BOOKS TO BORROW

“Brian’s Hunt” by Gary Paulsen, Wendy Lamb Books/Random House, 103 pages

Read aloud: age 9 and older

Read yourself: age 10 and older

Just 16 years old, Brian Robeson is back in the Canadian wilderness. With his canoe, bow and arrows, and minimal provisions, Brian is paddling north to find his Cree friends at their summer camp. Shortly into his journey he finds a badly wounded dog. Brian tends to the dog, but he has questions. What caused the dog’s injuries? A lone dog in the wilderness belongs to someone; perhaps his Cree friends? A sense of foreboding comes over Brian and he hurries north with the dog to find answers and his friends.

Brian Robeson first appeared in Paulsen’s Newbery Honor book “Hatchet.” Be prepared to read “Brian’s Hunt” in one sitting, for this fifth sequel is as riveting as its predecessors, if not more.

LIBRARIAN’S CHOICE

Library: Otis Library, 261 Main St., Norwich

Executive Director: Robert D. Farwell

Youth Services Librarian: Diane Deedy

Choices this week: “City of Ember” by Jeanne DuPrau; “The Thief Lord” by Cornelia Funke; “The Phantom Tollbooth” by Norton Juster

BOOKS TO BUY

“Wolf Hollow” by Lauren Wolk, Dutton, 2016, 304 pages, $16.99 hardcover

Read aloud: age 10 and older

Read yourself: age 10, 11 and older

Available May 3, “Wolf Hollow” is not be missed.

In the autumn of 1943, 12-year-old Annabelle’s quiet life in her rural Pennsylvania town changes irreversibly when Betty Glengarry arrives. Betty is nasty to most of the kids and will stop at nothing to manipulate the truth to make her appear innocent. When Betty’s viciousness goes too far, Annabelle is afraid to say anything, but as events compound and spin out of control, Betty disappears. The blame for several wrongdoings and Betty’s disappearance is cast upon local vagabond Toby, whom Annabelle knows to be kind and gentle. Annabelle knows she has to dig deep to find the courage to speak up for Toby.

“Raymie Nightingale” by Kate DiCamillo, Candlewick, 2016, 263 pages, $16.99 hardcover

Read aloud: age 10 and older

Read yourself: age 10, 11 and older

In the beginning of the summer in 1975, 10-year-old Raymie Clarke’s father had run away from home with another woman, leaving Raymie and her mother behind. Raymie’s plan was to win the Little Miss Central Florida Tire competition so that her father would see her picture in the newspaper, realize how much he missed his family, and come home.

For Raymie to succeed, she must do things she’s not comfortable with — do good deeds and twirl a baton. Dealing with the delicate Louisiana Elefante and the stubborn Beverly Tapinski add further difficulties. What the girls don’t know is that their unlikely friendship will be what each of them needs most.

kendal@sunlink.net