Thanksgiving Closing 2024

The library will close at 5 pm on Wednesday, November 27, and remain closed on Thursday, November 28, for Thanksgiving.

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City of Night Birds

Juhea Kim

A once-famous ballerina faces a final choice--to return to the world of Russian dance that nearly broke her, or to walk away forever--in this incandescent novel of redemption and love

On a White Night in 2019, prima ballerina Natalia Leonova returns to St. Petersburg two years after a devastating accident that stalled her career. Once the most celebrated dancer of her generation, she now turns to pills and alcohol to numb the pain of her past.

She is unmoored in her old city as the ghosts of her former life begin to resurface: her loving but difficult mother, her absentee father, and the two gifted dancers who led to her downfall.

One of those dancers, Alexander, is the love of her life, who transformed both Natalia and her art. The other is Dmitri, a dark and treacherous genius. When the latter offers her a chance to return to the stage in her signature role, Natalia must decide whether she can again face the people responsible for both her soaring highs and darkest hours.

Painting a vivid portrait of the Russian ballet world, where cutthroat ambition, ever-shifting politics, and sublime artistry collide, City of Night Birds unveils the making of a dancer with both profound intimacy and breathtaking scope. Mysterious and alluring, passionate and virtuosic, Juhea Kim's second novel is an affecting meditation on love, forgiveness, and the making of an artist in a turbulent world.

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The Serpent and the Wolf

Rebecca Robinson

Perfect for fans of Raven Kennedy and Thea Guanzon, Rebecca Robinson’s thrilling romantasy debut combines high-stakes political intrigue and a steamy, slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance.

All her life, Vaasa Kozár has been sharpened into a blade.

After losing her mother—her only remaining parent—to a mysterious dark magic that has since awakened within her, Vaasa is certain death looms. So is her merciless brother, who aims to eliminate Vaasa as a threat to his crown. In one last political scheme, he marries her off to Reid of Mireh, a ruthless foreign ruler, in hopes that he can use her death as a rallying cry to finally invade Reid’s nation. All Vaasa has to do is die.

But she is desperate to live. Vaasa enters her new marriage with every intent to escape it, wielding the hard-won political prowess and combat abilities her late father instilled in her. But to her surprise, Reid offers her a deal: help him win the votes to rise in power, and she can walk free. In exchange, he will share his knowledge about the dark magic running through her veins—and help keep it at bay.

This proposal may be too good to refuse, yet Vaasa and Reid’s undeniable attraction threatens to break the rules of their arrangement. As her brother’s lethal machinations take form, everything is at stake: Vaasa must learn to trust her new husband, but how can she, especially when their perfect political marriage begins to feel like the real thing?

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Servant of Earth

Sarah Hawley

In the underground Fae realm, only the strongest and most ruthless have power—but a young human woman forced into a life of servitude is about to change everything.

Kenna Heron is best known in her village for being a little wild—some say half feral—but she’ll need every ounce of that ferocity to survive captivity in the cruel Fae court.

Trapped as a servant in the faeries’ underground kingdom of Mistei, Kenna must help her new mistress undertake six deadly trials, one for each branch of magic: Fire, Earth, Light, Void, Illusion, and Blood. If she succeeds, her mistress will gain immortality and become the heir to Earth House. If she doesn’t, the punishment is death—for both mistress and servant.

With no ally but a sentient dagger of mysterious origins, Kenna must face monsters, magic, and grueling physical tests. But worse dangers wait underground, and soon Kenna gets caught up in a secret rebellion against the inventively sadistic faerie king. When her feelings for the rebellion’s leader turn passionate, Kenna must decide if she’s willing to risk her life for a better world and a chance at happiness.

Surviving the trials and overthrowing a tyrant king will take cunning, courage, and an iron will... but even that may not be enough.

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Kill Yours, Kill Mine

Katherine Kovacic

Mia's grief counselling practice, The Pleiades, is named for the seven sisters from Greek mythology who were the companions of the Goddess of the Hunt--and who, in some stories, die of grief or are killed to be saved from attackers.

Mia has been gathering broken women together for a radical form of group therapy. Amy. Gabrielle. Katy. Brooke. Olivia. Five women crippled with grief by the murders of their sisters--and seething with rage that the partners who killed them all walk free. She just needs one more.

When Mia meets Naomi, she knows she has found the perfect candidate, but Naomi is resistant. She only needs to meet the others before she realizes that they, too, are consumed with desire for hands-on revenge. Under Mia's guidance, the women devise a plan to heal themselves. They'll take back their lives from the men who took their sisters. The premise is satisfyingly simple: I'll kill yours if you kill mine...

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The Jewel of the Isle

Kerry Rea

Two very indoor people rough it on a remote island after getting swept up in an archaeologist’s hunt for a famed jewel in this dazzling new adventure rom-com by Kerry Rea, author of Lucy on the Wild Side.

If Emily Edwards knows one thing, it’s that you don’t go to a remote island by yourself. Ever the type A personality, Emily doesn’t want to hike around an unfamiliar island, but she’s determined to fulfill her late father’s national park bucket list, starting with Isle Royale National Park—home to wolves, bears, and hundred-year-old shipwrecks. She has no choice but to hire a tour guide, and there is only one that isn’t booked solid.

Ryder Fleet, co-owner of Fleet Outdoor Adventures, wouldn’t call himself a wilderness expert, and he definitely doesn’t know how to find true north. But when his dormant adventure guide business suddenly finds life again after a random inquiry, Ryder somehow finds himself on a ferry to Isle Royale with a very beautiful, no-nonsense woman. What this woman doesn’t know is that his brother Caleb, who died two years ago, was the outdoorsman of their business, while Ryder just did the marketing. But how hard could it be to hike up a few mountains?

Pretty difficult, actually, when murder is involved. Emily’s perfectly planned trek turns disastrous when she and Ryder witness a brutal crime and are suddenly forced to evade a group of archaeologists on the hunt for a jewel. As they spend nights together too close for comfort, they realize their shoddily built fire isn’t the only thing that’s kindling, and that they must trust each other if they want to escape the island with their lives—and hearts—intact.

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We Shall Be Monsters

Alyssa Wees

A girl marked for death ventures into the wooded realm of the fairies to rescue her mother in this dark, lyrical fantasy about vengeful witches, beastly fathers, and the stories mothers tell to keep their daughters safe—from the author of Nocturne.

Gemma Cassata lives with her mother in an isolated antiques shop in Michigan, near a seductive patch of woods concealing an enchanted gateway to fairyland. Gemma knows she’s not supposed to go into the woods—her mother, Virginia, has warned her multiple times about the monsters that lurk there—and yet she can’t resist.

Virginia understands her daughter’s defiance. She knows the allure of the woods all too well. Her own mother warned her about the monsters, and Virginia also did not listen—until a witch cursed her true love just days before their child’s birth. So Virginia will do whatever she can to protect her daughter—even if it means stealing Gemma’s memories.

But everything changes when Gemma gets too close to the truth, and the witch takes Virginia . Now it is up to Gemma to venture deep into the mysterious woods to rescue her mother and break the curse.

Told in the alternating viewpoints of Gemma and Virginia, this novel is not only a tale of a girl’s fantastical quest through a darkly magical fairyland but also an exploration of the complex bonds between children and their parents.

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You Can't Hurt Me

Emma Cook

"An absolutely gripping read... both satisfying and chilling." -Ellery Lloyd, author of the New York Times bestseller The Club

Meet Eva, who can't feel pain, and Anna, who can't escape it.

Everyone has heard about the case of Eva Reid. Ever since she was born, she's felt no pain: she can get a paper cut, break a limb and even give birth without feeling a single thing. Her story has long captivated the minds of reporters and researchers--including Dr. Nate Reid, Eva's husband and acclaimed scientist, renowned for his work in the Pain Laboratory. Also among them is Anna Tate, a ruthless journalist with a dark past of her own.

When Eva is suddenly found dead inside her home, it raises a flurry of questions about the last night of her life--and who might've been involved. Anna finds herself growing increasingly obsessed with Eva's case: her protected, painless existence, her promising career as a psychotherapist, and especially her toxic relationship with the alluring Dr. Reid, whom Eva met and married as his former patient. But what other secrets could they be hiding?

When Dr. Reid embarks on the process of writing a book about Eva, an opportunity arises for Anna to work on it alongside him. As she slowly inserts herself into their home to uncover what's fact and what's fiction, shocking discoveries await her--and not everyone may come out unscathed...
 

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The Memory Dress

Jade Beer

"An endearing story of loss and recovery, mystery and memory, heartache and love...completely captivating."—Shelley Noble, New York Times bestselling author of The Tiffany Girls and The Colony Club

A missing husband and a dress once owned by Princess Diana set two very different women on paths of discovery that will change both their lives forever in this dazzling new novel from the author of The Last Dress from Paris.

England, 2018: Jayne is quiet. She keeps to herself and has no grand expectations for her days. But after a chance encounter with her  elderly neighbor, Meredith, Jayne is forced to reevaluate her determination to keep the world at a distance. Meredith's dust-covered home is chaotic and neglected. And slowly, Jayne starts to grasp that Meredith herself is quite lost. She can't seem to remember anything: what she last ate, when she last went out or saw her daughter, or even Jayne's name, despite what are becoming frequent visits. 

But most alarmingly, Meredith can't remember where her husband is.

Unable to sit by and watch Meredith hurting, Jayne promises she'll find William. But how can she when the biggest clue Jayne has is a mystery itself: a stunning couture gown with a note declaring it a personal gift to Meredith...from Princess Diana. 

England, 1988: Meredith is always calm. You have to be when working for one of the most iconic women in the world. Just as the stitches she uses to create Princess Diana’s wardrobe are steady and stable, so is Meredith. Until she finds herself feeling off-kilter and untethered by an unexpected connection with someone in the workshop. As Meredith finds herself swept up in life and love for the first time, everything she’s ever dreamed about seems in reach…if only she can be brave enough to take it.

"A moving exploration into how clothes make up the layers of our lives, as well as a wonderful insight into the worlds of dressmaking, royalty and friendship across generations."—Jessica Fellowes, international bestselling author of The Mitford Murders

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An Honorable Deception

Roseanna M. White

In the trying art of balancing investigations and love, a detective must determine his priorities when faced with dangerous circumstances that could threaten everything he holds dear. 

As the leader of the Imposters, an elite private investigative firm, Lord Yates Fairfax has made an art of concealing his identity. But when his newest client, the beautiful Lady Alethia Barremore, is shot while leaving their meeting, he throws caution to the wind and rushes to her aid. Though Lady Alethia thought she was only looking for her missing former nanny, she has clearly stumbled upon something much more dangerous.

Lady Lavinia Hemming suspects her longtime friends hold more secrets than they're willing to admit, and when she stumbles upon the truth that they're the esteemed Imposters, she recruits herself into the firm. While she is happy for the distraction of an investigation, Lavinia's own family secrets continue to haunt her. And the one thing bringing laughter back into her life--her friendship with Yates--lands her squarely on the disagreeable side of her best friend: his sister.

Tormented by a past she doesn't dare voice aloud, Lady Alethia does what she can to help her handsome host, her new friends, and the investigators. But as clues lead them deeper into the dark side of society, Alethia, Yates, and Lavinia learn anew that the gentry isn't always noble . . . even as they fight to hold fast to their own honor.

"With characters believable and unique, and a pace that builds suspense as the story unfolds, each thread is so compelling I couldn't stop turning pages."--LORI BENTON, bestselling author on A Noble Scheme

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Love in Bloom

Lucy Eden

For fans of B. K. Borison and Sarah Adams comes a cheeky, small-town romantic comedy about finding yourself in the weeds . . . only to find love, too.

It took exactly twenty-four hours for Atlanta publicist Emma Walters's life to go from near-perfect to a monumental disaster. One day to break up with her boyfriend, get fired and inherit a farm. All that's left is for her to take the still-smoking remains of her dignity and flee to her new farm in Green Acres, Georgia.

However, Emma's new country life is anything but peaceful. The quirky locals seem to inexplicably dislike her, and farming proves way messier than she expected. Adding to her frustration is Dan Pednekar, the farm's infuriatingly handsome manager, who doubts her ability to handle even the simplest tasks.

Emma soon discovers that the farm isn't exactly what it seems. It doesn't sell anything, making her wonder if it's just a glorified petting zoo or if Dan is hiding something much bigger. With suspiciously named shops like Four and Twenty Blackbirds lining Main Street, it's clear that the whole town might be in on a secret.

But when the farm--and the livelihood of the townsfolk--is threatened, Emma must come up with a plan to save it. Because when you farm around, it's just a matter of time before everyone finds out.

"A fun, fresh take on the fish out of water trope that will have you laughing out loud! Lucy Eden delivers a punchline with aplomb!" 
--Farrah Rochon, New York Times bestselling author of Pardon My Frenchie 
 

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The Last Hour Between Worlds

Melissa Caruso

A whip-smart adventure fantasy packed with reality-bending magic, and sapphic romance, The Last Hour Between Worlds is the brilliant launch of a new series from David Gemmell Award-nominated author, Melissa Caruso.

In the Deep Echoes, no one can save you.

Star investigator Kembral Thorne has a few hours away from her newborn, and she just wants to relax and enjoy the year-turning party. But when people start dropping dead, she's got to get to work. Especially when she finds that mysterious forces are plunging the whole party down through layers of reality and into nightmare.

One layer down: It's no big deal. Stay alert, and you'll be fine.

Two, three layers down: Natural laws are negotiable, and things get very strange.

Four layers down: There are creatures with eyes in their teeth and walls that drip blood. Most people who fall this far never return.

Luckily, Kem isn't most people. But as cosmic powers align and the hour grows late, she'll have to work with her awfully compelling nemesis, notorious cat burglar Rika Nonesuch, for a chance to save her city--though not her night off.

For more from Melissa Caruso, check out:

Swords and Fire 
The Tethered Mage 
The Defiant Heir 
​The Unbound Empire

Rooks and Ruin 
The Obsidian Tower 
The Quicksilver Court 
The Ivory Tomb 
 

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Drop Dead Sisters

Amelia Diane Coombs

"Compulsively readable, Drop Dead Sisters is perfect for readers who love shows like Bad Sisters and Dead to Me. A mystery about three estranged sisters who accidentally kill someone? Yes, please." --Mindy Kaling

Three sisters reunite on a family vacation and rekindle their relationship the only way they know how--by covering each other's tracks in a real-life murder mystery not even they can figure out.

Remi Finch has spent the better part of her adult life avoiding family--especially her sisters. They just don't click. Besides, her unconventional upbringing and major anxiety have convinced Remi that she can't build a relationship with anyone. Period.

When her parents plan a family reunion camping trip to celebrate their anniversary, Remi's willing to reconnect, if only because she doesn't have a choice. But then a dead body turns up at their campsite, and their sisterly bonding kicks into high gear.

No one knows the whole story, but the Finch women are prepared to cover up the pieces before anyone tries to put them together. It's a precautionary measure, probably unnecessary. Nobody else was there, so how could they have seen anything?

Between old grudges and new dynamics, a handsome park ranger, and a body that won't stay hidden, Remi is about to learn that nothing strengthens family ties quite like crime.

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The Sunflower House

Adriana Allegri

Family secrets come to light as a young woman fights to save herself, and others, in a Nazi-run baby factory—a real-life Handmaid's Tale—during World War II.

In a sleepy German village, Allina Strauss’s life seems idyllic: she works at her uncle’s bookshop, makes strudel with her aunt, and spends weekends with her friends and fiancé. But it's 1939, Adolf Hitler is Chancellor, and Allina’s family hides a terrifying secret—her birth mother was Jewish, making her a Mischling. 

One fateful night after losing everyone she loves, Allina is forced into service as a nurse at a state-run baby factory called Hochland Home. There, she becomes both witness and participant to the horrors of Heinrich Himmler’s ruthless eugenics program. 

The Sunflower House is a meticulously-researched debut historical novel from Adriana Allegri that uncovers the notorious Lebensborn Program of Nazi Germany. Women of “pure” blood stayed in Lebensborn homes for the sole purpose of perpetuating the Aryan population, giving birth to thousands of babies who were adopted out to “good” Nazi families. Allina must keep her Jewish identity a secret in order to survive, but when she discovers the neglect occurring within the home, she’s determined not only to save herself, but also the children in her care. 

A tale of one woman’s determination to resist and survive, The Sunflower House is also a love story. When Allina meets Karl, a high-ranking SS officer with secrets of his own, the two must decide how much they are willing to share with each other—and how much they can stand to risk as they join forces to save as many children as they can. The threads of this poignant and heartrending novel weave a tale of loss and love, friendship and betrayal, and the secrets we bury in order to save ourselves.

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Running Out of Air

Lilli Sutton

"An exhilarating adventure."
--Zoje Stage, USA Today bestselling author of Baby Teeth and Dear Hanna

A smart, thrilling and powerful debut by Lilli Sutton that asks what it costs to pursue your wildest dreams?

Evelyn and Sophie, sisters and best friends, were known as one of the climbing world's strongest teams--but that was before Evelyn had an affair with Sophie's husband. Now they can't even be in the same room together. That is, until they're both offered a mountaineer's dream: a chance to summit the eight-thousand-meter peak Yama Parvat.

Sophie has been aimless since Evelyn's betrayal. She hasn't summited a Himalayan mountain in nearly two years, all the joy drained from the sport for her, and this trek offers a chance to reestablish herself as a top climber before her sponsors withdraw their funding. Evelyn has been happy with Miles since he left Sophie, but guilt continues to shadow her, clouding her judgment and the ability to move forward. Now she's willing to gamble everything for the chance to be part of the first team to summit this as-yet unclimbed mountain and prove herself a capable leader.

Stranded during a devastating storm on top of the world, Evelyn and Sophie are forced to climb together. Whether or not they make it off the mountain alive hinges on their trust in one another--something lost years ago--as they face down the question of how much they're willing to sacrifice to get it all back.

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Never Forgotten

Hannah Linder

All He Wanted was Justice. All She Wanted was His Heart.



Georgina Whitmore, not accustomed to any man being unaffected by her charms, is plagued with the disappearance and rejection of Simon Fancourt. Twelve years later, Mr. Fancourt returns to British society with two children and a mad hunger for justice.



Racing against time, Simon works to uncover the men responsible for his wife's horrific murder, protect his children, and fulfill his father's unexpected will by marrying Georgina--the last thing in the world he wants to do.



Though her heart throbs to accept, she would rather lose him again than have his name without his love. She denies his proposal of matrimony, knowing it will cost them both. But as tragedies unravel and secret enemies narrow their sights on Simon, Georgina risks her life--and her reputation--to protect him and the children. Will the danger scorch them alive? Or will it, for the first time, open his heart to her?



Enjoy other Gothic Style Regencies from Hannah Linder:

Beneath His Silence

When Tomorrow Came

Garden of the Midnights

The Girl from the Hidden Forest

 

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Her Knight at the Museum

Bryn Donovan

A centuries-long curse is no match for rom-com shenanigans when a medieval knight is brought to life in modern-day Chicago.

Forgotten by time and abandoned by hope, Sir Griffin de Beauford’s existence stretches out before him. Cursed by a ruthless enchanter to see, hear, and think, but never to move or speak, Griffin suffers the long, lonely centuries trapped in stone…until an unexpected kiss from a fair maiden breathes new life into his soul—and his body.

Emily Porter, a recently divorced conservator at the Art Institute of Chicago, is charged with the restoration of a statue of a medieval English knight. Breaking curses was not part of the job description. And yet, here he is, the man of her dreams come to life, resplendent in shining armor as he joyously barrels into priceless antiquities...and goes on to dismantle her defenses, wreak havoc on her senses, and tempt her to believe once more in happy-ever-afters.

But the modern age tries Griffin’s patience and pride, and Emily is a prime suspect in the investigation of the missing sculpture. In a complicated world, can they find their way to a fairy-tale ending?

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The Fate of Silent Gods

Scott Drakeford

The Age of Ire saga continues with The Fate of Silent Gods, continuing the gripping, personal vengeance with compelling characters in a struggle for power.

Emrael Ire has won the first round of war against the dark god, but at a terrible cost to himself.

Unsure of who he can trust, even among his own people, Emrael must find a way to score a major victory against both the forces of the dark lord and the corrupt lords of the provinces.

He thought he already paid his price. The gods will exact another.

Age of Ire
Rise of the Mages
The Fate of Silent Gods

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Dirty Diana

Jen Besser

A deliciously provocative novel about a woman caught between the comfortable stability of her marriage and her memories of a more sensual past—the first book in a three-part series based on the #1 fiction podcast

“Diana Wood’s quest to reignite her sensual past while navigating the confines of her current marriage is funny and sexy​. Dirty Diana is wildly seductive—​perfect for anyone who loved The Idea of You.”—Renée Carlino, bestselling author of Before We Were Strangers and This Used to Be Us

Diana Wood has a job she likes and a husband, Oliver, she loves. Together, they have a daughter they adore. She and Oliver spend so much time together that they even carpool to work in the same office. They’re in married love, which isn’t exactly the same as love love, but it’s fine.

Or is it? Is fine good enough?

Diana and Oliver haven’t had sex in months, and their intimacy seems more like a memory than a reality. The cozy trappings of Diana’s life in Dallas, Texas, have become ever-more confining. She is restless, growing more distant from Oliver by the day.

A trip to see an old friend in Santa Fe prompts Diana to remember the woman she used to be: an aspiring artist; someone devoted to creativity, spontaneity, sensuality. In her past—especially with Jasper, the dashing photographer with whom she once had an unforgettable love affair—Diana let herself fantasize, she let her body lead the way. She was wholly . . . alive.

Returning to Dallas, Diana decides to rediscover the deeply feeling woman she once was. She begins interviewing other women, painting their portraits as they speak. She encourages them to give voice to their secret desires as she captures their deepest, innermost fantasies. But is it possible for Diana to reclaim her more sensual self and maintain the marriage she committed to? What if connecting to her own desires means dissolving the safe life she’s so carefully cultivated?

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Super Surprising Trivia about the Paranormal

Megan Cooley Peterson

Think you know all there is to know about paranormal mysteries? Prepare to learn even more! From ghost ships to UFOs to haunted dolls, discover tantalizing trivia about mysteries that have haunted humanity for hundreds of years in this totally spooky book of paranormal trivia.

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Creepy Libraries, Troy Taylor

Troy Taylor

Most of the time, a library is a cozy place. There are bookshelves to explore, tables to study at, and, of course, lots of books to browse through and read. Yet what if there are also ghosts lurking about? Among the 11 haunted libraries in this book, children will discover one that is home to the spirit of a young girl who is depicted in its beautiful stained-glass window, one that is filled with ghosts who are distressed because it is built on top of their burial place, and one that has now turned into a bookstore yet is haunted by library patrons of the past--as well as a phantom cat. The creepy photographs and chilling nonfiction text will keep children turning the pages to discover more spooky stories.

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Alcatraz, Matt Chandler

Matt Chandler

Experience Alcatraz as you've never seen it before--up close and personal! YOU CHOOSE the path you take through this haunted prison site. Follow the path of a modern-day visitor in this thrilling nonfiction title.

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Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Alvin Schwartz

Alvin Schwartz

 

Are you brave enough for Scary Stories?

 

Some boys and girls were at a party one night. There was a graveyard down the street, and they were talking about how scary it was.

"Don't ever stand on a grave after dark," one of the boys said. "The person inside will grab you."

"A grave doesn't scare me," said one of the girls. "I'll do it right now. . . ."

 

Welcome to the macabre world of Scary Stories, where folklorist Alvin Schwartz offers up the most alarming collection of horror, dark revenge, and supernatural events of all time. Here is a selection of extraordinarily chilling tales along with spine-tingling illustrations by renowned artist Brett Helquist.

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Perron Family Haunting, Ebony Joy Wilkins

Ebony Joy Wilkins

The Perron family received this advice from the previous homeowner of their Rhode Island farmhouse: For the sake of your family, leave the lights on at night! A ghostly witch named Bathsheba led the haunting of the Perron family, physically and psychologically tormenting them. This legendary ghost story eventually became the subject of the movie The Conjuring, and continued to haunt the Perron family for years to come.

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Horror Healing, Dinah Williams

Dinah Williams

Hospitals and asylums are meant to be places of healing. But some have horrific histories and doctors who were downright sinister. Travel the world, visiting real hospitals and asylums with creepy legends and unbelievable paranormal events. Are the stories of strange figures and unexplained disturbances make-believe or signs of something more sinister? Decide for yourself . . . if you dare.

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Spooky Schools, Natalie Lunis

Natalie Lunis

Most days, schools are filled with students learning in classrooms, studying in libraries, and eating in lunchrooms. Yet what about the reports that something more unusual has been spotted in these buildings? Are they true? According to some, ghostly figures and creepy spirits haunt the hallways of some of America's most well-known schools, colleges, and universities. Among the 11 spooky schools in this book, children will discover an art institute haunted by a mischievous ghost and a university in Florida where a man with glowing red eyes mysteriously appears. The haunting photographs and chilling nonfiction text will keep children turning the pages to discover more spooky stories.

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Stanley Hotel, Allison Lassieur

Allison Lassieur

Experience the Stanley Hotel as you've never seen it before up close and personal! YOU CHOOSE the path you take through this haunted hotel. Follow the path of a modern-day visitor in this thrilling nonfiction title.

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Haunted Caves, Natalie Lunis

Natalie Lunis

Profiles eleven supposedly haunted caves, from one where Spanish conquistadors are supposed to have hidden treasure over 350 years ago, to another where a thirteen-year-old boy discovered the largest underground lake in the United States.

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Never Say Boo!

Robin Pulver

It isn't easy being the only ghost at Booniesville Elementary School. Poor Gordon looks a fright, and no one is brave enough to befriend him. Luckily, when his school has to be evacuated quickly, the young ghost rises to the occasion without worrying about what people will think; and teachers and students alike discover one should never judge a booo-k by its cover.

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The Right One for Roderic, Violeta Noy

Violeta Noy

What happens when one little ghost wants to stand out?

All ghosts wear white sheets. That’s just what ghosts do. White sheets are good for haunting people, and they make the ghosts feel like part of one big family. But one little ghost named Roderic wants to wear something different. He tries all sorts of things: a bag, a rug, a boot. Can he find the right one for him? Find out in this colorful picture book from debut author-illustrator Violeta Noy.

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A Friend for Ghost, Suzanne Kaufman

Suzanne Kaufman

A loveable, lonely ghost meets a buoyant new companion, proving that friendship is never truly out of reach.

Most of the time
no one noticed Ghost.

It isn’t always easy for a ghost to make friends; even a rosy-cheeked ghost with big glasses. Ghost lives in a noisy, diverse city where children play and laugh, and longs to join in. But most people look right through Ghost.

When a bright red balloon wanders Ghost’s way, the connection is instantaneous. Together they try everything Ghost had ever hoped to share with a friend. But when Ghost’s balloon gets lost, Ghost learns that when you’re looking for a friend, a friend might find you.
With A Friend for Ghost, Suzanne Kaufman, New York Times Bestselling illustrator of All Are Welcome, brings watercolors to life in an utterly charming tale about putting yourself out there and finding the ones who get you.

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Ghost Cat, Eve Bunting

Eve Bunting

Miss Maggie McCullen has been the keeper for the Port Carrick lighthouse for many years. She has never missed a night, keeping the big light going. And while the people in Port Carrick are grateful to her, they worry about her lonely life at the lighthouse. But they don't know that she has her cat, Sailor Boy, for company. Because Sailor Boy is no ordinary cat. He's a ghost cat. He can make himself visible or invisible, especially when visitors come to call and he wants to be mischievous. But when a fierce storm comes and Miss Maggie needs special assistance, Sailor Boy proves his worth.

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Hugo's Haunted Handbook, Dave Whamond

Dave Whamond

"Got ghosts? Then you've come to right book! Hugo is a ghost expert, and he can tell you exactly how to boot out your boo. After all, he got rid of his ghost, no problem! He knows everything there is to know about ghosts, he has the proper ghost-hunting equipment, and he can offer five handy tips to remove your ghost forever. But has Hugo really gotten rid of his ghost? And are ghosts really that scary? Would it be so bad to keep a ghost around? They might actually be good company if you just give them a chance ... A silly, laugh-out-loud graphic novel for very young readers that breaks the fourth wall. It's a lighthearted look at friendship and the meaning of true companionship. The relationship between Hugo and his ghost is irresistible. The reader watches Hugo deny his friendship with his ghost for the purpose of writing his Haunted Handbook about how to get rid of a ghost, until he finally succumbs and realizes the value of the camaraderie the two of them share."--

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Poultrygeist, Eric Geron

Eric Geron

From a debut picture-book author and a #1 New York Times best-selling illustrator, a wry take on "Why did the chicken cross the road?” that gives a whole new meaning to “the Other Side.” Cock-a-doodle-BOO!

It’s punny. It’s spooky. It’s a meta picture book that puts a fresh spin on an old joke and elevates chicken comedy to ghastly new levels. A little spring chicken crosses the road but quickly gets flattened under a semitruck. The barnyard beasts who’ve gone before break the news: now that Chicken’s fried—dispatched to the Other Side—Chicken has a job, an unwanted job, as a noisy troublemaking ghost. This fowl may be weak in the beak, but Chicken knows that scaring people isn’t nice. There is such a thing as a friendly ghost, after all—isn’t there? Loaded with laughs and shivers, this Halloween-ready treat features ghoulishly funny art by the illustrator of the #1 New York Times best-selling Bad Seed series. Let the haunting begin!

No chickens were harmed in the making of this book.

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The Scariest Book Ever, Bob Shea

Bob Shea

Reader beware! This is the scariest book ever! Or so claims its melodramatic ghost narrator. You can go ahead and turn the page, but don't expect him to come with you. Anything might pop out of that black hole in the middle of the forest. What do you mean it's just a bunny? Well, it's probably a bunny with big fangs. Watch out, it's--picking pumpkins with its friends, you say? Actually, despite the ghost's scare-mongering, none of the animal characters in the illustrations seem scary at all. . . . What's up with that? Many delights, such as surprises after the page turn, an alarmist narrator, and punch lines to anticipate make this book a scream for both kids and parents.

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Boo Who?, Ben Clanton

Ben Clanton

A shy little ghost who’s new to the group has trouble fitting in — until his special talent comes to the fore.

Boo is new. And even if the other kids are welcoming, it can be scary being new, especially for a shy ghost who can’t play any of their games. (“You tagged me? Oh, sorry. I couldn’t feel it.”) Can Boo find a way to fit in and make friends with the rest of the group? From the creator of Rex Wrecks It! comes a funny story about feeling invisible — and finding a way to be seen and appreciated for who you are.

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Gus Was a Friendly Ghost, Jane Thayer

Jane Thayer

There was once a friendly ghost, by the name of Gus, who lived in an old house in the country. Mr. and Mrs. Scott and their twins, Susie and Sammy, lived there too during the summer. Then autumn came and the Scott family left. Which meant Gus had nothing to do but sit around.

One day, during a walk, he met Mouse, who was cold and hungry. "Come spend the winter at my house!" cried Gus.

Thus begins an unlikely but heartwarming friendship. First published in 1962, children have delighted in this story and other Gus the Ghost books for over fifty years. Seymour Fleishman's sweet, nostalgic illustrations bring Gus, the Scotts and Mouse to life.

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Goldfish Ghost, Lemony Snicket

Lemony Snicket

Goldfish Ghost was born on the surface of the water in the bowl on a dresser in a boy’s room. The boy’s room was pleasant and familiar, but Goldfish Ghost wanted company, so he set out to find a friend.

He floats over the neighborhood, past the pier, and let the breeze carry him into town where he discovers that not many people pay attention to goldfish ghosts.

Off he floats, searching for the perfect home and the perfect friend

and then he hears a voice. . .

Bestselling author Lemony Snicket and illustrator Lisa Brown brings us a fresh and funny take on what happens after your favorite goldfish crosses over to the other side.

A Neal Porter Book

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The Chupacabras of the Río Grande

Adam Gidwitz

Pura Belpré Honor-winning author David Bowles joins Newbery Honor-winning Adam Gidwitz as co-author of the newest Unicorn Rescue Society adventure, as the kids travel to the U.S.-Mexican border to help the legendary chupacabras.

A new adventure begins for Elliot and Uchenna when Professor Fauna bursts into their classroom with
a frightening report from the Texas-Mexico border: something has completely drained the blood from
a cow’s body! The team must fly to Laredo, where tempers are running high.
 
Teaming up with local kids Lupita and Mateo—plus their brilliant mother, Dr. Alejandra Cervantes, and her curandero husband, Israel—can the Unicorn Rescue Society save the region’s animals and help bring a divided community together once more? And what is that spiny, bloodsucking, adorable little creature?

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Gargantis

Thomas Taylor

In the second fantasy set in Eerie-on-Sea, Herbert and Violet team up to solve the mystery of Gargantis — an ancient creature of the deep with the power to create life-threatening storms.

There's a storm brewing over Eerie-on-Sea, and the fisherfolk say a monster is the cause. Someone has woken the ancient Gargantis, who sleeps in the watery caves beneath this spooky seaside town where legends have a habit of coming to life. It seems the Gargantis is looking for something: a treasure stolen from her underwater lair. And it just might be in the Lost-and-Foundery at the Grand Nautilus Hotel, in the care of one Herbert Lemon, Lost-and-Founder. With the help of the daring Violet Parma, ever-reliable Herbie will do his best to figure out what the Gargantis wants and who stole her treasure in the first place. In a town full of suspicious, secretive characters, it could be anyone!

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13th Street #5: Tussle with the Tooting Tarantulas, David O. Bowles

David O. Bowles

 

 

A silly and spooky highly illustrated series that's perfect for fans of Eerie Elementary and Notebooks of Doom, featuring art on every page and fun activities at the end of each book!

 

 

Malia, Dante, and Ivan are ready to take on the evil forces controlling 13th Street. But then Ivan is kidnapped by giant--and stinky!--spiders. Can Malia and Dante save him from their sticky webs

Each story in this hilarious and mildly scary series from award-winning author David Bowles is designed to set independent readers up for success--with short, fast-paced chapters, art on every page, and progress bars at the end of each chapter!

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Chomp of the Meat-Eating Vegetables

Troy Cummings

What could be more monstrous than giant vegetable monsters?!

This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line called Branches, which is aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!

In this fourth book, Alexander is still on the look-out for monsters. Now he thinks they're at school.... The lunch menu is NOT normal -- instead of good-for-you meals, there's ice cream and pie every day. His whole class is crying. And his friend Rip goes missing. Alexander must battle giant meat-eating vegetables before the whole town becomes veggie dinner! Filled with humor, suspense, and zany black-and-white illustrations, this book will keep kids turning the pages!

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The BFG

Roald Dahl

From the bestselling author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Matilda

One of TIME MAGAZINE’s 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time


The BFG is no ordinary bone-crunching giant. He is far too nice and jumbly. It's lucky for Sophie that he is. Had she been carried off in the middle of the night by the Bloodbottler, or any of the other giants—rather than the BFG—she would have soon become breakfast. When Sophie hears that the giants are flush-bunking off to England to swollomp a few nice little chiddlers, she decides she must stop them once and for all. And the BFG is going to help her!

 

 

“This warmhearted tall tale, published a year before Dahl picked up the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement, artfully whisks readers away on a magical journey through London, Giant Country and beyond, to a realm of wild imagination.” --TIME Magazine
 

 

 

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Off the Wall, P.J. Night

P.J. Night

Ancient artifacts provoke fresh fear when a night at the museum goes from fun to freaky in this spine-tingling addition to the You’re Invited to a Creepover series.

Jane is ready for the time of her life. Tonight, she and forty-nine other girls will be spending the whole night in a museum! At first, she’s making lots of new friends and having a ton of fun, but the stakes get raised when one girl, Daria, dares her to take a tour of the museum after lights out. The girls have heard that one of the mummies in the Ancient Egyptian exhibit comes to life when the museum closes. Jane accepts the dare. After all, there’s no way a mummy can come to life. Or is there? And what other secrets will be revealed in a museum at night?

This spooky story is a level 4 on the Creep-o-Meter. Super scary!

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The Abominable Snowman, R. A. Montgomery

R. A. Montgomery

4th Bestselling Children's Book Series of all Time --The New Yorker

Your best friend Carlos goes missing from base camp on Mt. Everest while in search of the fabled Yeti. Will you help find him amidst the dangerous crevasses and icefalls of the Himalaya? A monsoon is moving in and you must decide quickly!

The Abominable Snowman by R. A. Montgomery takes YOU on a mountaineering adventure in search of the fabled Yeti, or Abominable Snowman! 9-12 year old readers will travel to Kathmandu and explore the Himalaya Mountains, negotiating harsh weather conditions, facing down a band of violent smugglers, following mysterious footprints in the snow, and maybe even finding the Yeti!

Choose Your Own Adventure is the bestselling gamebook series of all time. Empowering generations of children through choice, it is widely commended for its appeal to reluctant readers.

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The Terribles #1: Welcome to Stubtoe Elementary, Travis Nichols

Travis Nichols

The Terribles might be monsters, but they're also kids just like you! Well, sort of. This hilarious peek into the world of vampires, mummies, swamp-things, and bigfoots is perfect for fans of the Hotel Transylvania movies.

Vampires, mummies, and gelatinous balls of goo (oh my!). That's right, monsters are real and they've settled down on the quiet island of Creep's Cove. It's a pretty typical place: houses, stores, portals to various nightmarish parallel dimensions. And a school for the kiddos.

Meet the crew: 
Vlad, a fame-thirsty vampire,
Allie, a stuffed animal-dissecting alien,
Lizzie, a short-tempered kaiju,
and SO many others!
 
Told in alternating chapters, comics, poems, charts, and activities each focused on different classic spooky characters this story is the introduction to monsters you humans have been waiting for.

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Beast, Watt Key

Watt Key

Beast is a fast-paced adventure of guts and survival, this time with a paranormal twist, from acclaimed author Watt Key...

Adam says he can’t remember where he was for the two months he went missing in a Florida swamp. That’s not true. He does remember. The truth: He was driving with his parents, and the car crashed when his father swerved to avoid colliding with a giant Sasquatch-like creature standing in the highway.

Haunted by his parents’ disappearance and hounded for claiming to have seen Bigfoot, Adam sets off into the deadly wilderness on a hunt for answers as to what really happened that night. The answer he finds is more terrifying—and more fascinating—than he could have imagined.

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Frankenstein - Kid Classics, Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley

Share the spine-chilling tale of Frankenstein with young readers in this fun, illustrated chapter book! Perfectly spooky, beginner readers will explore the balance between technology and humanity in this adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic novel.

With just the right amount of scary for spooky little readers, children can delight in the fascinating horror story of Victor Frankenstein.
On a stormy summer evening two centuries ago, Mary Shelley wrote the classic tale about a scientist and his monstrous creation. After Victor Frankenstein discovers the secret to life and uses it to build an eight-foot-tall monster, he realizes he's made a creature that he can't take care of - or control! Frankenstein and the monster chase each other across Europe, along the way learning lessons about ambition and heartbreak, the effects of technology on our lives, judging others based on looks, and the healing powers of nature.

This just-for-kids retelling of Mary Shelley's classic Frankenstein:

  • Is an abridged, child-friendly version of Mary Shelley's novel
  • Features beautiful illustrated hardcover with illustrations in each chapter
  • Is perfect for homeschooling, school reading challenges, and beginning readers
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And Then There Was Us, Kern Carter

Kern Carter

A mother's death forces a teen girl to reevaluate their tumultuous relationship in this powerful coming-of-age novel for teens. For fans of I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter.

After years of physical and verbal abuse from her mother, fourteen-year-old Coi moved in with her father, and together they created a peaceful life. But now, four years later, that peace is shattered when her mother dies.

While Coi struggles to find kindness in her heart for the woman who did nothing but hurt her, her mother's passing does help reopen the door to her mother's side of the family. It's only through reconnecting with her estranged family members, especially her younger half-sister Kayla, that Coi's long-held views about her mother are challenged.

And when Coi begins to see visions of her mother in her dreams, she is forced to ask herself what it means to forgive and be forgiven, and, most importantly, what it means to be family.

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Wide Awake Now, David Levithan

David Levithan

From the New York Times bestselling author of Every Day, this is a queer love story set against the backdrop of the 2024 presidential election, in a reimagining of David Levithan’s 2004 novel Wide Awake.

When David Levithan published Wide Awake in 2004, he set it in an imagined 2024, where a gay Jewish man had just been elected president of the United States, until a governor decides that some election results in his state are invalid, awarding crucial votes to the other candidate and his fellow party member. What follows is the story of teens Jimmy and Duncan as they explore their relationship, their politics, and their country.

In Wide Awake Now, David Levithan is flipping the script and rewriting Jimmy and Duncan’s story in the real 2024, rather than his imagined version. This is a protest novel for today.

Once again, David Levithan proves the critical importance of standing up for what you believe in and the cost of apathy in today’s political climate.

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