Whatcha Reading Wednesday - The Other Side of Tomorrow

The Other Side of Tomorrow

by Tina M. Cho

What they say: From never knowing where they’ll find their next meal to avoiding soldiers lurking at every corner, many North Koreans have learned that sticking around can be just as deadly as attempting to flee . . . almost. 

Both shy, resourceful Yunho and fierce, vibrant Myunghee know this. So when they each resolve to run away from the bleak futures they face, it’s with the knowledge that they could be facing a fate worse than death.

While Yunho hopes to reunite with his omma, who snuck across the border years ago, Myunghee is reaching for dreams that are bigger than anything the regime would allow her to have. The two are strangers to each other until a chance encounter unwittingly intertwines their fates and Myunghee saves Yunho’s life.

Kept together by their dreams for a brighter future, they face a road plagued by poisonous jungle snakes, corrupt soldiers, and the daily fear of discovery and imprisonment. But with every step toward freedom, there is also hope. Will it be enough for both of them to make it to safety without losing each other along the way?

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Am Reading - Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Lost Christmas!

Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Lost Christmas!

by Alastair Heim and illustrated by Aristides Ruiz

What they say: The Grinch is BACK and ready to prove to the residents of Who- ville that he's changed. This heartwarming sequel is written and illustrated in the style of Dr. Seuss's beloved holiday classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

The Grinch had been patiently waiting all year,

To celebrate Christmas and bring the Whos cheer,

And to show every Who he was DIFFERENT now.                         

“I’ve changed!” thought the Grinch,                                           

“And I’ll prove it! But HOW ?” 

A year has passed since the Grinch stole Christmas from Who- ville. Now eager to prove to the Whos that his heart has grown to LOVE the holiday, the Grinch devises a plan to win Who -ville's Christmas Crown by making the largest, most spectacular Christmas tree the Whos have ever seen! 

But when things don't go as planned, the Grinch's heart turns ice cold, and he threatens to leave Who- ville for good...until one small, special Who reminds him that Christmas is NOT about winning.

Grow your heart three sizes MORE with this sequel to the timeless picture book How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Featuring a foil-enhanced jacket and full-color illustrations rendered in the iconic style of the original, this new story makes a splendid gift and a must-have addition to the libraries of Grinch fans of all ages!

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Whatcha Reading Wednesday - Impossible Creatures

Impossible Creatures

by Katherine Rundell

What they say: The day that Christopher saved a drowning baby griffin from a hidden lake would change his life forever.

It’s the day he learned about the Archipelago—a cluster of unmapped islands where magical creatures of every kind have thrived for thousands of years, until now. And it’s the day he met Mal—a girl on the run, in desperate need of his help.

Mal and Christopher embark on a wild adventure, racing from island to island, searching for someone who can explain why the magic is fading and why magical creatures are suddenly dying. They consult sphinxes, battle kraken, and negotiate with dragons. But the closer they get to the dark truth of what’s happening, the clearer it becomes: no one else can fix this. If the Archipelago is to be saved, Mal and Christopher will have to do it themselves.

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Whatcha Reading Wednesday - Bridge to Bat City

Bridge to Bat City

by Ernest Cline

What they say: After losing her mother, thirteen-year-old Opal B. Flats moves in with her uncle Roscoe on the family farm. There, she bonds with Uncle Roscoe over music and befriends a group of orphaned, music-loving bats. But just as the farm is starting to feel like home, the bats’ cave is destroyed by a big mining company with its sights set on the farmland next.

If Opal and the bats can fit in anywhere, it’s the nearby city of Austin, home to their favorite music and a host of wonderfully eccentric characters. But with people afraid of the bats and determined to get rid of them, it’ll take a whole lot of courage to prove that this is where the bats—and Opal—belong.

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Am Reading - Cat Kid Comic Club

Cat Kid Comic Club: Collaborations

by Dav Pilkey

What they say: The Cat Kid Comic Club learns to collaborate in this creative, funny, and insightful graphic novel by Dav Pilkey, the author and illustrator of Dog Man. Excitement and imagination run wild as Naomi, Melvin, Poppy, Gilbert, Curly, and their siblings get back to making comics with originality and laughter. But wait -- have they cleaned their rooms yet?! 

After their chores, the rambunctious group presents even more amazing a thrilling ride in "Chubbs McSpiderbutt," an action-packed romp in "Frogzilla," reflective haikus in "In the Autumn Pond," a candy-coated mystery in "Mallo Cop," and much, much more. By working together, the baby frogs discover that small things can have a huge impact. 

In this innovative graphic novel series, award-winning author and illustrator Dav Pilkey employs a variety of techniques -- including origami, acrylic paints, colored pencils, photography, collage, gouache, watercolors, and more -- to capture the creative and joyful spirit of collaboration. The variety of art styles, paired with Pilkey's trademark storytelling and humor, inspires imagination and innovation for readers of all ages.

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Coming Soon - Supertato - Mean Green Time Machine

Supertato - Mean Green Time Machine

by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet

What they say: Ever wondered how Supertato got his superpowers? Travel back in time to find out in the thrilling new adventure in this super bestselling series!

It's night-time in the supermarket, and the veggies are trying DESPERATELY... not to laugh at Supertato's baby photos!

Supertato looks SUPER cute, but just as he's telling Carrot that he hasn't always been super, a certain mean, green character overhears him. If ONLY Evil Pea could have got rid of Supertato BEFORE he had his superpowers! But that would mean he'd need a time machine...wouldn't it?

Time travel THRILLS in the latest Supertato story.

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Am Reading - The King's Runaway Crown: A Coronation Caper

The King's Runaway Crown: A Coronation Caper

by Rosalind Spark

What they say: The day of the new king's coronation has arrived. It's a stupendous day, an exciting day, a MOST important day - and everyone, from the King's butler to the palace guards, is feeling nervous. They're all getting ready when Colin, the King's Jack Russell, grabs the crown and runs away. Soon, he is being chased by the butler, the guards - even the crowd gathered for the event!

But it takes little violet, aged 5, to work out what the problem is. Maybe Colin is nervous about his important new job as the king's dog. Actually, everyone else admits they're nervous too - especially the King, who has the biggest job of all.

Can Violet help get Colin and the crown back to the King in time for the coronation? A fun royal caper covering themes of anxiety, empathy and community in a light-touch and warm-hearted way. With a non-fiction page about coronations at the end of the book.

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Coming Soon - The Ghoul in the School

The Ghoul in the School - The Breakfast Club Adventures #2

by Marcus Rashford

What they say: Marcus and the Breakfast Club Investigators are back in The Breakfast Club Adventures: The Ghoul in the School ! From #1 bestselling author Marcus Rashford comes another exciting adventure full of fantastic friendships, high-stakes mysteries and strange goings-on! Written with Alex Falase-Koya and packed with tons of illustrations by Marta Kissi.

There’s something strange going on at school . . .

The Breakfast Club Investigators haven't managed to solve a mystery in months and Marcus is worried that the group is going to break up! So when Gbenga, the captain of the school basketball team, comes to ask for their help Marcus knows this might just be the Investigator's last chance to prove themselves.

The basketball team have had a streak of bad luck, and Marcus and his mates are sure there's more going on than meets the eye. As the mystery deepens and they uncover one surprising clue after another, they discover that someone – or some thing – has cursed the basketball team! Can Marcus and his friends solve the mystery in time?

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Whatcha Reading Wednesday - What Stays Buried

What Stays Buried

by Suzanne Young

What they say: In her first book for middle grade readers, New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Young brings together a thrilling ghost story, a heartfelt coming of age journey, and a poignant reminder that those we’ve loved and lost are never far away—perfect for fans of Bone Hollow  and  The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street . 

Twelve-year-old Calista Wynn will lose her ability to speak with the dead on her thirteenth birthday. And with only a few weeks left, children have started going missing. When Calista meets The Tall Lady—an angry spirit with a grudge against Calista, her family, and the entire town—she knows she’s found the ghost responsible for the disappearances. It’s up to Calista, the only one who can see The Tall Lady, to stop her. If she doesn’t, Calista won’t just lose her powers… she’ll lose everyone she has left.

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Am Reading - The Lost Galumpus

The Lost Galumpus

by Joseph Helgerson

What they say: When a furry, four-legged beast from the distant past appears in their park, the local animals are concerned about unwanted attention from humans. Gilly the Possum, assistant to raccoon Mayor Crawdaddy, is tasked with figuring out where the lost galumpus came from . . . and how to get him home again.

While Gilly and the Mayor don't agree on much, they can agree on one thing: with a huge blizzard rolling in, the galumpus needs their help, no matter where he came from.

This laugh-out-loud illustrated adventure has the whole woodland community in Theodore Wirth Park considering the best way to welcome a newcomer--and what generosity in the face of unthinkable circumstances can mean.

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Spotlight - The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels

The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels

by Beth Lincoln

What they say: shenanigan, noun

1. Tomfoolery, skulduggery, mischief of all varieties

2. A devious trick for an underhanded purpose

On the day they are born, every Swift child is brought before the sacred family dictionary. They are given a name and a definition, one it's assumed they will grow up to match. Unfortunately, Shenanigan Swift doesn't much like being told what to do.

Troublemaker and mischief enthusiast Shenanigan rattles around the grand old Swift house rehearsing Arch-Aunt Schadenfreude's funeral with her older sisters Phenomena and Felicity, plotting future crimes, and wondering whether she is herself by choice or design. When the Family Reunion floods the house with people, Shenanigan is excited to meet her rogue's gallery of relatives--until one of them gives Schadenfreude a deadly shove down the stairs. Shenanigan had planned to spend the reunion hunting for Grand-Uncle Vile's hidden treasure. But more murders and an awful lot of suspects--from newcomers Daisy and Atrocious to beloved Uncle Maelstrom--keep complicating Shenanigans plans.

With some help from her sisters and their newly befriended cousin Erf, can Shenanigan catch the killer? And in a world where definitions are so important, how will she define herself?

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Am Reading - On Air with Zoe Washington

On Air with Zoe Washington

by Janae Marks

What they say: Two years ago, Zoe Washington helped clear Marcus' name for a crime he didn't commit. Now her birth father has finally been released from prison and to an outpouring of community support, so everything should be perfect.

When Marcus reveals his dream of opening his own restaurant, Zoe becomes determined to help him achieve it--with her as his pastry chef of course. However, starting a new place is much more difficult than it looks, and Marcus is having a harder time re-entering society than anyone expected.

Set on finding a solution, Zoe starts a podcast to bring light to the exonerees' experiences and fundraise for their restaurant. After all, Zoe knows full well the power of using her voice. But with waning public interest in their story, will anyone still be listening?

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Coming Soon - How to Sell a Haunted House

How to Sell a Haunted House

by Grady Hendrix

What they say: Every childhood home is haunted, and each of us are possessed by our parents.

When their parents die at the tail end of the coronavirus pandemic, Louise and Mark Joyner are devastated but nothing can prepare them for how bad things are about to get. The two siblings are almost totally estranged, and couldn’t be more different. Now, however, they don’t have a choice but to get along. The virus has passed, and both of them are facing bank accounts ravaged by the economic meltdown. Their one asset? Their childhood home. They need to get it on the market as soon as possible because they need the money. Yet before her parents died they taped newspaper over the mirrors and nailed shut the attic door.

Sometimes we feel like puppets, controlled by our upbringing and our genes. Sometimes we feel like our parents treat us like toys, or playthings, or even dolls. The past can ground us, teach us, and keep us safe. It can also trap us, and bind us, and suffocate the life out of us. As disturbing events stack up in the house, Louise and Mark have to learn that sometimes the only way to break away from the past, sometimes the only way to sell a haunted house, is to burn it all down.

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Am Reading - The Cool Code

The Cool Code

by Deirdre Langeland

What they say: In an attempt to fit in, Zoey develops an app called the Cool Code with a cute llama avatar that will tell her everything from what to say to what to wear based on pop culture algorithms she's uploaded.

But when the app gives her ridiculous advice, awkwardness and hilarity ensues. With a few upgrades and a bit of debugging from the coding club, the app actually works--Zoey gets reallypopular . . . and gets her pulled in all kinds of directions, including away from her real friends.

Life's most complicated choices. . . is there a code for that?

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New Release - Bright Winter Night

Bright Winter Night

by Alli Brydon

What they say: The forest calls, and creatures come:

big and small, one by one.

They sense there is a task to do

as night descends, replacing blue.

On one bright winter night, a group of woodland creatures emerges from the forest. Despite their differences, they start to build something together, using items found on the forest floor. What are they making? And how quickly can they build it? Something special is happening tonight, and soon the animals are off—in a race to catch a glimpse of one of nature’s most astounding wonders! With lyrical text and sparkling artwork, Bright Winter Night is a celebration of the joy and beauty of nature and the special gift of friendship and togetherness.

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Book Spotlight - Mihi Ever After

Mihi Ever After

by Tae Keller

What they say: Newbery Medalist Tae Keller delivers a middle grade fantasy adventure in Mihi Ever After about three girls who fall into a fairy tale world. 

Should they stay forever, or find a way to escape?

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Whatcha Reading Wednesday - The Witch, the Sword, and the Cursed Knights

The Witch, the Sword, and the Cursed Knights

by Alexandria Rogers

What they say: Twelve-year-old Ellie can’t help that she’s a witch, the most hated member of society. Determined to prove her worth and eschew her heritage, Ellie applies to the Fairy Godmother Academy—her golden ticket to societal acceptance. But Ellie’s dreams are squashed when she receives the dreaded draft letter to serve as a knight of King Arthur’s legendary Round Table. She can get out of the draft—but only if she saves a lost cause.

Enter Caedmon, a boy from Wisconsin struggling with the death of his best friend. He first dismisses the draft as ridiculous; magic can’t possibly exist. But when Merlin’s ancient magic foretells his family’s death if he doesn’t follow through, he travels to the knights’ castle, where he learns of a wicked curse leeching the knights of their power. 

To break the curse, Ellie and Caedmon must pass a series of deathly trials and reforge the lost, shattered sword of Excalibur. And unless Ellie accepts her witch magic and Caedmon rises to become the knight he’s meant to be, they will both fail—and the world will fall to the same darkness that brought King Arthur and Camelot to ruin.

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Pete the Cat and the Perfect Pizza Party - Whatcha Reading Wednesday

Pete the Cat and the Perfect Pizza Party

by Kimberly Dean and James Dean

What they say: It’s a party, a party, a perfect pizza party!

That’s what Pete thinks as he piles the pie high with his favorite topping—pepperoni. But then his friends come over and add their own toppings to the pizza. Will Pete’s perfect pizza be ruined? There’s only one way to find out! 

In this picture book full of fun alliteration and tasty foods by New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Kimberly and James Dean, Pete and the gang learn that the best kind of pizza is one you share with your friends.

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Book Spotlight - The Breakfast Club Adventures

The Breakfast Club Adventures

by Marcus Rashford

What they say: The Breakfast Club Adventures is the first fiction book by England International footballer, child food-poverty campaigner and #1 bestselling author Marcus Rashford MBE, inspired by Marcus's own experiences growing up! Written with Alex Falase-Koya, it is the third title in the Marcus Rashford Book Club and is packed with tons of illustration throughout and is the perfect book for children aged 8-11.

There's something fishy going on at school . . .

When twelve-year-old Marcus kicks his favourite football over the school fence, he knows he's never getting it back. Nothing that goes over that wall ever comes back. But the next morning during Breakfast Club Marcus gets a mysterious note inviting him to join the Breakfast Club Investigators, and he is soon pulled into an exciting adventure with his new mates to solve the mystery and get his football back!

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Whatcha Reading Wednesday - The Science of Being Angry

The Science of Being Angry

by Nicole Melleby

What they say: Eleven-year-old Joey is angry. All the time. And she doesn’t understand why. She has two loving moms, a supportive older half brother, and, as a triplet, she’s never without company. Her life is good. But sometimes she loses her temper and lashes out, like the time she threw a soccer ball—hard—at a boy in gym class and bruised his collarbone. Or when jealousy made her push her (former) best friend (and crush), Layla, a little bit too roughly.

After a meltdown at Joey’s apartment building leads to her family’s eviction, Joey is desperate to figure out why she’s so mad. A new unit in science class makes her wonder if the reason is genetics. Does she lose control because of something she inherited from the donor her mothers chose?

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