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Cooper & Packrat: Mystery on Pine Lake
Cooper thought living at a campground would be cool. But ever since his parents bought the lakeside campground, he's had more chores and less time to explore. And as if babysitting his little sister and cleaning the bathrooms weren't bad enough, his ex-friend Roy has chosen him as this summer's bullying target. Cooper's only bright spot this summer is his new friend, Packrat, a guy who carries the world in his coat pockets and leaves his troubles behind. But trouble has come to the Wilder Family Campground and Pine Lake, where a family of loons is building a nest. First, someone dams up the lake and floods the nest. Then, when Cooper and Packrat build a raft where the loons can make a new nest, it gets destroyed by someone with big footprints. It's up to the boys to figure out who, why, and how to stop the culprit”before it's too late.
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Trail of the Dead
Joseph Bruchac
"Lozen and her family, on the run from the tyrants who once held them hostage, embark on a journey along a perilous trail once followed by her ancestors, where they meet friends and foes alike"--
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The Jericho River
Winner at The Next Generation Indie Book Awards and the London Book Festival -- and Bronze Medalist in the Readers' Favorite Book Reviews & Awards Contest!History isn't names and dates -- it's an adventure story.And so is The Jericho River. It's a young adult fantasy about history: a wild ride for all and a treasure trove of knowledge for teachers and students.The Jericho River flows through a magical world shaped by myth and history. Young Jason Gallo sails the river on a dangerous quest to rescue his estranged father. He battles minotaurs and pirates, flees barbarians, stumbles into mummies' tombs, and outwits fairies, philosophers, and scientists.But Jason's tale is more than an adventure story. The river flows like a timeline, carrying the young man through historic lands -- Sumer, the pharaoh's Egypt, ancient Greece, Medieval Europe, and many others -- all in chronological order, tracing the history of Western Civilization, from its Middle Eastern origins to modern times. Professor Gallo, Jason's father, is a historian, and his notes outline the journey, revealing the truth about Cleopatra, King Arthur, and the fall of the Roman Empire. He explains how Snow White began as a goddess and how a French lawyer's son became king of Sweden, as well as the origins of coffee, the cat, chivalry, the Internet, Atlantis, and much more. You've never read a story like this ...
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A Song For Ella Grey
David Almond
Written in lyrical prose, this novel for fans of epic romances and mythology retellings explores themes of love, loss, fate, and destiny set against the dramatic and diverse backdrop of Northern England. David Almond, recipient of the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award, a Printz Honor for Skellig, and the Printz Award for Kit’s Wilderness, has crafted an enchanting modern take on the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Claire and Ella and their friends are bound by ties so strong they seem unbreakable. Then the strange and handsome Orpheus strolls onto the beach, and he sings them all into an astonishing new understanding of themselves. Ella is caught the hardest, fastest, deepest—and Claire is left with the pain of looking on. Raw, emotional, lyrical, funny, and true, A Song for Ella Grey is a tale of the joys, troubles, and desires of modern teens. It takes place in the ordinary streets of Tyneside and on the beautiful beaches of Northumberland. It’s a story of first love, a love song that draws on ancient mythical forces. A love that leads Ella, Orpheus, and Claire to the gates of Death and beyond.Winner of The Guardian Children’s Fiction PrizeA PW Best Book of 2015"Almond's lyrical narrative will sweep readers on a journey to unearthly, mysterious realms and back."—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review"Innovative and dreamlike . . . and told in Almond's lyrical, distinctive prose. Teen readers of a literary bent and mythology enthusiasts will love this latest work."—School Library Journal, Starred Review"Almond brings his hypnotic lyricism to this darkly romantic tale that sings of the madness of youth, the ache of love, and the near-impossibility of grasping death."—Kirkus Reviews
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Mercy: The Last New England Vampire
Fourteen-year-old Haley is struggling to cope with her stepmom and baby brother, with her beloved cousin's terminal illness, and with dropping grades at school. When she digs deep into her family history for a school project, she uncovers a disturbing New England tradition and a ghostly past. Haley must overcome her doubts and confront a vampire in order to save herself and her family. Inspired by a true New England story, Mercy is accomplished children's author Sarah L. Thomson's first book for Islandport Press.
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Sewing Stories: Harriet Powers' Journey from Slave to Artist
Barbara Herkert, Vanessa Brantley-Newton
An illuminating picture book biography of an artist and former slave whose patchwork quilts bring the stories of her family to life.Harriet Powers learned to sew and quilt as a young slave girl on a Georgia plantation. She lived through the Civil War and Reconstruction, and eventually owned a cotton farm with her family, all the while relying on her skills with the needle to clothe and feed her children. Later she began making pictorial quilts, using each square to illustrate Bible stories and local legends. She exhibited her quilts at local cotton fairs, and though she never traveled outside of Georgia, her quilts are now priceless examples of African American folk art. Barbara Herkert’s lyrical narrative and Vanessa Newton’s patchwork illustrations bring this important artist to life in a moving picture-book biography.
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Silver Eve
This spellbinding fantasy, perfect for fans of Shannon Hale, Juliet Marillier, and Kristin Cashore, continues the beautifully written series begun with Lark Rising. The Healer Evie saves two herbs for herself—yew, a quick and painful poison, and heliotrope, for the deep, deep sleep that never ends.After the death of her beloved, seventeen-year-old Evie Carew wants nothing more than to lose herself forever in the wilds of Rood Marsh. But when the old seer Harker tells her she’s meant for a greater task, Evie’s curiosity keeps her going. What is this shell that Harker insists she must find? And why can’t she stop thinking about the handsome Rider Laurent, the young man who saved her on the worst day of her life? Soon Evie discovers that she is the Guardian of Death, the second of four Guardians who must awaken to their powers to recover four stolen amulets. Together, the amulets—Life, Death, Dark, and Light—keep the world in balance. To take back the shell that is Death’s amulet, Evie has to learn to challenge her Healer instincts and understand that love never dies.
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Dead Boy
Laurel Gale
Fans of Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book will embrace this darkly funny novel!Crow isn't like the other kids. He stinks. He’s got maggots. His body parts fall off at inopportune moments. (His mom always sews them back on, though.) And he hasn’t been able to sleep in years. Not since waking up from death. But worse than the maggots is how lonely Crow feels. When Melody Plympton moves in next door, Crow can’t resist the chance to finally make a friend. With Melody around he may even have a shot at getting his life back from the mysterious wish-granting creature living in the park. But first there are tests to pass. And it will mean risking the only friend he’s had in years. Debut author Laurel Gale’s story about friendship fulfilled may be the most moving—and most macabre—yet. Praise for Dead Boy“A stinky, creepy tale for anyone who’s ever felt like an outsider.” —Kirkus Reviews “Gale takes readers on a dark and surprisingly funny journey. . . . A great recommendation to middle grade fans of dark humor.” —School Library Journal
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First Man
Simon Schwartz
In this graphic novel, Simon Schwartz weaves biography and fiction together to explore the life of Arctic adventurer Matthew Henson. Moving between different time periods and incorporating Inuit mythology, Schwartz offers fresh perspective on the many challenges Henson confronted during his life. As a member of early missions to reach the North Pole, Henson braved subzero temperatures and shifting sea ice. As an African American at the turn of the twentieth century, he also faced harassment and prejudice. Henson won a place on Arctic expeditions through skill and determination--though he didn't receive the same credit as his teammates. He also won the respect of the native peoples he met during his journeys--though he couldn't prevent the harm that the expeditions caused them. More than a biography, First Man: Reimagining Matthew Henson is an artistic homage to Henson's accomplishments and the complicated realities of being a trailblazer in a society that didn't recognize black men as equals.
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Collateral Damage
Brent Chartier, Patrick Jones
Tyshawn can't wait to show off his three-pointers. His dad, a former basketball star and a sergeant in the US Army, is finally coming home from overseas. But Ty isn't prepared for how serious his dad's traumatic brain injury is. Neither is his mom. When Ty is left to care for his dad, it's hard to keep up with his own life?and his girlfriend, his coach, and his teachers all take notice. He may not be the injured one, but he needs to figure out how to cope with this new situation?and fast.