Peachtree and Peachtree Teen Showcase: New titles from February through July 2023
If you follow me on Twitter, you see the weekly roundups of book mail I post. I’ve had to move it to weekly because I just don’t have the time to get to it every day and also, honestly, I need some bribes for myself, even at this age. Make it through the week at school, get some of my other work done, open book mail. So, after making progress on an article for SLJ, I got to open this box. Get out your TBR lists, friends!
Today’s box o’ fun is from Peachtree and Peachtree Teen. All descriptions are from the publisher.
Junkyard Dogs by Katherine Higgs-Coulthard (ISBN-13: 9781682635407 Publisher: Peachtree Teen Publication date: 02/21/2023, Ages 14+)
A suspenseful and gut-wrenching story of an unhoused teenager struggling to survive a criminal scrapping ring while unraveling a dark family history
Josh’s father has gone missing without a trace, and Gran’s ready to call social services. If Josh wants to keep himself and and his little brother, Twig, out of the system, he’ll have to take to the streets and track down his dad. But when Josh digs too deep, his dad’s old accomplices catch up to Josh and plunge him into a dangerous underground where putting his trust in the wrong person could number Josh in a growing pile of bodies.
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This chilling portrayal of a teen desperate for food, shelter, and safety barrels the reader through an emotionally-charged journey as Josh discovers that blood doesn’t always make family—and some bonds can be broken forever.
Off the Bench by Fred Bowen (ISBN-13: 9781682634103 Publisher: Peachtree Publication date: 03/28/2023 Series: Fred Bowen Sports Story Series #25, Ages 7-11)
Chris wants to be a star scorer like his brother—so why does his coach keep him waiting on the bench?
Chris comes from a sports-loving family. His brother is the star scorer on the high school team, and is being recruited by Division 3 colleges. Chris longs to earn the same adulation, and he’s a good scorer for his junior high team. But why won’t his coach start him? He’s better on defense than his rival, Carlos, and nearly as good a shooter.
Soon Chris becomes obsessed with earning a place in his team’s starting lineup. He does everything he can think of—including being an invaluable player every time he comes in. But nothing seems to get Coach’s attention. Even after he learns the history of the valuable “6th man,” Chris can’t seem to let it go. How will he ever be a big scoring star?
For every kid who hates to read but loves basketball, comes a suspenseful novel with plenty of play-by-play sports action.
Two Friends, One Dog, and a Very Unusual Week by Sarah L. Thomson, Vin Vogel (Illustrator) (ISBN-13: 9781682635162 Publisher: Peachtree Publication date: 04/18/2023, Ages 8-12)
Take Pippi Longstocking’s joie de vivre, blend it with a 21st century urban setting, toss in a dog named Otto for good measure and what do you get? This joyfully carefree story about two unlikely friends.
It’s a pair of silver sequined sneakers that unexpectedly flips Emily’s comfortable, predictable world upside down. Or, more precisely, it’s the girl wearing them.
The shoes belong to Rani, who moves into Emily’s apartment building—and her life—with absolutely no one but her dog Otto. (Her research scientist mother is away in Patagonia.) And that’s only the first rule that Emily watches Rani break without hesitation.
But it’s not just that Rani breaks rules. Most of the time, she doesn’t seem to know the rules exist. Why can’t she bungee jump off their building? Or bring an ice cream truck to school?
For steady and orderly Emily, Rani’s approach to life feels impossible . . . and more than a little irresistible. But is there a place for her in Rani’s world? And should she find a way to make space for Rani in her own?
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
Nina Soni, Perfect Hostess by Kashmira Sheth, Jenn Kocsmiersky (Illustrator) (ISBN-13: 9781682635018 Publisher: Peachtree Publication date: 04/25/2023, Ages 7-10)
When family visit from India, Nina Soni has the opportunity to be the perfect hostess—but her annoying cousin Montu and her own assumptions and intentions may complicate matters.
Nina’s grandmother is coming to visit, all the way from India. It’s hard, only getting to see her grandparents on carefully timed video calls, scheduled to manage that ten-and-a-half hour time difference. But now Dadi is going to stay for several weeks!
Nina can’t wait to see Dadi—but then it turns out that Montu, her annoying cousin, will also be coming. It’s challenging enough to manage her little sister, but Nina has gotten used to that, and even come to appreciate many of Kavita’s eccentricities. Still, it will be fun to introduce her extended family to life and friends in Madison, Wisconsin, and Nina is determined to become the perfect hostess. Surely, she can manage to plan a lovely visit, with the help of the lists she makes in her journal.
A Vanishing of Griffins by S.A. Patrick (ISBN-13: 9781682633885 Publisher: Peachtree Publication date: 05/02/2023, Ages 8-12)
The epic, middle grade fantasy continues in Book Two of the Songs of Magic trilogy!
Having upset the Hamelyn Piper’s dastardly plan to build an army through songs of mind control, 13-year-old Piper, Patch Brightwater, must foil the escaped villain’s next sinister plot: assembling a suit of immortal armor. Accompanied by Wren, a girl cursed to live as a rat, and Barver, a fire-breathing dracogriff, Patch seeks the aid of old friends, legendary heroes, and a near-dead sorcerer.
Embark on another adventure with the motley trio as they clash with pirates of the Eastern Seas, uncover secrets of the griffins, and dabble with magic to undo past wrongs and forge their own offense before it’s too late.
S. A. Patrick’s Songs of Magic trilogy is a brilliant retelling of one of the darkest legends of all time, “The Piper of Hamelyn.” Combining folklore with the very best of modern storytelling, the books will delight young fantasy fans who are hungry for perilous quests, friendships forged on the road, and an inventive magic system that thrills the imagination.
The Girl Who Lost a Leopard by Nizrana Farook (ISBN-13: 9781682635810 Publisher: Peachtree Publication date: 05/09/2023, Ages 8-12)
From the author of The Girl Who Stole an Elephant comes another thrilling escapade set in fictional Sri Lanka.
Selvi is a free spirit who loves climbing in the beautiful mountains behind her home. There, she befriended Lokka, a leopard with a beautiful coat and huge golden eyes. Together, they roam the wilderness as they please.
But when hunters come with bows and arrows, Selvi knows she must stop them before they hurt Lokka. But what can she do against such powerful enemies, especially when the friends and family she turns to for help are not all they seem to be? To rescue her leopard friend, first Selvi must outwit the poachers and expose the mastermind behind it all.
With breezy chapters and lush, atmospheric settings, this action-adventure is a superb pick for young readers who enjoy stories with peril, friendship, and close encounters with the natural wild.
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
Saint Juniper’s Folly by Alex Crespo (ISBN-13: 9781682635773 Publisher: Holiday House Publication date: 05/16/2023, Ages 14-17)
Cemetery Boys meets The Haunting of Bly Manor in this spellbinding debut!
For Jaime, returning to the Vermont town of Saint Juniper means returning to a past he’s spent eight years trying to forget. After shuttling between foster homes, he hopes to make something out of this fresh start. But every gossip in town already knows his business, and with reminders of his past everywhere, he seeks out solitude into the nearby woods—Saint Juniper’s Folly—and does not return.
For Theo, Saint Juniper means being stuck. He knows there’s more out there, but he’s scared to go find it. His senior year is going to be like all the rest, dull and claustrophobic. That is until he wanders into the Folly and stumbles on a haunted house with an acerbic yet handsome boy trapped—as in physically trapped—inside.
For Taylor, Saint Juniper is a mystery. She tries to practice the magic her dad banned from the house after her mom, an accomplished witch, suddenly died. But without someone to guide her, she’s floundering. Then a wide-eyed teenager barges into her life, rambling about a haunted house and a trapped boy. He needs a witch.
The Folly and its ghosts will draw these three teenagers together. But can they each face their demons to forge a bond strong enough to escape the Folly’s shadows?
Alex Crespo’s queer haunted house mystery is equal parts spine-tingling thrills, a celebration of found family, and must-read for paranormal romance fans.
Half Moon Summer by Elaine Vickers (ISBN-13: 9781682635391 Publisher: Peachtree Publication date: 06/06/2023, Ages 8-12)
Two seventh graders discover it takes more than grit and a good pair of shoes to run 13.1 miles. You’ve got to have a partner who refuses to let you quit.
Drew was never much of a runner. Until his dad’s unexpected diagnosis. Mia has nothing better to do. Until she realizes entering Half Moon Bay’s half-marathon could solve her family’s housing problems.
And just like that they decide to spend their entire summer training to run 13.1 miles. Drew and Mia have very different reasons for running, but these two twelve year olds have one crucial thing in common (besides sharing a birthday): Hope. For the future. For their families. And for each other.
Things I’ll Never Say by Cassandra Newbould (ISBN-13: 9781682635964 Publisher: Holiday House Publication date: 06/06/2023, Ages 14-17)
A beautifully raw coming-of-age story for fans of Becky Albertalli and Julie Murphy, examining what it means to crush on your two best friends at the same time.
Ten years ago, the Scar Squad promised each other nothing would tear them apart. Even when Casey Jones Caruso lost her twin brother Sammy to an overdose, and their foursome became a threesome, the squad picked each other up. But when Casey’s feeling for the remaining members—Francesca and Benjamin—develop into romantic attraction, she worries the truth will dissolve them.
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Casey tries to ignore her heart, until Ben kisses her at a summer party, and Frankie kisses another girl. Now Casey must confront all the complicated feelings she’s buried—for her friends and for the brother she’s totally pissed at for dying. Since Sammy’s death, Casey has spilled all the things she can no longer say to him in journals, and now more than ever, she wishes he were here to help her decide whether she should guard her heart or bet it all on love, before someone else decides for her.
A Warning About Swans by R. M. Romero (ISBN-13: 9781682634837 Publisher: Peachtree Teen Publication date: 07/11/2023, Ages 13-17)
Swan Lake meets The Last Unicorn by way of the Brothers Grimm in a dreamy, original fairytale by critically acclaimed author R.M. Romero.
Bavaria. 1880. Hilde was dreamed into existence by the god Odin and, along with her five sisters, granted cloaks that transform them into swans. Each sister’s cloak is imbued with a unique gift, but Hilde rejects her gift which allows her to lead the souls of dying creatures to the afterlife.
While guiding the soul of a hawk, Hilde meets the handsome Baron Maximilian von Richter, whose father left him no inheritance. Hilde is intrigued by Richter’s longing for a greater life and strikes a deal with him: She will manifest his dreams of riches, and in return, he will take her to the human world, where the song of souls can’t reach her.
But at the court of King Ludwig II in Munich, Hilde struggles to fit in. After learning that fashionable ladies are sitting for portraits, she hires non-binary Jewish artist Franz Mendelson, and is stunned when Franz renders her with swan wings. The more time she spends with Franz, the more she feels drawn to the artist’s warm, understanding nature, and the more controlling Richter becomes. When Hilde’s swan cloak suddenly goes missing, only Franz’s ability to paint the true nature of souls can help Hilde escape her newfound prison.
Filed under: new books
About Amanda MacGregor
Amanda MacGregor works in an elementary library, loves dogs, and can be found on Twitter @CiteSomething.
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