Summer Reading 2022: Lower School

Cranky Chicken is, well, cranky. With one cranky eyebrow, cranky eyes, and even cranky, scratchy feet. But then one day, Cranky meets a very friendly worm named Speedy who wants nothing more than to be friends.

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Even though everyone thinks Kraken is big and frightening, he is not. He's like Izzie, sweet and shy. Kraken and Izzie use creativity and humor to win over the crowd in this hilariously adorable comic.

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Join Crab and Snail in the surf zone, where they think deep thoughts and have unforgettable seaside adventures.

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Reddie is all set to go to a party, but Archie can't leave without his favorite hat--so they must search through his silliest belongings to find it!

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Blue, Barry, and Pancakes are best friends, but sometimes friends make mistakes.

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Star the Elephant and his herd are searching for a new home. But when Star is separated from his family, he must journey alone into the great unknown. He'll come face to face with giant spiders, the vast ocean beyond his island, and strange humans. Can Star find his way back to his family?

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There's just one thing Kitty Sweet Tooth loves more than going to movies, and that's eating delicious desserts. Now that Pop-Pop's movie theater has fallen on hard times, Kitty decides that only dessert can keep it from closing its doors. With a coat of paint, a tasty new menu, and a lot of hard work, Kitty and her friends transform this ramshackle theater into the Taste-O-Rama, a combination movie house restaurant. But when you have a mad scientist and a witch working in the kitchen, recipes can go awry! How can Kitty Sweet Tooth and her friends save the day?

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Where did the tree house come from? Before Jack and Annie can find out, the mysterious tree house whisks them to the prehistoric past. Now they have to figure out how to get home. Can they do it before dark...or will they become a dinosaur's dinner?

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The Super-Secret Spy Service's mission is to keep the world safe from maniacal villains. And Agent 9 is one of its best operatives. Although Nine always manages to complete the mission, there is occasionally some collateral damage (like the priceless Pigasso painting that was destroyed while foiling an art heist). So Agent 9 is now on probation. But when bumbling supervillain King Crab manages to overtake S4 head-quarters, there is no one else to turn to. Nine-along with a robotic partner named FiN-is all that stands between King Crab and his diabolical plans to melt the polar ice caps and build a massive water park. Can Agent 9 prove to be the right cat for the job by overcoming impulsive behavior and saving the world from a complete flood-a-geddon?

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The scarlet dragon Ruskin's bravery is put to the test when a curse threatens his kingdom. As the pampered pet dragon of the Prince of Wrenly, Ruskin has never known life beyond the walls of the palace. Until the day a young dragon from Crestwood comes to the palace to plead for help. An evil curse has been unleashed in Crestwood and threatens to destroy all of Wrenly. Ruskin has a choice to make: stay safe at home in the palace, or try to help save his kingdom. For Ruskin, there is no choice. He knows he has to try and help if he can. What Ruskin and his new dragon friends don't yet realize is that the curse was awoken for one reason only--to put Ruskin in harm's way. The mission to reverse the curse is far more dangerous than anyone realizes...in fact, it's seemingly impossible. Why is Ruskin the target of these shadowy forces? And how far is Ruskin willing to go to save his kingdom?

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Meet Doug, Abby, and Josh: the BUG SCOUTS! Together, they head into the woods in search for adventure and something to eat. But will they be able to avoid the poisonous plants and manage to not get eaten by a clever frog?!

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Barb is a Berzerker, one of a group of warriors sworn to protect the land of Bailiwick from the scourge of monsters that plagues it. But the fearsome crew seem to have met their match in the nefarious Witch Head. Using power from his magical sword, he tricked the Zerks and took them captive. Only Barb was able to escape--and she took Witch Head's Shadow Blade with her. Now it's up to Barb to free her fellow warriors so they can stop Witch Head from taking over Bailiwick.

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Ally the alligator is perfectly happy being alone until one day a noisy bird named Beak lands on her snout. Beak thinks Ally is lonely and needs a friend. He has all sorts of friendship goals in mind, like riding bikes together, going to the movies together, and even solving mysteries together! But when a Long-Billed Party Pooper crashes Beak's nest-warming party, Ally decides to show Beak something important to her: sticking up for what's right.

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Meet best friends Gabby Jordan, Priya Gupta, and Mindy Kim. They're different in just about every way--personalities, hobbies, family, and more--but they have a few important things in common: they're all in the same class, they absolutely love animals, and for reasons that are as varied as the trio themselves none of them can actually have any pets. Unable to resist the adorable temptation any longer, the girls decide to come up with a way to finally get their hands on some furry friends. And, as luck would have it, it seems like their neighborhood is in need of some afterschool dog-walkers. So, just like that, PAWS is born! But it turns out that running a business is harder than it looks, especially with three co-owners who are such different people. The girls soon argue about everything, from how to prioritize their commitments to the best way to keep their doggy clients happy. And when their fighting ultimately leads to a doggo crisis, will it tear their business and friendship apart or will they be able to get it together to save the day?

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Garlic feels as though she's always doing something wrong. At least with her friend Carrot by her side and the kindly Witch Agnes encouraging her, Garlic is happy to just tend her garden, where it's nice and safe. But when her village of vegetable folk learns that a bloodthirsty vampire has moved into the nearby castle, they all agree that, in spite of her fear and self-doubt, Garlic is the obvious choice to confront him. And with everyone counting on her, Garlic reluctantly agrees to face the mysterious vampire, hoping she has what it takes. After all, garlic drives away vampires...right?

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Do you want to be famous? Mac and Mac do. How? By doing the impossible!

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Woolfrik and Perigold are two down-on-their-luck kittens in need of some extra cash, so they've decided to become professional monster slayers. Except they don't know the first thing about it! So when a huge beast starts rampaging through town, they are put to the ultimate test. Fortunately, the duo accidentally awakens a ghost named Earl Mortimore, who is the last not-so-living member of an ancient guild of warriors, and he's going to teach them everything he knows. But the monster is just the beginning of their worries, because someone even more troublesome is pulling its strings. So even though they've never been in a battle--or even gone on a real quest before--it's up to these kittens to save the day and prove they've got what it takes to be heroes.

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Bree can't wait for her first day at her new middle school, Enith Brigitha, home to the Mighty Manatees--until she's stuck with the only elective that fits her schedule, the dreaded Swim 101. The thought of swimming makes Bree more than a little queasy - it is one of her greatest fears. Lucky for her, Etta, an elderly occupant of her apartment building and former swim team captain, is willing to help. With Etta's training and a lot of hard work, Bree suddenly finds her community counting on her to turn the school's failing team around. Can Bree guide her team to a state championship, or have the Manatees swum their last lap--for good?

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Grand adventures stories often begin where you least expect them... Iris knows this because she's read them all. However, as a thirteen-year-old stuck in the tiny town of Bugden, real adventure seems like a distant dream. But when Iris and her best friend, Sam, stumble upon an unusually dry river on the outskirts of town, they're led to a discovery beyond anything Iris has ever read about: a hidden city and a forgotten tale of friendship. Can Iris and Sam uncover the truth in time to keep their own friendship afloat, or will history repeat itself and pull them apart forever?

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A funny and heartfelt coming-of-age story about navigating the expectations of family and cultural tradition. Sue just wants to spend the summer reading and making comics at sleepaway camp with her friends, but instead she gets stuck going to Honduras to visit relatives with her parents and two sisters. They live way out in the country, which means no texting, no cable, and no Internet! The trip takes a turn for the worse when Sue's mother announces that they'll be having a surprise quinceañera for Sue, which is the last thing she wants. She can't imagine wearing a big, floofy, colorful dress! What is Sue going to do?

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Mary Lennox is a loner living in Silicon Valley. With her parents always working, video game and tech become her main source of entertainment and "friends." When her parents pass away in a tragic accident, she moves to New York City to live with her uncle who she barely knows, and to her surprise, keeps a gadget free home. Looking for comfort in this strange, new reality, Mary discovers an abandoned rooftop garden and an even bigger secret...her cousin who suffers from anxiety. With the help of her new friends, Colin and Dickon, Mary works to restore the garden to its former glory while also learning to grieve, build real friendships, and grow.

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Ruby and Mia are total opposites: Ruby is a little awkward, not a "joiner," and loves to write poetry. While Mia is type A, popular(ish), and wants to be class prez. They used to be friends. But now they have nothing in common anymore. . . . Or do they?

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Zuli is extraordinary--she just doesn't realize it yet. Raised by mystical bird spirits in the branches of the Great Tree, she's never ventured beyond this safe haven. She's never had to. Until now. When a sinister force threatens the life-giving magic of the tree, Zuli, along with her guardian owl, Frowly, must get to the root of it. So begins an adventure bigger than anything Zuli could've ever imagined--one that will bring her, along with some newfound friends, face-to-face with an ancient dragon, the so-called Witch-Queen, and most surprisingly of all: her true identity.

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In a time of superstition and magic, a young apprentice hunter, Robyn Goodfellowe, journeys to Ireland with her father whose job it is to wipe out the last wolf pack. There, Robyn befriends a free-spirited girl, Mebh, a member of a mysterious tribe of WOLFWALKERS rumored to have the ability to transform into wolves by night. After learning that WOLFWALKERS aren't to be feared, Robyn decides she must protect Mebh and her pack from the hunters. But then she uncovers a secret that draws her further into the enchanted world of the WOLFWALKERS and risks turning into the very thing her father is tasked to destroy.

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A team of genetically enhanced extinct animals embark on top-secret mission to Siberia to retrieve an ancient unicorn horn from the thawing permafrost - but as soon as they land, the team runs into a mysterious enemy determined to take them down.

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Every Saturday, Pawcasso trots into town with a basket, a shopping list, and cash in paw to buy groceries for his family. One day, he passes eleven-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. What could go wrong?

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Portico Reeves's superpower is making sure all the other superheroes--like his parents and two best friends--stay super. And safe. Super safe. And he does this all in secret. No one in his civilian life knows he's actually...Stuntboy!

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Jordan's days as star player for her school's basketball team ended when an accident left her paralyzed from the waist down. Now, she's still the team captain, but her competition days seem to be behind her...until an encounter with a mysterious elephant, who she names Marshmallow, helps Jordan discover a brand new sport. Will water polo be the way for Jordan to continue her athletic dreams--or will it just come between Jordan and her best friends on the basketball team? And with the big tournament right around the corner, what secret is Marshmallow hiding?

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This graphic novel adventure tells the story of 10-year-old Elvie and her crucial mission to save humanity from extinction after a sun shift has changed life on earth as we know it. Isolated pockets of survivors keep to themselves in underground sites, hiding from the lethal sunlight by day and coming above ground at night. Elvie and her caretaker, Flora, a biologist, are the only two humans who can survive during daylight because Flora made an incredible discovery - a way to make an antidote to sun sickness using the scales from monarch butterfly wings. Will they discover a way to go from a treatment to a cure and preserve what remains of humanity?

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Ever since her father was lost at sea, Sophia has been moping around Aqualand, the marine theme park her dad and uncle created. But Sophia's world is turned upside down when an "aquanaut" breaks into the park's research lab. To her amazement, Sophia discovers that the aquanaut is not what it seems -- inside lives a band of four goofy sea creatures! And when they all realize that Aqualand has evolved into something much darker than Sophia's dad had envisioned, Sophia is determined to help the aquanaut crew free the park's captive marine life before it's too late.

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Manu and her best friend, Josefina, live at a magical school for girls, and Manu is always getting into trouble. The headmistress believes that Manu has the potential to help people with her magic, but Manu would rather have fun than fall in line. One day, a prank goes seriously wrong, and Josefina gets angry and wishes for Manu's magic to disappear... and it does. Manu uses a dangerous spell to restore it, but it makes her magic too powerful and nearly impossible to control. Great power comes at a cost, and it may be a price that Manu isn't able to pay!

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Based on real events, this story begings when the endlessly curious and tenacious Chang discovers a bear bile farm near her home in Vietnam, she decides to do everything she can to save wild animals.

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It's 1935 and jobs and money and sometimes even dreams are scarce. So when Turtle's mama gets a job housekeeping for a lady who doesn't like kids, Turtle heads off to Key West, Florida to live with relatives she's never met. Florida's like nothing Turtle's ever seen before though. It's hot and strange, full of rag tag boy cousins, family secrets, scams, and even buried pirate treasure!

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