Our middle grade book spotlight this week is focused on books that are stand alone fantasy titles! Let’s get real here for a second--there is something to be said when you find an amazing series that you just cannot put down, but not everyone has time for a series or sometimes you just want a book that has a beginning, middle, and end all within a front and back cover. That’s why we are taking a look at some fantasy titles that are not part of a series; they are stand alones novels for when you want your fantasy but do not have to read 6 books to find out what happens to your favorite main character or the epic battle between good and evil. These books and more can be found by searching the catalog using the search tag #youthfantasy as well as on Libby and Hoopla. Check back next week for a new Middle Grade book spotlight and if you have any book suggestions, please let us know!!
Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver--In a dimension known as the “Living Side,” the sun hasn't been seen for 1,728 days and Liesl, about 11 years old, has been shut in her home's attic by her cruel stepmother for 13 months. Three nights after her father's death, Liesl is visited by Po, a ghost from the “Other Side,” and the two become fast friends. Meanwhile, an alchemist who has created “The Most Powerful Magic in the World” orders his apprentice, Will, to deliver the magic to its destination; when Will switches the box with something far less remarkable, this mistake launches Liesl and Po on a journey that will have enormous repercussions for them both.
Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliott--In Brooklyn, nine-year-old Jax joins Ma, a curmudgeonly witch who lives in his building, on a quest to deliver three baby dragons to a magical world, and along the way discovers his true calling.
Lalani of the Distant Sea by Erin Entrada Kelly--Twelve-year-old Lalani Sarita's mother falls ill from an incurable disease in their small island village of Sanlagita. Lalani is then faced with an impossible task--to journey across the sea to the prosperous, legendary Mount Isa and help save her mother and her island from natural calamities and disease. But although the deadly journey has claimed men and boys alike, including her own father, Lalani courageously sets sail in a small boat to save the ones she loves.
The Magnificent Monsters of Cedar Street by Lauren Oliver--Cordelia Clay and her veterinarian father live and work in their nineteenth-century Boston clinic and secretly take care of mythical creatures. One day, Cordelia wakes to discover that her father has been abducted along with most of their creatures. Following a cryptic note and mysterious clues, Cordelia and a small group of "monsters" go on a quest to rescue them.
Dragonfell by Sarah Prineas--A young boy named Rafi Bywater sets out on an adventure when a stranger, Mister Flitch, accuses him of being "dragon-touched." Always having been fascinated by dragons, Rafi finds the idea thrilling, and together with the brilliant but secretive scientist Maud sets out to find the truth about what dragons are really like.
Otherwood by Pete Hautman--The words of his Grandpa Zach, "Hatred combined with lies and secrets can break the world," always play in Stuey's head, even after his grandpa dies. Stuey also remembers the way Grandpa Zach used to muse about quantum physics and insisted there were ghosts haunting their family's overgrown golf course. One day, Stuey and his best friend, Elly Rose, are out on the course playing in the deadfall in the woods, and something unbelievable happens, changing their lives and making them believe in the things Grandpa Zach used to say.