The Spirit of Cattail County

The Spirit of Cattail County
Author: Victoria Piontek
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Total Pages: 172
Release: 2018-05-29
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1338167073

A heart-expanding, magical debut from one of the most exciting new voices in the grand tradition of southern literature. “Wrapped in prose as mysterious and lovely as a southern breeze lies a story about loss that haunts, and the ghosts that help us heal. This story is a treasure.”—Natalie Lloyd, New York Times bestselling author of A Snicker of MagicSparrow doesn't have many friends. Some kids believe her house near the swamp is haunted. Others think there's something "unusual" about her.But Sparrow's not lonely -- she has a best friend who's always with her. He sits with Sparrow on her porch swing. He makes her smile by playing pranks in church. Yet Sparrow is the only one who can see him . . . because the Boy is a ghost.So when her mama passes away, Sparrow doesn't give up hope. After all, if the Boy can linger after death, then surely Mama can return as well.But the Boy has a secret of his own, one that Sparrow will need to uncover before the ghost will lead her to Mama. To solve the mystery, Sparrow joins forces with some unlikely allies -- Maeve and Johnny, siblings from a family of town outcasts --and Elena, a visiting child fortune-teller.With its loving depiction of small town life, and characters who feel like old friends, this magical debut will enchant you, dazzle you . . . and make you feel at home.

Better With Butter

Better With Butter
Author: Victoria Piontek
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Total Pages: 221
Release: 2021-07-20
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1338662201

A girl with anxiety disorder finds an unlikely friend -- and emotional support animal -- in the form of an adorable fainting goat. Twelve-year-old Marvel is afraid of absolutely everything -- amusement park rides, food poisoning, earthquakes, and that big island of plastic floating through the ocean. She also obsesses about smaller worries like making friends, getting called on by the teacher, and walking home alone. Her parents and the school therapist call her worries an anxiety disorder, but Marvel calls them armor. If something can happen, it will. She needs to be prepared. But when Marvel stumbles on a group of older kids teasing a baby goat that has mysteriously shown up on the soccer field, she momentarily forgets to be afraid and rescues the frightened animal. Only Butter isn't any old goat. She's a fainting goat. When Butter feels panic, she freezes up and falls over. Marvel knows exactly how Butter feels and precisely what Butter needs -- her. Twelve-year-old Marvel is afraid of absolutely everything -- amusement park rides, food poisoning, earthquakes, and that big island of plastic floating through the ocean. She also obsesses about smaller worries like making friends, getting called on by the teacher, and walking home alone. Her parents and the school therapist call her worries an anxiety disorder, but Marvel calls them armor. If something can happen, it will. She needs to be prepared. But when Marvel stumbles on a group of older kids teasing a baby goat that has mysteriously shown up on the soccer field, she momentarily forgets to be afraid and rescues the frightened animal. Only Butter isn't any old goat. She's a fainting goat. When Butter feels panic, she freezes up and falls over. Marvel knows exactly how Butter feels and precisely what Butter needs--her. Soon, the two are inseparable, and Butter thrives under Marvel's support. But Butter also helps Marvel. Everything is better with Butter by her side, and Marvel starts to imagine a life in which she doesn’t have to be so afraid . . . until she’s told she might have to give up Butter forever. Will Marvel find a way to fight for her friend? Or will she revert back to the anxious, lonely person she used to be?

A Snicker of Magic (Scholastic Gold)

A Snicker of Magic (Scholastic Gold)
Author: Natalie Lloyd
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Total Pages: 317
Release: 2014-02-25
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0545552729

Introducing an extraordinary new voice---a magical debut that will make your skin tingle, your eyes glisten . . .and your heart sing. Midnight Gulch used to be a magical place, a town where people could sing up thunderstorms and dance up sunflowers. But that was long ago, before a curse drove the magic away. Twelve-year-old Felicity knows all about things like that; her nomadic mother is cursed with a wandering heart.But when she arrives in Midnight Gulch, Felicity thinks her luck's about to change. A "word collector," Felicity sees words everywhere---shining above strangers, tucked into church eves, and tangled up her dog's floppy ears---but Midnight Gulch is the first place she's ever seen the word "home." And then there's Jonah, a mysterious, spiky-haired do-gooder who shimmers with words Felicity's never seen before, words that make Felicity's heart beat a little faster. Felicity wants to stay in Midnight Gulch more than anything, but first, she'll need to figure out how to bring back the magic, breaking the spell that's been cast over the town . . . and her mother's broken heart.

Everyday Angel: Three Novels

Everyday Angel: Three Novels
Author: Victoria Schwab
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Total Pages: 439
Release: 2020-02-04
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1338603973

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Schwab, three whimsical and enchanting novels about a quirky and clever guardian angel, and the girls she's sent to help, in one irresistible volume. Aria Blue seems like an ordinary twelve-year-old. She loves music, and colorful shoelaces, and taste-testing various types of cookies. But there is much more to Aria than meets the eye. She can use her shadow like a door to travel from place to place. She can dream things into existence. And she can see when certain people need help. Because Aria is a guardian angel. Her mission? To find and guide three different girls -- Gabby, Caroline, and Mikayla -- through their different problems. If she succeeds, Aria will earn her wings. But helping these girls is no easy feat, even for someone with magic powers. Things like friendship and family and well, life, are all a lot trickier than Aria might have guessed. Still, she's pretty sure she's up for the challenge . . . Meet a magical girl like no other, from an author like no other, in this one-of-a-kind collection.

Ghosts at Sea

Ghosts at Sea
Author: Lisa Owings
Publisher: Bellwether Media
Total Pages: 24
Release: 2016-08-01
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 168103218X

Some sailors come back to land full of ghost stories about cursed crews or flaming ships. But do they truly sail the seas? Or are they just tricks of the mind? Find out for yourself in this high-interest book for reluctant readers.

The Crystal Ribbon

The Crystal Ribbon
Author: Celeste Lim
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Total Pages: 255
Release: 2017-01-31
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0545767059

Wonder, mysticism, heartache, and joy are the stones that set the path to one girl's journey as her destiny unfolds. In the village of Huanan, in medieval China, the deity that rules is the Great Huli Jing. Though twelve-year-old Li Jing's name is a different character entirely from the Huli Jing, the sound is close enough to provide constant teasing-but maybe is also a source of greater destiny and power. Jing's life isn't easy. Her father is a poor tea farmer, and her family has come to the conclusion that in order for everyone to survive, Jing must be sacrificed for the common good. She is sold as a bride to the Koh family, where she will be the wife and nursemaid to their three-year-old son, Ju'nan. It's not fair, and Jing feels this bitterly, especially when she is treated poorly by the Koh's, and sold yet again into a worse situation that leads Jing to believe her only option is to run away, and find home again. With the help of a spider who weaves Jing a means to escape, and a nightingale who helps her find her way, Jing embarks on a quest back to Huanan--and to herself.

The Strange and Deadly Portraits of Bryony Gray

The Strange and Deadly Portraits of Bryony Gray
Author: E. Latimer
Publisher: Tundra Books
Total Pages: 338
Release: 2020-04-07
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1101919302

Lemony Snicket meets Oscar Wilde meets Edgar Allan Poe in this exciting and scary middle-grade novel inspired by The Picture of Dorian Gray -- a family curse is unleashed! Bryony Gray is becoming famous as a painter in London art circles. But life isn't so grand. Her uncle keeps her locked in the attic, forcing her to paint for his rich clients . . . and now her paintings are taking on a life of their own, and customers are going missing under mysterious circumstances. When her newest painting escapes the canvas and rampages through the streets of London, Bryony digs into her family history, discovering some rather scandalous secrets her uncle has been keeping, including a deadly curse she's inherited from her missing father. Bryony has accidentally unleashed the Gray family curse, and it's spreading fast. With a little help from the strange-but-beautiful girl next door and her paranoid brother, Bryony sets out to break the curse, dodging bloodthirsty paintings, angry mobs and her wicked uncle along the way.

Ghosts in Mansions

Ghosts in Mansions
Author: Lisa Owings
Publisher: Epic Books
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2016-08
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 9781626174290

"Engaging images accompany information about ghosts in mansions. The combination of high-interest subject matter and light text is intended for students in grades 2 through 7"--

New Beginnings

New Beginnings
Author: Victoria Schwab
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Total Pages: 161
Release: 2014-05-27
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0545530547

From a #1 New York Times–bestselling author, a guardian angel lends friendship, support and magic to a girl struggling with her brother’s illness. At a first glance, Aria seems like your average twelve-year-old girl. She has coppery hair, colored shoelaces, and a passion for cupcakes. But there’s more to Aria than meets the eye. She can dream things into existence, use her own shadow like a door, and change the world in small, important ways. Aria is a guardian angel. She’s been sent here to earn her wings. But to do that, she’ll have to help three different girls. Aria’s first mission is Gabby Torres. Gabby’s always been quiet, but ever since her brother got sick, she’s barely said a word. When a new school offers her a fresh start, Gabby wants badly to be someone new, but she quickly learns it’s hard to make friends while keeping half her life a secret. And then Aria shows up. Aria, who knows exactly what to say and do to make Gabby feel better. Will she be able to help Gabby find her voice? And will Gabby still trust Aria when she finds out exactly what she is?

Took

Took
Author: Mary Downing Hahn
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Total Pages: 274
Release: 2015
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0544551532

A witch called Old Auntie is lurking near Dan's family's new home. He doesn't believe in her at first, but is forced to accept that she is real and take action when his little sister, Erica, is "took" to become Auntie's slave for the next fifty years.