Looking for a new read? We’ve got you covered! Check out one of our Book Boxes for kids ages 9-12. Each Book Box contains a book to check out, as well as envelopes filled with fun surprises that you can open as you read along. Supplies are limited and pre-registration is required. You can register for June Book Boxes beginning May 27th and pick them up at the Children's Reference Desk, Monday through Saturday during regular library hours beginning June 3rd. Each child can only check out one book each month, so check out these book descriptions to decide which book you want!
By Jeanne DuPrau
New York: Random House, 2003. Fiction. 270 pages.
It's Assignment Day in the year 241, which means 12-year-olds Lina and Doon will draw lots to be given the jobs that they will do for the rest of their lives. When Lina draws "Pipeworks laborer," and Doon draws "Messenger," they decide to trade assignments. But with resources like food and light running low in their city, Lina and Doon must team up to figure out how to get to safety. Kids who enjoy post-apocalyptic journeys or puzzling out mysteries will love this book. If that sounds like you, register for the City of Ember Book Box here.
New York: Atheneum Books For Young Readers, 2016. Fiction. 181 pages.
Castle "Ghost" Crenshaw has been running ever since his father tried to shoot him and his mother three years before the book starts. However, when a former Olympian recruits him to his track team, he has to learn how to run in an organized environment. Along the way he learns more than just running, like how to manage his temper and work as part of a team. This book, which deals with some heavy topics, is incredibly moving... there's a reason it was a finalist for the National Book Award. If you are in the mood for a contemporary realistic sports story with heart, sign up here.
Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press, 2021. Comic. 111 pages.
In this comic, Sandy Saito and his father don't spend a lot of time together (his dad works has a physician and is often busy with work) but the one thing they do together is watch the Japanese Canadian baseball team, the Asahi. In the summer of 1941 when the Asahi lose in the finals, Sandy's father calls it a bad omen, and he's right. In December of 1941, the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor which brings discrimination, both from neighbors and from the government, until they are finally forced to leave their homes and live in a camp. This book does not shy away from the hardships they faced, and although it takes place in Canada it could be used as a vehicle to talk about American treatment of Japanese citizens during World War II, including Utah's own Topaz camp. If you love learning about historical events or you love reading comics, register for this Book Box here.
By Ally Condie
New York: Dutton Children's Books, 2016. Fiction. 249 pages.After losing her father and younger brother in a car accident, Cedar and her family are moving to Iron Creek for the summer. Iron Creek (based on Cedar City, Utah) is a sleepy college town that holds an annual Shakespeare festival called Summerlost. When she meets a boy named Leo who helps her get a job at Summerlost, the two become quick friends creating their own tour of sites frequented by the famous actress (who herself was from Iron Creek) Lisette Chamberlain. If you're looking for a quiet tale of friendship with a hint of mystery (what happened to Lisette's famous ring?) sign up for this Book Box here.
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