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Beetle & the Hollowbones

Aliza Layne

An enchanting, riotous, and playfully illustrated debut graphic novel following a young goblin trying to save her best friend from the haunted mall—perfect for fans of Steven Universe and Adventure Time.

In the eerie town of ‘Allows, some people get to be magical sorceresses, while other people have their spirits trapped in the mall for all ghastly eternity.

Then there’s twelve-year-old goblin-witch Beetle, who’s caught in between. She’d rather skip being homeschooled completely and spend time with her best friend, Blob Glost. But the mall is getting boring, and B.G. is cursed to haunt it, tethered there by some unseen force. And now Beetle’s old best friend, Kat, is back in town for a sorcery apprenticeship with her Aunt Hollowbone. Kat is everything Beetle wants to be: beautiful, cool, great at magic, and kind of famous online. Beetle’s quickly being left in the dust.

But Kat’s mentor has set her own vile scheme in motion. If Blob Ghost doesn’t escape the mall soon, their afterlife might be coming to a very sticky end. Now, Beetle has less than a week to rescue her best ghost, encourage Kat to stand up for herself, and confront the magic she’s been avoiding for far too long. And hopefully ride a broom without crashing.

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The Tea Dragon Society

K. O'Neill

From the award-winning author of Princess Princess Ever After comes The Tea Dragon Society, a charming all-ages book that follows the story of Greta, a blacksmith apprentice, and the people she meets as she becomes entwined in the enchanting world of tea dragons. 

After discovering a lost tea dragon in the marketplace, Greta learns about the dying art form of tea dragon care-taking from the kind tea shop owners, Hesekiel and Erik. As she befriends them and their shy ward, Minette, Greta sees how the craft enriches their lives--and eventually her own. 

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Hazel Bly and the Deep Blue Sea

Ashley Herring Blake

For fans of Erin Entrada Kelly and Ali Benjamin comes a poignant yet hopeful novel about a girl navigating grief, trauma, and friendship, from Ashley Herring Blake, the award-winning author of Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World.

Hazel Bly used to live in the perfect house with the perfect family in sunny California. But when a kayaking trip goes horribly wrong, Mum is suddenly gone forever and Hazel is left with crippling anxiety and a jagged scar on her face. After Mum's death, Hazel, her other mother, Mama, and her little sister, Peach, needed a fresh start. So for the last two years, the Bly girls have lived all over the country, never settling anywhere for more than a few months.

When the family arrives in Rose Harbor, Maine, there's a wildness to the small town that feels like magic. But when Mama runs into an old childhood friend--Claire--suddenly Hazel's tight-knit world is infiltrated. To make it worse, she has a daughter Hazel's age, Lemon, who can't stop rambling on and on about the Rose Maid, a local 150-year-old mermaid myth.

Soon, Hazel finds herself just as obsessed with the Rose Maid as Lemon is--because what if magic were real? What if grief really could change you so much, you weren't even yourself anymore? And what if instead you emerged from the darkness stronger than before?

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My Rainbow

DeShanna Neal

A dedicated mom puts love into action as she creates the perfect rainbow-colored wig for her transgender daughter, based on the real-life experience of mother-daughter advocate duo Trinity and DeShanna Neal.

Warm morning sunlight and love fill the Neal home. And on one quiet day, playtime leads to an important realization:Trinity wants long hair like her dolls. She needs it to express who she truly is.

So her family decides to take a trip to the beauty supply store, but none of the wigs is the perfect fit. Determined, Mom leaves with bundles of hair in hand, ready to craft a wig as colorful and vibrant as her daughter is.

With powerful text by Trinity and DeShanna Neal and radiant art by Art Twink, My Rainbow is a celebration of showing up as our full selves with the people who have seen us fully all along.

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The List of Things that Will Not Change

Rebecca Stead

"An absolute original . . . a story that kids will love." --R. J. Palacio, bestselling author of Wonder

Bea's family may change, but their love for each other does not in this soon-to-be classic by the Newbery Award-winning author of When You Reach Me

"Things are changing, Bea. But there's still a lot you can count on. Okay? Things that won't EVER change."

After her parents' divorce, Bea's life became different in many ways. But she can always look back at the list she keeps in her green notebook to remember the things that will stay the same. The first and most important: Mom and Dad will always love Bea, and each other.

When Dad tells Bea that he and his boyfriend, Jesse, are getting married, Bea is thrilled. Bea loves Jesse, and when he and Dad get married, she'll finally (finally ) have what she's always wanted--a sister. Even though she's never met Jesse's daughter, Sonia, Bea is sure that they'll be "just like sisters anywhere."

As the wedding day approaches, Bea will learn that making a new family brings questions, surprises, and joy, and readers will discover why the New York Times called Rebecca Stead a "writer of great feeling."

"No author writing today observes young lives with more clarity, tenderness, and grace than the one and only Rebecca Stead." --Newbery Medalist Katherine Applegate, author of The One and Only Ivan

"Stead truly understands the inner life of kids." --Newbery Medalist Erin Entrada Kelly, author of Hello, Universe and You Go First

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This Day in June

Gayle E. Pitman

Named one of the Top 11 Most Challenged Books of 2018 by American Library Association (joined by Two Boys Kissing by David Leviathan, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Judy Sherman Alexie, Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner, This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki, Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey, A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo by Jill Twiss, and George by Alex Gino)

Winner of the 2015 Stonewall Book Award--Mike Morgan and Larry Romans Children's & Young Adult Literature Award

A Top Ten Title, 2015 American Library Association Rainbow List

Winner, 2015 Notable Books for a Global Society Awards

Named one of the most important books of the last decade by The Advocate's "40 Under 40" list

This day in June.... Parade starts soon.... Rainbow arches.... Joyful marches!

In a wildly whimsical, validating, and exuberant reflection of the LGBT community, This Day In June welcomes readers to experience a pride celebration and share in a day when we are all united.

Also included is a Note to Parents and Other Caregivers with information on how to talk to children about sexual orientation and gender identity in age-appropriate ways as well as a Reading Guide chock-full of facts about LGBT history and culture. This Day in June is an excellent tool for teaching respect, acceptance, and understanding of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.

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From Archie to Zack

Vincent Kirsch

An unapologetic celebration of friendship and first crushes

"Archie loves Zack "
"Zack loves Archie "
Everyone said it was so.
But Archie hasn't told Zack yet. And Zack hasn't told Archie. They spend just about every minute together: walking to and from school, doing science and art projects, practicing for marching band, learning to ride bikes, and so much more.
Over the course of a few months, Archie tries to write a letter to Zack to tell him how he feels: "From A to Z." None of his drafts sound quite right, so he hides them all away. One by one, Archie's friends (Zelda, Zinnia, and Zuzella) find the letters . . . but they know exactly whom they're meant for.
This new picture book from Vincent X. Kirsch celebrates young, queer love in a whimsical, kid-friendly way.

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It Feels Good to Be Yourself

Theresa Thorn

Some people are boys. Some people are girls. Some people are both, neither, or somewhere in between.

This sweet, straightforward exploration of gender identity will give children a fuller understanding of themselves and others. With child-friendly language and vibrant art, It Feels Good to Be Yourself provides young readers and parents alike with the vocabulary to discuss this important topic with sensitivity.

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When Aidan Became a Brother

Kyle Lukoff

Stonewall Book Award Winner, American Library Association (ALA)
Rainbow List, GLBTQ Round Table, American Library Association (ALA)
Lasting Connection Title, Book Links
Best Children's Books of the Year, Bank Street College of Education
White Raven Selection, International Youth Library
Best Books of the Year, School Library Journal
Notable Children's Book, American Library Association (ALA)
Editor's Choice, Booklist

This sweet #ownvoices picture book celebrates the changes in a transgender boy's life, from his initial coming-out to becoming a big brother.

Winner of the 2020 Stonewall Book Award!

When Aidan was born, everyone thought he was a girl. His parents gave him a pretty name, his room looked like a girl's room, and he wore clothes that other girls liked wearing. After he realized he was a trans boy, Aidan and his parents fixed the parts of life that didn't fit anymore, and he settled happily into his new life.

Then Mom and Dad announce that they're going to have another baby, and Aidan wants to do everything he can to make things right for his new sibling from the beginning--from choosing the perfect name to creating a beautiful room to picking out the cutest onesie. But what does making things right actually mean? And what happens if he messes up? With a little help, Aidan comes to understand that mistakes can be fixed with honesty and communication, and that he already knows the most important thing about being a big brother: how to love with his whole self.

When Aidan Became a Brother is a heartwarming book that will resonate with transgender children, reassure any child concerned about becoming an older sibling, and celebrate the many transitions a family can experience.

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Twas the Night Before Pride

Joanna McClintick

A glittering celebration of queer families puts Pride gently in perspective--honoring those in the LBGTQ+ community who fought against injustice and inequality.

Pride's . . . a day that means "Together, we are strong!"

This joyful picture-book homage to a day of community and inclusion--and to the joys of anticipation--is also a comprehensive history. With bright, buoyant illustrations and lyrical, age-appropriate rhyme modeled on "'Twas the Night Before Christmas," it tackles difficult content such as the Stonewall Riots and the AIDS marches. On the night before Pride, families everywhere are preparing to partake. As one family packs snacks and makes signs, an older sibling shares the importance of the march with the newest member of the family. Reflecting on the day, the siblings agree that the best thing about Pride is getting to be yourself. Debut author Joanna McClintick and Pura Belpré Award-winning author-illustrator Juana Medina create a new classic that pays homage to the beauty of families of all compositions--and of all-inclusive love.

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Born Ready

Jodie Patterson

Jodie Patterson, activist and Chair of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation Board, shares her transgender son's experience in this important picture book about identity and acceptance.

Penelope knows that he's a boy. (And a ninja.) The problem is getting everyone else to realize it.

In this exuberant companion to Jodie Patterson's adult memoir, The Bold World, Patterson shares her son Penelope's frustrations and triumphs on his journey to share himself with the world. Penelope's experiences show children that it always makes you stronger when you are true to yourself and who you really are.

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Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World

Ashley Herring Blake

A Stonewall Children's & Young Adult Honor Book!
In the wake of a destructive tornado, one girl develops feelings for another in this stunning, tender novel about emerging identity, perfect for fans of The Thing About Jellyfish.
When a tornado rips through town, twelve-year-old Ivy Aberdeen's house is destroyed and her family of five is displaced. Ivy feels invisible and ignored in the aftermath of the storm--and what's worse, her notebook filled with secret drawings of girls holding hands has gone missing.
Mysteriously, Ivy's drawings begin to reappear in her locker with notes from someone telling her to open up about her identity. Ivy thinks--and hopes--that this someone might be her classmate, another girl for whom Ivy has begun to develop a crush. Will Ivy find the strength and courage to follow her true feelings?
Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World exquisitely enriches the rare category of female middle-grade characters who like girls--and children's literature at large.

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Melissa (Previously Published as George)

Alex Gino

BE WHO YOU ARE.

 

When people look at Melissa, they think they see a boy named George. But she knows she's not a boy. She knows she's a girl.

Melissa thinks she'll have to keep this a secret forever. Then her teacher announces that their class play is going to be Charlotte's Web. Melissa really, really, REALLY wants to play Charlotte. But the teacher says she can't even try out for the part... because she's a boy.

With the help of her best friend, Kelly, Melissa comes up with a plan. Not just so she can be Charlotte -- but so everyone can know who she is, once and for all.

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Frankie & Bug

Gayle Forman

In the debut middle grade novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Gayle Forman comes a poignant and powerful coming-of-age story that follows a young girl and her new friend as they learn about family, friendship, allyship, and finding your way in a complicated world.

It’s the summer of 1987, and all ten-year-old Bug wants to do is go to the beach with her older brother and hang out with the locals on the boardwalk. But Danny wants to be with his own friends, and Bug’s mom is too busy, so Bug is stuck with their neighbor Philip’s nephew, Frankie.

Bug’s not too excited about hanging out with a kid she’s never met, but they soon find some common ground. And as the summer unfolds, they find themselves learning some important lessons about each other, and the world.

Like what it means to be your true self and how to be a good ally for others. That family can be the people you’re related to, but also the people you choose to have around you. And that even though life isn’t always fair, we can all do our part to make it more just.

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King and the Dragonflies

Kacen Callender

A 2021 Coretta Scott King Honor Book!

Winner of the 2020 National Book Award for Young People's Literature!

Winner of the 2020 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Fiction and Poetry!

 

In a small but turbulent Louisiana town, one boy's grief takes him beyond the bayous of his backyard, to learn that there is no right way to be yourself.

 

FOUR STARRED REVIEWS!

Booklist

School Library Journal

Publishers Weekly

The Horn Book

 

 

Twelve-year-old Kingston James is sure his brother Khalid has turned into a dragonfly. When Khalid unexpectedly passed away, he shed what was his first skin for another to live down by the bayou in their small Louisiana town. Khalid still visits in dreams, and King must keep these secrets to himself as he watches grief transform his family.

 

 

It would be easier if King could talk with his best friend, Sandy Sanders. But just days before he died, Khalid told King to end their friendship, after overhearing a secret about Sandy-that he thinks he might be gay. You don't want anyone to think you're gay too, do you?

 

 

But when Sandy goes missing, sparking a town-wide search, and King finds his former best friend hiding in a tent in his backyard, he agrees to help Sandy escape from his abusive father, and the two begin an adventure as they build their own private paradise down by the bayou and among the dragonflies. As King's friendship with Sandy is reignited, he's forced to confront questions about himself and the reality of his brother's death.

 

 

 

The Thing About Jellyfish meets The Stars Beneath Our Feet in this story about loss, grief, and finding the courage to discover one's identity, from the author of Hurricane Child.

 

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This Is Our Rainbow

Katherine Locke

The first LGBTQA+ anthology for middle-graders featuring stories for every letter of the acronym, including realistic, fantasy, and sci-fi stories by authors like Justina Ireland, Marieke Nijkamp, Alex Gino, and more!

A boyband fandom becomes a conduit to coming out. A former bully becomes a first-kiss prospect. One nonbinary kid searches for an inclusive athletic community after quitting gymnastics. Another nonbinary kid, who happens to be a pirate, makes a wish that comes true--but not how they thought it would. A tween girl navigates a crush on her friend's mom. A young witch turns herself into a puppy to win over a new neighbor. A trans girl empowers her online bestie to come out.

From wind-breathing dragons to first crushes, This Is Our Rainbow features story after story of joyful, proud LGBTQA+ representation. You will fall in love with this insightful, poignant anthology of queer fantasy, historical, and contemporary stories from authors including: Eric Bell, Lisa Jenn Bigelow, Ashley Herring Blake, Lisa Bunker, Alex Gino, Justina Ireland, Shing Yin Khor, Katherine Locke, Mariama J. Lockington, Nicole Melleby, Marieke Nijkamp, Claribel A. Ortega, Mark Oshiro, Molly Knox Ostertag, Aisa Salazar, and AJ Sass.

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The Legend of Auntie Po

Shing Yin Khor

A NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST

Part historical fiction, part fable, and 100 percent adventure. Thirteen-year-old Mei reimagines the myths of Paul Bunyan as starring a Chinese heroine while she works in a Sierra Nevada logging camp in 1885.


Cover may vary.

Aware of the racial tumult in the years after the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act, Mei tries to remain blissfully focused on her job, her close friendship with the camp foreman's daughter, and telling stories about Paul Bunyan--reinvented as Po Pan Yin (Auntie Po), an elderly Chinese matriarch.

Anchoring herself with stories of Auntie Po, Mei navigates the difficulty and politics of lumber camp work and her growing romantic feelings for her friend Bee. The Legend of Auntie Po is about who gets to own a myth, and about immigrant families and communities holding on to rituals and traditions while staking out their own place in the United States.

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Thanks a Lot, Universe

Chad Lucas

A moving middle-grade debut for anyone who's ever felt like they don't belong

Brian has always been anxious, whether at home, or in class, or on the basketball court. His dad tries to get him to stand up for himself and his mom helps as much as she can, but after he and his brother are placed in foster care, Brian starts having panic attacks. And he doesn't know if things will ever be normal again . . . Ezra's always been popular. He's friends with most of the kids on his basketball team--even Brian, who usually keeps to himself. But now, some of his friends have been acting differently, and Brian seems to be pulling away. Ezra wants to help, but he worries if he's too nice to Brian, his friends will realize that he has a crush on him . . .
But when Brian and his brother run away, Ezra has no choice but to take the leap and reach out. Both boys have to decide if they're willing to risk sharing parts of themselves they'd rather hide. But if they can be brave, they might just find the best in themselves--and each other.

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Middletown

Sarah Moon

Queer coming-of-age middle-grade novel about trust, forgiveness and self-discovery.

Original, funny, rueful, and most of all, real, Middletown is an engrossing tale told by a deeply likeable tough cookie. - Emma Donoghue, award-winning author of Room

Thirteen-year-old Eli likes baggy clothes, baseball caps, and one girl in particular. Her seventeen-year-old sister Anna is more traditionally feminine; she loves boys and staying out late. They are sisters, and they are also the only family each can count on. Their dad has long been out of the picture, and their mom lives at the mercy of her next drink. When their mom lands herself in enforced rehab, Anna and Eli are left to fend for themselves. With no legal guardian to keep them out of foster care, they take matters into their own hands: Anna masquerades as Aunt Lisa, and together she and Eli hoard whatever money they can find. But their plans begin to unravel as quickly as they were made, and they are always way too close to getting caught.

Eli and Anna have each gotten used to telling lies as a means of survival, but as they navigate a world without their mother, they must learn how to accept help, and let other people in.

Sarah Moon has crafted a thoughtful portrait of the Queer middle-grade experience.

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Other Boys

Damian Alexander

In Other Boys, debut author Damian Alexander delivers a moving middle grade graphic memoir about his struggles with bullying, the death of his mother, and coming out.

Damian is the new kid at school, and he has a foolproof plan to avoid the bullying that's plagued him his whole childhood: he's going to stop talking. Starting on the first day seventh grade, he won't utter a word. If he keeps his mouth shut, the bullies will have nothing to tease him about—right?

But Damian's vow of silence doesn't work—his classmates can tell there's something different about him. His family doesn't look like the kind on TV: his mother is dead, his father is gone, and he's being raised by his grandparents in a low-income household. And Damian does things that boys aren't supposed do, like play with Barbies instead of GI Joe. Kids have teased him about this his whole life, especially other boys. But if boys can be so cruel, why does Damian have a crush on one?

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Hurricane Child

Kacen Callender

Prepare to be swept up by this exquisite novel that reminds us that grief and love can open the world in mystical ways.

 

Winner of the Stonewall Book Award!Winner of the Lambda Literary Award!Caroline Murphy is a Hurricane Child.Being born during a hurricane is unlucky, and twelve-year-old Caroline has had her share of bad luck lately. She's hated and bullied by everyone in her small school on St. Thomas of the US Virgin Islands, a spirit only she can see won't stop following her, and -- worst of all -- Caroline's mother left home one day and never came back.But when a new student named Kalinda arrives, Caroline's luck begins to turn around. Kalinda, a solemn girl from Barbados with a special smile for everyone, becomes Caroline's first and only friend -- and the person for whom Caroline has begun to develop a crush.Now, Caroline must find the strength to confront her feelings for Kalinda, brave the spirit stalking her through the islands, and face the reason her mother abandoned her. Together, Caroline and Kalinda must set out in a hurricane to find Caroline's missing mother -- before Caroline loses her forever.

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Different Kinds of Fruit

Kyle Lukoff

In this funny and hugely heartfelt novel from the Newbery Honor-winning author of Too Bright to See, a sixth-grader's life is turned upside down when she learns her dad is trans

Annabelle Blake fully expects this school year to be the same as every other: same teachers, same classmates, same, same, same. So she's elated to discover there's a new kid in town. To Annabelle, Bailey is a breath of fresh air. She loves hearing about their life in Seattle, meeting their loquacious (and kinda corny) parents, and hanging out at their massive house. And it doesn't hurt that Bailey has a cute smile, nice hands (how can someone even have nice hands?) and smells really good.

Suddenly sixth grade is anything but the same. And when her irascible father shares that he and Bailey have something big--and surprising--in common, Annabelle begins to see herself, and her family, in a whole new light. At the same time she starts to realize that her community, which she always thought of as home, might not be as welcoming as she had thought. Together Annabelle, Bailey, and their families discover how these categories that seem to mean so much--boy, girl, gay, straight, fruit, vegetable--aren't so clear-cut after all.

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Nothing Ever Happens Here

Sarah Hagger-Holt

"This title is well written and realistic, with important messages about acceptance, honesty, and family dynamics. Readers will empathize with Izzy and her struggles and will enjoy watching her realize that Danielle is still the same person she always was...The experiences of the characters feel authentic, and the writing style and vocabulary are perfect for middle grade readers...A delightful and refreshing read about a middle grader with a trans parent." – School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

Warm and hopeful, this is a touching and honest depiction of a family changing together–and staying together.

“I wonder what people would think if they could take the front off our house like a doll’s house and watch us. All in the same house, but everyone separate. No one talking, but everyone thinking the same thing. Will we ever be a normal family again?”

Izzy’s family is under the spotlight when her dad comes out as Danielle, a trans woman. Izzy is terrified her family will be torn apart. Will she lose her dad? Will her parents break up? And what will people at school say? Now all eyes are on Izzy. Can she face her fears, find her voice, and stand up for her family and what’s right?

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Both Can Be True

Jules Machias

*An Indie Next List Pick, a Top Ten Rainbow Book for Young Readers, and one of Bank Street Children's Best Books of the Year!*

Jules Machias explores identity, gender fluidity, and the power of friendship and acceptance in this dual-narrative story about two kids who join forces to save a dog . . . but wind up saving each other.

Ash is no stranger to feeling like an outcast. For someone who cycles through genders, it's a daily struggle to feel in control of how people perceive you. Some days Ash is undoubtedly girl, but other times, 100 percent guy. Daniel lacks control too--of his emotions. He's been told he's overly sensitive more times than he can count. He can't help the way he is, and he sure wishes someone would accept him for it.

So when Daniel's big heart leads him to rescue a dog that's about to be euthanized, he's relieved to find Ash willing to help. The two bond over their four-legged secret. When they start catching feelings for each other, however, things go from cute to complicated. Daniel thinks Ash is all girl . . . what happens when he finds out there's more to Ash's story?

With so much on the line--truth, identity, acceptance, and the life of an adorable pup named Chewbarka--will Ash and Daniel forever feel at war with themselves because they don't fit into the world's binaries? Or will their friendship help them embrace the beauty of living in between?

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Alan Cole Is Not a Coward

Eric Bell

Perfect for fans of Tim Federle and Gary Schmidt, this is a hilarious and poignant tale about the trials of middle school when you’re coming of age—and coming out.

Alan Cole can’t stand up to his cruel brother, Nathan. He can’t escape the wrath of his demanding father, who thinks he’s about as exceptional as a goldfish. And—scariest of all—he can’t let the cute boy across the cafeteria know he has a crush on him.

But when Nathan discovers Alan’s secret, his older brother announces a high-stakes round of Cole vs. Cole. Each brother must complete seven nearly impossible tasks; whoever finishes the most wins the game. If Alan doesn’t want to be outed to all of Evergreen Middle School, he’s got to become the most well-known kid in school, get his first kiss, and stand up to Dad. Alan’s determined to prove—to Nathan, to the world, to himself—that this goldfish can learn to swim.

May the best Cole win.

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Drew Leclair Gets a Clue

Katryn Bury

In this modern take on Harriet the Spy, twelve-year-old Drew uses her true crime expertise to catch the cyberbully in her school--only to discover that family, friendship, and identity are the hardest mysteries to solve.



Drew Leclair knows what it takes to be a great detective. She's pored over the cases solved by her hero, criminal profiler Lita Miyamoto. She tracked down the graffiti artist at school, and even solved the mystery of her neighbor's missing rabbit. But when her mother runs off to Hawaii with the school guidance counselor, Drew is shocked. How did she miss all of the clues?



Drew is determined to keep her family life a secret, even from her best friend. But when a cyberbully starts posting embarrassing rumors about other students at school, it's only a matter of time before Drew's secret is out.



Armed with her notebooks full of observations about her classmates, Drew knows what she has to do: profile all of the bullies in her grade to find the culprit. But being a detective is more complicated when the suspects can be your friends. Will Drew crack the case if it means losing the people she cares about most?

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Button Holed

Kylie Logan

Working out of her button shop in a Chicago brownstone, Josie Giancola has become one of the country's leading experts on buttons. Her reputation draws a Hollywood starlet to the Button Box to shop for one-of-a-kind buttons to adorn her made-to-order wedding gown.

But after the Button Box is ransacked and the actress murdered, Josie's cozy world is thrown into chaos-and a killer is out to keep Josie's lips buttoned up...permanently.

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Secret Service

Tom Bradby

An MI6 officer must find a traitor hiding within the highest ranks of government in a new thriller with “resonant echoes of le Carré” (Booklist, starred review).

Senior MI6 officer Kate Henderson is in possession of the political equivalent of a nuclear bomb. She heads up the Russia Desk of the Secret Intelligence Service, and one of her undercover operations has revealed some alarming evidence that a senior UK politician is a high-level Russian informer.
 
Determined to find the identity of the traitor, Kate must risk everything to get to the truth. Until a young woman is brutally murdered as a consequence, which puts Kate and her team under the spotlight. With blood on her hands, her reputation to uphold, her family hanging by a thread, and an election looming, Kate is quickly running out of options—and out of time . . .
 
From the author of Shadow Dancer and The White Russian, who has been a finalist for multiple Crime Writers Association awards, this is a tense, timely novel of secrets, betrayals, and spycraft.

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Descent

Tim Johnston

“Read this astonishing novel . . . The magic of his prose equals the horror of Johnston’s story.” —The Washington Post

The Rocky Mountains have cast their spell over the Courtlands, who are taking a family vacation before their daughter leaves for college. But when Caitlin and her younger brother, Sean, go out for an early morning run and only Sean returns, the mountains become as terrifying as they are majestic. 
 
Written with a precision that captures every emotion, every moment of fear, as each member of the family searches for answers, Descent races like an avalanche toward its heart-pounding conclusion.

“Read this astonishing novel . . . The magic of his prose equals the horror of Johnston’s story.” —The Washington Post

“A compelling thriller that is both creepy and literary . . . Descent is not just a mystery. It is an emotional story of evil, fear, acceptance and irony.”—The Denver Post
 
What makes the novel unforgettable is its sense of character, its deliberate, unadorned prose and Johnston’s unflinching exploration of human endurance, physical and psychological.” —Miami Herald
 
“A super-charged, addictive read.” —The Missourian                                                                   
 
“An original and psychologically deep thriller.” —Outside magazine
 
“Outstanding . . . The days when you had to choose between a great story and a great piece of writing? Gone.” —Esquire
 
“[A] dazzling debut . . . Exquisitely crafted.”  —The Dallas Morning News 
 
“Incredibly powerful, richly atmospheric.” —Minneapolis Star Tribune 
 
“ [An] engulfing thriller-cum-western.” —The New York Times Book Review 
 
 “Brilliant . . . As gripping as any Everest expedition.” —Peter Heller, author of The Dog Stars

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Find Me

Alafair Burke

“Alafair Burke's latest propulsive thrill-ride is a suspenseful, twisty mystery about memory, friendship and secrets. A page-turner of the highest order.” -Laura Dave, author of The Last Thing He Told Me

The disappearance of a young woman leaves her best friend reeling and an NYPD homicide detective digging into her own past in this twisty mystery about the power of female friendships. From the New York Times bestselling author of The Better Sister and The Wife.

Some pasts won’t stay forgotten . . .

She calls herself Hope Miller, but she has no idea who she actually is. Fifteen years ago, she was found in a small New Jersey town thrown from an overturned vehicle, with no clue to her identity. Doctors assumed her amnesia was a temporary side effect of her injuries, but she never regained her memory. Hope eventually started a new life with a new name in a new town that welcomed her, yet always wondered what she may have left behind—or been running from. Now, she’s leaving New Jersey to start over once again.

Manhattan defense lawyer Lindsay Kelly, Hope’s best friend and the one who found her after the accident, understands why Hope wants a new beginning. But she worries how her friend will fare in her new East Hampton home, far away from everything familiar. Lindsay’s worst fears are confirmed when she discovers Hope has vanished without a trace—the only lead a drop of blood found where she was last seen. Even more ominously, the blood matches a DNA sample with a connection to a notorious Kansas murderer.

With nowhere else to turn, Lindsay calls NYPD homicide detective Ellie Hatcher, the daughter of the cop who dedicated his life to hunting the Kansas killer. Ellie has always believed there was more to the story of her father’s death twenty years earlier—and she now fears that Hope’s recent disappearance could be related.

In pursuit of answers, the women search for the truth beneath long-buried secrets. And when their searches converge, what they find will upend everything they’ve ever known. 

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The Darkness Knows

Arnaldur Indridason

Retired detective Konrad returns to a haunting cold case in The Darkness Knows by Arnaldur Indridason, the "undisputed King of the Icelandic thriller." —The Guardian (UK)

A frozen body is discovered in the icy depths of Langjökull glacier, apparently that of a businessman who disappeared thirty years before. At the time, an extensive search and police investigation yielded no results—one of the missing man’s business associates was briefly held in custody, but there wasn’t enough evidence to charge him.

Now the associate is arrested again and Konrad, the retired policeman who originally investigated the disappearance, is called back to reopen the case that has weighed on his mind for decades.
When a woman approaches him with new information that she obtained from her deceased brother, progress can finally be made in solving this long-cold case.

In The Darkness Knows, the master of Icelandic crime writing reunites readers with Konrad, the unforgettable retired detective from The Shadow District. This is a powerful and haunting story about the poisonous secrets and cruel truths that time eventually uncovers.

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Murder on Black Swan Lane

Andrea Penrose

In Regency London, an unconventional scientist and a fearless female artist team up to trap a cold-hearted killer: “Thoroughly enjoyable” (Deanna Raybourn, New York Times–bestselling author).
 
The Earl of Wrexford possesses a brilliant scientific mind, but boredom and pride lead him to reckless behavior. So when pompous, pious Reverend Josiah Holworthy publicly condemns him for debauchery, Wrexford unsheathes his rapier-sharp wit and strikes back. As their war of words escalates, London’s most popular satirical cartoonist, A.J. Quill, skewers them both. But then the clergyman is found slain in a church—his face burned by chemicals, his throat slashed ear to ear—and Wrexford finds himself the chief suspect.
 
An artist in her own right, Charlotte Sloane has secretly slipped into the persona of her late husband, using his nom de plume, A.J. Quill. When Wrexford discovers her true identity, she fears it will be her undoing. But he has a proposal—use her sources to unveil the clergyman’s clandestine involvement in questionable scientific practices, and unmask the real murderer. Soon Lord Wrexford and the mysterious Mrs. Sloane plunge into a dangerous shadow world hidden among London’s intellectual enclaves to trap a cunning adversary—before they fall victim to the next experiment in villainy . . .
 
“Sharp, engaging characters, rich period detail, and a compellingly twisty plot, Andrea Penrose delivers a winner.” —Deanna Raybourn, New York Times–bestselling author
 
“Fans of C.S. Harris take note! A riveting ride through Regency London, from the slums of St. Giles, to the mansions of Mayfair.” —Lauren Willig, New York Times–bestselling author
 
“Historical chemistry meets alchemy . . . A delight of a book.&rdquo

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Under Lock & Skeleton Key

Gigi Pandian

"Wildly entertaining." —The New York Times Book Review

Known for her wonderfully addictive characters, multiple award-winning author Gigi Pandian introduces her newest heroine in this heartfelt series debut. Under Lock & Skeleton Key layers stunning architecture with mouthwatering food in an ode to classic locked-room mysteries that will leave readers enchanted.

An impossible crime. A family legacy. The intrigue of hidden rooms and secret staircases.

After a disastrous accident derails Tempest Raj’s career, and life, she heads back to her childhood home in California to comfort herself with her grandfather’s Indian home-cooked meals. Though she resists, every day brings her closer to the inevitable: working for her father’s company. Secret Staircase Construction specializes in bringing the magic of childhood to all by transforming clients’ homes with sliding bookcases, intricate locks, backyard treehouses, and hidden reading nooks.

When Tempest visits her dad’s latest renovation project, her former stage double is discovered dead inside a wall that’s supposedly been sealed for more than a century. Fearing she was the intended victim, it’s up to Tempest to solve this seemingly impossible crime. But as she delves further into the mystery, Tempest can’t help but wonder if the Raj family curse that’s plagued her family for generations—something she used to swear didn’t exist—has finally come for her.

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Live and Let Chai

Bree Baker

FIRST BOOK IN A NEW BEACHSIDE COZY MYSTERY SERIES!

When a body turns up on the boardwalk outside Everly Swan's iced tea shop and café, she becomes the number one suspect in a murder case. Can she bag the culprit, prove her innocence, and dish up the real killer before it's too late?

Hitting All the sweet-tea spots, this series is:

  • A delightful Tea Shop and Café Culinary Mystery
  • The ideal cozy beach read
  • Perfect for fans of Laura Childs and Kate Carlisle

Life hasn't been so sweet for Everly Swan over the past couple of years, but now she's back in her seaside hometown of Charm, North Carolina. The proud new owner of Sun, Sand, and Tea—a café right on the beach—Everly thinks that things are finally starting to look up. Until a grouchy customer turns up dead on the boardwalk with a jar of one of her specialty teas lying right next to him! When an autopsy reports poison in his system, things don't look good for Everly or her tea shop.

As the townspeople of Charm, formerly so welcoming and homey, turn their back on Everly, she fights to dig up clues about who could have had it in for the former town councilman. With the maddeningly handsome Detective Grady Hays discouraging her from uncovering leads and a series of anonymous attacks on Everly and her tea shop, it will take everything she's got to keep this murder mystery from boiling over.

INCLUDES DELICIOUS FOOD AND DRINK RECIPES

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Save Me from Dangerous Men

S. A. Lelchuk

“An outstanding debut...If you’re a fan of Jack Reacher or Lisbeth Salander, you are gonna love Nikki Griffin.” New York Times bestselling author Douglas Preston

“Action packed and razor sharp - Jack Reacher would love Nikki Griffin.” —Lee Child, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Past Tense

Nikki Griffin isn't your typical private investigator. In her office above her bookstore’s shelves and stacks, where she luxuriates in books and the comfort they provide, she also tracks certain men. Dangerous men. Men who have hurt the women they claim to love. And Nikki likes to teach those men a lesson, to teach them what it feels like to be hurt and helpless, so she can be sure that their victims are safe from them forever.

When a regular PI job tailing Karen, a tech company's disgruntled employee who might be selling secrets, turns ugly and Karen's life is threatened, Nikki has to break cover and intervene. Karen tells Nikki that there are people after her. Dangerous men. She says she'll tell Nikki what's really going on. But then something goes wrong, and suddenly Nikki is no longer just solving a case—she's trying hard to stay alive.

Part Lisbeth Salander, part Jack Reacher, part Jessica Jones, Nikki Griffin is a kickass character who readers will root for as she seeks to right the world's wrongs. S.A. Lelchuk’s Save Me From Dangerous Men marks the beginning of a gripping new series and the launch of a fabulous new character.

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Finlay Donovan Is Killing It

Elle Cosimano

"Getting the job done" for one single mom takes on a whole new meaning in Finlay Donovan is Killing It.

One of Suspense Magazine's "Best Thrillers of 2021"
One of New York Public Library's Best Books of 2021
Nominated for the Left Coast Crime 2022 Lefty Award for the Best Humorous Mystery

“Funny and smart, twisty and surprising.”—Megan Miranda

Finlay Donovan is killing it . . . except, she’s really not. She’s a stressed-out single-mom of two and struggling novelist, Finlay’s life is in chaos: the new book she promised her literary agent isn’t written, her ex-husband fired the nanny without telling her, and this morning she had to send her four-year-old to school with hair duct-taped to her head after an incident with scissors.

When Finlay is overheard discussing the plot of her new suspense novel with her agent over lunch, she’s mistaken for a contract killer, and inadvertently accepts an offer to dispose of a problem husband in order to make ends meet . . . Soon, Finlay discovers that crime in real life is a lot more difficult than its fictional counterpart, as she becomes tangled in a real-life murder investigation.

Fast-paced, deliciously witty, and wholeheartedly authentic in depicting the frustrations and triumphs of motherhood in all its messiness, hilarity, and heartfelt moment, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is the first in a brilliant new series from YA Edgar Award nominee Elle Cosimano.

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Rock Paper Scissors

Alice Feeney

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Feeney lives up to her reputation as the “queen of the twist”...This page-turner will keep you guessing.” —Real Simple
Think you know the person you married? Think again...

Things have been wrong with Mr and Mrs Wright for a long time. When Adam and Amelia win a weekend away to Scotland, it might be just what their marriage needs. Self-confessed workaholic and screenwriter Adam Wright has lived with face blindness his whole life. He can’t recognize friends or family, or even his own wife.

Every anniversary the couple exchange traditional gifts--paper, cotton, pottery, tin--and each year Adam’s wife writes him a letter that she never lets him read. Until now. They both know this weekend will make or break their marriage, but they didn’t randomly win this trip. One of them is lying, and someone doesn’t want them to live happily ever after.

Ten years of marriage. Ten years of secrets. And an anniversary they will never forget.

Rock Paper Scissors is the latest exciting domestic thriller from the queen of the killer twist, New York Times bestselling author Alice Feeney.

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The Broken Girls

Simone St. James

 

A journalist uncovers the dark secrets of an abandoned boarding school in this chilling suspense novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Sun Down Motel.
Vermont, 1950. There's a place for the girls whom no one wants--the troublemakers, the illegitimate, the ones too smart for their own good. It's called Idlewild Hall, and local legend says the boarding school is haunted. Four roommates bond over their whispered fears, their friendship blossoming--until one of them mysteriously disappears....

Vermont, 2014. Twenty years ago, journalist Fiona Sheridan's elder sister's body was found in the overgrown fields near the ruins of Idlewild Hall. And although her sister's boyfriend was tried and convicted of the murder, Fiona can't stop revisiting the events, unable to shake the feeling that something was never right about the case.

When Fiona discovers that Idlewild Hall is being restored by an anonymous benefactor, she decides to write a story about it. But a shocking discovery during renovations links the loss of her sister to secrets that were meant to stay hidden in the past--and a voice that won't be silenced....

 

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Pint of No Return

Dana Mentink

The first shake shop mystery delivers all the delectable ingredients cozy mystery fans crave. This terrific series debut is certain to tempt the reading palates of fans of Cleo Coyle, Sarah Graves, and the much-missed Diane Mott Davidson.
--Library Journal, STARRED Review

The first in new dessert cozy mystery series! A murder in town is bound to shake things up...

After her divorce from her thrice-married embezzler husband, Trinidad Jones is finally ready for a fresh start. So when she's left one of ex's businesses in Upper Sprocket, Oregon, she decides to pack up her dog, cash in her settlement, and open her dream business: the Shimmy and Shake Shop, introducing the world to her monster milkshakes. And even with a couple sticky situations underway, namely that the other two ex-wives also call Sprocket home, Trinidad's life seems to be churning along smoothly.

That is, until she discovers her neighbor, the Popcorn King, head down in his giant popcorn kettle. When one of Trinidad's fellow ex-wives is accused of the murder and Upper Sprocket descends into mayhem, it's going to take a supersized scoop of courage to flush out the killer.

Praise for Pint of No Return, Book 1 of the Shake Shop Mysteries:

Murder offers the heroine a surprisingly fresh start in this charming series kickoff--Kirkus Reviews

A delicious charmer featuring a triple scoop of murder--Library Journal

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The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. (as Told to His Brother)

David Levithan

New York Times bestselling author David Levithan takes young readers on twisting journey through truth, reality, and fantasy and belief.

Aidan disappeared for six days. Six agonizing days of searches and police and questions and constant vigils. Then, just as suddenly as he vanished, Aidan reappears. Where has he been? The story he tells is simply. . . impossible. But it's the story Aidan is sticking to.

His brother, Lucas, wants to believe him. But Lucas is aware of what other people, including their parents, are saying: that Aidan is making it all up to disguise the fact that he ran away.

When the kids in school hear Aidan's story, they taunt him. But still Aidan clings to his story. And as he becomes more of an outcast, Lucas becomes more and more concerned. Being on Aidan's side would mean believing in the impossible. But how can you believe in the impossible when everything and everybody is telling you not to?

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The Graveyard Riddle: A Goldfish Boy Novel

Lisa Thompson

Lisa Thompson returns to the world of her acclaimed novel The Goldfish Boy with this page-turning mystery.

 

Melody Bird has discovered an abandoned old building in the corner of the graveyard...

Though it's dark and creepy, she can't resist its pull. When she goes to explore, she finds a mysterious boy hiding out there. Hal tells Melody that he's a spy, using the house as a base for his undercover surveillance of a nearby suspected criminal. He's very secretive about the details, but Melody comes to trust him and starts helping him with his mission.

Melody is determined to decode the strange riddles Hal finds hidden in the graveyard, but her friends Matthew and Jake question Hal's story. They decide to turn the tables and find out the truth about him, uncovering the biggest mystery of all...

This extraordinary novel set in the world of The Goldfish Boy is a page-turning mystery with a sensitive story about friendship and trust at its core.

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What Lives in the Woods

Lindsay Currie

For fans of Small Spacesand the Goosebumps series by R.L Stine comes a chilling ghost story about a girl living in the decrepit and creepy mansion, who discovers something in the woods is after her.

All Ginny Anderson wants from her summer is to sleep in, attend a mystery writing workshop, and spend time with her best friend. But when Ginny's father--a respected restoration expert in Chicago--surprises the family with a month-long trip to Michigan, everything changes. They aren't staying in a hotel like most families would. No, they're staying in a mansion. A twenty-six room, century-old building surrounded by dense forest. Woodmoor Manor.

But unfortunately, the mansion has more problems than a little peeling wallpaper. Locals claim the surrounding woods are inhabited by mutated creatures with glowing eyes. And some say campers routinely disappear in the woods, never to be seen again.

As terrifying as it sounds, Ginny can't shake the feeling that there's something darker . . . another story she hasn't been told. When the creaky floors and shadowy corners of the mansion seem to take on a life of their own, Ginny uncovers the wildest mystery of all: There's more than one legend roaming Saugatuck, Michigan, and they definitely aren't after campers.

It's after her.

"This is a teeth-chattering, eyes bulging, shuddering-and-shaking, chills-at-the-back-of-your-neck ghost story. I loved it!"--R.L. Stine, author of the Goosebumps series on Scritch Scratch

Pick up What Lives in the Woodsif you are looking for:

  • A book for middle school students, 5th grade to 9th grade
  • A story with a strong female protagonist that explores bravery, friendship, and family
  • Mystery books for kids 9-12
  • Chilling ghost stories and ghost books for kids (perfect for Halloween!)
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The In-Between

Rebecca K. S. Ansari

A dark, twisty adventure about the forgotten among us and what it means to be seen, from the acclaimed author of The Missing Piece of Charlie O'Reilly.

Cooper is lost. Ever since his father left their family three years ago, he has become distant from his friends, constantly annoyed by his little sister, Jess, and completely fed up with the pale, creepy rich girl who moved in next door and won't stop staring at him. So when Cooper learns of an unsolved mystery his sister has discovered online, he welcomes the distraction.

It's the tale of a deadly train crash that occurred a hundred years ago, in which one young boy among the dead was never identified. The only distinguishing mark on him was a strange insignia on his suit coat, a symbol no one had seen before or since. Jess is fascinated by the mystery of the unknown child-- because she's seen the insignia. It's the symbol of the jacket of the girl next door.

As they uncover more information-- and mounting evidence of the girl's seemingly impossible connection to the tragedy--Cooper and Jess begin to wonder if a similar disaster could be heading to their hometown.

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Concealed

Christina Diaz Gonzalez

"A twisty thrill-ride that will leave you on the edge of your seat!" -- Ally Carter, New York Times bestselling author of The Gallagher Girls series

What if you had no name, no past, and no home?

Ivette. Joanna. And now: Katrina

Whatever her name is, it won't last long. Katrina doesn't know any of the details about her past, but she does know that she and her parents are part of the Witness Protection Program. Whenever her parents say they have to move on and start over, she takes on a new identity. A new name, a new hair color, a new story.

Until their location leaks and her parents disappear. Forced to embark on a dangerous rescue mission, Katrina and her new friend Parker set out to save her parents--and find out the truth about her secret past and the people that want her family dead.

But every new discovery reveals that Katrina's entire life has been built around secrets covered up with lies and that her parents were actually the ones keeping the biggest secret of all. Katrina must now decide if learning the whole truth is worth the price of losing everything she has ever believed about herself and her family.

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This Town Is a Nightmare

M. K. Krys

"An engaging, plot-driven thriller . . ." -- Kirkus Reviews, on This Town Is Not All Right

"For junior conspiracy theorists everywhere." -- Booklist, on This Town Is Not All Right

In the sequel to This Town Is Not All Right, Beacon, Everleigh, and Arthur think they've left the horror of Driftwood Harbor behind them, but the worst is yet to come.


After barely escaping Driftwood Harbor and the wrath of the town, twins Beacon and Everleigh McCullough are on the run with their father and their friend and resident genius Arthur. Only, there's something strange going on with their dad. As they start to unravel what's wrong, Beacon quickly realizes they have much bigger problems on their hands, as the group is drawn back to the very same place they left, in order to prevent a terrifying plot from unfolding. Because this time it's not just their family or the town that's in danger -- this time, it's the planet.

This Town Is a Nightmare is the middle-grade horror sequel to M. K. Krys's This Town Is Not All Right. Be prepared for a thrilling page-turner with a major mystery, because the residents of Driftwood Harbor are determined to draw you back in, no matter what it takes.

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Fins

Randy Wayne White

From Randy Wayne White, the New York Times bestselling author of the Doc Ford series for adults, comes Fins, a high-stakes, masterfully plotted story of courage, friendship...and sharks!

The world’s shark population is in trouble for a sad, simple reason: shark fin soup. And although it’s illegal, poachers have been targeting Florida’s biannual migration of blacktip sharks.

Marine biologist Doc Ford needs some assistance protecting the sharks and enlists the help of three kids—Luke, Maribel and Sabina. Luke is brand-new to Florida from the Midwest; sisters Maribel and Sabina have only recently arrived from Cuba—and all three feel like fish out of water. It’s going to take some convincing for them to work as a team and to recognize in themselves the courage, wisdom and tenacity that Doc sees in them.

Together they form Sharks, Inc. and are given an important assignment: to set out each day on their small fishing boat in hopes of tagging sharks for Doc’s research—and to stay away—far away—from any possible poachers in the area.

The trio certainly isn’t looking for trouble, but when they come face to face with danger, survival requires them to rely on each of their own unique gifts, and especially on one another.

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Cold-Blooded Myrtle (Myrtle Hardcastle Mystery 3)

Elizabeth C. Bunce

An Edgar® Award Winning Series

Myrtle Hardcastle—twelve-year-old Young Lady of Quality and Victorian amateur detective—is back on the case, solving a string of bizarre murders in her hometown of Swinburne and picking up right where she left off in Premeditated Myrtle and How to Get Away with Myrtle.

When the proprietor of Leighton’s Mercantile is found dead on the morning his annual Christmas shop display is to be unveiled, it’s clear a killer had revenge in mind. But who would want to kill the local dry-goods merchant? Perhaps someone who remembers the mysterious scandal that destroyed his career as a professor and archaeologist. When the killer strikes again, each time manipulating the figures in the display to foretell the crime, Myrtle finds herself racing to uncover the long-buried facts of a cold case—and the motivations of a modern murderer. 

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Karma Moon--Ghost Hunter

Melissa Savage

While staying in a haunted Colorado hotel for her father's ghost-hunting television series, Karma Moon must battle her anxiety, interpret the signs of the universe, and get footage of a real ghost--you know, the usual.

Karma Moon is a firm believer in everything "woo-woo," as her dad calls it. So when she asked her trusty Magic Eight Ball if the call asking her dad to create a ghost-hunting docuseries was her dad's big break, it delivered: "No doubt about it." Because the universe never gets it wrong. Only people do.

Karma and her best friend, Mags, join her dad's Totally Rad film crew at a famous haunted hotel in Colorado over her spring break. Their mission: find a ghost and get it on camera. If they succeed, the show will be a hit, they can pay rent on time, and just maybe, her mom will come back.

Unfortunately, staying at a haunted hotel isn't a walk in the park for someone with a big case of the what-ifs. But her dad made Karma the head of research for the docuseries, so she, Mags, and a mysterious local boy named Nyx must investigate every strange happening in the historically creepy Stanley Hotel. Karma hopes that her what-ifs don't make her give up the ghost before they can find a starring spirit to help their show go viral--and possibly even get them a season two.

With Melissa Savage's quirky cast of characters and spooky setting underlaid by a touching and relatable struggle against anxiety and grief over her fractured family, Karma Moon--Ghosthunter is bound to charm and delight.

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Drew Leclair Gets a Clue

Katryn Bury

In this modern take on Harriet the Spy, twelve-year-old Drew uses her true crime expertise to catch the cyberbully in her school--only to discover that family, friendship, and identity are the hardest mysteries to solve.

Drew Leclair knows what it takes to be a great detective. She's pored over the cases solved by her hero, criminal profiler Lita Miyamoto. She tracked down the graffiti artist at school, and even solved the mystery of her neighbor's missing rabbit. But when her mother runs off to Hawaii with the school guidance counselor, Drew is shocked. How did she miss all of the clues?

Drew is determined to keep her family life a secret, even from her best friend. But when a cyberbully starts posting embarrassing rumors about other students at school, it's only a matter of time before Drew's secret is out.

Armed with her notebooks full of observations about her classmates, Drew knows what she has to do: profile all of the bullies in her grade to find the culprit. But being a detective is more complicated when the suspects can be your friends. Will Drew crack the case if it means losing the people she cares about most?

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The Crown Heist

Deron R. Hicks

In another "suspenseful mystery romp with art appreciation" (Kirkus Reviews, starred review), Art and Camille head to London to find her estranged father, and soon find themselves embroiled in a heist involving a long-dead monarch. Packed with fascinating facts about real places and pieces of art, this fast-paced thriller is perfect for fans of the Spy School and Mr. Limoncello's Library series and Dan Brown.

 

No matter how dangerous his adventures have been, Art has always been able to count on his best friend, Camille. Now that Camille is meeting her estranged father, Art wants to be there for her--which means going to London.

But Camille's history professor father, renowned for expertise in British legend, is missing. When they visit his apartment, Art and Camille find a long-missing object that suggests the professor could be in trouble and solving a mystery related to London's history.

Follow Art and Camille as they visit the Tower of London, National Portrait Gallery, and ride the "tube" in hopes of uncovering the truth before it's too late.

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Case Closed #3: Haunting at the Hotel

Lauren Magaziner

Pick-your-own-path and puzzle-packed mystery collide in the third book in Lauren Magaziner's hilarious and interactive middle grade series. In the Case Closed books, the reader helps Carlos and his friends hunt ghosts at a haunted hotel.

In this wildly entertaining adventure, YOU pick which suspects to interview, which questions to ask, and which clues to follow. You pick the path--you crack the case!

Carlos Serrano is now officially an apprentice detective at Las Pistas Detective Agency. He finally earned his mom's trust, but his next case will be his most difficult one yet. Guests at a creepy mountain hotel are complaining of weird disturbances, threatening messages, and hair-raising howls!

Carlos, along with his best friend, Eliza, and her wacky little brother, Frank, arrive on the scene to investigate a . . . ghost? What secrets is this haunted hotel hiding? With tricky puzzles, ghoulish secrets, ectoplasmic enemies, and dozens of impossible choices, these junior detectives need your sleuthing skills!

Can you help Carlos and his friends unravel the mystery before it's too late? Or will it be case closed?

Middle grade readers will enjoy all four books in this favorite series: Mystery in the Mansion (#1), Stolen from the Studio (#2), Haunting at the Hotel (#3), and Danger on the Dig (#4)!

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Finally, Something Mysterious

Doug Cornett

The best mysteries can only be solved with your best friends. The perfect summer read for fans of Stuart Gibbs.

Paul Marconi has always thought that Bellwood was a strange town, but also a boring one. Not much for an eleven-year-old to do. Fires are burning nearby, Paul's parents are obsessed with winning a bratwurst contest, and his best friend, one of the founding members of their only-child detective club, the One and Onlys, is about to acquire a younger sister, sort of undoing their whole reason for existing. But then! Hundreds of rubber duckies have appeared on the lawn of poor Mr. Babbage without any explanation. Finally! There is something that Paul and his friends can actually investigate.

In the face of all these bizarre occurrences, Paul is convinced that uncovering who deposited the duckies will finally bring some sense to what has become an upside-down world. Soon the three friends have a long list of suspects, all with their own motives, but no clear culprit. When everything comes to a head at the town's annual Bellwood Bratwurst Bonanza, Paul discovers that some things don't have an easy explanation and not every mystery can be solved.

A perfect summer story about friends, amateur sleuthing, and a whole lot of rubber duckies.

"The perfect mix of hilarious and heartwarming--kids won't be able to get enough of Paul and his friends' Bellwood adventures."--Elsie Chapman, author of All the Ways Home

Delightful fun for budding mystery fans.--Kirkus

A diverting mystery with clever misdirection that will keep readers guessing until the end.--The Bulletin

The quirkiness of the premise and the light, punny humor give the narrative its momentum.--Booklist

The One and Onlys seem primed to become a popular trio among readers who enjoy an old-fashioned whodunit.--Publishers Weekly

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Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor

Ally Carter

"This is the kind of read that makes your soul sit up straight. At once a heart-wrenching tale of found family and a thrilling, atmospheric mystery that keeps you guessing at every page, Ally Carter's middle grade debut is a triumph. I loved April's character down to the barb wire wrapped around her heart, and I cheered for her journey and the extraordinary bravery required to open up to other people." --Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of Aru Shah and the End of Time

"A fast-paced thrill ride of a book . . . it's Batman meets Annie." --Stuart Gibbs, New York Times best-selling author of the Spy School series

"An adventure-filled read with a twisty mystery and spunky friendships. I loved it!" -Melissa de la Cruz, New York times best-selling author of The Descendants series

April didn't mean to start the fire. She wasn't the one who broke the vase. April didn't ask to go live in a big, creepy mansion with a bunch of orphans who just don't understand that April isn't like them. After all, April's mother is coming back for her someday very soon.

All April has to do is find the clues her mother left inside the massive mansion. But Winterborne House is hiding more than one secret, so April and her friends are going to have to work together to unravel the riddle of a missing heir, a creepy legend, and a mysterious key before the only home they've ever known is lost to them forever.

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The School for Whatnots

Margaret Peterson Haddix

From master of suspense author Margaret Peterson Haddix comes another page-turning stand-alone adventure perfect for fans of Cog and Bad Magic.

No matter what anyone tells you, I'm real.

That's what the note says that Max finds under his keyboard.

He knows that his best friend, Josie, wrote it. He'd know her handwriting anywhere. But why she wrote it--and what it means--remains a mystery.

Ever since they met in kindergarten, Max and Josie has been inseparable. Until the summer after fifth grade, when Josie disappears, leaving only a note, and whispering something about "whatnot rules."

But why would Max ever think that Josie wasn't real? And what are whatnots?

As Max sets to uncover what happened to Josie--and what she is or isn't--little does he know that she's fighting to find him again, too. But there are forces trying to keep Max and Josie from every seeing each other again. Because Josie wasn't supposed to be real.

This middle grade thriller from Margaret Peterson Haddix delves into the power of privilege, the importance of true friendship, and the question of humanity and identity. Because when anyone could be a whatnot, what makes a person a real friend--or real at all?

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A to Z Mysteries Super Edition #13: Crime in the Crypt

Ron Roy

Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose catch a crypt criminal--in the thirteenth A to Z Mysteries Super Edition!

Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose are headed to the Big Apple! They plan to spend time with Ruth Rose's grandmother in Brooklyn. But their plans are foiled when a famous vase is stolen from the Greenwood Cemetery. And all evidence points to Ruth Rose's grandmother as the culprit! Is she really a criminal? It's up to Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose to clear her name.

Help Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose solve mysteries from A to Z! From The Absent Author to The Zombie Zone, there's a mystery for every letter of the alphabet, plus super editions with even more A to Z fun. And don't miss Ron Roy's series for younger readers, Calendar Mysteries!

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The First Case

Felix Gumpaw

In this first installment of the Pup Detectives graphic novel series, the pup detectives of Pawston Elementary join forces to solve the crimes happening all around them. Can they nab the lunchtime bandit who’s been stealing all the best snacks from the cafeteria?

Puppy PI Rider Woofson thought he was the only detective at Pawston Elementary, but while bringing down a pencil theft ring, he finds out that there are other super sleuths at school. Fortunately (or not!) there’s plenty of pet-ty crime happening at Pawston, so Rider joins forces with the other puppy PIs to form the PI Pack—the best (and only!) detective group at school.

Their first case is high stakes because it hits every student in the belly…a lunchtime bandit is stealing the best food from the cafeteria! Will the Pup Detectives bring the noodle nabber to justice, or will the hungry students of Pawston be left to endure Soup Surprise for lunch every day?

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Connect the Dots

Keith Calabrese

Liar & Spy meets The Parker Inheritance in this whimsically complex story about human connection and the power we all have to determine our own fate.

Is there anything more random than middle school? Sixth graders Oliver and Frankie don't think so. Their first few weeks have been full of weirdness -- lunchtime thievery, free beef jerky, and Matilda, the mysterious new girl who knows everything about them, but has a lot to learn about making friends.

But what if none of it is random at all? What if a reclusive genius is keeping an eye on them and making sure the tiny pieces of his puzzle fall into place, one by one, until strange, seemingly unconnected incidents snowball totally out of control? Imagine the odds First a cardamom shortage takes down the school bully. Then a giant dog leads to some extracurricular spying. Soon Oliver is being followed and Matilda is hacking the FBI. And by the time they discover a gang of angry clowns and the world's largest game of Mousetrap, an insanely brilliant plan has been set in motion that will change their lives forever.

Connect the Dots is an intricately plotted story about the power of human connection and a chain of "coincidences" so serendipitous they must be destiny at work.

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The Hall of Fame Heist

Mike Lupica

The seventh installment of New York Times bestselling author Mike Lupica's Zach & Zoe Mysteries--a sports-themed chapter book mystery series perfect for fans of Cam Jansen!

In this seventh sports-themed mystery, eight-year-old twins Zach and Zoe go on a school field trip to a pop-up museum, put on by the National Baseball Hall of Fame. On their tour, they discover one of the display items is missing from its case, and with the help of their classmates, they work together to figure out what happened.

Once again, bestselling author Mike Lupica charms his youngest readers yet with a detective duo who can swing for the fences and catch the culprit in one fell swoop. With a recipe of equal parts sports and mystery, the Zach & Zoe Mysteries break fresh ground for an author who has been called the greatest sportswriter for kids.

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Goldie Vance: The Hotel Whodunit

Lilliam Rivera

Move over, Nancy Drew--there's a new sleuth in town! Inspired by the beloved comic series, Goldie Vance is ready to sleuth her way through never-before-seen mysteries in this original novel series by Lilliam Rivera featuring 16 full-color comic pages!
Marigold "Goldie" Vance lives and works at the Crossed Palms Resort Hotel in Florida with a whole slew of characters: her dad, Art, the manager of the joint; Cheryl Lebeaux, the concierge and Goldie's best friend; and Walter Tooey, the hired hotel detective. Her mom, Sylvia, works nearby at the Mermaid Club.
While life at the Crossed Palms is always busy, the resort is currently overrun with Hollywood-types filming the hottest new creature feature, and tensions are at an all-time high. Even Goldie's mom is in on the movie act, doing what she does best: playing a mermaid. Just when Goldie thinks the movie biz couldn't get any more exciting, a diamond-encrusted swimming cap goes missing, and all fingers point to Goldie's mom as the culprit. Can Goldie uncover the true thief before it's too late?
Based on Hope Larson and Brittney Williams's critically acclaimed Goldie Vance comic, this thrilling novel explores a never-before-seen caper and features 16 full-color comic pages essential to unraveling the mystery.
Text and Illustration copyright: © 2020 BOOM! StudiosGoldie Vance(TM) and © 2020 Hope Larson & Brittney Williams

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Real Pigeons Splash Back (Book 4)

Andrew McDonald

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's--wait, it really IS a bird! Take another look, because what looks like an ordinary pigeon might just be a hero saving your butt! Don't miss this hilarious illustrated series perfect for fans of DOG MAN.

The REAL PIGEONS are ready for anything. A MONSTER who is draining every bath in the city? A breeze! A PRANKSTER causing trouble in a beach town? Psh! A shadowy BAD GUY who wants to take over the world? Not a problem...right? No one can protect a city like this team of crime-fighting heroes. But who will protect the Real Pigeons when they don't even know how to SWIM?

This isn't the REAL PIGEONS' first time fighting crime! Start here, but don't forget to read about their other adventures in REAL PIGEONS FIGHT CRIME, REAL PIGEONS EAT DANGER, and REAL PIGEONS NEST HARD.

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Indiana Bones

Harry Heape

Indiana Bones and his young friend Aisha are off to solve the greatest mysteries the world has ever known in this hilarious new series!

Indiana Bones is a shaggy dog with a difference. He's got superpowers and can sniff out criminals and - with his young friend and owner, 12-year-old Aisha - solve mysteries that would flummox the world's more expert detectives!

In their first case, they are on the trail of treasure hidden centuries ago by a legendary knight known as The Lonely Assassin, an adventure which takes them all the way to Egypt and the Pyramids.

A hugely inventive new Middle Grade series from one of the funniest authors in the business.

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Alice Fleck's Recipes for Disaster

Rachelle Delaney

When Alice agreed to appear in a reality cooking show with her father, she had no idea she'd find herself in the middle of a mystery! Will Alice and her new friends be able to save the show? A light-hearted and funny middle grade novel for fans of Rebecca Stead and Linda Mulally Hunt.

Alice Fleck's father is a culinary historian, and for as long as she can remember, she's been helping him recreate meals from the past -- a hobby she prefers to keep secret from kids her age. But when her father's new girlfriend enters them into a cooking competition at a Victorian festival, Alice finds herself and her hobby thrust into the spotlight.
And that's just the first of many surprises awaiting her. On arriving at the festival, Alice learns that she and her father are actually contestants on Culinary Combat, a new reality TV show hosted by Tom Truffleman, the most famous and fierce judge on TV! And to make matters worse, she begins to suspect that someone is at work behind the scenes, sabotaging the competition.
It's up to Alice, with the help of a few new friends, to find the saboteur before the entire competition is ruined, all the while tackling some of the hardest cooking challenges of her life . . . for the whole world to see.

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The Haunted Mustache

Joe McGee

From the author of Junior Monster Scouts comes new spooky and silly series perfect for fans of Goosebumps and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. In this first book, things get hairy for two fifth graders who take on a haunted mustache!

Wolver Hollow is not a normal town. The adults are too busy shuffling off to work at the old coffin factory to notice or care, but the kids know all about monsters, ghosts, and strange lights in the sky. Strange things happen in Wolver Hollow. Creepy things.

But fifth graders Parker and Lucas are determined to debunk one of Wolver Hollow’s legends: Over a hundred years ago, Bockius Beauregard was vaporized in an unfortunate accident and all that remained was his magnificent mustache. People say it returns every year, on the anniversary of Bockius’s death, seeking a lip to claim as its own! When the boys try to prove the story is fake, the find more than they bargained for.

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Danger at the Iron Dragon

Carolyn Keene

Nancy, Bess, and George’s Jiu-Jitsu lessons turn into a takedown of another sort in the twenty-first book in the Nancy Drew Diaries, a fresh approach to a classic series.

After a close call, Mr. Drew insists that if Nancy’s going to be an amateur detective, she needs to be able to defend herself. So Nancy, Bess, and George decide to check out a Jiu-Jitsu class at Iron Dragon MMA. The technique is hard, but before she knows it, Nancy’s having a lot of fun.

And then, just as class ends, the students are shaken by a disturbing sight—someone’s left a dead rat on the front desk and spray-painted “traitor” on the wall. With a big competition coming up soon, is a rival academy trying to stir up trouble to throw the Iron Dragon team off their game?

Nancy agrees to help the team get to the truth, but as her investigation takes some unexpected and increasingly dangerous turns, has River Heights’s finest sleuth been outmatched?

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The Secret Explorers and the Smoking Volcano

SJ King

 

Buckle up for an explosive adventure! Discover the dramatic power of an erupting volcano in this action-packed sixth installment of DK's new educational fiction series!
Meet the Secret Explorers - a band of brainiac kids from all around the world. Everyone in this diverse group of young experts has a specialty, from outer space to dinosaurs, and each story follows a character who gets chosen for a "secret exploration".

This edge-of-your-seat science book for kids is packed with:

* Fun facts and illustrations about the Earth's tectonic plates
* Simple and engaging explanations on how volcanoes are formed
* Quizzes, mission notes, and a glossary of words with definitions
* Information that supports a STEM-based curriculum

A new adventure unfolds

In this fun, fact-filled children's science book, we join volcanoes expert Cheng on an exciting mission to Mount Yasur on the island of Vanuatu. Joined by biology expert Leah, the team is beyond excited to witness a real-life volcanic eruption.

But soon, excitement turns to worry when they realize that people are in danger. Working together swiftly and heroically, they must stage a rescue mission. Kids will love turning the pages to find out if the Secret Explorers manage to succeed in their mission!

It's the perfect gift for children aged 7-9 who love all things geology. Packed with lots of information on volcanoes, this epic adventure book gives them a thrilling introduction to earth science.

Don't let the discoveries stop

Each book in the series combines exciting adventures with real-life facts related to the Secret Explorers' latest fictional mission.

Don't miss out on more secret explorations! Dive into an underwater adventure in The Secret Explorers and the Lost Whales. Travel back in time to save a dinosaur egg from destruction in The Secret Explorers and the Jurassic Rescue. Finally, set out on a journey to stop the Cairo Museum from closing down in The Secret Explorers and the Tomb Robbers.

 

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Nate the Great and the Earth Day Robot

Andrew Sharmat

Join the world's greatest detective, Nate the Great, as he solves the mystery of the missing Earth Day robot in this long-running chapter book series that's a favorite for beginner readers!

WILL THIS CASE ROLL AWAY?

The Earth Day Fair is days away, but Nate's classroom project--a robot named Mr. Butler--has disappeared. Nate the Great and his dog, Sludge, take on the unusual case, and they are soon searching high and low in and around the school. Will Nate find the robot in time for the fair?

Perfect for Common Core, the Nate the Great chapter book series will encourage children to problem-solve and learn about STEM topics, using logical thinking to solve mysteries!

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Hide and Geek

T. P. Jagger

A puzzlemaker's last clue. A friendship's last chance.

The GEEKs-
Gina, Edgar, Elena, and Kevin have been best friends for as long as they can remember. So when their arch-nemesis points out that their initials make them literally GEEKs, they decide to go with it.

The problem-
The GEEKs' hometown of Elmwood was once the headquarters of the famous toymaker Maxine Van Houten. Her popular puzzle sphere, the Bamboozler, put the town on the map. But Maxine passed away long ago. Now the toy factory is shutting down, and Elena's mom and Kevin's dad are losing their jobs. They might have to move-and that would mean splitting up the GEEKs!

The quest-
Maxine left one final puzzle, a treasure hunt that could save the town and keep the friends together. But only those who know and love Elmwood best will be able to solve it. GEEKs to the rescue!
 

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The Dramatic Life of Azaleah Lane

Nikki Shannon Smith

Azaleah's big sister, Nia, has been cast as Willa Wonka in the school musical, and the entire Lane family is looking forward to the show. Azaleah has even helped plan a surprise dinner party for Nia at Avec Amour, Mama's restaurant. But then the real drama starts. At the first rehearsal, all sorts of things go wrong: missing batteries, sets falling over, props misplaced . . . It's so many things, in fact, that Azaleah suspects "foul play." And when the special effects on Nia's costume don't work at dress rehearsal, Nia is a nervous wreck. To top it all off, the high school journalism class is covering the performance for the school blog, and the director doesn't have time to replace Nia's costume. Nia has to wear it without the special effects. Azaleah becomes determined to make sure the musical isn't ruined for Nia. Azaleah has to get to the bottom of the mysterious rehearsal troubles, and finish party preparations, before the curtain goes up.

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The Mystery of the Stinky, Spooky Night

Fran Manushkin

When Pedro and his dad walk Katie home on a foggy night, something smelly fills the air! With their noses working extra hard, the two friends have a mystery to solve: What is that making that stink, and why is it following them?

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The Red Palace

June Hur

June Hur, critically acclaimed author of The Silence of Bones and The Forest of Stolen Girls, returns with The Red Palace—a third evocative, atmospheric historical mystery perfect for fans of Courtney Summers and Kerri Maniscalco.

To enter the palace means to walk a path stained in blood...

Joseon (Korea), 1758. There are few options available to illegitimate daughters in the capital city, but through hard work and study, eighteen-year-old Hyeon has earned a position as a palace nurse. All she wants is to keep her head down, do a good job, and perhaps finally win her estranged father's approval.

But Hyeon is suddenly thrust into the dark and dangerous world of court politics when someone murders four women in a single night, and the prime suspect is Hyeon's closest friend and mentor. Determined to prove her beloved teacher's innocence, Hyeon launches her own secret investigation.

In her hunt for the truth, she encounters Eojin, a young police inspector also searching for the killer. When evidence begins to point to the Crown Prince himself as the murderer, Hyeon and Eojin must work together to search the darkest corners of the palace to uncover the deadly secrets behind the bloodshed.

Praise for The Red Palace:

An ABA Indie Bestseller
A Junior Library Guild Selection
Forbes Most Anticipated Book of 2022 Selection

"A tense political thriller, a beautiful romance, and a coming of age all in one unique package." —School Library Journal, starred review

"This atmospheric historical mystery will transport and captivate readers ... A beautifully written story full of historical and cultural details that will leave readers aching for a follow-up." —Booklist, starred review

"An expertly choreographed mystery with a touch of romance and an emotionally satisfying conclusion ... The perfect book to curl up with for a cozy winter afternoon of murder and intrigue." —NPR

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All the Best Liars

Amelia Kahaney

Amelia Kahaney's All the Best Liars is a dark, modern psychological thriller and coming-of-age story about obsession, manipulation, and the intensity of those first friendships that take hold of you and never let go

Tic-tac-toe, three girls in a row. Nine years old and inseparable. Friends for life, or so they think . . .

Best friends Syd, Rain, and Brie grew up on the wrong side of the tracks in the stifling California desert, desperately wishing for a way out.

When a deadly fire is set two weeks before the end of high school, nothing will ever be the same. In the end, each of them will escape—but not in the way any of them expects. One will do it by dying, another by lying, a third by taking the fall.

With gorgeous, taut prose and twists to the very last page, All the Best Liars alternates between the present and the past to unravel the truth behind the fire and the cost of the secrets at the heart of their friendship.

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Queen of the Tiles

Hanna Alkaf

They Wish They Were Us meets The Queen’s Gambit in the world of competitive Scrabble when a teen girl is forced to investigate the mysterious death of her best friend a year after the fact when her Instagram comes back to life with cryptic posts and messages.

CATALYST
13 points
noun: a substance that speeds up a reaction without itself changing

When Najwa Bakri walks into her first Scrabble competition since her best friend’s death, it’s with the intention to heal and move on with her life. Perhaps it wasn’t the best idea to choose the very same competition where said best friend, Trina Low, died. It might be even though Najwa’s trying to change, she’s not ready to give up Trina just yet.

But the same can’t be said for all the other competitors. With Trina, the Scrabble Queen herself, gone, the throne is empty, and her friends are eager to be the next reigning champion. All’s fair in love and Scrabble, but all bets are off when Trina’s formerly inactive Instagram starts posting again, with cryptic messages suggesting that maybe Trina’s death wasn’t as straightforward as everyone thought. And maybe someone at the competition had something to do with it.

As secrets are revealed and the true colors of her friends are shown, it’s up to Najwa to find out who’s behind these mysterious posts—not just to save Trina’s memory, but to save herself.

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Cold

Mariko Tamaki

A boy, a murder, a girl, a secret. From award-winning author Mariko Tamaki comes Cold, a haunting YA novel about a shocking homicide in a quiet town and four students who knew too much and said too little.

This is the story of a boy who died—and a girl who wants to know why.

Todd Mayer is dead. Now he's some sort of ghost, hovering over his body, which has just been found in the town park, naked and frozen in the snow. As detectives investigate Todd's homicide, talking to the very people who are responsible for how he died, Todd replays the events that lead him to his end in the park.

Georgia didn't know Todd. But she can’t stop thinking about him. Maybe it's because they’re both outcasts at their school, or because they’re both queer. It might also be because Georgia has a feeling she’s seen Todd somewhere before, somewhere he wasn’t supposed to be.

In the vein of The Lovely Bones, this dual narrative is told through the voices of Todd in his afterlife and Georgia as she uncovers the truth behind his death, resulting in an immersive, emotional, and provocative read.

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Sadie

Courtney Summers

Sadie's been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated Colorado town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water. When Mattie is found dead, and the police investigation is botched, Sadie is determined to bring her sister's killer to justice. She hits the road following a few meager clues. When West McCray, a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America, hears Sadie's story, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie's journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it's too late. -- adapted from back cover

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The Storyteller

Kathryn Williams

With the mystery of Maureen Johnson and Brittany Cavallaro and the historical intrigue of Romanov, this genre-bending YA will pull readers into one girl’s journey of discovering the impossible tale of a long-lost aunt—and through her, the importance of being true to yourself. 

It’s not every day you discover you might be related to Anastasia…or that the tragic princess actually survived her assassination attempt and has been living as the woman you know as Aunt Anna.  

For Jess Morgan, who is growing tired of living her life to please everyone else, discovering her late aunt’s diaries shows her she’s not the only one struggling to hide who she really is. But was her aunt truly a Romanov princess? Or is this some elaborate hoax?

With the help of a supremely dorky but undeniably cute local college student named Evan, Jess digs into the century-old mystery.

But soon Jess realizes there’s another, bigger truth waiting to be revealed: Jess Morgan. Because if she’s learned anything from Aunt Anna, it’s that only you can write your own story.

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The Inheritance Games

Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Don't miss this New York Times bestselling "impossible to put down" (Buzzfeed) novel with deadly stakes, thrilling twists, and juicy secrets--perfect for fans of One of Us is Lying and Knives Out.

Avery Grambs has a plan for a better future: survive high school, win a scholarship, and get out. But her fortunes change in an instant when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves Avery virtually his entire fortune. The catch? Avery has no idea why--or even who Tobias Hawthorne is.

To receive her inheritance, Avery must move into sprawling, secret passage-filled Hawthorne House where every room bears the old man's touch--and his love of puzzles, riddles, and codes. Unfortunately for Avery, Hawthorne House is also occupied by the family that Tobias Hawthorne just dispossessed. This includes the four Hawthorne grandsons: dangerous, magnetic, brilliant boys who grew up with every expectation that one day, they would inherit billions. Heir apparent Grayson Hawthorne is convinced that Avery must be a conwoman, and he's determined to take her down. His brother, Jameson, views her as their grandfather's last hurrah: a twisted riddle, a puzzle to be solved. Caught in a world of wealth and privilege, with danger around every turn, Avery will have to play the game herself just to survive.

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Fly by Night

Tara O'Connor

In this enviromental thriller graphic novel with a supernatural twist, Dee must find out what happened to her missing twin. An amazing mystery filled with strange creatures, high school drama, and family, this darkly illustrated book shows us that monsters are all around us.

There are monsters in the woods.

Something supernatural is lurking in the woods. While out searching for her missing sister and desperately trying to find any possible clues to her whereabouts, Dee discovers something . . . isn't quite right . . . in the woods. Dee soon finds herself in the middle of a battle to save the pinelands, and she's finding more suspects, and more questions, than answers.

As time goes on, there is only one thing she knows for certain: there are monsters among us. But they aren't who you should be afraid of . . .

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Spin

Lamar Giles

When rising star Paris Secord (aka DJ ParSec) is found dead on her turntables, it sends the local music scene reeling. No one is feeling that grief more than her shunned pre-fame best friend, Kya, and ParSec's chief groupie, Fuse -- two sworn enemies who happened to be the ones who discovered her body.

The police have few leads, and when the trail quickly turns cold, the authorities don't seem to be pushing too hard to investigate further. But nobody counted on Paris's deeply loyal fans, ParSec Nation, or the outrage that would drive Fuse and Kya to work together. As ParSec Nation takes to social media and the streets in their crusade for justice, Fuse and Kya start digging into Paris's past, stumbling across a deadly secret. With new info comes new motives. New suspects. And a fandom that will stop at nothing in their obsessive quest for answers, not even murder...

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A Good Girl's Guide to Murder

Holly Jackson

For readers of Kara Thomas and Karen McManus, an addictive, twisty crime thriller with shades of Serial and Making a Murderer about a closed local murder case that doesn't add up, and a girl who's determined to find the real killer--but not everyone wants her meddling in the past.

Everyone in Fairview knows the story.

Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. It was all anyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town.

But she can't shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day. She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her. How could he possibly have been a killer?

Now a senior herself, Pip decides to reexamine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation. But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal innocent . . . and the line between past and present begins to blur. Someone in Fairview doesn't want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger.

This is the story of an investigation turned obsession, full of twists and turns and with an ending you'll never expect.

"Fun, gripping, and skillfully constructed." --Emily Arsenault, author of All the Pretty Things

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You'll Be the Death of Me

Karen M. McManus

INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * From the author of One of Us Is Lying comes a brand-new pulse-pounding thriller. It's Ferris Bueller's Day Off with murder when three old friends relive an epic ditch day, and it goes horribly--and fatally--wrong.

Ivy, Mateo, and Cal used to be close. Now all they have in common is Carlton High and the beginning of a very bad day. Type A Ivy lost a student council election to the class clown, and now she has to face the school, humiliated. Heartthrob Mateo is burned out from working two jobs since his family's business failed. And outsider Cal just got stood up . . . again.

So when the three unexpectedly run into each other, they decide to avoid their problems by ditching. Just the three of them, like old times. Except they've barely left the parking lot before they run out of things to say. . .

. . . until they spot another Carlton High student skipping school--and follow him to the scene of his own murder. In one chance move, their day turns from dull to deadly. And it's about to get worse. It turns out Ivy, Mateo, and Cal still have some things in common...like a connection to the dead kid. And they're all hiding something.

Could it be that their chance reconnection wasn't by chance after all?

Fans of the hit thriller that started it all can watch the secrets of the Bayview Four be revealed in the One of Us is Lying TV series now streaming on NBC's Peacock!

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The Montague Twins: The Witch's Hand

Nathan Page

Brothers. Detectives. Witches? Meet Pete and Alastair Montague in the first installment of a new graphic novel duology that is the Hardy Boys meets Paper Girls.

Pete and Alastair Montague are just a couple of mystery-solving twins, living an ordinary life. Or so they thought. After a strange storm erupts on a visit to the beach, they discover there is more to their detective skills than they had thought. Their guardian, David Faber, a once prominent professor, has been keeping secrets about their parents and what the boys are truly capable of.

At the same time, three girls go missing after casting a mysterious spell, which sets in motion a chain of events that takes their small town down an unexpected path. With the help of David's daughter, Charlie, they discover there are forces at work that they never could have imagined, which will impact their lives forever.

An exciting new graphic novel from innovative creators Nathan Page and Drew Shannon that is at once timely and thrilling.

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Truly Devious

Maureen Johnson

New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson weaves a delicate tale of murder and mystery in the first book of a striking new series, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and E. Lockhart.

Ellingham Academy is a famous private school in Vermont for the brightest thinkers, inventors, and artists. It was founded by Albert Ellingham, an early twentieth century tycoon, who wanted to make a wonderful place full of riddles, twisting pathways, and gardens. “A place,” he said, “where learning is a game.”

Shortly after the school opened, his wife and daughter were kidnapped. The only real clue was a mocking riddle listing methods of murder, signed with the frightening pseudonym “Truly, Devious.” It became one of the great unsolved crimes of American history.

True-crime aficionado Stevie Bell is set to begin her first year at Ellingham Academy, and she has an ambitious plan: She will solve this cold case. That is, she will solve the case when she gets a grip on her demanding new school life and her housemates: the inventor, the novelist, the actor, the artist, and the jokester. But something strange is happening. Truly Devious makes a surprise return, and death revisits Ellingham Academy. The past has crawled out of its grave. Someone has gotten away with murder. 

The two interwoven mysteries of this first book in the Truly Devious series dovetail brilliantly, and Stevie Bell will continue her relentless quest for the murderers in books two and three.

Publishers Weekly Best Books of 2018 * Junior Library Guild Selection * 2019 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Nomination * 2019 ALA's Best Fiction for Young Adults Nomination * Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Books 2018 * Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Young Adult Fiction 2018 * 2018 Nerdy Book Club Young Adult Winner * Seventeen Best YA Book of 2018

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Seven Dirty Secrets

Natalie D. Richards

A New York Times Bestseller

From the New York Times bestselling author of Five Total Strangers and master of suspense (BCCB), Natalie D. Richards, comes a pulse-pounding YA thriller about a girl who goes on a mysterious scavenger hunt, only to discover that someone knows her worst secret...and is out for blood.

I know seven dirty secrets:

One caused the fall. One did nothing. One saw it all.

One didn't care. One used their head. One played the hero.

One was left for dead.

On her eighteenth birthday, Cleo receives a mysterious invitation to a scavenger hunt. She's sure her best friend Hope or her brother Connor is behind it, but no one confesses. And as Cleo and Hope embark on the hunt, the seemingly random locations and clues begin to feel familiar.

In fact, all of the clues seem to be about Cleo's dead boyfriend, Declan, who drowned on a group rafting trip exactly a year ago. A bracelet she bought him. A song he loved. A photo of the rafting group, taken just before Declan drowned. And then the phone calls start, Declan's voice taunting Cleo with a cryptic question: You ready?

As the clock on the scavenger hunt ticks down, it becomes clear that someone knows what really happened to Declan. And that person will stop at nothing to make sure Cleo and her friends pay. Can they solve the hunt before someone else winds up dead?

More twisty mysteries by Natalie D. Richards:

Five Total Strangers

Six Months Later

Gone Too Far

One Was Lost

My Secret to Tell

What You Hide

We All Fall Down

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The Grimrose Girls

Laura Pohl

A New York Times Bestseller

Four troubled friends,

One murdered girl...

and a dark fate that may leave them all doomed.

Once Upon a Time meets Pretty Little Liars in this queer, dark academia story about four reimagined fairy tale heroines who must uncover their ancient curses before it's too late.

After the mysterious death of their best friend, Ella, Yuki, and Rory are the talk of their elite school, Grimrose Académie. The police ruled Ariane's death as a suicide, but the trio are determined to find out what really happened.

When Nani Eszes arrives as their newest roommate, it sets into motion a series of events that no one could have predicted. As the girls retrace their friend's final days, they discover a dark secret about Grimrose—Ariane wasn't the first dead girl.

They soon learn that all the past murders are connected to ancient fairytale curses...and that their own fates are tied to the stories, dooming the girls to brutal and gruesome endings unless they can break the cycle for good.

Perfect for fans of:

  • Cinderella is Dead and GRIMM
  • Dark Academia
  • Fairytale Retellings
  • LGBTQ Rep

Media Buzz for The Grimrose Girls:

  • Buzzfeed called it "a book definitely worth picking up"
  • One of Book Riot's Top New YA Paperbacks for Fall
  • A Buzzfeed Top LGBTQ+ YA Book to Devour
  • A Culturess Thrilling New YA Release
  • Featured on Tor as a new Young Adult SFF
  • A Barnes & Noble OUR MONTHLY PICK for November 2021!!
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Ducks!

Deborah Underwood

A funny, visual story from Bearnard's Book author Deborah Underwood, about a duck who wanders away from the rest of the flock and must find the way back.

Ducks. Ducks? NO DUCKS!

Duck wanders away from the pond for a moment and returns to find the other ducks gone! Searching high and low, Duck discovers many clues around the city—footprints, feathers, eggs—but no ducks. Will Duck’s feathered friends finally be found?

With spare storytelling and lots of visual jokes, this is a funny and sweet celebration of family.

Featuring illustrations by T. L. McBeth

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Who Stole the Hazelnuts?

Marcus Pfister

A new book from the author of the bestselling Rainbow Fish series!

The peace and quiet of the forest are shattered by a scream. Someone has stolen the squirrel’s three hazelnuts! Who could have committed such a terrible crime? The squirrel begins his investigation, and no one is above suspicion.

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The Detective Dog

Julia Donaldson

A rollicking rhyming picture book from bestselling author Julia Donaldson about a dog who uses her amazing sense of smell to solve mysteries.

When Detective Dog Nell puts her nose to the task, there's no mystery she can't solve. Whether she's tracking the missing shoe of her human, Peter, or locating some lost honeycomb, all Nell has to do is sniff, sniff, sniff and she's hot on the trail.

Besides solving mysteries, there's something else Nell loves—listening to children read. Every Monday, Peter takes her to school where children tell her stories.

One day, Nell and Peter arrive to find that all the books are gone. Who could have taken them? And why? There's only one dog for the job, and Detective Dog Nell is ready to sniff out the thief!

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Little Fox and the Missing Moon

Ekaterina Trukhan

Help Fox solve another simple mystery in this bedtime companion to Apples for Little Fox!

The mystery-loving fox from Apples for Little Fox returns with a new case! When Fox dreams that the moon is missing, he and his friends go on a quest to find it and return it to the sky. Teamwork and companionship are highlighted in this simple, inviting mystery that allows readers to follow along.

The muted palette and clean design will calm overstimulated children at the end of their busy days.

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King & Kayla and the Case of Found Fred

Dori Hillestad Butler

From the Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Award-Winning Series

King & Kayla are back on the case!

This fun, laugh-out-loud early chapter book series follows lovable dog King and his human girl Kayla as they solve mysteries. From the Geisel Honor Award-winning team of Dori Hillestad Butler and Nancy Meyers.

When King and Kayla find a lost dog, they begin gathering clues to help the little pup find his human family. Kayla learns that the pup has no collar and obeys commands, but no one in their neighborhood has seen him before. Then King discovers a big clue. Can he use this clue to help Kayla find the lost puppy's family?

With simple, straightforward language and great verbal and visual humor, the King & Kayla series from Geisel Honor Award-winning team Dori Hillestad Butler and Nancy Meyers is perfect for newly independent readers. Great for introducing mysteries and the important concepts of fact gathering, list making, clues, and analytical thinking.

Series Activity Kit available!

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Chapter Two Is Missing

Josh Lieb

"Very few books are this entertaining to read. Even fewer are literally an active crime scene. Please help find Chapter 2. Without it, this book is nothing." -John Oliver, host of HBO's Last Week Tonight

Chapter Two is Missing is a hilarious picture book mystery starring a hopelessly lost narrator, an unqualified detective, and a very sneaky janitor, who are all surprised to discover that second chapter of the very book of which they are a part is--gasp--missing!

Do not be alarmed, but the second chapter of this book appears to be missing! It was here a minute ago, but now it seems to have simply walked off. Not only that, but some of the punctuation has gone topsy-turvy, a bunch of letter Ms are hiding in Chapter 5, and Chapter 45 appears to be from another book entirely! The narrator is going to need some assistance getting things in order, especially with the unhelpful detective who keeps butting in and that shifty janitor lurking about. Luckily he has you--the reader--to help! From Emmy winning comedy writer and producer Josh Lieb, Chapter Two is Missing is a hilarious whodunit, an irreverent look at storytelling, and perfect for fans of Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book) and The Book With No Pictures.

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Who is the Mystery Reader?

Mo Willems

From Mo Willems, creator of the revolutionary, award-winning, best-selling Elephant & Piggie books, comes this breakout beginning-reader series. An ensemble cast of Squirrels, Acorns, and pop-in guests host a page-turning extravaganza. Each book features a funny, furry adventure AND bonus jokes, quirky quizzes, nutty facts, and so, so many Squirrels.

In Who is the Mystery Reader?, Zoom Squirrel tries out a new superpower with help from a mysterious Mystery Reader. But will the Squirrel pals ever find out who the real Mystery Reader is? Do you know more about reading than the Squirrels do? You will by the end of this book!

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The Upper Case: Trouble in Capital City

Tara Lazar

Just when Private I thinks all is calm-now that he's cracked the case of 7 Ate 9-Question Mark storms into the office.
Mark is worried. All the uppercase letters are M-I-S-S-I-N-G! But that's absurd. This is CAPITAL City!
Private I is the last letter standing. Will he solve his BIGGEST mystery yet, the UPPER CASE, before it's too late?!
Filled with the same humor, wit, and quirkiness of the hit 7 Ate 9: The Untold Story, comes another laugh-out-loud whodunit.

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Beatrice Bly's Rules for Spies 1: The Missing Hamster

Sue Fliess

A young spy in training has to put her sneaky skills to the test when the class pet goes missing in this picture book series starter perfect for readers who love the excitement and intrigue of Tara Lazar's 7 Ate 9 and Josh Funk's Mission Defrostable.

Beatrice Bly isn't just a spy.

She's a super spy.

She knows all the rules.

She sneaks. She observes.

She follows the clues to find the culprit.

But when the class hamster, Edgar, goes missing, will Beatrice's spy training be enough to find out what happened?

Clever and determined, Beatrice Bly will win over young sleuths, teaching them problem solving and deduction skills as they scramble to figure out the case alongside her.

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Agent Lion

Jacky Davis

From the New York Times bestselling creators of Ladybug Girl, meet Agent Lion: a charmingly oblivious yet always-on-time detective!

MS. FLAMINGO'S CAT, FLUFFY, IS MISSING...and there's only one detective who can crack the case!

Meet Agent Lion--he works at Super Detective Agents Agency, wears a tiny blue hat, and loves jelly doughnuts. But most importantly, he is determined to find Fluffy.

Agent Lion searches all over Mrs. Flamingo's building--from Mr. Wombat's apartment to the top of the roof--and the missing cat is nowhere to be found. Will Agent Lion ever crack the case?

In an upside-down mystery filled with laugh-out-loud moments, twists and turns, and more zany animals than one can count, David Soman and Jacky Davis have crafted the perfect picture book for curious minds who enjoy a good detective tale.

Agent Lion is sure not only to make readers giggle but to prove that anything is possible with a bit of determination and wit, and a few jelly doughnut breaks.

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Shark Detective!

Jessica Olien

Perfect for fans of Love Monster and Dragons Love Tacos, this sweet and funny story about an unexpected friendship will delight creatures of all ages.

During the day, Shark lived a lonely life in the big city . . . but at night, he dreamed of being a detective. When a kitty goes missing, could it be time for Shark's dreams to finally come true?

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Whobert Whover, Owl Detective

Jason Gallaher

Help Whobert Whover, Owl Detective, keep his woods safe in this hilarious who-who-dun-it.

What happened to Perry the Possum? Whobert Whover, Owl Detective, is on the case!

Did Debbie the Duck whack Perry with her wicked wings?

Or did Freddie the Frog soak Perry in his sickening slime?

And what if the culprit is closer to home than Whobert expects?

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Who Did That?

Marieke

Wonderfully illustrated by the Dutch animators behind the Oscar nominated short A Single Life, this story of mysterious mischief is a humorous whodunit that addresses the issues of difference and respect for others. Senseless vandalism has hit the quiet village and the evidence is scattered everywhere: a seesaw cut in half, fishing rods split in two, knocked down lampposts. The townsfolk are all wondering, who did that? The policeman in charge of solving the mystery quickly realizes that the baffling culprit seems to love gnawing ...

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Who Wet My Pants?

Bob Shea

In this hilarious tale of blame, compassion, and forgiveness, a very embarrassed bear is reminded that accidents can happen--but with the support of good friends, life goes on.

Reuben the bear's got donuts for everyone in his scout troop, but his friends are all staring at something else: there's a wet spot on Reuben's pants, and it's in a specific area. "WHO WET MY PANTS?" he shouts, and a blame game starts. His buddies try to reassure him there was no crime. Just an accident. It could happen to anyone! But as all the clues begin to point in Reuben's own direction as the culprit, Reuben must come to terms with the truth.

Who Wet My Pants? isn't a potty-training book. It's a witty and wise story about embarrassment and anger, empathy and acceptance, and ultimately...forgiveness.

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My Toothbrush Is Missing

Jan Thomas

Dog's toothbrush is missing. Has anybody seen it? Maybe . . . But what does a toothbrush look like? Donkey wonders. Featuring Jan Thomas's wonderfully wacky humor, rowdy repetitions, and hilarious characters, this book is sure to have young readers laughing out loud

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How to Catch a Clover Thief

Elise Parsley

This hilarious tale about problem-solving and ingenuity from bestselling author-illustrator Elise Parsley also slyly celebrates nonfiction books as a way to build skills and smarts!All Roy the wild boar wants is to enjoy his precious patch of delicious clover... but every time he turns around, his tasty treasure seems to be shrinking! Who's stealing his favorite meal from right under his snout? To make the tedious job of standing guard by the clover patch day and night more bearable, Roy's neighbor Jarvis the gopher helps by lending his never-ending stash of fascinating books that inevitably absorb Roy's attention--as the patch disappears bit by bit. All of that reading makes for a very smart boar, though... and in a surprise table-turning twist at the end, Roy might just get the better of that sneaky clover thief!

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