(W) Jerzy Drozd, Anne Drozd (A/CA) Jerzy Drozd
Blast off! Discover the history of rockets and their impact on the future with Anne and Jerzy Drozd in this volume of Science Comics, the action-packed nonfiction graphic novel series for middle-grade readers! In Rockets we explore the 2,000 years that rockets have been in existence. We dive into Newton's Laws of Motion, learning all about gravity, force, acceleration, and the history of rockets made in the past and rockets to be made in the future!
(W/A) Andy Hirsch
Leave no stone unturned with Science Comics: Rocks and Minerals, the latest volume in First Second's action-packed nonfiction graphic novel series for middle-grade readers! Join a crystal-crazy fanboy and a famous rock hunter on a geological journey that will take them to the summit of a volcano, deep within the earth, and even into outer space! They'll learn about the unstoppable forces that shape our planet and they might even pick up a gemstone or meteorite along the way.
(W/A/CA) Joe Flood
Take the plunge with sharks in this volume of Science Comics, an action-packed nonfiction graphic novel series for middle-grade readers! Every volume is a complete introduction to a particular topic. These gorgeously illustrated graphic novels offer wildly entertaining views of their subjects. Whether you're a fourth grader doing a natural science unit at school or a thirty-year-old with a secret passion for airplanes, these books are for you! In this volume, we explore one of the most unfairly villainized and Hollywood-famous underwater predators. With their 400-million year history, their vital role in maintaining the ecosystem, their incredible specialized adaptations, and their various unique species, there is a lot more to sharks than just their ferocious jaws. Available in softcover and hardcover editions.
(W/A/CA) Joe Flood
Take the plunge with sharks in this volume of Science Comics, an action-packed nonfiction graphic novel series for middle-grade readers! Every volume of Science Comics is a complete introduction to a particular topic-dinosaurs, coral reefs, the solar system, volcanoes, bats, flying machines, and more. These gorgeously illustrated graphic novels offer wildly entertaining views of their subjects. Whether you're a fourth grader doing a natural science unit at school or a thirty-year-old with a secret passion for airplanes, these books are for you! This volume: In Sharks, we explore one of the most unfairly villainized and Hollywood-famous underwater predators. With their 400-million year history, their vital role in maintaining the ecosystem, their incredible specialized adaptations, and their various unique species, there is a lot more to sharks than just their ferocious jaws.
(W/A) John Kerschbaum
Leave no brick unturned in Science Comics: Skyscrapers, the latest volume in First Second's action-packed nonfiction graphic novel series for middle-grade readers! Every volume of Science Comics offers a complete introduction to a particular topic. These gorgeously illustrated graphic novels offer wildly entertaining views of their subjects. In this volume, join a pair of super-heroes as they uncover the secrets of skyscrapers, from the great Egyptians pyramids to the world's tallest building. Read along and learn how skyscrapers are a bold combination of applied physics, ingenuity, and a lot of hard work! Available in softcover and hardcover editions.
(W) Rosemary Mosco (A/CA) Jon Chad
We are made of star-stuff. Start with a Big Bang and learn about space in this volume of Science Comics, an action-packed nonfiction graphic novel series for middle-grade readers! Every volume of Science Comics offers a complete introduction to a particular topic. In this volume, go where no kid has gone before! You'll get up close and personal with Earth's nearest neighbors - Venus with its acid rainstorms, Saturn and its rings of ice, and the heart of it all, the Sun. Join Sara, Jill, and their space-faring pets on a quest to learn more about the wonders of our solar system - and beyond!
(W) Tory Woollcott (A/CA) Alex Graudin
Open up your mind and learn about what goes on in there in this volume of Science Comics, an action-packed nonfiction graphic novel series for middle-grade readers! Every volume offers a complete introduction to a particular topic: dinosaurs, coral reefs, the solar system, volcanoes, bats, flying machines, and more. In this volume, a young girl named Fahama needs to learn about the brain as fast as possible in order to escape from the clutches of a mad scientist and his zombie assistant! How did the brain evolve? How do we remember things? What makes you, you? In The Brain, get an inside look at the most advanced operating system in the world, if you have the nerve! Available in softcover and hardcover editions.
(W/A/CA) Andy Hirsch
Branch out! Discover the importance of trees with Andy Hirsch in this volume of Science Comics, the action-packed nonfiction graphic novel series for middle-grade readers! In Trees we follow an acorn as it learns about its future as Earth's largest, longest-living plant. Starting with the seed's germination, we learn about each stage until the tree's maturation, different types of trees, and the roles trees take on in our ecosystem. Each volume of Science Comics offers a complete introduction to a particular topic. Whether you're a fourth grader doing a natural science unit at school or a thirty-year-old with a secret passion for airplanes, these books are for you! Available in softcover and hardcover editions.
(W/A/CA) Jon Chad
In a not-so-distant future our world is as cold as a frozen burrito. But can humanity save itself by harnessing a power that dwells inside the Earth? Explode into the world of geology in Volcanoes: Fire and Life! A lot of magic happens under the Earth's crust. Thanks to magma vents, shifting continental plates, and volcanic eruptions, we know that our planet is alive and in motion. Alongside Aurora, a young explorer, you'll learn that volcanoes are just one of the massively powerful forces at work on our planet. From catastrophic destruction to the creation of new land masses, volcanoes have made their mark on our amazing Earth. Available in Softcover and Hardcover editions.
(W) M. K. Reed (A/CA) Jonathan Hill
Furious floods, looming landslides, terrifying tornadoes, ferocious forest fires! Is Mother Nature trying to tell us something? As 'snowpocalypse' descends once again, one temperamental weatherman is determined to set the record straight on the myths and misconceptions surrounding the elements. What is the difference between weather and climate? How do weather satellites predict the future? Can someone outrun a tornado? Does the rotation of the Earth affect wind currents? And does meteorology have anything to do with meteors? Stormin' Norman Weatherby is gearing up to answer all your wildest questions! Available in softcover and hardcover editions.
(W) Gene Luen Yang (A/CA) Mike Holmes
The coders are back in the third volume of the exciting new computer-programming series by New York Times-bestselling author Gene Luen Yang. Stately Academy is no ordinary school: it was once home to an elite institute where teachers, students, and robots worked together to unravel the mysteries of coding. Hopper, Eni, and Josh won't rest until they've learned the whole story, but they aren't the only ones interested in the school's past. Principal Dean is hot on their trail, demanding that the coders turn over their most powerful robot. Dean may be a creep, but he's nothing compared to the guy who's really in charge: a green-skinned coding genius named Professor One-Zero.
(W) Gene Luen Yang (A/CA) Mike Holmes
Stately Academy is just crawling with mysteries to be solved! In the last volume, Hopper and Eni discovered a robot in the supply closet and programmed him to do mischief. Now they're trapped in an underground lair, and they must use their new programming skills to escape. Paths & Portals offers more of the same high-stakes adventure and real-world coding instruction. The Secret Coders series is an exciting new direction for Gene Luen Yang, one of the most popular creators in children's comics. Available in Softcover and Hardcover editions.
(W) Gene Luen Yang (A/CA) Mike Holmes
Stately Academy is no ordinary school: it was once home to an elite institute where teachers, students, and robots worked together to unravel the mysteries of coding. Hopper, Eni, and Josh won't rest until they've learned the whole story, but they aren't the only ones interested in the school's past. Principal Dean is hot on their trail, demanding that the coders turn over their most powerful robot. Dean may be a creep, but he's nothing compared to the guy who's really in charge: a green-skinned coding genius named Professor One-Zero. Available in Softcover and Hardcover editions.
(W) Gene Luen Yang (A/CA) Mike Holmes
Dr. One-Zero has added a new class to Stately Academy's curriculum. But in 'Advanced Chemistry,' they only teach one lesson: how to make Green Pop! While their classmates are manufacturing this dangerous soda, the Coders uncover a clue that may lead them to Hopper's missing dad. Is it time to use Professor Bee's most powerful weapon: the Turtle of Light? From graphic novel superstar (and former computer programming teacher) Gene Luen Yang, Secret Coders is a wildly entertaining series that combines logic puzzles and basic coding instruction with a page-turning mystery plot! Available in Softcover and Hardcover editions.
(W) Gene Luen Yang (A/CA) Mike Holmes
The coders are back in the fifth volume of the hit computer-programming series that combines logic puzzles and basic coding instruction with a page-turning mystery plot from New York Times-bestselling author Gene Luen Yang. At long last, the Coders have found Hopper's missing father-but he's not the same. He drank Professor One-Zero's poisonous concoction, Green Pop. Now he's in a blissful stupor and all he cares about is the color green. Professor One-Zero won't stop until the whole town has joined his 'green revolution.' There's only one weapon that can defeat him, and unfortunately, it's in another dimension. But that won't stop Hopper, Eni, and Josh! Available in Softcover and Hardcover editions.
(W) Gene Luen Yang (A/CA) Mike Holmes
The coders are back in the sixth and final volume of the hit computer-programming series by New York Times-bestselling author Gene Luen Yang. The Coders always knew their programming skills would take them far, but they never guessed it would take them to another dimension! To save humanity, they must travel to the two-dimensional world of Flatland. Only there they can acquire a weapon powerful enough to defeat Dr. One-Zero, but to open the gateway to Flatland, they must write their most difficult code yet! Available in softcover and hardcover editions.
(W) Gene Luen Yang (A/CA) Mike Holmes
The coders are back in the fifth volume of the hit computer-programming series by New York Times-bestselling author Gene Luen Yang. At long last, the Coders have found Hopper's missing father-but he's not the same. He drank Professor One-Zero's poisonous concoction, Green Pop. Now he's in a blissful stupor and all he cares about is the color green. Professor One-Zero won't stop until the whole town has joined his 'green revolution.' There's only one weapon that can defeat him, and unfortunately, it's in another dimension. But that won't stop Hopper, Eni, and Josh! From graphic novel superstar (and former computer programming teacher) Gene Luen Yang, Secret Coders is a wildly entertaining series that combines logic puzzles and basic coding instruction with a page-turning mystery plot!
(W) Gene Luen Yang (A/CA) Mike Holmes
The coders are back in the sixth and final volume of the hit computer-programming series by New York Times-bestselling author Gene Luen Yang. The Coders always knew their programming skills would take them far, but they never guessed it would take them to another dimension! To save humanity, they must travel to the two-dimensional world of Flatland. Only there they can acquire a weapon powerful enough to defeat Dr. One-Zero, but to open the gateway to Flatland, they must write their most difficult code yet! From graphic novel superstar (and former computer-programming teacher) Gene Luen Yang, Secret Coders is a wildly entertaining series that combines logic puzzles and basic coding instruction with a page-turning mystery plot!
(W) Hiromi Goto (A) Ann Xu
When Kumiko's well-meaning adult daughters place her in an assisted living home the seventy-six-year-old widow gives it a try, but it's not where she wants to be. She goes on the lam and finds a cozy bachelor apartment, keeping the location secret even while communicating online with her eldest daughter. Kumiko revels in the small, daily pleasures. But something has followed her from her former residence - Death's shadow. Kumiko's sweet life is shattered when Death's shadow swoops in to collect her. With her quick mind and sense of humour, Kumiko, with the help of friends new and old, is prepared for the fight of her life. But how long can an old woman thwart fate?
(W) Sharon Shinn (A/CA) Molly Ostertag
It is ten years after Colleen Cavanaugh's home world was invaded by the Derichets, a tyrannical alien race bent on exploiting the planet's mineral resources. Most of her family died in the war, and she now lives alone in the city. Aside from her acquaintances at the factory where she toils for the Derichets, Colleen makes a single friend in Jann, a member of the violent group of rebels known as the Chromatti. One day Colleen receives shocking news: her niece Lucy is alive and in need of her help. Together, Colleen, Jann, and Lucy create their own tenuous family. But Colleen must decide if it's worth risking all of their survival to join a growing underground revolution against the Derichets.
(W) Nathaniel Lachenmeyer (A) Simini Blocker
A genie just wants a chance to grant a wish to the frog who accidentally let him out of his lamp-meanwhile, the frog just wants to be left alone. A witch is tormented by the cheerful (and awful) singing of a persistent bard, but when she finally snaps and turns him into a rock, he just keeps on singing-somehow the power of terrible music overcomes all magic. A wizard wants a pet. An ogre just wants to make beautiful art. Four original, wry, and utterly charming fairy tales comprise this new collection for young readers. With deft, lively text from Nathaniel Lachenmeyer and eye-popping, painterly art by Simini Blocker, The Singing Rock is the perfect read for kids who love a good yarn-and good comics!
(W/A/CA) Lucy Knisley
In 2010, Lucy and her long-term boyfriend John broke up. Three long, lonely years later, John returned to New York, walked into Lucy's apartment, and proposed. This is not that story. It is the story of what came after: The Wedding. DIY maven Lucy Knisley was fascinated by American wedding culture... but also sort of horrified by it. So she set out to plan and execute the adorable DIY wedding to end all adorable DIY weddings. And she succeeded. This graphic novel is the story of how Lucy built a barn, invented a whole new kind of photo booth, and managed to turn an outdoor wedding on a rainy day into a joyous (though muddy) triumph.
(W) Scott Westerfeld (A/CA) Alex Puvilland
Three years ago an event destroyed the small city of Poughkeepsie, forever changing reality within its borders. Strange manifestations and lethal dangers now await anyone who enters the Spill Zone. Addison got close enough to the Spill Zone to touch it, literally. She survived the encounter, but came back changed. It turns out she's not alone. North Korea has its own Spill Zone, and a young man named Don Jae is the only one who made it out alive. Alive, but changed. Now Addison, Don Jae, and, curiously, a rag doll named Vespertine, share an unholy bond and uncanny powers.
(W/A/CA) Mike Lawrence
Avani is the new kid in town, and she's not happy about it. Everyone in school thinks she's weird, especially the girls in her Flower Scouts troop. Is it so weird to think scouting should be about fun and adventure, not about makeovers and boys, boys, boys? But everything changes when Avani is 'accidentally' abducted by a spunky alien named Mabel. Mabel is a scout too - a Star Scout. Collecting alien specimens (like Avani) goes with the territory, along with teleportation and jetpack racing. Avani might be weird, but in the Star Scouts she fits right in. If she can just survive Camp Andromeda, and keep her dad from discovering that she's left planet Earth, she's in for the adventure of a lifetime.
(W/A/CA) Mike Lawrence
Avani has found the one place in the universe where she fits in: Star Scouts, a cosmic scouting troop. Among this ragtag group of intergalactic scouts, Avani can really be herself. And now that her new (human) friend, Jen, has joined the troop, things are better than ever. (For Avani, that is; Mabel, her alien best friend, isn't too happy about it.) During a troop meeting, Avani receives an invitation to join a secret society of elite scouts known as the League of Lasers. She is eager to join their ranks, but first she must survive her initiation challenge. Stranded on an uncharted planet, Avani has to contend with the methane atmosphere, hostile frog-like inhabitants, and her dwindling supplies of food and water. But even worse: her arch nemesis, Pam, is stranded there, too!
(W/A/CA) Mike Lawrence
The third and final volume of a rollicking sci-fi adventure series about a young girl who becomes inducted (or rather abducted) into a cosmic scouting troop. After an epic feud, Avani has finally made peace with Pam, her one-time nemesis from a rival Star Scouts troop. Avani's bestie, Mabel, isn't too pleased about their budding friendship. But they'll all need to get along to overcome their next challenge: the invasion of planet Earth! An army of scuttlebots is descending on Avani's hometown. These robots cause mayhem by spreading gossip, and they have a major tactical advantage: They're able to disguise themselves as boxes of Flower Scout cookies! (Did we mention Avani's dad just ordered fifty boxes of Skinny Mints?)
(W/A/CA) Jen Wang
Moon is everything Christine isn't. She's confident, impulsive, artistic... and though they both grew up in the same Chinese-American suburb, Moon is somehow unlike anyone Christine has ever known. But after Moon moves in next door, these unlikely friends are soon best friends, sharing their favorite music videos and painting their toenails when Christine's strict parents aren't around. Moon even tells Christine her deepest secret: that she has visions, sometimes, of celestial beings who speak to her from the stars. Who reassure her that Earth isn't where she really belongs. Moon's visions have an all-too-earthly root, however, and soon Christine's best friend is in the hospital, fighting for her life. Can Christine be the friend Moon needs, now, when the sky is falling? Available in softcover and hardcover editions.
(W) Ian Lendler (A/CA) Zack Giallongo The Stratford Zoo looks like a normal zoo - until the gates shut at night! That's when the animals come out of their cages to stage elaborate performances of Shakespeare's greatest works. They might not be the most accomplished thespians, but they've got what counts: heart. Also fangs, feathers, scales, and tails. Macbeth, Shakespeare's greatest tragedy, has never been so funny as when it's performed by the animals of Stratford Zoo! Available in Softcover and Hardcover editions.
(W/A/CA) Howard Cruse
Set in Alabama in the 1960s, Stuck Rubber Baby tells the story of Toland Polk, a young man who is deeply in the closet and hell-bent on 'fixing' his homosexuality. Toland is not prone to making waves, but he finds himself drawn to a lively group of civil rights activists. With his new friends, he starts frequenting sit-ins and gay bars. This raises the ire of local bigots and quite literally brings the Klan to his doorstep. This painstakingly researched and exquisitely illustrated graphic novel draws on Howard Cruse's experience as a young gay man in 1960s Birmingham, Alabama. Both deeply personal and epic in scope, Stuck Rubber Baby is a rich and moving tale of identity and resistance.
(W/A/CA) Sara Varon
This endearing, quirky volume is a captivating look into Varon's creative process. It combines short comics stories, essays, and journal entries, and invites the reader into the world of Sara Varon: where adorable, awkward anthropomorphic animals walk the streets of Brooklyn and a surprising, sideways revelation is waiting around every corner.
Tiger is a very lucky kid: she has a monster living under her bed. Every night, Tiger and Monster play games until it's time for lights out. Of course, Monster would never try to scare Tiger; that's not what best friends do. But Monster needs to scare someone; it's a monster, after all. So while Tiger sleeps, Monster scares all of her nightmares away. Thanks to her friend, Tiger has nothing but good dreams. But waiting in the darkness is a nightmare so big and mean that Monster can't fight it alone. Only teamwork and a lot of bravery can chase this nightmare away.
(W/A/CA) Matthew Loux
From dinosaurs to the burning of the Library of Alexandra, this thrilling, visually dazzling new series is posed to conquer the 21st century! The internship program at the Time Museum is a little unusual. For one thing, kids as young as twelve get to apply for these prestigious summer jobs. And as for the applicant pool... well, these kids come from all over history. When Delia finds herself working at the Time Museum, the last thing she expects is to be sent on time-traveling adventures with an unlikely gang of kids from across the eons. From a cave-boy to a girl from the distant future, Delia's team represents nearly all of human history! They're going to need all their skills for the challenge they've got in store, defending the Time Museum itself!
(W/A/CA) Matthew Loux
Delia and her fellow time travelers are ready for their next big mission, and this time they won't be working alone. With the help of a more seasoned Epoch Squad, led by none other than President Richard Nixon, the team heads to 1778 Versailles to save a historic alliance between the United States and France. The plan goes awry, and they find themselves trapped in the wrong reality, where the only ones who can help them are... themselves? Will the team be able to ditch their itchy French formal wear and escape the time loop they're trapped in? Or will this be their last mission?
The Tiny Tyrant tyrannizes again! Join Ethelbert, the world's most diminutive despot, as he searches for smugglers, creates giant rats, and has difficulty with long words. This companion to The Ethelbertosaurus offers readers six more fun-filled stories in a large, kid-friendly format.
(W) Scott Peterson (A) Jose Garcia
In this YA graphic novel, gladiators of the modern-day Roman Empire are enslaved teenagers who race monster trucks on reality TV. In a near-future world where the Roman Empire never fell, only two things matter: honor and The Game. 'The Game' is Truckus Maximus, a competition where drivers race against one another to the death. The best of the best is a young driver named Axl. The leader of Team Apollo, Axl drives hard and lives by a strict code of honor. That honor will be pushed to its limits by the Caesar, the cunning ruler of the Roman Empire, and the Dominus, the absolute master of the Truckus Maximus games who can change its rules at will. But Axl can't survive this race on his own. To do that, he'll have to embrace his team, including a defiant new racer named Piston. Will he learn that family is more important than honor and The Game? Or will he go down in flames?
(W) Scott Peterson (A) Jose Garcia
In this YA graphic novel, gladiators of the modern-day Roman Empire are enslaved teenagers who race monster trucks on reality TV. In a near-future world where the Roman Empire never fell, only two things matter: honor and The Game. 'The Game' is Truckus Maximus, a competition where drivers race against one another-to the death. The best of the best is a young driver named Axl. The leader of Team Apollo, Axl drives hard and lives by a strict code of honor. That honor will be pushed to its limits by the Caesar-the cunning ruler of the Roman Empire-and the Dominus, the absolute master of the Truckus Maximus games who can change its rules at will. But Axl can't survive this race on his own. To do that, he'll have to embrace his team, including a defiant new racer named Piston. Will he learn that family is more important than honor and The Game? Or will he go down in flames?
(W/A/CA) Andy Hirsch
Opie and Ned are adrift in the Old West, searching for the man who shot their Ma. These two youngsters only have each other, but with all their squabbling it's a miracle they still have that. When they get wind of the mysterious Pa ('crime kingpin of the West!'), Opie and Ned suddenly have something new: a mission. But tracking down the elusive (and deadly) Pa is going to take all the wiles these two kids have, and some new friends to boot. Clever, explosive, and deeply moving by turns, Varmints is a perfect middle-grade comedy. Hirsch brings an old-school Western style to bear on a story full of nuance, humor, and surprises.
(W) Elliot Kirschner, Dan Rather (A) Tim Foley
In this graphic novel adaptation of his bestselling collection of essays, legendary news anchor Dan Rather provides a voice of reason and explores what it means to be a true patriot. Brought to life in stunning color by artist Tim Foley, What Unites Us takes apart the building blocks of this country, from the freedoms that define us, to the values that have transformed us, to the institutions that sustain us. Rather's vast experience and his unique perspective shed light on who we were and who we are today, allowing us to see a possible future, where we are one country - united.
When Zita's best friend disappears in a puff of smoke, she doesn't even think before dashing after him. To her surprise, she finds herself on a planet she's never seen before. Alien chickens and insecure robots are weird enough as new experiences go, but Zita is more shocked to find herself cast in the role of an intergalactic hero. It looks like there's nothing for her to do but don a cape and officially become: Zita the Spacegirl!