Book Reviews
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Kate and the Horses
Kate is used to being alone. When she’s welcomed into the fold by four-legged pals, will her new companions help her find her courage?
Nine-year-old Kate Calloway’s one wish is to finally have a friend. Always struggling to find the right words, the socially awkward bookworm can’t forget the magical day years ago when a carriage horse spoke to her and made her feel special. So, when she unexpectedly sees him on a poster for summer camp, she’s determined to persuade her parents to let her attend and take the reins.
Arriving full of excitement and stumbling upon a stable of talking horses, Kate can’t wait to tell her parents the names of her playmates… while cleverly hiding that they’re not actually human. But when the affectionate animals can’t help her bond with the other kids or avoid a super-mean girl, it’s up to the shy Kate to figure out by herself how to fit in.
Can Kate learn to brave her fears and find love and acceptance?
From author Wendy Ledger for Readers 8-11.
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Sharks for Kids: A Junior Scientist’s Guide to Great Whites, Hammerheads, and Other Sharks in the Sea
Meet the ocean’s apex predators with the Junior Scientists series for kids.
Sharks come in all shapes and sizes, from giant whale sharks the size of school buses to tiny dwarf lantern sharks only eight inches long. Sharks for Kids introduces you to these magnificent creatures through vivid illustrations and photographs of some of the biggest, smallest, and strangest sharks swimming the seas. In this top choice among sharks books for kids, you’ll get to know goblin sharks, thresher sharks, and many more.
In one of the most engaging sharks books for kids, you’ll discover tons of in-depth facts about some of your favorite sharks.
From author David McGuire for Readers 8-12.
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Scion of the Sun: a time travel, druid mythology, adventure, fantasy
A mystifying time rift. An ancient civilization. Two worlds collide in an epic fight to the death.
My boring life is upended when a vision of the mom I never knew has me questioning everything I believe. Eager for answers, I enroll at a boarding school for highly gifted students in Wolfebane, New Hampshire. But the school and its students have secrets that leave me more confused than ever.
When I accidentally transport to a parallel existence and discover I have a whole other life waiting for me, I’m thrust into a mythological world that thinks I’m their unlikely savior. Torn between my old life and my new, confronting an ancient evil seems the least of my problems.
With the help of Joss, an enigmatic warrior sworn to protect me, and my new best friend, the equally hot Quinn, I face my fears. But I’m unprepared for the ultimate showdown against a terrifying adversary…
From author Nicola Marsh for Readers 9-12.
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Amazing Mazes for Minecrafters: Challenging Mazes for Hours of Entertainment!
Dozens of mazes to keep you entertained for hours!
Journey through snowy biomes, desert temples, Nether fortresses, and more—whether on a long car trip or at the beach! This inviting collection of unique mazes for gamers of all ages is jam-packed with colorful characters and settings straight from their favorite game. You will be challenged and entertained for hours upon hours.
This adventure series is created especially for readers who love the fight of good vs. evil, magical academies like Hogwarts in the Harry Potter saga, and games like Minecraft, Terraria, and Pokémon GO.
From author Jen Funk Weber for Readers 8-12.
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Interesting Stories for Curious Kids: A Fascinating Collection of the Most Interesting, Unbelievable, and Craziest Stories on Earth!
Want to impress your buddies at school?
Want to learn a bunch of random facts about history, science, and the paranormal?
If you answered yes to either of those questions then pick up Interesting Stories for Curious Kids: A Fascinating Collection of the Most Interesting, Unbelievable, and Craziest Stories on Earth! This book is the coolest collection of interesting facts about a whole bunch of several different topics.
Here you will find the answers to some of the following:
- How did a dog, a horse, and a cat become TV and movie stars?
- What were the first video game consoles?
- Why can’t you break an egg in the palm of your hand?
- How do parrots talk?
- Did Alexander the Great love his horse more than anything else?
And much, much more!
You’ll be glued to the pages of this book reading about interesting facts, scary stories, and how to do a few neat science experiments. Interesting Stories for Curious Kids brings learning to you in a new, fun way that is sure to keep you reading.
Whether science, history, or just weird facts are your thing, you’re sure to find something in here that will keep you interested and turning the pages. So, open this book and your mind and see other things that you may not know existed.
From author Bill O’Neill for Readers 8-12.
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Fish for Kids: A Junior Scientist’s Guide to Diverse Habitats, Colorful Species, and Life Underwater
Splash into the incredible world of fish with the Junior Scientists series for kids.
Get up close and personal with the fascinating fish that live all around the world. Fish for Kids is full of colorful photos and illustrations that help you explore 35 different species, from goldfish and neon tetras to eels and great white sharks!
- Unlike other fish books for kids, this one features hands-on activities and tips for going fishing or keeping your own aquarium.
- Learn how fish use camouflage, how they find food, and which fish can swim almost 70 miles per hour!
- Go beyond other fish books for kids with complete profiles on freshwater and saltwater fish, including where they live, how big they get, and more.
From author Kevin Kurtz for readers 8-12.
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Adventure to Mars: Rocket Kids
Blast off on a journey to Mars that will keep you on the edge of your seat as you follow two young kid astronauts, Neil and Kate, through an adventure full of mystery and excitement.
Making history as the first kids to enter space, and the first humans to ever walk on Mars, Neil and Kate knew they were in for something big with their mission to find water on the Red Planet. It didn’t take long, however, before they found themselves on an adventure of a lifetime that went beyond anyone’s wildest imagination.
From author Lizzie Lipman for Readers 8-12.
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Paola Santiago and the Forest of Nightmares
Six months after Paola Santiago confronted the legendary La Llorona, life is nothing like she’d expected it to be. She is barely speaking to her best friends, Dante and Emma, and what’s worse, her mom has a totally annoying boyfriend. Even with her chupacabra puppy, Bruto, around, Pao can’t escape the feeling that she’s all alone in the world.
Pao has no one to tell that she’s having nightmares again, this time set in a terrifying forest. Even more troubling? At their center is her estranged father, an enigma of a man she barely remembers. And when Dante’s abuela falls mysteriously ill, it seems that the dad Pao never knew just might be the key to healing the eccentric old woman.
Pao’s search for her father will send her far from home, where she will encounter new monsters and ghosts, a devastating betrayal, and finally, the forest of her nightmares. Will the truths her father has been hiding save the people Pao loves, or destroy them?
From author Tehlor Mejia for Readers 8-12.
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Tiberius, Arapaima, and the Monster Eel
All seems idyllic in the small village of Winiperu, nestled in the Amazon rainforest among glittering lakes and waterfalls. But one day the fishermen come back empty-handed and afraid. A gigantic eel has swallowed up all the fish!
Adventurous 10-year-old Tiberius, and his best friend Sun-Raya, volunteer to set out on a quest to find the prehistoric Arapaima. This fish, that is “bigger than a chicken, bigger than a rabbit, bigger than a sheep, bigger than a cow, bigger than an elephant, and bigger than the Monster Eel” is the only thing that can save the village.
On their quest Tiberius, Sun-Raya, and the rest of the volunteers encounter wild animals and other dangers. Will they succeed in bringing the Arapaima safely back home? Can they learn from their experiences? And will Tiberius truly become, as the fortune-teller foretold, the youngest Grand Chief ever?
From author Patrick V. London for Readers 8-12.
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The Code Book: 140 Cryptograms
Welcome to Snoopers (formerly SpyCo)! Home of the world’s best spies.
As a good spy you need to encode and decode lots of messages. Your first assignment is to decode a spy book left behind by one of our former agents.
- 12 humorous short stories comprised of multiple cryptograms
- Suitable for kids or adults
- Hints are provided in the back of the book in case you get stuck
From author Andrew de Jong for Readers 8-12.
