National Network for Equitable Library Service

Kanzi's family has moved from Egypt to America, and on her first day in a new school, what she wants more than anything is to fit in. Maybe that's why she forgets to take the kofta sandwich her mother has made for her lunch, but that backfires when Mama shows up at school with the sandwich. Mama wears a hijab and calls her daughter Habibti (dear one). When she leaves, the teasing starts. That night, Kanzi wraps herself in the beautiful Arabic quilt her teita (grandma) in Cairo gave her and writes a poem in Arabic about the quilt.

"A deliciously macabre fairy tale, full of snuggles." —Holly Black, award-winning author of Doll Bones and co-creator of The Spiderwick Chronicles. Welcome to The Teddies Saga, a gripping new middle grade trilogy from New York Times-bestselling author Daniel Kraus. Buddy wakes up in the middle of a garbage dump, filled with a certain awareness: he's a teddy bear; he spent time at a Store waiting for his future to begin; and he is meant for the loving arms of a child. Now he knows one more thing: Something has gone terribly wrong.

Pearl the Magical Unicorn is the first in Sally Odgers' three-book series where the magical unicorn Pearl and her friends take on some of life's tough lessons with humor and heart...

This program is read by the Natalie Portman. Academy Award-winning actress, director, producer, and activist Natalie Portman retells three classic fables and imbues them with wit and wisdom. From realizing that there is no "right" way to live to respecting our planet and learning what really makes someone a winner, the messages at the heart of Natalie Portman's Fables are modern takes on timeless life lessons.

The Mysterious Messenger is a rich middle grade urban fantasy debut starring young psychic Maria de la Cruz, by the award-winning artist Gilbert Ford. Eleven-year-old Maria de la Cruz is trapped under the thumb of Madame Destine, her pseudo-psychic mother. Destine is a bona fide con artist who will stop at nothing to swindle her customers into believing she can communicate with the dead. But Maria, unlike her mother, has a big secret—she really can communicate with the dead, most frequently with a ghost named Edward who has been her only friend since she was a child.

In this mysterious and mesmerizing fantasy novel, perfect for fans of Splendor and Glooms and Circus Mirandus, a windswept girl who can float among the stars searches for her long-lost father at a shadow-filled carnival. "Kassner's writing dazzles... a tale of hope, courage, and friendship." —Newbery Honor winner Ingrid Law. Left all alone after her mother passes away, twelve-year-old Louisa LaRoche watches the sky for her father. Long ago, a powerful gust of wind swept through town, stealing him away on the wings of his untamed magic—the same magic that stirs within Louisa.

For fans of Gary Paulsen's classic Hatchet and Lauren Tarshis's bestselling I Survived series, J. L. Esplin's 96 Miles is a story of survival and desperation as two young brothers confront the worst in humanity—and themselves. Dad always said if things get desperate, it's okay to drink the water in the toilet. I never thought it would come to that. I thought I'd sooner die than let one drop of toilet water touch my lips. Yet here I am, kneeling before a porcelain throne, holding a tin mug for scooping in one hand, and my half-gallon canteen in the other.

Unravel the mysteries of an extraordinary underwater world in this official Minecraft novel! When three kids discover a mystery in an abandoned Minecraft server, they must race against the clock to uncover its secrets. Jake Thomas is always the new kid. His family moves so much for his dad's work that it's easier to keep his head down and not get attached to anyone. He'll be gone in a few months anyway. But when they end up in Los Angeles, Dad promises this will be the last time they move. The Pacific Crest Apartments are home now... which means it's time for Jake to finally make friends.

From Newbery Honor—and National Book Award—winning author Polly Horvath comes a story of four sisters searching for home. Fiona, Marlin, Natasha, and Charlie McCready are left on their own when their missionary parents are washed away in a tsunami. Fortunately, their great aunt Martha volunteers to have them live with her on her farm in British Columbia. But while they are traveling there, Martha dies unexpectedly, forcing Fiona, the eldest, to come up with a scheme to keep social services from separating the girls—a scheme that will only work if no one knows they are living on their own.

When her mother dies, twelve-year-old Willa feels lost and alone—until she meets and befriends a humpback whale named Meg. While on a whale-watching excursion with her dad, Willa is alone on one side of the boat when she sees a humpback whale. Her awe and wonderment about this massive and beautiful creature turns to shock when the whale communicates with her, introducing herself as Meg. As their friendship develops, Willa comes to view Meg as a trusted confidant—who offers her advice about difficult issues in Willa's life.