The Prince and the Dressmaker. First Second, 2018. $24.99. ISBN 978-1626723634.
A graphic novel with a modern, fairy tale vibe. Prince Sebastien has a secret: at night, he loves to
dress up in fantastic ball gowns and go out on the town as the fashionable Lady Crystallia. Frances
is the lowly seamstress who becomes his special designer. Charming, romantic, joyful and
subversive, this is a story about gender identity, self-expression, family pressure, and the joy of truly
beautiful clothes.
The Prince and the Dressmaker
Adventures of a Girl Called Bicycle
Bicycle, raised at the Mostly Silent Monastery where the monks are permitted only eight words (yes,
no, maybe, help, now, later, sleep, and sandwich), is being sent to the Friendship Factory to
improve her social skills and make friends. Instead she runs away and sets off on an incredible
solo cross-country journey to meet her cyclist hero at San Francisco’s Blessing of the Bicycles –
encountering en route a host of quirky characters, among them a lonely Civil War ghost.
Just Like Jackie
Robbie Hart has a fierce temper and a big heart. She’s been covering for her Grandpa at home and
at his auto repair shop: she worries the authorities will learn about his Alzheimer’s and take her
away from her only family. Robbie wishes he’d tell her about her mom, though, and her anger
issues lead her into fights and other trouble at school. Vermont author Lindsey Stoddard’s debut
deftly mixes themes of family, acceptance, race, gender, and friendship.
Amal Unbound
Amal dreams of being a teacher, but soon she discovers that for a girl in Pakistan, an education is
not guaranteed. After a car accident, she is forced to be an indentured servant in the household of
the village landlord, a luxurious estate financed by illegal dealings. Amal discovers the depth of the
corruption of the landlord and his family, but she must weigh the risks of trying to expose them in a
small village where girls are not always believed and their dreams are not always honored.
The House that Lou Built
Lou loves woodshop, her family, and her dream to build a 100-square foot “tiny house” on a
beautiful piece of land her Dad left her when he died. But when back taxes and a possible move to
another state threaten Lou’s dream, she’s got to build on her resources and resilience to find a way
to make it come true!
Inkling
Only the cat was awake to see Inkling form on Ethan’s father’s sketch pad, but soon Ethan’s whole
family is caught up in the wonder of this ink blot that can read, draw, and communicate with
humans…Inkling can even do your homework! But as Inkling soon discovers, even an ink blot’s
efforts and adventures can lead to misunderstandings and danger. Sometimes trying to help
people get “unstuck” can make things even more sticky for everyone.
No Fixed Address
What do a Westfalia van, a hamster named Horatio and a gnome all have in common? To 12 and
¾ year old Felix Knuttson, they are all important parts of his rapidly changing world. The van is his
home that he shares with his depressed and not always dependable mom. The hamster is named
after the host of his favorite TV quiz show, which with some luck, Felix thinks he could win. Mel is
his steadfast tomte that Felix believes protects he and his mom from all that could go wrong. Life
living in a van isn’t easy and Felix must keep his living arrangement a secret, from everyone, even
his best friends. Can Felix find a solution to his family crisis before it is too late?
Merci Suarez Changes Gears
Merci Suárez is grateful to go to an excellent private school. Really, she is. Even if she was able to
forget how fortunate she is, the extra required community service hours would be there to remind
her. She also knows how lucky she is to be surrounded by family- even though that has its own
challenges, as her grandfather ages and her family relies on her in more ways. How can Merci
navigate her changing worlds at home and at school?
Miscalculations of Lightning Girl
Although she doesn’t remember it, Lucy Callahan was struck by lightning, which gave her genius
level math skills and a severe case of OCD. Since then she has been homeschooled. She is
technically ready for college, but her grandmother gives her one more test to pass: middle school.
This beautifully written novel teaches us that sometimes numbers aren’t all that matters, no
problem is unsolvable, and if you have a few friends who accept you for who you are, you’re pretty
lucky
Bob
It’s been five years since Livy last visited her grandmother in Australia – and when she finally
returns she finds Bob, a greenish zombie-like creature in a chicken suit, who has been obediently
waiting in her closet all this time. (He’s spent the years crying and building Lego pirate ships.) A tale
of friendship, love, and magic, told in the alternating voices of Livy and Bob.
Deep Water
Desperate to save his business, Julie’s ailing father agrees to take a father/son team of rich,
arrogant clients to a deep-sea site, but he needs 12-year-old Julie, an experienced diver, to actually
take them on the dive. Julie quickly discovers that the clients aren’t interested in doing things the
right way, and their recklessness results in the trio being lost at sea. With no boat and little hope, it
is up to Julie to fend off tragedy and find a way to survive.
Spooked! How a Radio Broadcast and The War of the Worlds Sparked the 1938 Invasion of America
In this conflicted era of fake news and alternative facts, what could be more timely than an account of Orson Welles’s famous Halloween-Eve radio broadcast that convinced much of America that the Martians were invading? Filled with period photos, art reproductions, newspaper headlines, and quotations.
Front Desk
Fake Blood
AJ has been wondering for years how to get ultra-cool Nia’s attention. When he finds out about her obsession with vampire lore, he decides to try something really different–he pretends to be a vampire. Will his plan work?
Journey of the Pale Bear
In this riveting adventure set in the 13thcentury, 12-year-old Arthur –in hopes of claiming an inheritance in Wales -sets out from Norway on a ship bringing a polar bear as a gift from Norwegian King Haakon to England’s King Henry. Though the bear terrorizes the crew, Arthur forms a bond with it. A wonderful coming-of-age story based on the true tale of a polar bear who lived in London’s Tower Menagerie.
Louisiana’s Way Home
Louisiana Elephante’s world gets turned upside down the night her Granny announces that the day of reckoning has arrived and they must leave their home immediately. For Louisiana, that means leaving behind her best friends Raymie and Beverly as well as her beloved cat, Archie. As fate would have it, Granny’s mouth full of bad teeth land them in Richford, Georgia, a place that Louisiana at first desperately wants to leave. As Louisiana begins to settle into the rhythm of the town and learns more about her past, she begins asking herself: what is the true meaning of home?
Sweep: The Story of a Girl and her Monster
Nan, a young chimney climber in Victorian London, has to carry on without her protector the “Sweep” when he disappears, leaving behind only his hat and a small piece of coal. The coal comes to life in the form of a golem to save Nan from a near-death experience and together they protect each other from the grim realities of nineteenth-century London. Combining fantasy, history and Jewish folklore, this is a heartwarming, funny and adventurous tale of love, friendship, and loyalty.