Best of
School-Stories

2012

The Pureblood Pretense


Murkybluematter - 2012
    Alanna the Lioness take on HP.

The Witch of Turlingham Academy


Ellie Boswell - 2012
    And when new girl Katy turns up it feels like she's bewitching all of Sophie's friends! Katy's no witch, but there is a witch at Turlingham. Katy comes from a long line of witch hunters whose job is to stop evil magic. Sophie is going to help her - anything to get Katy out of her life and get things back to normal. But what she discovers means nothing will ever be normal again!

Kid Docs


J.W. Lynne - 2012
    They are child prodigies who were selected at just three years old to undergo intensive medical training as part of an experiment called Kid Docs.KID DOCS tells the story of Connor's first days as an emergency room doctor. Connor experiences his first pangs of love (toward fifteen-year-old obstetrician, Cassie), deals with his explosive older brother (a sixteen-year-old heart surgeon), and tries to figure out why his friendship with fourteen-year-old fellow ER doctor Hannah has suddenly changed. At the same time, Connor learns to save lives and discovers that some lives cannot be saved.CYBILS AWARDS NOMINEE!What kids and adults are saying about KID DOCS:"Five stars. Amazing! I am actually speechless because it was so good. I would read it over again. I recommend this book to anyone." - Shelby, Goodreads"Loved every little bit of it! Couldn't stop reading!" - Adam, Goodreads"I'm ready for more! A five star book EASY!" - Pepper, Goodreads"Intriguing. Incredibly engaging. I highly recommend this book. It's definitely a read you won't forget." - Amy, Goodreads"This was one of the only books I found that was age appropriate for my middle school children to cultivate their interests in the field of medicine. A great starting point for conversations about the work of a doctor and to engage children in discussions about the medical profession" - Nick, Amazon"The hospital setting was rich and accurate, with enough medical details to pique the curiosity of kids who might be so inclined, or to feed the fascination of adults who like to watch medical shows. I always appreciate dramatic suspense in a novel, and this one had it. Plenty of plot points kept me reading: finding out how the kid docs will react to the pressure, the fate of the patients who come into the hospital, and even the fate of one of their own." - Jennifer Donovan, 5 Minutes for BooksDon't miss this chance to slip behind the scenes into a world that few people ever experience first-hand, the life of a physician in training!

Jason's Why


Beth Goobie - 2012
    Jason is afraid that his mother is going to leave him in the home forever. He is afraid of trusting these strange new adults in his life. And he is worried about how his sister is doing at home without him.Jason begins to realize that the people in the group home are not going to hurt him but care about his welfare, and that the principal in his new school is also a figure he can trust to care for his best interests. The kindness and care he starts to receive allows him to gain the courage to tell these new adults about his fears – despite his concern that his mother will not take him back. Both Jason and his mother must work towards an understanding of each other and their future together.

What I Saw in the Teachers' Lounge


Jerry Pallotta - 2012
    Who knew that teachers surf, hike, eat frog-eyeball soup, and walk through the rain forest--all while in the teacher's lounge?Howard McWilliam's bold, vibrant illustrations show us all kinds of delightful surprises on the other side of the teachers' lounge door.

Fancy Nancy: JoJo's First Day Jitters


Jane O'Connor - 2012
    Nancy helps JoJo get ready for preschool in this fun and fancy lift-the-flap book!Tomorrow is JoJo's first day of preschool, and Nancy can't wait to help her prepare—but what happens when JoJo gets a case of the first day jitters?With twelve flaps that open to reveal hidden surprises, Nancy fans will delight in this story of how big sisters can make all the difference.

Orientation


Allis Wade - 2012
    One gifted child, who has been carefully coached by his mother to appear average, is unaware that his abilities have been documented by an Observer for years, until he is tricked into showing his mathematical strengths. He is devastated to receive a letter requiring him to test at The School for Gifted Potentials, but he cleverly sabotages the tests and is prepared to leave, only to discover that his mother has abandoned him at the school she has raised him to fear. During his one week orientation, as he undertakes an enlightening journey of self-discovery, he uncovers a secret about his mother's past that leads him to question everything that he once believed.

Candy Nevill


Clare Mallory - 2012
    Unfortunately, she’s also the slowest and youngest member of a family of academic high-flyers who don’t always value light scones or delicious suppers when compared to captaining sports teams or achieving the highest marks. Candida Nevill, known to the family as Candy, is an ordinary schoolgirl with a habit of daydreaming and coming a very distant fourth to her three successful and confident elder siblings. Candy is content to drift through her schooldays, not even playing team games, and it’s only the start of cooking lessons that show that she can be successful too. Unpublished in her lifetime Clare Mallory’s novel is a tale of childhood life in New Zealand.