Chapter One with HPL

In 1868, with his army officer father suddenly posted to India, and his mother mysteriously "unwell," fourteen-year-old Sherlock Holmes is sent to stay with his eccentric uncle and aunt in their vast house in Hampshire, where he uncovers his first murder and a diabolical villain. This title is intended for tweens and is suitable for most audiences. Recorded with permission of Farrar, Straus & Giroux, an imprint of Macmillan. Click here to see this title in the Houston Public Library catalog.

Two years ago Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic. Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived by one principle: Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. Then a wicked stunt forces the two into holy matrimony. Lou is unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is. A choice must be made... and love makes fools of us all. -- Adapted from jacket. This title is intended for teens, however, it may contain language or themes that some readers may find offensive. Recorded with permission of HarperCollins. Click here to see this title in the Houston Public Library catalog.

After twelve-year-old Lark, determined to escape her squalid life, steals a magical sword from the Royal Museum, she reluctantly becomes the next Nightingale, destined to vanquish an ancient evil. This title is intended for tweens and is suitable for most audiences. Recorded with permission of Atheneum, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. Click here to see this title in the Houston Public Library catalog.

A lengthy California drought escalates to catastrophic proportions, turning Alyssa's quiet suburban street into a warzone, and she is forced to make impossible choices if she and her brother are to survive. This title is intended for teens, however, it may contain language or themes that some readers may find offensive. Recorded with permission of S&S Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. Click here to see this title in the Houston Public Library catalog.

While running a spy network from their elementary school, five unpopular misfits combine their talents and use cutting-edge gadgetry to fight evil around the world. This title is intended for tweens and is suitable for most audiences. Recorded with permission of Amulet Books, an imprint of ABRAMS. Click here to see this title in the Houston Public Library catalog.

High school senior Tanner Scott has hidden his bisexuality since his family moved to Utah, but he falls hard for Sebastian, a Mormon mentoring students in a writing seminar Tanner's best friend convinced him to take. This title is intended for teens, however, it may contain language or themes that some readers may find offensive. Published with permission of Simon & Schuster. Click here to see this title in the Houston Public Library catalog.

While his human Elliot adjusts to his new home and stepfamily, Gizmo, an evil genius guinea pig, searches for a new evil lair where he can plot to take over the world, but Gizmo is constantly thwarted by Elliot's little stepsister Jasmine (who likes to play dress-up), Abuela (who may or may not like to eat cavies), and Wedgie (a Corgi superhero and Gizmo's nemesis). This title is intended for tweens and is suitable for most audiences. Recorded with permission of Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins. Click here to see this title in the Houston Public Library catalog.

Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed "Dumplin'" by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked... until Will takes a job at Harpy's, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn't surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back. Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant -- along with several other unlikely candidates -- to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she'll shock the hell out of Clover City -- and maybe herself most of all.

This title is intended for teens, however, it may contain language or themes that some readers may find offensive. Recorded with permission of HarperCollins. Click here to see this title in the Houston Public Library catalog.

In the aftermath of a major earthquake, eleven-year-old Maya overcomes her own fear to help others at home and in northeast Japan, where a tsunami caused great damage. Includes author's note about the facts behind the story.

This title is intended for tweens and is suitable for most audiences. Recorded with permission of Atheneum, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. Click here to see this title in the Houston Public Library catalog.

Seventeen-year-old Kim gets more than she bargained for when she is set up for murder. Perfect for fans of One of Us is Lying, E. Lockhart, and Gillian Flynn. 17-year-old Kim never expected to plot a murder. But that was before her boyfriend dumped her for another girl. Now, Kim's stuck on a class trip to London with him and his new soulmate and she can't help wishing he was a little bit dead, even if she'd never really do that.   But when Kim meets Nicki, a stranger on the plane who's more than willing to listen to Kim's woes, things start to look up. Nicki's got a great sense of humor, and when she jokes about swapping murders, Kim plays along, that is, until Kim's ex-boyfriend mysteriously dies.   Blackmailed by Nicki to fulfill her end of the deal, Kim will have to commit a murder or take the fall for one.

This title is intended for teens, however, it may contain language or themes that some readers may find offensive. Recorded with permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Click here to see this title in the Houston Public Library catalog.