Monique Polak
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English
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Description
Our favorite pretend princess, Angelica, aka Jelly, is back! A case of mistaken identity, a wild imagination and a love of storytelling leads Jelly to tell her friend Joon and the new kid she's just met, Leo, that she's a part-time lion trainer at the local animal rescue center. Her inventiveness has them completely convinced, but things get a bit more complicated when the resident lioness, Mwezi, escapes from her enclosure and the kids look to Jelly's...
Author
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English
Description
Josh is less than thrilled that he has a new stepfather, and finds his personal habits-and his personality-irritating. When his mother leaves town, Josh is left to spend a week alone with Clay. Resenting his new living arrangements and his unorthodox home life, Josh finds himself drawn to the idea of a "regular" family and, on a whim, sneaks into a neighbor's house to see how others live. When another opportunity arises to be a fly on the wall, Josh...
3) Junkyard Dog
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Series
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English
Description
Justin is fascinated with the aged guard dog at the corner store. He names it Smokey and sneaks the dog treats. Smokey belongs to a company that supplies working dogs to local businesses. Justin is thrilled to get a job working for Smokey's company, until he learns about the mistreatment of the animals. When Justin can't shake his suspicion that someone in the company is involved in a rash of thefts, he tries to quit. But Justin knows too much, and...
Author
Series
Publisher
Orca Book Publishers
Pub. Date
2013
Language
English
Description
Iris is an aspiring actress, so when Mick, a well-known visiting Aussie director, takes an interest in her, she's flattered.
He's fourteen years older, attractive, smart, charming and sexy—in other words, nothing like her hapless ex-boyfriend, Tommy. But when Iris and Mick start a secret relationship, she soon witnesses Mick's darker side, and his temper frightens her. Before long, she becomes the target of his rage,
...5) Hate Mail
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Series
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English
Description
Jordie's cousin Todd has moved back to Montreal and is attending Jordie's high school. Todd has autism and requires an aide. Todd has not been welcomed in the school. He's known as a freak, and even other parents seem to resent Todd's special needs. Jordie does everything he can to distance himself from his cousin, fearful of what his friends might think. When he learns that Todd's whole family is buckling under the pressure of a hateful letter, Jordie...
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English
Description
Part of the nonfiction Orca Think series for middle-grade readers, this illustrated book explores the concept of open science and how scientists around the world are working together to make research available to everyone. Knowledge is meant to be shared.
Science is for everyone, right?
Unfortunately, that's not always true. Discovery, research and innovation are often top secret, and big businesses charge high prices for that information. The...
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Series
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English
Description
This illustrated nonfiction book for middle-grade readers explores the art and science of memory and what it can tell us about ourselves and the world we live in. Don't forget!
Uncover the science of memory and how important it is to our daily lives.
We all make memories, and memories make us who we are. Remember This explores the science of memory, how and why we remember what we do and what happens when we start forgetting. From working memory...
8) Finding Elmo
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Series
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English
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Description
Fifteen-year-old Tim loves his job at his dad's pet store, partly because he gets to spend time with his best friend, a black cockatoo named Elmo. But things at work have been tense since the store moved to a larger, more expensive location. To make extra money his father rents out the store's exotic birds for parties and Tim is furious at this exploitation of his friend. When Elmo is stolen from one of the parties, the police are unconcerned about...
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English
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Description
Angelica isn't a liar. She just loves making up stories. When she goes to sleepaway camp and is mistaken for a princess, she could easily clear up the misunderstanding...but pretending to be royalty is way more fun! When her best friend from home surprises her at camp, Angelica is forced to fess up. Luckily, she also has a talent for repairing things, and when disaster strikes on the girls' kayaking trip, Jelly has to repair more than just her newfound...
10) Passover Family
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English
Description
Teach babies and toddlers about this important Jewish festival by exploring what happens during the Passover seder with this delightful photographic board book. This primer features family and friends coming together to share a meal, tell stories and sing songs, and encourages little ones to participate in this special time. Children of all faiths will enjoy the bright photos and primary text that focuses on bringing family together to celebrate and...
11) Miracleville
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Language
English
Description
Sixteen-year-old Ani lives in the tiny Quebec town of Ste-Anne-de-Beaupre, where her family runs Saintly Souvenirs, a tourist shop catering to the many pilgrims who come to the town seeking a miracle. The bane of Ani's existence is her hyperactive, over-sexed younger sister, Colette. Ani and her mother, Therese, are devout Catholics; Colette and her father are not. When Therese is paralyzed after a freak accident, Aniís faith is tested, but when...
12) Béatrice
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Series
Language
Français
Description
Tu aimes les témoignages? Tu adoreras ce livre! C'est un roman basé sur une histoire vraie.
«J'aurais pu me précipiter tout de suite sur mon étui pour m'emparer du couteau suisse, mais je me suis retenue. C'était une sorte de jeu avec moi-même, pour voir combien de temps j'allais résister. Je tirais une certaine satisfaction de savoir que le couteau était là, bien couché dans le fond de mon étui.
Je me suis étendue sur mon lit et je...
13) Planet Grief
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Language
English
Description
What a crappy way to spend a weekend. The always-sarcastic Abby would rather be playing soccer, and the cagily quiet Christopher thinks a grief retreat is a waste of time. Neither of them wants to spend two days talking about their feelings. But despite their best efforts to stay aloof, Abby and Christopher are drawn into the lives of the other kids at the retreat. Maybe their stories will make them rethink how they are dealing with their own losses....
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English
Description
What is feminism? Why does it still matter? What exactly does intersectionality mean? In order to answer these (and many other) questions, I Am a Feminist first examines the history of feminism and then addresses the issues girls and women continue to face today. The book also looks at the ways in which people, especially young people, are working together to create a world where gender equality is a reality, not a dream. The author shares stories...
15) Bullies Rule
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Series
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English
Description
Daniel Abel is surprised when, instead of being punished for "pantsing" another eighth-grader, he is invited to become an ambassador of Mountview High at the school's upcoming open house. What he doesn't realize is that he is part of a social experiment on bullying being conducted by the local university.
He is a little nervous to learn he will be working with Jeff Kover, a tenth-grader with a reputation for being the biggest bully in the school....
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English
Description
During Passover, Jews are reminded of how, more than three thousand years ago, their ancestors emerged from slavery to become free men and women. Bestselling author Monique Polak explores her own Jewish roots as she tells the Passover story, which reminds us that the freedom to be who we are and practice our religion, whatever it may be, is a great gift. It also teaches us that if we summon our courage and look out for each other, we can endure and...
17) 121 Express
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English
Description
The students of the 121 Express are infamous for bad behavior and Lucas knows his role on the bus will determine his social standing at his new school. Lucas is tired of being one of the nerds. When he attracts the negative attention of the cool troublemakers, he saves himself by teasing another kid. His ploy works and soon Lucas is right in the center of the mayhem on the bus. He loves his newfound popularity, but when the fun and games push the...
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English
Description
Tabitha is thrilled to be attending a summer forensics camp, even if she has to go with her sort-of friend Mason. Soon she is learning to dust for fingerprints, photograph a crime scene and take footprint impressions. Even though the camp instructors have set up a "crime" for the kids to solve, Tabitha longs to use her newfound skills to solve a real-life mystery. She's pretty sure a dognapping ring is active in her Montreal neighborhood, and when...
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English
Description
It is 1945, and thirteen-year-old Gwen has been a prisoner at the Weihsien Internment Camp in northern China for nearly two and a half years. Gwen is one of 140 children who were enrolled at a boarding school in Chefoo when the Japanese Imperial Army invaded China.
Life in the camp is difficult. There is not enough food or water, and even the children are forced to do hard labor. But Miss E., one of their teachers from Chefoo, has come up with an...
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English
Description
Mandy dreams of a career in the circus, working as an aerialist who specializes in rope climbing. When she is accepted into the prestigious Montreal Circus College summer program, she feels that she is finally on her way to fulfilling her dreams. At circus camp she is befriended-and challenged-by young circus performers from around the world. Circus camp turns out to be a magical combination of work and play, but when a veteran aerialist is killed...