From humorist, storyteller, author, and the voice of Motel 6 commercials, here is an exciting middle-grade adventure novel set in rural Alaska. Ivan and September Crane, ages 12 and 13, are left alone for a couple of weeks while their fisherman Dad is away at sea. In typical adolescent fashion, they quickly proceed to ignore his only two instructions–don’t run down the batteries on the portable short-wave radio, their only means of communication, and don’t cross the bay to town. Through a series of bad decisions they find themselves crossing Bag Bay in their skiff when they are suddenly overtaken by a sudden and fierce autumn storm known as a williwaw. Ivan and September must use every ounce of strength, courage, and ingenuity they posses to keep themselves afloat until help comes. Williwaw contains rich descriptions of Alaskan geography and wildlife. Its likable characters and taut suspense will keep readers riveted until the last page.
Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus
Remember when it was scary to go to school? ‘Cause it was your first day and you didn’t know anything. Meet Junie B. Jones, kindergartner. She’s so scared of the school bus and the meanies on it that when it’s time to go home, she doesn’t.
Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business
It’s pooey on B-A-B-I-E-S until Junie B. finds out that her new dumb old baby brother is a big fat deal. Her two bestest friends are giving her everything they own just to see him. And guess what else? Maybe she can bring him to school on Pet Day.
Fifteen-year-old Macey Clare decides to research the history of a burned-out neighborhood barn for a school project. But no one in her beautiful, wealthy town wants to answer her questions about the fire of 1959. When Macey discovers that somebody was actually living in the barn when it burned, she vows to find the truth. Macey and her friends are nearly killed when an arsonist attacks the black church where they have volunteered. Although it's only a town away, the teens she meets at Good Shepherd have lives she can barely imagine. And like the fire of '59, no one in her town seems to care. Burning Up teaches young adults about the evil of indifference and the power of accepting responsibility. Author of the award-winning Face on the Milk Carton series, Caroline B. Cooney has created a riveting novel, from which narrator Christina Moore evokes the full dramatic power.
Debut novelist Lisa Lewis Tyre vibrantly brings a small town and its outspoken characters to life, as she explores race and other community issues from both the Civil War and the present day.
Lou might be only twelve, but she's never been one to take things sitting down. So when her Civil War-era house is about to be condemned, she's determined to save it, either by getting it deemed a historic landmark or by finding the stash of gold rumored to be hidden nearby during the war. As Lou digs into the past, her eyes are opened when she finds that her ancestors ran the gamut of slave owners, renegades, thieves and abolitionists. Meanwhile, some incidents in her town show her that many Civil War era prejudices still survive and that the past can keep repeating itself if we let it. Digging into her past shows Lou that it's never too late to fight injustice, and she starts to see the real value of understanding and exploring her roots.
Julia Alvarez's heartwarming novel-now in Spanish.
De cómo tía Lola vino de visita a quedarse, una novela juvenil de Julia Alvarez, cuenta la deliciosa historia de una familia dominicana, instalada en Vermont, que recibe la visita de una pariente muy especial. La irresistible, incontrolable e incluso mágica tía Lola transforma la vida de su familia. Sombreros, pañuelos, vestidos alegres, tacones, maracas, un tambor par alas fiestas, café, hierbabuena, orégano, anís, hojas de guanábana, ajíes…, su alegría invade la casa y-poco a poco-a todo el pueblo. Un relato rico, cálido y lleno de humor, que nos llevará a sonar con la posibilidad de tener una tía tan entrañable como tía Lola.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
A charming Dutch classic that withstands the test of time worldwide and will appeal to readers young and old and dog and cat lovers alike! A charming, refreshing, and funny treat. Kirkus Reviews, StarredShy reporter Mr. Tibble is close to losing his job because he only writes about cats. But when an act of kindness brings him into contact with the unusual Miss Minou, his luck suddenly begins to change.Minou provides Tibble with juicy news. But it's who is giving her the gossip that's newsworthy. Minou claims that the tips come from her local feline friends, who are the eyes and ears of the neighborhood.Tibble is appreciative but can't help wondering: How could this be? And why is Minou so terrified of dogs and so skilled at climbing trees and rooftops?It'salmost as if she's a cat herself. More praise for THE CAT WHO CAME IN OFF THE ROOF Schmidt raises questions about what it is to be human, what it is to be a cat . . . and what it means to accept someone for who she is. Shelf Awareness, Starred From the Hardcover edition.
Wolves. Predators of the wild. Stalkers of the forests. Born into a ranking, expected to live up to that. Blue Boy, the alpha male of his pack, is the largest wolf many have ever seen, and his dream is to have a firstborn son who will take after him in every way. But when his firstborn son Lamar arrives, he is not what his father hoped for. He likes to watch butterflies. He worries if his younger siblings fall behind in the hunt. He has little interest in peacocking in front of other clans. His father grows increasingly dismayed at Lamar's lack of wolf instincts, and then goes round the bend when he realizes that Lamar is attracted to...a coyote. While the other infractions can be begrudgingly tolerated, this one cannot, and all familial ties begin to fall apart. But if Lamar does what is expected of him, he will lose him the only true friend he's ever had.
A story full of bite and beauty that makes one think of White Fang, then Ferdinand, that cuts to the heart of what's most important: Being true to yourself, and being true to others.
There's a fine line between real life and video games in this engrossing novel that's part Kathryn Erskine's Mockingbird, part Patrick Ness' A Monster Calls.
Severkin is an elf who slinks through the shadows of Wellhall's spiraling stone towers, plundering ancient ruins and slaying mystical monstrosities with ease.
He's also a character in a video game-a character that twelve-year-old Nick Reeves plays when he needs a break from the real world. And lately Nick has really needed a break. His mother had an "incident" at school last year, and her health has taken a turn for the worse.
Nick is convinced his mother's illness has been misdiagnosed, but no one believes him. His only escape is the online world of Wellhall, where, as the elf character Severkin, he can face any problem. But when Nick finds himself fighting alongside another elf who reminds him of someone he knows in real life, his worlds begin to collide. "Rosen adeptly explores memory and personal history as well as the loneliness of losing a parent, the complexity of biracial origins, and the metaphors of a quest and a divided city...Thoughtful, earnest, and gratifying."-Kirkus Reviews
Perfect for fans of Rita Williams-Garcia, Thanhha Lai, and Rebecca Stead, internationally bestselling author Nadia Hashimi’s first novel for young readers is a coming-of-age journey set in modern-day Afghanistan that explores life as a bacha posh—a preteen girl dressed as a boy.
Obayda’s family is in need of some good fortune, and her aunt has an idea to bring the family luck—dress Obayda, the youngest of four sisters, as a boy, a bacha posh.
Life in this in-between place is confusing, but once Obayda meets another bacha posh, everything changes. Their transformation won’t last forever, though—unless the two best friends can figure out a way to make it stick and make their newfound freedoms endure.
Nadia Hashimi’s first novel for adults, The Pearl That Broke Its Shell, was a bestseller that shares a bacha posh character with One Half from the East.
Charise Mericle Harper's Just Grace books have earned widespread critical acclaim and many young fans. This year Grace is determined to do three things: help her grandmother move to her fancy new apartment, make sure the new neighbor boy who can do headstands doesn't steal her best friend, and get her teacher to start calling her Grace instead of "Just Grace.
Norah has agoraphobia and OCD. When groceries are left on the porch, she can't step out to get them. Struggling to snag the bags with a stick, she meets Luke. He's sweet and funny, and he just caught her fishing for groceries. Because of course he did.
Norah can't leave the house, but can she let someone in? As their friendship grows deeper, Norah realizes Luke deserves a normal girl. One who can lie on the front lawn and look up at the stars. One who isn't so screwed up.
Listeners themselves will fall in love with Norah in this poignant, humorous, and deeply engaging portrait of a teen struggling to find the strength to face her demons. - See more at: http://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/549336/under-rose-tainted-skies/#sthash.GLTjGfxU.dpuf
From Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli (Maniac Magee, Stargirl) comes the knockout story of a girl who must come to terms with her mother's death from inside the walls of a prison.
Cammie O'Reilly is the warden's daughter, living in an apartment above the entrance to the Hancock County Prison. But she's also living in a prison of grief and anger about the mother who died saving her from harm when she was just a baby. And prison has made her mad. This girl's nickname is Cannonball.
In the summer of 1959, as twelve turns to thirteen, everything is in flux. Cammie's best friend is discovering lipstick and American Bandstand. A child killer is caught and brought to her prison. And the only mother figures in her life include a flamboyant shoplifter named Boo Boo and a sullen reformed arsonist of a housekeeper. All will play a role in Cammie's coming-of-age. But one in particular will make a staggering sacrifice to ensure that Cammie breaks free from her past.
Master storyteller Jerry Spinelli spins a tale of loss and redemption like no other. The Warden's Daughter shows that kindness and compassion can often be found where we least expect it.
Praise for the works of Jerry Spinelli:
"Spinelli is a poet of the prepubescent. . . . No writer guides his young characters, and his readers, past these pitfalls and challenges and toward their futures with more compassion." -The New York Times
"It's almost unreal how much the children's book still resonates." -Bustle.com on Maniac Magee
