City of Alexandria

Wizards Book Of The Month Presented by KPMG
Check out Alexandria Library's picks for the Book of the Month. Click the month tab to browse through their title choices. Be sure to grab a library card and check out these books through the links below. Digital and physical copies are available.
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Catastrophe
Wednesday and her service dog, Woof, are the best detectives in the whole world–or at least their neighborhood. But can they find Mrs. Winters’s missing cat before her big trip? Or will the case of the cat-napped kitty be their first unsolved mystery?
The Secret Library
Finding a mysterious letter from her late Grandpa, Dally is led straight to a library of secrets where each book is a portal to a precise moment in time, and she must find the courage to write her own life story as she “checks out” adventure after adventure.
My Selma : true stories of a Southern childhood at the height of the civil rights movement
As the civil rights movement and the fight for voter rights unfold in Selma, Alabama, many things happen inside and outside the Brown family’s home that do not have anything to do with the landmark 1965 march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Yet the famous outrages which unfold on that…
Legends of Lotus island. City of wishes
During the New Year’s break, Plum and her friends travel to fancy, fashionable Nakhon Island to stay with Sam and his mother, the powerful Lady Ubon. The New Year always brings food, parties, and the grand old tradition of making a wish. At first, Plum is dazzled by the big…
Our Little Kitchen
A crew of resourceful neighbors comes together to prepare a meal for their community. Includes a recipe and an author’s note about the volunteering experience that inspired the book.
Winter Wonderland
Ty’s big imagination takes him and Momma on a trip to the North Pole. Everything is wonderful! A Christmas tree sparkles, a snowman waves, and a polar bear sings. Will Ty’s wish to see Santa come true?
Eagle Drums
As his family prepares for winter, a young, skilled hunter must travel up the mountain to collect obsidian for knapping–the same mountain where his two older brothers died. When he reaches the mountaintop, he is immediately confronted by a terrifying eagle god named Savik. Savik gives the boy a choice:…
The Barren Grounds
“Morgan and Eli, two Indigenous children forced away from their families and communities, are brought together in a foster home in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They each feel disconnected, from their culture and each other, and struggle to fit in at school and at their new home — until they find a…
We are Grateful: Otsaliheliga
Otsaliheliga is a Cherokee word that is used to express gratitude. Journey through the year with a Cherokee family and their tribal nation as they express thanks for celebrations big and small. A look at modern Native American life as told by a citizen of the Cherokee Nation.
We Still Belong
“Wesley’s hopeful plans for Indigenous Peoples’ Day (and asking her crush to the dance) go all wrong-until she finds herself surrounded by the love of her Indigenous family and community at the intertribal powwow”–
Colonization and the Wampanoag story
“Until now, you’ve only heard one side of the story: the “discovery” of America told by Christopher Columbus, the Pilgrims, and the Colonists. Here’s the true story of America from the Indigenous perspective. When you think about the beginning of the American story, what comes to mind? Three ships in…
Readers K-2
Leila, La Brujita Perfecta

Author: Flavia Z. Drago
Description: Leila es una brujita. Una muy decidida. Más que nada, ella quiere aprender a hornear. Leila Wayward is a little witch who excels at everything she does. She's the fastest flier, the most cunning conjuror, and the most superb shape-shifter. She has won trophies for potions, herbology, and alchemy--and now she dreams of winning the Magnificent Witchy Cake-off! As the youngest in a long line of masters of the Dark Arts of Patisserie, Leila wants her entry to be perfect. But even with the most bewitching of recipes, she realizes a terrible truth: she's a disaster in the kitchen. Luckily, Leila has three magical sisters who are happy to share their culinary secrets with her. What's more, Leila discovers that baking with them is fun! Win or lose, she has already tasted the sweetest thing of all: acceptance--with a pinch of nightshade and a bit of mandrake.
Readers 3-5
Ghost Squad

Author: Claribel A. Ortega
Description: Shortly before Halloween, Lucely and her best friend, Syd, cast a spell that accidentally awakens malicious spirits, wreaking havoc throughout St. Augustine. Together, they must join forces with Syd's witch grandmother, Babette, and her tubby tabby, Chunk, to fight the haunting head-on and reverse the curse to save the town and Lucely's firefly spirits before it's too late.
Readers 6-8
Are Your Afraid of the Dark? The Witch's Wings and Other Terrifying Tales

Author: Tehlor Kay Mejia
Description: "A new Midnight Society gathers around the campfire to share urban legends, folklores, and all manner of spooky stories. These three terrifying tales feature haunted buses, monstrous creatures, and spine-chilling mysteries guaranteed to have you reaching for the light switch! In "The Tale of the Witch's Wings," a young boy with a habit of bullying meets his match when an ancient witch sets her eyes on him. In "The Tale of the Haunting of Bus #13," a young girl finds herself potentially trapped on a bus haunted by more than just ghosts! And in "The Tale of the Stray Comet," two siblings bring home a stray dog that is much more monstrous than they could ever imagine! Are you afraid of the dark? You will be..."--Provided by publisher.
Readers K-2
Something Is Coming

Author: Jane Kurtz
Description: Ethiopian New Year is celebrated on September 11 (or September 12 on a leap year) according to the calendar used in the United States. In Ethiopia, it falls on the first day of the month of Meskerem. Find out how the beautiful yellow meskel daisies play a part in this annual celebration.
Readers 3-5
Hispanic Heritage

Author: Brenda Perez Mendoza
Description: "Perfect for annual Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations, this book explores the history that brought so many people and cultures together into a shared heritage. The Racial Justice in America: Latinx Histories series explores moments and eras in America's history that have been ignored or misrepresented in education due to racial bias. Books explore each topic in a comprehensive, honest, and age-appropriate way. Titles were developed with educator, advocate, and author Brenda Mendoza to reach children of all races and encourage them to approach our history with open eyes and minds"--
Readers 6-8
Aniana Del Mar Jumps In

Author: Jasminne Mendez
Description: A novel-in-verse about a 12-year-old Dominican American girl who must keep her love of swimming a secret from her mother, is diagnosed with Juvenile Arthritis, and is forced to reimagine the person she is to become.
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