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I, Dwayne Kleber
James Connor
Synopsis:
Publication Date: 05/12/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Desperate Measures
Laura Summers
Synopsis: Vicky has always felt responsible for her mentally disabled twin sister, Rhianna, and their feisty little brother, Jamie. So when the foster care system threatens to split them up, they all run away together, heading for a distant relative's home. After a difficult journey, they arrive-only to find strangers living there. With nowhere else to go, they hide in a cave, and must survive by their wits. By the end of their adventure, Vicky is surprised to find that the sister she thought she was protecting is the one who saves her.

This touching, funny, fast-paced novel was short listed for the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize. Vicky and Rhianna's engaging dual-perspective narration offers a refreshing view of people with disabilities, and their wild adventure and fierce family bond will resonate with readers.
Publication Date: 05/12/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
The Neighborhood Sing-Along
Nina Crews, Nina Crews
Synopsis:

Playground songs and classroom songs, silly songs and sweet songs, wake-up songs and bedtime songs . . .

Every day, children, parents, friends, brothers, and sisters sing songs to one another.

Nina Crews brings her energetic style of illustration to this collection of thirty-four perennial favorites. From "Miss Mary Mack" (watching fireworks from her balcony) to "London Bridge" (built by a brother and sister in the living room) to "Skip to My Lou" (in a rolling green park), the songs make this companion to the acclaimed The Neighborhood Mother Goose a treasure for every child in every neighborhood.

Publication Date: 05/10/11
Age Level: 5 - 8
Genre: Literary Collection
Curse of the Shamra
Barry Hoffman
Synopsis: Curse of the Shamra is a rousing adventure tale about the isolated and peaceful land of the Shamra people who are enslaved by invaders called the Trocs. An unconventional young Shamra girl named Dara escapes and ventures into unknown realms to find allies and leads a resistance to repel the invaders. The novel is an allegory about the quest for freedom on many levels.
Publication Date: 05/10/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
First 100 Words
Roger Priddy
Synopsis:

Your little one will soon learn some essential first words and pictures with this bright board book. There are 100 color photographs to look at and talk about, and 100 simple first words to read and learn, too. The pages are made from tough board for hours of fun reading, and the cover is softly padded for little hands to hold.

Publication Date: 05/10/11
Age Level: 5 - 8
Genre: Nonfiction
The Midnight Gate
Helen Stringer
Synopsis:

It's been two months since Belladonna Johnson discovered she was the Spellbinder, and she's full of questions about her powers. When a ghost finds Belladonna and her classmate, Steve, and gives them a mysterious map, the friends don't know if they should be looking for or hiding from the one person who holds the answers to Belladonna's powers: the Queen of the Abyss. Throw into the mix that Belladonna's parents, who are ghosts, have disappeared and that her brand-new and maybe even sinister foster family seems to know more than they'll let on, and you have a sequel made of high adventure and intrigue, seasoned with affecting characters and topped with a dollop of wit.

Publication Date: 05/10/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
The Lucky Kind
Alyssa Sheinmel
Synopsis: High school junior Nick Brandt is intent on getting a girlfriend, and Eden Reiss is the one that he wants. He has exactly four semesters to get the girl, but when the phone rings on an otherwise ordinary Tuesday night, life for Nick and his parents will never be the same. What had been a seemingly idyllic home life has become something else entirely. But with this shake-up comes a newfound confidence for Nick; he's become a bolder version of himself, no longer afraid to question his parents, and no longer afraid to talk to Eden.

Alyssa B. Sheinmel has written a powerfully gripping story about family secrets, falling in love, and finding luck in unexpected--and sometimes unwelcome—circumstances.
Publication Date: 05/10/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Romance
How Tia Lola Saved the Summer
Synopsis: Miguel Guzman isn't exactly looking forward to the summer now that his mother has agreed to let the Sword family—a father, his three daughters, and their dog—live with them while they decide whether or not to move to Vermont. Little does Miguel know his aunt has something up her sleeve that just may make this the best summer ever. With her usual flair for creativity and fun, Tía Lola decides to start a summer camp for Miguel, his little sister, and the three Sword girls, complete with magical swords, nighttime treasure hunts, campfires, barbecues, and an end-of-summer surprise!

The warm and funny third book in the Tía Lola Stories is sure to delight young readers and leave them looking forward to their own summer fun!
Publication Date: 05/10/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Tighter
Adele Griffin
Synopsis: When 17-year-old Jamie arrives on the idyllic New England island of Little Bly to work as a summer au pair, she is stunned to learn of the horror that precedes her. Seeking the truth surrounding a young couple's tragic deaths, Jamie discovers that she herself looks shockingly like the dead girl—and that she has a disturbing ability to sense the two ghosts. Why is Jamie's connection to the couple so intense? What really happened last summer at Little Bly? As the secrets of the house wrap tighter and tighter around her, Jamie must navigate the increasingly blurred divide between the worlds of the living and the dead.

Brilliantly plotted, with startling twists, here is a thrilling page-turner from the award-winning Adele Griffin.
Publication Date: 05/10/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
The Penderwicks at Point Mouette
Synopsis: With over one million copies sold, this series of modern classics about the charming Penderwick family from National Book Award winner and New York Times bestseller Jeanne Birdsall is perfect for fans of Noel Streatfeild and Edward Eager.

When summer comes around, it's off to the beach for Rosalind . . . and off to Maine with Aunt Claire for the rest of the Penderwick girls, as well as their old friend, Jeffrey.

That leaves Skye as OAP (oldest available Penderwick)—a terrifying notion for all, but for Skye especially. Things look good as they settle into their cozy cottage, with a rocky shore, enthusiastic seagulls, a just-right corner store, and a charming next-door neighbor.  But can Skye hold it together long enough to figure out Rosalind's directions about not letting Batty explode?  Will Jane's Love Survey come to a tragic conclusion after she meets the alluring Dominic? Is Batty—contrary to all accepted wisdom—the only Penderwick capable of carrying a tune?  And will Jeffrey be able to keep peace between the girls . . . these girls who are his second, and most heartfelt, family?

It's a rollicking ride as the Penderwicks continue their unforgettable adventures in a story filled with laughs and joyful tears!
Publication Date: 05/10/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Kiss of Death
Lauren Henderson
Synopsis:

Scarlett thought Dan McAndrew's murder was long behind her, but when she and her classmates arrive in Edinburgh for a weeklong field trip, she's startled to be joined by her old St. Tabby's cohorts--and enemies--who are visiting the area on a field trip as well. Even more startling, Callum, Dan's surviving twin, is in the area--and his cold treatment leaves Scarlett wondering what's changed, especially when a series of attacks makes her believe that someone's out to get her for her past mistakes. Would Callum ever hurt her, though? And what's Scarlett to make of her conflicting feelings for Callum, now that Jase isn't around? Even more upsetting, why is her most trusted confidante, Taylor, acting distant and dismissive?

Publication Date: 05/10/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Mystery
Chaos Unleashed
Barry Hoffman
Synopsis: ONE GIRL MUST LEARN THAT BEING TRUE TO YOURSELF IS ONE OF LIFE'S GREATEST HONORS.

Nothing is as it seems in a world where the living mingle with the dead and dreams can turn into frightening reality. Chaos is beginning to spread across the land and Dara is all that stands between the salvation of her beautiful homeland and its total destruction.

Together, with friends from past journeys and new allies who may not be what they seem, Dara must build an army to confront Chaos. But as she and her army prepare for the final battle, Dara realizes that the only person she can really count on is herself . . .

Includes original bonus novella, SAFE HAVEN, following the adventures of Dara's family
Publication Date: 05/10/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Tempest Rising
Tracy Deebs
Synopsis:

Tempest Maguire wants nothing more than to surf the killer waves near her California home; continue her steady relationship with her boyfriend, Mark; and take care of her brothers and surfer dad. But Tempest is half mermaid, and as her seventeenth birthday approaches, she will have to decide whether to remain on land or give herself to the ocean like her mother. The pull of the water becomes as insistent as her attraction to Kai, a gorgeous surfer whose uncanny abilities hint at an otherworldly identity as well. And when Tempest does finally give in to the water's temptation and enters a fantastical underwater world, she finds that a larger destiny awaits her-and that the entire ocean's future hangs in the balance.

Publication Date: 05/10/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Science Fiction
Flawless
Lara Chapman
Synopsis:

Sarah Burke is just about perfect. She's got killer blue eyes, gorgeous blond hair, and impeccable grades. There's just one tiny-all right, enormous-flaw: her nose. But even that's not so bad. Sarah's got the best best friend and big goals for print journalism fame.

On the first day of senior year, Rock Conway walks into her journalism class and, well, rocks her world. Problem is, her best friend, Kristen, falls for him too. And when Rock and Kristen stand together, it's like Barbie and Ken come to life. So when Kristen begs Sarah to help her nab Rock, Sarah does the only thing a best friend can do-she agrees. For someone so smart, what was she thinking?

This hip retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac is filled with hilariously misguided matchmaking, sweet romance, and a gentle reminder that we should all embrace our flaws.

Publication Date: 05/10/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
OyMG
Amy Fellner Dominy
Synopsis: Ellie Taylor loves nothing better than a good argument. So when she gets accepted to the Christian Society Speech and Performing Arts summer camp, she's sure that if she wins the final tournament, it'll be her ticket to a scholarship to the best speech school in the country. Unfortunately, the competition at CSSPA is hot-literally. His name is Devon and, whether she likes it or not, being near him makes her sizzle. Luckily she's confident enough to take on the challenge-until she begins to suspect that the private scholarship's benefactor has negative feelings toward Jews. Will hiding her true identity and heritage be worth a shot at her dream?

Debut author Amy Fellner Dominy mixes sweet romance, surprising secrets, and even some matzo ball soup to cook up a funny yet heartfelt story about an outspoken girl who must learn to speak out for herself.
Publication Date: 05/10/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
The Friendship Doll
Kirby Larson
Synopsis: I am Miss Kanagawa. In 1927, my 57 doll-sisters and I were sent from Japan to America as Ambassadors of Friendship. Our work wasn't all peach blossoms and tea cakes. My story will take you from New York to Oregon, during the Great Depression. Though few in this tale are as fascinating as I, their stories won't be an unpleasant diversion. You will make the acquaintance of Bunny, bent on revenge; Lois, with her head in the clouds; Willie Mae, who not only awakened my heart, but broke it; and Lucy, a friend so dear, not even war could part us. I have put this tale to paper because from those 58 Friendship Dolls only 45 remain. I know that someone who chooses this book is capable of solving the mystery of the missing sisters. Perhaps that someone is you.
Publication Date: 05/10/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Historical Fiction

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