Birdspell by
Corbin Hayes has felt alone for as long as he can remember. His mom's illness means lost jobs, constant moves, new schools and friendships that never get to grow. There's a gap in his life that's been waiting to be filled. So, when a classmate offers Corbin the talking bird she can no longer keep, he's stoked. But when things begin to spiral out of control, Corbin can no longer get his mom - or himself - through the dark period. At his lowest moment, he's forced to do the one thing he fears the most.
Two Degrees by
The instant #1 New York Times bestseller! #1 New York Times bestselling author Alan Gratz (Refugee; Ground Zero) is back, tackling the urgent topic of climate change in this breathtaking, action-packed novel that will keep readers turning pages while making their own plans to better the world. Fire. Ice. Flood. Three climate disasters. Four kids fighting for their lives. Akira is riding her horse in the California woods when a wildfire sparks--and grows scarily fast. How can she make it to safety when there are flames everywhere? Owen and his best friend, George, are used to seeing polar bears on the snowy Canadian tundra. But when one bear gets way too close for comfort, do the boys have any chance of surviving? Natalie hunkers down at home as a massive hurricane barrels toward Miami. When the floodwaters crash into her house, Natalie is dragged out into the storm--with nowhere to hide. Akira, Owen, George, and Natalie are all swept up in the devastating effects of climate change. They are also connected in ways that will shock them--and could alter their destinies forever. Bestselling author Alan Gratz is at the top of his game, shining a light on our increasingly urgent climate crisis while spinning an action-packed story that will keep readers hooked--and inspire them to take action.
The Coming Storm by
Music, myth, and horror blend in this romantic, "eerie...atmospheric" (Publishers Weekly) fantasy debut about a teen girl who must fight a powerful evil that's invaded her Prince Edward Island home--perfect for fans of An Enchantment of Ravens. There's a certain wild magic in the salt air and the thrum of the sea. Beet MacNeill has known this all her life. It added spice to her childhood adventures with her older cousin, Gerry, the two of them thick as thieves as they explored their Prince Edward Island home. So when Gerry comes up the path one early spring morning, Beet thinks nothing of it at first. But he is soaking wet and silent, and he plays a haunting tune on his fiddle that chills Beet to the bone. Something is very, very wrong. Things only get worse when Marina Shaw saunters into town and takes an unsettling interest in Gerry's new baby. Local lore is filled with tales of a vicious shape-shifting sea creature and the cold, beautiful woman who controls him--a woman who bears a striking resemblance to Marina. Beet is determined to find out what happened to her beloved cousin, and to prevent the same fate from befalling the handsome new boy in town who is winning her heart, whether she wants him to or not. Yet the sea always exacts a price...
Firefly by
Winner of the 2021 Governor General's Literary Award for Young People's Literature - Text Firefly lived in the park across from her mother's home. It was safer there. But after the bad night happens, and her baseball-bat-wielding mother is taken away, social services sends Firefly to live with her Aunt Gayle. She hardly knows Gayle, but discovers that she owns a costume shop. Yes, Firefly might be suffering from PTSD, but she can get used to taking baths, sleeping on a bed again, and wearing as many costumes as she can to school. But where is "home"? What is "family"? Who is Firefly, for that matter ... and which costume is the real one?
Escape from the Wildfire by
Jack loves mountain biking, and when his dad forbids him to ride in the forest surrounding Lytton because of the risk of wildfire, the reality of the region's heat dome sets in. Days later, the village of Lytton burns down, forcing Jack to evacuate to Merritt. Escape from the Wildfire offers a fictional account based on the real-life facts of the disastrous wildfire of 2021 that destroyed the town of Lytton after days of scorching heat. Dorothy Bentley's own experiences of living through a wildfire led her to research the experience of Lytton residents, so she could write the story of a resilient teen surviving an environmental catastrophe.
The King of Jam Sandwiches by
★ "Tug at the heartstrings and tickle the funny bone...This warm tale is definitely one for the keeper shelves. Highly recommended."--School Library Journal, starred review Thirteen-year-old Robbie leads a double life. It's just Robbie and his dad, but no one knows that his dad isn't like most parents. Sometimes he wakes Robbie up in the middle of the night to talk about dying. Sometimes he just leaves without telling Robbie where he's going. Once when Robbie was younger, he was gone for more than a week. Robbie was terrified of being left alone but even more scared of telling anyone in case he was put into foster care. No one can know. Until one day when Robbie has to show the tough new girl, Harmony, around school. Their first meeting ends horribly and she punches Robbie in the face. But eventually they come to realize that they have a lot more in common than they thought. Can Robbie's new friend be trusted to keep his secret?
Linked by
An unforgettable novel from the New York Times bestselling Gordon Korman Link, Michael, and Dana live in a quiet town. But it's woken up very quickly when someone sneaks into school and vandalizes it with a swastika. Nobody can believe it. How could such a symbol of hate end up in the middle of their school? Who would do such a thing? Because Michael was the first person to see it, he's the first suspect. Because Link is one of the most popular guys in school, everyone's looking to him to figure it out. And because Dana's the only Jewish girl in the whole town, everyone's treating her more like an outsider than ever. The mystery deepens as more swastikas begin to appear. Some students decide to fight back and start a project to bring people together instead of dividing them further. The closer Link, Michael, and Dana get to the truth, the more there is to face-not just the crimes of the present, but the crimes of the past. With Linked, Gordon Korman, the author of the acclaimed novel Restart, poses a mystery for all readers where the who did it? isn't nearly as important as the why?
Sisters of the Snake by
A lost princess. A mysterious puppet master. And a race against time--before all is lost. Princess Rani longs for a chance to escape her gilded cage and prove herself. Ria is a street urchin, stealing just to keep herself alive. When these two lives collide, everything turns on its head: because Ria and Rani, orphan and royal, are unmistakably identical. A deal is struck to switch places--but danger lurks in both worlds, and to save their home, thief and princess must work together. Or watch it all fall into ruin. Deadly magic, hidden temples, and dark prophecies: Sisters of the Snake is an action-packed, immersive fantasy that will thrill fans of The Wrath & the Dawn and The Tiger at Midnight.
Sisters of the Wolf by
2022 Red Maple Award -- Shortlisted Can two Ice Age teens separated from their tribes overcome their differences to outwit their pursuer and survive the unforgiving wilds? The climate is changing, game is disappearing, and two peoples of the Ice Age compete for survival in a savage world. Keena, from a powerful band of Neanderthals, and Shinoni, daughter of a Cro-Magnon shaman, are torn from their families by Haken, a ruthless hunter. The girls dislike each other but soon discover they need one another to survive. Together they escape but are pursued by Haken across an Ice Age landscape rumbling with advancing glaciers and teeming with mighty predators. As Shinoni and Keena work to overcome disaster at every turn, they are joined by Tewa, a powerful she-wolf who becomes their guardian and spirit guide. Can their growing friendship overcome cultural, racial, and even species differences? Will they ever be able to get back to their families? Only the spirits know.
From the Roots Up by
Dez's grandmother has passed away. Grieving, and with nowhere else to go, she's living in a group home. On top of everything else, Dez is navigating a new relationship and coming into her identity as a Two-Spirit person. Miikwan is crushing on the school's new kid Riel, but doesn't really understand what Dez is going through. Will she learn how to be a supportive ally to her best friend? Elder Geraldine is doing her best to be supportive, but she doesn't know how to respond when the gendered protocols she's grown up with that are being thrown into question. Will Dez be comfortable expressing her full identity? And will her community relearn the teachings and overcome prejudice to celebrate her for who she is?
Tremendous Things by
A funny and heartfelt story about learning how to rise above your most embarrassing moment while staying true to yourself--with the help of old friends, new friends, and some cheesy poetry. At the start of ninth grade, Wilbur Nuñez-Knopf is hoping for a fresh start. But he just can't live down a deeply humiliating moment from two years ago that's followed him to high school. His good friend Alex has stuck by him, but Alex has started dating Fabrizio and he doesn't have much time to hang out. Luckily, Wil can still confide in his elderly neighbor, Sal. But he longs to have a special someone of his own. When the school band does an exchange with students from Paris, a girl named Charlie captures Wilbur's heart. But his feelings aren't reciprocated. So Alex, Fabrizio, and Sal join forces to build Wil's confidence in the hope that he can impress Charlie when they go to Paris. Maybe, just maybe, Wilbur will find a new defining moment in the City of Love.
Under Amelia's Wing by
It's 1936, and against all odds--but not without a few stumbles--Ginny Ross has made it to Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Otherwise known as the academic home of her friend and mentor, Amelia Earhart.) For Ginny, this is the next step toward her dream of becoming a pilot, but it's harder than she expected: as the only girl in her mechanical engineering program, she constantly has to prove she deserves to be there. Ginny is determined not to let the jeers of her classmates and the opinions of some backwards-thinking professors hold her back, but she is a world away from her home in Harbour Grace, Newfoundland. When Amelia takes off in 1937 to fly around the globe, Ginny can't shake a feeling of foreboding. Aviation is still relatively new and communication between air and ground is patchy at best. Then Amelia disappears without a trace, and Ginny must figure out if she has what it takes to forge ahead without her mentor. With the threat of the Second World War looming large, Ginny will need every bit of salty east coast grit she can muster. Featuring historical photos of Amelia's time at Purdue University (1935-37), this STEM-friendly novel will appeal to anyone who has suffered from imposter syndrome and has had to prove their worth--to others and themselves.
Bloom by
"It was just rain. But after the downpour, odd black plants began to shoot up. Suddenly -- They. Are. Everywhere. They take over fields and twine around houses. They bloom and throw off toxic pollen--and feed. Strangely, three Salt Spring Island teens seem immune. Anaya, Petra and Seth. What's their connection? What's their secret? A week ago, they wouldn't have thought they had one. But they'd better figure it out fast--the invasion has already begun." - Provided by publisher
Broken Strings by
A violin and a middle-school musical unleash a dark family secret in this moving story by an award-winning author duo. For fans of The Devil's Arithmetic and Hana's Suitcase. It's 2002. In the aftermath of the twin towers -- and the death of her beloved grandmother -- Shirli Berman is intent on moving forward. The best singer in her junior high, she auditions for the lead role in Fiddler on the Roof, but is crushed to learn that she's been given the part of the old Jewish mother in the musical rather than the coveted part of the sister. But there is an upside: her "husband" is none other than Ben Morgan, the cutest and most popular boy in the school. Deciding to throw herself into the role, she rummages in her grandfather's attic for some props. There, she discovers an old violin in the corner -- strange, since her Zayde has never seemed to like music, never even going to any of her recitals. Showing it to her grandfather unleashes an anger in him she has never seen before, and while she is frightened of what it might mean, Shirli keeps trying to connect with her Zayde and discover the awful reason behind his anger. A long-kept family secret spills out, and Shirli learns the true power of music, both terrible and wonderful.
Dragon Assassin by
Carmen is desperate to finish ahead of her twin brother and the rest of the class at the Red Adept Assassin School. In her quest, she discovers a dragon, Brax. All she has to do is get on his back. One problem: he's killed everyone who gets near him. Then the emperor declares war on assassins and graduation night becomes the fight of her life. Now Carmen has three things on her mind: survival, revenge and figuring out how to deal with Brax. Because the emperor and his forces are hunting down her fellow assassins one by one, she's going to need all the help she can get.
If I Go Missing by
Combining graphic fiction and non-fiction, this young adult graphic novel serves as a window into one of the unique dangers of being an Indigenous teen in Canada today. The text of the book is derived from excerpts of a letter written to the Winnipeg Chief of Police by fourteen-year-old Brianna Jonnie -- a letter that went viral and was also the basis of a documentary film. In her letter, Jonnie calls out the authorities for neglecting to immediately investigate missing Indigenous people and urges them to "not treat me as the Indigenous person I am proud to be," if she were to be reported missing. Indigenous artist Neal Shannacappo provides the artwork for the book. Through his illustrations he imagines a situation in which a young Indigenous woman does disappear, portraying the reaction of her community, her friends, the police and media. An author's note at the end of the book provides context for young readers about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in Canada.
The Other Side by
Twelve-year-old Liam finds a dead body along the shore at his grandfather's cottage. He can't erase what he's seen and can't focus on anything else, not even the upcoming opportunity of a lifetime to try out for an elite soccer team. Liam believes there is more to the girl's story than her "accidental death" and decides to investigate. When Liam visits his grandfather, living in palliative care, things go from bad to worse. As they watch Germany's 2014 World Cup soccer games together, his grandfather, a German World War II veteran, reveals stories about his past -- stories a Jewish Canadian kid doesn't want to hear. Angry and overwhelmed, Liam is swept up in a history that may just help him solve the girl's death -- and make sense of his own world again.
The Rise and Fall of Derek Cowell by
Derek didn't mean to become popular. His accidental photo bomb--the one that made him internet-famous--took him from invisibility to middle-school fame overnight. And you know what? He's not sure if he likes it. But his best friend Sam does, and schemes to find other ways to help Derek to remain the talk of the school. But what goes up must come down, and Derek's reluctant rise is followed by a regrettable crash.
Safe Harbour by
Fourteen-year-old Harbour is living in a tent in a Toronto ravine with her dog, a two-month supply of canned tuna, and an unconventional reading list. She's not homeless, she tells herself. She's merely waiting for her home -- a thirty-six-foot sailboat -- to arrive with her father at the helm. Why should she worry when the clouds give her signs that assure her that she's safe and protected? When her credit card gets declined, phone contact from her father stops, and summer slips into a frosty fall, Harbour is forced to face reality and accept the help of a homeless teen named Lise to survive on the streets. Lise shows Harbour how to panhandle and navigate the shelter system while trying to unravel Harbour's mysterious past. But if Harbour tells her anything, the consequences could be catastrophic.
Sara and the Search for Normal by
Sara's Rules to be Normal 1. Stop taking your pills 19. Make a friend 137. Don't put mayonnaise on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Sara wants one thing: to be normal. What she has instead are multiple diagnoses from Dr. Ring. Sara's constant battle with False Alarm--what she calls panic attacks--and other episodes cause her to isolate herself. She rarely speaks, especially not at school, and so she doesn't have any friends. But when she starts group therapy she meets someone new. Talkative and outgoing Erin doesn't believe in "normal," and Sara finds herself in unfamiliar territory: at the movies, at a birthday party, and with someone to tell about her crush--in short, with a friend. But there's more to Erin than her cheerful exterior, and Sara begins to wonder if helping Erin will mean sacrificing their friendship.
A Treason of Thorns by
Dark, gripping, and utterly unique, this atmospheric historical fantasy from critically acclaimed author Laura E. Weymouth is perfect for fans of The Hazel Wood and Caraval. Violet Sterling has spent the last seven years in exile, longing to return to Burleigh House. One of the six great houses of England, Burleigh's magic kept both the countryside and Violet happy. That is, until her father's treason destroyed everything. Now she's been given a chance to return home. But Burleigh isn't what she remembered. Wild with grief, Burleigh's very soul is crying out in pain. As its tormented magic ravages the countryside, Vi must decide how far she's willing to go to save her house--before her house destroys everything she's ever known. A house left unchecked will lead to ruin. But I will not let it ruin me.
Yara's Spring by
Coming of age against all odds in the midst of the Arab Spring. Growing up in Aleppo, Yara's childhood has long been shadowed by the coming revolution. But when the Arab Spring finally arrives at Yara's doorstep, it is worse than even her Nana imagined: sudden, violent, and deadly. When rescuers dig Yara out from under the rubble that was once her family's home, she emerges to a changed world. Her parents and Nana are gone, and her brother, Saad, can't speak--struck silent by everything he's seen. Now, with her friend Shireen and Shireen's charismatic brother, Ali, Yara must try to find a way to safety. With danger around every corner, Yara is pushed to her limits as she discovers how far she'll go for her loved ones--and for a chance for freedom. Crafted through the focused lens of Jamal Saeed's own experiences in Syria and brought to life with acclaimed author Sharon E. McKay, Yara's Spring is a story of coming of age against all odds and the many kinds of love that bloom even in the face of war. Black-and-white interior drawings by award-winning illustrator Nahid Kazemi lend vivid detail to the novel. *A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection