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 Brosgol	J GN BRO	Ages 10-14 AR: 2.6 Lexile: 360L
The Misfits Club by Kieran Crowley	J CRO	Ages 9-13 AR: 5.1 Lexile: 740L
Caterpillar Summer  by Gillian McDunn	J MCD (2023 BLUESTEM)	Ages 8-12 AR: 3.8 Lexile: 540L
The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon	J MAG	Ages 8-12 AR: 3.8 Lexile: 510L
Camp Murderface by Josh Berk and Saundra Mitchell	J BER AUDIO CD J F BER	Ages 8-12
Float by  Laura Martin	J MAR	Ages 10-12 AR: 5.5 Lexile: 840L
Drum Roll, Please by Lisa Jenn Bigelow	J BIG	Ages 8-12 AR: 4.4 Lexile: 630L
Lions & Liars  by Kate Beasley	AUDIO CD J F BEA	Ages 9-12 AR: 4.8 Lexile: 720L
Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson	J GN JAM	Ages 8-12 AR: 3.2 Lexile: 440L
BenBee and the Teacher Griefer by K.A. Holt	J HOL	Ages 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

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 Title	Call Number	Reading Level
Finn and the Intergalactic Lunchbox by Michael Buckley	J BUC	Ages 10-14 AR: 4.6 Lexile: 630L
The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera	PLAYAWAY J F HIG	Ages 10-14
Weird Kid by Greg van Eekhout	PLAYAWAY J F VAN	Ages 9-12 AR: 4.4
A Problematic Paradox  by Eliot Sappingfield	J SAP	Ages 10-14 AR: 6 Lexile: 850L
Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat by Johnny Marciano & Emily Chenoweth	J MAR	Ages 8-12 AR: 4.4 Lexile: 590L
The Owls Have Come to Take Us Away by Ronald L. Smith	J SMI	Ages 10-12 AR: 4.3 Lexile: 600L
Space Battle Lunchtime by  Natalie Riess	J RIE	Ages 9-12 Lexile: 370L
Sal & Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez	J HER PLAYAWAY J F RIO	Ages 8-12 AR: 4.9 Lexile: 700L
The Lion of Mars by Jennifer L. Holm	J HOL	Ages 8-12 AR: 4 Lexile: 530L
Felix Yz by Lisa Bunker	J BUN	Ages 10-14 AR: 5.3 Lexile: 940L
The Last Last-Day-of-Summer by Lamar Giles	J GIL PLAYAWAY J F GIL	Ages 8-12 AR: 5.2 Lexile: 740L

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!

Books	Call Numbers	Reading Levels
Holes by Louis Sachar	J SAC AUDIO CD J F SAC	Ages 10-12 AR: 4.6 Lexile: 6600L
Masterminds by Gordon Korman	J KOR PLAYAWAY J F KOR	Ages 8-12 AR: 5.2 Lexile: 730L
Addison Cooke and the Treasure of the Incas  by Jonathan W. Stokes	J STO	Ages 8-12 AR: 5.2 Lexile: 700L
Storm Runners by Roland Smith	J SMI AUDIO CD J F SMI	Ages 8-12 AR: 4.5 Lexile: 700L
96 Miles by J.L. Esplin	PLAYAWAY J F ESP	Ages 8-12 AR: 5.2 Lexile: 760L
Compass South by Hope Larson	J GN LAR	Ages 10-12 AR: 2.4 Lexile: 290L
A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry	J PAR PLAYAWAY J F PAR	Ages 8-12 AR: 4.3 Lexile: 670L
Paradise on Fire by Jewell Parker Rhodes	J RHO PLAYAWAY J F RHO	Ages 10-14 AR: 3.3
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown	J BRO AUDIO CD J F BRO	Ages 8-12 AR: 5.1 Lexile: 740L
Scar Island by Dan Gemeinhart	J GEM	Ages 8-12 AR: 4.1 Lexile: 610L

Upcoming Tween Events

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

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 Title	Where to Find It	Reading Level
All the Greys on Greene Street by Laura Tucker	J TUC AUDIO CD J F TUC	Ages 8-12 AR: 5.9 Lexile: 910L
Linked by Gordon Korman	J KOR	Ages 8-12 AR: 5.3
Book Scavenger  by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman	J BER AUDIO CD J F BER	Ages 9-14 AR: 5.5 Lexile: 810L
The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane by Julia Nobel	J NOB PLAYAWAY J F NOB	Ages 8-12 AR: 4.4 Lexile: 620L
The Strangers by Margaret Peterson Haddix	J HAD	Ages 10-12 AR: 5.1 Lexile: 730L
Premeditated Myrtle by Elizabeth C. Bunce	PLAYAWAY J F BUN	Ages 10-14 AR: 5.5 Lexile: 740L
The Van Gogh Deception by Deron Hicks	J HIC	Ages 10-12 AR: 5.4 Lexile: 750L
Greenglass House by Kate Milford	J MIL	Ages 10-12 AR: 5.4 Lexile: 800L
If You Find This by Matthew Baker	J BAK	Ages 8-12 AR: 4.9
The Harlem Charade by Natasha Tarpley	J TAR	Ages 8-12 AR: 5.4

Upcoming Tween Events

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

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

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

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

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 Bradley	J BRA AUDIO CD J F BRA	Ages 10–12 AR: 3.6
Wink: Surviving Middle School With One Eye Open by Rob Harrell	J HAR	Ages 9–12 AR: 3.9 Lexile: 580L
Starfish  by Lisa Fipps	J FIP	Ages 10 & up AR: 4.1
Efrén Divided by Ernesto Cisneros	J CIS	Ages 8–12 AR: 4.5 Lexile: 710L
The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart	J GEM AUDIO CD J F GEM	Ages 9–12 AR: 4.7 Lexile: 730L
Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes	J RHO PLAYAWAY J F RHO	Ages 10 & up AR: 3 Lexile: 360L
Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake	PLAYAWAY J F BLA	Ages 8–12 AR: 4.9
Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh	J MAR	Ages 10–14 AR: 5.4 Lexile: 810L
Pippa Park Raises Her Game by Erin Yun	J YUN	Ages 9–12 AR: 5
What About Will by Ellen Hopkins	J HOP	Ages 10 & up

UPCOMING TWEEN EVENTS

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

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

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 Barron	J BAR	Ages 8-12 AR: 5.2 Lexile: 720L
City of the Plague God by Sarwat Chadda	J CHA	Ages 8-12 AR: 4.5
Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston	J ALS	Ages 8-12 AR: 4.9 Lexile: 700L
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia	J MBA AUDIO CD J F MBA	Ages 8-12 AR: 4.8 Lexile: 680L
Lalani of the Distant Sea by Erin Entrada Kelly	J KEL	Ages 8-12 AR: 4.4 Lexile: 600L
The Way to Rio Luna by Zoraida Córdova	J COR	Ages 8-12 AR: 5 Lexile: 710L
The Serpent’s Secret by Sayantani DasGupta	J 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 Meriano	J MER AUDIO CD J F MER	Ages 8-12 AR: 5.3 Lexile: 850L
Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi	J CHO PLAYAWAY J F CHO	Ages 8-12 AR: 4.7 Lexile: 630L

Upcoming Tween Events

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

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

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

As the days get shorter, you might be looking for something to brighten your mood. The HUMOR genre is a great cure for the winter blues. The characters within this genre are often involved in silly adventures and are always making hilarious mistakes along the way. These books often focus on real issues, but allow us to see that sometimes it’s okay to laugh at our mistakes.

These books are sure to have you ROFL!

Stand Up, Yumi Chung! by Jessica Kim	PLAYAWAY J F KIM	Ages 9-12 AR: 4.4 Lexile: 620L
Max & the Midknights by Lincoln Peirce	J GN PEI AUDIO CD J F PEI	Ages 8-12 AR: 3.3 Lexile: 490L
Pie in the Sky by Remi Lai	J LAI	Ages 8-11 AR: 4.5 Lexile: 720L
Lions and Liars by Kate Beasley	AUDIO CD J F BEA	Ages 9-12 AR: 4.8 Lexile: 720L
Funny Girl: Funniest. Stories. Ever.	J FUN	Ages 8-12 AR: 4.5 Lexile: 660L
The Unteachables by Gordon Korman	J KOR PLAYAWAY J F KOR	Ages 8-12 AR: 5.1 Lexile: 740L
The Smartest Kid in the Universe by Chris Grabenstein	J GRA	Ages 8-12 AR: 4.7 Lexile: 640L
Frazzled: Everyday Disasters and Impending Doom by Booki Vivat	J VIV	Ages 8-12 AR: 4.9 Lexile: 830L
Invisible Emmie by Terri Libenson	J LIB	Ages 8-12 AR: 3.8 Lexile: 570L
A Whole Nother Story by Cuthbert Soup	J SOU PLAYAWAY J F SOU	Ages 8-12 AR: 5.6 Lexile: 900L

Upcoming Events for Tweens

December 1-31: TinkerCAD Challenge

            4^th-12^th Grade

            Registration required

December 27: Super Scientists

            3^rd-6^th Grade

            Registration starts December 13

January 7: Art Attack!

            4^th-8^th Grade

            Registration starts December 24

Check out the blog next month for a new genre, and have a happy holiday!   

Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to live in ancient Egypt, survive the sinking of the Titanic, or cross the country on the Oregon Trail? Although time travel to the past is not currently available, we can still experience the past through the historical fiction genre.

Books in the historical fiction genre are easy to recognize because they all take place in the past. The characters and events in this genre may or may not be real, but the author uses them to create a story in which the reader can experience what it may have been like to live during that time.

Take a journey back in time with these great reads!

Title & Author	Type	Reading Level
We Dream of Space Erin Entrada Kelly	Book: J KEL Audio CD: AUDIO CD J F KEL	Ages 8-12 AR: 4.6
Orange for the Sunsets Tina Athaide	Book: J ATH	Ages 8-12 AR: 4.1 Lexile: 600L
Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story Nora Raleigh Baskin	Book: J BAS Playaway: PLAYAWAY J F BAS	Ages 8-12 AR: 4.8 Lexile: 730L
Show Me A Sign Anne Clare LeZotte	Book: J LEZ	Ages 8-12 AR: 5.1 Lexile: 730L
Hero on a Bicycle Shirley Hughes	Book: J HUG	Ages 10-14 AR: 6 Lexile: 880L
Like a River: A Civil War Novel Kathy Cannon Wiechman	Book: J WIE	Ages 9-12 AR: 5.1 Lexile: 750L
Echo Pam Muñoz Ryan	Book: J RYA Playaway: PLAYAWAY J F RYA	Ages 10-14 AR: 4.9 Lexile: 680L
Al Capone Does My Shirts Gennifer Choldenko (Tale from Alcatraz Series)	Book: J CHO Audio CD: AUDIO CD J F CHO	Ages 10-14 AR: 3.5 Lexile: 600L
The Lincoln Project Dan Gutman (Flashback Four Series)	Book: J GUT	Ages 8-12 AR: 4.8 Lexile: 700L
Catherine’s War Julia Billet	Book: J GN BIL	Ages 8-12 AR: 3.7

Upcoming Tween Events

November 16
Girls Rock Book Club
4th-8th Grade
Registration Open Now

November 29
Super Scientists
3rd-6th Grade
Registration starts November 15

December 3
Art Attack: Button Wreath Ornament
4th-8th Grade
Registration Starts November 19

December 7
Geek Out! Graphic Novel Club
4th-8th Grade
Registration Starts November 16

Check out the blog next month for our next genre, and have a happy & healthy Thanksgiving!