New YA Books

Prisoner of Night and Fog - Anne Blankman
In 1930s Munich, the favorite niece of rising political leader Adolph Hitler is torn between duty and love after meeting a fearless and handsome young Jewish reporter.

The Tyrant's Daughter - J.C. Carleson
Exiled to the United States after her father, a Middle Eastern dictator, is killed in a coup, fifteen-year-old Laila must cope with a completely new way of life, the truth of her father's regime, and her mother and brother's ways of adjusting.

Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant - Tony Cliff
"Lovable ne'er-do-well Delilah Dirk is an Indiana Jones for the 19th century. She has traveled to Japan, Indonesia, France, and even the New World. Using the skills she's picked up on the way, Delilah's adventures continue as she plots to rob a rich and corrupt Sultan in Constantinople. With the aid of her flying boat and her newfound friend, Selim, she evades the Sultan's guards, leaves angry pirates in the dust, and fights her way through the countryside. For Delilah, one adventure leads to the next in this thrilling and funny installment in her exciting life." -- from publisher's web site

The Selection Trilogy - Kiera Cass

The Selection - Sixteen-year-old America Singer is living in the caste-divided nation of Illéa, which formed after the war that destroyed the United States. America is chosen to compete in the Selection--a contest to see which girl can win the heart of Illéa's prince--but all she really wants is a chance for a future with her secret love, Aspen, who is a caste below her.


The Elite - Sixteen-year-old America Singer is one of only six girls still competing in the Selection--but before she can fight to win Prince Maxon and the Illean crown, she must decide where her own heart truly lies.


The One - As her Selection approaches its finish, America must decide where her heart truly lies--and Prince Maxon must pick one winner to wear the crown.

New Nonfiction

Spiders - Gail Gibbons
Examines the physical characteristics, behavior, habitats, and different kinds of spiders.


Who East What?: Food Chains and Food Webs - Patricia Lauber
Explains the concept of a food chain and how plants, animals, and humans are ecologically linked.


Roaring Rockets - Tony Mitton
A simple explanation of how space rockets work, where they travel, and what they do.



The Tapir Scientist: Saving South America's Largest Mammal - Sy Montgomery
If you've never seen a lowland tapir, you're not alone. Most of the people who live near tapir habitat in Brazil's vast Pantanal haven't seen the elusive snorkel-snouted mammal, either! Join a tapir-finding expedition led by the Brazilian field scientist Pati Medici, and learn about the fieldwork, and the high-tech science at play, from microchips to the camera traps that capture the "soap opera" of tapir life.

Thomas Jefferson Builds a Library - Barb Rosenstock
Thomas Jefferson loved to read and collect books on almost every subject. He built his first library as a young man, and kept on building until his book collection helped to create the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., the world's largest library.

Where Does the Garbage Go? - Paul Showers
Explains how people create too much waste and how waste is now recycled and put into landfills.


Secrets of Sound: Studying the Calls and Songs of Whales, Elephants, and Birds - April Pulley Sayre
Examines the work of several bioacousticians, scientists who study the sounds made by living creatures, discussing the results and importance of their research.

Secrets of the Seasons: Orbiting the Sun in Our Backyard - Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld
"Over the course of a year, a family learns about the role of the sun in the changing seasons."-- Provided by publisher

Upper Level Nonfiction

He Has Shot the President! - Don Brown
Explores the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the manhunt that followed.

A Girl's Guide to Best Friends and Mean Girls - Dannah Gresh & Suzy Weibel
Friends can make or break the life of a tween girl. That's why bestselling author Dannah Gresh, popular speaker and creator of the Secret Keeper Girl events, and youth educator Suzy Weibel have developed this resource that targets the hearts of tween girls as they grow in and pursue friendships.

The Montgomery Bus Boycott - edited by Jeff Hay
Examines the boycott of city buses in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1956 by African-Americans who were protesting a policy that required African-Americans to sit in the back of a bus, or give up their seats for white people.

Hidden Like Anne Frank: 14 True Stories of Survival - Marcel Prins & Peter Henk Steenhuis
Fourteen unforgettable true stories of children hidden away during World War II. Jaap Sitters was only eight years old when his mother cut the yellow stars off his clothes and sent him, alone, on a fifteen-mile walk to hide with relatives. It was a terrifying night, one he would never forget. Before the end of the war, Jaap would hide in secret rooms and behind walls. He would suffer from hunger, sickness, and the looming threat of Nazi raids. But he would live. This is just one of the incredible stories told in HIDDEN LIKE ANNE FRANK, a collection of eye-opening first-person accounts that share what it was like to go into hiding during World War II. Some children were only three or four years old when they were hidden; some were teenagers. Some hid with neighbors or family, while many were with complete strangers. But all know the pain of losing their homes, their families, even their own names. They describe the secret network of brave people who kept them safe. And they share the coincidences and close escapes that made all the difference.

Jackie Robinson: American Hero - Sharon Robinson
A biography of Jackie Robinson, who was the first African American baseball player in National League of Major League Baseball.

New Picture Books

Superworm - Julia Donaldson
Superworm's bug friends attempt to free him from the clutches of Wizard Lizard who, having heard of Superworm's wondrous and heroic deeds, captures him and forces him to dig for treasure.

I Pledge Allegiance - Pat Mora & Libby Martinez
Libby and her great-aunt, Lobo, both learn the Pledge of Allegiance--Libby for school, and Lobo for her U.S. citizenship ceremony.


E-I-E-I-O: How Old MacDonald Got His Farm - Judy Sierra
The Little Red Hen gives Old MacDonald some pointers on composting-- and a legendary farm is born-- in this rhyming, rollicking read-aloud.

I am Blop! - Herve Tullet
Children will discover the wonderful world of blops, a fun pictorial exploration of variations on a simple shape.


Bad Bye, Good Bye - Deborah Underwood
Illustrations and simple, rhyming text follow a family as they move to a new town.

Here Comes the Easter Cat - Deborah Underwood
When Cat tries to replace the Easter Bunny, he soon learns that the job is much harder than he expected--and does not allow time for naps.


Found - Salina Yoon
Upon finding a toy rabbit in the forest, Bear tries his very best to return it to its home but by the time its owner appears, Bear has become attached to Bunny.

Fiction for Elementary and Middle Grades

Grades 3-6

Princess Labelmaker to the Rescue!: An Origami Yoda Book - Tom Angleberger
One month before the state standards test are to take place, the Origami Rebel Alliance has found powerful allies in unexpected places in their fight against the FunTime test preparation program, but Principal Rabbski has not yet declared her allegiance.


The Lemonade War Series - Jacqueline Davies

The Candy Smash
Jessie and Evan Treski have waged a lemonade war, sought justice in a class trial, and even unmasked a bell thief. Now they are at opposite ends over the right to keep secrets. Evan believes some things (such as his poetry) are private. Jessie believes scandal makes good news. When anonymously sent candy hearts appear in Class 4-0, self-appointed ace reporter Jessie determines to get the scoop on class crushes. (Bppk 4 of series)

The Magic Trap
A magic show, card tricks, and a disappearing rabbit named Professor Hoffman--the Treski kids are at it again as they try to put on a show in the face of an approaching hurricane. But nothing prepares them for what blows into town next: their long-lost dad.

Hunt for the Hydra - Jason Fry
A family of space privateers becomes embroiled in a solar system-wide conspiracy, all while the three siblings compete to determine who will become the next captain of the ship when their mother steps down.


Half a Chance - Cynthia Lord
Lucy, with her mother and her photographer father, has just moved to a small rural community in New Hampshire, and with her new friend Nate she plans to spend the summer taking photos for a contest, but pictures sometimes reveal more than people are willing to see.


Grades 6-8

The Dumbest Idea Ever! - Jimmy Gownley
What if the dumbest idea ever turned your life upside down? At thirteen, Jimmy was popular, at the top of his class, and the leading scorer on his basketball team. But all that changed when chicken pox forced him to miss the championship game. Things went from bad to worse when he got pneumonia and missed even more school. Before Jimmy knew it, his grades were sinking and nothing seemed to be going right. How did Jimmy turn things around, get back on top at school, and land a date with the cutest girl in class?

Zane and the Hurricane - Rodman Philbrick
A twelve-year-old boy and his dog become trapped in New Orleans during the horrors of Hurricane Katrina.


The Girl Who Soared Over Fairyland and Cut the Moon in Two - Catherynne M. Valente
Longing for a new adventure that will reunite her with Ell, the Wyverary, and Saturday, September is spirited away to the moon and charged with saving Fairyland from a moon-Yeti who wields mysterious powers.

Young Adult Fiction

The Impossible Knife of Memory - Laurie Halse Anderson
Hayley Kincaid and her father move back to their hometown to try a 'normal' life, but the horrors he saw in the war threaten to destroy their lives.

The Last Forever - Deb Caletti
After her mother's death, it's all Tessa can do to keep her friends, her boyfriend, her happiness from slipping away. Even the rare plant her mother entrusted to her care starts to wilt. Then she meets Henry. Though secrets stand between them, each has a chance at healing...if first, Tessa can find the courage to believe in forever.

Don't Even Think About It - Sarah Mlynowski
What happens when a group of Tribeca high school kids go in for flu shots . . . and end up being able to read each others' minds.

Panic - Lauren Oliver
In the poor town of Carp, New York, a group of teens enters a high-stakes game that involves a series of secretive, possibly deadly challenges throughout the summer, with the winner receiving more than $50,000--enough money to start a new life.

Picture Me Gone - Meg Rosoff
Twelve-year-old Mila travels with her father to upstate New York to visit friends and family, who may lead them to clues to the whereabouts of her father's best friend, who has gone missing.


Sekret - Lindsay Smith
A group of psychic teenagers in 1960s Soviet Russia are forced to use their powers to spy for the KGB.

Nonfiction

Julie Andrews' Treasury for All Seasons: Poems and Songs to Celebrate the Year
A collection of illustrated poems and songs for children, celebrating holidays and events throughout the calendar year, including verses Walt Whitman, Langston Hughes, Cole Porter, Oscar Hammerstein, and others, and featuring introductions by Julie Andrews, in which she describes memories of holiday and family moments.

Cold, Crunchy, Colorful: Using Our Senses - Jane Brocket
Combining simple text with gorgeous photos, the latest addition to Jane Brocket's Clever Concepts series encourages children to use all five of their senses (and the corresponding body parts associated with those senses) to investigate the world around them.


A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin - Jen Bryant
Presents an illustrated introduction to the life and work of artist Horace Pippin, describing his childhood love for drawing and the World War I injury that challenged his career.



What Do Authors and Illustrators Do? - Eileen Christelow
Children's books tell stories with words and often with pictures, too. In What Do Authors Do? Christelow shows how an idea blossoms into a final book in colorful watercolors and comic book-style frames. In What Do Illustrators Do?, two artists create their own versions of Jack and the Beanstalk, from rough sketch to finished artwork. Includes creative writing and drawing exercises.

The Scraps Book: Notes From a Colorful Life - Lois Ehlert
Presents a visual survey of Lois Ehlert's artistic career that reflects on her parents' support, her early creative experiments and her behind-the-scenes book-making processes.

The Case of the Vanishing Honeybees: A Scientific Mystery - Sandra Markle
Honeybees are a crucial part of our food chain. As they gather nectar from flowers to make sweet honey, these bees also play an important role in pollination, helping some plants produce fruit. But large numbers of honeybees are disappearing every year ... and no one knows why. Is a fungus killing them? Could a poor diet be the cause? What about changes to bees' natural habitat? In this real-life science mystery, scientists and beekeepers are working to answer these questions ... and save the world's honeybees before it's too late.

The Secret Pool - Kimberly Ridley
A look at vernal pools, which form every year when low places on the forest floor fill up with rain and melted snow.

New Picture Books

Niño Wrestles the World - Yuyi Morales
Lucha Libre champion Niño has no trouble fending off monstrous opponents, but when his little sisters awaken from their naps, he is in for a no-holds-barred wrestling match that will truly test his skills. The Pura Belpre Illustrator award winner for 2014.


Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant's Tale - Duncan Tonatiuh
When Papa Rabbit does not return home as expected from many seasons of working in the great carrot and lettuce fields of El Norte, his son Pancho sets out on a dangerous trek to find him, guided by a coyote. Includes author's note.

The Fox and the Crow - Manasi Subramaniam and Culpeo S. Fox
A retelling of the well-known fable in which a fox plays upon a crow's vanity to steal a piece of bread.

Following Papa's Song - Gianna Marino
Little Blue, a young humpback whale, has never made the long migration up the coast, and he is worried about his first long journey with Papa.


This is the Rope: A Story from the Great Migration - Jacqueline Woodson
A rope passed down through the generations frames an African American family's story as they journey north during the time of the Great Migration.

Early Bird - Toni Yuly
Early Bird wakes up before the sun. She is hungry. What will she have for breakfast? With language that emphasizes action words and prepositions, this is a fun story for morning, nighttime, any time.