A Book of Babies by Il Sung Na
“When the flowers begin to bloom
and the world starts turning green,
animals everywhere are born . . .
including the noisy ducklings!
“While baby animals are born–some with fur and some with scales, some with lots of brothers and sisters, some with none–a curious duck watches.” [JPB NA]
Gold Medal Winter by Donna Freitas
“Realizing her dream of competing in the Olympics after years of training and sacrifice, figure skater Espi is frustrated by intrusive media attention, a schedule that separates her from her friends and sophisticated teammates who doubt her abilities, a situation that is further complicated by her attraction to two boys and a near-impossible, medal-securing jump.” [J FREITAS]
Jinx’s Magic by Sage Blackwood
“A young wizard’s apprentice, Jinx, learns that his
forest home, the Urwald, is under threat, and to save it he must travel to a new
land. Searching for answers about his alleged connection to the evil Bonemaster and magical uprisings, Jinx travels to the desert land of Samara, where his search for ancient magic ensnares him in a centuries-old conspiracy.” [J BLACKWOOD]
Whistle in the Dark by Susan Hill Long
“What Clem wants for his thirteenth birthday is a dog. What he gets is a miner’s cap. It’s the 1920s in Leadanna, Missouri, and money is tight in the Harding household. So, Clem, a gifted student and talented writer, must leave school and join Pap in the lead mines, spending his days digging in the suffocating dark beneath the crushing weight of the earth.” [J HILL]
