Snow Foal by Susanna Bailey. When 11 year old Addie goes to stay with a foster-care family on a remote Exmoor farm in the midst of a very cold winter, she is full of hurt, anger and a deep mistrust of everyone around her. Until one day, when she rescues a tiny wild foal from the moorland snow and Addie bonds with horse - something who has also been separated from its mother. As adventure and unexpected friendship blossom, Addie is determined that both of them will know what is to be home again soon. Gr 4-7.
The Star That Always Stays by Anna Rose Johnson. When 14 year old Norvia moves from Beaver Island to Boyne City, Michigan in 1914, she has to contend with a new school, a first crush, and a blended family, but she also must keep secret her parents' divorce and her Ojibwe heritage. Gr 5-8.
The Superteacher Project by Gordon Korman. Oliver Zahn, spitball champion and self-declared rule-wrecker of Brightling Middle School, is not a fan of his new homeroom teacher, Mr. Aidact. Turns out mysterious Mr. Aidact is an AI robot from a secret experimental program. Korman’s stories always have a lot of humor and heart. Gr 3-7.
New Dragon City by Mari Mancusi. Dragons have decimated cities and forced populations underground for much of the year. 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. Gr 3-7.
The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh. Unwillingly helping his GG (great-grandmother) sort through boxes of old memorabilia, Matthew uncovers disturbing information about her past in Ukraine. Set in alternating timelines that connect the present-day to the 1930s and the US to the USSR, the story sheds fresh light on the Holodomor – the horrific famine that killed millions of Ukrainians, and which the Soviet government covered up for decades. Gr 4-8.
Children of the Stone City by Beverly Naidoo. A dystopian world (a combination of several contemporary countries with racist and segregationist policies) where a wrong move can have one exiled or interned. Twelve-year-old Adam and his sister Leila live in Stone City, a society divided into the ruling class called Permitteds and the lower class called Nons. Adam is arrested when he and his friend Zak are falsely accused of attacking a group of Permitted teens. Adam fights to clear his name and save his mother from being displaced. Gr 5+.
Midnight at the Shelter by Nancy Steveson. Rescue dog MahDi is happy helping his human partner, “MomDoc,” with the important work at her vet clinic and the local animal shelter. The two of them make a good team, caring for the town’s pets and matchmaking rescue animals with the families who need them. You’ll love reading from the dogs’ POV, although some of their stories are very sad. Also try Secondhand Dogs. Gr 3-7.
The Switch by Roland Smith. A thrilling dystopic story from Roland Smith about how far people will go to survive. On the morning of Henry Ludd's thirteenth birthday, the power goes out. No phones, no news, and planes are literally falling out of the sky. Henry's father was away from the family farm and he has not returned. Inevitably, people descend into lawlessness. Months later, nothing has changed, or so Henry thinks. He leaves the security of the Compound in search of his father and finds a world that has Switched. Gr 4+.
Sisters of the Lost Marsh by Lucy Strange. On a poor farm surrounded by marshlands, six sisters -- Grace, Willa, Freya, and triplets Deedee, Darcy, and Dolly -- live in fear of their father and the superstition that haunts him: The Curse of the Six Daughters. Their beloved grandmother tries to protect them, but the future seems bleak. When the Full Moon Fayre makes a rare visit to Hollow-in-the-Marsh, the girls slip out to see the famous Shadow Man, an enigmatic puppeteer. Afterwards, oldest sister Grace is missing. Following the Full Moor Fayre into the Lost Marsh, Willa will have to battle her inner doubts and the legends that have haunted her family. The old timey, British feeling environs serves the story well. Gr 4-7.
What Happened to Rachel Riley by Claire Swinarski. New girl Anna Hunt decides to make an investigative podcast about how fellow classmate Rachel Riley went from being the most popular girl in 7th grade to the most hated in 8th grade. Great for readers who like drama and mystery at school. Gr 5-8.
Bhai for Now by Maleeha Siddiqui. With a nod to The Parent Trap, twin boys meet as strangers and decide to swap identities. Gr 3-7.
The Sky We Shared by Shirley Vernick. Set during WWII and told in alternating voices, Nellie, a young Oregonian and survivor of a balloon bomb sent over by the Japanese, strives to understand how the war has torn her community apart and created prejudice against Japanese-Americans, while across the ocean, as part of her nationalist duty, Tamiko helps create the balloon bombs in her struggle to survive hunger and starvation. Gr 7+.
The Famously Funny Parrott by Eric Weiner. Early chapter book readers will love Freddie Parrott and his porcine butler, Jeeves. Did I say Jeeves? I meant Peccary! This story collection is full of whimsical illustrations and laugh-out-loud adventures. From solving problems like the mysterious knock-knocking door, to saving the day with a fresh batch of waffle batter, Freddie Parrott knows that he can always count on his loyal butler and best friend, Peccary! Gr 2-5.
GRAPHIC NOVELS
Beaky Barnes: Egg on the Loose by David Ezra Stein. Picture book author Stein (Interrupting Chicken) has given us an entire comic novel about equally absurd chickens, chefs and an egg-ceptional chase. Gr 3-7.
The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe. A "graphic" graphic novel for juvenile readers, based on the young adult novel. Follows the true story of Dita Kraus, a 14 year old girl from Prague who, after being sent to Auschwitz, is chosen to protect the eight volumes prisoners have smuggled past the guards. Gr 7+.