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Honor Code
Kiersi Burkhart
Synopsis:

Sam knows how lucky she is to be part of the elite Edwards Academy. As she dreams of getting into Harvard one day, she's willing to do anything to fit in and excel at the private high school. Even if that means enduring hazing, signing up for a sport she hates, and attending the school dance with an upperclassman she barely knows.

But when she learns the high cost of entry, will Sam be willing to bury the worst night of her life in order to "keep the community sacred"? As the line between truth and justice blurs, Sam must find out for herself what honor really means.

Publication Date: 03/01/18
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Super Human: Stretched Too Thin
Synopsis:

Evan has always dreamed of being a superhero, and on his sixteenth birthday he discovers the ability to stretch and bend his body in impossible ways. He decides that's it's time to make the most of his super stretchiness and become a real-life superhero—except he can't find any actual crime to fight.

When a video of his superpower goes viral, Evan gets a taste of the fame he has ever hoped for, but he knows he hasn't really done anything besides a few cool tricks. After an accident on the freeway causes everyone to look to him for help, Evan will learn if he's truly up to be the hero he wants to be.

Publication Date: 03/01/18
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
Super Human: Now You See Me
Synopsis:

Tony has preferred to fly under the radar for most of his life. He doesn't even notice he's developed the ability to turn invisible until he walks into school the day after his sixteenth birthday and realizes no one can see him.

Soon another student finds out about Tony's superpower, and he uses it to blackmail Tony into stealing and helping him cheat. Can Tony stand up for himself and do the right thing—even if it means exposing his ability to the rest of the school?

Publication Date: 03/01/18
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
Crazy Cat Lady
Kitty 'de Chatfou
Synopsis: In 1962 they thought she was dead, all they had to do was burn the old house down with her and those damnable cats in it and everything would be normal again. No more odd antics from the Crazy Cat Lady no more death. But what they didn't realize is there was much more to her relationship with her beloved cats than met the eye. Love, trust, and the bonds of a mother to her children all played a part to the insanity the town people thought raged within the crone's mind. It's now 2018 and the stories have not ceased. Instead it seems the legend of the 'Crazy Cat Lady' have grown more horrifying than ever before prompting the local children to take a visit. Most have only come within a few feet of the old half burned house. They would stand, staring at the place, watching the creepy cats mill about the area, climbing along porch railings meowing plaintively. But three high school boys decide to take it a bit further one night which begins a horrifying look into what happens when nature is misunderstood and an old crone that harmed no one is now out for revenge.
Publication Date: 02/23/18
Age Level: Adult
Genre: Fiction
Sticky Notes
Dianne Touchell
Synopsis: For fans of Counting by 7s and Fish in a Tree, a touching story about the power of love and family in the face of a parent's early-onset Alzheimer's disease.

Foster Sumner is ten years old. He likes toy soldiers, tadpole hunting, going to school, and the beach. Best of all, he likes listening to his dad's stories.

But then Foster's dad starts forgetting things. No one is too worried at first. Foster and Dad giggle about it. Dad goes out for milk and comes back with cat food, when the cat has been dead for five years. But then the forgetting gets worse. And suddenly no one is laughing anymore.

A heartbreaking story about what it means to forget and to be forgotten, as well as the devastating effects of Alzheimer's and the strong families behind those who suffer from it.

"Heartbreakingly realistic." --SLJ

"Touchell presents honest, believable characters in this heart-wrenching account of one family's attempt to cope with an unexpected life-altering event." --Bulletin

"Heartwarming, heartbreaking and honest...a great family read." --The Monitor
Publication Date: 02/20/18
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
What the Night Sings
Vesper Stamper
Synopsis: A Morris Award Finalist
Longlisted for the National Book Award

For fans of The Book Thief and The Boy in the Striped Pajamas comes a lushly illustrated novel about a teen Holocaust survivor who must come to terms with who she is and how to rebuild her life.

"A tour de force. This powerful story of love, loss, and survival is not to be missed." --KRISTIN HANNAH, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Nightingale

After losing her family and everything she knew in the Nazi concentration camps, Gerta is finally liberated, only to find herself completely alone. Without her papa, her music, or even her true identity, she must move past the task of surviving and on to living her life. In the displaced persons camp where she is staying, Gerta meets Lev, a fellow teen survivor who she just might be falling for, despite her feelings for someone else. With a newfound Jewish identity she never knew she had, and a return to the life of music she thought she lost forever, Gerta must choose how to build a new future.

"What the Night Sings is a book from the heart, of the heart, and to the heart. Vesper Stamper's Gerta will stay with you long after you turn the last page. Her story is one of hope and redemption and life--a blessing to the world." --Deborah Heiligman, award-winning author of Charles and Emma and Vincent and Theo

A WALL STREET JOURNAL BEST CHILDREN'S BOOK OF 2018
A KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST BOOK OF 2018
Publication Date: 02/20/18
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
The Contender
Robert Lipsyte
Synopsis:

The breakthrough modern sports novel The Contender shows readers the true meaning of being a hero.

This acclaimed novel by celebrated sportswriter Robert Lipsyte, the recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in YA fiction, is the story of a young boxer in Harlem who overcomes hardships and finds hope in the ring on his path to becoming a contender.

Alfred Brooks is scared. He’s a high-school dropout, and his grocery store job is leading nowhere. His best friend is sinking further and further into drug addiction. Some street kids are after him for something he didn’t even do.

So Alfred begins going to Donatelli’s Gym, a boxing club in Harlem that has trained champions. There he learns it’s the effort, not the win, that makes the boxer—that before you can be a champion, you have to be a contender.

ALA Best of the Best Books for Young Adults * ALA Notable Children’s Book * New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age

Publication Date: 02/13/18
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
LAYOVER
Emily Meyer, Amy Andelson
Synopsis: Fans of Julie Buxbaum's Tell Me Three Things and Morgan Matson's Since You've Been Gone will get caught up in the drama of this road trip romance that begins with an unplanned flight layover in L.A. and turns into a wild adventure.

FLYNN: At first we were almost strangers. But ever since I moved to New York, Amos was the one person I could count on. And together we were there for Poppy. (I mean, what kind of parents leave their kid to be raised by a nanny?) I just didn't expect to fall for him--and I never expected him to leave us.

AMOS: I thought I was the only one who felt it. I told myself it was because we were spending so much time together--taking care of Poppy and all. But that night, I could tell she felt it, too. And I freaked out--you're not supposed to fall for your stepsister. So I ran away to boarding school. I should have told her why I was leaving, but every time I tried, it felt like a lie.

One missed flight was about to change their lives forever. . . .

Perfect for fans of Clueless and brought to you by two Hollywood screenwriters, this wild journey of unlikely romance, heartbreak, and adventure--set against the backdrop of a blended family in free fall during a rebellious layover in Los Angeles–reveals the true value of the unbreakable bonds we forge when we dare to let ourselves risk it all.

"A thoughtful, charming journey into the nature of love and family." –Rachel Cohn, New York Times bestselling coauthor of Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist

"This road-trip saga from Hollywood screenwriters Andelson and Meyer is being hailed as a must-read for fans of 'Clueless.'" –Brightly
Publication Date: 02/06/18
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Fiction
Tarnished City
Vic James
Synopsis: MAGIC COMPELS. WE BLEED.

The captivating dystopian trilogy that began with Gilded Cage continues. In a modern Britain where magic users control wealth, politics—and you—an uprising has been crushed. In its aftermath, two families will determine the country’s fate. The ruthless Jardines make a play for ultimate power. And the Hadleys, once an ordinary family, must find the extraordinary strength to fight back.

Abi Hadley is a fugitive. Her brother, Luke, a prisoner. Both will discover that in the darkest places, the human spirit shines brightest. Meanwhile, amid his family’s intrigues, Silyen Jardine dreams of forgotten powers from an earlier age. 

As blood runs in the streets of London, all three will discover whether love and courage can ever be stronger than tyranny. 

How do you choose when you can’t save everyone?

Praise for Tarnished City

“Highly recommended . . . There’s an admirable level of world-building . . . with real moments of empathy and compassion [and] a true nail-biter of a cliffhanger ending.”—Fantasy Literature

“Multifaceted complexity . . . lively, determined characters.”—Publishers Weekly
Publication Date: 02/06/18
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Checked
Maurizio Zorat, Cynthia Kadohata
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?

Publication Date: 02/06/18
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
The Disturbed Girl's Dictionary
Synopsis: Macy's school officially classifies her as "disturbed," but Macy isn't interested in how others define her. She's got more pressing problems: her mom can't move off the couch, her dad's in prison, her brother's been kidnapped by Child Protective Services, and now her best friend isn't speaking to her. Writing in a dictionary format, Macy explains the world in her own termscomplete with gritty characters and outrageous endeavors. With an honesty that's both hilarious and fearsome, slowly Macy reveals why she acts out, why she can't tell her incarcerated father that her mom's cheating on him, and why her best friend needs protection . . . the kind of protection that involves Macy's machete.
Publication Date: 02/01/18
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Fiction
S.T.A.G.S. (One Deadly Weekend)
Synopsis: "Gossip Girl meets The Hunger Games." --Bustle

"Like Mean Girls, but British and deadly. . . . This book is great, from start to finish." --Hypable 

Get ready for one deadly weekend in this twisting thriller for fans of Pretty Little Liars and One of Us is Lying that explores just how far the elite at an English boarding school will go.

Greer MacDonald has just started as a scholarship student at the exclusive St. Aidan the Great boarding school, known to its privileged pupils as STAGS. STAGS is a place where new things--and new people--are to be avoided. And in her first days there, Greer is ignored at best and mocked at worst by the school's most admired circle of friends, the Medievals.

So, naturally, Greer is taken by surprise when the Medievals send her an invitation to a sought-after weekend retreat at the private family estate of their unofficial leader, Henry de Warlencourt. It's billed as a weekend of "huntin' shootin' fishin'."

As the weekend begins to take shape, it becomes apparent that beyond the luxurious trappings, predators are lurking, and they're out for blood.

OPTIONED FOR FILM BY FOX 2000 AND CHERNIN ENTERTAINMENT--WITH HUNGER GAMES CO-WRITER TO ADAPT!

"Reinvigorates the boarding-school thriller." --The Guardian
Publication Date: 01/30/18
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Tomorrow is Another Year
Scott Tierney
Synopsis:

When Michael accepts a nondescript job for a nameless London-based company, he finds himself embroiled in a fantastical situation: every time he wakes, time has progressed one single year. At first this seems like a gift; but as the future spirals out of control, and the motives of his titanic employer, Greenwood, prove entangling, he discovers it to be a curse...

Publication Date: 01/24/18
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Fiction
The Royal Rabbits of London
Kate Hindley, Simon Sebag Montefiore, Santa Montefiore
Synopsis: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH meets Warriors in this charming novel that proves that even the smallest rabbit can be the biggest hero from publishing power couple Santa and Simon Sebag Montefiore.

Life is an adventure. Anything in the world is possible—by will and by luck, with a moist carrot, a wet nose, and a slice of mad courage!

Shylo has always been the runt of the litter, the weakest and quietest of all of his family. His siblings spend their days making fun of him for not being like the rest of them. But when Shylo stumbles across a band of ratzis and overhears their evil plan to take a photo of the Queen in her nightie, it’s up to this unlikely hero to travel to London and inform the Royal Rabbits of London about the diabolical plot! The Royal Rabbits of London have a proud history of protecting the royal family and now the secret society need to leap into action to stop the ratzis…

But can a rabbit as feeble and shy as Shylo convince them that Queen is in danger?
Publication Date: 01/23/18
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
Harley Quinn at Super Hero High
Random House, Lisa Yee
Synopsis: Harley Quinn investigates a high-tech carnival in this action-packed new DC Super Hero Girl novel!

Funny girl Harley Quinn loves fighting crime with her classmates like Wonder Woman, Batgirl, and Supergirl, but she always does it her with own madcap style--and a big mallet! It's no surprise that Harley can't resist getting involved in a dance competition and organizing an outrageous battle of the bands. But when a high-tech carnival comes to town, Harley knows that things aren't what they seem and that only she can get to the bottom of the mystery--and deliver a great punch line while doing it!

Praise for DC Super Hero Girls:
“Sure to have wide appeal, this book is a solid option to balance collections saturated with male superheroes.” —School Library Journal

"If you have a middle grader in your life looking for super-sized action, or a superhero enthusiast who isn’t sure where to turn to get more of the superheroes they might see on TV or in movies… Or if you just want to dive into a good book that shows young readers—especially young female readers—that girls can be the super heroes of their own stories, look no further: Super Hero High is for you." - Kirkus 
Publication Date: 01/02/18
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
Crossed Fire (Book 2 Crossed Series)
Synopsis: Stephanie Stewart is a typical sixteen-year-old girl—she loves hanging out with her friends, going to concerts, and sipping mocha lattes. Yup. Just your average teenager . . . Except for one difference—she can see and talk to the dead. In fact, Stephanie helps dead girls who who’ve been murdered or killed, cross over. Just as Stephanie is getting used to her unique “gift”, her mom stumbles into some dangerous witchcraft that backfires and triggers similar abilities in Stephanie’s best friend Cura, and nemesis Hillary. Stephanie already has enough trouble trying to maintain a “normal” life between school and her cute boyfriend Dylan, who happens to have a supernatural talent all his own. But now she has to help her friend Cura and her “frenemy” Hillary cope with their new-found powers as well as cross over two murdered cheerleaders and battle an evil demon who wants to use Stephanie’s supernatural strengths as a free pass to The Other Side. And she needs to do it all while still getting her term papers in on time. She’s definitely going to need an extra-large mocha latte for this.
Publication Date: 12/18/17
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction

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