When You Trap a Tiger by Tae KellerCall Number: F KEL (MS - Fantasy)
ISBN: 9781524715700
Publication Date: 2020-01-28
WINNER OF THE NEWBERY MEDAL . NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER WINNER OF THE ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN AWARD FOR CHILDREN'S LITERATURE If stories were written in the stars and guarded by tigers, this wondrous tale would be one of the brightest. Lily is happy when she, her mom, and sister, Sam, move, because it means they will spend more time with their grandmother, their halmoni, whose life is full of magic. Halmoni has always told beautiful stories about clever sisters and equally clever tigers—not to be trusted—but Lily soon finds that life is not how she expected it to be. Sam isn't so happy about the move, and worse, Halmoni is very sick, so when a tiger appears to Lily, offering her a deal, she thinks it could be what saves her grandmother.
Recommended by Ms. DaCosta: "It's a great coming of age story with a little bit of magic."
Small Spaces by Katherine ArdenCall Number: F ARD (MS - Horror)
ISBN: 9780525515029
Publication Date: 2018-09-25
Things were already pretty spooky for Ollie after she rescued an antique book from a weeping, maniacal woman, but when the bus taking her and her classmates home from a school trip to a farm stalls in a dense bank of fog next to a field peppered with creepy scarecrows, it's clear something otherworldly is going on. Heeding the advice appearing in her late mother's digital watch—"RUN"—Ollie and a couple of classmates, Jamaican-born Brian and sensitive Coco, escape to the woods, trying to avoid the terrifying, animated scarecrows and find their way back to the farm, which has an eerie connection to the book, a story about a smiling man who makes deadly bargains.
Recommended by Ms. Reilly for students, "...who enjoy a strong female lead character and those who enjoy a good scare."
Walk Two Moons: a Harper Classic by Sharon CreechCall Number: F CRE (MS - Realistic Fiction)
ISBN: 9780062658777
Publication Date: 2017-10-24
Newbery Medal winner : Thirteen-year-old Sal, traveling with her grandparents from Ohio to Idaho in search of her missing mother, entertains them with the story of her friend Phoebe whose mother also left, unwittingly revealing the truth about her own relationship with her mom.
Recommended by Mr. Johnston, "
An Awesome book with lots of plot twists."
Ali Cross by James PattersonCall Number: F PAT (MS - Mystery/Suspense)
ISBN: 9780316530415
Publication Date: 2019-11-25
James Patterson's blockbuster Alex Cross series has sold over 100 million copies - and now he's bringing those thrills to a new generation! Alex's son Ali is eager to follow in his father's footsteps as a detective, but when his best friend goes missing, what price will he have to pay to solve the mystery? Ali Cross has always looked up to his father, former detective and FBI agent Alex Cross. While solving some of the nation's most challenging crimes, his father always kept his head and did the right thing. Can Ali have the same strength and resolve? When Ali's best friend Gabe is reported missing, Ali is desperate to find him. At the same time, a string of burglaries targets his neighborhood -- and even his own house. With his father on trial for a crime he didn't commit, it's up to Ali to search for clues and find his friend. But being a kid sleuth isn't easy -- especially when your father warns you not to get involved! -- and Ali soon learns that clues aren't always what they seem. Will his detective work lead to a break in Gabe's case or cause even more trouble for the Cross family?
Recommended by Mrs. Reilly: "James Patterson's writing grows with you. If you like Ali Cross, as you get older you can read the books about his father Alex Cross. Students who like mystery and adventure will like this book. "
Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish by Pablo CartayaCall Number: F CAR (MS - Historical Fiction)
ISBN: 9781101997260
Publication Date: 2018-08-21
After a fight at school leaves Marcus facing suspension, Marcus's mom decides it's time for a change of environment. She takes Marcus and his younger brother to Puerto Rico to spend a week with relatives they don't remember or have never met. But Marcus can't focus knowing that his father--who walked out of their lives ten years ago--is somewhere on the island.
Recommended by former ASD teacher, Mrs. Franks: "This book is funny, relevant, and heartwarming. It may be relatable to people who have family members with disabilities and kids who navigate living in multiple cultures."
Cinder by Marissa MeyerCall Number: F MEY (MS - Science Fiction)
ISBN: 9780312641894
Publication Date: 2012-01-03
The #1 New York Times Bestselling Series! Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl. . . . Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future.
Recommended by former ASD teacher, Mrs. Franks: "This series is full of action and adventure. It's an interesting take on what the future of earth could look like and how power dynamics could change as technology advances. At first, I thought the incorporation of familiar fairytale characters (Cinderella, Rapunzel, Snow White) would be cheesy, but it wasn't! If you like fantasy, the future, courageous characters, political relations, and social equality, you'll love this series!"
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg (Illustrator)Call Number: (not currently in our library)
ISBN: 9780689205866
Publication Date: 1970-11-01
When Claudia decided to run away, she planned very carefully. She would be gone just long enough to teach her parents a lesson in Claudia appreciation. And she would go in comfort-she would live at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She saved her money, and she invited her brother Jamie to go, mostly because be was a miser and would have money. Claudia was a good organizer and Jamie bad some ideas, too; so the two took up residence at the museum right on schedule. But once the fun of settling in was over, Claudia had two unexpected problems: She felt just the same, and she wanted to feel different; and she found a statue at the Museum so beautiful she could not go home until she had discovered its maker, a question that baffled the experts, too. The former owner of the statue was Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Without her-well, without her, Claudia might never have found a way to go home.
Recommended by former ASD teacher, Mrs. Robertson: "Very fun and interesting read, well paced and realistic interaction between siblings. Easy to read because it was well written and not a complex story."
Amanda in Spain by Darlene FosterCall Number: (UES; not in our library)
ISBN: 9781926760551
Publication Date: 2010-05-04
Amanda Jane Ross is ... now in sunny Spain on vacation with her friend Leah. While there, she encounters a mysterious young girl who looks eerily like the girl in a famous painting she saw in a Madrid museum. Even weirder, the girl keeps showing up wherever Amanda finds herself - Madrid, the remote mountains of rural Spain, the beaches on the Mediterranean Sea, a lively fiesta and the busy streets of Barcelona. Amanda wants to help this sweet, young girl and her beloved pony escape the clutches of a mean horse-dealer. Come with Amanda on her next adventure as she attempts to unravel the mystery ... while she treks across Spain - always one step ahead of danger!
Recommended by Ms. Anki, "
Because it is a wonderful way to learn about culture. All MS students that know some Spanish, study Spanish or speak Spanish will enjoy reading this book."
The Terrible Thing That Happened to Barnaby Brocket by John BoyneCall Number: (UES; not in our library)
ISBN: 9780857531469
Publication Date: 2012
There's nothing unusual about the Brockets. Normal, respectable, and proud of it, they turn up their noses at anyone strange or different. But from the moment Barnaby Brocket comes into the world, it's clear he's anything but ordinary. To his parents’ horror, Barnaby defies the laws of gravity - and floats. Desperate to please his parents, Barnaby does his best to keep both feet on the ground – but he just can't do it. One fateful day, the Brockets decide enough is enough. They never asked for a weird, abnormal, floating child. Barnaby has to go . . . Betrayed, frightened and alone, Barnaby floats into the path of a very special hot air balloon – and so begins a magical journey around the world, with a cast of extraordinary new friends.
Recommended by former ASD teacher, Mrs. Robertson: "Kids who want an easy read would enjoy this book, and appreciate a few laughs and smiles while reading."