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*Review Contributed by Cherokee Crum, Staff Reviewer*

Beautiful Artwork

The Giant and the Grizzly Bear is a traditional story from the Western Arctic, translated from Inuktituk with a couple of words left in the native language.

It is the story of a giant finding a human boy and raising him as his own. He protects him and keeps him safe, even fighting a giant grizzly bear. He realizes after the fight that he needs to return him to his own family and they set out to find them.
In addition to being a story about adoption, it is also a story on how the landscape was formed and reshaped. These types of stories are always insightful, offering a different perspective.

The book ends rather bluntly and left us hanging. We were left with many questions and my son is demanding a part two.

The illustrations were great! Each spread is large and colorful, with many featuring different textures. The illustrator captures the different actions and expressions wonderfully.

*Find More Info & Buy This Book Here*

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About This Book:

A celebration of family, culture, and the enduring bond between generations

Sadie’s grandmother is studying art and invites Sadie to learn and share her passion. But Sadie’s grandmother passes on more than her love of art to her grandchild; she also shares her knowledge of Jewish cultural traditions. Sadie learns about the meaning of “chai”—the Hebrew word for life—and the significance of the lucky number eighteen. Her grandmother will soon graduate from college, so Sadie commits herself to finding a perfect way to celebrate with a gift that combines her love of art and newly learned traditions. Readers will appreciate the relationship at the heart of the story in which a passion for art and cultural traditions are lovingly shared between the generations. Eighteen Flowers for Grandma is where love, tradition, and creativity intersect; it will leave an indelible mark on the hearts of readers young and old. Backmatter includes additional information about several Jewish cultural references found in the book, the Hebrew alphabet, and a note about the author’s inspiration for the story.

*Review Contributed By Rachel Feeck, Staff Reviewer*

Cute story about art and family

Sadie likes doing art with her grandma. She wants to make the perfect gift to celebrate Grandma’s graduation from college – but can Sadie think of a present that captures everything that Grandma means to her? Thinking about her family’s culture and Grandma’s art, Sadie puts together the perfect gift.

One inspiring part of the story is the character of Grandma. Through Sadie’s eyes, we see how Grandma is an example of a strong, wise woman for her granddaughter and pursues her education in later years, which is based on the experiences of the author’s own grandmother. Fulfilling dreams is not just for kids!

I also really like how the illustration style fits with the story. It seems effortless and a little abstract, similar to how Grandma mixes all sorts of inspirations into her art.

I was unfamiliar with a few of the holidays and famous names mentioned in the story, and at first glance it may come across as high brow. But if you like reading with full context, don’t worry, there’s a handy glossary at the end.

Overall, a charming story which demonstrates the power of gifts and time spent with family.

*Find More Info & Buy This Book Here*

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September 24, 2024

• Publisher: ‎Salaam Reads / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
• Reading age: ‎14 years and up
• Grade level: ‎9 – 12

An all-girls school is struck with mysterious cases of screaming hysteria in this chilling dark academia thriller haunted by a deeply buried history clawing to the light.

For over a hundred years, girls have fought to attend St. Bernadette’s, with its reputation for shaping only the best and brightest young women.

Unfortunately, there is also the screaming.

When a student begins to scream in the middle of class, a chain reaction starts that impacts the entire school. By the end of the day, seventeen girls are affected—along with St. Bernadette’s stellar reputation.

Khadijah’s got her own scars to tend to, and watching her friends succumb to hysteria only rips apart wounds she’d rather keep closed. But when her sister falls to the screams, Khad knows she’s the only one who can save her.

Rachel has always been far too occupied trying to reconcile her overbearing mother’s expectations with her own secret ambitions to pay attention to school antics. But just as Rachel finds her voice, it turns into screams.

Together, the two girls find themselves digging deeper into the school’s dark history, hunting for the truth. Little do they know that a specter lurks in the darkness, watching, waiting, and hungry for its next victim.

• Publisher: ‎Creative James Media 
• Reading age: ‎13 – 18 years

Embark on a thrilling adventure with Lea and Jake as they navigate the unexpected twists and turns at the biggest superhero fan convention of the year. When Lea finds herself trapped in an elevator during the event with superstar Jake, also known as The Amazing Boy, they realize something sinister is afoot. With everyone at the convention frozen, including Lea’s friends, Lea and Jake must team up to unravel the mystery behind the villainous acts plaguing Philadelphia. As they race against time, Lea grapples with whom to trust, while Jake uncovers startling truths about his own identity. A pulse-pounding journey filled with friendship, betrayal, and the ultimate quest for justice, will Lea and Jake save the day, or will supervillains prevail? Dive into this gripping tale that will leave you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

• Publisher: ‎Scholastic
• Reading age: ‎13 – 18 years

A nail-biting and perfectly formed Thriller for the YA BookTok generation. This is SCOOBY DOO meets WIN LOSE KILL DIE. When hot “it-couple” Brad and Shelley are brutally murdered in a Victorian mansion, a group of teen friends investigate.

Set in a small town where rumour spreads as fast as the fire on the day of the killings, the theory is the old ghoul who haunts the house after his own murder nearly a century ago has finally taken revenge. As Cam, Jonesy, Amber and new-girl Buffy investigate, the rumour feels closer to the truth than they ever dared think possible, and as they enter the mansion themselves, the idea of splitting up to find evidence will prove to be either the best … or worst decision of all…

A guaranteed page turner full of tension and twists you won’t see coming! From BookToker Bill Wood comes SCOOBY DOO meets WIN KILL LOSE DIE Perfect for the YA BookTok generation

• Publisher: ‎Disney Lucasfilm Press
• Reading age: ‎12 – 17 years
• Grade level: ‎7 – 9

The New York Times best-selling series continues in this heart-wrenching sequel to Defy the Stormwhere fans will reunite with fan-favorite Jedi Knight Reath Silas.

Written by the author of The High Republic: Eye of Darkness, The High Republic: Quest for the Hidden City, Dark Legends, and Myths & Fables, this next High Republic installment is perfect for fans of investigative mysteries, mythology, monster-hunting, and apocalyptic sci-fi.

It’s been over a year since the fall of the Starlight Beacon space station, and both heroes and villains alike must face the consequences of their decisions. When Jedi Knight Reath and Padawan Amadeo Azzazzo are sent on a mission to test their theories about the Nameless, they’ll come face-to-face with the terrifying creatures once thought to be myth—and learn the true meaning of fear . . . fear that fallen Jedi Azlin Rell advised them to embrace if they have any hope of defeating the monsters . . .

• Publisher: ‎HarperCollins 
• Reading age: ‎13 – 17 years
• Grade level: ‎8 – 9

It’s Black Friday—and the apocalypse is on sale!

Ever since the world filled with portals to hell and bloodthirsty demons started popping out on the reg, Jasper’s life has gotten worse and worse. A teenage nobody with no friends or family, he is plagued by the life he can’t remember and the person he’s sure he’s supposed to be.

Jasper spends his days working as a checkout clerk at the Here for You discount mart, where a hell portal in aisle nine means danger every shift. But at least here he can be near the girl he’s crushing on—Kyle Kuan, a junior member of the monster-fighting Vanguard—who seems to hate Jasper for reasons he can’t remember or understand.

But when Jasper and Kyle learn they both share a frightening vision of the impending apocalypse, they’re forced to team up and uncover the uncomfortable truth about the hell portals and the demons that haunt the world. Because the true monsters are not always what they seem, the past is not always what we wish, and like it or not, on Black Friday, all hell will break loose, starting in aisle nine.

Rising star Ian X. Cho delivers an unforgettably freaky and hilarious YA debut with Aisle Nine, perfect for fans of Grasshopper Jungle or The Last of Us.

• Publisher: ‎Kokila
• Reading age: ‎12 – 17 years
• Lexile measure: ‎740L
• Grade level: ‎7 – 9

This laugh-out-loud debut romance introduces perfectly imperfect Payal Mehta, whose plan to get her longtime crush to finally notice her is destined for success, but only if she ignores her budding feelings for her archnemesis…

Payal Mehta has had a crush on popular, athletic, all-around perfect Jonathan Slate ever since he smiled at her in freshman–year Spanish class. At a party during spring break of her junior year, Payal finally works up the courage to ask Jon to hang out. However, her romantic plans are derailed when he vomits on her Keds. Twice. But when Jon offers to take her out to lunch as an apology, Payal is convinced this is the start of their love story.

Over chalupas and burritos at Taco Bell, Payal’s best jokes are landing as planned. Jon is basically choking on his Coke—and then it happens. “Do you have a boyfriend?” Payal is (finally) about to get the guy. And then he tries to set her up with his Indian friend. Payal’s best friends, Neil Patel and Divya Bhatt, are just as mad about the microagression as Payal is, but they think she’s a little too hung up on him.

Determined to teach Jon a lesson by making him fall for her, Payal ropes in her archnemesis, Philip Kim, to help. It’s the perfect plan. Minus Philip’s snarky, annoying quips and lack of faith in its success. But as Payal lies to the people she loves, hides the too-Indian parts of herself in front of her crush, and learns that maybe Philip isn’t the worst, she starts to wonder if what she’s been looking for has been scowling at her all along…

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About This Book:

For young bird-watchers and enthusiasts of the natural world comes a beautiful, eye-opening picture book about the familiar but ever-surprising crow.

Crows may not have flashy feathers, beautiful songs, or fancy flying skills, but if a crow looks at you with its small, round eye, you can be sure that it’s thinking, as these birds have very big brains. Did you know that crows will use a stick to poke into a crevice to tease out tasty bugs? Or that they like to play like kids by tumbling down a snowy roof? Or that they remember where they hide their food—but sometimes only pretend to bury a treat to fool other birds? Original and accessible, with Chris Butterworth’s welcoming text and gorgeous, expressive artwork from Olivia Lomenech Gill, Clever Crow is sure to generate newfound respect for these unassuming creatures that young readers come across every day.

*Review Contributed By Cherokee Crum, Staff Reviewer*

Stark and Striking

Clever Crow is an informational read that would be great for young people with an interest in birds or the natural world.

Chris Butterworth has gathered some fascinating facts about crows, presenting them in an entirely accessible, almost story-like style giving readers the opportunity to look closely at this creature, seeing how they interact with the world around them. The text is clear, encouraging, and assessable (in several different sizes), giving just enough information to tempt the reader to learn more on their own.

I am in love with Olivia Lomenech Gill’s illustrations. They’ve got an almost watercolor look to them and capture movement well. My children loved the spread with the crows sliding down the snowy roof!

Clever Crow is a nice gift to do to young nature lovers, but also to crows (and corvids) lovers who would want to enjoy the illustrations.

*Find More Info & Buy This Book Here*

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About This Book:

From Antarctica’s biting katabatic gusts to Hawai‘i’s sweet-smelling moani, discover fourteen winds of the world through poetry, scientific facts, and transporting illustrations.

Lift your face to the breeze—
let it bathe your cheeks
sift through your hair
tease your fingertips.

In a dynamic collection of poems, Melanie Crowder and Megan Benedict explore the world’s winds, from Italy’s swaggering maestro to Libya’s fierce ghibli to Canada’s howling squamish. The poetic styles used reflect the characteristics and sometimes the location of each wind: Japan’s blustery oroshi is celebrated in haiku, for example, while the poem about Britain’s helm uses iambs in a nod toward the iambic pentameter of English sonnets. Sidebars relay the science behind how each wind forms, where it blows, and the weather systems it heralds, and the airy art from award-winning illustrator Khoa Le is overlaid with scientifically accurate wind lines that show the path of each gust. More meteorological details can be found in the back matter, which includes explorations of the origin of wind and how winds are named, a world map pinning the winds’ locations, a glossary, and books for further reading.

*Review Contributed By Connie Reid, Staff Reviewer*

Unique Exploration of Wind

Great Gusts is a unique book that showcases famous wind patterns from around the world in a mixture of poetry and descriptions. This book does a nice job illustrating wind which is particularly tough considering you can only see the effects of wind in real life. The poetry was a clever way to showcase the playfulness, strength, and danger of wind. It was mostly free verse but when a region is highlighted that is also famous for a specific style of poetry such as haiku that is incorporated into the book as well. Given that the name said this book was going to describe the science behind wind I found that portion a bit lacking. The book used high-tier vocabulary but in order not to detract from the poetry and illustrations the words were in bold and better definitions can be found in the glossary which makes this less helpful to learn about these words. I can see this book being of more interest to the older age range in elementary once readers have had a thorough science background in fourth grade. Since I do not live in a region of the world with a named wind that was new information to me that I found interesting. Overall, this is a unique exploration of predictable wind patterns around the world good for older children.

*Find More Info & Buy This Book Here*

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About This Book:

While on vacation with her family, Avery finds a puppy whom she names Hazel. But where has Hazel come from? And how can Avery earn the little puppy’s trust?

Holly Webb’s bestselling Pet Rescue Adventures series continues with The Frightened Puppy. Avery is excited to be on vacation with her family. They’re staying in a beautiful house right by the river and have a lot of fun activities planned.The only thing that would make the trip even better is if she had a dog to play with. So when she finds a puppy, whom she names Hazel, all alone by the water, Avery knows she has to help her. But where has Hazel come from? And how can Avery earn the little puppy’s trust?

Pet Rescue Adventures is a series of heartwarming animal tales. Each book focuses on one kitten or puppy and their unique journey to find their new “forever home.” A wonderful collection of heartwarming tales, perfect for animal lovers!

*Review Contributed By Karen Yingling, Staff Reviewer*

There’s a puppy at the bottom of the garden

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September 17, 2024

• Publisher: ‎Scholastic Press
• Reading age: ‎12 years and up
• Grade level: ‎7 and up

Perfect for fans of Holly Jackson and Karen McManus, this heart-pounding thriller from New York Times bestselling author Luanne Rice follows two girls on the hunt for a murderer who’s still on the loose.

A Washington Post Best Book of Fall 2024!

It’s been eight months since the body of Eloise Parrish was found in the woods.

Eloise’s surviving sister, Oli, is numb with grief and shock. But Oli’s also angry. Her sister’s killer was never identified or caught. There are no leads, no clues. The case is growing cold, and only Oli seems to care.

Until Oli finds another girl left for dead, in the exact spot Eloise’s body was found. Except this girl is alive. She can’t remember how she got there, but Oli knows that she’s the key to solving Eloise’s murder.

The two girls join forces to unravel a mystery that is all too real — and all too dangerous. As their search leads them around Oli’s seemingly idyllic hometown and into the paths of people Oli knows well, Oli begins to wonder who she can trust… and how much she’ll risk to learn the terrifying truth.

New York Times bestselling author Luanne Rice delivers a tour-de-force thriller, full of breathtaking writing and heart-pounding suspense, about sisters, secrets, and the lengths we’re willing to go to for those we love the most.

• Publisher: ‎SparkPress
• Reading age: ‎14 – 17 years
• Grade level: ‎9 – 12

Fans of contemporary coming-of-age young adult fiction will root for Carly Klein as she fights to find her place in the world—even if she has to lie to everyone in her life to get there.

Neglected by self-absorbed parents who wind up divorcing by the time she’s sixteen, Carly Klein is sustained by her best friend, Lauren. But when Lauren and her family move away, Carly is forced to find new ways to entertain herself. It doesn’t take her long to locate the perfect subject: her therapist mother’s patients.

Carly soon becomes obsessed with one patient in particular—Daniel, a blind junior at Columbia College—and, desperate to become part of his life and knowing he’ll never go for a high school girl, gets close to him by pretending to be a student at neighboring Barnard College. Becoming Carly Klein follows Carly on a roller coaster romp through the exhilaration and disappointment of first love—and the unintended consequences of disguise, deception, and discovery.

• Publisher: ‎Enclave Escape
• Reading age: ‎13 – 18 years
• Grade level: ‎8 – 12

Seize the throne. Seek the legend and conquer the Abyss.

Nations rise and fall in the aftermath of war over the Eternity Gate. The corrupted desert throne stands empty, and the Immortal Abyss awakens. Drought ravages the continent, and people long for the rebirth of a starpalm, who will rise from among mortals and end their judgment.

Orphaned at birth, Tol grew up hiding in the farthest corners of the desert, training under powerful rebel fire wielders. She now dedicates her life to the Rebellion’s cause to seize the throne and Abyss from the surviving dynasty and deliver both to the coming deity.

Chosen as the Rebellion’s messenger, she travels to reach sympathizers capable of identifying the starpalm. Familiar figures haunt her dreams, and her path twists with every step she takes. Can Tol fulfill her purpose and summon a legend? Or will her country perish under the judgment of the twin gates?

• Publisher: ‎Feiwel & Friends
• Reading age: ‎14 – 18 years
• Grade level: ‎10 – 12

A boy, his family, and other resort guests must fight for their lives after the island’s unusual animals turn feral, in this horrifying fast-paced survival story!

Experience paradise, reimagined.

When 17-year-old Femi Fatona and his older brother are forced to accompany their dad to an island resort, Femi is not looking forward to it. After all, he hasn’t exactly been getting along with either of them lately. At least the resort promises to be full of all the extravagant luxuries they’re used to. Yet not much is actually known about it, as it’s on a recently-discovered island and shrouded in nondisclosure agreements.

Once they arrive, Femi is thrilled to find that the island is bursting with new and spectacular species of plants and animals. But he soon realizes that sometimes pretty exteriors hide ugly truths―truths that are begging to come to light.

When the animals suddenly become feral and the island is thrown into chaos , what was meant to be a peaceful bonding experience quickly becomes the stuff of nightmares. Femi will have to put aside tension with his family and work with other guests in order to escape the animals, the island. . .and his own guilt at the part he may have played in all of it.

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About This Book:

A father and a daughter walk, brimming with questions and full of fun and imagination. What if we were…?

A father and daughter are on their way to a birthday party. As they walk along the street, Sophie asks her father how would they get there if they were cats… And what about if they were frogs?… Or ghosts… Or witches?

A fun rhyming story with whimsical illustrations and lots of imagination!

*Review Contributed By Karen Yingling, Staff Reviewer*

I wish I were

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About This Book:

A father and a daughter walk, brimming with questions and full of fun and imagination. What if we were…?

A father and daughter are on their way to a birthday party. As they walk along the street, Sophie asks her father how would they get there if they were cats… And what about if they were frogs?… Or ghosts… Or witches?

A fun rhyming story with whimsical illustrations and lots of imagination!

*Review Contributed By Karen Yingling, Staff Reviewer*

I wish I were

*Find More Info & Buy This Book Here*

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About This Book:

The first in a stylish, current, and multifaceted series of Jewish-themed board books for curious young readers.

This modern and whimsical Jewish-themed board book series is the first of its kind incorporating both Jewish traditions and Jewish culture, offering a unique depiction of Judaism. Author and artist Suzy Ultman melds her own Jewish upbringing with her current trend-setting aesthetic to create a much-needed series of gorgeous, appealing, and perfectly simple books that will stand out on any table or shelf amidst the sea of blue-and-gold painterly Jewish-themed books that precede these.

I Like Your Chutzpah is a casebound board book that showcases and defines popular Yiddish words through a playful lens that will validate Jewish readers, and inform and entertain Jews and non-Jews alike!

*Review Contributed By Beth Rodgers, Staff Reviewer*

Yiddish for Kids

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