October Tween Read Scene: Ghoulish Graphic Novels

It’s that time of year again, the leaves are falling, the nights are chilly, and everyone is looking for a spooky read to cuddle up with! While there are many great scary novels available, gruesome graphic novels really turn up the fear-factor with their visual displays of frightening fun.

You’ll be sleeping with the lights on after indulging in one of these ghoulish graphic novels!

Sheets by Brenna ThummlerJ GN THUAges 9 & Up
AR: 3
Lexile: 400L
Fake Blood by Whitney GardnerJ GN GARAges 10 & Up
AR: 2.5
Lexile: 150L
The Sleepover by Michael ReginaJ GN REGAges 8-12
Apocalypse Taco by Nathan HaleJ GN HALAges 8-12
AR: 2.5
Lexile: 150L
This Was Our Pact by Ryan AndrewsJ GN ANDAges 10-14
AR: 3
Lexile: 350L
The Witches of Brooklyn by 
Sophie Escabasse
J GN ESCAges 8-12
AR: 2.9
Be Wary of the Silent Woods by Svetlana ChmakovaJ GN CHMAges 8-12
AR: 2.7
Paranorthern and the Chaos Bunny A-Hop-Calypse by Stephanie CookeJ GN COOAges 8-12
Garlic and the Vampire by Bree PaulsenJ GN PAUAges 8-12
Nightlights by Lorena AlvarezJ GN ALVAges 8-12

UPCOMING TWEEN EVENTS

October 1-31
TinkerCAD Challenge: Create a Stencil Board
Best for 4th Grade & Up
Registration begins October 1

October 3-31
Ghost Hunting Scavenger Hunt | All day
All Ages
Registration not required

October 5
Art Attack: Mini Cauldrons | 6-6:45 pm
4th-8th Grade
Registration begins September 21

October 15
Goofy Ghouls | 10-11:30 am
Spooky games, crafts & treats
All Ages
Registration not required

October 21
Wild Explorers: Leaves! | 4:30-5:15 pm
4th-8th Grade
Registration begins October 7

October 25
Geek Out! Graphic Novel Club | 6-6:45pm
The Okay Witch by Emma steinkellner
4th-8th Grade
Registration begins September 27

May your Halloween be safe, spooky, and spectacular! Come back next month for more great reads!

September Tween Read Scene: Super Sports Stories!

With the start of a new school year, sports seasons are upon us. Whether you are a player, spectator, or avid fan, sports stories can be enjoyed by all. Offering lessons in perseverance, teamwork, and respect, sports stories give us GOALS to aspire to in our every day lives. KICK OFF the new sports season with one of these HOME RUN titles!

Takedown by Laura ShovanJ SHOAges 9-12
AR: 4.1
Lexile: 610L
Wrestling
Checked by Cynthia KadohataJ KADAges 10-14
AR: 4.9
Lexile: 760L
Hockey
Ten Thousand Tries by Amy MakechnieJ MAKAges 8-12
AR: 3.9
Lexile: 590L
Soccer
The Underdogs by Mike LupicaJ LUPAges 10 & Up
AR: 5.2
Lexile: 840L
Football
Ghost by Jason ReynoldsJ REY

AUDIO CD J F REY
Ages 10 & Up
AR: 4.6
Lexile: 730L
Track and Field
Kenzie Kickstarts a Team by Kit RosewaterJ ROSAges 8-12
AR: 3.8
Roller Derby
Lupe Wong Won’t Dance by Donna Barbara HigueraJ HIGAges 8-12
AR: 4.7
Baseball
Up for Air by Laurie MorrisonPLAYAWAY J F MORAges 10-14
AR: 5.7
Lexile: 900L
Swimming
A High Five for Glenn Burke by Phil BildnerJ BILAges 10-13
AR: 4.1
Lexile: 690L
Baseball
The Fifth Quarter by Mike DawsonJ GN DAWAges 8-12
AR: 2.2
Basketball

UPCOMING TWEEN EVENTS

September 1-31
TinkerCAD Challenge: Use Codeblocks to Create a Gyro Keychain

Best for 4th Grade & Up
Registration begins September 1

September 6
Geek Out! Graphic Novel Club | 6-6:45pm

Allergic by Megan Wagner Lloyd
4th-8th Grade
Registration begins August 9

September 12, 19, & 26
Let’s Go Fishin’ | 5-6 pm

Ages 6-12
Registration begins August 29

September 14
Art Attack!: Ceramic Apples | 6-6:45 pm

4th-8th Grade
Registration begins August 31

September 16
Wild Explorers: Soil! Get Your Hands Dirty | 4:30-5:15 pm

4th-8th Grade
Registration begins September 2

September 19
Soapy Roads: Make Your Own Soap | 5:15-7:15 pm

Ages 8-13
Registration begins September 5

August Tween Read Scene: It’s Time to Go Back to School!

Backpack

#2 Pencils

Notebooks

Great Back-to-School Read

As much as we would like these warm summer days to last forever, a new school year is right around the corner.  Out with the swimsuits and sunscreen; in with the bonfires and football games. Show your school spirit with one of these fantastic back-to-school reads!

The Losers Club by Andrew ClementsJ CLE
PLAYAWAY J F CLE
Ages 8-12
AR: 5.5
Lexile: 860L
Posted by John David AndersonAUDIO CD J F ANDAges 8-12
AR: 5.1
Lexile: 750L
Real Friends  by Shannon HaleJ GN HALAges 8-12
AR: 2.6
Lexile: 290L
Those Kids From Fawn Creek by Erin Entrada KellyJ KELAges 8-12
AR: 4.4
Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks and Gita VaradarajanJ WEE
PLAYAWAY J F WEE
Ages 8-12
AR: 4.8
Lexile: 780L
New Kid by Jerry CraftJ GN CRA
AUDIO CD J F CRA
Ages 8-12
AR: 2.9
The Unteachables by Gordon KormanJ KOR
PLAYAWAY J F KOR
Ages 8-12
AR: 5.1
Lexile: 740L
Maybe He Just Likes You by Barbara DeeJ DEE
PLAYAWAY J F DEE
Ages 9-13
AR: 4.2
Lexile: 630L
Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life by James Patterson and Chris TebbettsJ PAT
AUDIO CD J F PAT
Ages 8-12
AR: 4.5
Lexile: 700L
Pippa Park Raises Her Game by Erin YunJ YUNAges 9-12
AR: 5

UPCOMING TWEEN EVENTS

August 1-31
TinkerCAD Challenge: Create Emoji Tokens
4th Grade & Up
Registration begins August 1

September 6
Geek Out! Graphic Novel Club | 6-6:45pm
Allergic by Megan Wagner Lloyd
4th-8th Grade
Registration begins August 9

What’s Your Next Great Read?

Are you a tween looking for great adventure in far off lands or looking for your first great chapter book?  Maybe you’re somewhere in-between. No matter your age or interest, the library has something new waiting for you!

Notorious by Gordon Korman  Age Interest: 8-12 Grades 3-7 Rating: 5/5 ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Tweens looking for a great adventure on an island that’s half in the United States and half in Canada ( a place so well described I had to look up whether it was real or not!)  Meet Keenan who has arrived to live with his father on the U.S. side of the island and Zarabeth(ZeeBee) who lives on the Canadian side of the island in a house once occupied by gangsters. She also once had a dog who was the terror of the island and the new Barny II is the exact opposite of her old dog. 

I really liked how the character and the setting were developed through the making of new friends and the consistent theme of the old Barney being compared to the new Barney and the mystery of the gangsters gold. Join the adventure while Keenan and ZeeBee unravel the clues and a conspiracy that dates back to Centerlight’s gangster past in the 1920’s. The bad news is that someone is after them. . .

Northwind by Gary Paulsen Age Interest: 9-12 Grades 3-7 Rating: 4/5 ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Survival story in the Arctic! Leif is an 11 year old orphan in the wilds of the Arctic who is forced to take to the water in a cedar canoe when a deadly plague reaches the small fishing camp where he lives. He flees northward and learns to survive the plague, bears attacks, Orcas and hunger along a wild shore laced with high fjords, all on his own. Leif learns to connect with the ocean and live on his own.  Another great survival book by Gary Paulsen. If you like this one, read Hatchet too!

Dragons and Marshmallows by Asia Citro Age Interest: 5-8 Grades 1-3 Rating: 4/5 ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Do dragons like marshmallows or will they make them sick? From the Zoey and Sassafras series, Meet Zoey who can see magical animals and what’s even better they come to her barn to be taken care of. Fun read for the emerging reader who is ready for chapter books.  What’s not to like about fixing magical animals?!

The Ember Stone by Katrina Charman Age Interest: 6-8 Grades 1-3 Rating: 4/5 ❤️❤️❤️❤️

From The Last Firehawk series, Magical animals abound in Perodia, but a dark magic used by a powerful vulture named Thorn is trying to destroy it. Can a young owl named Tag and Skyla, a perky squirrel, help save the island when they find the last Firehawk? 

Anybody Here Seen Frenchie? by Leslie Connor Age Interest:8-11 Grades 3-6 Rating:5/5❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

This is the story of two 6th graders Aurora and Frenchie.  Aurora is loud and boisterous and Frenchie does not talk.  But… they understand each other. They both love nature and they are both a little bit different! They live in a small town in Maine where many of the people march to their own tune.  When Frenchie goes missing all of these odd ball characters come together to search for him.  This story “Honors the sweet mysteries of how to communicate with each other and the world.” (Kirkus Review Feb 2022)  

Alien in My Pocket – Blast Off  by Nate Ball  Age Interest: 6-9 Grades 1-4 Rating: 5/5 ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Catch this one on Libby! The first in a series, this is a perfect chapter book for a young readers.  There’s a boy – Zach, a girl – Olivia, and a 4 inch tall blue alien – Amp. Will Zach have to protect the world from an alien invasion while trying to navigate 4th Grade? Or will he have to protect Amp from the world?  Highly recommend this book with a DYI science experiment ! Have fun!

June Tween Read Scene: School’s Out for Summer!

Congratulations! You made it through another school year! School may be out, but reading is still totally in. The books on this list are set in the summer and contain camping, exploring, and good old-fashioned summer fun!

Check out these awesome reads sure to put you in the summertime frame of mind!

Be Prepared by Vera BrosgolJ GN BROAges 10-14
AR: 2.6
Lexile: 360L
The Misfits Club by Kieran CrowleyJ CROAges 9-13
AR: 5.1
Lexile: 740L
Caterpillar Summer  by Gillian McDunnJ MCD (2023 BLUESTEM)Ages 8-12
AR: 3.8
Lexile: 540L
The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla MagoonJ MAGAges 8-12
AR: 3.8
Lexile: 510L
Camp Murderface by Josh Berk and Saundra MitchellJ BER
AUDIO CD J F BER
Ages 8-12
Float by 
Laura Martin
J MARAges 10-12
AR: 5.5
Lexile: 840L
Drum Roll, Please by Lisa Jenn BigelowJ BIGAges 8-12
AR: 4.4
Lexile: 630L
Lions & Liars  by Kate BeasleyAUDIO CD J F BEAAges 9-12
AR: 4.8
Lexile: 720L
Roller Girl by Victoria JamiesonJ GN JAMAges 8-12
AR: 3.2
Lexile: 440L
BenBee and the Teacher Griefer by K.A. HoltJ HOLAges 8-12
AR: 4.7
Lexile: 980L

UPCOMING TWEEN EVENTS

June 1-30
TinkerCAD Challenge: Create a Bird Feeder
4th Grade & Up
Registration begins June 1 

June 4
Summer Learning Challenge Begins!
All Ages 
Join us for our summer kick-off at a Medieval Faire from 11am-1pm

June 11
Pilcher Park Animal Friends  |  11-11:45am
Ages 4-12
Registration begins May 28

June 13, 20, & 27  | 6-7pm
Let’s Go Fishin’!
Ages 6-12
Registration begins May 30

June 28 
Geek Out Graphic Novel Club: Camp by Kayla Miller
4th-8th Grade
Registration begins May 31

May Tween Read Scene: Out-of-This-World Sci-Fi

Do you love space stories, time travel, and awesome alien adventures?  Well then, the Sci-Fi genre was made for you!  Like the Fantasy genre, Sci-fi takes its readers on wondrous journeys to other worlds.  But unlike Fantasy, all elements of Sci-Fi could actually happen in real life.  These stories are packed with action, adventure, and hi-tech hi-jinks. 

Travel to space and beyond with these great Sci-Fi novels!

Book TitleCall NumberReading Level
Finn and the Intergalactic Lunchbox by Michael BuckleyJ BUCAges 10-14
AR: 4.6
Lexile: 630L
The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba HigueraPLAYAWAY J F HIGAges 10-14
Weird Kid by Greg van EekhoutPLAYAWAY J F VANAges 9-12
AR: 4.4
A Problematic Paradox  by Eliot SappingfieldJ SAPAges 10-14
AR: 6
Lexile: 850L
Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat by Johnny Marciano & Emily ChenowethJ MARAges 8-12
AR: 4.4
Lexile: 590L
The Owls Have Come to Take Us Away by Ronald L. SmithJ SMIAges 10-12
AR: 4.3
Lexile: 600L
Space Battle Lunchtime by 
Natalie Riess
J RIEAges 9-12
Lexile: 370L
Sal & Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos HernandezJ HER
PLAYAWAY J F RIO
Ages 8-12
AR: 4.9
Lexile: 700L
The Lion of Mars by Jennifer L. HolmJ HOLAges 8-12
AR: 4
Lexile: 530L
Felix Yz by Lisa BunkerJ BUNAges 10-14
AR: 5.3
Lexile: 940L
The Last Last-Day-of-Summer by Lamar GilesJ GIL
PLAYAWAY J F GIL
Ages 8-12
AR: 5.2
Lexile: 740L

UPCOMING TWEEN EVENTS

May 1-31
LEGO MAY-NIA
Help us build a LEGO tower and join in on other fun LEGO activities

May 1-31
TinkerCAD Challenge: Balloon-Propelled Car
4th Grade & Up
Registration begins May 1

June 4
Summer Learning Challenge Begins!
All Ages
Join us for our summer kick-off at a Medieval Faire in the Commons

April Tween Read Scene: Action-Packed Adventures Await

Looking for a thrilling, exciting read this spring?  Well, look no further!  The ACTION/ADVENTURE genre has exactly what you need to keep you on the edge of your seat!  

Books in the ACTION/ADVENTURE genre follow the main character(s) as they embark upon an epic adventure or journey filled with daring feats and non-stop action.  Commonly, books within this genre overlap with other genres such as Fantasy, Sci-Fi, or Historical Fiction.

Go on a journey of a lifetime without ever leaving the couch with these great reads!

BooksCall NumbersReading Levels
Holes by Louis SacharJ SAC

AUDIO CD J F SAC
Ages 10-12
AR: 4.6
Lexile: 6600L
Masterminds by Gordon KormanJ KOR

PLAYAWAY J F KOR
Ages 8-12
AR: 5.2
Lexile: 730L
Addison Cooke and the Treasure of the Incas  by Jonathan W. StokesJ STOAges 8-12
AR: 5.2
Lexile: 700L
Storm Runners by Roland SmithJ SMI

AUDIO CD J F SMI
Ages 8-12
AR: 4.5
Lexile: 700L
96 Miles by J.L. EsplinPLAYAWAY J F ESPAges 8-12
AR: 5.2
Lexile: 760L
Compass South by Hope LarsonJ GN LARAges 10-12
AR: 2.4
Lexile: 290L
A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne ParryJ PAR

PLAYAWAY J F PAR
Ages 8-12
AR: 4.3
Lexile: 670L
Paradise on Fire by Jewell Parker RhodesJ RHO

PLAYAWAY J F RHO
Ages 10-14
AR: 3.3
The Wild Robot by Peter BrownJ BRO

AUDIO CD J F BRO
Ages 8-12
AR: 5.1
Lexile: 740L
Scar Island by Dan GemeinhartJ GEMAges 8-12
AR: 4.1
Lexile: 610L

Upcoming Tween Events

April 25
Super Scientists
3rd-6th Grade
Registration starts April 11

March Tween Read Scene: Get a Clue with the Mystery Genre

Do you love solving puzzles?  Are you able to guess the ending to every movie?  Well, the MYSTERY genre might be just right for you!  Stories in the MYSTERY genre feature a crime or mystery and allow you, as the reader, to become the detective.  They can be spooky, funny, or suspenseful, but it is your job to figure out what has happened throughout the story.  

Become a super sleuth with these great MYSTERY stories!

Book TitleWhere to Find ItReading Level
All the Greys on Greene Street by Laura TuckerJ TUC
AUDIO CD J F TUC
Ages 8-12
AR: 5.9
Lexile: 910L
Linked by Gordon KormanJ KORAges 8-12
AR: 5.3
Book Scavenger  by Jennifer Chambliss BertmanJ BER
AUDIO CD J F BER
Ages 9-14
AR: 5.5
Lexile: 810L
The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane by Julia NobelJ NOB
PLAYAWAY J F NOB
Ages 8-12
AR: 4.4
Lexile: 620L
The Strangers by Margaret Peterson HaddixJ HADAges 10-12
AR: 5.1
Lexile: 730L
Premeditated Myrtle by Elizabeth C. BuncePLAYAWAY J F BUNAges 10-14
AR: 5.5
Lexile: 740L
The Van Gogh Deception by Deron HicksJ HICAges 10-12
AR: 5.4
Lexile: 750L
Greenglass House by Kate MilfordJ MILAges 10-12
AR: 5.4
Lexile: 800L
If You Find This by Matthew BakerJ BAKAges 8-12
AR: 4.9
The Harlem Charade by Natasha TarpleyJ TARAges 8-12
AR: 5.4

Upcoming Tween Events

March 28
Super Scientists
3rd-6th Grade
Registration starts March 14

April 1
Art Attack!
4th-8th Grade 
Registration starts March 18

April 1–30
TinkerCAD Challenge: Self-Watering Planter
4th Grade & Up
Registration starts April 1

Check out the blog next month for a new genre and happy reading!

February Tween Read Scene: Back to Reality

Compared to the fantasy genre, realistic fiction may seem boring. But let me assure you,
these books are anything but ordinary. Realistic fiction allows readers to understand the
world around them through the eyes of others. The events in these books could happen in real
life, and the characters feel familiar–like old friends. Many times the realistic fiction
genre tackles serious issues and gives readers the opportunity to “walk a mile in someone else’s
shoes.”
Check out these extraordinary realistic fiction titles!

Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker BradleyJ BRA
AUDIO CD J F BRA
Ages 10–12
AR: 3.6
Wink: Surviving Middle School With One Eye Open by Rob HarrellJ HARAges 9–12
AR: 3.9
Lexile: 580L
Starfish  by Lisa FippsJ FIPAges 10 & up
AR: 4.1
Efrén Divided by Ernesto CisnerosJ CISAges 8–12
AR: 4.5
Lexile: 710L
The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan GemeinhartJ GEM
AUDIO CD J F GEM
Ages 9–12
AR: 4.7
Lexile: 730L
Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker RhodesJ RHO
PLAYAWAY J F RHO
Ages 10 & up
AR: 3
Lexile: 360L
Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World by Ashley Herring BlakePLAYAWAY J F BLAAges 8–12
AR: 4.9
Nowhere Boy by Katherine MarshJ MARAges 10–14
AR: 5.4
Lexile: 810L
Pippa Park Raises Her Game by Erin YunJ YUNAges 9–12
AR: 5
What About Will by Ellen HopkinsJ HOPAges 10 & up

UPCOMING TWEEN EVENTS

February 28
Super Scientists
3rd-6th Grade
Registration starts February 14 

Come back next month for a new genre, and happy reading!

January Tween Read Scene: Fantasy

Christmas may be behind us, but we can still enjoy wondrous worlds and extraordinary creatures
within the FANTASY genre. Books written as FANTASY are set in fictional times or worlds
and contain supernatural or otherworldly elements that cannot exist in real life. Unicorns,
dragons, and wizards make frequent appearances in FANTASY books, and most contain an
element of magic.

Make one of these fantastic fantasies your next great read!

Maya and the Rising Dark by Rena BarronJ BAR  Ages 8-12
AR: 5.2
Lexile: 720L
City of the Plague God by Sarwat ChaddaJ CHA    Ages 8-12
AR: 4.5  
Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. AlstonJ ALS    Ages 8-12
AR: 4.9
Lexile: 700L
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame MbaliaJ MBA
AUDIO CD J F MBA      
Ages 8-12
AR: 4.8
Lexile: 680L
Lalani of the Distant Sea by Erin Entrada KellyJ KEL    Ages 8-12
AR: 4.4
Lexile: 600L
The Way to Rio Luna by Zoraida CórdovaJ COR      Ages 8-12
AR: 5
Lexile: 710L
The Serpent’s Secret by Sayantani DasGuptaJ DAS      Ages 8-12
AR: 5.2
Lexile: 730L
Curse of the Night Witch by Alex Aster  J AST      Ages 8-12
AR: 5.3
Lexile: 770L  
A Dash of Trouble by Anna MerianoJ MER
AUDIO CD J F MER    
Ages 8-12
AR: 5.3
Lexile: 850L  
Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani ChokshiJ CHO
PLAYAWAY J F CHO
Ages 8-12
AR: 4.7
Lexile: 630L

Upcoming Tween Events

January 24: Super Scientists
3rd-6th Grade
Registration starts January 10

February 4: Art Attack!
4th-8th Grade
Registration starts January 21

Check out the blog next month for a new genre, and stay warm with a good book!