New BoyBy Tracy Chevalier The Shakespearian tragedy of Othello is reimagined in Tracy Chevalier’s mesmerizing book, New Boy. When Osei arrives at his new school in Washington D.C. in the 1970s, he is the only black boy on the playground. This is not a new experience for him. Osei’s father is a diplomat from Ghana […]
The Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris The Magic Misfits is a fun, quirky middle grade book by actor Neil Patrick Harris. It begins with Carter, a young boy who lives with his Uncle Sly, a street con artist who forces Carter, a young magician, to assist him with his pick-pocketing. Having had enough […]
William Wenton and the Impossible PuzzleBy Bobbie Peers William Olsen has been living in Norway for the past eight years. When William’s grandfather disappeared, William and his parents had to leave England and now they are in hiding. William longs to know the secrets that sent his family underground. He also longs to go back […]
The Explorer By Katherine Rundell In a small plane, four children travel over the Amazon jungle. Each has a good reason to be on an excursion without their parents and will meet their adults at their destination. But when the pilot has what appears to be a heart attack, Fred, Con, Lila and her little […]
Exit West by Moshin Hamid In the futuristic, magical novel Exit West by Moshin Hamid, Saeed and Nadia meet in an evening class in an unidentified country that is under siege and about to explode into war. Saeed is contemplative and reserved while Nadia is fiercely independent and confident. As their friendship develops, the fighting […]
Carson Crosses CanadaBy Linda Bailey, illustrated by Kass Reich Annie and her dog Carson live in Tofino, on the west coast of Vancouver Island. When Annie decides to take a road trip to visit her sister in Newfoundland, Carson doesn’t realize how long it will take. The cross Canada adventure takes Annie and Carson through […]
Greenglass HouseBy Kate Milford As Christmas approaches, twelve-year-old Milo Pine can’t wait for his vacation. But plans to spend the holidays alone with his parents are thwarted as a series of unexpected guests arrives at Greenglass House, which doubles as a hotel. Each guest is unusual in his or her own way. Georgie has blue […]
Red River RagingBy Penny Draper Thirteen-year-old Finn Armstrong is a world traveler. With a home base in Vancouver, Finn accompanies his parents on their international research trips. This year he was supposed to go to Egypt, but instead he’s been sent to St. Agathe, Manitoba to stay with his grandmother and great-grandfather, known simply as […]
The Poet’s DogBy Patricia MacLachlan Siblings Flora and Nickel are lost in a snowstorm. As the blizzard envelops them, someone comes to the rescue. But Teddy is not your usual someone – he is a dog. Teddy takes the two children to his cabin. The poet who used to take care of Teddy is gone, […]
Constable & ToopBy Gareth P. Jones Sam Toop is just a kid, but he’s the son of an undertaker and has been around death all his life. Sam can also see ghosts, and London in the mid-1800s is filled with them. Sam’s a Talker, and ghosts come to him for help with their unfinished business. […]