9–12

Reviewed by: 

“African folktales always invite us to talk about how characters behave,” writes acclaimed author Beverley Naidoo in the foreword to her latest title, a patchy collection of stories hailing from ni

Reviewed by: 

Middle school readers will love the Alcatraz series, of which Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians is the first title, originally published in 2007 and rereleased in 2016.

Author(s):
Genre(s):

“Maybe the Vinny you used to know isn’t quite gone. If she’s still in there, you thank her, silently. And say goodbye.”

Author(s):
Genre(s):
Reviewed by: 

Ever wondered about the birth of movies? In 1895 the Lumière brothers invented the Cinematograph.

Author(s):
Genre(s):
Reviewed by: 

Spencer Quinn’s new book is Woof, and Woof is a delightful contribution to children’s literature. Quinn has written a book that is bound to become a classic.

Author(s):
Genre(s):
Reviewed by: 

“Stephen Tomecek and Fred Harper together succeed in making Earth science fun.”

Reviewed by: 

“Middle-school girls with a fanciful flair will snap up this novel . . .”

Author(s):
Genre(s):
Reviewed by: 

a real treat for children and adults who love to learn about dinosaurs.”

Author(s):

“How would it feel to hide an enormous, important, life threatening secret from your friends, your neighbors, and maybe even members of your own family?”

Genre(s):
Reviewed by: 

“Alien Encounter is a chapter book with plenty of mystery, quirky characters, some chills, and on-target, male-skewed humor for the elementary school set.”

Author(s):
Genre(s):
Reviewed by: 

“Morley’s writing is magnetic, instantly attaching the reader to the story. We see, we feel, and we cringe at the victim’s circumstances.”

Reviewed by: 

The Junction of Sunshine and Lucky offers a gentle, inspiring story of economically disadvantaged people uniting to assert their right to define beauty on their own terms.”

Author(s):
Genre(s):
Reviewed by: 

Sometimes there’s no explaining how a person manages to work his or her way into your heart. It just happens.

Author(s):
Genre(s):
Reviewed by: 

Many people wonder about answers to some of life’s most basic questions, such as “Why the sky is blue?”, which can be answered from textbooks and in science classrooms and seem geared to younger, m

Author(s):
Genre(s):
Reviewed by: 

Cynthia Voigt’s first book in a three-book series Mister Max: The Book of Lost Things is written in the same style as Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events.

Reviewed by: 

“. . . a cautionary tale about the current state of our fragile world . . . It provides a chilling prediction of one possible outcome.”

Author(s):
Genre(s):
Reviewed by: 

“. . . a beautiful love story told in spare, riveting prose.”

Author(s):
Genre(s):
Reviewed by: 

In 1946, a young orphan from Poland arrives at a New York yeshiva where he will study and live.

Reviewed by: 

They have a touch so feathery light it can be barely felt on human skin. The vivid gold and black colored golden orb weaver spider is the largest webmaking spider on the planet.

Reviewed by: 

“For a parent looking to broaden a child’s understanding of the world, this new graphic novel is a find.”

Author(s):
Genre(s):
Reviewed by: 

“Mr. MacHale is a master of intrigue, pacing, and adventure.”

Author(s):
Genre(s):
Reviewed by: 

Stumbling upon a childhood photo can be an unexpected pleasure for an elderly person—except when it conjures up memories of the Holocaust.

Author(s):
Genre(s):
Reviewed by: 

“Rick Yancey has written a very different book from the usual alien invasion story. . . . explor[ing] the very nature of humanity . . . creepy good.”

Reviewed by: 

“The joy is in the reading. . . . What else could a child ask for in a story?”

Reviewed by: 

“Papercutz has added a significant new dimension to the legend of Nancy Drew. She and her new Clue Crew should be around for a long time.”

Pages