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The Ghost in Room 11
by Betty Ren WrightThe new kid in school accepts a dare—and finds himself facing some spooky and surprising consequences: &“[A] page-turner&” (Booklist). Matthew Barber thinks that being the new kid in school will be the scariest thing about fourth grade. But is he ever wrong! When the class bully challenges him to spend the night in Healy Elementary, Matthew learns that the rumor of a ghost teacher wandering the halls is more than just a story. And because he has already lost his classmates&’ trust by lying about his old school, no one believes the terrifying truth: There is a ghost, and she knows Matthew&’s name . . . and she won&’t let him rest until she gets what she wants! The Ghost in Room 11 has won the Florida, Iowa, and Oklahoma Children&’s Book Awards.
Getting Rid of Marjorie
by Betty Ren WrightThis fifth-grader is not too fond of her new step-grandmother—&“an affecting funny story&” (Publishers Weekly). When summer comes, Emily is looking forward to spending more time with Grandfather. Ever since Grandma Ellen&’s death, Emily has felt especially close to him. He&’s never too busy to listen to her, and he always understands her feelings. But Emily&’s summer is unexpectedly ruined when Grandfather returns from a vacation with a new wife. Her name is Marjorie, and Emily hates her. There&’s no way Marjorie can replace Grandma Ellen, and she&’s certain to destroy Grandfather&’s happiness. So Emily decides to get rid of her. The jealousy and problems caused by Marjorie&’s arrival are refreshingly handled in the first novel by Betty Ren Wright.
Crandalls' Castle
by Betty Ren WrightTwo girls suspect an abandoned mansion is haunted—but will anyone believe them before it&’s too late? &“[A] well-written, shivery ghost story&” (Booklist). Beware! At first, Charli is excited about the Crandall family&’s newest endeavor—fixing up the town&’s old mansion and turn it into a bed-and-breakfast. She even volunteers to help. Then strange things begin to happen. Charli hears someone singing—but no one is there. She sees the shadow of a rocking cradle—but there is no cradle. And then she hears a baby crying, and crying. . . . Something terrible happened in the old house many years ago. And it may happen again, unless Charli can figure out how to stop the past from repeating itself.
The Cannibals
by Cynthia D. Grant"Unlike me, life isn't always pretty," says Tiffany Spratt--a cheerleader destined for fame who will do anything to get there Tiffany is definitely glad that the best-looking boy in the universe just transferred to her high school. Her boyfriend, Wally, got caught hacking into the Pentagon's computer system and was sent to boarding school, so she almost didn't have a date for the Homecoming dance! But Tiffany knows that she'll look fabulous next to her new boyfriend, Cannibal MacLaine--at least she thinks he said his name was Cannibal. Sure, it's an incredibly unusual name, but then, he is from Los Angeles. Then something even more exciting happens: A major Hollywood director wants to film a horror movie right in their school! Not everyone is as pleased as Tiffany though--in fact, her own mother is leading protests against the plan--but Tiffany is Head Yell Leader at Hi High, so she gets the chamber of commerce on her side. The movie studio signs the contract, and everything is going to be perfect . . . if it doesn't turn into a perfect nightmare first.
Kumquat May, I'll Always Love You
by Cynthia D. GrantAbandoned by her mother, Olivia Greene decides to take care of herself--if only she can keep it a secret Life's been strange for Olivia Greene ever since her mother, Luna Lee, went to the store for margarine and never came back. Afraid of being sent to live with her terrible uncle--or worse, his children--Olivia carries out elaborate schemes to convince the people of Kumquat that Luna Lee still lives at home. Absolutely no one can find out--except, of course, for Olivia's best friend, Rosella. But Olivia's carefully constructed life threatens to fall apart with the arrival of the incredibly hot Raymond Mooney, whose family just moved back to Kumquat under mysterious circumstances. If he can tell Olivia his secrets, can't she tell him hers? Or would that threaten the lies Olivia has so carefully woven to protect herself?
Uncle Vampire
by Cynthia D. GrantEveryone knows vampires don't really exist--so why are Carolyn and her sister haunted by the same nocturnal visits? Twin sisters Honey and Carolyn have a secret: Uncle Toddy must be a vampire. Their parents won't acknowledge that Toddy's presence in their house is causing problems, but Carolyn can feel him sucking the life out of the family. Honey doesn't want to talk about it. She's a popular, pretty cheerleader with the perfect high school life. Why can't Carolyn just let it go and concentrate on good things, instead of asking questions about what happens when vampires knock at the door in the middle of the night? Both girls' grades are suffering under the strain of keeping their secret, threatening their school activities and plans for the future. Carolyn feels like she's going crazy, seeing things that no one else can. How can she convince Honey that she's only trying to stop the vampire from killing them both? Her only option is to force Uncle Toddy into the one place he doesn't want to be: the light.
Miriam's Well
by Lois RubyA terminally ill teenager is forced to choose between her religion and her life Adam doesn't think much of it when Miriam faints in class. She's an oddball, a student who hardly talks, never makes eye contact, and wears clothes that seem straight out of the nineteenth century. She says she feels OK, and he wants to believe her. But when she passes out while they're working on an English assignment, Adam takes Miriam to the last place she wants to go: the hospital. Miriam has bone cancer. She believes that God will heal her, but if He doesn't, she plans to let herself die. Miriam is a member of a devout religious sect in which women have little power and medicine is strictly forbidden. In order for Miriam to forgo treatment, Adam's father sues the state on her behalf--even as Adam himself tries to convince her to accept the doctors' help. As her illness rages on, Miriam will teach Adam the meaning of love and faith--and he will give her a reason to live.
Skin Deep
by Lois RubyAn angry young man is sucked into a gang of neo-Nazis Dan shows up on his first day at a new school with long blond hair, John Lennon glasses, and a shy grin that makes every girl in the hallway swoon. But he only has eyes for Laurel, who's in his English class. Laurel stirs feelings in Dan that he never knew existed, and suddenly, he understands love. Soon, he will understand hate as well. When a gang of violent young men invades the annual Halloween party, most of Laurel's friends stay away. The men are white supremacists with shaved heads, steel-toed boots, and a look in their eyes that says they're ready to fight. But something in their attitude draws Dan toward them. He's angry at the world, and these skinheads seem to understand how he feels. As he sinks deeper into their twisted world of hate and rage, Dan risks losing not only Laurel, but also his soul.
This Old Man
by Lois RubyA spunky young girl forms an unlikely friendship with a dying Chinese man while living in a group home For Greta, having light and carefree Hackey hanging around her mom is a lot more fun than having an ordinary dad. But Hackey isn't her father--he's more like a pimp, and no matter how friendly he is, he still treats Greta's mom like dirt. When the situation at home goes from bad to worse, Greta is moved into a home for at-risk children where she meets some of the most interesting girls she has ever known--and a shy young boy named Wing. Greta's riding a San Francisco cable car when she notices Wing carrying a huge basket of delicious-smelling food. It's for his grandfather, Old Man, who is dying in the Chinese hospital. Although they don't speak the same language, Greta and Old Man will become fast friends--two survivors, who refuse to give up on life.
Shanghai Shadows
by Lois RubyA young girl fleeing Hitler takes refuge in Shanghai, where she learns that she must fight to survive Throughout tomboy Ilse's childhood, her mother has tried to force her to behave like a proper Austrian lady. But when Hitler annexes their country, the family flees, boarding a packed freighter and sailing around the world in search of a safe harbor. The United States refuses to take them, so they proceed to China and make a new home in steamy, mysterious Shanghai. Their lodgings are cramped, money is tight, and Ilse's father cannot find work--but Ilse is enchanted by the city's international flavor. In Shanghai's shadows she finds the adventure of a lifetime. When the Japanese occupy the city, Ilse and her brother begin working in an underground resistance cell. Each day, the city grows more dangerous, and Ilse must lie, cheat, and steal in order for her family to eat. She is a long way from Austria, but she will do whatever it takes to survive.
The Lords of the Wild: A Story Of The Old New York Border
by Joseph A. AltshelerA classic coming-of-age novel set in the midst of the French and Indian War In the wilderness of the Northeast, Robert Lennox's life is staked on how well he can evade the fierce Tandakora and his persistent warriors. Attuned to every sound and movement in the forest, he follows birds and hides his tracks in bubbling brooks en route to joining up with his friends Tayoga, an Onondaga warrior, and David Willet, a skilled hunter. Two forces compete in Robert's mind: a deep reverence for the beauty of the natural world, and an entrenched unease over ever-lurking danger. First published in 1919, The Lords of the Wild is a heralded entry in Joseph A. Altsheler's French and Indian War Series, which follows the exploits of young Robert Lennox and his friends as they are embroiled in one of the most tumultuous conflicts of American colonial history. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
The Swiss Family Robinson: Or, Adventures Of A Father And Mother And Four Sons In A Desert Island ... To Which Are Added, Notes Of Reference
by Johann David WyssThe beloved adventure story of a family marooned on a deserted island and making a new home in the jungle wilderness Off the coast of New Guinea a storm rages for seven days, violently tossing the passenger vessel holding a family of six about the sea. Left behind by the crew and other passengers of their wrecked ship, the family has no choice but to go it alone. They fill tubs with tools and provisions they may need to survive, and set off for a nearby island--devoid of people but teeming with lush natural life. Once on the island, they build themselves a home, complete with livestock, a small farm, and a sturdy tree house for shelter. In no time, the four boys and their steadfast parents learn to thrive on the jungle island, learning just how much can be accomplished through hard work, cooperation, curiosity, and perseverance. First published in 1812, The Swiss Family Robinson is a rip-roaring adventure tale and an engrossing novel about self-sufficiency, responsibility, and the uses and wonders of the natural world. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
The Mysterious Island: The Secret Of The Island (Extraordinary Voyages)
by Jules VerneIn Jules Verne's classic adventure tale, a hot air balloon is swept off course only to land on a faraway desert island In the midst of the American Civil War, five prisoners hijack a hot air balloon to make their escape. Caught in the winds of a violent storm, the balloon is blown far, far away from its point of departure in Richmond, Virginia. When the craft crash-lands, its passengers find themselves castaways on an exotic island. Here they are forced to contend with wild animals, pirates, and an active volcano--in a fight for their very survival. Beloved for well over a century, The Mysterious Island is an enduring adventure classic by the masterful Jules Verne. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
Never Cry Wolf: Penguin Modern Classics Edition (Hrw Library)
by Farley MowatThe bestselling nature classic that stands as a hallmark of conservation writing and forever changed the way we look at wolves In 1948, Farley Mowat landed in the far north of Manitoba, Canada, a young biologist sent to investigate the region's dwindling population of caribou. Many people thought that the caribous' conspicuous decline had been caused by the tundra's most notorious predator: the wolf. Alone among the howling canine packs, Mowat expected to find the bloodthirsty beasts of popular conception. Instead, over the course of a summer spent observing the powerful animals, Mowat discovered an animal species with a remarkable capacity for loyalty, virtue, and playfulness. Praised for its humor and engrossing narrative, Never Cry Wolf describes a group of wolves whose interactions and behaviors seem strikingly similar to our own. Mowat humanizes these animals that have long been demonized, turning the widespread narrative of the "savage wolf" on its head and inspiring many governments to enact protective legislation for the North's most mysterious creature.
The Rain and the Fire and the Will of God
by Edward Abbey Donald WetzelAccording to Jack Haywood, the trouble with the Hill--the farm--is that nothing ever happens there. He expects this summer, the summer of his fourteenth year, to be no different. First there is Jenny Holmes, whom he can go to see only on the pretext of seeing her brother, Les, a real pain. Jenny, who lives a mile and a half away by moonlit trail through piney woods and cypress swamp. Then there is the 'gator hole, even further from the Hill, where one can bravely swim in the secret conviction that the 'gator is a myth. There are the great summer thunderstorms, but they are to be expected. And then there is Rodney, also fourteen, down from White Plains, New York--his mother recently deceased--come to spend the summer on the Hill. But even if Jack never says so, at the summer's end, he'll know that much indeed has happened this summer on the Hill, much that is tender and warm--and quite real--in this story that is not so much of adolescence as it is of life itself--and of our right to hold to its celebration.
The Deavys
by Alan Dean FosterWhen the Truth is stolen, it's up to the Deavy quartet to get it back For any normal teenage boy, having two and a half younger sisters would be enough to deal with. But Simwan Deavy's life isn't normal. His family is non-Ord--short for "non-Ordinary"--which means that at school, he and his sisters learn hexing and enchanting along with history and math. It also means they have a ghost for an uncle and a cat who talks. Still, everything is going well for Simwan--until a bottle of Truth is stolen from the local pharmacy. Now the Deavys' favorite woods are under threat from development; their mother, whose life depends on the Truth, is growing weaker; and the world as they know it might never be the same. With the help of their cat, Pithfwid, the Deavys track the loathsome, horrible Crub to his lair in New York City. But the Crub has laid traps, turning a dangerous city into a deadly one. To succeed at their mission, the Deavys will have to stick together--or the Truth may be lost forever.
The Gargoyle in the Dump
by John BellairsFrom the award-winning author of The Face in the Frost comes the story of three brothers who rescue a talking gargoyle from their neighborhood junkyard Michael, David, and Alphonsus Jr. (aka Fonsy) are spending the summer trying to blow up the town dock and playing marathon Monopoly games. On the brink of death-by-boredom, they head to the local dump in search of treasures--such as oil cans that Michael can use to build a submarine. But what they find is far from garbage. Staring out at them, between two black stovepipes, is the head of a grinning stone gargoyle with shifty eyes and a long snout. He demands that the brothers take him home to live with them, so the boys wrap him in blankets and cart him back in a wagon. At the house, the gargoyle regales them with vivid tales of his exploits in faraway times and places. He even comes up with endlessly inventive ways of terrorizing the boys' irritatingly dull neighbors. Finally, this is a summer worth writing home about. The Gargoyle in the Dump is a recently discovered, never-before-published story. Also included are two pages of the author's original typed manuscript and an introduction from his long-time literary agent, Richard Curtis.
Are You Still There
by Sarah Lynn ScheergerGabriella Mallory, AP student and perfect-daughter-in-training, stands barefoot on a public toilet for three hours while her school is on lockdown. Someone has planted a bomb and she is hiding. The bomb is defused but the would-be-bomber is still at large--and everyone at Central High School is a suspect. The school starts a top-secret crisis help line and Gabi is invited to join. When she does, she is drawn into a suspenseful game of cat and mouse with the bomber, who has unfinished business. He leaves threatening notes on campus. He makes threatening calls to the help line. And then he begins targeting Gabi directly. Is it because her father is the lead police detective on the case? Is the bomber one of her new friends? Could it be her new boyfriend with his complicated past? As the story unfolds, Gabi knows she is somehow connected to the bomber. Even worse, she knows she is part of his plan. Can Gabi reach out and stop him or will she be too late?
Time-Out from Technology
by Molly WigandBy establishing reasonable limits and nurturing an open dialogue with our children, we can help them become discerning and thoughtful consumers of digital media. We can implement parental controls and passwords to help set limits for children's time online. More important, though, is setting good examples by mindfully unplugging ourselves from the digital space and spending time offline with our kids, providing them with opportunities to have fun and be stimulated by real life experiences. This balance will help them become smart digital consumers who develop good habits and create healthy relationships.
The Light Princess: Large Print (George Macdonald Original Works #Series 3)
by George MacdonaldA princess is cursed to a life without gravity in George MacDonald's whimsical fairy tale After years of being childless, the king and queen finally welcome a beautiful daughter into the world. But at the young princess's christening, the king's wicked sister curses the girl to a life without gravity. Doomed to float above the ground, unable to bring her feet to earth, the princess grows up unlike any other child. Inspired by "Sleeping Beauty," The Light Princess is George MacDonald's "lightest" fairy tale, indulging in skillful wordplay and unrepentant puns--the kind of story made to charm children and delight adults. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
Burn Girl
by Mandy MikulencakArlie's face was disfigured by burns when her stepfather's meth lab exploded. After that, Arlie discovered the street smarts and survival skills she needed to shelter her addict mother, since the law and Lloyd, her deranged stepfather, are both looking for them. People died in the explosion and everyone wants answers. But Arlie's carefully constructed world is ripped apart when her mother commits suicide shortly after Arlie's sixteenth birthday. Now she can no longer remain hidden. Social Services steps in and before Arlie can make sense of anything, she is following the rules, going to school, and living in a thirty-one-foot Airstream trailer with an eccentric uncle she didn't even know she had. Then she meets a boy who doesn't care about her scars or her past. Just when she begins to think a normal life might be possible, Lloyd shows up. He's looking for the drug money he insists Arlie's mother stole. Will Arlie be able to shield her uncle and her boyfriend from Lloyd? Did Lloyd somehow play a role in her mother's death? And can she get rid of him once and for all before her world blows apart again?
Has To Be Love
by Jolene PerryYears ago, Clara survived a vicious bear attack. She's used to getting sympathetic looks around town, but meeting strangers is a different story. Yet her dreams go far beyond Knik, Alaska, and now she's got a secret that's both thrilling and terrifying--an acceptance letter from Columbia University. But it turns out her scars aren't as fixable as she hoped, and when her boyfriend begins to press for a forever commitment, she has second thoughts about New York. Then Rhodes, a student teacher in her English class, forces her to acknowledge her writing talent, and everything becomes even more confusing--especially with the feelings she's starting to have about him. Now all Clara wants to do is hide from the tough choices she has to make. When her world comes crashing down around her, Clara has to confront her problems and find her way to a decision. Will she choose the life of her dreams or the life that someone she loves has chosen? Which choice is scarier?
The Mystery of the Zorse's Mask
by Linda Joy SingletonWhen a mysterious stranger claims to own Becca's beloved zorse, Zed, something seems suspicious. Besides, if this person is Zed's real owner, the Curious Cat Spy Club fears he might be responsible for abusing Zed in the past. Kelsey, Becca, and Leo are determined to uncover the truth before they have to give Zed away. But when a daring rescue attempt puts Kelsey in danger, does the CCSC have enough spy skills to save her or are they in over their heads?
Night on Fire
by Ronald KiddThirteen-year-old Billie Simms doesn't think her hometown of Anniston, Alabama, should be segregated, but few of the town's residents share her opinion. As equality spreads across the country and the Civil Rights Movement gathers momentum, Billie can't help but feel stuck--and helpless--in a stubborn town too set in its ways to realize that the world is passing it by. So when Billie learns that the Freedom Riders, a group of peace activists riding interstate buses to protest segregation, will be traveling through Anniston on their way to Montgomery, she thinks that maybe change is finally coming and her quiet little town will shed itself of its antiquated views. But what starts as a series of angry grumbles soon turns to brutality as Anniston residents show just how deep their racism runs. The Freedom Riders will resume their ride to Montgomery, and Billie is now faced with a choice: stand idly by in silence or take a stand for what she believes in. Through her own decisions and actions and a few unlikely friendships, Billie is about to come to grips with the deep-seated prejudice of those she once thought she knew, and with her own inherent racism that she didn't even know she had.
Stained Glass: 88 Designs For Workable Projects (The Blackford Oakes Mysteries #2)
by William F. Buckley Jr.On assignment to restore a 13th-century German chapel, Blackford Oakes learns that its owner is far more than a charming aristocrat. The charismatic Wintergrin is rousing his countrymen to reunite Germany. Now, Oakes must either pull the fatal switch on his friend, or find a way to change the rules. From the bestselling author of Tucker's Last Stand.