Jay, Lizzie and the Tale of the Stairs

Jay, Lizzie and the Tale of the Stairs

G J Lee

Childrens / Middle Grade / Realistic Fiction

Life is tough for Jay Webber. His friends are distant and his Mum is ill in hospital.To make matters worse Jay believes there is something under his bed. Ultimately, Jay's 'special powers' will lead him to a different era, an era scarred by six years of war. And there is one last battle left to fight. A battle preventing an evil thought buried in the rubble of 1945 breaking into the 21st Century.A teenage boy, Jay Webber, believes there is something ‘under’ his bed. Jay lives with his dad because his mum is in hospital. Mum has cancer. Jay tries to convince his dad that there are noises and voices coming from under his bed but his dad doesn’t believe him. The story opens with Jay telling his dad that he heard someone asking for help. One night Jay is visited by the ghost of a little girl in what seems like another dream. She asks him to help her find her brother with his ‘special powers’.On Dad’s insistence, Jay tells his doctor about the dreams and voices. Here we meet the villain, Dr Meen. Both Lizzie and Dr Meen have one thing in common – they are keenly aware of Jay’s ‘special powers’.Special powers? This is a new one on Jay. Nevertheless, on insistence from ‘Lizzie’, one night Jay follows his new friend down a long forgotten flight of stairs and a strange relationship with the people who inhabit the age of our grandparents begins where the ghost of the man in Jay’s dreams tells him of his life, his changing world, stories from the first war and of his son lost in the second.His newly discovered ‘special powers’ aid Lizzie’s dad in a quest to find his missing son. However, whilst discovering the hardships of life after the war, these powers also uncover a plot to rekindle an evil thought buried in the rubble of Nazi Germany and now threatening to rewrite history and an evil that Jay and Lizzie have no choice but to try and overcome.
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Absolutely Truly

Absolutely Truly

Heather Vogel Frederick

Young Adult / Childrens / Middle Grade

An unsent letter in a first edition copy of Charlotte's Web leads to a hunt for treasure in this heartwarming middle grade mystery from the author of The Mother-Daughter Book Club. Now that Truly Lovejoy's father has been injured by an IED in Afghanistan and is having trouble finding work back home, the family moves from Texas to tiny Pumpkin Falls, New Hampshire, to take over Lovejoy's Books, a struggling bookstore that's been in the family for one hundred years. With two older brothers and two younger sisters clamoring for attention, her mother back in school, and everyone up to their eyebrows trying to keep Lovejoy's Books afloat, Truly feels more overlooked than usual. So she pours herself into uncovering the mystery of an undelivered letter she finds stuck in a valuable autographed first edition of Charlotte's Web, which subsequently goes missing from the bookshop. What's inside the envelope leads Truly and her new Pumpkin Falls friends on a madcap treasure hunt around town, chasing clues that could spell danger.
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Buttons's Talent Show

Buttons's Talent Show

Allison Gutknecht

Childrens / Middle Grade

Buttons tries to impress potential adopters in this third book in the QUIX series that's perfect for fans of the Critter Club series and Animal Planet's Amanda to the Rescue.Buttons the kitten has always been a little shy. After a little training from Ted, the shelter manager, Buttons learns a few fun tricks and wonders if they will help him find a loving new home. On adoption day, Buttons is eager to show off his spins, high-paws, and fetching skills. But when it's time for his big moment, he gets a little stage-fright! Can Buttons learn that just being himself, without the fancy tricks, will always be good enough?
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Omar Rising

Omar Rising

Aisha Saeed

Childrens / Middle Grade / Realistic Fiction

“Irresistibly appealing and genuinely inspiring—a story that helps us to see the world more clearly, and to see ourselves as powerful enough to change it.” —Rebecca Stead, author of Newbery Award Winner When You Reach MeIn this compelling companion to New York Times bestseller Amal Unbound, Amal's friend Omar must contend with being treated like a second-class citizen when he gets a scholarship to an elite boarding school.Omar knows his scholarship to Ghalib Academy Boarding School is a game changer, providing him—the son of a servant—with an opportunity to improve his station in life. He can't wait to experience all the school has to offer, especially science club and hopefully the soccer team; but when he arrives, his hopes are dashed. First-year scholarship students aren't allowed to join clubs or teams—and not only that, they have to earn their keep doing menial chores. At first Omar is...
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Beasties

Beasties

Peter Lerangis

Young Adult / Middle Grade / Children's Books

In this all-new adventure from the New York Times bestselling author of the Seven Wonders series, Peter Lerangis, four kids discover an alien artifact in Central Park that turns them into animals. The clock is ticking for them to find a cure—before the park's predators find them first.On a field trip to Central Park, Riley and his classmates accidentally encounter a supernatural artifact that looks a lot like, well, honestly ... a piece of poop. But one of them gets too close, there's a blinding flash, and suddenly the five friends are turned into various critters. Riley's sister's a hawk, the school bully's a raccoon, and Riley? He's transformed into everyone's least favorite animal, a New York City rat.Their once-dull morning quickly turns into a fight for survival. The kids have stayed alive long enough find a way to turn themselves back to normal. But as it turns out, they're not the only humans-turned-into-animals on the loose in...
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Sunshine Stables

Sunshine Stables

Olivia Tuffin

Childrens / Middle Grade / Animals / Horses

At Sunshine Stables, dreams become adventures! Young pony fans will love this fantastic pony club series from Olivia Tuffin.Gracie is so excited to be paired with Bobby at pony camp. He looks gorgeous and he rides like a dream! But there's a problem - nothing she does makes him happy and it's breaking her heart! Gracie won't give up. She'll find a way to win over her wonderful pony!Packed with adventure and full of heart, Olivia's huge knowledge and passion for ponies shines on every page. Beautifully illustrated throughout by Jo Goodberry, this is a perfect pony story for readers aged 7+.Don't miss the other Sunshine Stables stories!Poppy and the Perfect PonySophie and the Spooky Pony
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Tyrannosaurus Wrecks

Tyrannosaurus Wrecks

Stuart Gibbs

Mystery / Childrens / Middle Grade

In the latest novel in New York Times bestselling author Stuart Gibbs's FunJungle series, Teddy Fitzroy returns as FunJungle's resident sleuth to solve his most improbable mystery yet—with a victim that's 65 million years old.Teddy was all set for a campout at his friend Sage's family ranch—but then Sage gets terrible news: The skull of a rare dinosaur that was being excavated on his property has mysteriously vanished overnight in the middle of a rainstorm, even though it weighed 500 pounds. Not a single footprint has been left behind. Since the dinosaur was top secret, the police don't believe anyone outside the dig could have stolen it. A T-rex skull can sell for millions of dollars, and everyone is a suspect—including J.J. McCracken, the owner of FunJungle. Meanwhile, Teddy's old foes, the Barksdale twins, have gotten into trouble with an illegally purchased anaconda, and Teddy's girlfriend Summer wants to find out who's...
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The Smash-Up

The Smash-Up

Ali Benjamin

Childrens / Middle Grade / Young Adult

A marriage spirals out of control when the issues of our day—cultural, political, and social—becoming intensely personal in this fresh, whip-smart novel for readers of Meg Wolitzer and Fleishman Is in Trouble.  “Sharply funny, perceptive, and surprising at every turn . . . Ali Benjamin is Edith Wharton with fresh eyes.”—Amy Bloom, author of White HousesIt’s September 2018. In Washington, D.C.,—and in cities and towns across America—women have taken to the streets to protest a Supreme Court nominee. And in Starkfield, Massachusetts—a sleepy rural town where nothing much ever happens—Ethan Frome’s otherwise quiet life has turned upside down.His wife, Zo, is so enraged by the national political scene that she’s transformed their home into a local headquarters for the Resistance. His college roommate and former business partner faces #metoo...
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Pick the Plot

Pick the Plot

James Riley

Fantasy / Childrens / Middle Grade

When Owen finds himself stuck in a Pick Your Own Plot story, things get more complicated than ever in this fourth book in the New York Times bestselling series, Story Thieves—which was called a “fast-paced, action-packed tale” by School Library Journal—from the author of the Half Upon a Time trilogy. Being able to jump into books used to seem like the greatest thing in the world to Owen Connors. But now Owen’s trapped in a time travel book where readers—that would be you—decide how the story goes. As if that weren’t enough, Owen’s also stuck in a prison for time criminals in a prehistoric era. He’s surrounded by bizarre fellow prisoners, including Kara Dox. How does Kara recognize Owen if they’ve never met before? She seems to think they’re old friends, but that can’t be possible. Still, Kara might just be the only chance Owen has to escape. And he has to find a way out to save his friend Bethany, who’s still in grave danger. Because unless Owen can stop him, Nobody is going to split Bethany into two, separating the fictional and non-fictional worlds forever. Will Owen be able to convince you, the reader, to help him find his way back to Bethany? Or will you feed him to dinosaurs just to teach him a lesson? It’s all up to you when you Pick the Plot.
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Stake That

Stake That

Mari Mancusi

Young Adult / Middle Grade / Romance

Two sisters—as different as the sun and the rain. For one, getting into the Blood Cover is to die for, but it seems destiny has something else in mind... Rayne McDonald had it all figured out. Get turned into a vampire, become the mate of the Blood Coven leader, and live the high-life for all eternity. Too bad the head vamp took a bite out of her twin sister by mistake. Now, not only is Rayne still not a vampire, but she learns she's a slayer instead—destined to destroy vamps gone bad. After being recruited by a secret organization, Rayne is given her first mission: infiltrate a seedy bar downtown and expose its vampire owner, Maverick, for purposely spreading a nasty blood virus. Luckily the Blood Coven sends some help—in the form of sexy vampire Jareth. Will vampire and slayer be able to settle their differences and work together to bring down the evil Maverick? Or will they find their own hearts on the line?
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A Pony Called Secret

A Pony Called Secret

Olivia Tuffin

Childrens / Middle Grade / Animals / Horses

Alice and her beloved pony are off to train at Devon's world-class yard - following in the footsteps of the British Showjumping team!Alice and Secret have gone further than anyone thought possible . . . but on the day of the showjumping trials for the British team, Alice has to make an almost-impossible choice.Just how far is she prepared to go to reach the very top? What does the future hold for Alice and her spirited red pony?A perfect pony story from the author of the much-loved The Palamino Pony series.Have you read Alice and Secret's other adventures, 'A New Beginning','A Friend In Need','A Ride to Freedom','A Dream Come True'and'A Time To Shine'?
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A Sitting in St. James

A Sitting in St. James

Rita Williams-Garcia

Historical / Historical Fiction / Childrens / Middle Grade

A tour-de-force from three-time National Book Award finalist Rita Williams-Garcia, this story of an antebellum plantation—and the enduring legacies of slavery upon every person who lives there—is essential reading for both teens and adults grappling with the long history of American racism.1860, Louisiana. After serving as mistress of Le Petit Cottage for more than six decades, Madame Sylvie Guilbert has decided, in spite of her family's objections, to sit for a portrait.While Madame plots her last hurrah, stories that span generations—from the big house to out in the fields—of routine horrors, secrets buried as deep as the family fortune, and the tangled bonds of descendants and enslaved.This astonishing novel from award-winning author Rita Williams-Garcia about the interwoven lives of those bound to a plantation in antebellum America is an epic masterwork—empathetic, brutal, and entirely...
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Ling & Ting's Lunar New Year

Ling & Ting's Lunar New Year

Grace Lin

Fantasy / Childrens / Middle Grade

From award-winning author, Grace Lin, comes another installment of the irresistible early reader series, Ling & Ting, as the iconic twins celebrate Lunar New Year!  Ling and Ting are twins. They are Chinese and American. They celebrate the new year two times. Now they are preparing for Lunar New Year. They want a lucky year. What happens when Ting makes a mistake? Can their year still be lucky? "These twins make learning to read double the fun." – Kirkus * Don't miss Ling and Ting's other adventures!: Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same Ling & Ting: Twice as Silly Ling & Ting: Together in All Weather Ling & Ting Share a Birthday
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No Place Like Home

No Place Like Home

James Bird

Childrens / Middle Grade / Realistic Fiction

A middle-grade novel by James Bird about homelessness and hope.When home is a car, life is unpredictable. School, friends, and three meals a day aren't guaranteed. Not every town has a shelter where a family can sleep for a night or two, and places with parking lots don't welcome overnight stays.Opin, his brother Emjay, and their mother are trying to get to Los Angeles, where they hope an uncle and a new life are waiting. Emjay has taken to disappearing for days, slowing down the family's progress and adding to their worry. Then Opin finds a stray dog who needs him as much as he needs her, and his longing for a stable home intensifies, as his brother's reckless ways hit a new high. Opin makes a new friend in the shelter, but shelters don't allow dogs...Will anything other than a real home ever be enough?
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