• New Award Books Have Arrived!

    Did somebody say new books? The new 2024 Illinois Reader's Choice Book Awards are here! Find the newly awarded books in the Youth Services Department. We have multiple copies of the Monarch, Bluestem, and Caudill Award Winners. These are all great options for summer reading!

    Find Monarch Books in the catalog.

    Find Bluestem Books in the catalog.

    Find Caudill books in the catalog.

    Happy Reading!


        Youth Services Librarian Claire 

  • 6 New E-Books to Read This Week

    The first week of March is National Read An E-Book Week! Here are some new chapter books that are available to download on Libby or OverDrive now!

       

    Broken Wish by Julie C. Dao

    "Sixteen-year-old Elva has a secret. She has visions and strange powers that she will do anything to hide. She knows the warnings about what happens to witches in their small village of Hanau. She’s heard the terrible things people say about the Witch of the North Woods, and the malicious hunts that follow. But when Elva accidentally witnesses a devastating vision of the future, she decides she has to do everything she can to prevent it. Tapping into her powers for the first time, Elva discovers a magical mirror and its owner—none other than the Witch of the North Woods herself. As Elva learns more about her burgeoning magic, and the lines between hero and villain start to blur, she must find a way to right past wrongs before it’s too late."

       

    Golden Girl by Reem Faruqi

    "Seventh grader Aafiyah loves playing tennis, reading Weird but True facts, and hanging out with her best friend, Zaina. However, Aafiyah has a bad habit that troubles her--she's drawn to pretty things and can't help but occasionally 'borrow' them. But when her father is falsely accused of a crime he hasn't committed and gets taken in by authorities, Aafiyah knows she needs to do something to help. When she brainstorms a way to bring her father back, she turns to her Weird but True facts and devises the perfect plan."

       

    The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera

    "There lived a girl named Petra Peña, who wanted nothing more than to be a storyteller, like her abuelita. But Petra's world is ending. Earth has been destroyed by a comet, and only a few hundred scientists and their children – among them Petra and her family – have been chosen to journey to a new planet. They are the ones who must carry on the human race. Hundreds of years later, Petra wakes to this new planet – and the discovery that she is the only person who remembers Earth. A sinister Collective has taken over the ship during its journey, bent on erasing the sins of humanity's past. They have systematically purged the memories of all aboard – or purged them altogether. Petra alone now carries the stories of our past, and with them, any hope for our future. Can she make them live again?"

       

    Julieta and the Diamond Enigma by Luisana Duarte Armendáriz

    "Nine-year-old Julieta is finally about to put a purple pin in her family's world traveling map! She's off to Paris to help her art-handler dad collect pieces for a new exhibit at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Sadly, they must leave Julieta's very pregnant mother behind, but they're sure they'll be back before the baby is born. Julieta sees the best of Paris: the Eiffel Tower, the Sacré-Coeur, and plenty of great art. But things go awry when she and Dad walk in on a thief stealing the Louvre's most prized piece--a priceless cursed diamond with a shady history. When Julieta runs for help, she accidentally frees the thief instead! Now Dad's job is in danger and he's become a suspect. Can Julieta determine who the thief really is before it's too late?"

       

    Loyalty by Avi

    "When his father is killed by rebel vigilantes, Noah flees with his family to Boston. Intent on avenging his father, Noah becomes a spy for the British and firsthand witness to the power of partisan rumor to distort facts, the hypocrisy of men who demand freedom while enslaving others, and the human connections that bind people together regardless of stated allegiances. Awash in contradictory information and participating in key events leading to the American Revolution, Noah must forge his own understanding of right and wrong and determine for himself where his loyalty truly lies."

       

    Anybody Here Seen Frenchie? by Leslie Connor

    "Eleven-year-old Aurora Petrequin's best friend has never spoken a word to her. In fact, Frenchie Livernois doesn't talk. Aurora is bouncy, loud and impulsive - 'a big old blurter.' Making friends has never come easily. When Frenchie, who is autistic, silently chose Aurora as his person back in third grade, she chose him back. They make a good team, sharing their love of the natural world in coastal Maine. In the woods, Aurora and Frenchie encounter a piebald deer, a rare creature with a coat like a patchwork quilt. Whenever it appears, Aurora feels compelled to follow. At school, Aurora looks out for Frenchie, who has been her classmate until this year. One morning, Frenchie doesn't make it to his classroom. Aurora feels she's to blame. The entire town begins to search, and everyone wonders: how is it possible that nobody has seen Frenchie?"

       

    Want more suggestions? Fill out this form to have a librarian pick some new titles for you!


       Youth Services Assistant Librarian Claire 

     

  • The Top 5 Buzzworthy Books This Fall

    Autumn is such a stellar season here in the Barrington area. The days get cooler and crisper, creatively decorated scarecrows abound, and pumpkin suddenly is flavoring EVERYTHING. But the best thing about fall? The books! Here are five chapter books for kids we know you can’t wait to get your hands on.

     

    Willodeen

    by Katherine Applegate

    From the oh-so-good creative voice behind Newbery Medal winning The One and Only Ivan as well as the Endling trilogy and our 2019 Book of the Summer Wishtree comes this brand new fantasy adventure about one girl and her quest to help the most unlovable creatures in her world. Yes please!

     

       
     

     

     

    The Beatryce Prophecy

    by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Sophie Blackall 

    A story set in medieval times about Beatryce, who just may be the girl prophesied to end the rule of the king, so must hide herself in the dangerous woods, away from those in power who want her dead. With sure-to-be stellar writing from the author of Newbery winnerThe Tale of Despereauxand artwork from the creator of Caldecott winnerHello Lighthouse,everybody is going to want to see this book.

       
     

     

    Daughter of the Deep

    by Rick Riordan

    A modern reimagining of10,000 Leagues Under the Sea? Hmm, I’m not sure about that… Wait, it’s by Rick Riordan, ofPercy Jacksonfame? Sign me up! 

     

       
     

    Kaleidoscope

    by Brian Selznick

    Selznick’s books are absolutely dazzling, combining stunning pencil artwork with amazing and ambitious stories. This newest book is a collection of stories and images that touch on themes of discovery and loss. Sounds like it will be a great book for grown-ups and kids alike.

       
     

     

    Amos McGee Misses the Bus

    by Philip C. Stead, illustrated by Erin E. Stead

    Ten years ago, the Stead duo won the Caldecott Medal for their oh-so-charming story ofA Sick Day for Amos McGee.Now, the beloved zookeeper and his animal friends are finally getting a sequel.

     

     

    What books are you excited to see this fall?

     

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    Youth Services Librarian Allison