Fun
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A First Time for Everything
This middle grade graphic memoir is based on bestselling author and Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat’s awkward middle school years and the trip to Europe that changed his life.
Dan’s always been a good kid. The kind of kid who listens to his teachers, helps his mom with grocery shopping, and stays out of trouble. But being a good kid doesn’t stop him from being bullied and feeling like he’s invisible, which is why Dan has low expectations when his parents send him on a class trip to Europe.
At first, he’s right. He’s stuck with the same girls from his middle school who love to make fun of him, and he doesn’t know why his teacher insisted he come on this trip. But as he travels through France, Germany, Switzerland, and England, a series of first experiences begin to change him―first Fanta, first fondue, first time stealing a bike from German punk rockers… and first love.
Funny, heartwarming, and poignant, A First Time for Everything is a feel-good coming-of-age memoir based on New York Times bestselling author and Caldecott Medal winner Dan Santat’s awkward middle school years. It celebrates a time that is universally challenging for many of us, but also life changing as well.
This wonderful book from award-winning author-illustrator Dan Santat is the winner of the 2023 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature and is for Readers 10-14.
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The Traitor’s Son: (Path of the Ranger Book 1)
A kingdom in danger, a great betrayal, a boy seeking to redeem his father’s honor. Will he succeed in exonerating him and saving the realm from an enemy in the shadows before it is too late for the whole North?
By the age of fifteen, Lasgol has endured a hard childhood and lives, cornered and hated, in a small village in the North. He is the son of the traitor, the man who betrayed the kingdom and tried to kill the King. His only companions are the mountains and the snow, ever-present in the region. Yet he refuses to believe that his father is guilty, even though the King himself was a witness to the betrayal.
Lasgol is determined to clear his father’s name and has only one option to do so: the School of Rangers, a secret place where they train the respected and feared defenders of the kingdom’s lands for four years. Going there is insane. Hate and death await him. But as the son of a Ranger, he is entitled to attend.
At the Camp he will find himself involved in political intrigues, disloyalties and fights. He will encounter hatred and fearsome enemies, but also a handful of friends, novices as much out of place as he is himself, determined to do whatever is necessary to pass the first year… without dying in the attempt.
Will Lasgol survive the first year of instruction at the Rangers’ Camp? Will he find out what happened to his father? Will he be able to clear his name?
For Readers 10+ from author Pedro Urvi.
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The Gem Keeper: The Illusia Chronicles
Murphy Tulley knows he’s no hero. However, when someone steals the magical Gem of Nashel from his mining town, they lose its protection, which leads to illness and potential death for everyone in Airinton. While still grieving the loss of his father, the town’s last Gem Keeper, it’s up to Murphy to retrieve the missing gem.
He sets off alone to find it, guided only by a mysterious internal connection. When an unlikely group of friends and creatures join him, they learn to work together in a race against time.
As Murphy pushes past his own doubts and fears, he realizes heroes come in all shapes and sizes. Can he summon the courage to save the day?
For Readers 8-14 from author Diane Martin.
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Exploring the Delightful World of Cat’s Cradle!
Hello, young string enthusiasts and playful adventurers!
Are you ready to unravel the secrets of an ancient game that will have your fingers dancing with delight? Today we’ll dive into the captivating world of Cat’s Cradle, a string game that people around the globe have enjoyed for centuries. Cat’s Cradle is more than just a game—it’s a creative and imaginative journey that will test your dexterity, challenge your mind, and bring endless joy. With nothing more than a simple string, you’ll learn the intricate patterns, discover exciting variations, and unlock the key to transforming a piece of thread into a world of shapes and stories. So, gather your strings, flex your fingers, and let’s embark on a string-tastic adventure into the mesmerizing world of Cat’s Cradle!
Want something fun to do with friends or by yourself to pass the time? Well, we’ve got the perfect game for you! Cat’s Cradle is a traditional string game that is played with 2 or more people and involves making a series of shapes.
Why is the game of cat’s cradle called that?
It is thought to be a corruption of cratch-cradle, or the manger cradle in which baby Jesus was laid (cratch standing for creche, French for “rack” or “manger”), but this is only conjecture by linguists.
Creating these string figures is a piece of cake once you get the hang of it, and all you need to get started is a piece of string, a steady hand, and a bit of patience.
Make a circle with a piece of string that’s 40 inches long. Any type of string or cord will work to play Cat’s Cradle as long as it fits around your hands, but 40 inches is the perfect length. Tie the 2 ends of the string together to form a large ring or circle.
Choose a player to start the game. Traditionally, Cat’s Cradle is played with at least 2 people. The person who starts the game will start with the string in their hands. After each shape, the string will be passed from person to person so everyone will get a turn.
- Keep in mind that there’s generally no “winner” with this game—the goal is to see how far you and your friend(s) can go without making a mistake.
- You can play Cat’s Cradle with as many people as you want, moving the string from one person to the next after each cycle.
- Try picking a partner whose hands are roughly the size of your own to make the game a little easier.
Loop the string around the back of both hands. Thread your hands into the string, and tug them away from each other, so the string becomes taught. Let the string rest just behind your knuckles. Point your thumbs up and keep them outside of the string. This way, the string won’t slip out of your hands.
- Some players prefer to lace the string around their middle and ring finger to start the game, but that could make it a bit harder for beginners.
Wrap the string around your wrists. Rotate your hands so that the loop doubles up around your palms. Now you should have 2 strands of string running parallel to each other from either side of your palms, forming a rectangle.
- Turn your wrists so that only 1 strand gets wrapped around twice. Otherwise, both strands will twist together and you won’t have the same setup.
- If you’re having trouble looping the string around your wrists a second time, have another player help you.
Catch the inner strand of the string with your middle fingers. Reach across and slide a middle finger under the strand looped in front of your finger’s opposite palm. Repeat with your opposite hand, only grabbing the section in front. Then, pull the strands apart to form a double “X” in the middle. You’ve just formed “Cat’s Cradle!”
To keep the game going, have the next player form a new shape.
AIME
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Restart
The amazing story is about what you can do when life gives you a second chance.
Chase’s memory just went out the window. Chase doesn’t remember falling off the roof. He doesn’t remember hitting his head. He doesn’t, in fact, remember anything. He wakes up in a hospital room and suddenly has to learn his whole life all over again . . . starting with his own name. He knows he’s Chase. But who is Chase? When he gets back to school, he sees that different kids have very different reactions to his return. Some kids treat him like a hero. Some kids are clearly afraid of him. One girl in particular is so angry with him that she pours her frozen yogurt on his head the first chance she gets. Pretty soon, it’s not only a question of who Chase is–it’s a question of who he was . . . and who he’s going to be. Restart is the spectacular story of a kid with a messy past who has to figure out what it means to get a clean start.
For Readers 10-12 from the New York Times and #1 bestselling author of Swindle and Slacker, author Gordon Korman.
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Posted
In middle school, words aren’t just words. They can be weapons. They can be gifts. The right words can win you friends or make you enemies. They can come back to haunt you. Sometimes they can change things forever.
When Branton Middle School bans cell phones, Frost and his friends Deedee, Wolf, and Bench devise a new way to communicate. They leave sticky notes for each other all around the school. It catches on, and soon all the kids in school are leaving notes—though for every kind and friendly one, there is a cutting and cruel one as well.
In the middle of this, a new girl named Rose arrives at school and sits at Frost’s lunch table. Rose is not like anyone else at Branton Middle School, and it’s clear that the close circle of friends Frost has made for himself won’t easily hold another. As the sticky-note war escalates, and the pressure to choose sides mounts, Frost soon realizes that after this year, nothing will ever be the same.
For Readers 10-12 from author John David Anderson.
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Eleven
Alex Douglas always wanted to be a hero. But nothing heroic ever happened to Alex. Nothing, that is, until his eleventh birthday. When Alex rescues a stray dog as a birthday gift to himself, he doesn’t think his life can get much better. Radar, his new dog, pretty much feels the same way. But this day has bigger things in store for both of them. This is a story about bullies and heroes. About tragedy and hope. About enemies with two legs and friends with four, and pesky little sisters and cranky old men, and an unexpected lesson in kindness delivered with a slice of pizza. This is Eleven: the journey of a boy turning eleven on 9/11.
For Readers 10-12 from author Tom Rogers.
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The Vork Chronicles Welcome to Superhero School
Welcome to Superhero School! Join Oliver, Jess, and all their friends on a mission to destroy the power-hungry, evil villains of Vork. From subterranean sewers to lush jungle, from dinosaurs to dragons, our heroes will be pushed to their limits in ways they’d never imagined. Will their collective Powers—Flight, Morphing, Invisibility, Mind Reading, and more—be enough for them to overcome the malevolence of Vork? Or will they stumble over their own doubts and painful histories? This action-packed journey of friendship, hardship, and humor will take our heroes to thrilling new heights and a deeper understanding of their own place in the world. But will that be enough—or will Vork always be one step ahead?
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The Stars Beneath Our Feet
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His path isn’t clear—and the pressure to join a “crew,” as his brother did, is always there. When Lolly and his friend are beaten up and robbed, joining a crew almost seems like the safe choice. But building a fantastical Lego city at the community center provides Lolly with an escape—and an unexpected bridge back to the world.
For Readers 10-12 from The Coretta Scott King–John Steptoe Award winning author David Barclay.
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The Proto Project: A Sci-Fi Adventure
When Jason meets his mom’s billion-dollar invention, an artificial intelligence device named Proto, he accidentally gets caught up in a mysterious adventure. Proto goes missing, and then people go missing. Now Jason and his coolest-neighbor-ever Maya must risk their lives to prevent global mayhem. But who is behind this devious plot? Is it another AI? The FBI? Or any other abbreviation with an I? What exactly is there to learn about artificial and human intelligence while fighting for your life against a legion of furry puppies or a battalion of drones? A lot—if you live to tell about it.
Jason and Maya set out on an adventure of a lifetime.
For Readers 8-10 from author Bryan R. Johnson.
