And there is never an ordinary day when you've got a best friend like Lena. Hardly a day passes without Trille and Lena inventing some kind of adventure that often ends in trouble. Whether it's coaxing a cow onto a boat or sledding down the steepest and iciest hill with a chicken, there is always a thrill--and sometimes an injury--to be had. Trille loves to share everything with Lena, even Auntie Granny's waffles. But when Lena has to move away and Auntie Granny leaves the world, it sometimes seems like nothing will ever be right again. The warmth of friendship and the support of family suffuse this lightly illustrated novel, proving that when times are tough, a little taste of sweetness can make all the difference.

    But when Jeffrey is diagnosed with leukemia, Steven's world is turned upside down. He is forced to deal with his brother's illness and his parents' attempts to keep the family in one piece. Salted with humor and peppered with devastating realities, Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie is a heartwarming journey through a year in the life of a family in crisis.

    No one knows, and Mia wants to keep it that way. But when trouble at school finally forces Mia to reveal her secret, she must learn to accept herself and embrace her ability, called synesthesia, a mingling of the senses.

    Their mother nurtures them and teaches them the many skills they will need to survive as stray dogs. But when their mother is taken from them suddenly and too soon, the puppies are forced to make their own way in the world, facing humans both gentle and brutal, busy highways, other animals, and the changing seasons. When Bone and Squirrel become separated, Squirrel must fend for herself, and in the process makes two friends who in very different ways define her fate.

    Best of all is Jeffrey Tifton, son of Arundel’s owner, the perfect companion for their adventures. Icy-hearted Mrs. Tifton is less pleased with the Penderwicks than Jeffrey, and warns the new friends to stay out of trouble. Is that any fun? For sure the summer will be unforgettable.

    Bang! And people bleed from everywhere, and blood is redder than you think. And little kids look funny in caskets. That's 'cause they ain't meant to be in one, I guess.Mann is only thirteen, yet he has already had to deal with more than most go through in a lifetime. His family is still reeling from the tragic shooting death of his little brother, Jason, each person coping with grief in his or her own way. Mann's mother has stopped eating and is obsessed with preserving Jason's memory, while his father is certain that presenting a hard edge is the only way to keep his remaining son from becoming a statistic. Mann used to paint and ride horseback, but now he's doing everything he can to escape his emotions: getting involved in fights at school, joyriding at midnight, and much worse. His father, at his wit's end, does the only thing he thinks will teach his son how to be a man: he abandons him and his friend Kee-Lee in the woods, leaving them to navigate their way home, alone.Now Mann, struggling to find his way back to civilization, must also reconcile himself to the realities of a world that has stolen his little brother, and that isn't even sure it still wants Mann in it. One wrong turn and it could all be over for him, too. Bang.

     China Cup Cameron might miss school or fall asleep in class sometimes, but she's trying hard to be a good mother to Amina, her two-year-old daughter. When tragedy befalls the small family, China must quit school and work full-time to make ends meet. But the only place in town that's willing to hire a fourteen-year-old high-school dropout is Obsidian Queens, a strip club, and China is forced to make some difficult and potentially self-destructive decisions.

    Apartheid is crumbling. Nelson Mandela has just been released from prison. And Spud Milton?thirteen-year-old, prepubescent choirboy extraordinaire?is about to start his first year at an elite boys-only boarding school in South Africa. Cursed with embarrassingly dysfunctional parents, a senile granny named Wombat, and a wild obsession for Julia Roberts, Spud has his hands full trying to adapt to his new home. Armed with only his wits and his diary, Spud takes readers of all ages on a rowdy boarding school romp full of illegal midnight swims, raging hormones, and catastrophic holidays that will leave the entire family in total hysterics and thirsty for more.Winner of South Africa's Booksellers? Choice Award 2006

      When Stevie wins a writing contest for aspiring sports journalists, his prize is a press pass to the Final Four in New Orleans. While exploring the Superdome, he overhears a plot to throw the championship game. With the help of fellow contest winner Susan Carol, Stevie has just 48 hours to figure out who is blackmailing one of the star players . . . and why.   John Feinstein has been praised as “the best writer of sports books in America today” (The Boston Globe), and he proves it again in this fast-paced novel.   “A page-turning thriller and a basketball junkie’s bonanza.” —USA TodayFrom the Hardcover edition.

    From the award-winning author of "Night Hoops" and "Painting the Black" comes this suspenseful, psychologically astute novel with themes of terrorism and patriotism, fear and courage.

    She was beautiful and good-hearted. She was Monterey's best friend. She was the only girl Jamal cared about, the one who saw through his player act. She was the one who understood the burden of Eddie's family. She was the best singer anyone had ever heard, with a voice like vanilla incense, smoky and sweet. She was Savannah's rival, the one who wouldn't play by the rules. She was destined for greatness, already plucked from South Central Los Angeles by the record producers. She was only fifteen when she died.

    

    Tall and fine, with honey-colored skin and eyes, Ian is used to getting what he wants from girls. And if he succeeds in playing Kylie, he'll be down with the most popular crew in his high school. But this girl, who everyone considers a nobody, is turning out to be more surprising than he ever could have imagined.

    Somewhere.A fateful decision sets into motion a chain of events and confrontations that will change Samantha's and her family's lives forever. As she sets out to find her father and discover what really happened the day her sister was presumed drowned, she uncovers painful secrets that threaten to destroy her family all over again.Dori Butler's dramatic, suspenseful, and sensitive story will draw readers into one family's crisis unwittingly brought on by an adolescent girl's search for the truth.

    Marcus is black; Eddie is white. Stars of their school basketball team, they are true leaders who look past the stereotypes and come out on top. They are inseparable, watching each other's backs, both on and off the basketball court. But one night—and one wrong decision—will change their lives forever. Will their mistake cost them their friendship . . . and their future?An ALA Best Book for Young AdultsAn ALA Quick Pick “Top Ten”IRA Children’s Book Award (Young Adult)

    But when she returns to Heartland for her winter break she learns that a lot of things have changed. A pregnant mare will need both Amy and Ty's help to save her. But will the two of them be able to work together again? Amy never realized that coming home for the holidays would be so complicated.

    He loves to play basketball. He loves to hang out with his friends. He loves to laugh. Andre has skills, brains, and heart. He also has a dream. Then he is viciously attacked. Now everything he ever believed about the world has been called into question. Even his deadly jump shot. How can a man get up when he has been unjustly beaten down? Andre is about to find out. Andre is The Hoopster.

    As the year goes on, she struggles to find her talent, deals with disappointment, makes a new best friend, and discovers just why the Year of the Dog is a lucky one for her after all.This funny and profound book is a wonderful debut novel by award-winning and bestselling author and illustrator Grace Lin, and young readers will be sure to love and treasure it for years to come.This special edition of the modern classic features over 15 pages of new content, including deleted stories, a Q&A with the author and editor, photos from the author's childhood, and more!

    It's hard work, but Tom doesn't mind so much after he falls in love with one of the pups, a rare blue-eyed pointer Tom names Tad. It's almost as if Tad understands when Tom talks to him, especially about confusing things like how hard it is to write to Angie, a girl Tom met on vacation. The trouble is, Grandpa promised the owner of the pup's sire the pick of the litter, and it's pretty clear that's Tad. Tom knows what he should do, but he can't help hoping there's a way to get around Grandpa's promise. How can he do the honorable thing when it will cost him what he wants most in the world?

    It's a lot of pressure for a high school junior to bear. This gripping look into the world of high school boys and athletes--and their struggle to be the best--is provocative and searingly honest.

    Maybe he's running from his dad, who has an uncontrollable temper. Maybe he's running from a lost love, his high-school sweetheart, who is a stranger to him now. Or maybe he's just running -- to find himself.Desperate to experience real life, Rick enlists in the army with the Charlie Rangers, a special unit in Vietnam. They infiltrate the jungle, kill with precision, and get out quickly. Rick isn't sure he can shoot anyone, but he wants to be tested, like his heroes, Hemingway and Conrad. If he can see the heart of darkness and survive, he'll be a man -- and finally have something to write about.But as Rick discovers, war isn't what anyone -- either the protestors, the politicians, or the writers -- say it is. It's far bigger, scarier, and more complicated than anything he could ever have imagined.Dean Hughes captures the sights and sounds of war -- and the courage of a young soldier fighting to survive.

    He's afraid of spiders, corpses, loose cows, and just about everything related to the fifth grade. Gabe's best friend, Frita Wilson, thinks Gabe needs some liberating from his fears. Frita knows something about being brave-- she's the only black kid in school in a town with an active Ku Klux Klan. Together Gabe and Frita are going to spend the summer of 1976 facing down the fears on Gabe's list. But it turns out that Frita has her own list, and while she's helping Gabe confront his fears, she's avoiding the thing that scares her the most.

    But life isn’t getting any easier. Somebody wants to make them pay for their “criminal” past, and will stop at nothing to make it happen. When Meg is suddenly kidnapped, the police and the FBI are baffled. Is this for ransom? Revenge? A random crime? Now Aiden has to take the law into his own hands and risk everything to rescue his sister.This edition includes all three books in the Kidnapped series; The Abduction, The Search and The Rescue. The Kidnapped Trilogy is a sequel series to On the Run. The Abduction It's every brother's worst fear: As Aiden and his sister, Meg, are walking home from school one day, a van pulls over and Meg is kidnapped. There's no way for Aiden to stop it from happening. He's the only witness to his sister's disappearance. Why has Meg been kidnapped? The Search Everybody wants to know. Where is Meg Falconer? The FBI, led by the very serious Agent Harris, wants to know. Aiden wants to know. Her parents, who fear their pasts have something to do with why Meg was taken, want to know. Even Meg's kidnappers want to know. Because catching her doesn't mean keeping her. The Rescue Aiden Falconer and FBI Agent Harris are closing in on the people who kidnapped Aiden's sister. Meg. There's just one hitch: Meg is trying to escape from them on her own and is never where she's supposed to be. As tension mounts and the net tightens, only one thing is clear: The kidnappers aren't going down without a fight.

    Read all about everyone’s favorite fourth-grader Hank Zipzer in this bestselling series co-written by Henry Winkler! This boxed set features #1 Niagara Falls, Or Does It?; #2 I Got a "D" in Salami; #3 Day of the Iguana; and #4 The Zippity Zinger.

    Illustrations.

    Especially not twelve-year-old Livy Two, aspiring songwriter and self-appointed guardian of little sister Gentle, whose eyes "don't work so good yet." Even after a doctor confirms her fears, Livy Two is determined to make the best of Gentle's situation and sets out to transform the family's scrappy dachshund into a genuine Seeing-Eye dog. But when tragedy strikes, can Livy Two continue to stay strong for her family?

    With her family moving to a new city, Carmen is anguished to give up her friends and comfortable home. As her family adapts to a new location, Carmen learns that finding new friends and fitting in is not easy. Part of her doesn't even want to try. Family issues become complicated when Carmen's brother learns he is adopted. Dealing with unpopularity, fitting in, and cultural differences are Carmen's issues in the first book of the Carmen Browne series.

    She and her parents are spending five months at an archeological dig of ancient Maya ruins in the Central American country of Belize. It's Jess's first time out of the United States. It's her first time being home-schooled. And it's her first trip without her older brother and sister to keep her company. But Jess is excited to explore a new place all on her own. She's ready for adventure and anxious to discover just who Jess is. When Jess meets a new friend and is invited on an eco-adventure, she makes some real discoveries--about the dangers in the Belizean jungle, about the people who have lived there since long ago, and about herself. The True Story section at the back focuses on a real girl from Florida who spends every summer in Belize with her archeologist parents.

    Her mom's in the slammer and she wants to get there, too, as fast as possible, so they can be together. But it's not so easy to become a juvenile delinquent when you've got a tender heart.

    But after she holds her best friend AnnaMaria's baby brother for the first time, Rosa is sure that if she prays hard enough, God will send her a brother of her own. When Rosa's prayers for a sibling are answered, she is overjoyed-until tragedy strikes. Rosa is left feeling more SOLA than ever, and wondering if her broken family will ever be whole again.

    . . ."The middle of three sisters, Pamela is a quiet, thoughtful girl with a huge hole in her life-the space her father used to fill before her mother kicked him out. Occasionally, Pamela conjures up Kwai Chang, David Carradine's character, from the Western action series Kung Fu, to give her spiritual guidance and advice she would normally turn to her parents for. But with her father gone, her mother has fallen into a pit of confusion and mental disarray. So it is up to Pamela and her sisters, Nona and Theresa, to run the household.When their money runs out, the family must leave their beloved East New York house and move to the projects. It is a change that will alter their lives forever-and even wise Kwai Chang cannot alter their destiny. But as Pamela discovers, "Everyone searches. The real challenge is in the finding and the keeping."In this powerful literary debut, vividly set in the 1970s, Bonnie Glover has written a marvelous story about a young black woman struggling to define her identity-and make her family whole.

    Then, just before sixth grade, Greg makes a discovery: Almost every kid at school has an extra quarter or two to spend almost every day. Multiply a few quarters by a few hundred kids, and for Greg, school suddenly looks like a giant piggy bank. All he needs is the right hammer to crack it open. Candy and gum? Little toys? Sure, kids would love to buy stuff like that at school. But would teachers and the principal permit it? Not likely. But how about comic books? Comic books might work. Especially the chunky little ones that Greg writes and illustrates himself. Because everybody knows that school always encourages reading and writing and creativity and individual initiative, right? In this funny and timely novel, Andrew Clements again holds up a mirror to real life, and invites young readers to think about money, school, friendship, and what it means to be a success.

    But a pair of roller skates may unlock more than Sebastian's coordination?

    It wasn't in her to obey Maria Zammit and 'Go England!' But Malta just wasn't bearable now that she no longer had Giorgio, his smile, his love, the feeling of being alive in his arms. In a cruel twist of fate, fifty-one year old Judith loses her younger lover, Giorgio in a diving accident, and with it the intoxicating life she'd shared with him in Malta. With nothing but him to keep her there, Judith returns to England and moves to her sister's spare bedroom in Northamptonshire, distressed and desperate to avoid reminders of her past. Judith struggles to regain her love of life, but a road that's uphill all the way can bring exhilarating views, especially when you find someone who wants to travel it with you...

    How can he just walk out on her and the family, especially when Mom is pregnant?Essie keeps her dad's leaving a secret. Then Essie's classmate, Chris Crow, disappears, and everyone finds out he's been kidnapped. Is Chris okay? Is Dad ever coming back? Essie is left to wonder if people really have any control over what happens in their lives.Finally, after a startling incident with a family friend, Essie finds the strength to hold on tight to all that she has left -- and in the process realizes that the bonds of love and family do hold a person together.Inspired by true events, Hold Me Tight is a moving and powerful novel. An author's note provides further information about kidnapping and the Amber Plan programs that are in use today to help communities find abducted children.

    Darrell makes sure each family has what they need for every season—which means he rarely has time for his own home. So when a fierce storm blows into town, how will Darrell, too, end up safe and sound?Vibrant woodcuts accompany this warm, gentle story of neighbors helping neighbors in a small-town community set in the North.

    The betrayal cuts deep--Sam had been so close to his dad, he idolized him. Now who can he turn to, who can he trust? Even God seems to have ditched him.Ishmael is his father's first son, the heir, his favorite. But when his father is visited by mysterious strangers who claim that Abraham's wife, Sarah, will finally give birth to a legitimate son, Ishmael is worried. And when baby Isaac arrives, Ishmael becomes more isolated from his father. Could Abraham's God, who had spoken to Ishmael's mother, to whom he has made countless sacrifices, now betray him in favor of this new son?

    The police think it was her father. Brian isn't so sure. But everyone he knows is telling him to move on, get over it, focus on the present. Focus on basketball. Focus on hitting the perfect shot. Brian hopes that the system will work for Amanda and her father. An innocent man couldn't be wrongly convicted, could he?But then Brian does a school project on Leo Frank, a Jewish man lynched decades ago for the murder of a teenage girl--a murder he didn't commit. Worse still, Brian's teammate Julius gets arrested for nothing more than being a black kid in the wrong place at the wrong time. Brian can't deny any longer that the system is flawed.As Amanda's father goes on trial, Brian admits to himself that he knows something that could break the case. But if he comes forward, will the real killer try for another perfect shot--this time against Brian?

    This year, five girls from different backgrounds will challenge the Chestnut Hill stereotype. There's witty, spunky Dylan; secretive Malory; western tomboy Lani; Honey, the soft-spoken Brit; and polished New Yorker Razina. None is prepared for the social or riding rigors, and they all doubt they will fit in -- certainly not if queen bee Lynsey and her clique have any say. But if this unlikely fivesome can band together, they may prove themselves the true stars of Chestnut Hill.

    Tina learns that Kurt needs a donor with a rare blood type, and she finds a match in Kurt's soccer rival Jason. Jason agrees to donate his blood to Kurt, but when Kurt disappears from the hospital, the situation becomes desperate. Then Kurt's rival is in a tragic accident that may change everything.

    Soon he goes from study hall to hanging with a feared neighborhood criminal. Influenced by his thugged out boy, Marco, Ricky finds himself in a police chase that could seal his fate. Will this pretty boy survive the hard life of a Juvenile detainee? Hopelessly in love with an older man, Niyah Christian, 17, falls into a double trap. Malik, her smooth talking boyfriend, wines and dines her into a web of deception. Once ripped from the safety of her family and best friend, Denim, she finds herself lost and turned out. With nowhere to turn, Niyah hits rock bottom. Bria, the daughter of a famous pro football player, learns early that money is power and a sure sign of success. While she embraces the life of the wealthy and elite, her girl, Tiff, from the hood, is hot to trot and on her way to a life filled with pain. Will their friendship last?

    She is on probation for stealing and is doing poorly at school. Her mom doesn't really talk to her, and the other adults in her life are pressuring Sophie to talk about her bruises. Sophie worries that if she tells, she will be sent to live in a group home. Her friend Jujube is the only person who knows the truth, and now Jujube, too, wants Sophie to speak up.

    They'll get to sit together on the bus and visit scary sharks, shimmery angelfish, and, best of all, penguins. The aquarium is everything they had hoped for--until suddenly, Walter is missing! Good thing a best friend like Iris always knows just what to do.In the ninth book of this award-winning series, Iris and Walter find out that a best friend's help can be the most valuable gift of all.

    Some Will Change Your Life.While the headlines screamed “Hollywood Heartthrob Marries Girl Next Door,” the public relationship of Jack Harrington and Grace Winslowe never revealed the private struggles that threatened to pull them apart–and when celebrity biographer Jada Eastman starts digging, she discovers that there’s more to this couple than anyone could guess.Their relationship began like a scene from one of Jack’s movies. Leaving behind a dead-end relationship and the bitter Chicago winter, Grace had moved to Southern California to start a new life. Meanwhile, Jack had established himself as an up-and-comer with considerable acting talent, and a private heartache. When a fateful accident pulled the two of them together, they couldn’t avoid their initial attraction or the vast differences in their values and lifestyles.Now, against the backdrop of Beverly Hills and the 24/7 nature of the entertainment world, Jada grapples with her own beliefs as she encounters the spiritual chasm of this famous couple. Can Grace and Jack face the consequences of their own personal histories–and can the biographer avoid being affected? As the three of them examine the couple’s bittersweet story, it becomes clear that everyday decisions can carry lifetime consequences when individual worlds collide.

    . . because everything is far from OK . . .' When Indigo's mum announces that they're moving - just Indie, Mum and baby Misti - Indie doesn't understand. Why the hurry? Where are they going? Will her best friend, Jo, still be there for her? In a dingy old flat with a grumpy neighbour, no heating and only biscuits to eat, Indie begins to realize that her mum's got a reason for running away - a secret no one can admit . . .

    Guy and his mother have moved in with his grandfather after his father's "unannounced departure." Back home, Guy skateboarded, surfed, and played video games with his friends. Here the kids only seem to talk about cars, fishing, and hunting.Life at Big Sky Middle School is also a disappointment. Guy is bored in math class and over his head in English. He quickly becomes a target for Brad Mullen, class bully. But at least Guy has his beloved Border collie, Streak, and eventually he makes a friend, his classmate Luke Grant. Soon Guy and Luke hatch a plan to train Streak to compete against Brad Mullen and his dog at the town's Frisbee catching competition. But the rivalry between Guy and Brad escalates until an impulsive wager pits the boys head to head and places Streak in jeopardy.Sneed B. Collard II offers young readers an affecting, realistic portrait of an adolescent boy who must learn to cope with conflicts and challenges in an unfamiliar environment and to accept changes in his life that are beyond his control.

    Original.

    Claire's big brother, Conor, had kept a journal as he anticipated the day his new sister would arrive, and these entries also become part of their book of memories. They remember how, at first, Claire was scared of her new parents and brother, who all spoke a different language than she was used to hearing. But these foreigners loved the adopted Claire, and little by little, they shared experience that brought them together and made them into a family.

    He did not want to be at morning meeting. He did not want to sit up straight on the rug. Andy Shane would much rather be home catching bugs with Granny Webb than sitting in class with the likes of know-it-all Dolores Starbuckle. Any minute, Dolores is likely to shout out, 'Ms. Janice, someone's not sitting properly!" or "Ms. Janice, someone's misusing the math materials!" (meaning him, of course). At rhyme time, the words bug and rug get stuck in Andy's throat while Dolores yells out of turn, "Hullabaloo and Kalamazoo!" "I hate school," he blurts out at the end of the day to Granny Webb, who is sympathetic but firm. But when Granny makes a surprise visit to school with a monarch caterpillar, everyone is mesmerized and Andy remembers how much he knows about insects himself. Even Dolores Starbuckle can't help but be impressed!

    When her mother runs away with the drummer in a rock band, sixteen-year-old Rebel Ferguson decides to do whatever it takes to bring her home.

    He started out life so far behind the pack that the finish line seems nearly unreachable. He’s a white boy living and playing in a world where he doesn’t seem to belong.But Sticky can ball. And basketball might just be his ticket out . . . if he can only realize that he doesn’t have to be the person everyone else expects him to be.

    The daughters and sons, fathers and wives in these stories set in small-town Ohio are bounced out of the American dream by layoffs, shutdowns, and the uncertainty of steady work and steadfast love.

    When her mother packs her off to her great-aunts' house in Maine for the summer, Sage worries she's being dropped, too. But she finds warmth, friendship, and a real sense of belonging at Heron Cove. She uncovers a painful family history, but also the strength to help her relatives heal. She also realizes you do not have to give up one home to claim another. This is a tender, compassionate look at one girl's pivotal summer—and at the powerful love that binds families everywhere.

    Karen Hill's books look to encourage chidren to learn more about Jesus and how He is presented in their everyday lives. I recommend Karen and her works without hesitation! Expect wonderful things from Karen Hill and Little Simon Inspirations.Sincerely,Max Lucado"Keep growing faith and joy through Little Simon Inspirations books for your child!

    But, haunted by ghosts from his former life, and determined to confront his dark legacy, he escapes and heads toward his beloved Finier, a rural town in the south of France where he once served as prefect. His return will have explosive consequences.By turns reflective and slyly humorous, Crawl Space poignantly describes one man's tragic attempt to come to terms with the past.