Told in a series of vignettes – sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes deeply joyous–it is the story of a young Latina girl growing up in Chicago, inventing for herself who and what she will become. Few other books in our time have touched so many readers.

    Tom lives with his Aunt Polly, half-brother Sid, and cousin Mary in the quaint town of St. Petersburg, just off the shore of the Mississippi River. St. Petersburg is described as a typical small-town atmosphere where the Christian faith is predominant, the social network is close-knit, and familiarity resides. Unlike his brother Sid, Tom receives "lickings" from his Aunt Polly; ever the mischief-maker, would rather play hooky than attend school and often sneaks out his bedroom window at night to adventure with his friend, Huckleberry Finn ­ the town's social outcast. Tom, despite his dread of schooling, is extremely clever and would normally get away with his pranks if Sid were not such a "tattle-tale." As punishment for skipping school to go swimming, Aunt Polly assigns Tom the chore of whitewashing the fence surrounding the house. In a brilliant scheme, Tom is able to con the neighborhood boys into completing the chore for him, managing to convince them of the joys of whitewashing. At school, Tom is equally as flamboyant, and attracts attention by chasing other boys, yelling, and running around. With his usual antics, Tom attempts to catch the eye of Becky Thatcher, a new girl in town, and persuades her to get "engaged" by kissing him. But their romance collapses when she learns Tom has been "engaged" previously to Amy Lawrence. Shortly after Becky shuns him, he accompanies Huckleberry Finn to the graveyard at night, where they witness the murder of Dr. Robinson.Excerpt:"TOM!" No answer. "TOM!" No answer. "What's gone with that boy,  I wonder? You TOM!" No answer. The old lady pulled her spectacles down and looked over them about the room; then she put them up and looked out under them. She seldom or never looked through them for so small a thing as a boy; they were her state pair, the pride of her heart, and were built for "style," not service—she could have seen through a pair of stove-lids just as well. She looked perplexed for a moment, and then said, not fiercely, but still loud enough for the furniture to hear: "Well, I lay if I get hold of you I'll—" She did not finish, for by this time she was bending down and punching under the bed with the broom, and so she needed breath to punctuate the punches with. She resurrected nothing but the cat. "I never did see the beat of that boy!"

    Promised freedom upon the death of their owner, she and her sister, Ruth, in a cruel twist of fate become the property of a malicious New York City couple, the Locktons, who have no sympathy for the American Revolution and even less for Ruth and Isabel. When Isabel meets Curzon, a slave with ties to the Patriots, he encourages her to spy on her owners, who know details of British plans for invasion. She is reluctant at first, but when the unthinkable happens to Ruth, Isabel realizes her loyalty is available to the bidder who can provide her with freedom. From acclaimed author Laurie Halse Anderson comes this compelling, impeccably researched novel that shows the lengths we can go to cast off our chains, both physical and spiritual. Reading Level: Age 10 and Up

    His father, a deputy sheriff, has been murdered by the unknown "Highway 41 Killer." His mom has unraveled. And a goon named Larry Buskin has been pummeling Minnow behind Neenah High.Minnow finds support in the company of his roguish grandfather, his loyal pal Mark, and beautiful Opal Parsons, who has her own worries as the first African American student in their school. When the sheriff seems in no hurry to solve the murder, Minnow must seek justice by partnering with unlikely allies and discovering his own courage.

    Steve Nickelson, his assistant Norman Bleistift, and the Magic Moscow restaurant are transported through space to compete in an intergalactic junk food cooking contest.

    Her cruel uncle keeps her locked up in his mill, and her only friend is her pet goose, Saracen, who'll bite anything that crosses his path. But she does have one small, rare thing: the ability to read. She doesn't know it yet, but in a world where books are dangerous things, this gift will change her life.Enter Eponymous Clent, a smooth-talking con man who seems to love words nearly as much as Mosca herself. Soon Mosca and Clent are living a life of deceit and danger -- discovering secret societies, following shady characters onto floating coffeehouses, and entangling themselves with crazed dukes and double-crossing racketeers. It would be exactly the kind of tale Mosca has always longed to take part in, until she learns that her one true love -- words -- may be the death of her."Fly by Night" is astonishingly original, a grand feat of the imagination from a masterful new storyteller.

    But from a note Grampa left, Gary suspects he was murdered. The note tells of a million dollars in gold hidden in a cave and an old Indian curse promising that anyone who touches it will die! Gary and his friend Brian are sure that if they find the gold, they will also find Grampa's killer. But treasure hunting can be deadly. Now they are stuck in a dark cavern full of tangled skeletons, restless Indian spirits, and a murderer out for their blood! Will Brian and Gary ever get out of Death Cave alive?

    In fact, that first small indication of something wrong escapes the whole family. Three weeks later though there can be no escape. Sarah's mother has been diagnosed with incurable cancer and the love this family shares becomes a desperate clinging. But Sarah's mother has a gift. A gift for reaffirming life. And even as she leaves that gift, another one, a letter, will help bring Sarah through the most painful and trying time she has ever had.One of the most honest portraits of death, courage, and, most especially, love can now be shared again with a new generation of children."Hermes, author of this . . . uncompromisingly candid story makes the reader aware of life's priceless moments and the need for courage."-Publishers Weekly "A vivid, painful believability." -The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "A sensitive, touching account." -Instructor Magazine "This book is by far the best liked book in my reading class. We have read this book in my fifth grade class for the last eight years. The book gives us an opportunity to discuss many issues confronted by young kids while growing up. It also provides an opportunity to discuss death and the loss of a loved one. The students and I have had many heart wrenching talks while reading this book. Many tears have been shed by my students while reading and discussing this book. This is my all time favorite book to read in class." -Online review

    But then Alison Ashley shows up, and right from the start, seems to threaten Erica's position. Can these classmates ever see past their difficulties and find friendship?

    Set in Roman Britain this story is of a young Roman officer who sets out to discover the truth behind the mysterious disappearance of the Ninth Legion, who marched into the mists of Northern Britain and never returned.

    It seems so, at least, until that blazing hot drought-plagued summer when Dutch's sophisticated and apparently flawless cousin, Norma arrives. Norma knows all about life, all about love, all about how to get what she wants--and she's ready to teach Dutch everything she knows. But even with Norma's advice, Dutch can't seem to decipher the feelings of red-haired Ethan Cole. And she feels helpless against the drought crippling both the tobacco crop and her family's morale. Dutch's troubles build like summer rain clouds as she uncovers family secrets that threaten to bring changes as powerful as the Dixie storm so desparately needed by the parched land. Includes an interview with the author.

    He knows he should have—Jasmine cried, Mum cried, Dad still cries. Roger didn't, but then he is just a cat and didn't know Rose that well, really.Everyone kept saying it would get better with time, but that's just one of those lies that grown-ups tell in awkward situations. Five years on, it's worse than ever: Dad drinks, Mum's gone and Jamie's left with questions that he must answer for himself.This is his story, an unflinchingly real yet heart-warming account of a young boy's struggle to make sense of the loss that tore his family apart.

    Written in 1950, this book gives an historical look at the dangers of teens and reckless driving. After WWII, cars became more accessible, and teens were now hitting the roads for excitement. Many horrific accidents occurred all over the country. Felsen was specifically approached to write a book about the dangers of teen drivers. Bud Crayne was the typical tough guy with a chip on his shoulder. Dressed in a black leather jacket, black boots, and blue jeans, he was not the clean cut kid. Adults cursed him, while teens admired him. He drove fast and wild. His idea was to "drive your way out" of any trouble. While it worked for Bud, others weren't as fortunate. A couple of horrific wrecks make him question his need for speed. Stephen King, when interviewed for an article called Reading While Famous, named Felsen as one of four authors who most influenced him when he was young. He actually used Hot Rod and Henry Gregor Felsen as a book Ben Hanscom was reading in the book "It."

    But when Teddy dies of an overdose on the last day of 1987, Jude's relationship with drugs and with his parents devolves to new extremes. Sent to live with his pot-dealing father in New York City's East Village, Jude stumbles upon straight edge, an underground youth culture powered by the paradoxical aggression of hardcore punk and a righteous intolerance for drugs, meat, and sex. With Teddy's half brother, Johnny, and their new friend, Eliza, Jude tries to honor Teddy's memory through his militantly clean lifestyle. But his addiction to straight edge has its own dangerous consequences. While these teenagers battle to discover themselves, their parents struggle with this new generation's radical reinterpretation of sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll and their grown-up awareness of nature and nurture, brotherhood and loss.Moving back and forth between Vermont and New York City, Ten Thousand Saints is an emphatically observed story of a frayed tangle of family members brought painfully together by a death, then carried along in anticipation of a new and unexpected life. With empathy and masterful skill, Eleanor Henderson has conjured a rich portrait of the modern age and the struggles that unite and divide generations.

    Follw space survival drill.''We are all dead men,' says First Engineer Holtz, when the spaceship Johannes Kepler is hit by a meteorite. But Lieutenant Donald Chase, a young doctor on his first flight, refuses to give in to despair. Soon he's in charge of the damaged ship, sailing off course without radio contact and heading for a solar storm.Can he get to Mars safely?