Children’s / Teenage general interest: Mysteries and the unexplained

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Book SynopsisThis collection of poems, creatively presented in the format of an allegorical house, will engage anyone who has ever wondered “why?” as it shows young readers that wonder is everywhere—in yourself and in the world around you.Welcome to the Wonder House, a place to explore the cornerstone of every great thinker—a sense of wonder. This Wonder House has many rooms—one for nature, one for quiet, and one for mystery, among others. Each room is filled with poems and objects covering a wide variety of STEAM topics, including geology, paleontology, physics, astronomy, creative writing, and drawing, that will inspire curiosity in young readers.This enchanting book written by award-winning poets Rebecca Kai Dotlich and Georgia Heard both sparks wonder and shows readers how to kindle it in themselves.Trade ReviewA 2023 School Library Journal Best BookA 2024 CCBC Choice ★ "Crisp and concise, with internal rhymes and alliteration, these poems beg to be shared and read aloud. Freedman’s illustrations complement and add whimsical details, including a stargazing penguin and a scaly, red dragon glimpsed amidst a jumble of blocks...Thoughtful readers will relish the figurative language and imagery, and pore over the well-crafted illustrations. An excellent resource for teachers looking to inspire students in an array of topics, from science and nature studies to creative writing." —School Library Journal, starred review★ "Set within 12 ethereal 'rooms,' 29 poems contemplate the wonders of Earth, sea, sky, and beyond...The poets infuse their verse with vibrant, child-accessible imagery....This slim volume teems with STEAM extensions, from exploring poetic forms and devices to investigating scientific facts and hypotheses. A beautifully conceived invitation: to look, see, wonder." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review"Twenty-nine poems in a lovely mix of forms and styles populate this book, presented as a 'house' with twelve double-page-spread 'rooms.'...Freedman’s intriguing mixed-media illustrations use wide washes of color in shades of blue, green, gold, or purple with subtle hints to the objectsreferenced in the poems." —The Horn Book

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Book SynopsisAn Indie Bestseller! 2021 Locus Award Finalist for Best Young Adult Novel2021 Dragon Award Finalist for Best Young Adult/Middle Grade Novel “As tender and intimate as it is ferocious and volatile, Scapegracers deserves to be this generation’s go-to grimoire. May it launch a thousand covens of angry, loving, brilliant girls.” —Amal El-Mohtar in The New York Times Book Review Holiday Books GuideThe Craft for Gen Z: The Scapegracers is an award-nominated, indie bestseller about witchcraft and friendship among a hell-raising coven of teen girls, told in an unapologetically fierce, inclusive, and vibrant voice.Skulking near the bottom of West High’s social pyramid, Sideways Pike lurks under the bleachers doing magic tricks for bottles of Coke. As a witch, lesbian, and lifelong outsider, she’s had a hard time making friends. But when the three most popular girls pay her forty dollars to cast a spell at their Halloween party, Sideways gets swept into a new clique. The unholy trinity are dangerous angels, sugar-coated rattlesnakes, and now—unbelievably—Sideways’ best friends.Together, the four bond to form a ferocious and powerful coven. They plan parties, cast curses on jerks, and try to find Sideways a girlfriend, all while eluding the fundamentalist witchfinders hell-bent on stealing their magic. But for Sideways, the hardest part is the whole “having friends” thing. Who knew that balancing human interaction with supernatural peril could be so complicated?Rich with the urgency of feral youth, The Scapegracers is an atmospheric, voice-driven novel of the occult that explores magic, growing up, and the complexities of friendship with all the rage of a teenage girl.Trade Review★ “In this fierce debut, a trilogy opener, Clarke conjures up a powerful, passionate tale of female friendship and found family. . . . Unapologetically queer . . . and seething with raw emotion, this fantasy opens strong while leaving much to be explored in future installments.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review★ “Readers will love the spooky pop-culture easter eggs and appreciate a fresh spin on the mean girls theme: Readers won’t despise, but will root for, this cunning, crass, and fiercely caring coven. Bitingly honest, fast-paced dialogue is a solid strength, as is the lyrical language, which is so intimate that readers will viscerally know how magic and emotions feel in Sideways’ body. . . . Teenage girl magic is palpable, urgent, and simply marvelous in this must-have debut.” —Kirkus, starred review“A fierce and magnificent debut, raw and wet as bloody scratches from manicured nails. . . . Clarke tells a violently beautiful story of the magic girls make together, whom it threatens and whom it attracts. . . . I loved everything about this book, from the hot, suturing needle of Clarke’s prose to the broken-glass grind of Sideways’s voice. Clarke’s girls are glittering and terrifying, in love with one another and in opposition to the world that disdains and desires them. . . . As tender and intimate as it is ferocious and volatile, Scapegracers deserves to be this generation’s go-to grimoire. May it launch a thousand covens of angry, loving, brilliant girls.” —Amal El-Mohtar in The New York Times Book Review Holiday Books Guide“Loner, lesbian teenage witch Sideways bubbles with nerves, insecurities, and longing in this action packed debut from a young queer writer. Bonus points for super sweet gay dads and all around great representation of diverse characters.” —Chana Porter, author of The Seep“The Scapegracers wallops you with all the raw, thrilling vertigo of young love and new friendship, alongside a deeply-plotted mythology that will delight any magic fan. It's a jewel-studded book, with an unearthly glow. You will definitely want to join this coven.” —Jess Zimmerman, author of Basic Witches“Sapphic teenage witches and slippery vengeance magic? Yes, please! Clarke’s entertaining debut captures all the pleasure and pathos of viciously loyal high school cliques.” —Katharine Duckett, author of Miranda in Milan “This is the dark, twisty, witchy book I've always wanted. [Clarke]'s writing is brilliant and gorgeous and firework bright.” —Kat Howard, author of An Unkindness of Magicians“The magic especially intrigued me—so spooky and weird and dangerous but addictive.” —Shveta Thakrar, author of Star Daughter

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Book SynopsisThey'll lure you in with fruit and gems and liquor and dancing, merriment to remember for the rest of your life. But that's an illusion. The market is death itself.Beneath the streets of York, the goblin market calls to the Wickett womenthe family of witches that tends to its victims. For generations, they have defended the old cobblestone streets with their magic. Knowing the dangers, they never entered the marketuntil May Wickett fell for a goblin girl, accepted her invitation, and became inextricably tied to the world her family tried to protect her from. The market learned her name, and even when she and her sister left York for Boston to escape it, the goblins remembered.Seventeen years later, Lou, May's niece, knows nothing of her magical lineage or the twisted streets, sweet fruits, and incredible jewels of the goblin market. But just like her aunt, the market calls to her, an echo of a curse that won't release its hold on her family. And when her youngest aunt, Neela, is kidnapped by goblins, Lou discovers just how real and dangerous the market is.To save her, both May and Lou will have to confront their family's past and what happened all those years ago. But everythingfrom the food and wares, to the goblins themselvesis a haunting temptation for any human who manages to find their way in. And if Lou isn't careful, she could end up losing herself to the market, too.

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Book SynopsisQueer Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Filipino folklore in this horror comedy about a high school stage manager who accidentally sells her soul to a demon. Seven years ago, Cordelia Scott's abusive father left without a word, and life has been normal ever since. The seventeen-year-old spends her days stage managing the school play (which is going great, if anyone asks), pining over her best friend, Veronica, and failing one too many pop quizzes. She's never been sad that her father left, but she knows something is...missing. When her school guidance counselor, Fred, reveals during a session that he's actually a demon, she learns that something is indeed missing: a piece of her actual soul. Why? She unwittingly made a deal with him to make her father disappear - then bargained to have the memory erased. To make matters worse, Fred is here to make another bargain: Help him with a "little" demonic problem, or she's doomed to spend eternity in Hell with her father. The deal? Help Fred neutralize a rival demon, who means to do more harm in her hometown than your average demon deal.

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Book SynopsisJojo needs to pee. Urgently! But to get to the toilet, he'll have to meet the ogre in the hallway. Pascal Lema�tre's brave Jojo and adorable ogre will help kids giggle away nighttime fears. It's late at night, and Jojo knows two things: First, he has to pee, urgently. Second, an ogre lives in the hallway, and he'll have to see him on the way to pee. Not an easy situation to solve. Sword in hand, Jojo creeps along the walls of the dark hallway. Finally he reaches the door, where he discovers that the ogre is inside and on the potty! Jojo tells the ogre to scram, but the sad and sweet-faced ogre is too upset! He has a stomach ache and yes, he's also afraid of the dark! The mayhem escalates from there as more creatures appear, piling into the bathroom to hide from their many nighttime fears. Clever and funny with stellar art by Pascal Lema�tre, this is a story that will delight children who love monsters and spooky stories as it defangs their fears of the dark.Trade Review“Appealing…..young children [will] be empowered to face the dark on their own….An amusing, empowering story about conquering nighttime fears." -- Kirkus Reviews"A great book for kids who are afraid of the dark (or going to the bathroom in the middle of the night)." -- Unleashing Readers"Inverts the classic monster-under-the-bed story, and adds the need to pee!... A fun adjunct to more practical books about potty training, for ages 3-5." —Youth Services Book Review

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Book SynopsisWhat is so magical about unicorns? Everything! Including their rainbow-colored, glittery poop! Find out everything there is to know in this book about unicorn poop and the magical things that happen! Features a rainbow-colored, glittered, soft touch-and-feel unicorn poop that is visible through the die-cut cover and on every interior spread.When a unicorn poops, magical things happen! Unicorn poop smells like cupcake frosting and even can grant wishes. The wishes take the form of rainbows that sail across the sky--with the help of smiling clouds with sparkly wings, of course! Fairies in the sky twirl around and wave their wands to make wishes come true, too. Stardust sprinkles from the sky as the unicorn travels around the world, filling it with colorful, sparkly love! Features a rainbow-colored, glittered, soft touch-and-feel unicorn poop that is visible through the die-cut cover and on every interior spread.

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