Down the Memory Hole


Bonnie Turner - 2005
    The thought of giving up his friendship is bad enough. But how can he relate to someone who forgets his grandson's name, wears adult diapers, and thinks dog biscuits are people cookies-someone who could die in the night and scare Buzz right out of puberty. Buzz thinks Alzheimer's is caused by a traumatic event, such as the train accident that killed Grandpa's brother Barkley in childhood. The situation turns deadly when Buzz and Mitch-whose friendship Buzz refuses to end-attempt to cure Grandpa of Alzheimer's disease by recreating the train accident on a hot summer day. (Ages 12-14/YA)

Mandie and the Secret Tunnel


Lois Gladys Leppard - 1983
    Mandie's move into a neighbor family's home, when her mother remarries, does not soften her grief. Her only comfort is the promise from her father's faithful Cherokee friend, Uncle Ned, to watch out for her and be a friend. Will Mandie be able to escape her new and nearly intolerable home situation? Will she find her long-lost family? Will the mysterious key unlock the door to the secret tunnel and her own family's history?For children 8-13, mystery adventures set in the North Carolina backwoods at the turn of the century.

The Fairy-Tale Detectives


Michael Buckley - 2005
    After the mysterious disappearance of their parents, the sisters are sent to live with their grandmother--a woman they believed was dead! Granny Relda reveals that the girls have two famous ancestors, the Brothers Grimm, whose classic book of fairy tales is actually a collection of case files of magical mischief. Now the girls must take on the family responsibility of being fairy tale detectives.

In the Loop (Hannah Montana)


Suzanne Harper - 2009
    So when she gets the chance to headline at the largest rodeo in the country down in Texas, she, Robby, Jackson, Lilly, and Oliver are on a plane quicker than you can say "yeehaw." But Miley soon discovers that everything--including the drama--is bigger in Texas. As it turns out, headlining a week long rodeo involves a lot more than she bargained for. Hannah must judge the Miss Rodeo contest and kick off the festivities by roping a cow! The funny thing? Miley is actually loving it! She feels more at home than she has since becoming a huge pop star! But not everyone is having as much fun. It turns out Lilly (in disguise as the always supportive Lola Luftnagle) is a bit horse shy--not good when Hannah and Lola have been asked to be part of a horse parade! Meanwhile, Oliver and Jackson find trouble of their own when they meet a cowgirl who is as tough as her spurs.And between the roping and the singing, the bucking and the rocking, Miley runs into someone from her past--a girl who used to be Miley's hero back in Tennesee. It seems Miley isn't the only one who has changed. As Miley finds out more and more about her old friend, she begins to wonder if the cost of stardom is too high. Will she trade in her microphone for chaps and return to her roots? Or will she find a way to bring a touch of Southern comfort to her Malibu life?

Los Zapaticos De Rosa


José Martí - 1990
    This captivating book, masterfully illustrated by Lulu Delacre, is dedicated with tenderness to the young readers for whom José Martí wrote this beautiful poem.

The Night Before Christmas


Clement C. Moore - 1823
    Nicholas". No one claimed authorship until 13 years later. Clement Clarke Moore, a professor and poet, said that he wrote the piece for his children. Unbeknownst to him, his housekeeper had sent it to the newspaper to be published. However, the family of Henry Livingston Jr. contended that their father had been reciting “A Visit from St. Nicholas” for 15 years prior to publication. Regardless of the true author, the poem is now a Christmas classic.