Max is no ordinary orphan! She is living over the Central Park stables with some other down-on-their luck folks and is obsessed with Albert Einstein. But everything changes when Max is recruited by a mysterious organization, the Change Makers Institute, that is looking for talented young geniuses who can lead world-improving projects. Taking advantage of this opportunity to make friends her own age, Max and a diverse team of young talent head to the Congo on a mission to bring solar power to a village hoping to attract industries to provide opportunities that the current mining business does not. The powerful Dr. Zimm and his sinister organization, the Corporation, however, are intent on stopping them. With a feisty heroine, adventure-filled plot, nasty villain, and the notion that being smart cool, this book and its diverse group of characters will appeal to STEM fans in particular.
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Things You Can’t Say
The children’s room at the library is 12 year-old Drew’s happy place. He puts on puppet shows and helps the younger kids choose books, all without the teasing of his peers. When a new kid, another 12 year-old named Audrey, signs on as a library volunteer she seems to take over the room. If that’s not enough to ruin his summer, his best friend, Felipe, seems to be distant and Phil, an old friend of Drew’s mother suddenly arrives for an unexpected visit. It has been three years since Drew’s dad took his own life, and Drew is worried that he may be destined for the same. He wonders how Phil seems to know so much about the family and even questions whether this visitor may be his biological father. As he and Audrey begin to find a way to be friends, Drew accepts her help as they search for the information he needs to understand facts about his family that have been hidden until now. A sensitive look at the impact of suicide on children that the mature reader can appreciate and learn from.
Things You Can’t Say
Velociraptors (Storybots)
Get ready to meet the rapping velociraptors! They’ve got pointy teeth, sharp claws, and entertaining rhymes. Based on a favorite Storybots adventure, young readers will learn fun facts about these popular carnivorous creatures. The rhyming text and picture clues will help any reader decode this story
Velociraptors (Storybots)
Pay Attention, Carter Jones
Carter Jones is astonished early one morning when he finds a real English butler, bowler hat and all, on the doorstep—one who stays to help the Jones family, which is a little bit broken. This “gentleman’s gentleman” worked for Carter’s grandfather who has died and left the man’s services to this family in dire need of some help. Carter’s father has been deployed overseas, his mother is struggling to parent her four children with little support, money problems abound, and the family is still reeling from the death of six-year-old little brother Currier three years ago. Much to Carter’s dismay, Mr. Bowles-Fitzpatrick is determined to see that the family follows all the rule of proper English behavior as he tries to bring a sense of order and efficiency to their daily lives. The butler, however, soon recognizes the grief that is overwhelming Carter and introduces him, and his schoolmates, to the sport of cricket, believing it may be just the thing that can give them a sense of purpose and pride. Can this unexpected and unconventional man be just what Carter needs to make sense of it all? A compassionate and insightful look at facing life head on and finding answers in the most unexpected ways.
Pay Attention, Carter Jones
DK Presidents
An informative and visual guide to America’s highest office, this book explores the history of the White House and the presidents who have served in it. Written in association with the Smithsonian Institution, this reference book provides brief biographies and trivia for students, along with hundreds of photos that illustrate the lives of America’s presidents. Each president’s feature begins with their early lives and takes the reader through their political careers with information about how they came into office and what happened after they won their elections. This new edition also includes newly elected commander-in-chief Joe Biden and is the perfect reference book for history buffs and classrooms alike.
DK Presidents
J.D. and the Great Barber Battle
J.D. has a big problem – it’s the night before the start of third grade and his mom has just given him his first and worst home haircut. When the steady stream of insults from his classmates at Douglass Elementary become too much, he takes matters into his own hands and discovers that, unlike his mom, he’s a genius with the clippers! Whether he’s cutting a fade or other popular style, J.D. becomes the talk of the school and has kids lined up for his Saturday at home haircut sessions. But when the owner of the town’s only barbershop realizes that he's losing customers to an 8 year-old, the two decide to have a contest – the great barber battle – to see who is the best barber in town. A story with diverse characters that encourages all young entrepreneurs to follow their dreams!
J.D. and the Great Barber Battle
Who Would Win: Triceratops vs. Spinosaurus
This nonfiction reader in the popular “Who Would Win” series compares and contrasts these two fierce dinosaurs. With facts, photos, and illustrations that highlight the anatomy and behavior of each, this book reveals who will be the champion when these creatures battle it out. Perfect for dinosaur fans of all ages.