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Synopsis: Amazon Exclusive Short Story: The Spring Before I Met You
Holly Black is a best-selling author of contemporary fantasy, including The Spiderwick Chronicles.
I had the privilege of reading this story many months ago and swooning over it almost as much as I swooned over Unspoken, the first book of Sarah Rees Brennan's gorgeously crafted modern gothic trilogy. Sarah's writing is incredible in that she is able to write these witty, lush scenes that have you smiling along until suddenly, in a single sentence, she reaches out to break your heart.
This story introduces us to one of the main characters of Unspoken, Jared Lynburn. Seeing him as the broken, dangerous, closed-off teenager that he appears to be from the outside allows us to anticipate all of the insight we'll have into his character when we get inside his head--which we will, since he's the heroine's "imaginary friend."
I enjoy the contrast of Jared's loneliness in the rough streets of Hunters Point/Bayview in San Francisco and the small, strange English town Jared is headed toward, and the girl he is about to meet. But most of all, in this story, I enjoy Jared himself, a character who is a study in contrasts--pushed to such extremes of despair and fury that he's truly capable of anything and yet capable of vast kindness, gentleness and humor.
Download The Spring Before I Met You by Sarah Rees Brennan [PDF]
Publication Date: 09/11/12
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Synopsis: Fall under the spell of Wake―the first book in an achingly beautiful new series by celebrated author Amanda Hocking―and lose yourself to the Watersong.
Gorgeous. Fearless. Dangerous. They're the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Lexi and Thea have caught everyone's attention―but it's Gemma who's attracted theirs. She's the one they've chosen to be part of their group.
Gemma seems to have it all―she's carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He's always been just a friend, but this summer they've taken their relationship to the next level, and now there's no going back. Then one night, Gemma's ordinary life changes forever. She's taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove. They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different.
Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price. And as she uncovers the truth, she's is forced to choose between staying with those she loves―or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets.
Gorgeous. Fearless. Dangerous. They're the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Lexi and Thea have caught everyone's attention―but it's Gemma who's attracted theirs. She's the one they've chosen to be part of their group.
Gemma seems to have it all―she's carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He's always been just a friend, but this summer they've taken their relationship to the next level, and now there's no going back. Then one night, Gemma's ordinary life changes forever. She's taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove. They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different.
Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price. And as she uncovers the truth, she's is forced to choose between staying with those she loves―or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets.
Publication Date: 08/07/12
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Synopsis: Dead is such a strong word… Fifteen-year old Lucy Day falls between the gears in the machinery of the afterlife. She is murdered while on her first date, but awakens a day later, completely solid and completely whole. She has no hunger for brains, blood, or haunting, so she crosses “zombie,” “vampire,” and “ghost” off her list of re-life possibilities. But figuring out what she is becomes the least of her worries when Abraham, Lucy’s personal Grim Reaper, begins dogging her, dead-set on righting the error that dropped her back into the spongy flesh of a living girl. Lucy must put her mangled life back together, escape re-death, and learn to control her burgeoning psychic powers while staying one step ahead of Abraham. But when she learns the devastating price of coming back from the dead, Lucy is forced to make the hardest decision of her re-life—a decision that could save her loved ones...or kill them.
Publication Date: 04/12/12
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Romance
Synopsis: Marseguro, a water world far distant from Earth, is home to a small colony of both unmodified humans and the Selkies, a water-dwelling race created by geneticist Victor Hansen from modified human DNA. For seventy years the Selkies and the unmodified landlings have dwelled together in peace, safe from pursuit by the current fanatical theocratic rulers of Earth.
But everything changes when Earth discovers Marseguro, and a strike force - with Victor Hansen’s own grandson Richard aboard - is sent to eradicate this abomination.
Though the forces of Earth are equipped with weapons far superior to those of this peaceful, backwater planet, the people of Marseguro are not without resources to fi ght back. Soon it will be hard to determine who has more to fear - those being attacked or the invaders from Earth....
Marseguro won Canada’s prestigious Prix Aurora, and Terra Insegura was a finalist for this award.
But everything changes when Earth discovers Marseguro, and a strike force - with Victor Hansen’s own grandson Richard aboard - is sent to eradicate this abomination.
Though the forces of Earth are equipped with weapons far superior to those of this peaceful, backwater planet, the people of Marseguro are not without resources to fi ght back. Soon it will be hard to determine who has more to fear - those being attacked or the invaders from Earth....
Marseguro won Canada’s prestigious Prix Aurora, and Terra Insegura was a finalist for this award.
Publication Date: 04/03/12
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Science Fiction
Synopsis: When Jessica is told she’ll never run again, she puts herself back together—and learns to dream bigger than ever before. The acclaimed author of Flipped delivers a powerful and healing story.
Jessica thinks her life is over when she loses a leg in a car accident. She’s not comforted by the news that she’ll be able to walk with the help of a prosthetic leg. Who cares about walking when you live to run?
As she struggles to cope, Jessica feels that she’s both in the spotlight and invisible. People who don’t know what to say act like she’s not there. Jessica’s embarrassed to realize that she’s done the same to a girl with CP named Rosa. A girl who is going to tutor her through all the math she’s missed. A girl who sees right into the heart of her.
With the support of family, friends, a coach, and her track teammates, Jessica may actually be able to run again. But that’s not enough for her now. She doesn’t just want to cross finish lines herself—she wants to take Rosa with her.
“Inspirational. The pace of Van Draanen’s prose matches Jessica’s at her swiftest. Readers will zoom through the book just as Jessica blazes around the track. A lively and lovely story.” —Kirkus Reviews
Jessica thinks her life is over when she loses a leg in a car accident. She’s not comforted by the news that she’ll be able to walk with the help of a prosthetic leg. Who cares about walking when you live to run?
As she struggles to cope, Jessica feels that she’s both in the spotlight and invisible. People who don’t know what to say act like she’s not there. Jessica’s embarrassed to realize that she’s done the same to a girl with CP named Rosa. A girl who is going to tutor her through all the math she’s missed. A girl who sees right into the heart of her.
With the support of family, friends, a coach, and her track teammates, Jessica may actually be able to run again. But that’s not enough for her now. She doesn’t just want to cross finish lines herself—she wants to take Rosa with her.
“Inspirational. The pace of Van Draanen’s prose matches Jessica’s at her swiftest. Readers will zoom through the book just as Jessica blazes around the track. A lively and lovely story.” —Kirkus Reviews
Publication Date: 01/10/12
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: Practical advice on finding a topic, organizing an argument, and writing an effective essay. Includes detailed discussions of how to write clear paragraphs and effective sentences, using dozens of examples from actual student essays.
Publication Date: 08/11/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Nonfiction
Synopsis: Two points for brushing your teeth. Ten points for keeping your room tidy. Seventy-two points for the Bioeconomic Game Design pop quiz on the ride to school in your personal FunCar. Another thirty for making every hurdle in gym class. Life is a game, unless you're not the one winning. When Gabby DeCorte, top student and reality-hacker extraordinaire, learns the truth about LifeGame, she must choose between winning and what she believes in.
Publication Date: 06/13/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: I'm sick of being a nobody.I'm tired of being at the bottom.
And I don't want to be Avery's punching bag anymore.
Now that I'm in high school, things are going to change.
Lindsey's first day of high school is her big chance to start over. With the help of her best friend Teeny, she begins her transformation by changing her wardrobe. But her longtime nemesis Avery likes things just the way they are and sabotages Lindsey at every turn. As the school year progresses, lines are drawn, sides are picked, and war ensues. The escalating drama eventually leads to a tragic event that will alter the teens' lives forever...especially Lindsey's.
Changing My Wardrobe is a tragic high school drama about starting over, fitting in, and discovering the truth about what really matters. It's a story about friendship, first love, and soul-crushing loss. It's a story about a person's choices, good and bad, and the unexpected, far-reaching consequences of those choices.
And I don't want to be Avery's punching bag anymore.
Now that I'm in high school, things are going to change.
Lindsey's first day of high school is her big chance to start over. With the help of her best friend Teeny, she begins her transformation by changing her wardrobe. But her longtime nemesis Avery likes things just the way they are and sabotages Lindsey at every turn. As the school year progresses, lines are drawn, sides are picked, and war ensues. The escalating drama eventually leads to a tragic event that will alter the teens' lives forever...especially Lindsey's.
Changing My Wardrobe is a tragic high school drama about starting over, fitting in, and discovering the truth about what really matters. It's a story about friendship, first love, and soul-crushing loss. It's a story about a person's choices, good and bad, and the unexpected, far-reaching consequences of those choices.
Publication Date: 05/26/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: A kingdom is at war.
A princess has been kidnapped by a dragon queen.
A brave squire volunteers to set out on a quest to rescue her.
But there's just one small problem. He's Thomas, the shortest of all the squires. With little more than a donkey, a vest, and a sword, Thomas will have to use all of his courage and determination to battle a beast with many heads, reach a forbidden island, and rescue the princess from a most fearsome dragon-and an even more fearsome fate!
Part thrilling adventure and part enchanting fantasy, sprinkled with charming black-and-white illustrations, Thomas and the Dragon Queen will delight young readers from start to finish.
A princess has been kidnapped by a dragon queen.
A brave squire volunteers to set out on a quest to rescue her.
But there's just one small problem. He's Thomas, the shortest of all the squires. With little more than a donkey, a vest, and a sword, Thomas will have to use all of his courage and determination to battle a beast with many heads, reach a forbidden island, and rescue the princess from a most fearsome dragon-and an even more fearsome fate!
Part thrilling adventure and part enchanting fantasy, sprinkled with charming black-and-white illustrations, Thomas and the Dragon Queen will delight young readers from start to finish.
Publication Date: 07/13/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Synopsis: A must-have for schools, libraries, and anyone interested in books for young readers.
Virginia Hamilton (1936-2002) changed children's literature for generations of readers, bringing a Faulknerian style of sophisticated and cutting-edge writing to the world of books for young readers. Hamilton was awarded the Newbery Medal, three Newbery Honors, the National Book Award, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, the Hans Christian Andersen Medal, and many more. Readers will be enlightened by Hamilton's engaging, powerful, and witty perspective on African American literature as well as her own experiences as a writer and an American.
Virginia Hamilton (1936-2002) changed children's literature for generations of readers, bringing a Faulknerian style of sophisticated and cutting-edge writing to the world of books for young readers. Hamilton was awarded the Newbery Medal, three Newbery Honors, the National Book Award, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, the Hans Christian Andersen Medal, and many more. Readers will be enlightened by Hamilton's engaging, powerful, and witty perspective on African American literature as well as her own experiences as a writer and an American.
Publication Date: 02/01/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Educational
Synopsis: Can you resist the allure of Edward’s myriad charms—his ocher eyes and tousled hair, the cadence of his speech, his chiseled alabaster skin, and his gratuitous charm? Will you hunt surreptitiously and tolerate the ceaselessdeluge in Forks to evade the sun and uphold the facade? Join Edward and Bella as you learn more than 600 vocabulary words to improve your score on the *SAT, ACT®, GED®, and SSAT® exams!
Use this workbook side-by-side with your own copy of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight! Each chapter of the workbook gives you eight words taken from Twilight, with page references for you to read the words in the context of your favorite novelDefine the words on your own before turning back to the workbook for their actual definitionsAt the end of each section you’ll take SAT, ACT, GED, and SSAT drills and quizzes to review and integrate what you’ve learnedPlus, you’ll learn synonyms, Latin word parts, and memorization tools throughout the workbook
Publication Date: 06/26/09
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Educational
Synopsis: Humans settled the Moon and satellites orbiting the Earth were a common sight, but with the abolition of NASA, humans had no desire to go further and space exploration died. Then, a technician from the Very Large Array, a radio telescope in New Mexico, discovers powerful particles orbiting Saturn’s moon, Titan, which could be a new energy source. Strangely enough, following the discovery’s announcement, whales around the Earth changed their songs overnight. As scion of the powerful Quinn Corporation, Thomas Quinn builds a solar sail—a vessel pushed by sunlight itself—to find the source of these particles in Titan’s orbit. He gathers the best and brightest team to pilot his craft: Jonathan Jefferson, an aging astronaut known as the last man on Mars; Natalie Freeman, a distinguished Navy captain; Myra Lee, a biologist, specializing in whale communication; and John O’Connell, the technician who first discovered the particles. All together they make a grand tour of the solar system and discover not only wonders but dangers beyond their imagination. Drawing on his experience as an astronomer, David Lee Summers has created a story that is both exciting and plausible, one that can be enjoyed by both the young and young-at-heart who enjoy looking at the planets on a clear night and dreaming of what could be.
Publication Date: 01/13/09
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Science Fiction
Synopsis: Thirteen is when a Beaumont’s savvy hits—and with one brother who causes hurricanes and another who creates electricity, Mibs Beaumont is eager to see what she gets. But just before the big day, Poppa is in a terrible accident. And now all Mibs wants is a savvy that will save him. In fact, Mibs is so sure she’ll get a powerful savvy that she sneaks a ride to the hospital on a rickety bus with her sibling and the preacher’s kids in tow. After this extraordinary adventure—full of talking tattoos and a kidnapping—not a soul on board will ever be the same.
A Discussion Guide to Scumble and Savvy by Ingrid Law
Book Details:Format: PaperbackPublication Date: 3/23/2010Pages: 368Reading Level: Age 8 and Up
A Discussion Guide to Scumble and Savvy by Ingrid Law
Book Details:Format: PaperbackPublication Date: 3/23/2010Pages: 368Reading Level: Age 8 and Up
Publication Date: 05/01/08
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Synopsis: Readers captivated by Twilight and New Moon will eagerly devour Eclipse, the much anticipated third book in Stephenie Meyer's riveting vampire love saga. As Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob --- knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella has one more decision to make: life or death. But which is which?
Publication Date: 08/07/07
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: Isabella Swan's move to Forks, a small, perpetually rainy town in Washington, could have been the most boring move she ever made. But once she meets the mysterious and alluring Edward Cullen, Isabella's life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. Up until now, Edward has managed to keep his vampire identity a secret in the small community he lives in, but now nobody is safe, especially Isabella, the person Edward holds most dear. The lovers find themselves balanced precariously on the point of a knife-between desire and danger.Deeply romantic and extraordinarily suspenseful, Twilight captures the struggle between defying our instincts and satisfying our desires. This is a love story with bite.
Publication Date: 10/05/05
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Chick Lit
Synopsis: Roy Eberhardt is the new kid--again. This time around it's Trace Middle School in humid Coconut Grove, Florida. But it's still the same old routine: table by himself at lunch, no real friends, and thick-headed bullies like Dana Matherson pushing him around. But if it wasn't for Dana Matherson mashing his face against the school bus window that one day, he might never have seen the tow-headed running boy. And if he had never seen the running boy, he might never have met tall, tough, bully-beating Beatrice. And if he had never met Beatrice, he might never have discovered the burrowing owls living in the lot on the corner of East Oriole Avenue. And if he had never discovered the owls, he probably would have missed out on the adventure of a lifetime. Apparently, bullies do serve a greater purpose in the scope of the universe. Because if it wasn't for Dana Matherson...
In his first novel for a younger audience, Carl Hiaasen (Basket Case, etc.) plunges readers right into the middle of an ecological mystery, made up of endangered miniature owls, the Mother Paula's All-American Pancake House scheduled to be built over their burrows, and the owls' unlikely allies--three middle school kids determined to beat the screwed-up adult system. Hiaasen's tongue is firmly in cheek as he successfully cuts his slapstick sense of humor down to kid-size. Sure to be a hoot, er, hit with middle school mystery fans. (Ages 10 to 15) --Jennifer Hubert
Publication Date: 09/10/02
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction