A Stone in My Hand


Cathryn Clinton - 2002
    . . . I live in Abdo's eyes. . . . I fly high, high above Gaza City. . . . Nothing stops me, not the concrete and razor wire, not the guns, not the soldiers. I stare at them with my hard black Abdo eyes, and they do not shoot me. I am hidden.The year is 1988 in Gaza City, and it has been a month since eleven-year-old Malaak's beloved father left to look for work in Israel, only to disappear. Every day Malaak climbs up to the roof and waits for him, imagining that she can fly to the prison cell where she is sure he waits, too. She speaks little to anyone, preferring to commune with the loyal little bird she has tamed. But her twelve-year-old brother, Hamid, has a different way of coping. He feels only anger, stoked by militant extremists who preach violence as the only way to change their fate. Malaak's mother and sister beg the boy to stay away from harm, but now Malaak lives in fear that she may lose her only brother as well. What will it take for her to find her voice — and the strength to move beyond the violence that surrounds her?

When Farts Had Colors


Mark Lawton Thomas - 2011
    When Farts Had Colors is the story of 4th grader Lance Chance who hates Mondays. This particular Monday Lance's mom coaxes Lance to school with his favorite sandwiches and a 'wish-kiss'. On his way to school Lance is tormented by "the biggest, meanest 4th grader ever to stalk the halls of Alfonso Orr Elementary School. Merry Maddox. Bully Extraordinaire…”A legend" and her posse of mayhem, the Crazy M&Ms. If having to hand over his sandwiches and perform a certain humiliating act wasn't enough, Lance gets blamed by Merry Maddox for letting out a fart so horrible it forces the entire school to evacuate. Lance runs away from school and wishes that farts had colors. "Then everyone would have known it was Merry Maddox who sent out those heat seeking missiles of doom and destruction," thinks Lance. And just like that, Lance's wish comes true. Will Lance come up with a plan to expose Merry Maddox and reveal her true colors?

The Arabian Nights


Anonymous
    Cerf chose the most famous and representative stories from Sir Richard F. Burton's multivolume translation, and includes Burton's extensive and acclaimed explanatory notes. The tales of told by Shahrazad over a thousand and one nights to delay her execution by the vengeful King Shahriyar have become among the most popular in both Eastern and Western literature, as recounted by Sir Francis Burton. From the epic adventures of "Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp" to the farcical "Young Woman and her Five Lovers" and the social criticism of "The Tale of the Hunchback", the stories depict a fabulous world of all-powerful sorcerers, jinns imprisoned in bottles and enchanting princesses. But despite their imaginative extravagance, the Tales are anchored to everyday life by their realism, providing a full and intimate record of medieval Islam.'

Harry Sue


Sue Stauffacher - 2005
    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.

Here in the After


Marion Frith - 2021
    Anna has survived the worst. So has Nat. Two broken souls, struggling to find a place in a world they no longer fit.Anna, 62, is the victim of a terrorist attack in which eleven others were murdered. Nat, 35, is an Army veteran who fought in Afghanistan. They have so little in common. And so much.A friendship stirs between them, tentative and unlikely, its foundation the violence they have seen and the memories that stalk them. Together, they begin to search for a way back home.But when Nat's wife falls unexpectedly pregnant, terrible ghosts from his wartime past rise up and much more than a friendship is at stake.Here in the After is a poignant and uplifting exploration of the legacy of trauma and the healing power of connection.'Bold, unflinching and courageous, this book dives with sensitivity and compassion into the dark shadows of PTSD to uncover light and acceptance. Heartbreaking and devastating, but luminous, tender and hopeful. The last book I read that moved me so deeply was A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini.' Karen Viggers, author of The Orchardist's Daughter'A moving meditation on the toll trauma takes on the body and mind, and the human connection that can be its balm.' Vanessa McCausland, author of The Lost Summers of Driftwood'Powerful, insightful and ultimately hopeful, Here in the After is a compelling and poignant exploration of the price exacted by terror and warfare and the redemptive powers of an unlikely friendship.' Suzanne Leal, author of The Deceptions

Star in the Forest


Laura Resau - 2010
    As her family waits for him to return--they've paid a coyote to guide him back across the border--they receive news that he and the coyote's other charges have been kidnapped and are being held for ransom. Meanwhile, Zitlally and a new friend find a dog in the forest near their trailer park. They name it Star for the star-shaped patch over its eye. As time goes on, Zitlally starts to realize that Star is her father's spirit animal, and that as long as Star is safe, her father will be also. But what will happen to Zitlally's dad when Star disappears? A vibrant, large-hearted story.--Publishers Weekly, Starred (on Red Glass)

Wonder / 365 Days of Wonder Boxed Set


R.J. Palacio - 2014
    Browne's Book of Precepts are now available in a boxed set edition. This is the perfect gift for the millions of readers who have fallen in love with Auggie Pullman and his teacher Mr. Browne and also for readers who have yet to be introduced to the wonder of Wonder.

December


Eve Bunting - 1997
    On Christmas Eve they take in a frail stranger who needs a place to keep warm, and the next morning Simon wakes early to find that the woman has vanished. Instead, he sees December, the angel from the picture, with her wings fanned out over their cardboard house. Could she be real?

No Boys Allowed


Marilyn Levinson - 1993
    It's time to boycott boys!When her dad moves away to marry another woman, Cassie Landauer decides that there will be no boys allowed in her house --- or her life. Not even her best friend, Bobby! But then her mom invites Great Uncle Harry to stay with them for a few months. That's the last straw.Great Uncle Harry takes over Cassie's bedroom, treats her like a little kid, and is always around the house. Cassie is sick and tired of it! But how can she boycott boys when one of them is living in her home? All boys can't be that bad . . . can they?

Lou Lou and Pea and the Mural Mystery


Jill Diamond - 2016
    Pea is proper, Lou Lou is not!2. Lou Lou loves gardening, Pea prefers art.3. But neither can turn down an adventure...On Friday afternoons, the girls get together in Lou Lou's backyard garden for their PSPP (post-school pre-parents) tea parties. They chat about the school week, discuss Pea's latest fashions, and plot the weekend's activities.But all plans go out the window when a series of small crimes crop up around El Corazón, their quirky neighborhood, right before the Día de los Muertos procession. First, Pea's cousin's quinceañera dress is tragically ruined. Then Lou Lou's beloved camellia bush, Pinky, suffers a serious blow. When clues start to appear in the painted murals around their community, these best friends must join forces - both floral expertise and artistic genius - to solve the mysteries.Debut author Jill Diamond weaves a delightful romp, full of colorful characters and gentle intrigue, while artist Lesley Vamos punctuates the story with black-and-white illustrations throughout. Backmatter includes crafting activities and a glossary of Spanish terms!

Daisy and the Trouble with Christmas


Kes Gray - 2009
    And when Daisy is excited, trouble will surely follow! Daisy loves the carols, the sparkly lights, the snowmen, and especially the chance to be in the school Christmas play. But, as ever with Daisy, things don't go quite according to plan and when the Baby Jesus dolly's head wobbles and falls off, total Christmas chaos ensues.

חוכמת הבייגלה


Ilan Heitner - 1998
    At 30, he sees no point in getting a job, finding a wife or stopping the endless round of parties. Golan had always considered life to be about marrying well and attaining money, but after a blind date with his best friend's quirky sister, he begins to question such beliefs. Golan then begins a personal journey that has him challenge everything he has ever believed, about himself, about love and about the nature of life in contemporary Israel.

The Bloodstone Chronicles: A Journey of Faith


Bill Myers - 2003
    In this volume, three children enter another dimension and through captivating allegorical drama, learn key principles of the Kingdom of God.

The Christmasaurus: Tom Fletcher's timeless picture book adventure


Tom Fletcher - 2021
    . .The Christmasaurus wants more than anything to be able to fly, and help pull Santa's sleigh across the sky on Christmas Eve. But flying turns out to be much harder than he thought, even with Santa's help! One special Christmas, however, he falls down a chimney and meets a dinosaur-obsessed little boy who teaches him the magic of believing . . .With Shane Devries' breathtaking illustrations, a pitch-perfect, read-aloud rhyming text and two magical surprise gate-fold pages, The Christmasaurus Picture Book is the perfect Christmas gift.

Fun in Devlok: Omnibus


Devdutt Pattanaik - 2011
    Jump right in. The gates of Devlok are open.