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Week of August 29, 2016

Paperback releases for the week of August 29th include HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN by James Lee Burke, a thrilling entry in the Holland family saga that tells the story of a father and son separated by war, circumstance and a race for the Holy Grail; THE HOURS COUNT, Jillian Cantor's historical novel about a woman who befriends Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, and is drawn into their world of intrigue; and WE ARE UNPREPARED, a debut novel by Meg Little Reilly, who places a young couple in harm’s way --- both literally and emotionally --- as they face a cataclysmic storm that threatens to decimate their Vermont town and the Eastern Seaboard.

Celebrating William Kent Krueger's Cork O'Connor Series!

William Kent Krueger's Cork O'Connor Series
William Kent Krueger first started the Cork O'Connor series in 1996 with IRON LAKE. Twenty years later, we're celebrating the release of the 15th book, MANITOU CANYON, which hits stores on September 6th. The award-winning and New York Times bestselling series follows the life of a former Chicago cop, Cork O'Connor, as he takes on the role of a part-time private investigator in the woods of northern Minnesota. It's no doubt that trouble always seems to find Cork in these nail-biting stories.

Editorial Content for Smash & Grab

Contributors

Reviewer (text)

Juliette G., Teen Board Member

Risk-taking teens jump off skyscrapers and rob banks in a new riveting read by Amy Christine Parker. Wealthy Westwood Prep sophomore Lexi Scott and her “adrenaline junky” friends perform daring stunts --- such as base jumping and motorcycle racing --- for fun. On the other side of town, street-smart senior Christian Ruiz and his close-knit crew commit dangerous crimes --- such as stealing getaway cars and hitting banks --- for survival. Read More

Teaser

 

Lexi is a rich girl who loves a good rush. Whether it’s motorcycle racing or base jumping off a building in downtown Los Angeles, the only times she feels alive are when she and her friends are executing one of their dares. After her father’s arrest, Lexi doesn’t think twice about going undercover at his bank to steal the evidence that might clear his name. She enlists her hacker brother and her daredevil friends to plan a clever heist.

Promo

Lexi is a rich girl who loves a good rush. Whether it’s motorcycle racing or base jumping off a building in downtown Los Angeles, the only times she feels alive are when she and her friends are executing one of their dares. After her father’s arrest, Lexi doesn’t think twice about going undercover at his bank to steal the evidence that might clear his name. She enlists her hacker brother and her daredevil friends to plan a clever heist.

About the Book

Ocean’s Eleven meets the star-crossed lovers of West Side Story. Grab some popcorn and get ready for an adrenaline-filled heist!
 
Lexi is a rich girl who loves a good rush. Whether it’s motorcycle racing or base jumping off a building in downtown Los Angeles, the only times she feels alive are when she and her friends are executing one of their dares. After her father’s arrest, Lexi doesn’t think twice about going undercover at his bank to steal the evidence that might clear his name. She enlists her hacker brother and her daredevil friends to plan a clever heist.
 
Christian is a boy from the wrong side of the tracks. The local gang has blackmailed him and his friends into robbing banks, and he is desperate for a way out. When the boss promises that one really big job will be the last he ever has to do, Christian jumps at the chance for freedom. In fact, he’s just met a girl at the bank who might even prove useful. . . .
 
Two heists. One score. The only thing standing in their way is each other.
 
Told in alternating points of view, this caper is full of romance and fast-paced fun. Hand to fans of Perfect Chemistry, THE CONSPIRACY OF US, and Heist Society.

Week of August 22, 2016

Paperback releases for the week of August 22nd include A GIRL'S GUIDE TO MOVING ON by Debbie Macomber, in which a mother and her daughter-in-law bravely leave their troubled marriages and face the challenge of starting over; MY LIFE ON THE ROAD, a candid account of Gloria Steinem's life as a traveler, a listener, and a catalyst for change; and DICTATOR, the final volume of Robert Harris’ Ancient Rome Trilogy, which encompasses some of the most epic events in ancient history --- the collapse of the Roman Republic and the subsequent civil war, the murder of Pompey, and the assassination of Julius Caesar.

Editorial Content for Click Here to Start

Contributors

Reviewer (text)

Norah Piehl

In CLICK HERE TO START, debut novelist Denis Markell gives readers a fun, puzzle-filled mystery that also offers glimpses into elements of American history.
  Read More

Teaser

 

Twelve-year-old Ted Gerson has spent most of his summer playing video games. So when his great-uncle dies and bequeaths him the all so-called treasure in his overstuffed junk shop of an apartment, Ted explores it like it’s another level to beat. And to his shock, he finds that eccentric Great-Uncle Ted actually has set the place up like a real-life escape-the-room game!

Promo

Twelve-year-old Ted Gerson has spent most of his summer playing video games. So when his great-uncle dies and bequeaths him the all so-called treasure in his overstuffed junk shop of an apartment, Ted explores it like it’s another level to beat. And to his shock, he finds that eccentric Great-Uncle Ted actually has set the place up like a real-life escape-the-room game!

About the Book

What if playing video games was prepping you to solve an incredible real-world puzzle and locate a priceless treasure?
 
Twelve-year-old Ted Gerson has spent most of his summer playing video games. So when his great-uncle dies and bequeaths him the all so-called treasure in his overstuffed junk shop of an apartment, Ted explores it like it’s another level to beat. And to his shock, he finds that eccentric Great-Uncle Ted actually has set the place up like a real-life escape-the-room game!
 
Using his specially honed skills, Ted sets off to win the greatest game he’s ever played, with help from his friends Caleb and Isabel. Together they discover that Uncle Ted’s “treasure” might be exactly that --- real gold and jewels found by a Japanese American unit that served in World War II. With each puzzle Ted and his friends solve, they get closer to unraveling the mystery --- but someone dangerous is hot on their heels, and he’s not about to let them get away with the fortune.

Editorial Content for Song of the Deep

Contributors

Reviewer (text)

Rebecca Hawkins

Twelve-year-old Merryn has grown up listening to her father’s haunting lullabies and fantastic tales of the mysterious world beneath the ocean’s waves. Merryn wakes up one morning to find her father gone. A fisherman and Merryn’s only living parent, he seems to have disappeared without a trace. Merryn wastes no time in building a tiny submarine with materials she finds in her father’s shed. Deep under the sea, Merryn finds a world of incredible beauty and danger, full of fantastic creatures and strange machines. Read More

Teaser

Twelve-year-old Merryn lives with her fisherman father in a little cottage by the sea. Each day, her father braves the tumultuous waves and returns home in time for dinner. One stormy evening, he doesn’t come back. Merryn has a vision that he’s been dragged underwater by a terrifying sea creature. Determined to rescue him, Merryn builds a tiny submarine and embarks on a journey through the undersea worlds she’s only heard about in her father’s lullabies. As she faces the dangers and wonders of the world below the waves, she realizes that her father’s stories were all real. 
 

Promo

Twelve-year-old Merryn lives with her fisherman father in a little cottage by the sea. Each day, her father braves the tumultuous waves and returns home in time for dinner. One stormy evening, he doesn’t come back. Merryn has a vision that he’s been dragged underwater by a terrifying sea creature. Determined to rescue him, Merryn builds a tiny submarine and embarks on a journey through the undersea worlds she’s only heard about in her father’s lullabies. As she faces the dangers and wonders of the world below the waves, she realizes that her father’s stories were all real. 
 

About the Book

Twelve-year-old Merryn lives with her fisherman father in a little cottage by the sea. Each day, her father braves the tumultuous waves and returns home in time for dinner. One stormy evening, he doesn’t come back. Merryn has a vision that he’s been dragged underwater by a terrifying sea creature, and he needs her help. Determined to rescue him, Merryn builds a tiny submarine and embarks on a journey through the undersea worlds she’s only heard about in her father’s lullabies. As she faces the dangers and wonders of the world below the waves, she realizes that her father’s stories were all real. 

Readers can also experience Merryn’s daring journey firsthand in the new Song of the Deep video game from acclaimed developer Insomniac Games.

Noah Hawley, author of Before the Fall

On a foggy summer night, 11 people --- 10 privileged, one down-on-his-luck painter --- depart Martha's Vineyard on a private jet headed for New York. Sixteen minutes later, the unthinkable happens: the plane plunges into the ocean. The only survivors are Scott Burroughs --- the painter --- and a four-year-old boy, who is now the last remaining member of an immensely wealthy and powerful media mogul's family. With chapters weaving between the aftermath of the crash and the backstories of the passengers and crew members, the mystery surrounding the tragedy heightens.

Editorial Content for Magic Tree House Fact Tracker #35: Dragons and Mythical Creatures: A Nonfiction Companion to Magic Tree House #55: Night of the Ninth Dragon

Contributors

Reviewer (text)

Elizabeth Corley

Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Osborne delve into the history and science behind several mysterious creatures in their MAGIC TREE HOUSE FACT TRACKER: Dragons and Mythical Creatures. This book, written as a nonfiction companion to NIGHT OF THE NINTH DRAGON (Magic Tree House, No. 55), will not spoil anyone’s imagination regarding many famous monsters and magical beings. In fact, it might even lead the reader to think more carefully about the possibly “real” existence of dragons, mermaids, unicorns and more. Read More

Teaser

Track the facts about dragons, unicorns, mermaids and more --- with Jack and Annie! When Jack and Annie came back from their adventure in Magic Tree House Super Edition #2: Night of the Nine Dragons, they had lots of questions. What do tales about dragons have in common? Are mermaids real? How do unicorns use their horns? Find out the answers to these questions and more as Jack and Annie track the facts about their favorite creatures from myths and legends. And just what might some of those creature sightings really be?

Promo

Track the facts about dragons, unicorns, mermaids and more --- with Jack and Annie! When Jack and Annie came back from their adventure in Magic Tree House Super Edition #2: Night of the Nine Dragons, they had lots of questions. What do tales about dragons have in common? Are mermaids real? How do unicorns use their horns? Find out the answers to these questions and more as Jack and Annie track the facts about their favorite creatures from myths and legends. And just what might some of those creature sightings really be?

About the Book

Track the facts about dragons, unicorns, mermaids and more --- with Jack and Annie!
 
When Jack and Annie came back from their adventure in Magic Tree House Super Edition #2: Night of the Nine Dragons, they had lots of questions. What do tales about dragons have in common? Are mermaids real? How do unicorns use their horns? Find out the answers to these questions and more as Jack and Annie track the facts about their favorite creatures from myths and legends. And just what might some of those creature sightings really be?
 
Filled with up-to-date information, photographs, illustrations and fun tidbits from Jack and Annie, the Magic Tree House Fact Trackers are the perfect way for kids to find out more about the topics they discover in their favorite Magic Tree House adventures. And teachers can use the Fact Trackers alongside their Magic Tree House fiction companions to meet Common Core text pairing needs.
 
Have more fun with Jack and Annie on the Magic Tree House website at MagicTreeHouse.com!

Editorial Content for This Is Not the Abby Show

Contributors

Reviewer (text)

Aimee Rogers

As my enthusiasm for THIS IS NOT THE ABBY SHOW will undoubtedly leak through in my review I should tell you now that I enjoyed this book immensely. As I sit here and reflect on the book and why I liked it so much, there isn’t one reason that I liked it, but rather the reason it was so good is because it is the complete package --- dynamic and relatable characters, a believable and interesting plot and important themes and issues.

“[Full of] dynamic and relatable characters, a believable and interesting plot and important themes and issues.”

Teaser

 

Abby is gifted in math and science, and she has ADHD. Normally, she has everything pretty-much-sorta-kinda under control. But when Abby makes one HUGE mistake that leads to “The Night That Ruined My Life,” or “TNTRML,” she lands in summer school. Abby thinks the other summer school kids are going to be total weirdos and she feels that her life is turning into a total disater. But as Abby learns to communicate better and finds friends who love her for who she is, she discovers that her biggest weaknesses could be her greatest assets.

Promo

Abby is gifted in math and science, and she has ADHD. Normally, she has everything pretty-much-sorta-kinda under control. But when Abby makes one HUGE mistake that leads to “The Night That Ruined My Life,” or “TNTRML,” she lands in summer school. Abby thinks the other summer school kids are going to be total weirdos and she feels that her life is turning into a total disater. But as Abby learns to communicate better and finds friends who love her for who she is, she discovers that her biggest weaknesses could be her greatest assets.

About the Book

Fans of Joey Pigza, Meg Cabot and BECAUSE OF MR. TERUPT will root for hilarious, one-of-a-kind Abby as she navigates ADHD, middle school, family, and friendships.
 
Abby was born for the spotlight. Now it’s her time to shine!
 
Abby is twice exceptional --- she is gifted in math and science, and she has ADHD. Normally, she has everything pretty-much-sorta-kinda under control. But when Abby makes one HUGE mistake that leads to “The Night That Ruined My Life,” or “TNTRML,” she lands in summer school.
 
Abby thinks the other summer school kids are going to be total weirdos. And what with her parents’ new rules, plus all the fuss over her brother’s bar mitzvah, her life is turning into a complete disaster.
 
But as Abby learns to communicate better and finds friends who love her for who she is, she discovers that her biggest weaknesses could be her greatest assets.
 
Hilarious and heartwarming, THIS IS NOT THE ABBEY SHOW is for everyone who knows that standing out is way more fun than blending in.

Editorial Content for Going, Going, Gone: In Due Time, Book 1

Contributors

Reviewer (text)

Rob Bentlyewski

GOING, GOING, GONE is the first book in the In Due Time series by author Nicholas O. Time (pun fully intended), and it follows 12-year-old baseball fanatic Matt Vezza and his friends, Luis and Grace, as they get a surprise opportunity to go back in time. Mysterious things are taking place in the library at Sands Middle School, such as Vikings appearing out of the blue and folks who look awfully similar to Albert Einstein and Jackie Robinson exploring the aisles. Read More

Teaser

 

Librarian Valerie Tremt tells three students that one of the library books, THE BOOK OF MEMORIES, is actually a time travel portal. Now that he can time travel, 12-year-old Matt knows exactly where he wants to go. His grandfather Joe was on the path to becoming a major league baseball player until he slipped and fell into the pool and hurt his ankle. The injury turned out to be a career-ending one. Matt wants to go back in time to prevent the accident from ever occurring, so his grandfather can have the career he deserved! But can he successfully alter his grandfather’s past without changing his own future?

Promo

Librarian Valerie Tremt tells three students that one of the library books, THE BOOK OF MEMORIES, is actually a time travel portal. Now that he can time travel, 12-year-old Matt knows exactly where he wants to go. His grandfather Joe was on the path to becoming a major league baseball player until he slipped and fell into the pool and hurt his ankle. The injury turned out to be a career-ending one. Matt wants to go back in time to prevent the accident from ever occurring, so his grandfather can have the career he deserved! But can he successfully alter his grandfather’s past without changing his own future?

About the Book

Three middle schoolers travel back in time on a madcap adventure with the help of a library book in this laugh-out-loud start to the brand-new series, In Due Time.

GOING, GOING, GONE opens in the library at Sands Middle School where strange things are happening. Vikings burst out of bookcases, Albert Einstein appears out of nowhere and is that Jackie Robinson tossing a baseball in the corner of the room?

When Librarian Valerie Tremt tells three students that one of the library books, THE BOOK OF MEMORIES, is actually a time travel portal, the kids don’t believe her at first. But when they ask to see a dinosaur as proof and suddenly there is a terrifying T-Rex in the library, they realize she isn’t kidding around.

Now that he can time travel, 12-year-old Matt knows exactly where he wants to go. In the summer of 1951, Matt’s grandfather Joe was on the path to becoming a major league baseball player. But at a 4th of July BBQ, Joe danced a little too close to the edge of a swimming pool and --- splash! --- he fell in and hurt his ankle. What should have been a minor injury turned out to be a career-ending one. Always the optimist, Joe used to say, “Because of the accident, I met the girl I was going to marry, so it was all worth it.”

Matt wants to go back in time to prevent the accident from ever occurring, so his grandfather can have the career he deserved! But can he successfully alter his grandfather’s past without changing his own future? Only time will tell…