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Barefoot
Lizann Bassham
Synopsis: Opal is seven in 1963 when her mother is killed in a freak accident in Texas. Her father leaves her to be raised by her grandmother in the backwoods, mountain community of Pine Creek in northern California. Barefoot is a story of family, secrets, hard times, and forgiveness.
Publication Date: 11/30/06
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Halcyon Blithe: Dragonfrigate Wizard
Synopsis: His yeoman voyage now behind him, Blithe must now accept new responsibilities as he ascends to the rank of

DRAGONFRIGATE WIZARD HALCYON BLITHE.

In the latest chapter of the young wizard's nautical education he finds himself second in command of a captured enemy vessel that must engage a demonship in combat before returning to port. Upon his return he is assigned duty on a dwarven dragonship where he and his shipmates encounter the deceit of politics and diplomacy before they can regain the security of their Arcanian dragonship and the company of their trusted crewmates.

Combining elements of Hornblower with Harry Potter, and Robert Louis Stevenson with Robin Hobb, the Halcyon Blithe are nautical tales rich in magic and intrigue set against a panorama of fantastic naval battles as we follow the career of a young midshipwizard as he moves up through the ranks of His Majesty's Navy.

Publication Date: 11/28/06
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Adventures in Unhistory
Avram Davidson
Synopsis: * Where did Sinbad Sail?
* Who Fired the Phoenix?
* The Boy Who Cried Werewolf
* The Great Rough Beast
* Postscript on Prester John
* The Secret of Hyperborea
* What Gave All Those Mammoths Cold Feet?
 
And many more--fictional? authoritative? fantastic? deadpan?--investigations into the real, the true…and the things that should be true
 
PREFACE BY PETER S. BEAGLE
ILLUSTRATED BY GEORGE BARR
 
"Although the wombat is real and the dragon is not, nobody knows what a wombat looks like and everyone knows what a dragon looks like."
 
Not a novel, not a book of short stories, Adventures in Unhistory is a book of the fantastic--a compendium of magisterial examinations of Mermaids, Mandrakes, and Mammoths; Dragons, Werewolves, and Unicorns; the Phoenix and the Roc; about places such as Sicily, Siberia, and the Moon; about heroic, sinister, and legendary persons such as Sindbad, and Aleister Crowley, and Prester John; and--revealed at last--the Secret of Hyperborea.
 
The facts are here, the foundations behind rumors, legends, and the imaginations of generations of tale-spinners. But far from being dry recitals, these meditations, or lectures, or deadpan prose performances are as lively, as crazily inventive, as witty as the best fiction of the author, a writer praised by Gardner Dozois as "one of the great short story writers of our times."
 
Who, on the subject of Dragons, could write coldly, dispassionately, guided only by logic?  Certainly not Avram Davidson. Certain facts, these facts, deserve more than recitation; they deserve flourish, verve, gusto, style--the late, great Avram Davidson's unique voice.  That prose which, in the words of Peter S. Beagle's Preface to this volume, "cries out to be read aloud."
Publication Date: 11/28/06
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Educational
A World of His Own
Arlette Gaffrey
Synopsis:

LAND OF THE CREOLES: An epic saga of love, marriage and betrayal

LAND OF THE CREOLES: Andre de Javon escaped the French Revolution as a child. Now as an adult, he arrives in New Orleans to start a new life. In due time he becomes one of the wealthiest plantation owners in the Territory. He is helped by his mentor Jean-Claude Charlevoix, whose young daughter Julie Marie falls in love with Andre, and hopes he will wait for her to grow up and marry her. But, Andre marries Gabrielle Ste. Claire who turns his life into a nightmare. Gabrielle dies leaving Andre with her illegitimate son. As Julie Marie grows up Andre realizes how much he loves her, and wants to marry her. But will Julie Marie still have him, a man who is eleven years her senior with an illegitimate child. The pirate Jean Lafitte and General Andrew Jackson are but some of the colorful characters woven throughout the story.
Publication Date: 11/16/06
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Fugitives of Chaos
John C. Wright
Synopsis: Wright's new fantasy, which began with Orphans of Chaos, and continues in Fugitives of Chaos, is a tale about five orphans raised in a strict British boarding school who begin to discover that they may not be human beings. The students at the school do not age, while the world around them does. The orphans have been kidnapped from their true parents, robbed of their powers, and raised in ignorance by super-beings no more human than they are: pagan gods or fairy-queens, Cyclopes, sea-monsters, witches, or things even stranger.
The five have made sinister discoveries about themselves. Amelia is apparently a fourth-dimensional being; Victor is a synthetic man who can control the molecular arrangement of matter around him; Vanity can find secret passageways through solid walls where none had previously been; Colin is a psychic; Quentin is a warlock. Each power comes from a different paradigm or view of the inexplicable universe: and they should not be able to co-exist under the same laws of nature. Why is it that they can?
The children must experiment with and learn to control their strange abilities in order to escape their captors. Something very important must be at stake in their imprisonment.

Publication Date: 11/14/06
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
The Pull of the Ocean
Y. Maudet, Jean-Claude Mourlevat
Synopsis: On a stormy night, little Yann Doutreleau wakes up his six older brothers, all twins. He lets them know that they must flee their home--or risk being killed by their violent father. Without question, the siblings follow Yann into the wet darkness. And so begins their remarkable odyssey toward the ocean--as well as an unforgettable story of brotherhood.

The social worker investigating the Doutreleau family, the truck driver who gives the boys a lift, the police officer who believes they've run away, the baker who gives them bread--each of the many people the seven boys encounter gives a stirring account of what he or she witnesses. The twins themselves add their voices, as do the Doutreleau parents; but not until the end of the journey does little Yann express his reasons for his galvanizing actions.
Publication Date: 11/14/06
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Don't Feed The Bully
Brad Tassell
Synopsis: Don't Feed the Bully is a fictional detective story aimed at students 10-14, although, anyone who can read will love this funny and meaningful story. Hannibal Greatneck III, detective, sixth grade student, or Handy to his friends, walks into William B. Travis elementary and finds a cage in the middle of the classroom. The school has dealt with its bully problem by handing over all the power to another bully. Handy must find the clues, outwit the villains, and get control of William B. Travis back to the students and faculty. The story is a funny one with hilarious and serious undertones, but with great purpose. Review "Brad presents a story filled with humor and compassion to help lay out an approach to bullying that goes beyond "just let them work it out together," as is often proposed. In the Appendix, he also offers a practical step-by-step plan to help students use their intelligence to deal with bullies, similar to the way the book's main character dealt with his tormentors." --Gary Cassel, flamingnet.com "If you're tired of the bully who's making school unbearable for your child, you might want to heed the words of author/comedian Brad Tassell:Don't Feed the Bully." --Rebecca Courdret, Evansville Courier-Journal. "Don't Feed The Bully is a quick read that kids will be able to relate to. Important lessons are taught, but the book still manages to be funny and entertaining! Even reluctant readers will enjoy this book, with its fun characters and the mystery that is the center of the story. Most of the pictures are a great addition to the story. Just because there are pictures doesn't make this a book for little kids, though; everyone will enjoy this story! --J. Pear, student reviewer Reviewer Age: 15 Asheville, NC USA Flamingnet.com About the Author
Publication Date: 11/08/06
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Mystery
Invitation Only
Julian Peploe, Kate Brian
Synopsis: Reed Brennan's future is looking as bright as the two-karat diamonds in her new housemates' ears. Being accepted to the most prestigious private boarding school in the country wasn't enough for Reed. She had to break every rule to do it, but she has accomplished the impossible:

Reed is a Billings Girl now.

And with her new status come respect, envy, and, most important, opportunity. Not to mention the parties. Unfortunately, at the next illicit party in the Easton campus woods, her roommate snaps some pictures of Reed in more than one compromising position. She uses the photos to blackmail Reed: Dig up dirt on the most powerful and popular Billings Girls or she will have Reed expelled.

And speaking of parties, the Legacy is coming up. It's the invitation-only Halloween party in NYC and it's rumored that Thomas -- Reed's MIA boyfriend -- will be making an appearance there. Too bad Reed isn't even close to invited.

Life as a Billings Girl is every bit as glamorous as Reed imagined. What she didn't bargain for is the tangled web of private lies these girls weave.
Publication Date: 11/07/06
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Chick Lit
Fangs4Freaks
Serena Robar
Synopsis: We only accept certain people in my sorority-no fullblooded vampires allowed.

Psi Phi is just like any sorority on campus-except for the part about them being half-blood vampires. Colby Blanchard emancipated her fellow halfbloods and laid the smackdown for some wayneeded new laws, but things still aren't good. The Vampire Tribunal is dumping the newest pledges on her lawn...bound and gagged. And Thomas, her hunky vampire investigator boyfriend, is being a little too much of a gentleman.

Things aren't exactly cushy for the ladies at the Psi Phi house. One sister wants to return to her vegan lifestyle-while another is constantly poised for a fistfight. And royal bloodsucker Ileana Romanov thinks everyone is her personal butler. And to top it off, leaked info on the sisters' whereabouts is bringing on some ugly, unexpected attacks. Either someone in the Tribunal wants them dead, orthere's a spy in the house, watching them day and night. Or if it's a full-blood, just night.
Publication Date: 11/07/06
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Chick Lit
Rogue Angel: The Spider Stone
Synopsis: In the crumbling remains of a tunnel that was part of the Underground Railroad, a mysterious artifact reveals one of the darkest secrets of Africa's ancient past. Intrigued by the strange, encrypted stone, archaeologist Annja Creed opens a door to a world—and a legend—bound by a fierce and terrible force. She is not alone in her pursuit of the impossible.



A bloodthirsty African warlord, and an international corporate magnate exploiting a land, a culture and a people, are equally anxious to stake their claim on the relic's unknown power. Annja's odyssey deep into the primeval jungles of Senegal becomes a desperate race to stop those eager to unleash the virulence of the Spider God….
Publication Date: 11/07/06
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Before I Go
Riley Weston
Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Madison Henry has been skating as long as sheÕs been walking.ÊÊ Coached by her mother, Annie, she is on her way to the Olympics. When tragedy strikes unexpectedly, Madison is forced to look at her life differently. Before I GoÊspotlightsÊthe unbreakableÊbond a mother and daughterÊshare and the loveÊeveryone hopes to experience in their lifetime.
Publication Date: 11/01/06
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
The Demonata Slawter
Darren Shan
Synopsis: Lights. Camera. Slawter!

Grubbs Grady and his half-brother Bill-E are thrilled to join their uncle Dervish as onset consultants for the newest movie by cult horror producer David A Hayms. Shot in a deserted town renamed Slawter, the demon-themed movie is to be Hayms's masterpiece. But as strange incidents disrupt the set, Grubbs begins to wonder whether more than filming is afoot.
Publication Date: 11/01/06
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Picture book
Kurt Cobain
Jeff Burlingame
Synopsis: New York Public Library's 2007 Books for the Teen Age winner
Publication Date: 11/01/06
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Nonfiction
Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life
Synopsis: In one month Jeremy Fink will turn thirteen. But does he have what it takes to be a teenager? He collects mutant candy, he won't venture more than four blocks from his apartment if he can help it, and he definitely doesn't like surprises. On the other hand, his best friend, Lizzy, isn't afraid of anything, even if that might get her into trouble now and then.


Jeremy's summer takes an unexpected turn when a mysterious wooden box arrives in the mail. According to the writing on the box, it holds the meaning of life! Jeremy is supposed to open it on his thirteenth birthday. The problem is, the keys are missing, and the box is made so that only the keys will open it without destroying what's inside. Jeremy and Lizzy set off to find the keys, but when one of their efforts goes very wrong, Jeremy starts to lose hope that he'll ever be able to open the box. But he soon discovers that when you're meeting people named Oswald Oswald and using a private limo to deliver unusual objects to strangers all over the city, there might be other ways of finding out the meaning of life.


Lively characters, surprising twists, and thought-provoking ideas make Wendy Mass's latest novel an unforgettable read.
Publication Date: 11/01/06
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
What Happened to Cass McBride?
Synopsis: "The setting is claustrophobic, the characters are complex and the story will keep readers on the edge of their seats," KLIATT raved of this vivid, fast-paced psychological thriller in a starred review. Kyle Kirby has planned a cruel and unusual revenge on Cass McBride, the most popular girl in school, for the death of his brother David. He digs a hole. Kidnaps Cass. Puts her in a box--underground. He buries her alive. But lying in the deepest dark, Cass finds a weapon: she uses the power of words to keep her nemesis talking--and herself breathing--during the most harrowing 48 hours of her life.
Publication Date: 11/01/06
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
The Odyssey
Robert Fagles, Bernard Knox, Bernard Knox, Homer
Synopsis: Robert Fagles's stunning modern-verse translation-available at last in our black-spine classics line

The Odyssey is literature's grandest evocation of everyman's journey through life. In the myths and legends that are retold here, renowned translator Robert Fagles has captured the energy and poetry of Homer's original in a bold, contemporary idiom and given us an Odyssey to read aloud, to savor, and to treasure for its sheer lyrical mastery. This is an Odyssey to delight both the classicist and the general reader, and to captivate a new generation of Homer's students.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
Publication Date: 10/31/06
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Classic

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