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Omega Morales and the Legend of La Lechuza (Omega Morales #1)
by Laekan Zea KempFans of The Girl Who Drank the Moon, Paola Santiago and the River of Tears, and Disney's Encanto will be captivated by this fantastical novel about a girl who must learn to trust her ancestral powers when she comes face-to-face with the Mexican legend La Lechuza. Omega Morales&’s family has been practicing magic for centuries in Noche Buena. But over the years, the town's reputation for the supernatural is no longer one the people carry with pride. So Omega&’s family keeps to themselves, and in private, they&’re Empaths: diviners who can read and manipulate the emotions of people and objects around them. But Omega&’s powers don&’t quite work, and it leaves her feeling like an outsider in her own family. When a witch with the power to transform herself into an owl—known in Mexican folklore as La Lechuza—shows up unannounced, Omega, her best friend Clau (who happens to be a ghost), and her cousin Carlitos must conduct a séance under a full moon in order to unravel the mystery of the legend. Suddenly Omega&’s magic begins to change, and the key to understanding her powers is more complicated than she thought. Omega will have to decide what&’s more important—trusting the instincts of others or learning to trust in herself. This spooky middle-grade debut is full of magic, adventure, friendship, and a captivating heroine who isn&’t afraid of the monsters lurking around every corner—even the dangerous La Lechuza!
The Einsteins of Vista Point
by Ben GutersonAfter the tragic loss of their sister, Zack and his siblings band together to investigate a Morse Code-inspired mystery in this stunning novel about grief and resilience. When Zack&’s younger sister dies in a tragic accident, his family moves to a small town in the Northwest to try and heal from the pain. Vista Point is home to many mysterious landmarks, including the great domed stone Tower with its cryptic message hidden in the ceiling. Zack blames himself for his sister&’s death, and he struggles to find comfort in his new surroundings. Until he meets Ann, a girl who lives in the area and shows Zack all the special places to be discovered. But there&’s something that seems a bit strange about Ann—and perhaps a secret she is keeping from him. This masterful novel thoughtfully explores how a season of pain can evolve into a summer of healing."Guterson does a splendid job of conjuring up the ideal setting for a classic summer story….An adventure that begs to be read by flashlight under bedcovers." —Booklist "Guterson sensitively explores Zack&’s journey toward self-forgiveness in this contemplative adventure." —Publishers Weekly "The fascinating cipher that ties it all together is the highlight of this wholesome, gentle story....An inspirational throwback for families seeking tales with a classic feel." —Kirkus Reviews
New Dragon City
by Mari MancusiSet off on a high-stakes, action-packed adventure in this story about friendship, survival, and fighting for ones you love, perfect for fans of Wings of Fire and How to Train Your Dragon. No one predicted the dragon apocalypse. The dragons came suddenly and decimated the world as we knew it, including New York City. Now, three years later, Noah, his hardcore survivalist father, and a ragtag group of survivors are barely scraping by in this new reality. Kids scavenge not only for materials in abandoned homes but also for leftover books at the library. Adults spend their time establishing a make-shift society and defending their shelter... with any means available. At least for the few months the dragons are hibernating, until it&’s no longer safe aboveground. Noah has seen the damage these creatures can do firsthand. When it comes to dragons: It's kill or be killed. But a chance encounter between Noah and a young dragon causes him to question everything he thought he knew. With rumors spreading that there&’s a group of survivors living in harmony with dragons instead of hiding underground, Noah teams up with his fire-breathing ally to find out if peace between humans and dragons is really possible. But the division runs deeper than scales versus skin because trying to follow his heart might just cost Noah his family too. If Noah and his father can&’t see eye to eye, can he really get humans and dragons to?
Odd Occurrences: Chilling Stories of Horror
by Andrew Nance"Sheer spooky fun." ―Kirkus Reviews Two best friends. One goes missing. And a paranormal podcast that hopes to reunite them, but not before unleashing horror in many forms. When Zeus&’s best friend gets trapped inside the House of Mystery and Mirrors at Carnival Nocturne, Tobin&’s existence is erased from the world, and Zeus is the only person who remembers that his best friend ever lived. Zeus is determined to return to the carnival and rescue his friend—that is, if he can only find it. Together with Tobin&’s sister, Jana, Zeus concocts a plan to conjure Tobin&’s captors on Halloween night via his paranormal podcast, Odd Occurrences. Listeners are invited to call in and share their supernatural experiences with the audience. From ghostly encounters to haunted dolls, terrifying escape rooms with deadly consequences to alien lake creatures, Zeus hopes that someone&’s story will produce a clue that leads him to the mysterious carnival—and ultimately, back to Tobin. But little does Zeus know that Tobin is almost out of time.
Twelfth
by Janet KeyBetter Nate Than Ever meets The Parker Inheritance in this heartwarming mystery about finding your people and accepting others as they are.Twelve-year-old Maren is sure theater camp isn&’t for her. Theater camp is for loud, confident, artsy people: people like her older sister, Hadley—the last person Maren wants to think about—and her cinema-obsessed, nonbinary bunkmate, Theo. But when a prank goes wrong, Maren gets drawn into the hunt for a diamond ring that, legend has it, is linked to the camp&’s namesake, Charlotte &“Charlie&” Goodman, a promising director in Blacklist Era Hollywood. When Maren connects the clues to Shakespeare&’s Twelfth Night, she and her new friends are off searching through lighting booths, orchestra pits and costume storages, discovering the trail and dodging camp counselors. But they&’re not the only ones searching for the ring, and with the growing threat of camp closing forever, they're almost out of time.
I Will Protect You: A True Story of Twins Who Survived Auschwitz
by Eva Mozes KorThe illuminating and deeply moving true story of twin sisters who survived Nazi experimentation, against all odds, during the Holocaust.Eva and her identical twin sister, Miriam, had a mostly happy childhood. Theirs was the only Jewish family in their small village in the Transylvanian mountains, but they didn't think much of it until anti-Semitism reared its ugly head in their school. Then, in 1944, ten-year-old Eva and her family were deported to Auschwitz. At its gates, Eva and Miriam were separated from their parents and other siblings, selected as subjects for Dr. Mengele's infamous medical experiments.During the course of the war, Mengele would experiment on 3,000 twins. Only 160 would survive--including Eva and Miriam.Writing with her friend Danica Davidson, Eva reveals how two young girls were able to survive the unimaginable cruelty of the Nazi regime, while also eventually finding healing and the capacity to forgive. Spare and poignant, I Will Protect You is a vital memoir of survival, loss, and forgiveness.
Miracle
by Karen S. ChowA glittering debut about life and loss that follows Amie as she learns to heal and move forward over the course of a life-changing year, for fans of When You Trap a Tiger and The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise. Amie has spent her life perfectly in tune with Ba-ba, her father—she plays the violin, his favorite instrument; she loves all his favorite foods, even if he can&’t eat them during his cancer treatments; and they talk about books, including Amie&’s favorite series, Harry Potter. But after Ba-ba dies, Amie feels distanced from everyone close to her, like her mother and her best friends, Rio and Bella. More devastating still, she loses her ability to play the violin—the notes that used to flow freely are now stilted and sharp. Will Amie ever find her way back to the music she once loved? With hope and harmony lighting the way—and with help from the people who care about her most—Amie must find the strength to carry on. In the end, she&’ll learn that healing, while painful, can be its own miraculous song. Praise for Miracle: "A beautifully written debut about family, friendship, and life after loss. Miracle will be a miracle for the readers who need it." —Dusti Bowling, bestselling author of Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus and The Canyon's Edge "A symphony of loss and healing that's certain to tug at your heartstrings." —Cindy Baldwin, author of Where the Watermelons Grow "Genuine, sincere, authentic—this book is a gift to readers." —Mary E. Lambert, author of Family Game Night and Other Catastrophes
Kids Cook Dinner: 23 Healthy, Budget-Friendly Meals from the Best-Selling Cooking Class Series (Cooking Class)
by Deanna F. CookIt's kids' cooking night—and they&’re in charge of making dinner! This selection of 25 easy, budget-friendly dinner recipes from the best-selling Cooking Class series teaches kids how to make tasty, healthy meals with easy-to-follow step-by-step photos. The recipes feature a range of kid favorites, including Popcorn Chicken, Easy Cheesy Quesadillas, Pasta with Tomatoes & Fresh Mozzarella, Black Beans & Rice, Pizza, Meatballs with Creamy Sauce, Super Sliders, and Supper Salad have been specially selected for their budget-friendliness (averaging $2 a serving) and use of easy-to-find pantry staples, as well as their nutritional value. With instructions on basic cooking skills, like chopping vegetables and stir-frying, grocery shopping, and kitchen safety, Kids Cook Dinner offers aspiring chefs ages 8 to 12 everything they need to know to successfully—and proudly—put a healthy, homecooked meal on the table that the whole family will love.
I Miss You, I Hate This
by Sara SaediFive Feet Apart meets Kate in Waiting in this timely story of two best friends navigating the complexities of friendship while their world is turned upside down by a global pandemic. The lives of high school seniors Parisa Naficy and Gabriela Gonzales couldn't be more different. Parisa, an earnest and privileged Iranian American, struggles to live up to her own impossible standards. Gabriela, a cynical Mexican American, has all the confidence Parisa lacks but none of the financial stability. She can't help but envy Parisa's posh lifestyle whenever she hears her two moms argue about money. Despite their differences, as soon as they met on the first day of freshman year, they had an "us versus the world" mentality. Whatever the future had in store for them—the pressure to get good grades, the litany of family dramas, and the heartbreak of unrequited love—they faced it together. Until a global pandemic forces everyone into lockdown. Suddenly senior year doesn't look anything like they hoped it would. And as the whole world is tested during this time of crisis, their friendship will be, too. With equal parts humor and heart, Parisa's and Gabriela's stories unfold in a mix of prose, text messages, and emails as they discover new dreams, face insecurities, and confront their greatest fears.
Troublemaker
by John ChoAn instant New York Times bestselller! An Indiebound bestseller! An Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature Honor Book!Troublemaker follows the events of the LA Riots through the eyes of 12-year-old Jordan as he navigates school and family. This book will highlight the unique Korean American perspective. 12-year-old Jordan feels like he can't live up to the example his older sister set, or his parent's expectations. When he returns home from school one day hoping to hide his suspension, Los Angeles has reached a turning point. In the wake of the acquittal of the police officers filmed beating Rodney King, as well as the shooting of a young black teen, Latasha Harlins by a Korean store owner, the country is at the precipice of confronting its racist past and present. As tensions escalate, Jordan's father leaves to check on the family store, spurring Jordan and his friends to embark on a dangerous journey to come to his aide, and come to terms with the racism within and affecting their community.
Sometime in Summer
by Katrina LenoFrom critically acclaimed author Katrina Leno comes a tender love letter to books and summertime, with a touch of magic.Anna Lucia Bell believes in luck: bad luck. Bad luck made her best friend stop talking to her. Bad luck caused her parents&’ divorce. Bad luck is forcing her mother, Miriam, to sell the family&’s beloved bookstore. And it is definitely bad luck that Anna seems to be the only person in the world Miriam is unable to recommend a life-changing book.When Anna finds out that she and her mom are spending two months in a New England seaside town called Rockport, she expects a summer plagued with bad luck too. But Rockport has surprises in store for Anna, including a comet making its first appearance in over twenty years and two new—but familiar—friends.In what will prove to be the most important summer of her life so far, Anna learns about love, herself, and the magic that an ordinary summer can bring.
The Last Hope in Hopetown
by Maria TureaudStranger Things meets Fake Blood in this deliciously charming and spooky debut novel about one girl&’s choice to save her vampire parents or do what&’s right for the greater good.Twelve-year-old human Sophie Dawes lives a good life in Hopetown. There, vampires and humans live in harmony and Sophie and her adoptive vampire moms are living (or unliving) proof. There are a lot of rules that vampires must follow to keep the humans they live around feeling safe, but if regular visits from child protective services and abiding by a nightly curfew keeps their family together, Sophie will do anything to stay with her loving vampire parents. But then, normal, law-abiding vampires begin to go rogue. After Sophie&’s own mother— the sweetest person she knows— goes rogue, Sophie decides it&’s up to her to find a cure. But taking matters into her own hands might be way more than she bargained for if it means braving a secret council of vampires, executing epic heists, and facing the true bad guys head on. With her best friend by her side, Sophie will fight for hope, freedom and a family bonded by a love that&’s thicker than blood.
It's All in How You Fall
by Sarah HenningA contemporary young adult romance about moving on, finding your place, and recovering after life falls apart. Gymnast Caroline Kepler has three state balance beam titles, a new trick even most elites can&’t do—and chronic, undeniable back pain. While she might never be an Olympian, she has dreams of leveling up to elite, making Nationals, and competing in college. But when one epic face-plant changes all that and Caroline&’s back pain goes from chronic to career-ending, her dreams are shattered and her life is flipped upside down. Enter Alex Zavala, a three-sport athlete who&’s both incredibly cute and incredibly off-limits. He offers to give Caroline a crash course in all the sports she&’s missed, and she has an offer for him in return: For every sport Alex teaches her, she&’ll play matchmaker for him. Deal done, Caroline &“dates&” new sports with Alex for the rest of the summer, which is loads more fun than wallowing in despair. Just as Caroline starts to see herself as more than her past athletic successes, she picks up something she didn&’t bargain for: a big fat crush on Alex. Turns out life was way easier when it was just layout-fulls and beam burns....
Two Truths and a Lie
by April HenryIn this chilling mystery from a New York Times bestselling author, a storm strands a group of teens in a creepy motel—leaving them trapped with a killer. Nell has always wanted to be an actor, but she doubts her ability. As a member of her school&’s theater program, she prefers working backstage. On the way to a contest, an unexpected blizzard strands her acting troupe in a creepy motel. Soon they meet a group of strangers from another high school—including the mysterious and handsome Knox, who insists they play the game Two Truths and a Lie. When it&’s Nell&’s turn, she draws a slip of paper written in unfamiliar handwriting: I like to watch people die. I&’ve lost count of how many people I&’ve killed. Suddenly a night of harmless fun turns into a matter of life and death. As guests go missing, it becomes clear that a murderer is hiding in their midst ready to strike again. In a room full of liars and performers, the truth is never quite what it seems. Nell is going to have to act like her life depends on it—because it does.
Heart Finds
by Jaime BerryA heartwarming novel about a girl who must learn to let go of the past and embrace the future, perfect for fans of Kate DiCamillo and Barbara O&’Connor.Eleven-year-old Mabel Cunningham is a quiet loner who only feels free to be herself when she's "extreme treasure hunting" with her grampa—much to her perfectionist mother's disapproval. Nothing excites Mabel more than discovering a heart find, an item that calls to her heart, and the maybes that come along with it.But when her friendships start to crumble and her grampa suffers a stroke, Mabel quickly learns that real-life maybes are harder to handle than imagined ones. Desperate to change things back to the way they were, Mabel devises a plan that she believes will fix everything. Except bringing her plan to fruition means lying to her grampa and disappointing her mother.Will Mabel learn that letting go of the past doesn&’t mean letting go of her grampa and that embracing the future might be one of her most important heart finds yet?
Cookie Monsters
by Erika J. KendrickA fun, fast-paced novel about friendship, family, fighting for what&’s right, and standing out from the crowd while standing up for yourself. Twelve-year-old Brooklyn Ace is ready to take the Valentine World Scouts by storm and build her own cookie empire. She nearly won the top cookie selling spot last year and is determined to make her mom—who recently passed away—proud by coming in first this time around. With her fabulous best friends by her side, Brooklyn knows she&’ll become Santa Monica&’s District Cookie Queen. The crown is practically in the bag. Then Piper Parker arrives. Piper has a rich dad, a fancy hotel, and a drive to steal the cookie crown right off Brooklyn&’s head. Before long, most of the seventh grade is under Piper&’s spell. But Brooklyn is in it to win the biggest cookie war the school has ever seen. With the help of her cookie squad, her rockstar grandmother, her super cool therapist, and a lot of self-love and inner growth, maybe—just maybe—Brooklyn can end up a winner after all.
A Child's Introduction to Jazz: The Musicians, Culture, and Roots of the World's Coolest Music (A Child's Introduction Series)
by Jabari AsimGet ready to swing with A Child&’s Introduction to Jazz, an interactive journey into one of the richest and most soulful music genres in the world. Listen while you learn with QR codes that will connect you to the instruments and musical flair of jazz. Welcome to jazz! Feel the music and rhythms of all the different styles of jazz, from swing and Dixieland to the blues and bebop, with this interactive introduction to the world&’s coolest music.Author Jabari Asim will take you on the journey through the history of jazz as you discover the most important musicians and singers while hearing some really cool sounds. You&’ll learn all about the roots of jazz in Africa and New Orleans and how the music traveled to different parts of the United States and around the world. Along the way you&’ll meet legendary trumpeter Louis Armstrong, who shaped a new form of jazz called improvisation; pianist and bandleader Duke Ellington, who helped create the big band sound of the swing era; and the singer Billie Holiday, whose songs such as &“God Bless the Child,&” &“Don&’t Explain,&” and &“Lady Sings the Blues&” have become jazz standards.Listen along to the sounds of jazz by downloading music and hearing instruments such as trumpets, clarinets, trombones, and even singers scatting as they improvise melodies. With a pull-out poster showing the different instruments of jazz, A Child&’s Introduction to Jazz hits the perfect beat and will have you bebopping and scatting in no time!
The House That Whispers
by Lin ThompsonFrom the author of The Best Liars in Riverview comes a subtle exploration of gender identity, family, and the personal ghosts that haunt us all, perfect for fans of Kyle Lukoff and Ashley Herring Blake. Eleven-year-old Simon and his siblings, Talia and Rose, are staying the week at Nanaleen's century-old house. This time, though, it&’s not their usual summer vacation trip. In fact, everything&’s different. It&’s fall, not summer. Mom and Dad are staying behind to have a &“talk.&” And Nanaleen&’s house smells weird, plus she keeps forgetting things. And these aren&’t the only things getting under Simon&’s skin: He&’s the only one who knows that his name is Simon, and that he and him pronouns are starting to feel right. But he&’s not ready to add to the changes that are already in motion in his family. To make matters worse, Simon keeps hearing a scratching in the walls, and shadows are beginning to build in the corners. He can&’t shake the feeling that something is deeply wrong…and he&’s determined to get to the bottom of it—which means launching a ghost hunt, with or without his sisters&’ help. When Simon discovers the hidden story of his great-aunt Brie, he realizes that Brie&’s life might hold answers to some of his worries. Is Brie&’s ghost haunting the old O&’Hagan house? And will Simon&’s search for ghosts turn up more secrets than he ever expected?
The Next New Syrian Girl
by Ream ShukairyFuria meets I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter about the unlikely friendship between two very different Syrian girls, the pressures and expectations of the perfect Syrian daughter, and the repercussions of the Syrian Revolution both at home and abroad. Khadija Shami is a Syrian American high school senior raised on boxing and football. Saddled with a monstrous ego and a fierce mother to test it, she dreams of escaping her sheltered life to travel the world with her best friend. Leene Tahir is a Syrian refugee, doing her best to adjust to the wildly unfamiliar society of a suburban American high school while battling panic attacks and family pressures. When their worlds collide the result is catastrophic. To Khadija, Leene embodies the tame, dutiful Syrian ideal she's long rebelled against. And to Leene, Khadija is the strong-willed, closed-off American who makes her doubt her place in the world. But as Khadija digs up Leene&’s past, a startling and life-changing discovery forces the two of them closer together. As the girls secretly race to unravel the truth, a friendship slowly and hesitantly begins blooming. Doubts are cast aside as they realize they have more in common than they each expected. What they find takes them on a journey all the way to Jordan, challenging what each knows about the other and herself. Fans of Samira Ahmed&’s Love, Hate, and Other Filters and Tahereh Mafi&’s A Very Large Expanse Of Sea will love Khadija and Leene&’s sharp-witted voices in this dual POV narrative. The Next New Syrian Girl is a poignant and timely blend of guilt, nostalgia, devotion, and bad-ass hijabees.
Abandon Ship!: The True World War II Story About the Sinking of the Laconia (True Survival Series #1)
by Michael J. Tougias Alison O'LearyA remarkable World War II account of a maritime attack off the West African coast, for fans of Steven Sheinkin and Deborah Heiligman. At the height of World War II, the RMS Laconia was torpedoed by a German submarine five hundred miles off the coast of western Africa. The attack triggered a series of unprecedented events involving allies and enemies from both sides, and left survivors adrift at sea in shark infested oceans, fighting to stay alive with little food or water. Suspenseful and informative, and featuring historic photographs, this incredible true account is a testament to the idea that compassion can rule over conflict—even during the cruelties of war. A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection "This epic story races along, unspooling like a movie before our eyes—artfully, dramatically, revealing a little known part of WWII history. An intriguing book."―Doug Stanton, #1 New York Times bestselling author of In Harm&’s Way "The authors do an excellent job of conveying the chaos and loss of this grisly historical incident without pushing young readers too deeply into the horror. Many of those who lived through the Laconia catastrophe endured weeks at sea, parched and sunburned and starving in conditions that literally drove men mad. Archival photos add immediacy to this sensational true-life story." ―Wall Street Journal "An amazing account of a World War II event that is almost entirely unknown…. This story chronicles the courage, compassion, and perseverance of the few survivors of the incident, showcasing war at its worst and humanity at its best…. School librarians will want to add this to their collection." ―Booklist
Audrey Covington Breaks the Rules
by Karina EvansA grandmother-granddaughter duo set off on the Hollywood adventure of a lifetime in this funny middle-grade novel about breaking rules, growing up, and finding yourself—perfect for fans of Wendy Mass and Booki Vivat. Audrey Covington&’s parents are the textbook definition of strict—they don&’t let Audrey stay up late or watch scary movies, and they definitely don&’t let her go anywhere unsupervised. Audrey knows it&’s best to just accept the way it is. But her friends decide her parents&’ rules are getting in the way of all their fun and unceremoniously disinvite her from their annual start-of-summer slumber party so they aren&’t tied down by boring Audrey. Now Audrey is stuck helping her parents move her former-movie-star grandmother into a luxury retirement community. When she finally manages to sneak off to her parents&’ car to check her phone, her grandmother climbs into the driver&’s seat and speeds off—not realizing Audrey is still in the back seat! After startling each other, they come to a deal: Audrey promises not to tell her parents where her grandma is if Audrey can join in on one last grand adventure—no rules allowed. But as the two make their way across Hollywood, they realize that the life they think they want might not be what they need.
Clouds over California
by Karyn ParsonsFrom the author of the highly acclaimed How High the Moon comes a moving and heartfelt novel about how a girl's family and friendships are turned upside down—just as the world is changing in 1970s Los Angeles. Stevie&’s life is fluctuating rapidly. She's starting over in a brand new middle school. Quiet and observant, it's hard for her to make friends. Plus, her mind is too occupied. The tension in her home is building as her parents' arguments are becoming more frequent. To top it all off, Stevie's older cousin Naomi is coming to live with the family in an attempt to keep her from a "bad" crowd—The Black Panthers. Stevie agrees to keep Naomi's secrets. She's the cool big cousin, after all, and Stevie can't help but notice the happy, positive effect the Black Panthers are having on Naomi's confidence and identity—just like how Mom is making decisions for herself, even when Dad disapproves. Stevie feels herself beginning to change as well. But one thing remains the same: she loves both of her parents, and she loves them together. Can her family stay in one piece despite the world shifting around them?
Promposal
by RaeChell GarrettAn overachiever must decide if risking her heart by working with her former crush turned enemy is worth the reward in this snappy rom-com, perfect for fans of Tweet Cute and The Upside of Falling. High school senior Autumn Reeves has been waitlisted at her dream school. Determined to move to the top of the list, she must find a way to stand out. When a promposal she planned for a friend has half the senior class asking for her help, a brilliant business idea that will look great on her application is born: Promposal Queen. Autumn has no clue how to start a business, so she joins the Young Black Entrepreneurs group and finds herself face-to-face with Mekhi Winston, the boy whose unexpected freshman-year kiss—a kiss that meant everything to her and nothing to him—cost Autumn her best friend. He&’s the only person with the experience to help her, but how can she possibly trust him? With her dreams on the line, Autumn&’s willing to risk it. After all, Mekhi could be a good business partner without being a guy she would ever let near her heart again. But when working with Mekhi jeopardizes her only chance at rekindling a friendship with her ex-best-friend, and secrets long buried threaten to ruin Promposal Queen, another broken heart may be the least of her worries--her entire future is on the line.
The House on Sunrise Lagoon: Marina in the Middle (The House on Sunrise Lagoon #2)
by Nicole MellebyReturn to Sunrise Lagoon in this warmhearted sequel, which finds anxious middle child Marina making waves on her journey to trusting herself. If you want to get to know Marina Ali-O'Connor, you need to know three things: One, despite her name, Marina is secretly afraid of the water. Two, she wanted to be one of the Oldest Siblings, but is stuck smack dab in the middle. Three, she's pretty certain she's the Extra Ali-O'Connor kid—the forgotten one. When Boom, a budding filmmaker exactly Marina's age, moves in across the lagoon, she decides that Marina's quest to become someone's favorite Ali-O'Connor would make a perfect documentary. But when each plan goes a little bit wrong, Marina begins to wonder if she'll ever feel like she belongs, or if she'll always be lost in the middle.
The Demon Sword Asperides
by Sarah Jean HorwitzA scheming demon sword and a wannabe knight band together on a (possibly wicked) quest in this fantasy, perfect for fans of Diana Wynne Jones and Terry Pratchett. For the past two hundred years, the demon sword Asperides has led a quiet life. While his physical form has been tasked with guarding the body of an evil sorcerer, the rest of his consciousness has taken a well-earned vacation. That constant need to trick humans into wielding him (at the price of their very souls, of course) was rather draining. Nack Furnival, on the other hand, is far from satisfied with his existence. Nack has trained since birth to be a brave and noble knight—but, unfortunately, he isn&’t especially good at it. Determined to prove his worth, Nack needs a quest. And to complete that quest, he&’ll need the one thing no knight can do without: a sword. When an attempt to resurrect the evil sorcerer throws Asperides into Nack&’s path, the demon sword can&’t help but trick the boy into making a contract to become his new owner. And with the newly undead (and very, very angry) sorcerer on their trail, Asperides and Nack find themselves swept up in a bigger adventure than either of them bargained for: saving the world.