- Table View
- List View
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.
The Night the Heads Came
by William SleatorLeo and Tim are abducted by aliens--and find themselves in the middle of an intergalactic feud Leo is driving his best friend, Tim, to the station to catch the midnight train to New York City, where Tim hopes to sell his science fiction drawings to a publisher. But they never get there. While on the road, Leo and Tim see a strange circle of lights in the sky, and before they know it, creepy, tiny-headed creatures are taking samples of the boys' blood on some sort of spaceship. Suddenly, Leo is back in his car and Tim--along with Leo's memory--is gone. Worse, when Leo finally starts to remember what happened, no one believes him. Before long, the 2 friends find themselves in the middle of a cosmic contest between warring alien races--and the people of Earth are caught in the crossfire. Time is running out, and it's up to Leo and Tim to save the planet from catastrophe.
Others See Us
by William SleatorAfter Jared accidentally plunges into a polluted swamp, he gains the ability to read minds . . . and discovers dangerous secrets about his family The first thing Jared does every summer when he and his family arrive at their cottage is hop on his bike and cruise along the back roads. Only this year he's grown too big for the bike. When the brakes suddenly give out at the bottom of the hill where the road makes a sharp turn, Jared plunges into an industrial swamp oozing with toxic waste. After the accident, Jared feels OK--except for a headache. But then he starts hearing strange things: people's private thoughts, which are the total opposite of what they actually say. Next, Jared's journal is stolen. Luckily, he can just read the mind of the person who stole it. He can also use his new power to track down the culprit in a recent series of ATM robberies and neighborhood break-ins. But along with solving mysteries, Jared uncovers shocking family secrets, the identity of someone else who has the same paranormal gift as him, and the truth about the girl he loves.
In a Dark Wood
by Michael CadnumA desperate sheriff in Sherwood Forest chases a bandit called Robin Hood The boar charges and Geoffrey, the sheriff of Nottingham, stands tall with an iron spear gripped in his hands, waiting for the moment to strike. Just before the beast is upon him, Geoffrey stabs, catching it right between the eyes. After a bloody struggle, the animal's life drains out. The sheriff has mastered the hunt. For his entire life, Geoffrey has served the king. He has worked for him, tortured others on his behalf, and killed at his orders--and now he will be called to do so again. There is a bandit in Sherwood Forest, a marksman the townspeople call Robin Hood, and the king demands the sheriff bring him to justice. But the outlaw will not be captured easily, and tracking him down will force Geoffrey to commit unimaginable sins--all in the name of the king.
Starfall: Phaeton and the Chariot of the Sun
by Michael CadnumA child of the sun seeks his father--and risks destruction for the thrill of speed In the grazing fields outside the village, a griffin swoops from the sky to attack a lamb. To save the innocent creature, a boy called Phaeton hurls rocks at the assailant, taunting it to come after him instead. As the mythical beast charges, Phaeton turns and runs. The griffin is quick, but it cannot catch Phaeton. He is the fastest boy in the world, and he believes there is nothing he cannot outrun. Phaeton is a child of Apollo, god of the sun. When he learns the nature of his birth, this proud young man embarks on an epic journey to challenge his father and claim his birthright. But even though his heritage is divine, Phaeton is only human. When he comes face-to-face with the might of the gods, he will learn that mortals are not meant to soar so high.
Nightsong: The Legend of Orpheus and Eurydice (Nightsong Ser.)
by Michael CadnumA poet journeys into the underworld to rescue his bride His name is Orpheus, and he is the greatest poet on Earth. With his lyre, he can make music so beautiful it causes the gods to weep, but they are not who he wants to impress. Orpheus has been in love with Eurydice ever since the first time he heard her voice, and to win her love he sings the most beautiful songs in history. On the day of their wedding, when Orpheus feels happiness just within his grasp, Eurydice is bitten by a snake and dies. The groom is heartbroken, but undaunted. He will rescue his beloved--even if he must battle death itself. Orpheus's path is fraught with untold dangers, but he presses on--and a tragic yet beautiful love story emerges from this radical reworking of an ancient tale.
Blood Gold
by Michael CadnumFrom the jungles of Panama to the gold fields of California, a young man searches for justice In 1849, there are 2 ways to reach California: overland or by sea. Traveling by land is safer--a long, slow journey across the American plains--but the water is faster. Would-be prospectors in a hurry to reach California and strike it rich, sail down the Atlantic, cross the deadly jungles of Panama on foot, and proceed north by boat to find their fortune. Willie Dwinelle, who is 18 years old, chooses this Panama route because he must reach California as soon as possible. But it is not gold that he seeks; it is justice. Willie has vowed revenge upon an unsavory character in his hometown who mistreated one of his friends. So with his impulsive ally Ben at his side, Willie braves every danger the gold rush throws at him. But the most perilous hazard is one he never expected to confront: the lure of greed.
Ship of Fire
by Michael CadnumA young Englishman embarks on history&’s most daring naval assault Thomas Spyre wields his rapier like an expert, but his blade has never drawn blood. A surgeon&’s apprentice in Elizabethan London, young Thomas spends his days learning the most modern medical techniques—from amputation to bloodletting—and by night he tries to keep his master from gambling away their earnings at bear fights. When a bad bet leaves their purse emptier than ever before, Thomas fears they are destined for the poorhouse. But a strange stroke of luck is about to whisk them away from England toward one of the greatest adventures of all time. Thomas and his master are called upon by Sir Francis Drake, the legendary swashbuckler, to accompany him on a daring raid of the Spanish port of Cadiz. As a surgeon aboard the ship, Thomas will have to learn the nature of manhood, medicine, battle, and espionage—all while the cannons fire.
Forbidden Forest: The Story of Little John and Robin Hood
by Michael CadnumLittle John lives a lifetime of adventure--from humble ferryman to legendary outlaw John Little is strong enough to be a knight, but he knows he is destined to life as a thief. He spends his days on the river, poling nobles back and forth on a wooden ferry, the master of which robs the passengers blind. When an arrogant knight draws his sword to protect his purse, John defends his unscrupulous boss. The struggle leaves the knight dead, and John becomes an outlaw who must flee into the forest to hide from the king's justice. John thinks his life is over, but his adventure has just begun. In shadowy Sherwood Forest, John meets a mysterious bandit dressed in green, who goes by the name Robin Hood. At Robin Hood's side, John Little becomes "Little John"--friend of the poor, defender of the weak, and scourge of evil men across Nottinghamshire.
Calling Home
by Michael CadnumAn Edgar Award Finalist: A troubled teen accidentally kills his best friend and tries to cover up his crime When the muggers come for Peter, he runs as fast as he can, cradling the 6 pack under his arm like it's the most valuable thing in the world. He looks over his shoulder for his friend Mead and sees he isn't running away. He's dancing with the muggers, dodging their attacks until all the thugs can do is laugh. Mead has a spark of life in him that shines through the ugliness of the 2 boys' lives. But Peter envies him, and each night, he numbs the pain with alcohol. It's a hard life, and it's about to get worse. When Mead smashes Peter's prized bottle of cognac, Peter punches his friend in the face. Mead falls, hits his head, and dies. Unable to live with himself, Peter sinks deeper and deeper into an alcoholic haze as he tries to hide what he's done--by impersonating the boy he killed.
Edge
by Michael CadnumA teenage boy searches for revenge on the streets of Oakland The battle is nearly over. The outsiders--who came to Oakland looking for excitement--are about to get back on the highway and go home. But they hurt 1 of Zach's friends, and he can't let that stand. He hurls a chunk of concrete at their car, starting a fight that turns into a riot. The police flood the streets with teargas, and Zach gets lost in the chaos. In the melee, he finds something someone left behind--something that will poison his life. It's a .38 pistol, and once he picks it up, he can't let it go. Zach hates violence, but since he quit high school, he feels its power creeping into his life every day. When his father is shot during a robbery, Zach's newly found pistol gives him the power to take revenge--if his heart will let him pull the trigger.