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The Freedom of Jenny
Julie Burtinshaw
Jenny Estes shares her father’s dream of freedom. But for Jenny — born into slavery in Missouri in the 1840s — freedom seems an impossible dream. She toils alongside her mother in the steaming kitchen of the Leopold plantation, trying her best to be humble and obedient so that Mrs. Leopold won’t sell her to a slave-trader. But when she's not drying dishes or mixing biscuits, Jenny finds time to practice her reading, a skill that ultimately helps the family plan their migration and realize their dream. The Estes face a formidable journey: a grueling passage from Missouri to Saltspring Island, Canada. Along the way, Jenny’s family confronts scarlet fever, racial persecution, the arduous Oregon Trail, warring native Haidas, and finally, the challenges of homesteading. Jenny’s spirit and fortitude in the face of many adversities make her a heroine all young readers can look up to. Based on a true story, this tale is a gripping account of one young girl's coming-of-age in troubling and unsettling times.
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Jack's Knife
Chris Wood, Beverley Wood
Fifteen-year-old Jackson has big dreams fueled by long talks with his elderly next-door neighbor, Al McMann. At 91, McMann has many stories about policing the northwest as a young man. But their friendship worries Jackson's single mom, who finds it "unhealthy." When she insists that Jack break off the friendship and sign up for community baseball instead, he is hurt and angry. When a stray dog turns up, his mother demands they call animal control, and Jack ends up dodging the dogcatcher with his new friend. Ducking through a fence, he stumbles into an unfamiliar place — Juneau, Alaska in the mid-1930s, where he’s soon involved with a fledgling law-enforcement team that just might need his help. This new young adult novel from the husband-and-wife team of Chris and Beverley Wood blends a compelling story of a troubled teen and his canine best friend with an exciting time-travel adventure.
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Dr. Susan's Girls-Only Weight Loss Guide
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"Help her," insists the spirit of Kip, the jock from her old school who died in a car accident. But his cryptic message is the last thing on Sabine's mind as she packs up to move back home. She's not happy about leaving her friends, her boyfriend, and Nona who's gravely ill, but won't dare challenge her mother's orders. Besides, Sabine's also harboring hope that she can become close to her family again. Reuniting with her fencing club brings back painful memories of getting kicked out of school and betrayed by her former best friend Brianne, now too entangled with her boyfriend to notice Sabine . . . unlike Kip's ghost who continues to nag her about someone in trouble. But Kip died alone, so who needs her help? As Sabine researches the events of that tragic night, she pieces together a shocking revelation-knowledge that leads to a dangerous duel with a surprising foe.
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