Young Reader

This is not what we’ve come to expect from a Kate DiCamillo novel—no clever razzle-dazzle of poet-squirrels and brave mice that steal your heart. Instead, as in her very first novel, we have a young girl in trouble. Ten-year-old Raymie’s dad has run away with a dental hygienist. She can’t make him return unless, she reasons, he sees her photo in the paper as the baton-twirling winner (she’s never twirled a baton) of the Miss Central Florida Tire Competition of 1975. Two other girls covet this prize, each for their own similarly unreasoned reasons, but the three girls become loyal friends and (sans adults) rescue each other. Droll, heartbreaking, and oh so nice. Grades 4–7. —GĀ

Booked is a riveting sports story about a smart, reading-averse, soccer-obsessed, 12-year-old boy. Like his Newbery Award–winning Crossover, the novel is told in verse and Kwame Alexander is just the writer to pull this off and make it absolutely appealing to a reluctant reader like his protagonist Nick (or to a seasoned reader like me). Grades 5–8. —GĀ

Luna was left in the woods as an infant by superstitious villagers. Xan, a witch, intends to take her for adoption to a nearby town but can’t seem to part with her. When she feeds her on the moon’s magic, Xan knows she’s created a big problem: Luna has magic, and too much of it. Meanwhile, something evil suppresses the hopes of the villagers, feeding on their despair. A delightful fantasy, featuring a kindly witch, a sage swamp monster, his buddy (a miniature dragon who imagines himself big), and an epic struggle to save the forest. For readers of Jinx, Real Boy, and Rick Riordan. Grades 5–8.  —TERA

The creator of Smile and Drama is back! Ghosts is an all-new graphic novel set in Bahía de la Luna (a blend of Half Moon Bay and the Santa Cruz Boardwalk) that features sisters Catrina (Cat) and Maya. As Cat’s family prepares to celebrate the Day of the Dead after moving to a new town, Cat dodges black cats, ghosts, and difficult truths she doesn’t want to face. Another crowd-pleaser from Raina Telgemeier, whom Bookshop will be hosting on the Day of the Dead, November 1st. (See page 43 for details.) Ages 9–13.  —TERA

Reynolds uses a swift, light touch to tell the endearing story of a feisty black middle school boy who is rescued by running track. It’s terrific.   —Ga

For readers who loved The One and Only Ivan or The Thing About Jellyfish. Maybe a Fox had me in its grasp from the first few sentences and didn’t let go until the last word. Gripping, heartbreaking, and lovely, this small, sweet novel holds nothing back. Sighting a fox is known to be lucky (as is believed in Jules’ small town), but Jules has been nothing but unlucky in life. When a newborn fox is born at the same moment as a tragedy occurs, Jules stands in need of all the luck she can get, and maybe a special gift from an unusual and mysterious creature. Ages 10–13. —TERA

The Secret Horses of Briar Hill is a shivery, magical treat that has one foot in the real world and one in moonlight and dreams. Emmaline has been a resident at Briar Hill Hospital for Tubercular Children for as long as she can remember. But only recently has she started hearing hooves on the ceiling and caught glimpses of a winged horse in the mirror. When she finds the horse staring at her pleadingly, Emmaline knows she has a choice to make. An utterly lovely masterpiece along the lines of The Secret Garden and Narnia. Grades 4–8. —TERA

There just aren’t enough robot camping stories. This science fiction adventure is part survival story and part celebration of wildness, with a quiet warning of climate change snaking through. We follow Roz the robot from the moment she is marooned on the island—and fortuitously activated by some curious otters—through her first harsh experiences with winter (one of the worst on record). Though faced with steep terrain and a steeper learning curve, our quirky hero Roz travels through each adversity with grace and amazing generosity. Peter Brown’s black-and-gray illustrations are sprinkled lightly throughout this book, gently giving form to his words. This near-future tale gives us a peek at the twists and turns technology might take and a chance to consider what we might do. Grades 3–5. —MICHELLE

This big-hearted novel will send your empathy off the charts. Perry has lived at the Blue River Coed Correctional Facility with his mom for all of his 11 years. But what’s normal to Perry—a morning run, school, dinner with his mom, and an extended family of other prisoners—looks wrong to others, who can’t imagine a life on the “inside.” It’s up to Perry to convince everyone that only by listening to each other’s stories can we find the truth. Prepare for some heart-exploding, belly-laughing fun from Newbery Award winner Leslie Connor. Ages 9–12.  —Tera

This story from Newbery Medal–winning author Patricia MacLachlan starts simply enough: “I found the boy at dusk.” But with the next spare words, we are immersed in a forceful snowstorm that brings the speaker—a dog named Teddy—into the lives of two children just at the moment when everyone needs a little saving. Beside a cozy fire, the three weave together their stories while whipping up some creative suppers from provisions on hand. The seemingly disparate threads weave together as the blizzard takes its course, taking us through poetry lessons past and present. Maybe only children and poets can hear the dog speak, but aren’t we all children and poets at heart? Grades 3 & up.  —MICHELLE