Kate, the Ghost Dog: Coping with the Death of a Pet. Wayne Wilson, $11.50 (ages 8-13)

How would you feel if you just lost a big part of your life, someone very special to you?

Be Fit, Be Strong, Be You. Rebecca Kajander & Timothy Culbert, $11.95

Learn how to be fit and healthy — inside and out — with these easy skills, tips and ideas.

The book is also available separately: Be the Boss of Your Pain: Self-Care for Kids. Timothy Culbert & Rebecca Kajander, $11.95 (Ages 8 and up)

No Girls Allowed. Susan Hughes, illustrated by Willow Dawson, $8.95

Tales of daring women, dressed as men — for love, freedom and adventure!

YUM: Your Ultimate Manual for Good Nutrition. Daina Kalinas, $16.95

Listen to your body, eat well and feel great! YUM explains how you can get what your body needs from the food you eat. It also shows you how to read labels, cook from recipes and gives you the tools you need to make good eating fun.

Hot Issues Cool Choices: Facing Bullies, Peer Pressure, Popularity and Put Downs. Sandra McLeod Humphrey, $18.95

Did you know that there are kids out there who don’t even want to get out of bed in the morning because they know what going to school means for them?

• being teased and taunted
• being excluded and rejected
• being afraid that you’re going to be assaulted and possibly hurt

After reading this book, you may just possibly become a kinder, more compassionate human being, someone who treats others the way you want them to treat you. So come along and join the students at Emerson Elementary and help them make some cool choices!

Middle School Confidential Series by Annie Fox

Be Confident in Who You Are. Annie Fox, $11.50 

So begins the journey of Jack, Jen, Chris, Abby, Mateo, and Michelle—six students just trying to figure it all out in middle school. Be Confident in Who You Are follows these characters as they work to meet new challenges and survive the social scene—without losing sight of who they are. Book 1 offers insider information on common middle school concerns and practical advice for being healthy, feeling good about who you are, and staying in control of your feelings and actions—even when the pressure is on.

Real Friends vs. the Other Kind. Annie Fox, $11.50 

Real Friends vs. the Other Kind, the second book in the Middle School Confidential series, follows these characters as they work to forge friendships while navigating tough social situations. Book 2 explores making and keeping friends, resolving disputes, and dealing with common middle school concerns—like gossip, exclusion, and cyberbullying. There's also expert advice on crushes, peer pressure, and being there for friends who need help.

What’s Up With My Family: Annie Fox, $11.99

Follow these young teens as they work on challenges at home. Along the way you’ll find ideas for building trust with adults, getting past hurt feelings and making family relationships stronger. Life at home may not be perfect, appreciating family members and working with them can help everyone get along.

Brendan Buckley’s Universe and Everything In It. Sundee Frazier, $7.50 (ages 9-12)

Ten-year-old Tae Kwon Do blue belt and budding rock hound Brendan Buckley keeps a "Confidential" notebook for his top-secret scientific discoveries. And he's found something totally top secret. The grandpa he's never met, who his mom refuses to talk about or see, is an expert mineral collector and lives nearby! Secretly, Brendan visits Ed DeBose, whose skin is pink, not brown like Brendan's, his dad's, or that of Grampa Clem's, who recently died. Brendan sets out to find the reason behind Ed's absence, but what he discovers can't be explained by science, and now he wishes he'd never found him at all...

Whispers from the Ghettos. Kathy Kacer & Sharon McKay, $13.99 (Ages 9+)

The stories in this book come from behind the walls and barbed wire of Europe's ghettos during the Nazi regime. We hear the voices of young boys and girls as they live with the fear that they might be deported to the death camps at any moment. Theirs are stories of courage and determination, of struggle and resistance. They speak for those who, like them, managed to survive the war. And they speak for those who did not.

Why Should I Bother to Keep Fit? Kate Knighton & Susan Meredith, $10.95 (ages 10 -14)

You don’t like exercise? You can’t decide what to do? You’d never stay motivated? This book will change your ideas and your attitude to getting fit!

Centsibility: the Planet Girl Guide to Money. Stacey Roderick, Ellen Warwick & Monika Melnychuk, $14.95 (ages 10 and up)

Here is a book that gives practical advice on a range of topics relating to money — tips on jobs, saving, debt, spending and budgeting, how to become a girl entrepreneur, what to scrimp on (and what not to), the hidden price of cheap, how to reconcile having less than some friends and why fundraising can make girls feel priceless!

Centsibility is chockfull of energetic comics and spot art, and also includes checklists, quizzes, money journal pages to photocopy, a bank lingo glossary and much more. With Centsibility, preparing for a lifetime of smart money management and developing a healthy money attitude has never been easier or more appealing to girls.

What to Do When Good Enough Isn’t Good Enough: the Real Deal on Perfectionism. Thomas Greenspon, $11.50 (ages 9 – 13)

Most children don’t know what perfectionism is, yet many suffer from it. Nothing they do is ever good enough. School assignments are hard to start or hand in. Relationships are challenging, and self-esteem is low. Written for kids ages 9–13, this book helps them understand how perfectionism hurts them and how to free themselves. Includes true-to-life vignettes, exercises, and a note to grown-ups.

Min has nothing. No mother. No birth certificate. No baby pictures. Not even a real birthday. The Children’s Aid people just gave her a fake birthday — the date she was found — not seeming to realize it was also the day she was lost. Now, after four different foster families, Min’s not surprised when she’s dumped back with Children’s Aid the week before Christmas. Still, a small part of her can’t help aching for a miracle … and now she’s found an injured dog that needs a miracle too.

My Buddhist Year. Cath Senker, $11.95

My Christian Year. Cath Senker, $11.95

My Jewish Year. Cath Senker, $11.95

My MuslimYear. Cath Senker, $11.95

My Sikh Year. Cath Senker, $11.95

Ages 8 and up.

The Doggy Dung Disaster & Other True Stories: Regular Kids Doing Heroic Things Around the World. Garth Sundem, $12.95

Eleven-year-old Tilly saved lives in Thailand by warning people that a tsunami was coming. Fifteen-year-old Malika fought against segregation in her Alabama town. Ten-year-old Jean-Dominic won a battle against pesticides—and the cancer the pesticides caused in his body. Six-year-old Ryan raised $800,000 to drill water wells in Africa. And twelve-year-old Haruka invented a new way to scoop dog poop. With the right role models, any child can be a hero. Thirty true stories profile kids who used their heads, their hearts, their courage, and sometimes their stubbornness to help others and do extraordinary things.

The Olden Days Coat. Margaret Laurence, illustrated by Muriel Wood. $12.99

Margaret Laurence's children's classic finds new life in the lovely illustrations of Muriel Wood. This story of ten-year-old Sal and her adventure after discovering an old coat in her grandmother's trunk is one of love and family ties.

Dawn Watch. Jean E. Pendziwol, illustrated by Nicolas Debon, $15.95

This lyrical picture book tells the story of a child and her father as they make a night crossing of Lake Superior by sailboat. The child watches for ships, lights and land while above her the Milky Way and the Northern Lights illuminate an inky night sky. Beautiful illustrations by Nicolas Debon capture the excitement, mystery and beauty of this nighttime adventure.

The Girls' Guide to Life. Catherine Dee, $21.99

Take charge of your personal life, your school time, your social scene, and much more!

A fabulous collection of linked short stories.

NO Talking. Andrew Clements, $7.99 (8-12)

The fifth graders at Laketon Elementary are the noisiest class ever! Then one creative teacher tries an experiment as a unique opportunity to look at language and communication in a fresh new way — and that’s when things get really interesting.

Real Kids, Real Stories, Real Change. Garth Sundem, $11.95

Thirty stories of courageous actions around the world from real kids who used their heads and hearts to do awesome things.

Dude, Where’s Your Helmet? David Duncan, $9.95

What’s YOUR excuse?

Out of My Mind. Sharon Draper, $21.99

Eleven-year-old Melody has a photographic memory. Her head is like a video camera that is always recording. Always. And there's no delete button. She's the smartest kid in her whole school—but no one knows it. Most people—her teachers and doctors included—don't think she's capable of learning, and up until recently her school days consisted of listening to the same preschool-level alphabet lessons again and again and again. If only she could speak up, if only she could tell people what she thinks and knows...but she can't, because Melody can't talk. She can't walk. She can't write.

Being stuck inside her head is making Melody go out of her mind—that is, until she discovers something that will allow her to speak for the first time ever. At last Melody has a voice...but not everyone around her is ready to hear it.

Siblings: You’re Stuck with Each Other, So Stick Together. James Crist & Elizabeth Verdick, $10.75 (ages 8-12)

Every sibling relationship has its ups and downs, and moments of complete AAAAAACCCCCK! But siblings are more than annoyers and stuff-destroyers. You and your brothers and sisters can be buddies, allies, helpers, role models, secret-sharers and lifelong friends. It all starts with you!

Think for Yourself: a Kid’s Guide to Solving Life’s Dilemmas and Other Sticky Problems. Cynthia MacGregor, $14.95 (ages 9 and up)

What if a friend wants you to shoplift? Your neighbor is cruel to his dog? You have to walk past kids who bully you? Your parents want you to babysit your little brother — again?? Get insight on how to find your way out of difficult situations like these and other predications that might involve friends, family and grown-ups.

My Big Fat Secret: How Jenna Takes Control of Her Emotions and Eating. Lynn Schechter, illustrated by Jason Chin, $11.95 (ages 8-12)

Jenna is having a tough time in middle school. She just turned 12, she hates gym, and she's overweight. Jenna has good friends and cool hobbies, but when some of her classmates make fun of her, she just feels so bad! And to make things worse, when Jenna feels sad or mad or stressed out, she starts to eat and she just can't stop!

Through Jenna's story, kids will learn how to say goodbye to emotional eating and hello to a healthy lifestyle. They'll see how to create an action plan to stop overeating before it starts, identify emotional triggers that push them to food, and get healthier by taking better care of their bodies and minds.

Secret Life of Maeve Lee Kwong. Kirsty Murray, $10.95 (ages 10-14)

Maeve's safe world is torn apart when her mother dies in a car crash. Sent to live with her strict Chinese grandparents, she fights to hold onto the things she loves most - her two best friends, her dancing, her baby brother Ned. Secretly she pins her hopes on her Irish father, who doesn't even know she exists. From Sydney to Surfers, from Hong Kong to Ireland, Maeve searches for a path to follow, a place to belong. A story about true friends, scattered family, and the life you make for yourself.

No Contact. Sandra Diersch, $8.95 (8-13)

Debbie’s not sure about her new family, but she is sure about one thing — she loves to play hockey. If only Debbie’s adoptive mother could be more like Debbie’s hockey coach! Will Debbie and her mother ever learn to play on the same team?

Ryan and Jimmy is the remarkable true story of a young boy who wanted to help others — and how that simple wish brought friendship from a world away.

Here’s all you need to know about making friends and making friendships last. The book includes tips and quizzes, plus true friendship stories.

“I don't want to give anything away, so I'll tell you what you could probably guess from looking at the cover and flipping through the book … It's about an invisible boy. Obviously. That's me. Actually, I'm not totally invisible. Yet. But I'm getting there …

That's all I'm going to tell you. All the stuff about my dad and my mom and my brother Derek and my friend Meli and whether or not I actually turn invisible or become completely visible again or figure out how to use my invisibility for the good of all mankind or just disappear altogether, you're going to have to read to find out. So, let's get started. Just remember: This is my story, and anything can happen.”

The Diary of Laura’s Twin: a Holocaust Remembrance Book for Young Readers. Kathy Kacer, $14.95

Laura has just three weeks to go before her Jewish “coming of age” ceremony, called a Bat Mitzvah, when she is assigned a special project. She is to read the diary of Sara Gittler, a young girl her own age who was imprisoned by the Nazis in the Warsaw Ghetto during the Holocaust. Sara never had the chance to celebrate her coming of age, so Laura is to learn about Sara’s life and then share her Bat Mitzvah with her “twin” by speaking of her at the ceremony.

Reluctant to undertake the project at first, Laura quickly becomes caught up by Sara’s struggle to survive. Sara’s diary unfolds with the details of her daily life in the Ghetto, a world full of fear, confusion, tragedy and above all, courage. From Sara’s brave story in the past, Laura learns how to find the courage to confront the possibility of a friend’s current involvement in the desecration of a Jewish cemetery.

Great Women from Our First Nations. Kelly Fournel, $10.95

From heroines of the past to women making history today, Great Women from Our First Nations reminds readers of the extraordinary contributions of First Nations women to our culture, history and daily lives.

Dude, That’s Rude! (Get Some Manners). Pamela Espeland & Elizabeth Verdick, $10.50 (ages 8 to 13)

Full-color cartoons and kid-friendly text teach the basics of polite behavior in all kinds of situations—at home, at school, in the bathroom, on the phone, at the mall, and more … It seems like light reading, but it’s serious stuff: Manners are major social skills, and this book gives kids a great start.

Arctic Adventure: Tales from the Lives of Inuit Artists. Raquel Rivera, illustrated by Jirina Marton, $18.95

The land, hunting, hunger, magic and extreme weather are themes that resonate for Inuit who live in the Far North. These stories, drawn from the lives of four Inuit artists, offer young readers a glimpse into this rich, remote culture, past and present. Accompanying each story are illustrations by Jirina Marton, who has spent time in the Arctic and whose deep appreciation for its subtle beauty shines through her art. In addition to the stories, there is a feature spread on each artist with a photograph, a brief biography and a reproduction of one of the artist's works.

The Great Number Rumble: a Story of Math in Surprising Places. Cora Lee & Gillian O’Reilly, $14.95

When the schools in Jeremy’s town ban math, the kids AND the teachers cheer and toss their textbooks aside. But Jeremy’s best friend Sam loves math, so he sets out to prove to the whole town that math is everywhere — and it’s FUN!

Girl in the Know: Your Inside-and-Out Guide to Growing Up.  Anne Katz, $18.95

Get the lowdown on how to take care of your body inside and out and take care of your self, so you’ll be set to handle all sorts of life’s challenges.