Princess Ben, by Catherine Murdock (F Mur)
Princess Benevolence leads a simple and happy life in the kingdom of Montagne. Her world is shattered by tragedy when her parents and her uncle the king are ambushed on an annual sojourn to the mountains.
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In this week’s episode, Mrs. C. previews A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray (F Bra).
This book is a little frightening, a good bit mysterious, and a touch romantic. What more could you want? On her 16th birthday, Gemma Doyle has an arguement with her mother. Gemma is desperate to leave India where her family has been living and attend school in London. After a sudden and terrible tragedy, Gemma gets her wish and is enrolled in Spence Academy, be careful what you wish for!
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Jinx by Meg Cabot (F Cab)
From the author of the Princess Diaries series comes the bewitching story of Jean Honeychurch. Jean, known at Jinx because of her constant attachment to bad luck, finds herself out of her element when she moves in with her wealthy Manhattan relatives. She has left her small Iowa town behind because of a dangerous situation involving a boy and a crush only to find herself in an even more precarious situation.
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Savvy by Ingrid Law (F Law)
This Newbery Honor book is fantastical and fun. Mississippi “Mibs” Beaumont can’t wait to turn 13 and find out what her Savvy will be. In the Beaumont family turning 13 has a lot more signifigance than becoming a teenager, its when you get your Savvy, a supernatural power.
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The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau (F DuP)
The first in a thrilling science fiction series, this is the story of 12 year olds Lina and Doon and their struggle to save their dying city. Ember is a city of darkness; the only source of light is artificial powered by a generator beneath the city. But after hundreds of years the generator is falling apart. Food and supplies are scarce and blackouts are coming more frequently. Tension is rising , panic is just around the corner and it’s up to Lina and Doon to unravel they mystery that can save them all.
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Code Orange by Caroline B. Cooney (F Coo)
16 year old Mitty Blake is a sweet slacker, not your typical spoiled Manhattan prep school student. His main concerns in life are music and Olivia, his beautiful and brilliant Advanced Bio classmate. He loves his parents and the city of Manhattan but his carefree life takes a sudden nosedive into paranoia and fear. While searching an old medical book for his biology research appear, he unwittingly comes across an envelope containing two scabs from a 1902 smallpox epidemic. This super suspenseful story has lots twists and turns to keep you turning the pages!
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For Freedon: The Story of a French Spy by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (F Bra)
Based on a true story this book brings to life the Nazi occupation of Cherbourg, France through the eyes of 13 year old Suzanne David. Her simple life is changed forever when her city is bombed and them occupied by the Nazi army. Her friends and family suffer and struggle but Suzanne’s strength of spirit and couragous actions define this story.
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Gilda Joyce Psychic Investigator by Jennifer Allison
The summer before ninth grade a determined Gilda Joyce manages to snag herself an invitation to San Francisco to stay with her mother’s distant Cousin Lester and his daughter Juliet. Gilda is ready for an adventure. She plans to hone her investigative skills and develop her burgeoning psychic abilities. The creepy Victorian mansion that Lester and Juliet live in , complete with a mysterious ghost, is the perfect setting for Gilda to launch her first official case.
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If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period by Gennifer Choldenko (F Cho)
This story is told in alternating point of view. It’s the story of seventh graders Walk and Kirsten. They couldn’t be more different. Kirsten is the daughter of a doctor and a beauty queen and Walk, the kid on scholarship with a single mom . Navigating all the pitfalls of junior high they strike up an unlikely friendship.
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