New books for the holidays

We know some of our young readers will be looking forward to the newest Anh Do books - Weirdo 21: Weird Wedding, Pow Pow Pig 5: Snow Action, Ninja Kid 12: Hypno Ninja, Wolf Girl 9: Sink or Swim and E-Boy 5: Superhuman Army. 

Or perhaps you would like to read the ‘Worst Week Ever’ series by Eva Amores and Matt Cosgrove. If you like to lose yourself in a longer adventure series, with some fantasy thrown in, try ‘The Land of Stories’ by Chris Colfer. In these books, twins Alex and Conner leave their world behind and find themselves in a foreign land full of wonder and magic, when they come face-to-face with fairy tale characters they grew up reading about.

If graphic novels appeal to you, we have plenty of new titles; one of our favourites is ‘The Odds’ series by Matt Stanton. In these books, Kip is a quiet kid in a loud city. She’s easy to miss and that’s the way she likes it. Then, one day, Kip’s quiet life is suddenly interrupted. Ten of her favourite characters have stepped out of their worlds and into hers. But what happens when a dragon-hunting rabbit leaves his comic strip? When a ninja leaves her TV show, a race-car driver leaves their video game?

If you like the Babysitter’s Club graphic novels, you can find all of them at the library, along with Raina Telgemeirs’s books. We also have some new graphic novel series that we think you will like. The first is the ‘Click’ series, by Kayla Miller. In ‘Click’, Olive clicks with everyone in the fifth grade, until one day she doesn’t. When a school variety show leaves Olive stranded without an act to join, she has to find her own place. This series is about friendships and identity and belonging. 

The second series that we think will appeal to you is called ‘Emmie and Friends’, by Terri Libenson. The first book, Invisible Emmie, is the story of two totally different girls - quiet, shy, artistic Emmie and popular, outgoing, athletic Katie, and how their lives unexpectedly intersect one day when an embarrassing note falls into the wrong hands… Remy Lai is an Australian author and illustrator, and the library has several of her books and graphic novels. In ‘Pawcasso’, she tells the story of Pawcasso, a dog who trots into tow with a basket, a shopping list and cash in paw to buy groceries for his family. One day, he passes 11-year-old Jo, peering out the window of her house, bored and lonely. Astonished by the sight of an adorable basket-toting dog on his own, Jo follows Pawcasso, and when she’s seen alongside him by a group of kids from her school, they mistake her for Pawcasso’s owner. Excited to make new friends, Jo reluctantly hides the truth and agrees to let ‘her’ dog model for an art class the kids attend. But her small lie quickly becomes a massive problem when Pawcasso is in trouble for roaming the streets off-leash. With Pawcasso’s freedom at stake, is Jo willing to spill the truth and risk her new friendships? 

For older readers who enjoy graphic novels, we recommend the Anthony Horowitz ‘Alex Rider’ series, adapted by Antony Johnstone. In Stormbreaker, 14-year-old Alex is forcibly recruited into MI6 after the mysterious death of his guardian. He is sent to infiltrate the organization of a sinister billionaire. Within days, he has gone from schoolboy to superspy, and it looks like his first assignment may be his last. 

We also have the graphic novel versions of the first four ‘Percy Jackson’ books by Rick Riordan. We have also received plenty of new picture books, including several new Bluey books, Elmer and the Gift by David McKee, Dippy and the Dinosaurs by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley, Looking After Country With Fire by Victor Steffenson. 

There’s something great for everyone to read this week at the library. Happy reading!