Synopsis:

“Kadohata’s slapshot is the heart-swelling narrative of a father and son…Truly powerful.” —Jason Reynolds
“A deeply poignant story about a boy sorting out his priorities.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“A vivid, memorable portrayal of a boy within his family, his sport, and his gradually broadening world.” —Booklist (starred review)

From Newbery Medalist Cynthia Kadohata comes a brilliantly-realized novel about a hockey player who must discover who he is without the sport that defines him.

Hockey is Conor’s life. His whole life. He’ll say it himself, he’s a hockey beast. It’s his dad’s whole life too—and Conor is sure that’s why his stepmom, Jenny, left. There are very few things Conor and his dad love more than the game, and one of those things is their Doberman, Sinbad. When Sinbad is diagnosed with cancer, Conor chooses to put his hockey lessons and practices on hold so they can pay for Sinbad’s chemotherapy.

But without hockey to distract him, Conor begins to notice more. Like his dad’s crying bouts, and his friend’s difficult family life. And then Conor notices one more thing: Without hockey, the one thing that makes him feel special, is he really special at all?

Synopsis: Fans of Jonathan Auxier's The Night Gardener and Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book will tremble with delight for this haunting tale about a lonely gargoyle who isn't alone at all.

Penhallow is the last of his kind. The stone gargoyle--he'd prefer you call him a grotesque--fearlessly protects his Boston building from the spirits who haunt the night. But even he is outmatched when Hetty, his newest ward, nearly falls victim to the Boneless King, the ruler of the underworld.

Then there's Viola, the mysterious girl who keeps turning up at the most unlikely times. In a world where nightmares come to life, Viola could be just the ally Penhallow needs. But can he trust her when every shadow hides another secret? Can he afford not to?

Synopsis: An Indie Next List Pick

“Filled with kindness and hope, but also with the harsh realities of the horrors of war, this heartbreaking book is a necessary reminder of what many people live through every day.” —Booklist (starred review)

Nadia’s family is forced to flee their home in Aleppo, Syria, when the Arab Spring sparks a civil war in this timely coming-of-age novel from award-winning author N.H. Senzai.

Silver and gold balloons. A birthday cake covered in pink roses. A new dress.

Nadia stands at the center of attention in her parents’ elegant dining room. This is the best day of my life, she thinks. Everyone is about to sing “Happy Birthday,” when her uncle calls from the living room, “Baba, brothers, you need to see this.” Reluctantly, she follows her family into the other room. On TV, a reporter stands near an overturned vegetable cart on a dusty street. Beside it is a mound of smoldering ashes. The reporter explains that a vegetable vendor in the city of Tunis burned himself alive, protesting corrupt government officials who have been harassing his business. Nadia frowns.

It is December 17, 2010: Nadia’s twelfth birthday and the beginning of the Arab Spring. Soon anti-government protests erupt across the Middle East and, one by one, countries are thrown into turmoil. As civil war flares in Syria and bombs fall across Nadia’s home city of Aleppo, her family decides to flee to safety. Inspired by current events, this novel sheds light on the complicated situation in Syria that has led to an international refugee crisis, and tells the story of one girl’s journey to safety.

Synopsis: From Dance Moms star and So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation judge Maddie Ziegler comes the first novel in a brand-new middle grade trilogy about friendship, dance, and going after your dreams.

Twelve-year-old Harper has been dancing practically since she learned to walk. She loves her dance studio and team, and just won her first ever top junior solo in a regional competition. But right before the school year starts, Harper’s parents drop a bombshell—the family has to relocate from their cozy town in Connecticut to sunny Florida for their jobs. That means saying goodbye to her friends, dance team, trips to see shows in NYC—and did she mentioned dance team?

While her parents reassure her that they will find her a new studio as soon as they move, Harper is not happy. When she arrives, she realizes that the competition in Florida will be fierce and it doesn’t matter how talented she is—she is the new girl and will have to prove herself. During her very first class, Harper finds it harder than she thought it would be. Even though they are all the same age and have been dancing for roughly the same amount of time, it feels like everyone has better feet, quicker turns, and faster taps than Harper. And it doesn’t help that a group of girls, who nicknamed themselves The Bunheads, wonder how she made the team if she can’t even do a simple turn sequence in front of the class.

Thankfully, Harper befriends Lily, a fellow newbie in the studio who is just as eager to make her mark and find a friendly face. With a big competition coming up for the dance team, Harper is determined to show everyone—especially those Bunheads—what she’s made of! And when a very badly timed sprained ankle threatens all of the work they have done, the Bunheads, Lily, and Harper must learn to truly work together to give them their best shot at the top spot!

Synopsis: Gianna Saldaña is a curious young lady who has had to search on her own to find out information about her family. She joins an after-school Genealogy Club run by Mr. Williams, one of the teachers at her school. Through online research, she can find pictures of her relatives and more conclusive information than she ever dreamed possible. In Gianna the Treasure Hunter, Gianna helps her friend Stephanie find out about her family as well by delving into the Ellis Island Records and recording her grandmother's story.

Synopsis: The most popular gamer on YouTube, Ali-A, presents his very own action-packed graphic novel!
 
It’s launch time for the hotly anticipated video game Alien Liberator 2, and who better to invite along than top gamer Ali-A? Ali is promised the biggest game launch ever—but what he doesn’t count on is just how real the action is about to get!
 
When a merciless band of aliens turns up to spoil the party, it’s up to Ali to transform from gaming icon to real-life hero. Can he defeat the end-of-game boss and save the day? With a little help from his fans and his very special dog, Eevee, he’s going to give it his best shot!