In this guide you will find information about accessing all of the resources available to you, whether on the Hickory campus or visiting in Boone.
Navigate the tabs to the left based on your needs. Mobile users will see tabs at the top of the screen.
The Instructional Materials Center (IMC) is a model Pre-K – 12 school media center. We serve Appalachian students, faculty, and staff, as well as area educators and community members.
The IMC is located on the lower level of Belk Library in Boone. Most of our resources are available for check out, both in person and from the Hickory campus.
The IMC is open when Belk Library is open. Please call us at 828-262-2790 if you have questions.
Visit the IMC website for more information!
Picture Book
By Richard Ho
Recommended: Grades PreK to 2
Pages: 32
Summary: "A multicultural family celebrates the traditions of two New Years: the Jewish Rosh Hashanah in the autumn, and the Asian Lunar New Year several months later." --From Publisher's Description
Beginning Chapter
By Matthew Cordell
Recommended: Ages 4 to 8
Pages: 80
Summary: "Poppy can't WAIT to try a roller coaster. Cornbread...can. But Cornbread and Poppy are the best of friends, so when the Carnival rolls into town, Cornbread agrees to check it out." --From Publisher's Description
Picture Books
By Jessica Hische
Recommended: Ages 3 to 7
Pages: 32
Summary: "During the annual Find Yourself Field Trip at Ms. Bracket's School for Little Letters, U discovers all the different ways letters are used in the world and contemplates what she will be when she grows up." --From Publisher's Description
Early Reader
By Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich
Recommended: Ages 4 to 8
Pages: 31
Summary: "A young girl celebrates her birthday and the special treats she can make for her class." --From Publisher's Description
Picture Book
By Sharon Creech
Recommended: Ages 4 to 8
Pages: 32
Summary: "The new principal, Mr. Tatters, says that in order to be a smart, smart school, we will have lots and lots of tests." --From Publisher's Description
Picture Book
By Linda Liu
Recommended: Grades PreK to 2
Pages: 32
Summary: "When a small pebble sees a display of glittering gemstones, he wonders if he can be special, too." --From Publisher's Description
Picture Book
By Jonathan Fenske
Recommended: Ages 4 to 8
Pages: 32
Summary: "The book's narrator attempts to tell a tale about a unicorn, a dinosaur, and a shark, but the three characters are unimpressed and uncooperative." --From Publisher's Description
Picture Book
By Angela DiTerlizzi; Tony DiTerlizzi
Recommended: Ages 4 to 8
Pages: 32
Summary: "Cranky doesn't want to be read. He just wants you to leave him alone. But when other books show up for story time, will Cranky change his mind?" --From Publisher's Description
Picture Book
By Kelly Collier (Illustrator)
Recommended: Ages 4 to 8
Pages: 32
Summary: "Skunk wants to be a dog. Everyone loves dogs. When he sees a "lost" poster for Max the dog, Skunk wonders if he can pass for the missing pet." --From Publisher's Description
Picture Book
By Jory John; Pete Oswald (Illustrator)
Recommended: Grades PreK to 3
Pages: 32
Summary: "The Big Cheese is the best at everything, and brags about it, too. But when the annual Cheese-cathlon comes around, what if he's not the winner?" --From Publisher's Description
Picture Book
By Emily Satoko Seo; Mique Moriuchi (Illustrator)
Recommended: Grades K-3
Pages: 32
Summary: "A little girl is determined to make perfect nigiri sushi for her grandmother, but she learns that cooking with love is more important than cooking perfect food." --From Publisher's Description
Picture Book
By Lindsay Ward; Brizida Magro (Illustrator)
Recommended: Grades K-3
Pages: 32
Summary: "A sweet friendship begins between two young girls on the first day of school, and they fill their pockets all year long." --From Publisher's Description
Picture Book
By Raúl the Third (Illustrator)
Recommended: Ages 4 to 8
Pages: 32
Summary: "Little Lobo and his friends are excited for the out-of-this-world book festival the Guadalupian Library hosts every year!" --From Publisher's Description
Picture Book
By Helena Ku Rhee; Stella Lim (Illustrator)
Recommended: Grades K to 3
Pages: 32
Summary: "When her parents reveal the origin of her name, Sora channels a newfound pride and combats her peers' hurtful comments." --From Publisher's Description
Picture Book
By Julie Downing
Recommended: Ages 4 to 8
Pages: 32
Summary: "When children are fast asleep, some people are hard at work keeping the city safe and clean. And when daylight comes, they go home to sleep." --From Publisher's Description
Nonfiction
By Kim Zachman
Recommended: Ages 8 to 12
Pages: 140
Summary: "People have been inventing drinks for thousands of years. From soda to water to milk and juice, this book is full of fun facts and stories of the origins of some of America's most popular drinks." --From Publisher's Description
Nonfiction
By Kelly Crull
Recommended: Ages 6 to 10
Pages: 32
Summary: "An artist makes animal sculptures from plastic garbage that washes up on beaches. Photos of these sculptures are paired with facts about featured sea creatures and the impacts of plastic on sea life." --From Publisher's Description
Nonfiction
By Deborah Hopkinson
Recommended: Ages 4 to 8
Pages: 32
Summary: "In the wake of two world wars, Eleanor Roosevelt, former first lady and U.S. delegate to the newly formed United Nations, drafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Signed on December 10, 1948, this is an adaptation for children." --From Publisher's Description
Nonfiction
By Megan Madison
Recommended: Ages 2 to 5
Pages: 36
Summary: "This book serves to normalize and celebrate the experience of asking for and being asked for permission to do something involving one's body." --From Publisher's Description
Nonfiction
By Neil Gaiman
Recommended: Ages 4 to 8
Pages: 32
Summary: "During the coldest season, when the world feels scary -- what do you remember about being warm?" --From Publisher's Description
Nonfiction
By Jonell Joshua
Recommended: Ages 12 to 18
Pages: 423
Summary: "Jonell Joshua spent her childhood living in grandparents' homes during the times her mother, struggling with mental illness, needed support to raise her and her brothers. This is an illustrated memoir about nostalgia, faith, the preciousness of life, and unconditional love." --From Publisher's Description
Nonfiction
By Elaine M. Alexander
Recommended: Ages 4 to 8
Pages: 30
Summary: "Dive 13,000 feet below the ocean's surface, where no ray of sunlight can penetrate. This is the midnight zone--home of the anglerfish, known as the Seadevil of the Deep." --From Publisher's Description
Poetry
By Renée Watson; Ekua Holmes (Illustrator)
Recommended: Grades 7 to 9
Pages: 81
Summary: Using a variety of poetic forms, from haiku to free verse, Watson shares recollections of her childhood in Portland, tender odes to the Black women in her life, and urgent calls for Black girls to step into their power." --From Publisher's Description
Nonfiction
By Ryse Tottingham (Revised by); Andy Passchier (Illustrator)
Recommended: Ages 7 to 12
Pages: 61
Summary: "Each page represents a letter and provides concise, age-appropriate definitions for 10 or more terms, with subject matter spanning issues like racial justice, climate change, gender equality, LGBTQ+ rights, income disparity, voter engagement, and immigration." --From Publisher's Description
Nonfiction
By Melissa Stewart
Recommended: Ages 6 to 9
Pages: 32
Summary: "Travel back to prehistoric times and meet some of the most impressive yet lesser-known creatures to ever roam the Earth." --From Publisher's Description
Nonfiction
By S. D. Nelson
Recommended: Ages 4 to 8
Pages: 32
Summary: "Clara spends her summer visiting her grandma and cousin on Standing Rock reservation, where she and her family set up the ancestral tipi and tell stories, sing songs, and learn about their Lakota roots." --From Publisher's Description
Nonfiction
By Aya Ghanameh (Illustrator)
Recommended: Ages 4 to 8
Pages: 32
Summary: "Oraib loves the olive trees that grow outside the refugee camp where she lives. But war has come to their door once more, forcing them to flee." --From Publisher's Description
Graphic Early Reader
By: Jeffrey Ebbeler
Recommended: Ages 4 to 8
Pages: 32
Summary: "Izzie and her new friend, an Ogre named Tim, plan an obstacle course to lure her brother Ollie away from his video game." --From Publisher's Description
Graphic Novel
By: Deya Muniz
Recommended: Ages 12 and Up
Pages: 235
Summary: "Lady Camembert wants to live life on her own terms, without marriage. So when her father passes away, she does the only thing she can: She disguises herself as a man and moves to the capital city of the Kingdom of Fromage." --From Publisher's Description
Graphic Novel
By Molly Horton Booth
Recommended: Grades 7 to 9
Pages: 158
Summary: "Waitlisted by her dream college and questioning her identity, Leah steps down as cheer captain to focus on her future. But when the competition for captaincy goes awry, power-hungry twins take command of the squad and immediately pit the cheerleaders against the basketball team." --From Publisher's Description
Graphic Novel
By Trevor Bream; Cait May (Illustrator)
Recommended: Grades 5 to 8
Pages: 284
Summary: "Tucked away in a government facility, six not-quite-human kids learn to control their strange and unpredictable abilities. Life is good--or safe, at least--until a security breach forces them out of their home and into the path of a mysterious being called the Collector." --From Publisher's Description
Graphic Novel
By Michael Regina
Recommended: Grades 4 to 8
Pages: 221
Summary: "Matt's friends plan a fun sleepover to try and cheer him up after the death of his beloved nanny, it quickly takes a turn when they realize the family's new nanny may be an actual monster." --From Publisher's Description
Grapic Novel
By S. J. Sindu; Nabi H. Ali (Illustrator)
Recommended: Grades 3 to 7
Pages: 245
Summary: "When the three meanest girls in school start casting spells, 12-year-old Shakti must harness her own strength, power, and empathy to save those she loves and end the hate." --From Publisher's Description
Fiction
By Linda Crotta Brennan
Recommended: Grades 4 to 6
Pages: 204
Summary: "Brigit knows all the old fisherman songs and legends by heart. But she also knows the truth: she's the daughter of a selkie. So when her village is threatened with storms and sickness, Brigit must confront the Great Selkie and protect those she loves." --From Publisher's Description
Fiction
By Ream Shukairy
Recommended: Ages 12 to 18
Pages: 392
Summary: "As fireworks pop off at a Fourth of July bonfire, an explosion off the California coast results in chaos and, worse, murder. At the center are six Muslim teens, falsely accused. Now they must choose: trust, or turn their backs on each other to prove their innocence." --From Publisher's Description
Fiction
By Andrea Wang
Recommended: Grades 7 to 9
Pages: 308
Summary: "Tween Phoenny Fang plans to have the best summer ever at Chinese cultural overnight camp, where she explores new friendships and first crushes and discovers a deeper understanding of her community." --From Publisher's Description
Fiction
By LaDarrion Williams
Recommended: Grades 9 and Up
Pages: 419
Summary: "Ten years ago, Malik's life changed forever the night his mother mysteriously vanished and he discovered he had uncontrollable powers. Now, at 17, he discovers an unexpected connection with his long-lost grandmother: a legendary conjurer in her own right." --From Publisher's Description
Fiction
By A. J. Sass
Recommended: Ages 8 to 12
Pages: 372
Summary: "Shai, a 13-year-old nonbinary homeschooler, is an expert problem-solver. To help deal with her anxiety, they attempt to find a 'new normal' post-pandemic as they start public school, meet new friends, and learn about their Jewish identity." --From Publisher's Description
Fiction
By Aida Salazar
Recommended: Grades 7 to 9
Pages: 294
Summary: "13-year-old Elio is struggling with "coming of age"--first love, first heartbreak, first real fight (which lands him in the hospital), and what it means to be a "man," a true friend, and an ally, as well as how to overcome a culture of toxic masculinity." --From Publisher's Description
Fiction
By Holly Jackson
Recommended: Grades 9 and Up
Pages: 433
Summary: "When her mother, who disappeared 16 years before, reappears while a true crime documentary about her case is being filmed, 18-year-old Bel must uncover the real reason Rachel Price is back from the dead." --From Publisher's Description
Fiction
By Amélie Wen Zhao
Recommended: Ages 14 and Up
Pages: 348
Summary: "The Demon Gods have risen. Skies' End has fallen to the colonizers. And Lan and Zen have chosen sides. But they will not fight together...To win the war, Lan will have to decide: Can she face the boy she loves again? And when she does, can she kill him to free her people?" --From Publisher's Description
Fiction
By Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
Recommended: Grades 10 to 12
Pages: 400
Summary: "When Sade Hussein begins her third year of boarding school at the prestigious Nobel Academy, she doesn't expect her roommate Elizabeth to disappear after her first night. Or for people to think she had something to do with it." --From Publisher's Description
Fiction
By Ritu Hemnani
Recommended: Ages 8 to 12
Pages: 410
Summary: "Twelve-year-old Raj is happiest flying kites with his best friend, Iqbal. But with Partition declared, Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim families are torn apart--and Raj's and Iqbal's families are among them. Forced to flee and become refugees, Raj must start over in a new country." --From Publisher's Description
Fiction
By Kristin Dwyer
Recommended: Grades 9 and Up
Pages: 328
Summary: "Atlas James has lost her way. In an effort to pull her life together, she's doing community service rehabbing trails in the Western Sierras. With her team, she heads into the wilderness, realizing that these four strangers might know her better than anyone has before." --From Publisher's Description
Fction
By Shelly Page (Editor)
Recommended: Ages 13 to 18
Pages: 290
Summary: "Halloween is a symbol of transformation, and in this collection thirteen authors explore how it can be a night when anything is possible. Each short story is told through the lens of a different BIPOC teen, and tells of a Halloween night that changes their life forever." --From Publisher's Description
Fiction
By Rick Riordan
Recommended: Grades 3 to 7
Pages: 268
Summary: "Percy Jackson's hope for a normal senior year is shattered as the gods present him with three quests, beginning with the retrieval of Zeus's goblet, in order to get the necessary three letters of recommendation for college." --From Publisher's Description
Fiction
By Cristina Fernandez
Recommended: Grades 10 to 12
Pages: 403
Summary: "Astrid's plan for college is clear, until Max Martin, a nerdy boy from high school, crashes back into her life. When he saves her from a supervillain one night, Astrid realizes she will now have to balance a double life." --From Publisher's Description
Fiction
By Shannon Gibney
Recommended: Grades 9 and Up
Pages: 336
Summary: "Written by adoptees for adoptees, this anthology of 15 powerful stories reflects the complexity, breadth, and depth of the transracial adoptee experience." --From Publisher's Description
Fiction
By Marie Lu
Recommended: Grades 9 to 12
Pages: 314
Summary: "Adelina has achieved the ultimate victory: Revenge. Her reign as the White Wolf has been a triumphant one, but the darkness within her has begun to spiral out of control." --From Publisher's Description
Fiction
By Margarita Engle
Recommended: Grades 9 to 12
Pages: 211
Summary: "When a hurricane exposes Soleida's family's secret, the Cuban government arrests her artist parents, forcing her to escape alone. She meets Dariel, a fellow Cuban American refugee, and together they work to bring attention to Cuba's imprisoned artists." --From Publisher's Description
Fiction
By Abdi Nazemian
Recommended: Ages 12 to 18
Pages: 390
Summary: "A sweeping story of intergenerational trauma and love told via three generations of boys in the same Iranian family and set against the backdrop of Tehran and Los Angeles." --From Publisher's Description
