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Evolution Revolution: Simple Machines
Synopsis: In a quiet wood, a gray squirrel declares war on the machines that invade his wood, threatening his nest and tree. Taught words and how to use simple machines like the wheel by a young boy who names him Jack, the squirrel shares what he's learned with the other animals.
 
Jack thinks he can stop the bulldozers, if he can convince the other woodland animals to join him in the fight. But as they take on the humans and their machines, people are noticing that Jack and his friends are smarter than ordinary forest animals. All of them are in more danger than they realize. Even if Jack and the animals win the battle, will they lose the war?
 
Evolution Revolution is a smart and charming book for younger readers that will have them wondering just what the animals in the yard are up to! Watch for the next book in this series coming soon.
Publication Date: 09/22/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Animals
The Littlest Bigfoot
Jennifer Weiner
Synopsis: A New York Times Bestseller

“A charming story about finding a safe place to let your freak flag fly.” —People

“Young readers who have ever felt too big or been made to feel small will feel just right in the cheerful glow of Weiner’s contemporary fairy tale.” —The New York Times Book Review

From the New York Times bestselling author of Hungry Heart Jennifer Weiner comes a laugh-out-loud funny and painstakingly real tale of friendship, furry creatures, and finding the place where you belong.

Alice Mayfair, twelve years old, slips through the world unseen and unnoticed. Ignored by her family and shipped off to her eighth boarding school, Alice would like a friend. And when she rescues Millie Maximus from drowning in a lake one day, she finds one.

But Millie is a Bigfoot, part of a clan who dwells deep in the woods. Most Bigfoots believe that people—NoFurs, as they call them—are dangerous, yet Millie is fascinated with the No-Fur world. She is convinced that humans will appreciate all the things about her that her Bigfoot tribe does not: her fearless nature, her lovely singing voice, and her desire to be a star.

Alice swears to protect Millie’s secret. But a league of Bigfoot hunters is on their trail, led by a lonely kid named Jeremy. And in order to survive, Alice and Millie have to put their trust in each other—and have faith in themselves—above all else.
Publication Date: 09/13/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Adventure
The Distance Between Us: Young Readers Edition
Synopsis: Award-winning author Reyna Grande shares her compelling experience of crossing borders and cultures in this middle grade adaptation of her “compelling…unvarnished, resonant” (BookPage) memoir, The Distance Between Us.

When her parents make the dangerous and illegal trek across the Mexican border in pursuit of the American dream, Reyna and her siblings are forced to live with their stern grandmother, as they wait for their parents to build the foundation of a new life.

But when things don’t go quite as planned, Reyna finds herself preparing for her own journey to “El Otro Lado” to live with the man who has haunted her imagination for years: her long-absent father. Both funny and heartbreaking, The Distance Between Us beautifully captures the struggle that Reyna and her siblings endured while trying to assimilate to a different culture, language, and family life in El Otro Lado (The Other Side).
Publication Date: 09/06/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Nonfiction
Skyborn
Lou Anders
Synopsis: For fans of Lloyd Alexander and Brandon Mull comes the epic conclusion to the acclaimed Thrones and Bones fantasy-adventure trilogy that began with Frostborn.
 
Find the Horn. Free the City.
 
The chase continues for the legendary Horns of Osius. Thianna and Karn’s quest to retrieve the horns from those who wish to abuse their power takes them to Thica, an ancient land where two tyrant queens reign supreme and where years earlier Thianna’s mother was labeled a traitor. Soon the two heroes are caught up in an epic battle for control of the kingdom, one that puts their very lives at stake. The only way to overthrow the queens is to beat them at their own game. But with an entire empire against them, how can Karn and Thianna hope to compete—or better yet, survive?
 
The novel includes instructions for playing the board game the Queen’s Champion, a Thican timeline, and King Herakles Hammerfist’s recipe for the Best Spanakopita Ever. Visit ThronesandBones.com for additional games, maps, character profiles, and more!
 
Praise for the Thrones and Bones series
“Future fans of Tolkien and George R. R. Martin can happily cut their serial-fantasy teeth on this first book of an eventual series.” —Kirkus Reviews
 
* “A powerful, fast-paced tale. . . . The setting is rich, the characters well-defined, and the danger ever-paramount.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred
 
“Good pacing, well-drawn characters, and engaging action scenes. And yes, there’s the promise of more to come.” —Booklist 
Publication Date: 09/06/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fantasy
The Secret of the Sphinx
Synopsis: Middle Grade Readers: Buckle your seatbelts for a rollercoaster time-travel adventure back to ancient Egypt.

When Jon encounters a sphinx on a class trip to the museum, little does he know that his life is about to change forever. The sphinx whisks Jon away in the dead of night to ancient Egypt, and Jon is thrown into a world of mystery, sorcery, and adventure.

Jon must overcome his fears and battle evil forces to discover the identity of the sorcerer who imprisoned the soul of the king's vizier in the stone sphinx, to remain there forever.

Enter the magical world of ancient Egypt in The Secret of the Sphinx.

Publication Date: 09/06/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fantasy
The Pathway to Dragons: Book I: The Portal to Pyranis
Synopsis: The Pathway to Dragons

The Portal to Pyranis


Nine-year-old Billy Jones dreams of having a pet dragon! After finding an odd book in the library titled The Pathway to Dragons, he and his two best friends, Maura and Roy, are off for a summer adventure at his Grandma Meg's beach house. Once there, strange events begin happening, and Billy is reminded that his Grandfather Hugo has been missing for many years. It's a family mystery. While strolling on the beach, the kids discover an underwater stone arch. They decide to swim through it, and...WHOOSH! They are transported to a fantastical forest, with a view of castle ruins on a distant hill! There, they meet young Talia, and Billy learns that a dragon egg belonging to his family is about to hatch. But beware the dragon hunters!

About the Author
Written for children by an author their age, eleven-year-old Hannah Hoffman hopes to inspire other young dreamers. If she's not at the barn, or in Pyranis, you will most likely Find Hannah sitting at her desk, coming up with new adventures for Talia and Billy!
Publication Date: 09/06/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Series
The Secret of the Puzzle Box
Synopsis: The Code Busters are excited for their class field trip to Angel Island, known as the Ellis Island of the West. One of Mika's ancestors passed through the island's immigration station in the early twentieth century, and Mika thinks he may have left behind some secret messages . . . plus a very special box. But as the Code Busters search for hints from the past, they get caught up in an even bigger secret.

Can you crack the code? Test your brain with the Code Busters to see if you have the right stuff to be an ace detective. Answers are in the back, in case you get stuck.
Publication Date: 09/01/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Series
Blast from the North
David Zeltser
Synopsis: After saving his clan from saber-toothed tigers, Lug the caveboy has become a hero. The only problem: between the nightmares and his sudden skittishness around animals, he doesn't feel like much of a hero. But now he and his friends, Stony and Echo, have even bigger problems. A giant glacier is rolling toward their village faster than any ordinary mass of ice should move and it's on course to crush the whole settlement! Maybe Blast, the mysterious northern boy who lives on the glacier, can help Lug's clan. Or maybe it will be up to Lug to save the day again, whether he's ready to or not.
Publication Date: 09/01/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Series
Top Prospect
Paul Volponi
Synopsis: Travis Gardner lives to play quarterback. He's a standout QB by the middle school, and he's prepared to put everything he has into the game. Then Gainesville University's head coach makes Travis a promise: Travis will have a place on the team, and a scholarship to go with it. He just has to get through high school first.

As Travis starts ninth grade, he'll have to earn his teammates' trust and dodge opponents aiming to sack the star quarterback. But his biggest challenge might be staying focused in the face of sudden fame. Because now the pressure is on, and Travis has to prove himself with every pass.

Publication Date: 09/01/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
Full of Beans
Jennifer L. Holm
Synopsis: Winner of the Scott O'Dell Award
Five Starred Reviews!
A New York Public Library Best Book for Kids, 2016

Grown-ups lie. That’s one truth Beans knows for sure. He and his gang know how to spot a whopper a mile away, because they are the savviest bunch of barefoot conchs (that means “locals”) in all of Key West. Not that Beans really minds; it’s 1934, the middle of the Great Depression. With no jobs on the island, and no money anywhere, who can really blame the grown-ups for telling a few tales? Besides, Beans isn’t anyone’s fool. In fact, he has plans. Big plans. And the consequences might surprise even Beans himself.

Return to the wonderful world of Newbery Honor Book Turtle in Paradise through the eyes of Turtle’s cousin Beans!

"A surprising coming-of-age story with a remarkably honest message." —The New York Times

"[Holm] captures this colorful slice of Depression history with her usual vivacious wit. . . . Children will love Beans." —Shelf Awareness, Starred

"A novel as entertaining as the motion pictures [Beans] loves to see."—The Horn Book Magazine, Starred

“Inspired by actual events, Holm’s talent for writing historical fiction is on full display. . . . Interesting family and small-town dynamics further enrich this fascinating account of a young boy’s life in Florida’s ‘Recovery Key.’” —Booklist, Starred

"Filled with humor, heart, and warmth." —Kirkus Review, Starred

"Entertaining and illuminating historical fiction." —Publishers Weekly, Starred
Publication Date: 08/30/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Series
Ghost
Jason Reynolds
Synopsis: A National Book Award Finalist for Young People’s Literature.
Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read.

Ghost wants to be the fastest sprinter on his elite middle school track team, but his past is slowing him down in this first electrifying novel of a brand-new series from Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award–winning author Jason Reynolds.

Ghost. Lu. Patina. Sunny. Four kids from wildly different backgrounds with personalities that are explosive when they clash. But they are also four kids chosen for an elite middle school track team—a team that could qualify them for the Junior Olympics if they can get their acts together. They all have a lot to lose, but they also have a lot to prove, not only to each other, but to themselves.

Running. That’s all Ghost (real name Castle Cranshaw) has ever known. But Ghost has been running for the wrong reasons—it all started with running away from his father, who, when Ghost was a very little boy, chased him and his mother through their apartment, then down the street, with a loaded gun, aiming to kill. Since then, Ghost has been the one causing problems—and running away from them—until he meets Coach, an ex-Olympic Medalist who sees something in Ghost: crazy natural talent. If Ghost can stay on track, literally and figuratively, he could be the best sprinter in the city. Can Ghost harness his raw talent for speed, or will his past finally catch up to him?
Publication Date: 08/30/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Series
Framed! A T.O.A.S.T. Mystery
Synopsis: Get to know the only kid on the FBI Director’s speed dial and several international criminals’ most wanted lists all because of his Theory of All Small Things in this hilarious start to a brand-new middle grade mystery series.

So you’re only halfway through your homework and the Director of the FBI keeps texting you for help…What do you do? Save your grade? Or save the country?

If you’re Florian Bates, you figure out a way to do both.

Florian is twelve years old and has just moved to Washington. He’s learning his way around using TOAST, which stands for the Theory of All Small Things. It’s a technique he invented to solve life’s little mysteries such as: where to sit on the on the first day of school, or which Chinese restaurant has the best eggrolls.

But when he teaches it to his new friend Margaret, they uncover a mystery that isn’t little. In fact, it’s HUGE, and it involves the National Gallery, the FBI, and a notorious crime syndicate known as EEL.

Can Florian decipher the clues and finish his homework in time to help the FBI solve the case?
Publication Date: 08/23/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
Saving Mr. Terupt
Rob Buyea
Synopsis: "An exciting story about what really matters, Saving Mr. Terupt is warm, wise, and packed with hope."--JOAN BAUER, Newbery Honor Winner

The kids and their favorite teacher from Because of Mr. Terupt and Mr. Terupt Falls Again return for a third book in the funny, warmhearted series for fans of Wonder.

Seventh grade was going to be awesome. The only thing missing was Mr. Terupt.

The kids from Mr. Terupt’s fifth- and sixth-grade classes are entering their first year of junior high school. There’s a lot to be excited about, but there are new challenges, too. Peter and Jeffrey face tough competition on their wrestling team. Alexia has a disastrous first day of school, and that’s only the beginning. Anna is desperate for Charlie to propose to her mother—what is he waiting for?! Danielle isn’t feeling so well, but she's trying to tough it out, like Grandma. Trouble with a bully makes Luke dread going to school for the first time ever. And Jessica is waiting anxiously for an acceptance to a theater retreat in New York City.
     Everyone is missing Mr. Terupt. When a fight threatens to break up the group forever, they think their favorite teacher is the only one who can help them. But the kids soon find out that it’s Mr. Terupt who needs saving.
 
This novel includes extra content in the back of the book. Readers will find a Junior High Survival Guide with tips from the old gang!
 
"Buyea has a knack for making his character’s voices distinct. This offering will resonate with tween audiences seeking realistic stories with multifaceted characters. Fans of the “Terupt” novels will cheer as the Snow Hill crowd enters seventh grade, though this latest volume will also appeal to newcomers to the series."--School Library Journal

"This third in the series [is] as easy for new readers to pick up as it is for returning fans. A warmly gracious invitation to a convincing middle school world."--Kirkus Reviews 

"The individual personalities and abilities of Buyea’s characters emerge through their narratives as they tell about their interests and feelings, including moves from friendships to budding romantic relationships. Danielle’s narrative includes a scientific explanation of diabetes type one and her courageous attitude in learning how to manage her health. This is an engaging read with broad appeal.--VOYA, Recommended


From the Hardcover edition.
Publication Date: 08/23/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Series
Legend of the Friendship Cats
Sue Ellen Browder, Walter Browder, Walter Browder
Synopsis: "Legend of the Friendship Cats" is a rollicking adventure story only cats could have lived. It is full of surprises. What's more, it's a legend nearly every cat knows and loves, a favorite story that's continually told and retold whenever cats get together. Mother cats frequently tell this legend to their kittens even before they are weaned. But this amazing story, a deeply cherished part of cats' oral traditions, has never been written down--until now.

Novelist Walter Browder was a poet, philosopher, and dreamweaver with a unique gift. Not only could he talk to cats, but he insisted cats could talk back to him. He always claimed his two cats, Mr. Cat and Kizzy, were telling him this story, and that's why it was taking him so long to write it. He explained that cats love to dawdle over a good story and when they begin to tell this particular legend, which is part of their most ancient traditions, they refuse to be rushed. His wife Sue Ellen did not believe him for a minute, of course. She thought he was just pretending to work on a book to get out of mowing the lawn. Really, who could believe such a tale?

But one evening, after her beloved husband had departed from this earth, Sue Ellen was sitting at home alone in her log cabin before a crackling log fire when her own cat (who was purring softly in her lap) looked up at her and began to tell her the same story!To say she was astounded is putting it mildly. She was so flabbergasted she could not even speak. It was at that moment she realized Walter had been telling her the truth all along. This truly is a story that all cats know and love to tell!

The next morning she went out into the garage, dug Walter's unpublished manuscript out of three dusty, old cardboard boxes, and began to pull all the pieces of the tale together.You are now about to read what Mr. Cat fondly called, "the greatest story ever told about the greatest friends there ever were"--"The Legend of the Friendship Cats." If it pleases you, you may want to read this book aloud to your favorite felines. For cats can never get enough of this story, and no matter how many times they've heard it, they love listening to it again and again.
Publication Date: 08/19/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
El Perro Perezoso y el Zorro Rápido
Synopsis: Los niños encantarán esta aventura del laberinto de la acción basada en el pangram inglés, “el zorro rápido, listo saltan sobre el perro marrón perezoso.” Se utiliza este pangram mientras que una base para extrapolar la historia traza en este libro. Los niños pueden hacer decisiónes en cómo quisieran que la historia revelara. Los puntos emocionales de la inteligencia se conceden basados en sus decisiónes. Los padres apreciarán la escala emocional de la cuenta de la inteligencia que se centra en amistad en el extremo del libro. Un buen ejemplo de una aventura del laberinto de la acción se exhibe en la película “Big” con Tom Hanks como la estrella principal. Había una escena en una sala de reunión en MacMillan Toy Company donde el adulto Josh y Susan presentó una oferta para una versión automatizada de una aventura del laberinto de la acción, un formato de la historia que ha existido en forma del libro en de la vida real para las edades antes del comenzar de esta película. Es irónico que el autor ha hecho el contrario, primero componiendo una aventura del laberinto de la acción en un blog en línea, y después convirtiéndola en un libro.
Publication Date: 08/18/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Spanish
Brian, the Alchemist & the Silver Dragon
Synopsis: Magic lessons are starting up for Brian: a much-needed distraction from the tragedy over the summer. But the dead rising from their graves is perhaps too much of a distraction. Now Brian and his friends must work out what is happening and why. Does it have something to do with the Stone of Surzaal, a fabled emerald with the power to grant near-immortality? Who is the six-fingered man? And what exactly is the 'silver dragon'?
Publication Date: 08/14/16
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fantasy

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