Fiction

The Flying Beaver Brothers and The Evil Penguin Plan
Maxwell Eaton III
Meet Ace and Bub, the flying beaver brothers! Ace loves extreme sports and is always looking for a new adventure. Bub loves napping and, well, napping. But when penguins threaten to freeze Beaver Island for "resort and polar-style living," the brothers put their talents to work saving their tropical island paradise. Can they save Beaver Island from environmental destruction? And can they do it in time to still win the annual Beaver Island Surfing Competition?
Book Details

Horse Diaries: Black Cloud
Patricia Hermes, Astrid Sheckels
Born in Northern Nevada in 1950, Black Cloud is a black-and-white mustang colt. He loves roaming free with the rest of his herd, playing with the other foals, and learning the ways of wild horses. But when humans intrude on this wandering life, Black Cloud's world is changed forever. Like Black Beauty, this moving novel is told in first person from the horse's own point of view and includes an appendix full of photos and facts about mustangs and the history of the laws protecting them.
Book Details

Mason Dixon: Basketball Disasters
Guy Francis, Claudia Mills
Here's the third entry in Claudia Mills' charming middle-grade series. Mason Dixon survived the school choir. He survived adopting his now-beloved dog named, uh, Dog. But now he faces his biggest challenge yet: joining the local basketball team. Not by choice, of course. Not only do his parents encourage it, but his dad even volunteers to be his coach. Now, with his best pal Brody and a team of misfits even worse at basketball than him (if that's possible), Mason must try to rally to beat his arch-rival, the school bully Dunk. Just another day-in-the-life of a disaster-prone fourth grader.
Book Details

Solo
Sarah Schofield
Eliana Davis is no stranger to moving from one place to another, but moving in the middle of the school year to the small town where her parents grew up is something she never thought would happen. Knowing she will only be there the year her dad is deployed, Eliana is torn between letting people in or keeping to herself. Will she listen to her heart or keep flying solo?
Book Details

Oreo
Valerique Williams
Thirty years ago when Jayenia’s parents immigrated from Africa to America and worked their way from the bottom up to secure a life for their children that they could not have, they never dreamed it would result in the unavoidable unhappiness of their youngest daughter. For Jayenia, growing up in white suburbia as an African American girl takes a toll on her self image and skews her understanding of who she thinks she is suppose to be. When she looks in the mirror she does not like what she sees: Too black on the outside to be white and too white on the inside to be black, leaving Jayenia feeling confused and alone during what should be a "fun" time in her life. According to her, everything is wrong about her: Her hair, her skin, her voice, the way she acts, everything! On top of all this she is just entering high school, which she happens to be excited about, until after the first day. Oreo, sheds light on what many African Americans go through when trying to fit into a society that has not always been a fan of dark skin. While being ridiculed by her own race and rejected by the other Jayenia has mental battles with herself that result in what will be some of the most difficult times of her adolescent life.
Book Details

Saving Bobby
Para Graphic, Lea Ellen Borg, Crystal Cattabriga
When Bobby's world came crashing down on his thirteenth birthday, he knew his life would never be the same again. After losing most of his family before ever becoming a teenager, Bobby was determined not to lose the only person who ever truly loved him and was always their for him—his mom. Struggling with the fear of losing his mother to cancer, Bobby takes it upon himself running away in search for a way to save her. Along Bobby's journey, he meets Annie, a runaway. Together, they embark on a road where they both find a friendship that will last forever and the true meaning of God. Will Bobby save his mother in time and will Annie go back to the life she had? Experience this journey with Bobby and Annie and feel the power of true determination, and what God can do, if you just let Him into your heart...
Book Details

The Rock of Ivanore
Laurisa White Reyes
The annual Great Quest is about to be announced in Quendel, a task that will determine the future of Marcus and the other boys from the village who are coming of age. The wizard Zyll commands them to find the Rock of Ivanore, but he doesn’t tell them what the Rock is exactly or where it can be found. Marcus must reach deep within himself to develop new powers of magic and find the strength to survive the wild lands and fierce enemies he encounters as he searches for the illusive Rock. If he succeeds, he will live a life of honor; if he fails, he will live a life of menial labor in shame. With more twists and turns than a labyrinth, and a story in which nothing is at it seems, this tale of deception and discovery keeps readers in suspense until the end.Middle readers will find that The Rock of Ivanore fits nicely among the traditional fantasies they so enjoy. They will also appreciate its fresh and inventive take on the genre.
Book Details

Perfected By Girls
Karen Grove, Jennifer Martino Nehrbauer, Alfred C. Martino
Navigating high school isn't easy for Melinda Radford. She’s the lone girl on the Ashton High wrestling team, grappling with opponents who refuse to compete against her, a few who want to crush her, and a coach who's less-than-pleased having a female in his practice room. At home, Mel’s parents forbid her from seeing her new boyfriend, her grandmother insists she start preparing for her future by taking a dreary office internship, and her infuriating older brother, who’s the varsity team captain, flirts with her best friend, Jade. Just when it seems things can't get any more complicated, an off-handed comment puts Mel at odds with her teammates, her brother, and, worst of all, her coach. But through a twist of tragedy and fate, Mel is given an unexpected opportunity to accomplish something no girl in her school's history has ever done—something that just may redeem her in the eyes of her detractors. Is she strong enough to handle the pressure?Alfred C. Martino is the author of two highly-acclaimed young adult novels, Over The End Line and the Jr. Library Guild Selection and Best Books For Young Adults nominee, Pinned. Amateur wrestling has been a part of Alfred's life for over thirty-five years. He has competed on the midget, junior high, high school and collegiate levels, as well as coached Millburn's youth program for nearly a decade. Mr. Martino was born and raised in Short Hills, NJ, and graduated from Millburn High School, where he was captain of school's 1982 wrestling team. He is a graduate of Duke University and The Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California. He currently lives in Jersey City, NJ.
Book Details

The Modern Fae's Guide to Surviving Humanity
Patricia Bray, Joshua Palmatier
What if the fae were still here, living among us? Perhaps living in secret, doing their best to pass for human? Or perhaps their existence is acknowledged, but they're still struggling to fit in. How have they survived? Are they outcasts clinging to the edges of society, or do their powers ensure success in the mortal realm? Here are fourteen fabulous tales—ranging from humor to dark fantasy—that explore how the creatures of fae are fitting into the modern world.From a mortal who offers to do internet marketing for Oberon...to a woman bent on reclaiming her baby from the Queen of the fae...to a dryad grove menaced by urban expansion...to a Selkie in need of a new home and career...these are original looks at how the world of the imagination can survive and perhaps even thrive in the everyday mortal lands.
Book Details

UnEarthed
Jodi Moran, Rebecca Bloomer
If you’re going to colonise a planet, you’d better be willing to fight for it. Within Anphobos, there grows a new race. The first generation of humans never to set foot on Earth. They are pale skinned, large eyed and worship no god but science. They possess technological skills and processes Earth has refused to acknowledge. Until now…“We are Martian. Your religion isn’t ours. Our god is Mars. Our religion is science. Anything we do in the service of Mars, is good. Make no mistake, Earth girl, we are both right and good.”Fresh off Earth, Jodi Scarfield doesn’t really care for Mars or its politics. Still, accusations of treason will get a girl’s attention...