New Children's Fiction
Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You by Holly Black, illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi.
Meet the boggarts, changelings, pixies, goblins and other creatures of Arthur Spiderwick's magical, fantastical world.
Bully-Be-Gone: The Misadventures of Millicent Madding #1 by Brian Tacano.
As an inventor, Millicent knows this formula by heart. But a series of failures -- like the Ever-Juicy Gum Enhancer Pellet (a bit too juicy) and the Retractable Ponytail Holder (a hairy mess) -- have left her a few beakers short on faith. Even Millicent's best friends in The Wunderkind Club are ready to give up on her inventions.
Bully-Be-Gone, her latest creation, should be the breakthrough Millicent needs. After all, her formula for thwarting the enemies of overachievers everywhere is foolproof.
Almost foolproof.
What Mr. Mattero Did by Priscilla Cummings.
For days, three seventh-grade girls -- Jenna, Suzanne, and Claire -- agonize over whether to say anything. Finally they summon the courage to speak up about their music teacher, Frederick Mattero. What happens next is chaos. Parents are called. A teacher is accused and attacked. The gossip mill churns like mad. Police arrive to question other students, beginning with Melody, Mr. Mattero's daughter. Did Mr. Mattero do anything improper, or are the three girls simply lying? Told from two points of view, Claire's and Melody's, this novel takes readers into their private, middle-school worlds as they struggle to discover the truth.
Year of the Dog by Grace Lin.
It's the Chinese Year of the Dog, and as Pacy celebrates with her family, she finds out that this is the year she is supposed to -find herself. As the year goes on, she struggles to find her talent, makes a new best friend, and discovers just why the Year of the Dog is a lucky one for her after all. Universal themes of friendship, family, and finding one's passion in life make this novel appealing to readers of all backgrounds. This funny and profound book is a wonderful debut novel by prolific picture book author and illustrator Grace Lin, and has all the makings of a modern classic.