicial and statutory enactments have taken place in the area of study. The new edition incorporates these changes and explains their implications. The chapters have bee

FROM LANGUAGE TO LANGUAGE

the Stagirite.” In another example, he unpacks how a metaphysical “notion of being would be entirely different” in the West African tonal language Ewe. The book itself is intertextual, emphasizing the collaborative act of knowledge building, as Diagne traces the evolution and lineage of his thinking in elegant prose. The author cites numerous late cultural theorists and philosophers, including Henri Bergson, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, and Léopold Sédar Senghor, as well as present\u002Dday figures, among them Kwame Anthony Appiah, Philippe Dagen, and Sandra Laugier."

This bilingual journey offers young readers a vibrant exploration of how words and meanings transform across cultures, presenting common phrases and everyday vocabulary in parallel languages that inv...

FROM MALICE TO ASHES

Soviet border guards. Before long, the Germans begin mass executions in the woods. Olek manages to help an injured Jewish boy in hiding, and it’s not long before Olek himself is in trouble. Al makes it to the United States and joins the war effort as quickly as he can\u003B soon, he’s back in Europe with Allied forces. Meanwhile, Zeneta is struggling for her life, along with other Lithuanians whom the Soviets have shipped to Siberia. Toyn’s narrative is based on true events—most notably, the horrors of the Ponary Massacre—and it’s at its strongest when describing, without embellishment, unthinkable events. For instance, as German power waned, prisoners were forced to dig up and systematically burn corpses to cover up the fact that there were mass graves in the Ponary forest. This included the placement of thermite grenades to ensure that the fire “burned hot enough to incinerate the bodies”\u003B the resulting blazes would then burn “for three days or until a heap of ashes remained.” The dialogue isn’t always as sharp, as characters sometimes unnecessarily narrate their actions with statements such as “I have a gift for each of you.” Overall, though, the work succeeds in its author’s aim to shed light on “events largely unknown to Western audiences.”"

This gripping YA thriller plunges readers into a world of simmering grudges and explosive consequences, where a single act of revenge spirals into an uncontrollable inferno that consumes an entire co...

FRONT DESK

Kelly Yang

"Inside Out and Back Again" meets "Millicent Min, Girl Genius" in this timely, hopeful middle-grade novel with a contemporary Chinese twist.

Fudge-a-mania

Judy Blume

Fudge is back—and driving his brother Peter crazy, as usual. This five-year-old human hurricane is more trouble than ever. His latest plan is to marry Peter’s sworn enemy, Sheila Tubman (how disgusting!). But Peter’s problems are about to get worse. His parents have decided to share a summer house w

FUJI

a stream of unfamiliar names. The current Fuji took shape around 17,000 years ago. Thus it did not precede humans but grew up among them. It erupted now and then, disastrously in 1707, but has gone quiet for the past few hundred years. From prehistory, humans settled nearby and grew crops—especially tea and mulberry trees for silk—that thrived on the volcanic soil. The volcano’s beauty as well as its behavior attracted attention both mystical and literary. An 18th\u002Dcentury mystic who starved himself to death on Fuji gave rise to a cult, “Fujiko,” devoted to its worship that included a pilgrimage to the summit, which in turn gave rise to a major local industry. Fujiko adopted many Buddhist practices and competed with the more nationalistic Shinto movement. Much of the book details the legal, doctrinal, and organizational quarrels between the three religions. Fujiko did not do well and is now a fringe movement, but almost all religious ceremonies surrounding Fuji evaporated after World War II. The mountain is now a major tourist attraction, fueling quarrels over trash, sanitation, crowds, and the deteriorating environment."

This visually stunning exploration of Japan's iconic mountain offers young readers a breathtaking journey through both natural landscapes and cultural traditions. Through vivid photography and access...

FURNITURE SLIDERS

a mysterious woman whom he only vaguely remembers—she’s another slider, named Alicia, who proves to be as brilliant as he is. She warns him that he’s still in danger from the Mirror, and that its creator, Dr. Emil Krane, plans to continue using it without regard for who it might hurt. The two of them travel to Vienna, Prague, and finally Montevideo in an effort to stop Krane and neutralize—or destroy—the Mirror. Along the way, they meet many old friends and foes, encounter treachery and violence, and face the impact of the past. Bentley does a deft job of keeping the many narrative threads straight, and the story flows well, as do its action sequences. The SF elements are solid: the Mirror is described in fascinating detail, and the ideas behind it are explored thoroughly but not overwhelmingly. The spy and noir elements are less successful\u003B Max is so impossibly talented, so antisocial yet simultaneously alluring that he reads almost like a parody (“You were always the best one of us”). But he’s played straight, and that means there isn’t a lot to him aside from clichés. Alicia is similar, though it’s worth noting that she has agency and perspective beyond the role of a romantic interest. This inventive novel displays a lot of potential, and one hopes that in the future Bentley will apply the same complexity to his characters as he does to his physics."

This practical guide offers clear, step-by-step instructions for moving heavy furniture safely and efficiently using sliding devices. The book covers everything from basic techniques for solo movers ...

Future X

war, plague, and eco-collapse comes across the writings of a fellow survivor in Koszulinski’s SF novel." />

"The Great Gray Plague" is a science fiction short story written by Raymond F. Jones. This riveting story depicts a futuristic civilization coping with the implications of unrestrained technological progress. The plot is set in a dystopian future and revolves around a society that has become overly

GAS GIANT GAMBIT

the San Juan\u002DPaul Waystation bulls—“law enforcement on the Cygnus Trail”—she is rescued by a kind robot, Maurice, and given temporary shelter with the Vega ranching family. With Tilly—her steed sporting a Faster Than Light engine—needing expensive repairs, she must pick up odd jobs to secure the fuel and money (“rubidium and spoons”) to escape. Assuming the name Gus, the wry gunslinger with a beam\u002Dshooting pistol soon learns that lying low won’t be easy in a town where too many things don’t add up: “Strange disappearances. A mining outpost that wasn’t doing any mining.” After a whiskey\u002Dfueled night leads to a bar brawl with Aaron Leconte, son of the greedy town administrator Laszlo, Gus becomes enmeshed in Las Ráfagas’ precarious political situation at the powerful Leconte family’s behest. In her new role as deputy marshal, she uncovers snippets of shady dealings that suggest Laszlo is “snatching natives, trying to force down the price of…land and shares” and attempting to drive away the Vega family. In addition to these abuses of power, she learns that the native Deiopeans—“child\u002Dsized bipedal spiders”—are at risk of deadly exploitation. Gus must saddle up for a new mission: save Las Ráfagas before being killed by the Leconte family’s militia. In this inventive novel, Raye creates an instantly absorbing world, seamlessly marrying SF technology and Western tropes. The floating mining station has a complex history of colonialism with its subjugated robots, genies, and displaced Indigenous population. As readers gradually uncover the scope of the historical abuses of power alongside Gus—an indelible queer protagonist with her share of vices—her reluctant move from a focus on monetary gain to comradeship with the townsfolk is a deeply satisfying one. Gus and the community’s fight for justice is a reflective allegory for contemporary times."

This gripping space opera plunges readers into a high-stakes mission through the turbulent atmosphere of a colossal gas planet, where a young crew must navigate treacherous cloud cities and alien pol...

GHOST CIRCUS

Genre

A high-octane supernatural thriller plunges readers into the eerie world of a cursed circus where the performers are ghosts bound to entertain for eternity. When a skeptical teen is forced to join th...

GHOSTLY ROULETTE

the pack leader, but Joe volunteers to stay to find Parker’s killer. Because of how the murder was committed, vampires, not ghosts, become the primary suspects (“Vampires can transform into bats and clouds of mist as well as exert control over electronic devices”). Joe struggles to find anyone with a motive to kill Parker\u003B he soon learns that the Minnesota woods are full of supernatural creatures working in opposition to each other, and that Parker may have been collateral damage. Joe gets help from an unexpected source: Parker’s ghost appears to him, explaining that recently minted spirits can’t cross over, and that more ghosts are being forced to return from the other side. Joe must determine who is behind this situation and Parker’s murder. Carpenter has fashioned this second volume of his Joe the Werewolf series into an educational outing for his lead character that will prove equally compelling to his readers. In addition to the were\u002Dbeasts, aliens, and vampires with which he’s familiar, Joe here encounters sasquatches, ghosts, and hodags (evil creatures that spring from the ashes of cremated oxen). The revelation that so many exotic beings are living among humans is what makes Carpenter’s work fun—readers will be engaged while encountering various supernatural creatures along with Joe, who gets roped into the role of peacemaker trying to get the various groups to work together against a common threat."

This chilling novel plunges readers into a high-stakes paranormal thriller where a group of teens discovers an antique roulette wheel that doesn't gamble with money, but with spirits and souls. The n...

GHOSTS OF HIROSHIMA

survivors, include the sight of a cart falling from the sky with the hindquarters of the horse pulling it still attached\u003B a young boy who put his hands over his eyes as the bomb hit—and “saw the bones of his fingers shining through shut eyelids, just like an X\u002Dray photograph”\u003B “statue people” flash\u002Dfossilized and fixed in place, covered in a light snowfall of ashes\u003B and, of course, the ghosts—people severely flash\u002Dburned on one side of their bodies, leaving shadows on a wall, the side of a building, or whatever stood nearby. The carnage continued for days, weeks, and years as victims of burns and those who developed various forms of cancer succumbed to their injuries: “People would continue to die in ways that people never imagined people could die.” Scattered in these survivor stories is another set of stories from those involved in the development and deployment of the only two atomic weapons ever used in warfare. The author also tells of the letter from Albert Einstein and Leo Szilard to Franklin D. Roosevelt that started the ball rolling toward the formation of the Manhattan Project and the crew conversations on the Enola Gay and the Bockscar, the planes that dropped the Little Boy on Hiroshima and the Fat Man on Nagasaki. We have to find a way to get along, one crew member said, “because we now have the wherewithal to destroy everything.”"

This gripping historical novel plunges readers into the immediate aftermath of the atomic bomb, following a young survivor's harrowing journey through the ruins of his city. The narrative masterfully...

Gifts of the Heart

Patricia Polacco

Beloved author-illustrator Patricia Polacco’s holiday story is a wonderful ode to the magic of family, Christmas, and giving the right kind of gifts—gifts filled with love. Richie and Trisha want to buy Christmas gifts for their family, but they don't have enough money. Enter Kay Lamity, a new house

GIRL WITH THE SILVER HAIR

their military\u002Dofficer parents they are a post\u002Dnuclear\u002Dapocalypse evolution of mankind, crucial to the survival of a subterranean, locked\u002Ddown United States beset by savage enemies on Earth’s radiation\u002Dscarred surface. Eten is directed to use her deadly brainwaves on an accused “terrorist” leader, but she begins to doubt the tales being fed to her. It transpires that the kids are part of “Project Samson,” an initiative by the American military and government to grow DNA\u002Dmodified test\u002Dtube embryos into weaponized, ESP\u002Daugmented assassins. The Pentagon powers behind Project Samson have learned that maintaining control over these super\u002Dbeings grows difficult over time—especially when the subjects reach puberty—and uncooperative members of the group have been summarily killed. How long can Eten hide her wrathful discontent and rely on the dubious protection offered by a sympathetic guard, or her faux “mom” and “dad”? The premise of youngsters being cultivated by Black Ops agencies as mutant secret weapons is not an original one (there are similar tales by Dean R. Koontz, Stephen King, and John Farris), but Seupel’s take proceeds in an effective, straight\u002Dahead fashion as Eten, a stranger to concepts such as money or menstruation, becomes a fugitive in the “real world”—a very familiar one in the YA\u002Ddystopian genre in which an unjust society is threatened by rising sea levels and violently authoritarian adults. (Trying to ingratiate herself with the fascistic power structure, Eten proclaims, “More than anything in the world, I want to defend our country and make America great again.”) With such strong forward momentum, the material will not require psychic pushes to compel readers to barrel through in one sitting."

A young woman with striking silver hair navigates a world of magic and political intrigue, discovering that her unique appearance is tied to a forgotten prophecy and a hidden power she must learn to ...

GLORY, GRIT AND GREATNESS

what he perceived as the lack of reverence many Americans have for military heroes. This observation, combined with what Carr believes to be a declining historical awareness among young people, prompted the author to write this work, which surveys American heroes “from many eras and walks of life.” The book’s nine chapters can essentially be divided into two categories: biographies of soldiers and those of various historical icons. Many of the war heroes are lesser\u002Dknown figures, such as those covered in the opening chapter on the Torpedo Plane Squadrons of the Battle of Midway. Readers are offered inspirational vignettes about such men as Lloyd Childers, who came from poverty but eagerly volunteered to serve at the outbreak of World War II, and John Thomas Eversole, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy who was among the first American airmen killed in the opening stages of the battle. Other chapters focus on more well\u002Dknown names, from business tycoon John D. Rockefeller and President Calvin Coolidge to boxer Rocky Marciano and songwriter Irving Berlin. These chapters provide sweeping overviews of each individual’s life and contributions while reveling in the idiosyncrasies of the subjects\u003B Rockefeller, readers learn, swallowed a spoonful of olive oil each day and had a proclivity for “canoodling” women in his town car after the death of his wife, while Coolidge refused to install a telephone in his White House office (“the better to avoid chitchat”). A chronic workaholic, Berlin worked on his songs “in taxis and restaurants and while shaving,” and even brought a piano with him on vacations.While not shying away from personal flaws, such as Marciano’s taste for philandering or Rockefeller’s “cutthroat” business practices, the book’s overall tone is celebratory, which may come off as overly hagiographic to skeptical readers. (The same cutthroat Rockefeller, for instance, is subsequently praised for his philanthropy and religiosity.) While generally nonpartisan in his approach to American history, the author unnecessarily wades into contemporary culture wars in his introduction, declaring the work is “for people like [him] who are fed up with America bashing, who would rather salute our flag than sully it.” The book is generally well\u002Dresearched\u003B each chapter is accompanied by its own bibliography. (The sources cited, including works published by contemporary academics over the last decade, contradict Carr’s argument that modern American history books have “either left out or glossed over” heroes of the past.) Aside from the politically charged opening pages and the author’s implied critiques of contemporary history teachers and scholars, the book’s biographical vignettes are written in a welcoming, engaging style that blends encyclopedic overviews with fascinating trivial details. Many include dialogue and novel\u002Dlike scene\u002Dsetting that immerse the reader in the past. The text’s ample inclusion of photographs supplements the work’s engaging and absorbing storytelling. And while all but one of the chapters focus on men (Irving Berlin shares the spotlight with Kathryn Elizabeth Smith, the “First Lady of Radio,” in their combined chapter), the author is careful to emphasize the role of women, albeit in supporting roles, in shaping the lives of his male subjects."

This powerful collection of biographical profiles introduces young readers to extraordinary women whose remarkable achievements have shaped our world, from pioneering scientists and groundbreaking ar...

Go Ask Ozzie

Patricia Polacco

"When Patricia starts junior high, her awful older brother Richie makes her life miserable but after he teaches her to dance she sees that he is not so rotten after all."--Publisher description.

GOAT MAGIC

good fortune, Trill’s magic power is the ability to communicate with goats. Alya, in her goat form, hides from her assailants among Trill’s herd. The girls get off to a rocky start—sheltered Alya has some high\u002Dhanded ways that make Trill bristle—but ultimately, Trill agrees to help the princess. The girls must move quickly, however: Aunt\u002DU, a friend of Trill’s mother whom they seek out for help, informs them that if they don’t destroy the talisman used to place the curse within a month, Alya will remain a goat forever. This fantasy story reads like a classic fairy tale and explores themes of trust in oneself and greater awareness of others. The friendship and love that blossom between Alya and Trill feel natural and endearing. The cartoonlike illustrations employ warm colors that match the tone of the story. Wheeler’s worldbuilding emerges organically from interactions between the characters, sustaining a fast pace and avoiding lengthy explanations. Alya has tan skin, and Trill has medium\u002Dbrown skin."

This middle grade novel delivers a thrilling sports fantasy that will captivate young readers who dream of athletic stardom, blending competitive soccer action with unexpected supernatural elements. ...

GOETHE

a history of 18th\u002Dcentury ideas? How did he make, and respond to, 19th\u002Dcentury ways of looking at the world? Behind all his work is this: What is human nature and what is the place of humankind in the natural world? The great scholarly achievement of this book lies in its synthesis of Goethe’s personal writing (especially his letters) with his public work. It shows how he created modern German as a language for a people—how the German\u002Dspeaking peoples, scattered across small kingdoms, duchies, and imperial lands, could find unity in a literary heritage. This book does not ignore the paradoxes of Goethe’s life. A man of great faith, he was an indefatigable analyst of nature. A proponent of human freedom, he could consort with despots. Goethe enabled us to find philosophy in literature, much as he sought faith in Shakespeare and the Greeks. Bell, a professor at King’s College London, distills an ethical lesson from that search: “Faith is…an expression of compassion. What matters is that our compassion engages with the world….The natural human capacity to feel concern or compassion, rooted deep in our nature, dwarfs any reasoning about good or evil or otherwise of religious doctrine.” That is the lesson of literature, and that is the lesson of this amazing book."

This insightful biography offers young readers a compelling introduction to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the German literary giant whose works spanned poetry, drama, and scientific inquiry. The narrat...

GOLIATH'S CURSE

Genre

This gripping fantasy adventure plunges readers into a world where ancient curses and modern-day heroes collide, delivering a story rich with mythological stakes and relentless pacing. When an ancien...

GOOD AND EVIL AND OTHER STORIES

an eerie threat (a ghostly cat, a telepathic neighbor, a violent guest), we realize we have been party to a central human truth. Some revelations come in the form of body horror, and the gore can be hilariously goofy—a welcome lightness to the more somber scenes of tender caretaking (or unapologetic cruelty). Schweblin and veteran translator McDowell trace the slim barrier between perception and reality with masterful narration, piercing dialogue, stealthy wit, and psychological precision."

This collection of moral tales thoughtfully explores the complex interplay between right and wrong through a series of compelling narratives that will resonate deeply with young adult readers. Each s...

Good Night with The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Eric Carle

Say good night with The Very Hungry Caterpillar! Young readers can snuggle up with The Very Hungry Caterpillar in this gentle picture book perfect for bedtime! Ease little ones to sleep with lullaby-like text and soothing art from the World of Eric Carle.

Good Night, Good Night

Sandra Boynton

With the help of several animal characters, this picture book takes a look at the bedtime ritual.

Good Rosie!

Kate DiCamillo

Beloved storyteller Kate DiCamillo and cartoonist Harry Bliss introduce some delightfully doggy dogs in a warm, funny tale of a timid pup who needs a friend. Rosie is a good dog and a faithful companion to her owner, George. She likes taking walks with George and looking at the clouds together, but

Gooney Bird on the Map

Lois Lowry

Gooney Bird Greene returns for another rollicking classroom adventure in this fifth installment of two-time Newbery Award Winner Lois Lowry's Gooney Bird series.

Goose and the Mountain Lion

Marian Harris

The other animals in the barn suspect a mountain lion of stealing Goose's eggs, but when they stand guard, the eggs keep disappearing anyway.

GRACE PERIOD

selling the house, Mateus has the opportunity to leave the past behind, but the re\u002Demergence of the much denuded Graça in his life, along with his introduction to her chaotic, sensualist daughter, Natália, and Alberta’s steady, phlegmatic decline forces Mateus to confront the fact that the past may be the only time in his life that still feels worth living. Through prose that is both melancholy and brutally keen, this midcentury master’s eye for the scintillating detail at the heart of even the most mundane observation loses nothing in its translation from its original language, culture, or time."

This gritty contemporary novel follows a high school senior navigating the complex aftermath of a family tragedy while trying to secure her college future. The narrative masterfully captures the over...

GRAND FINALES

religion, the Civil Rights Movement, and social injustice to find new outlets for their talents and new ways to engage with the world. Gubar cites many other aging women—artist Faith Ringgold and designer Iris Apfel, and writers Grace Paley, Ursula K. Le Guin, Margaret Atwood, and Annie Ernaux, among others, to ring in on the lively possibilities—of productivity, connection, and reinvention—in one’s last years."

This collection of book reviews offers young readers and their parents a curated guide to contemporary children's literature, providing thoughtful analysis of plot, character development, and age-app...

Grandpa and Grandma's Stories

Gitika Goyal

This collection of intergenerational tales captures the special bond between grandparents and grandchildren through warm, relatable stories that feel both timeless and contemporary. Each narrative ex...

Grandpa Green

Lane Smith

A child explores the ordinary life of his extraordinary great-grandfather, as expressed in his topiary garden.

GRAY DAWN

Genre

This gripping dystopian thriller plunges readers into a world where color has been systematically erased, creating a stark, gray existence that serves as a powerful metaphor for conformity and contro...

Great Joy (midi edition)

Kate DiCamillo

"Newbery Medalist DiCamillo spins a tale of compassion and holiday warmth." — Publishers Weekly (starred review) A New York Times Bestseller A Time Magazine Top 10 Book of the Year Four starred reviews (Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal) It is just before Christmas

Greenwitch

Susan Cooper

The Drew siblings must face a powerful creature from the ocean depths to reclaim the golden grail in this third installment of Susan Cooper’s epic and award-winning The Dark Is Rising Sequence, now with a brand-new look! The priceless golden grail that Simon, Jane, and Barney Drew worked so hard to

Gregor and the Marks of Secret (The Underland Chronicles #4)

Suzanne Collins

Follow Gregor in fourth gripping adventure in Suzanne Collins's masterful New York Times bestselling Underland Chronicles! Now, in the fourth book in Suzanne Collins's New York Times bestselling series, Gregor is drawn into a crisis. For generations, rats have run the mice--or "nibblers"--out of wha

GUEST PRIVILEGES

Genre

This provocative young adult novel explores the complex dynamics of privilege and power through the lens of an exclusive boarding school, where social hierarchies dictate every interaction. The narra...

GUTS

Raina Telgemeier

In a semi-autobiographical graphic novel, the author describes her childhood anxiety, in a story about growing up and gathering the courage to face and conquer her fears.

Half a World Away

Cynthia Kadohata

The new novel from a Newbery Medalist and National Book Award winner. Eleven-year-old Jaden, an emotionally damaged adopted boy, feels a connection to a small, weak toddler with special needs in Kazakhstan, where Jaden's family is trying to adopt a "normal" baby.

HALF PASS SIX

the naturalist William Beebe to study ocean life—first in the Sargasso Sea, and then off the coast of the Galápagos Islands. After the voyage ended, Beebe, with co\u002Dauthor Ruth Rose, published a bestselling account of the journey. Rohrbein was aware of this fact, but it wasn’t until more than 30 years later, when his teenage daughter gave him a handsome hardcover edition of the book, that he gave it much thought. “He was not the kind to read books,” his now\u002Dadult daughter, Lockhart, writes. “The Daily News was enough.” Rohrbein had watched Beebe excitedly dredge specimens from the depths of the ocean, but he’d never understood the meaning of the work. In this blend of history and biography, Lockhart records her father’s firsthand experiences of the expedition, informed by the written account of Beebe, whom the young Rohrbein saw as a sort of parental figure\u003B Rohrbein’s father died years before the expedition. The narrative proves to be an investigation not only into Beebe’s revolutionary nautical discoveries aboard the Arcturus but also into the author’s family history, as Lockhart seeks to understand her taciturn parent, who, in turn, plumbs the depths of his younger years. Lockhart, a novelist, writes with measured lyricism: “Maybe all his life he’s wanted to be back at sea and not be connected to any land at all,” she wonders about her father. “The sea was a new beginning, an introduction to the world between the lands, the world with depths so infinite that it stayed hidden from view.” With its ruminations on migration and finding life in unlikely places, this is a book that will sink deep into the reader’s consciousness."

This compelling narrative weaves together marine biology exploration and personal history, chronicling a young man's transformative journey aboard the Arcturus expedition with naturalist William Beeb...

HAND IN HAND

the handsome, enigmatic luminary. He is 33, married, and the father of five children, all of whom he left (but still supports) for the love of another woman…whom he has also left. Miriam and Nyezhiner meet at a gathering where a collection of poets, essayists, and novelists are exchanging ideas. Later, the two take a walk across the Williamsburg Bridge in a gentle interlude that signals the beginning of what will become a 30\u002Dyear love affair. Although drawn to the moody poet, Miriam is cautious. Still a teenager when she married and had her daughter Dinaleh, she now needs to find her own path. Nyezhimer, on the other hand, quickly becomes obsessed with her. After a painful confrontation with her husband David (“he came closer, very close, then raised his hand and gave her face a hard slap”), Miriam moves in with her brother, sister\u002Din\u002Dlaw, and mother. A distraught Nyezhimer searches for her, occasionally waiting through the night in the street outside her brother’s house. Veprinski’s dramatic autobiographical novel traces the first tumultuous year of the relationship between the author (Miriam in the novel) and the lyric poet Mani Leyb (Nyezhiner). Ellen Cassedy and Anita Norich have translated the melancholy narrative, first published in Yiddish in 1971\u003B they have beautifully captured the rhythms, humor, and intimacy of the original text. The story is a detailed portrait of a time, place, and culture. Populated by a large cast of Yiddish writers of the day (all of the names have been changed), the novel engages readers with an intriguing variety of artistic personalities and temperaments. "

This counting book offers a fresh approach to early math concepts through rhythmic text and vibrant illustrations that follow children's daily activities. Each number from one to ten is introduced th...

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

J.K. Rowling

'Give me Harry Potter,' said Voldemort's voice, 'and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded.' As he climbs into the sidecar of Hagrid's motorbike and takes to the skies, leaving Privet Drive for the last time

HATCHET

Gary Paulsen

This award-winning contemporary classic is the survival story with which all others are compared—and a page-turning, heart-stopping adventure, recipient of the Newbery Honor. Hatchet has also been nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read. Thirteen-year-old Bri

HATE REVISITED!

Genre

This collection of critical essays offers a raw, unflinching examination of contemporary hatred across social, political, and cultural landscapes. The author dissects the mechanisms of animosity with...

HEARTBEATS

1980, atop his sport, fame and media scrutiny fed “a creeping sense of panic.” He retired at 26, a decision he regrets, for he “sank” even lower. He got “hooked” on cocaine, made some business mistakes, and now regards the 1990s as a “lost” decade. Though Borg was drug\u002Dfree during his career, his “memories are fewer” about his biggest wins. When you play well, he explains, it’s “like you’re in a trance.” Accordingly, his accounts of his 11 major tournament titles are sometimes terse. He declines to explain, for instance, how he transcended his relative struggles on Wimbledon’s “fast grass” to eventually win five times. He divulges no hard feelings about his great rivalry with John McEnroe, instead sharing an Odd Couple\u002Desque anecdote about pausing a match to counsel the high\u002Dstrung American: “John, it’s only a game.” Borg is forthright about his failings as a father, insightful about the elite competitor’s mindset, and funny on puny 1970s paydays. He was so focused on the next challenge that he’d leave just\u002Dwon trophies in hotels. He lugged a “Santa sack” containing $1 bills on a flight. Borg recently had prostate cancer surgery. He intends “to beat” the disease. As this likable book shows, he’s still a battler. "

This powerful collection of poetry explores the complex emotional landscape of adolescence, giving voice to the turbulent feelings, first loves, and identity questions that define the teenage years. ...

Heir (A Good Morning America YA Book Club Pick)

Sabaa Tahir

**A Good Morning America YA Book Club Pick** "Heir is a tour de force of fantasy that will leave readers breathless and boneless and aching for more." – Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Once Upon A Broken Heart Prepare for a ruthless and romantic new fantasy from #1 New York

HEIRESSES

virtue of their wealth, became sought\u002Dafter wives by men of all classes. These heiresses owned, managed, or had financial interests in plantations that depended on slave labor, which the women were well aware of and condoned. All, Kaufmann asserts, willfully disregarded the suffering their fortunes depended on. Drawing on family papers, letters, diaries, and portraits, Kaufmann offers richly detailed biographies of the women, along with many of the men and women whom they enslaved. She depicts the back\u002Dbreaking labor required of plantation workers, their degrading living conditions, and the abuse they suffered at the hands of owners, overseers, lawyers, and governors. She depicts, as well, those who rebelled: Betsy Newton, for example, one of 400 enslaved people on a sugar plantation in Barbados, who traveled to London to petition for freedom for herself and her children. The heiresses profiled, Kaufmann reveals, are only a small number of at least 150 other women whose marriages brought wealth to Britain. And plantation owners were only part of the nation’s profiteering from slavery: Britons “invested in slaving voyages, either through direct ownership or by becoming shareholders. Some insured the ships.” Others provided manacles and guns. Importers bought sugar, rum, coffee, and tobacco produced by enslaved workers. Kaufmann discovered that some of her own ancestors were involved in trafficking Africans\u003B two family members were Liverpool slavers. She hopes, through this examination of Caribbean women, to raise awareness of the web of connections to slavery throughout Georgian Britain—connections that persist into the present—and to begin a process of making amends."

This gripping novel plunges readers into the glittering, cutthroat world of ultra-wealthy teenage girls, where immense fortunes and family legacies dictate every friendship and rivalry. The story fol...

HEKATE

Genre

This gripping YA fantasy introduces readers to the powerful goddess of magic and crossroads, weaving ancient mythology into a modern coming-of-age narrative. The story follows a young protagonist's d...

HELLO SUNSHINE

a change in color scheme, can disrupt the flow as readers pause to figure out what’s going on. Most central characters present white, and Izzy and Skylar are Asian."

This vibrant picture book offers a joyful introduction to weather patterns and seasonal changes through the eyes of a curious child exploring their backyard. Young readers will delight in spotting th...

Hello, Universe

Erin Entrada Kelly

Winner of the Newbery Medal “A charming, intriguingly plotted novel.”—Washington Post Newbery Medalist Erin Entrada Kelly’s Hello, Universe is a funny and poignant neighborhood story about unexpected friendships. Told from four intertwining points of view—two boys and two girls—the novel celebrates

Henry and Beezus

Beverly Cleary

Includes an excerpt from Henry and Ribsy.

Henry Bobbity Is Missing

Mark Childress

Aimed at children aged 4 to 8, this fantasy tale has Billy Bobbity banishing his brother from their messy room. But, he soon regrets his action and begins the search for the missing Henry.

HERE WE GO

and Sandy Hazelip “met at a medical mission conference in Dallas” just a few months after Sandy was widowed. The two hit it off and realized that they made not only great friends but also ideal traveling companions. They write, “Traveling together—relying on each other in new thrilling and challenging situations\u003B sharing the intense pleasures of discovery, as well as the humdrum hassles of the journey—has cemented what was already a profound and sustaining friendship.” In this book, they reminisce on their past travels—always on a budget—and their ambitious plan to travel around the world in 80 days at the age of 81. The women not only document their journeys but also make meaning out of their experiences through lessons learned along the way. Braving the “Drake Shake” on board a ship to Antarctica and a three\u002Dhour camel ride across the desert to a Bedouin encampment—and dodging the Russian secret police on the Trans\u002DSiberian Railway—the women reinforce the idea that “aging doesn’t have to mean inertia.” The ebullient narratorial voice, inspirational chapter headings, and well\u002Dchosen anecdotes make the book feel less like a text and more like a conversation between friends. Occasionally, the women’s naïveté of their white privilege tests the reader’s empathy, as when they find themselves stranded in Syria and straining the resources of their hosts, or when they treat sleeper cars, which are common among many socioeconomic classes in the global south, as potentially dangerous. "

This vibrant counting book takes young readers on a lively journey through numbers 1 to 10, using rhythmic text and bold illustrations to build early math skills. The simple, repetitive structure mak...

HEROBEAR AND THE KID VOL. 1

Genre

This charming graphic novel introduces a young boy who inherits a magical teddy bear that transforms into a heroic protector, blending everyday childhood experiences with extraordinary superhero adve...

HIDE & SEEK WITH CLYDE & MONIQUE

Genre

This engaging picture book transforms the classic game of hide-and-seek into an interactive counting adventure, following two playful characters as they search for their hidden friends throughout vib...

HIGH HOPES

Genre

This vibrant picture book offers young readers an inspiring journey through the power of determination and resilience, following a young protagonist who refuses to give up on their ambitious dream. T...

HISTORY MATTERS

me.” Some of McCullough’s appreciations here are of writers who are not much read these days, such as Herman Wouk and Paul Horgan\u003B a long piece concerns a president who’s been largely lost in the shuffle too, Harry Truman, whose decision to drop the atomic bomb on Japan McCullough defends. At his best here, McCullough uses history as a way to orient thinking about the present, and with luck to good ends: “I am a short\u002Drange pessimist and a long\u002Drange optimist. I sincerely believe that we may be on the way to a very different and far better time.”"

This comprehensive history resource offers young readers an engaging journey through pivotal moments that shaped our world, presenting complex historical events with remarkable clarity and narrative ...

HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES

Genre

This comprehensive volume offers young readers an engaging journey through America's past, from indigenous civilizations through modern times, presenting historical events with clarity and vivid stor...

Hogwash!

Karma Wilson

When his stubborn pigs refuse a sudsy cleaning, a determined farmer learns that mud baths can be just as fun.

Holes

Louis Sachar

20 Years in Print Winner of the National Book Award TIME Magazine's 100 Best YA Books of All Time “Dazzling” —Publishers Weekly, starred review “Heartrending” —The Horn Book, starred review “Brilliant” —School Library Journal, starred review “Engrossing” —Kirkus Reviews “A joyful, eerie tour de forc

HOLLYWOOD HIGH

extension, the American teenager." />

This vibrant novel offers an unflinching look at the high school experience through the lens of Hollywood's competitive performing arts scene, where ambitious teens navigate auditions, friendships, a...

HONEY AND HEAT

her father, Rich, for years. Instead, Rich hires Rohit because he reminds the older man of himself—a hard\u002Dworking Indian Canadian immigrant financially supporting his family in India—and hopes Rohit will assume the role of CEO when Rich eventually retires. But when a local newspaper prints an article about the hostile work environment of Kumar Construction, Rich tasks them both with improving employee morale and creating lasting change within the company. After an initial power struggle, Cynthia realizes that Rohit is on her side and allows herself to trust him—in the boardroom and the bedroom. But when Rich fails to see Cynthia’s contributions and announces that he’ll be retiring and leaving the company to his new protégé, all their teamwork can’t erase the hurt it creates in Cynthia. There’s plenty of heat and tension in this rivals\u002Dto\u002Dlovers workplace romance. Cynthia’s black cat energy is an excellent foil to Rohit’s golden retriever adoration, and both characters are given the space to grow and show up for one another. While the secondary characters are a little one\u002Ddimensional, the complicated family dynamics, snappy banter, and spicy sex scenes more than make up for it. Readers will appreciate the empowering Desi representation, a feminist heroine, and a love interest more interested in uplifting and supporting her than challenging her."

This fiery romance follows a young chef who returns to her small hometown to save her family's struggling restaurant, only to clash with the ambitious farmer whose organic honey operation threatens h...

HOOVES OF DEATH

a magical herd of unicorns who happen to be immune to their plague. When food runs scarce, unicorn sergeant Glitter is sent on a scouting mission and stumbles upon Kate, a fierce blond, blue\u002Deyed girl who’s living on her own. The pair team up with two other strong unicorns, but it seems the undead aren’t their only enemy—Kate is being hunted by a Grim, a black wolflike henchman of Death himself. During their quest to unravel the cause of humanity’s downfall, they encounter mischievous sirens and their beefy boyfriends (who are being held hostage), zombie gnomes, a band of Bigfoots, and even a vampire. Though the creatures aren’t the biggest fans of humans, it becomes clear through the nefarious involvement of the horsemen of the apocalypse that Kate just may be the key to ending all the suffering. The violence and general despair balance the cuteness. Bragg’s unicorns are deceptively adorable, even with grenades hanging around their necks and rainbow blood dripping from the zombie bites on their bodies. A sinister cliffhanger will leave readers neighing for the next installment of these heroes’ quest. "

This gripping thriller plunges readers into a high-stakes world where a deadly equine virus, engineered as a biological weapon, threatens to decimate global food supplies and trigger societal collaps...

HOT WAX

Genre

This gritty coming-of-age novel plunges readers into the raw, fluorescent-lit world of a late-night roller rink, where a teenage protagonist navigates the complex social hierarchies and personal betr...

HOTBLOOD! VOL. 1

a sinister sphinx, Elen. Evander’s task is to kill Asa Langley, who’s the director of central west operations for Wakefield Steel and “crazy enough to eat the devil with horns on.” Instead of murdering Asa, Evander works for him, and a turbulent romantic entanglement develops. The pair travels through the United States. After first meeting in Iowa, they make a stop in Davidson, “a shithole town in Wyoming” that has a mine, and the Colorado territory Lynd, where Asa wants to build a railroad connecting to Denver. Evander and Asa consider living in Deseret, a provisional Western state that the inhabitants believe was Jesus’ final resting spot\u003B it’s also a place rich in uranium, copper, and iron. After the duo’s plans are disrupted, Evander eventually gains information about some puzzling questions, helping him make an important decision about his life and relationship with Asa. Using minimal and muted color tones reminiscent of sepia photographs, Orlesky skillfully renders images of an older America, though one inhabited by both humans and nonhumans. In this engrossing series opener, the engaging drawings depict multiple intriguing angles. One frame zooms in on Evander’s hooves crossing a railroad bridge while the next pulls back to show the centaur and a man as small shapes silhouetted against a panoramic sky. Marred by inner pain, Asa and Evander conceal it with laconic language. Their psychological battle, as they struggle not to kill or be killed, can get intense (and confusing), but wordlessly touching each other seems to bring them relief. Through Orlesky’s haunting illustrations of the uninhabited Western landscapes, wide open and natural, readers will get the sense of a land filled with promise and possibility that men like Asa exploit for personal gain."

This high-octane manga debut plunges readers into a world where supernatural creatures secretly live among humans, centering on a hot-headed young man who discovers his own fiery powers aren't just f...

HOTEL MELIKOV

the People’s Party—its deputy leader is a former colleague of his in the fish business—and then by royalists to spy on the other side. Back and forth he goes, double\u002Dtalking his way out of trouble. As part of a group of government officials who disguise themselves in nun’s habits to make it safely to the convent, he is exposed to shocking realities. The actual Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Sorrow are not what they seem (the guns are a dead giveaway) and all of the fake nuns don’t seem to be on the same page with each other. The king, who was outfitted as “Sister Karla” to evade detection, is befuddled by the situation. “So, the prisoners are dressed as nuns and the nuns are dressed as prisoners?” he asks. Seeming pumped with helium, ever light on its feet, the novel keeps springing satirical delights and hilariously absurd scenes. It’s a flawlessly entertaining read that raises expectations for the third installment in the series."

A sophisticated mystery unfolds within the opulent, yet decaying, walls of the Hotel Melikov, where a young protagonist must navigate a labyrinth of family secrets and spectral whispers. This atmosph...

HOUSE OF SMOKE

becoming the director of the Southern Foodways Alliance. That brought him into an ever\u002Ddeepening appreciation for Black food traditions, and out of that grew the aim of sponsoring “honest conversations about slavery and its legacies” with food as an instrument of healing. Results didn’t quite work out as hoped: Edge found himself challenged by activists such as the Nigerian\u002Dborn chef Tunde Wey, who told him, “You have endorsed and celebrated the appropriation of Black Southern food without consequence.” The denouement finds Edge recognizing the justice of that statement without self\u002Dpity and committing himself to “my ongoing reconstruction.”"

This gritty urban fantasy plunges readers into a world where ancient magic smolders beneath the streets of a modern metropolis, following a young protagonist who discovers a hidden society of smoke-w...

HOUSE OF THE BEAST

her outcast single mother in the countryside, doesn’t know of her station, and has a lonely and isolating childhood, often conjuring an imaginary friend for comfort. When her mother falls terminally ill, Alma manages to send word to her unknown father begging for help, and is met with a powerful vessel of the Dread Beast—the god of death. In exchange for her mother’s healing, Alma agrees to serve House Avera in support of her father’s ascension to First Hand of the Beast, and the girl is whisked away by her father while her mother lies dying. Unaware of nearly everything about the gods and the families bound to them, she discovers the first step in service to the House and its deity is severing her arm in sacrifice to the Beast. Despite her actions, her mother dies, but Alma is forced to continue serving her father’s ambitions anyway. As her grief rages and her father’s betrayal is palpable everywhere in the Avera estate, the flames of revenge are fanned by her once\u002Dimaginary friend, Aster, who reveals himself to be so much more—a spirit that’s taken on human form. With Aster as proof of her strong connection to the Dread Beast, together they devise a plan to prove her worthiness as a vessel of the Beast and challenge her father’s rank. All that’s required is that she train for a Pilgrimage to the umbral plane—a twisted alternate dimension filled with monsters and terror—to kill a star and rise in rank to become the First Hand of the Beast herself. From the opening pages, with Alma’s arm strapped to a fountain and her father standing overhead with a sword ready to give her limb as an offering, the prose strikes hardest when Wong writes visceral body horror. This page\u002Dturning epic continually exposes the monster within each character, pushing them to confront it head\u002Don and fight relentlessly for the good they possess deep within."

This chilling horror novel plunges readers into a decrepit mansion where ancient evil awakens, delivering a masterclass in atmospheric dread and supernatural suspense. The narrative expertly builds t...

House Party

justin a. reynolds

How many love stories can play out over the course of a single house party? Find out in this vibrant collaborative novel from ten bestselling and critically acclaimed authors: Angeline Boulley • Jerry Craft • Natasha Díaz • Lamar Giles • Christina Hammonds Reed • Ryan La Sala • Yamile Saied Méndez •

Houseboat Girl

Lois Lenski

DIVDIVWhat would it be like to live on a houseboat on the Mississippi River with two parents, four kids, eight chickens, several turtles, a dog, and a cat? Patsy and her family are about to find out! /divDIVAt first, Patsy is upset when her parents decide to move from their home in River City, Illin

How to End a Love Story

Yulin Kuang

A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK! “Emotional, relatable and binge-worthy." –Tessa Bailey “I’ll read anything she writes. An absolute star." –Emily Henry “I was hooked on the very first page. Don't miss this one!" — Carley Fortune Two writers with a complicated history end up working on the same TV show... C

HOW TO SURF A HURRICANE

the company\u003B Miki, a former oil worker who desperately needs money to help his sick father\u003B and Victoria Wood, an innovator in the brand\u002Dnew sport of hurricane surfing, in which pilots of small, specially built watercraft attempt to set speed records in potentially deadly weather conditions. Is it the perfect team to pull off the riskiest corporate heist of all time? Maybe—but only if the weather cooperates. Medema weaves imaginative climate\u002Drelated technologies into his story, from the luxury ski habitats that Miki builds on top of snowdrifts in Alaska to the hurricane seeding that Moro undertakes to ensnare the Pyxis Cloud: “It’s about applying a small amount of leverage and waiting,” he explains. “The government’s been experimenting with this technology since 1947. I’m just the first private citizen to seed one. For all we know.” Hurricane surfing is a particularly inspired creation, as well. Despite some early pacing issues, the premise is a winning one, and readers will quickly find themselves caught in the cyclone of Medema’s story."

Born at the end of the 1930s depression, New Zealander John Broomfield began a lifetime of travels as an infant that took him to every corner of his rugged homeland and ultimately around the world. Readers of his first memoir, Carried on Great Winds, admire his capacity to combine radical political

HUMAN HISTORY ON DRUGS

professing that he’s obsessed by the past—and that, being on the autism spectrum, “I develop an almost physical compulsion to know everything there is to know on a subject.” This lively book is proof positive, a whole warren of rabbit holes that lead to unexpected vignettes about the mind\u002Daltering habits of the likes of George Washington (laudanum), Queen Victoria (ganja), Elvis Presley (the whole medicine cabinet), and Adolf Hitler (“coked out of his mind”). Kelly reaches deep into the past, reckoning that people have enjoyed various means of bending reality since there have been people: One early case is Marcus Aurelius, the brilliant Roman emperor whose Meditations Kelly likens to “The Art of the Deal [if it] had been written by Jesus Christ instead of Donald Trump” and whose chronic pain was relieved by goodly doses of opium prescribed by his physician, none other than the famed medical encyclopedist Galen. Young Judy Garland was prescribed mounds of pills at the behest of studio executives who “preferred to get her addicted to drugs and ruin her life than give her a reasonable work schedule.” The Beatles, of course, famously got so ripped that, as the comedian Bill Hicks used to quip, they let Ringo sing—but, Kelly notes, even though they were fairly open about their drug use (John Lennon: “I’ve always needed a drug to survive”), they also denied being proselytes, about which Kelly brightly remarks that if simply mentioning drugs brings down the (silver) hammer, “well, then, frankly, I’m in a lot of trouble.” And Shakespeare? As Kelly notes, “pipes with cannabis residue” have been found in the Bard’s garden—and besides, “his plays are filled with characters who ingest all manner of fantastical pharmaceutical concoctions.”"

This provocative exploration of psychoactive substances throughout civilization offers a bold, unflinching look at how drugs have shaped human culture, religion, and society from ancient rituals to m...

HUSK

a “collapse,” and the city of Epsilon, which was once a university. Isaac proves to be an engaging protagonist who rolls with the punches, enduring physical threats, betrayals, and his world being thrown into a tailspin. The supporting cast is equally compelling\u003B with the exception of Sophie, the characters sow doubt as Isaac questions whether he can trust people he’s long known and any number of individuals he encounters for the first time. There are a few action scenes, but much of this opening installment is devoted to exposition as Isaac uncovers information along with the reader (there are copious secrets tied to Meru). This leads to a string of wonderfully staggering revelations all the way to the cliffhanger ending. "

This gritty survival thriller plunges readers into a desolate, post-apocalyptic world where a group of teenagers must navigate a landscape ravaged by a mysterious blight. The protagonist's journey is...

I AM NOT YOUR ENEMY

contrast, Edward Snowden leaked 1.5 million pages.) Winner’s crime was to send those printed pages to an online site that specialized in national security matters. As she writes, astonishingly, a staffer described the pages to a source who in turn notified the FBI\u003B meanwhile, the staffer also called the NSA and sent photographs of the printed pages, violating “standard Reporting 101 protocols for journalists who need to confirm the authenticity of leaked documents.” Traced to her by virtue of a printer code, the document occasioned her arrest and conviction under the terms of the Espionage Act of 1917, meant as a legal tool against German secret agents during World War I. After 15 months in jail, a plea bargain earned her a spot in federal prison, “a vacation, filled with activities and amenities,” compared to where she’d been. Winner writes candidly about the hellish nature of incarceration in America, from constant violence to boredom and the challenge of contending with conflicting and arbitrary rules, with her fellow prisoners more often than not less dangerous than the staff: “These weirdos, outcasts, and criminals loved me, and I loved them back.”"

This powerful young adult novel tackles the complex realities of racial prejudice and police violence through the eyes of a white teenager whose worldview shatters after witnessing a violent arrest i...

I WANNA BE YOUR GIRL

big ideas and big feelings. The shōjo manga–style art is cute and expressive. The translation feels slightly unpolished, however, relying heavily on footnotes rather than conveying the original more loosely. At times, understanding the original Japanese vocabulary is critical, but elsewhere Procter uses the original Japanese, defined in a footnote (e.g., “a derogatory slang term for an effeminate male”) when simply using an equivalent English term would have led to a smoother reading experience. But overall this series opener is an earnest and enjoyable beginning to Hime and Akira’s story."

A raw and resonant coming-of-age story follows a transgender teen navigating the treacherous waters of high school, first love, and self-discovery with heartbreaking honesty. This powerful narrative ...

I WISH I DIDN'T HAVE TO TELL YOU THIS

Genre

This powerful young adult novel tackles the complex emotional landscape of a teenage girl navigating her mother's mental health crisis with unflinching honesty. When her mother's depression becomes o...

I, ROBOT ALIEN

the author are generated via AI."

This young adult science fiction novel explores the complex relationship between a sentient robot and an extraterrestrial being, blending artificial intelligence themes with interstellar adventure. T...

I'd Know You Anywhere, My Love

Nancy Tillman

With over five million books sold, Nancy Tillman again proves that celebrating the love in families strikes a chord with parents and children everywhere.

I'M NOT TRYING TO BE DIFFICULT

accompanying his father, a liquor inspector who “would make a buck on the side by taking a restaurant’s application from the bottom of the pile and moving it to the top” and dined free to boot at storied places like Dubrow’s Cafeteria and Paul \u0026amp\u003B Jimmy’s. Lacking the money and the academic record to go to a top\u002Dflight hotel school in Europe, he enrolled at Cornell—but not before logging time at a McDonald’s, of which he writes, “To this day, it’s one of the greatest gigs I’ve ever had.” Other great gigs followed, from waiting tables on a Scandinavian cruise ship to founding the legendary Nobu chain of restaurants. Along the way, very much in the spirit of Anthony Bourdain (albeit with fewer hangovers and parallel lines), Nieporent dishes out secrets of the trade: If you have a small kitchen, then have a small menu, which allows you to “control food costs, prep work, and the timing of cooking and service”\u003B don’t ask a customer whether everything is all right, which “implies that something might be wrong”\u003B don’t do a deal with Donald Trump (“I could barely get a word in edgewise”)\u003B and, above all, “Just do your job, and do it well.” A bonus in this lively memoir, which pairs well with a robust red or an egg cream, is some well\u002Dplaced name\u002Ddropping, with the likes of Robin Williams, Ruth Reichl, partner Robert De Niro, Bruce Springsteen, and Spike Lee popping up at turns. The takeaways are many, but perhaps the most memorable is one that anyone who’s worked on the line will know: If you’re in the restaurant business, your life is not your own."

This candid exploration of adolescent identity and family dynamics follows a young protagonist navigating the turbulent waters of growing up while feeling constantly misunderstood by the adults in th...

IF ANYONE BUILDS IT, EVERYONE DIES

their alarming title, Yudkowsky and Soares issue a stark warning: Unless we act now to contain powerful superintelligent AI systems, humanity may not survive. Yudkowsky, co\u002Dfounder of the Machine Intelligence Research Institute, and Soares, its president, target politicians, CEOs, policymakers, and the general public in their urgent plea. The book opens with an accessible breakdown of what AI is, how it’s built, and why even its creators often can’t comprehend the accelerating complexity of their own systems. Through parablelike vignettes, the authors expose the underlying realities of AI algorithms—advanced AIs are not engineered so much as grown, operating with opaque and unpredictable results, untethered from human values. The most chilling passages describe how AIs could escape computers and manipulate the physical and financial worlds, eventually repurposing Earth’s resources to serve alien objectives or replacing humanity with their own “favorite things.” The authors warn, “Nobody has the knowledge or skill to make a superintelligence that does their bidding,” arguing that world governments must cooperate to restrict or ideally halt AI research. Policymakers have not yet grasped the full implications of these advanced systems, and the public hasn’t felt the impact in their lives, but the authors caution they must be persuaded to act immediately. While some scenarios seem extreme or unrealistic, including hoping global leaders can agree on defining the problem or collaborating on solutions, the book’s arguments that the risks are elevated and time is short are persuasive. There is excellent information and food for thought here, including links to resources for readers motivated to join the fray."

This explosive thriller plunges readers into a high-stakes technological nightmare where a brilliant but reckless inventor creates a device with catastrophic potential, forcing a race against time to...

If I Were a Lion

Sarah Weeks

A little girl pleas her innocence from her time-out chair by contrasting her behavior with that of wild and ferocious animals.

IN MOURNING

the author’s depictions of her mother holding, praising, and arguing with her\u003B working as an ER nurse\u003B or volunteering at the dog shelter. Throughout, the memoir avoids sentimentality as it depicts destabilizing loss (“The only times that came to mind were when we fought. Something we did a ton of”) and tells a story that lingers long after the final page."

This stark exploration of grief and loss provides young readers with an unflinching look at the emotional landscape of mourning, offering a raw and honest portrayal of how different individuals proce...

Incredible Adventures

Pearson Education

Rigby Navigator's engaging programme of fiction and non-fiction texts helps you deliver creative, effective guided reading sessions for all your Key Stage 2 children. Now there's added breadth with Rigby Navigator Poetry and Plays, perfect for helping you deliver speaking, listening and drama object

INNER CLARITY

many motivational quotes, both familiar and less well\u002Dknown. River’s tone throughout is upbeat and reassuring\u003B his text gives readers the strong impression that he has experienced some of the things they might be coming to his book to explore. He’s consistently clear\u002Deyed about detecting possible abusive elements in seemingly positive things\u003B “people pleasing may look like generosity on the outside,” he writes in a typical passage, “but it often comes with a cost—resentment, burnout, loss of identity, and even emotional manipulation.” The most refreshing aspect of the work is the author’s encouragement to readers to take an active part in their own personal renewals."

This guide to mindfulness and self-awareness offers young readers practical tools for navigating the complex emotions and social pressures of adolescence. The book breaks down abstract concepts like ...

INTO THE BEWILDERNESS

Genre

This middle-grade fantasy adventure plunges readers into a world where ancient forests conceal magical creatures and long-forgotten secrets, following siblings who discover a hidden portal behind the...

INTO THE FIRE

other characters, forcing Freya into a passive role, though the ending suggests she may come into her own in the upcoming final installment."

This gripping survival thriller plunges readers directly into a raging wildfire, following a group of teens whose wilderness camping trip becomes a desperate fight for their lives. The author masterf...