New Titles

4 essential studies : beliefs and practices to reclaim student agency /

Kittle, Penny,


Teaching the essay as an art form -- Book clubs : the best teacher of reading is the reading -- Poetry : the potential for unexpected things -- Digital composition : crossing genre boundaries. "The authors delve into four genres of writing that they believe middle and high school teachers should provide their students to practice and strengthen their writing"--
Date Published:2021

180 days : two teachers and the quest to engage and empower adolescents /

Gallagher, Kelly, 1958-,


"Kelly [Gallagher] and Penny [Kittle] mapped out a year of engaging literacy practices aligned to their core beliefs about what matters most. They share their insights on managing time tasks and offer teaching strategies for engaging students in both whole class and independent work"--Back cover.
Date Published:2018

Micro mentor texts : using short passages from great books to teach writer's craft /

Kittle, Penny,


"Over 100 passages"--Front cover. "At a time when students' attention is being pulled in many directions, writing expert Penny Kittle [argues for] the power of helping them to focus in and communicate clearly. She does that through the study of 'micro mentor texts,' excerpts from acclaimed books, and the decisions authors make to craft those texts so they deeply engage readers. Her book includes dozens of short texts and mini-lessons based on them--as well as many practice opportunities for students and demonstration videos for you"--Provided by publisher.
Date Published:2022

"Over 100 passages"--Front cover. "At a time when students' attention is being pulled in many directions, writing expert Penny Kittle [argues for] the power of helping them to focus in and communicate clearly. She does that through the study of 'micro mentor texts,' excerpts from acclaimed books, and the decisions authors make to craft those texts so they deeply engage readers. Her book includes dozens of short texts and mini-lessons based on them--as well as many practice opportunities for students and demonstration videos for you"--Provided by publisher.

Date Published:2022

The liars society /

Gerber, Alyson,


Kirkus Review, School Library Journal, Middle grader Weatherby Walker wins a scholarship to her estranged father's alma mater, Boston School, after winning a sailing competition. Hiding the fact that she cheated, Weatherby accepts the scholarship in order to learn more about her father and why someone would have mailed her his old school journal. She soon learns lots of other people at the school are hiding secrets of their own, shielded by a powerful secret organization within the school, which perpetuates corruption among its students, and she and new friend Jack must decide whether or not to join their ranks or expose their secrets.
Date Published:2024

Kirkus Review, School Library Journal, Middle grader Weatherby Walker wins a scholarship to her estranged father's alma mater, Boston School, after winning a sailing competition. Hiding the fact that she cheated, Weatherby accepts the scholarship in order to learn more about her father and why someone would have mailed her his old school journal. She soon learns lots of other people at the school are hiding secrets of their own, shielded by a powerful secret organization within the school, which perpetuates corruption among its students, and she and new friend Jack must decide whether or not to join their ranks or expose their secrets.

Date Published:2024

Westfallen

Brashares, Ann,


Includes discussion questions. Booklist, Horn Book Guide, Kirkus Review, Publishers Weekly Starred, School Library Journal Starred, In 2023 New Jersey, twelve-year-old former best friends Henry, Frances, and Lukas reunite to bury a shared gerbil who died and discover an old ham radio buried in the ground where they were digging. Moving it to a nearby toolshed, the radio suddenly turns on and they discover they are talking to kids from 1944 who want to know how the war ended. When the teens begin innocently intervening to save a local candy store, they discover it has lasting consequences and the friends are thrust into an alternate world called Westfall, in which the Germans are still in power. Now the boys must work with their new friends to change things back to the way they were to save the free world.
Date Published:2025

Includes discussion questions. Booklist, Horn Book Guide, Kirkus Review, Publishers Weekly Starred, School Library Journal Starred, In 2023 New Jersey, twelve-year-old former best friends Henry, Frances, and Lukas reunite to bury a shared gerbil who died and discover an old ham radio buried in the ground where they were digging. Moving it to a nearby toolshed, the radio suddenly turns on and they discover they are talking to kids from 1944 who want to know how the war ended. When the teens begin innocently intervening to save a local candy store, they discover it has lasting consequences and the friends are thrust into an alternate world called Westfall, in which the Germans are still in power. Now the boys must work with their new friends to change things back to the way they were to save the free world.

Date Published:2025

Wildcats.

Velasquez, Crystal,


"Four girls from different backgrounds realize they have more in common than they think. At Temple Academy, an elite boarding school in New Mexico, Mina, Shani, Lin, and Ana discover they can turn into big cats. But as it turns out, something more than fate may have drawn them together against all adds. The girls will have to learn how to control their newfound powers while uncovering the ancient secrets that Temple Academy (and some of its staff) may be hiding"-- "As Mina struggles to navigate the cliques of her new school she is taken under the wing of Miss Benitez, a mysterious but kind history teacher. She tells Mina and three other girls -- Lin, Ana, and Shani -- that their families gifted the priceless objects housed in the school's museum. Ms. Benitez thinks it's important that the girls understand their ancestry. It turns out that Ms. Benitez is the curator of the museum, and it sits on top of a mysterious temple, the ancient meeting place of a dangerous group called the Brotherhood of Chaos. When one of the priceless objects is shattered, the girls find out exactly why their heritage is so important: it gives them the power to turn into wildcats. Now, in the form of a jaguar, a tiger, a puma, and a lion, they must work together to fight the chaos spirits that were unleashed when the object was shattered...and uncover the terrifying plans of those who want to resurrect the Brotherhood of Chaos."--
Date Published:2025

"Four girls from different backgrounds realize they have more in common than they think. At Temple Academy, an elite boarding school in New Mexico, Mina, Shani, Lin, and Ana discover they can turn into big cats. But as it turns out, something more than fate may have drawn them together against all adds. The girls will have to learn how to control their newfound powers while uncovering the ancient secrets that Temple Academy (and some of its staff) may be hiding"-- "As Mina struggles to navigate the cliques of her new school she is taken under the wing of Miss Benitez, a mysterious but kind history teacher. She tells Mina and three other girls -- Lin, Ana, and Shani -- that their families gifted the priceless objects housed in the school's museum. Ms. Benitez thinks it's important that the girls understand their ancestry. It turns out that Ms. Benitez is the curator of the museum, and it sits on top of a mysterious temple, the ancient meeting place of a dangerous group called the Brotherhood of Chaos. When one of the priceless objects is shattered, the girls find out exactly why their heritage is so important: it gives them the power to turn into wildcats. Now, in the form of a jaguar, a tiger, a puma, and a lion, they must work together to fight the chaos spirits that were unleashed when the object was shattered...and uncover the terrifying plans of those who want to resurrect the Brotherhood of Chaos."--

Date Published:2025

On the block : stories of home /

Baptiste, Tracey,


"A We Need Diverse Books anthology." Apt. 5B / Tracey Baptiste -- Apt. 1B / Adam Gidwitz -- Apt. 4C / Sayantani DasGupta -- Apt. 6A / Andrea Wang -- Apt. 6C / Adrianna Cuevas -- Apt. 3D / Jasmine Warga -- Apt. 2B / David Bowles -- Apt. 2A / Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich -- Apt. 3B / Debbi Michiko Florence -- Apt. 5C / Minh LÃª -- Apt. 4A / Erin Entrada Kelly -- Apt. 5A / Ellen Oh. A collection of twelve stories about the residents of the Entrada apartment building and how their lives are linked as multigenerational immigrant families.
Date Published:2024

"A We Need Diverse Books anthology." Apt. 5B / Tracey Baptiste -- Apt. 1B / Adam Gidwitz -- Apt. 4C / Sayantani DasGupta -- Apt. 6A / Andrea Wang -- Apt. 6C / Adrianna Cuevas -- Apt. 3D / Jasmine Warga -- Apt. 2B / David Bowles -- Apt. 2A / Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich -- Apt. 3B / Debbi Michiko Florence -- Apt. 5C / Minh LÃª -- Apt. 4A / Erin Entrada Kelly -- Apt. 5A / Ellen Oh. A collection of twelve stories about the residents of the Entrada apartment building and how their lives are linked as multigenerational immigrant families.

Date Published:2024

The lighthouse at the world's end

Sparkes, Amy,


"Originally published in Great Britain in 2024 by Walker Books Ltd"--Title page verso. Nine and her friends must hunt down the priceless stargold locket to fend off a dangerous witch in the fourth and final book in the adventurous, magical, and brilliantly funny New York Times bestselling House at the Edge of Magic series. Nine and her friends are headed to the mortal realm in search of the only thing that will shake a very tricky witch off their tail: a priceless stargold locket. It lies hidden in the Nest of a Thousand Treasures, guarded by Nine's old foe--the formidable gangmaster of all the thieflings in London. Even if Nine can get her hands on the locket, the friends must find a way to release its power-- and for that they must travel through the World Between Worlds to the lighthouse on the Isle of Illusion, where nothing is quite as it seems...
Date Published:2026

"Originally published in Great Britain in 2024 by Walker Books Ltd"--Title page verso. Nine and her friends must hunt down the priceless stargold locket to fend off a dangerous witch in the fourth and final book in the adventurous, magical, and brilliantly funny New York Times bestselling House at the Edge of Magic series. Nine and her friends are headed to the mortal realm in search of the only thing that will shake a very tricky witch off their tail: a priceless stargold locket. It lies hidden in the Nest of a Thousand Treasures, guarded by Nine's old foe--the formidable gangmaster of all the thieflings in London. Even if Nine can get her hands on the locket, the friends must find a way to release its power-- and for that they must travel through the World Between Worlds to the lighthouse on the Isle of Illusion, where nothing is quite as it seems...

Date Published:2026

Adorable empire : a graphic novel /

Terry, Laura,


Publisher Annotation: Nothing has been going right for Jinx. People at school think she's a goth weirdo, and now her parents are getting divorced. She has to move to an unfamiliar apartment building that doesn't feel like home -- and that doesn't have her dad. And when a new neighbor gives her a mysterious crystal, her life is turned even more upside down by the Adorables, a mischievous band of magical creatures. They are messy, distracting, and, worst of all, they follow Jinx everywhere. She just wants to be left alone! (Well, maybe she's okay with getting to know another girl in her building, Robyn, a little betterâ€î) Getting rid of the Adorables turns out to be harder than expected, but they might just help Jinx find her way back to happiness.
Date Published:2025

Publisher Annotation: Nothing has been going right for Jinx. People at school think she's a goth weirdo, and now her parents are getting divorced. She has to move to an unfamiliar apartment building that doesn't feel like home -- and that doesn't have her dad. And when a new neighbor gives her a mysterious crystal, her life is turned even more upside down by the Adorables, a mischievous band of magical creatures. They are messy, distracting, and, worst of all, they follow Jinx everywhere. She just wants to be left alone! (Well, maybe she's okay with getting to know another girl in her building, Robyn, a little betterâ€î) Getting rid of the Adorables turns out to be harder than expected, but they might just help Jinx find her way back to happiness.

Date Published:2025

Absolutely everything

Alexander, Damian, (Cartoonist),


Kirkus Reviews Starred, School Library Journal, New sixth grader Marcella feels stressed by changes in her life. She has a fight with her best friend Jen because Marcella forgot Jen's recital; she struggles with her move to a new home with her two dads; and she has difficulty staying focused at school and completing all her homework. Then she confides in her dads and they get her help, leading to a diagnosis of ADHD. With support from her dads and teachers, things finally improve for Marcella.
Date Published:2025

Kirkus Reviews Starred, School Library Journal, New sixth grader Marcella feels stressed by changes in her life. She has a fight with her best friend Jen because Marcella forgot Jen's recital; she struggles with her move to a new home with her two dads; and she has difficulty staying focused at school and completing all her homework. Then she confides in her dads and they get her help, leading to a diagnosis of ADHD. With support from her dads and teachers, things finally improve for Marcella.

Date Published:2025

The worst years of my life

Patterson, James, 1947-,


Horn Book Guide, Library Media Connection, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, When Rafe Kane enters middle school, he teams up with his best friend, "Leo the Silent," to create a game to make school more fun by trying to break every rule in the school's code of conduct.
Date Published:2012

Rivals : a baseball great novel /

Green, Tim, 1963-,


"Extras inside"--Cover. Horn Book Guide, School Library Journal, Josh is feeling the pressure when his team makes it to a national baseball tournament in Cooperstown, home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Then he sees suspicious activity at the tournament and he tries to tell Jaden about it, but she's distracted by the L.A. Comets' star player. Now Josh has a rival on and off the field.
Date Published:2011

How the Ghost Army hoodwinked Hitler : the story of American artistry and deception in World War II /

Siegel, Rebecca,


A radical idea -- Building a brand-new unit -- War bound -- D-Day -- Brittany -- 100% expendable -- The longest ruse -- A place for art -- The Battle of the Bulge -- Tough 'ombres -- Lessons -- Death -- Curtain call -- Fallout -- Legacy. Booklist, Kirkus Review, Publishers Weekly Starred, School Library Journal, Chronicles the efforts and legacy of a small, specialized American army unit known as the Ghost Army, who used stagecraft, deception, and artistry rather than artillery for weapons to draw enemy fire away from other soldiers in Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II, and explores how the soldiers' backgrounds in fashion, theater, and music helped them in their missions. Includes black-and-white photographs and maps.
Date Published:2025

A radical idea -- Building a brand-new unit -- War bound -- D-Day -- Brittany -- 100% expendable -- The longest ruse -- A place for art -- The Battle of the Bulge -- Tough 'ombres -- Lessons -- Death -- Curtain call -- Fallout -- Legacy. Booklist, Kirkus Review, Publishers Weekly Starred, School Library Journal, Chronicles the efforts and legacy of a small, specialized American army unit known as the Ghost Army, who used stagecraft, deception, and artistry rather than artillery for weapons to draw enemy fire away from other soldiers in Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II, and explores how the soldiers' backgrounds in fashion, theater, and music helped them in their missions. Includes black-and-white photographs and maps.

Date Published:2025

Eldest : The Inheritance Cycle #2 /

Paolini, Christopher,


Map on endpapers. School Library Journal, October 2005. Publisher's Weekly, July 2005. Kirkus Review, July 2005. Kliatt Starred, September 2005. Horn Book, April 2006. Voice of Youth Advocates (V.O.Y.A.), December 2005. Library Media Connection, February 2006. Kliatt Starred, May 2007. Christian Library, September 2005. ALA Booklist. Publishers Weekly. School Library Journal. Voice of Youth Advocates. Horn Book. Booklist, August 2005. After successfully evading an Urgals ambush, Eragon is adopted into the Ingeitum clan and sent to finish his training so he can further help the Varden in their struggle against the Empire.
Date Published:2005

Map on endpapers. School Library Journal, October 2005. Publisher's Weekly, July 2005. Kirkus Review, July 2005. Kliatt Starred, September 2005. Horn Book, April 2006. Voice of Youth Advocates (V.O.Y.A.), December 2005. Library Media Connection, February 2006. Kliatt Starred, May 2007. Christian Library, September 2005. ALA Booklist. Publishers Weekly. School Library Journal. Voice of Youth Advocates. Horn Book. Booklist, August 2005. After successfully evading an Urgals ambush, Eragon is adopted into the Ingeitum clan and sent to finish his training so he can further help the Varden in their struggle against the Empire.

Date Published:2005

I survived the California wildfires, 2018 : the graphic novel /

Ball, Georgia,


"Still reeling from the life-changing challenges that propelled him and his mother across the country, Josh finds solace in the California wilderness and in the newfound friendship with his cousin Holly. But on a trip into the nearby forest, Josh and Holly suddenly find themselves in the middle of a frighteningly powerful firestorm, one which threatens to burn down everything in its path. Josh needs to confront the family issues burning him up inside, but first he'll have to survive the flames roaring all around him"--
Date Published:2026

"Still reeling from the life-changing challenges that propelled him and his mother across the country, Josh finds solace in the California wilderness and in the newfound friendship with his cousin Holly. But on a trip into the nearby forest, Josh and Holly suddenly find themselves in the middle of a frighteningly powerful firestorm, one which threatens to burn down everything in its path. Josh needs to confront the family issues burning him up inside, but first he'll have to survive the flames roaring all around him"--

Date Published:2026

Brisingr

Paolini, Christopher,


Booklist, Kirkus Review, Publishers Weekly, Voice of Youth Advocates, Following the battle on the Burning Plains, Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, promise to help Eragon's cousin Roran rescue Roran's love Katrina from King Galbatorix. They also attempt to aid the Varden in their battle against Galbatorix.
Date Published:2010

Away

Freeman, Megan E.,


Booklist, Kirkus Review, School Library Journal, Told from multiple points of view, four kids relocated to the same evacuation camp investigate the mysterious threat that forced the large-scale exodus.
Date Published:2026

You were made for this world : celebrated indigenous voices speak to young people /


Booklist Starred Reviews, Kirkus Reviews Starred, School Library Journal Starred, Contains a collection of artwork and letters from forty indigenous authors and artists that express wishes for the next generation and celebrates their humanity.
Date Published:2025

The yellow bus

Long, Loren,


School Library Journal starred, March 2024. Booklist starred, May 2024. Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books starre, June 2024. Publishers Weekly, March 2024. Booklist, May 2024. New York Times, December 2024. Horn Book, July 2024. Kirkus Review, April 2024. Booklist Starred Reviews, Horn Book Guide, Kirkus Review, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal Starred, A forgotten school bus finds joy and purpose in the most unexpected places.
Date Published:2024

School Library Journal starred, March 2024. Booklist starred, May 2024. Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books starre, June 2024. Publishers Weekly, March 2024. Booklist, May 2024. New York Times, December 2024. Horn Book, July 2024. Kirkus Review, April 2024. Booklist Starred Reviews, Horn Book Guide, Kirkus Review, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal Starred, A forgotten school bus finds joy and purpose in the most unexpected places.

Date Published:2024

A world without summer : a volcano erupts, a creature awakens, and the sun goes out /

Day, Nicholas, 1991-,


Booklist, Horn Book Guide Starred, Kirkus Review, Publishers Weekly Starred, School Library Journal, Provides a nonfiction narrative account of events that took place in the years following the 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia. Explores the cataclysmic eruption--the biggest one in recorded history--and how it wreaked havoc upon the island and its surroundings, causing rapid global climate change, crop failures and famine, and political unrest. Describes the artists and writers documenting the time including writer Mary Shelley, who wrote the novel "Frankenstein" as a metaphor for the troubled times.
Date Published:2025

Booklist, Horn Book Guide Starred, Kirkus Review, Publishers Weekly Starred, School Library Journal, Provides a nonfiction narrative account of events that took place in the years following the 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia. Explores the cataclysmic eruption--the biggest one in recorded history--and how it wreaked havoc upon the island and its surroundings, causing rapid global climate change, crop failures and famine, and political unrest. Describes the artists and writers documenting the time including writer Mary Shelley, who wrote the novel "Frankenstein" as a metaphor for the troubled times.

Date Published:2025