New children's and YA e-books added to NCLS!

And I Darken (The Conqueror's Saga #1) by Kiersten White,

No one expects a princess to be brutal. And Lada Dragwlya likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets.

Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when they meet Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, who's expected to rule a nation, Radu feels that he's made a true friend--and Lada wonders if she's finally found someone worthy of her passion.

But Mehmed is heir to the very empire that Lada has sworn to fight against--and that Radu now considers home. Together, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point.

The Flip Side, by Shawn Johnson.

From gold medalist and reality TV star Shawn Johnson comes a debut YA novel inspired by her own experiences as an elite teenage gymnast—just in time for the Summer 2016 Olympic games.

Charlie Ryland has a secret.

She may seem like your average high school sophomore—but she's just really good at pretending.

Because outside of school Charlie spends all her waking hours training to become one of the best gymnasts in the world. And it's not easy flying under the radar when you're aiming for Olympic gold...especially when an irresistible guy comes along and threatens to throw your whole world off balance.

Inspired by her own experiences as a fifteen-year-old Olympic gymnast, gold medalist Shawn Johnson writes a delightfully entertaining novel about chasing big dreams and falling in love, all while trying to keep it real.


The Gallery, by Laura Marx Fitzgerald. (Also available in audio.)

It's 1929, and twelve-year-old Martha has no choice but to work as a maid in the New York City mansion of the wealthy Sewell family. But, despite the Gatsby-like parties and trimmings of success, she suspects something might be deeply wrong in the household—specifically with Rose Sewell, the formerly vivacious lady of the house who now refuses to leave her room.

The other servants say Rose is crazy, but scrappy, strong-willed Martha thinks there's more to the story—and that the paintings in the Sewell's gallery contain a hidden message detailing the truth. But in a house filled with secrets, nothing is quite what it seems, and no one is who they say. Can Martha follow the clues, decipher the code, and solve the mystery of what's really going on with Rose Sewell?

Inspired by true events described in a fascinating author's note, The Gallery is a 1920s caper told with humor and spunk that readers today will love.

Justin (Blacktop #1), by LJ Alonge.

Justin has a list of goals stashed under his mattress. Number 1 is "figure out life plans." Number 5 is "earn Zen Master rating in WoW." Nowhere on that list is "play the crew from Ghosttown," but that's the type of trouble that always seems to finds him.

The debut title from LJ Alonge's new basketball series pulses with action on and off the court. With wit, humor, and honesty, Justin unfolds over one hot summer in Oakland, California.

Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story by Nora Raleigh Baskin.

Ask anyone: September 11, 2001, was serene and lovely, a perfect day—until a plane struck the World Trade Center.

But right now it is a few days earlier, and four kids in different parts of the country are going about their lives. Sergio, who lives in Brooklyn, is struggling to come to terms with the absentee father he hates and the grandmother he loves. Will's father is gone, too, killed in a car accident that has left the family reeling. Nadira has never before felt uncomfortable about being Muslim, but at her new school she's getting funny looks because of the head scarf she wears. Amy is starting a new school in a new city and missing her mom, who has to fly to New York on business.

These four don't know one another, but their lives are about to intersect in ways they never could have imagined. Award-winning author Nora Raleigh Baskin weaves together their stories into an unforgettable novel about that seemingly perfect September day—the day our world changed forever.

With Malice, by Eileen Cook.

Eighteen-year-old Jill Charron's senior trip to Italy was supposed to be the adventure of a lifetime. And then the accident happened. Waking up in a hospital room, her leg in a cast, stitches in her face, and a big blank canvas where the last 6 weeks should be, Jill comes to discover she was involved in a fatal accident in her travels abroad. She was jetted home by her affluent father in order to receive quality care. Care that includes a lawyer. And a press team. Because maybe the accident...wasn't an accident. Wondering not just what happened but what she did, Jill tries to piece together the events of the past six weeks before she loses her thin hold on her once-perfect life.

The World from Up Here, by Cecilia Galante.

Wren Baker has never felt brave a day in her life. She doesn't even know what she's afraid of, really. Only that if she raises her voice or leaves her mark or ventures too far from home, she'll risk falling flat on her face. But that all changes when Wren's cousin, Silver, walks into her life. Silver is totally fearless. Maybe that's why she's the most popular girl in the sixth grade. She dares Wren to take risks, to live out loud, to finally spread her wings. And when Silver decides to undertake the journey of a lifetime, Wren is forced to make a decision: Is she in or is she out?

There's only one way Wren will ever learn to fly. It's time for her to stand at the edge of the unknown...and jump. Full of heartache and hope, The World From Up Here is a tender, moving story about old secrets, new friendships, and what it means to face the things that scare us most.

(All descriptions from OverDrive.)

Where I Was: May

Last month was off the hook. As a youth services librarian, I always expect summer to be busy, but at the system, without a summer reading program to run, June and July aren't all that bad.

Which, I suspect, is why May is able to suckerpunch me every year.

Or maybe it's because the three different parts of my job all seem to converge in May. I don't know. All I know is that May was a whirlwind that I can barely remember. Luckily, I took notes:

Site visits
This past month, I visited 17 of my 22 assigned libraries. When I first started this job, I spent hours at each site visit, getting to know the building, the collection, the staff. Now, it's really more of an unannounced drop-in to catch up and see what's new. Some libraries I visit more often than others, depending on what kind of projects or problems they're having. Others, I only see once a year.

Board meetings
In May, I attended two library board meetings. This isn't actually a lot, especially not when compared to the library visits. Sometimes library boards ask me to attend their meetings to speak about a particular topic or help with a problem, but other times I just go to remind them that as their library's consultant, I'm available to them to answer any questions they may have.

Orientations
One of my libraries had a new director start work in May, so I went out to do a new director orientation. I also had a library board request a trustee orientation, so I did one of those, too. These two orientations cover some of the same ground (overview of system services; roles and responsibilities of director vs. trustees), but each is tailored to the audience. I also make time for specific issues or questions that a particular library might have.

Outreach
As my system's Outreach Coordinator, I meet with the librarians from our five correctional facilities twice a year, and one of those meetings is always in May. Our Outreach Advisory Council, comprised of member library staff and representatives from social services agencies, also meets twice a year, and one of those meetings is always in May. This month, I also attended a two-day Outreach Coordinators meeting in Albany, which was a great learning opportunity - not to mention a chance to hang out with all the other Outreach Coordinators from across the state.

Youth Services
Our system coordinates a book trivia competition for middle school students every year. The North Country Battle of the Books takes place in late May, with students reading all year long from a list of 20 books in preparation. We had 16 teams compete this year, which is a record since I've been at the system. The final battle took place on a Saturday, with all 16 teams duking it out in a double-elimination event.

There was more, but those are the highlights, anyway. More later!

New children's and YA e-books added to NCLS!

Julia Vanishes, by Catherine Egan.

Julia has the unusual ability to be... unseen. Not invisible, exactly. Just beyond most people's senses.

It's a dangerous trait in a city that has banned all forms of magic and drowns witches in public Cleansings. But it's a useful trait for a thief and a spy. And Julia has learned—crime pays.

She's being paid very well indeed to infiltrate the grand house of Mrs. Och and report back on the odd characters who live there and the suspicious dealings that take place behind locked doors.
But what Julia discovers shakes her to the core. She certainly never imagined that the traitor in the house would turn out to be... her.

Murder, thievery, witchcraft, betrayal—Catherine Egan builds a dangerous world where her fierce and flawed heroine finds that even a girl who can vanish can't walk away from her own worst deeds.

Ms. Bixby's Last Day, by John David Anderson. (Also available in audio.)

John David Anderson, author of Sidekicked and The Dungeoneers, returns with a funny, heartwarming, and heartbreaking contemporary story about three boys, one teacher, and a day none of them will ever forget.

Everyone knows there are different kinds of teachers. The boring ones, the mean ones, the ones who try too hard, the ones who stopped trying long ago. The ones you'll never remember, and the ones you want to forget. Ms. Bixby is none of these. She's the sort of teacher who makes you feel like school is somehow worthwhile. Who recognizes something in you that sometimes you don't even see in yourself. Who you never want to disappoint. What Ms. Bixby is, is one of a kind.

Topher, Brand, and Steve know this better than anyone. And so when Ms. Bixby unexpectedly announces that she won't be able to finish the school year, they come up with a risky plan—more of a quest, really—to give Ms. Bixby the last day she deserves. Through the three very different stories they tell, we begin to understand what Ms. Bixby means to each of them—and what the three of them mean to each other.


Rocks Fall Everyone Dies, by Lindsay Ribar. (Also available in audio.)

Twin Peaks meets Stars Hollow in this paranormal suspense novel about a boy who can reach inside people and steal their innermost things—fears, memories, scars, even love—and his family's secret ritual that for centuries has kept the cliff above their small town from collapsing.

Aspen Quick has never really worried about how he's affecting people when he steals from them. But this summer he'll discover just how strong the Quick family magic is—and how far they'll go to keep their secrets safe.

With a smart, arrogant protagonist, a sinister family tradition, and an ending you won't see coming, this is a fast-paced, twisty story about power, addiction, and deciding what kind of person you want to be, in a family that has the ability to control everything you are.

School of the Dead, by Avi.

In this spine-tingling story from Newbery Medal winner Avi, a boy must solve the mystery of the ghost haunting him.

For most of Tony Gilbert's life, he has thought of his uncle as "Weird Uncle Charlie." That is, until Uncle Charlie moves in with Tony and his family. Uncle Charlie is still odd, of course—talking about spirits and other supernatural stuff—but he and Tony become fast friends, and Tony ends up having a lot of fun with Uncle Charlie.

When Uncle Charlie dies suddenly, Tony is devastated. Then he starts seeing Uncle Charlie everywhere! It doesn't help that Tony switched schools—it was Uncle Charlie's dying wish that Tony attend the Penda School, where Uncle Charlie himself went as a kid. The Penda School is eerie enough without his uncle's ghost making it worse. On top of that, rumors have been circulating about a student who went missing shortly before Tony arrived. Could that somehow be related to Uncle Charlie's ghost?

(All descriptions from OverDrive.)

New children's and YA e-books added to NCLS!

The Brightest Stars of Summer (Silver Sisters #2), by Leila Howland.

Wedding bells are ringing on the Cape! It's summer again, and Marigold, Zinnia, and Lily are heading back to their beloved Pruet to help bride-to-be Aunt Sunny plan her big day. But cake and decorations aren't the only items on the girls' agenda this summer. Marigold can't wait to escape the embarrassment of being cut from one of Hollywood's biggest blockbusters—especially after she bragged to all her friends that she was in it. And Zinnie is trying her hardest to write a story good enough to gain her admittance into an elite writing program. She finds unexpected inspiration in Marigold's heartbreak over last summer's crush, Peter Pasque. Zinnie also meets her first boy-who-is-a-friend, a cute kid named Max.

But when it becomes clear that Max has eyes for Marigold, Zinnie can't contain her hurt, and it leads her to betray Marigold in an unthinkable sister crime. With a wedding on the horizon and tension simmering between them, will the Silver sisters be able to overcome their hurt in time to give Sunny what she's already given them: a summer to remember?

The Gold Medal Mess (MVP #1), by David A. Kelly.

From the author of the Ballpark Mysteries comes a brand-new sports-themed chapter book series featuring the coolest club around--the Most Valuable Players!

Five friends are ready for their school's Olympics field day. There will be relay races, archery contests, and more! But not everyone wants to play fair--someone is trying to ruin the events! Can the kids in the Most Valuable Player club solve the mystery, save the Olympics, and take home the gold?

Perfect for kids who love to compete in all kinds of contests and have fun with great friends, David A. Kelly's new series teaches readers that when you're a most valuable player, you love sports, always show spirit, and never give up! And don't miss bonus back matter filled with cool sports facts in every book.

Highly Illogical Behavior, by John Corey Whaley.

Sixteen-year-old Solomon is agoraphobic. He hasn't left the house in three years, which is fine by him.

Ambitious Lisa desperately wants to get into the second-best psychiatry program for college (she's being realistic). But how can she prove she deserves a spot there?

Solomon is the answer.

Determined to "fix" Sol, Lisa thrusts herself into his life, introducing him to her charming boyfriend Clark and confiding her fears in him. Soon, all three teens are far closer than they thought they'd be, and when their facades fall down, their friendships threaten to collapse, as well.

A hilarious and heartwarming coming-of-age perfect for readers of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl and All The Bright Places, Highly Illogical Behavior showcases the different ways in which we hide ourselves from the world—and the ways in which love, tragedy, and the need for connection may be the only things to bring us back into the light.

The Hunt (The Cage #2), by Megan Shepherd.

The Maze Runner meets Scott Westerfeld in the second novel in this gripping and romantic YA series about teens abducted from Earth by an otherworldly race—from Megan Shepherd, the acclaimed author of the Madman's Daughter series.

They've left the cage—but they're not free yet.

After their failed escape attempt, Cora, Lucky, and Mali have been demoted to the lowest level of human captives and placed in a safari-themed environment called the Hunt, along with wild animals and other human outcasts. They must serve new Kindred masters—Cora as a lounge singer, Lucky as an animal wrangler, and Mali as a safari guide—and follow new rules or face dangerous consequences. Meanwhile, Nok and Rolf have been moved into an enormous dollhouse, observed around the clock by Kindred scientists interested in Nok's pregnancy. And Leon, the only one who successfully escaped, has teamed up with villainous Mosca black-market traders.

The former inhabitants of the Cage are threatened on all fronts—and maybe worst of all, one of the Hunt's Kindred safari guests begins to play a twisted game of cat and mouse with Cora. Separated and constantly under watch, she and the others must struggle to stay alive, never mind find a way back to each other. When Cassian secretly offers to train Cora to develop her psychic abilities—to prove the worthiness of humanity in a series of tests called the Gauntlet—she'll have to decide fast if she dares to trust the Kindred who betrayed her, or if she can forge her own way to freedom.

The Loose Ends List, by Carrie Firestone.

A refreshing, funny, and moving debut novel about first loves, last wishes, and letting go.

Seventeen-year-old Maddie O'Neill Levine lives a charmed life, and is primed to spend the perfect pre-college summer with her best friends and young-at-heart socialite grandmother (also Maddie's closest confidante), tying up high school loose ends. Maddie's plans change the instant Gram announces that she is terminally ill and has booked the family on a secret "death with dignity" cruise ship so that she can leave the world in her own unconventional way - and give the O'Neill clan an unforgettable summer of dreams-come-true in the process.

Soon, Maddie is on the trip of a lifetime with her over-the-top family. As they travel the globe, Maddie bonds with other passengers and falls for Enzo, who is processing his own grief. But despite the laughter, headiness of first love, and excitement of glamorous destinations, Maddie knows she is on the brink of losing Gram. She struggles to find the strength to say good-bye in a whirlwind summer shaped by love, loss, and the power of forgiveness. 

The Seventh Wish, by Kate Messner.

Charlie feels like she's always coming in last. From her Mom's new job to her sister's life away at college, everything else always seems to be more important than Charlie's upcoming dance competition or science project. Unsure of how to get her family's attention, Charlie comes across the surprise of her life one day while ice-fishing . . . in the form of a floppy, scaly fish offering to grant her a wish in exchange for its freedom. Charlie can't believe her luck until she realizes that this fish has a funny way of granting wishes, despite her best intentions. But when her family faces a challenge bigger than any they've ever experienced, Charlie wonders if some things might be too important to risk on a wish.

With the same warmth and fun that readers loved in All the Answers, Kate Messner weaves fantasy into the ordinary, giving every reader the opportunity to experience a little magic.

When Friendship Followed Me Home, by Paul Griffin.

A boy's chance encounter with a scruffy dog leads to an unforgettable friendship in this deeply moving story about life, loss, and the meaning of family

Ben Coffin has never been one for making friends. As a former foster kid, he knows people can up and leave without so much as a goodbye. Ben prefers to spend his time with the characters in his favorite sci-fi books...until he rescues an abandoned mutt from the ally next-door to the Coney Island Library.

Scruffy little Flip leads Ben to befriend a fellow book-lover named Halley—yes, like the comet—a girl unlike anyone he has ever met. Ben begins thinking of her as "Rainbow Girl" because of her crazy-colored clothes and her laugh, pure magic, the kind that makes you smile away the stormiest day.

Rainbow Girl convinces Ben to write a novel with her. But as their story unfolds Ben's life begins to unravel, and Ben must discover for himself the truth about friendship and the meaning of home.
Paul Griffin's breathtaking middle-grade debut will warm your heart as much as it breaks it with a story about two unforgettable kids standing at the crossroads of happiness and loss.

(All descriptions from OverDrive.)

Fun with Fruits and Veg

Being a children's librarian without having one's target audience on hand can be a lonely, if gloriously quiet, state of affairs. At the system level, the opportunities to mix with Actual Children are few and far between, so I tend to jump on them when I can.*

Which is how I came to be representing my library system at our local PBS station's bookfest. This year was my third at this event, and I looked forward to blending the two themes of literacy and healthy habits by sticking a bunch of fruits and vegetable magnets up on an enormous 3' x 4' white board and letting the kids write the names of the ones they knew with dry erase markers. 

That activity quickly evolved into multiple variations, depending on the child wielding the marker. For example, if a child was too young to write the name of the food, we talked about what letter it started with and wrote that. Some children just circled the picture, some just scribbled with the marker. Some simply got a kick moving the magnets around. (And yes, some parted unwillingly and/or tearfully with the markers. Such is life.)

To make the magnets, I copied selected foods from Lois Ehlert's Eating the Alphabet and then cut, laminated, and hot glued magnets to the back. This is the kind of thing I would keep in a drawer if I worked in a library, to be used for another program, or even to set out as a self-directed activity on a rainy day. Because you really can't go wrong with a white board. (Ever.)

I also gave out paperback copies of the book, while they lasted, introducing Lois Ehlert's wonderful work to some families who were new to it.

Good day had by all. My very favorite moment of the day came from a boy who whipped through naming all the fruits and vegetables and was looking for a bigger challenge: 

Him: Do you have any other foods?
Me: Like..?
Him: Like something from the grains group?

More stories from the whirlwind of May next week!  

*The opportunities, obviously. I do not jump on children.

New children's and YA e-books added to NCLS!

Eleven and Holding, by Mary Penney.

Macy Hollinquest is eleven years old, and don't count on her to change that anytime soon.

Her birthday is just days away, but she has no intention of turning twelve without her dad by her side. He'd promised to be there for her big day, and yet he's been gone for months—away after his discharge from the army, doing some kind of top secret, "important work."

So Macy's staying eleven, no matter what—that is, until she meets Ginger, a nice older lady who is searching for her missing dog. Ginger's dog search is the perfect cover for Macy's attempt to locate her dad. But her hunt puts her on a path to a head-on collision with the truth, where she discovers that knowing can sometimes be a heavy burden. And that change, when finally accepted, comes with an unexpected kind of grace.

Mary Penney's earnest, heartfelt story of change, loss, and new beginnings will resonate with young readers on the cusp of new beginnings, and stay in their hearts long after it's done.

Every Single Second, by Tricia Springstubb. (Also available in audio.)

From acclaimed author Tricia Springstubb comes a poignant and topical middle grade novel about the effects of an accidental shooting on family, friendship, and community. Perfect for fans of Jennifer L. Holm and Rita Williams-Garcia.

Twelve-year-old Nella Sabatini's life is changing too soon, too fast. Her best friend, Clem, doesn't seem concerned; she's busy figuring out the best way to spend the "leap second"—an extra second about to be added to the world's official clock. The only person who might understand how Nella feels is Angela, but the two of them have gone from being "secret sisters" to not talking at all.

Then Angela's idolized big brother makes a terrible, fatal mistake, one that tears apart their tight-knit community and plunges his family into a whirlwind of harsh publicity and judgment. In the midst of this controversy, Nella is faced with a series of startling revelations about her parents, friends, and neighborhood. As Angela's situation becomes dangerous, Nella must choose whether to stand by or stand up. Her heart tries to tell her what to do, but can you always trust your heart? The clock ticks down, and in that extra second, past and present merge—the future will be up to her.

Grayling's Song, by Karen Cushman.

It's time for Grayling to be a hero. Her mother, a "wise woman"—a sort of witch—has been turned into a tree by evil forces. Tangles and toadstools! Lacking confidence after years of being called "Feeble Wits" by her mother, Grayling heads off dubiously into the wilds in search of help, where she finds a weather witch, an aromatic enchantress, a cheese soothsayer, a slyly foolish apprentice, and a shape-shifting mouse named Pook! A fast-paced and funny coming-of-age odyssey from a Newbery medalist.

The Last Star (The Fifth Wave #3) by Rick Yancey.

The enemy is Other. The enemy is us. They're down here, they're up there, they're nowhere. They want the Earth, they want us to have it. They came to wipe us out, they came to save us.

But beneath these riddles lies one truth: Cassie has been betrayed. So has Ringer. Zombie. Nugget. And all 7.5 billion people who used to live on our planet. Betrayed first by the Others, and now by ourselves.

In these last days, Earth's remaining survivors will need to decide what's more important: saving themselves . . . or saving what makes us human.

Lucky Few, by Kathryn Ormsbee.

In the tradition of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl comes a hilarious, madcap, and quirky debut novel about a group of oddball teens struggling to find themselves when facing their own mortality.

The life of homeschooler Stevie Hart gets all shook up when she meets a strange boy, Max, who survived a freak near-fatal accident and is now obsessed with death. He enlists her and her best friend, Sanger, to help him complete his absurd "23 Ways to Fake My Death Without Dying" checklist. What starts off as fun begins spiraling downward when Stevie's diabetes sabotages her fumbling romance with Max, Sanger announces she's moving out of state, and then death—real death—cuts close to home.

My Lady Jane, by  Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

The comical, fantastical, romantical, (not) entirely true story of Lady Jane Grey. In My Lady Jane, coauthors Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows have created a one-of-a-kind fantasy in the tradition of The Princess Bride, featuring a reluctant king, an even more reluctant queen, a noble steed, and only a passing resemblance to actual history—because sometimes history needs a little help.

At sixteen, Lady Jane Grey is about to be married off to a stranger and caught up in a conspiracy to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But those trifling problems aren't for Jane to worry about. Jane gets to be Queen of England.

Like that could go wrong.

Property of the State (Legend of Joey #1) by Bill Cameron.

Joey Getchie has been property of the state longer than he was in parental custody. But he's a survivor, and he has a Plan: graduate high school and get out of the foster care system before it eats him alive. He bonds with Trisha, another foster, who seems to have lucked out when it comes to foster parents. A false accusation leads to a physical clash with his foster father, so Joey flees to Huntzel Manor, where he works part time. He takes up unauthorized residence and keeps a low profile, hoping to avoid attention.

But attention arrives in the worst possible way: a classmate is seriously injured in a hit and run accident, and Joey becomes the focus of the investigation. Why shouldn't he be? He had a violent confrontation with the same classmate just last year. And of course, he's a kid with a criminal record. Except of course, he isn't.

Property of the State, first in The Legend of Joey series, is an edgy teen mystery featuring a world-wise protagonist struggling to grow up in a world where parents are the bad guys.

True Letters from a Fictional Life, by Kenneth Logan.

If you asked anyone in his small Vermont town, they'd tell you the facts: James Liddell, star athlete, decent student, and sort-of boyfriend to cute, peppy Theresa, is a happy, funny, carefree guy.

But whenever James sits down at his desk to write, he tells a different story. As he fills his drawers with letters to the people in his world—letters he never intends to send—he spills the truth: he's trying hard, but he just isn't into Theresa. It's his friend, a boy, who lingers in his thoughts.

James's secret letters are his safe space—but his truth can't stay hidden for long. Will he come clean to his parents, his teammates, and himself, or is he destined to live a life of fiction?

This heartfelt debut novel explores the muddy landscape of truth and lies and lays bare the sometimes painful but often hopeful work of writing one's own authentic story.

What Happens Now, by Jennifer Castle.

An emotional and heartwarming novel from the author of The Beginning of After, an ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults. Perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen!

The summer Ari first sees Camden, she longs for him from afar. When the two forge a true connection the following summer, Ari lets herself fall . . . hard. As their romance blossoms, she'll have to discover the very real boy behind her infatuation while also struggling with her own demons, obligations, and loyalties.

What Happens Now is an insightful and touching novel about learning to heal, learning to love, and what happens when fantasy becomes reality, from acclaimed author Jennifer Castle.

(All descriptions from OverDrive.) 

New children's and YA e-books added to NCLS!

City of Spies (Pagan Jones #2) by Nina Berry.

Celebrating her escape from East Germany and the success of her new film, teen starlet Pagan Jones returns to Hollywood to reclaim her place among the rich and the famous. She's thrilled to be back, but memories of her time in Berlin—and elusively handsome secret agent Devin Black—continue to haunt her daydreams. The whirlwind of parties and celebrities just isn't enough to distract Pagan from the excitement of being a spy or dampen her curiosity about her late mother's mysterious past.

When Devin reappears with an opportunity for Pagan to get back into the spy game, she is eager to embrace the role once again—all she has to do is identify a potential Nazi war criminal. A man who has ties to her mother. Taking the mission means that she'll have to star in a cheesy film and dance the tango with an incredibly awful costar, but Pagan knows all the real action will happen off-set, in the streets of Buenos Aires.

But as Pagan learns more about the man they're investigating, she realizes that the stakes are much higher than they could have ever imagined, and that some secrets are best left undiscovered.

Every Exquisite Thing, by Matthew Quick. (Also available in audio.)

Nanette O'Hare is an unassuming teen who has played the role of dutiful daughter, hardworking student, and star athlete for as long as she can remember. But when a beloved teacher gives her his worn copy of The Bugglegum Reaper—a mysterious, out-of-print cult classic—the rebel within Nanette awakens.

As she befriends the reclusive author, falls in love with a young but troubled poet, and attempts to insert her true self into the world with wild abandon, Nanette learns the hard way that rebellion sometimes comes at a high price.

Go, Otto, Go! by David Milgrim.

See Otto work. Work, work, work on a spaceship to take him home.

Since landing on Earth, Otto has made many friends, but what Otto wants most is to visit his family. Will Otto's spaceship take him up, up, up, so he can go, go, go?

Find out in this Pre-level 1 Ready-to-Read with bright illustrations and minimal text for the true emergent reader.

Lies I Live By, by Lauren Sabel.

These are the facts: My name is Callie Sinclair. I am seventeen years old. I live in San Francisco. I love my boyfriend, Charlie. I work for a secret governmental agency. I am a psychic spy. This romantic, action-packed twist on the classic spy novel is perfect for fans of Ally Carter's Embassy Row series or for any reader who enjoys cinematic writing and stories of romance and intrigue.

At seventeen, Callie is the government's youngest psychic spy, trained to track dangerous people and weapons in her visions. When another young—and handsome and witty—psychic joins the agency, Callie's personal and professional lives get messy all at once. If she can't find a way to change the events she's seen in her visions, she could lose the people she loves most . . . and her mind. Literally.

Richly painted against the backdrop of San Francisco and Berkeley, Lauren Sabel's enthralling novel captures the thrill of exploring a unique power in a dangerous world.

Mayday by Karen Harrington.

Wayne Kovok lives in a world of After. After his uncle in the army was killed overseas. After Wayne and his mother survived a plane crash while coming back from the funeral. After he lost his voice.

Wayne has always used his love of facts to communicate ("Did you know more people die each year from shaking a vending machine than from shark attacks?"). Without his voice, how will he wow the prettiest girl in school? How will he stand up to his drill-sergeant grandfather? And how will he share his hopes with his deadbeat dad? It's not until Wayne loses his voice completely that he realizes how much he doesn't say.

Filled with Karen Harrington's signature heart and humor, Mayday tackles an unforgettable journey of family and friendship.

Sticks and Stones (Upside-Down Magic #2), by Emily Jenkins, Lauren Myracle, and Sarah Mlynowski.

Strange things are happening at Dunwiddle Magic School — and the Upside-Down Magic class is getting blamed! Yes, Marigold did shrink Lacey Clench to the size of a gerbil. But that was an accident. And, yes, most people weren't prepared for Nory to transform into a squippy (that's half squid, half puppy) — but it's not like Nory meant to mix up paws and tentacles. And while Bax does have the unfortunate magical condition of turning into a stone, he swears he has nothing to do with the rocky magic that's been happening in Dunwiddle's halls. When things get messy, it's easy to point your finger at the kids with the messiest magic. But the Upside-Down Magic students aren't going to let themselves get in trouble. Instead, they're going to find out what's really going on — and get their school back on track before something really wacky happens.

Summer of Lost and Found, by Rebecca Behrens.

Nell Dare expected to spend her summer vacation hanging out with her friends in New York City. That is, until her botanist mom dragged her all the way to Roanoke Island for a research trip. To make matters worse, her father suddenly and mysteriously leaves town, leaving no explanation or clues as to where he went—or why.

While Nell misses the city—and her dad—a ton, it doesn't take long for her to become enthralled with the mysteries of Roanoke and its lost colony. And when Nell meets Ambrose—an equally curious historical reenactor—they start exploring for clues as to what really happened to the lost colonists. As Nell and Ambrose's discoveries of tantalizing evidence mount, mysterious things begin to happen—like artifacts disappearing. And someone—or something—is keeping watch over their quest for answers.

It looks like Nell will get the adventurous summer she was hoping for, and she will discover secrets not only about Roanoke, but about herself. 

You Can Fly: The Tuskegee Airmen, by Carole Boston Weatherford. Illustrated by Jeffery Weatherford.

I WANT YOU! says the poster of Uncle Sam. But if you're a young black man in 1940, he doesn't want you in the cockpit of a war plane. Yet you are determined not to let that stop your dream of flying.

So when you hear of a civilian pilot training program at Tuskegee Institute, you leap at the chance. Soon you are learning engineering and mechanics, how to communicate in code, how to read a map. At last the day you've longed for is here: you are flying!

From training days in Alabama to combat on the front lines in Europe, this is the story of the Tuskegee Airmen, the groundbreaking African-American pilots of World War II. In vibrant second-person poems, Carole Boston Weatherford teams up for the first time with her son, artist Jeffery Weatherford, in a powerful and inspiring book that allows readers to fly, too.

(All descriptions from OverDrive.)