Spring is here! and so are these fabulous new kids fiction picks from your local Library for you to enjoy!

 

Spring is an inspiring time of year – warmer weather, more sunshine, flowers, lambs, longer days… So why not yet inspired with a new book or two? Here are some new ones we thought looked fresh and fab.

 


Sal & Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez

In order to heal after his mother’s death, Sal learned how to meditate. But no one expected him to be able to take it further and ‘relax’ things into existence. Turns out he can reach into time and space to retrieve things from other universes.

Refugee by Alan Gratz

Although separated by continents and decades, Josef, a Jewish boy living in 1930s Nazi Germany, Isabel, a Cuban girl trying to escape the riots and unrest plaguing her country in 1994, and Mahmoud, a Syrian boy in 2015 whose homeland is torn apart by violence and destruction, embark on harrowing journeys in search of refuge, discovering shocking connections that tie their stories together.

Dancing the Charleston by Jacqueline WilsonImage courtesy of Syndetics

In a little cottage on the edge of the grand Somerset Estate, Mona lives with her aunt – a dressmaker to the lady of the house. Even though Mona never knew her mother and father, she knows Aunty tries to give her the best life she can. When Lady Somerset dies and a new member of the family inherits the house, life changes drastically for Mona. Suddenly she’s invited to dazzling balls, dines on delicious food and plays with wild new friends. But with these changes come secrets that Mona can’t dance away from.

Dog Man; For Whom the Ball Rolls by Dav PilkeyImage courtesy of Syndetics

The Supa Buddies have been working hard to help Dog Man overcome his bad habits. But when his obsessions turn to fears, Dog Man finds himself the target of an all-new supervillain! Meanwhile, Petey the Cat has been released from jail and starts a new life with Li’l Petey. But when Petey’s own father arrives, Petey must face his past to understand the difference between being good and doing good. Dav Pilkey’s wildly popular Dog Man series appeals to readers of all ages and explores universally positive themes, including empathy, kindness, persistence, and the importance of being true to one’s self.

The boy who grew Dragons by Andy ShepherdImage courtesy of Syndetics

When Tomas discovers a strange old tree at the bottom of his grandad’s garden, he doesn’t think much of it. But he takes the funny fruit from the tree back into the house – and gets the shock and delight of his life when a tiny dragon hatches! The tree is a dragonfruit tree, and Tomas has got his very own dragon, Flicker … Tomas soon finds out that life with Flicker is great fun, but also very … unpredictable. Yes, dragons are wonderful, but they also set fire to your toothbruth and leave your pants hanging from the TV aerial. Tomas has to learn how to look after Flicker – and quickly. And then something extraordinary happens – more dragonfruits appear on the tree. Tomas is officially growing dragons …

Winter is officially here so no excuse needed to grab a blanket and read one of these great new kids fiction books from your library!

Image courtesy of Syndetics

A Boy called Bat by Elana Arnold

For Bixby Alexander Tam (nicknamed Bat), life tends to be full of surprises — some of them good, some not so good. Today, though, is a good-surprise day. Bat’s mom, a veterinarian, has brought home a baby skunk, which she needs to take care of until she can hand him over to a wild-animal shelter. But the minute Bat meets the kit, he knows they belong together. And he’s got one month to show his mom that a baby skunk might just make a pretty terrific pet.

Image courtesy of SyndeticsBig & Little Questions by Julie Bowe

“Fourth grader Wren Jo Byrd questions lots of things–both little and big–when her parents decide to get a divorce, and learns a lot about the true meaning of family, home, and friendship”– Provided by publisher.

 

 

Image courtesy of SyndeticsMatylda bright & tender by Holly McGhee

After a trip to the pet store, fourth-graders Sussy and Guy bring home a spotted lizard, and they name her Matylda (with a ‘y’ so it’s all her own). With Guy leading the way, they feed her and give her an origin story fit for a warrior lizard. A few weeks later, on a simple bike ride, there is a terrible accident. As hard as it is, Sussy is sure she can hold on to Guy if she can find a way to love Matylda enough. Eventually Sussy must discover what it means to grieve and heal and hope and go on, for her own sake and Matylda’s.

Image courtesy of SyndeticsNuggets; Dave Pigeon #2 by Swapna Haddow

Dave Pigeon is back and so is his side-kick Skipper. But trouble is afoot. When their Human Lady leaves to go on a ‘holiday’ (whatever that is), Dave and Skipper are horrified to find that their food supply quickly runs dry. With delicious biscuits on their minds, they set off in search of a new owner, but is Reginald Grimster all he seems? Why is he so keen on feeding them? And why does he have so many books about cooking?

 

Image courtesy of SyndeticsThe Enemy by Sara Holbrook

“Set in 1954, this compelling historical novel tells the story of a young girl’s struggles and triumphs in the aftermath of World War II. The war is over, but the threat of communism and the Cold War loom over the United States. In Detroit, Michigan, twelve-year-old Marjorie Campbell struggles with the ups and downs of family life, dealing with her veteran father’s unpredictable outbursts, keeping her mother’s stash of banned library books a secret, and getting along with her new older “brother”, the teenager her family took in after his veteran father’s death. When a new girl from Germany transfers to Marjorie’s class, Marjorie finds herself torn between befriending Inga and pleasing her best friend, Bernadette, by writing in a slam book that spreads rumors about Inga. Marjorie seems to be confronting enemies everywhere–at school, at the library, in her neighborhood, and even in the news. In all this turmoil, Marjorie tries to find her own voice and figure out what is right and who the real enemies actually are.”– Amazon.com.