All Books
Synopsis: Toks has never considered herself as anyone special and her life is pretty ordinary for the most part. The only thing she cares about is moving out from home away her mother’s watchful eye and having a real life outside school.
As it is, she has just started graduate school under the tutelage of the eccentric, grumpy but brilliant scientist Professor Johnson as part of his research team which already consists of three other interesting, brilliant students and quickly gets to work creating a ‘miracle’ hair growth formula. However, just when Toks thinks she’s on the verge of a breakthrough with her hair formulation, Professor Johnson rejects her thesis proposal and wants her to catalog the metabolic characteristics of some bacterium instead, which is nothing more than pointless grunt work in Toks’s view. To make matters worse, this new assignment is also the most unpromising research project in his entire group. Professor Johnson has either gone nuts or is onto something.
But unknown to her and her fellow students, Professor Johnson is secretly working for the CIA to uncover a mysterious plot involving a dangerous group known as the Shango Triangle who have made it clear to the professor that they want his top secret research project for themselves and will do anything to get it. When the CIA’s plans to capture the master mind of the Shango Triangle go awry and the respected professor is unable to continue, Toks becomes an unwitting star in the conspiracy and it becomes a race against time to discover what the professor was involved with in order to save the lives of her family and friends. As Toks works to uncover the mystery, she finds herself in the middle of a plot that is an intoxicating concoction of espionage and secrecy. The only question now is, will Toks make it through the semester intact or will she be a casualty by association?
As it is, she has just started graduate school under the tutelage of the eccentric, grumpy but brilliant scientist Professor Johnson as part of his research team which already consists of three other interesting, brilliant students and quickly gets to work creating a ‘miracle’ hair growth formula. However, just when Toks thinks she’s on the verge of a breakthrough with her hair formulation, Professor Johnson rejects her thesis proposal and wants her to catalog the metabolic characteristics of some bacterium instead, which is nothing more than pointless grunt work in Toks’s view. To make matters worse, this new assignment is also the most unpromising research project in his entire group. Professor Johnson has either gone nuts or is onto something.
But unknown to her and her fellow students, Professor Johnson is secretly working for the CIA to uncover a mysterious plot involving a dangerous group known as the Shango Triangle who have made it clear to the professor that they want his top secret research project for themselves and will do anything to get it. When the CIA’s plans to capture the master mind of the Shango Triangle go awry and the respected professor is unable to continue, Toks becomes an unwitting star in the conspiracy and it becomes a race against time to discover what the professor was involved with in order to save the lives of her family and friends. As Toks works to uncover the mystery, she finds herself in the middle of a plot that is an intoxicating concoction of espionage and secrecy. The only question now is, will Toks make it through the semester intact or will she be a casualty by association?
Publication Date:
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: When her revenge plan goes awry, fourteen-year-old Dani Burkhart finds herself in unexpected places: the back seat of a cop car, the police station holding room, Juvenile Court. She wants her old life, the one with a family that's not falling apart. She wants to stay in her home with the woods in back, and keep her carefree dog with the windshield wiper tail, and hear her big brother shout "Sweet D-Dawg!" when her curveball dips like a sparrow.
Dani has always believed her grandmother's philosophy: Right will win. Now everything is wrong. So why not punish the rotten neighbor who's to blame - who pulled the string that started everything unraveling? Makes sense - unless there's more to the story than Dani wants to admit.
FAULT LINES traces Dani's journey through the rubble of loss to the path she finds back home, to forgiveness and hope.
Dani has always believed her grandmother's philosophy: Right will win. Now everything is wrong. So why not punish the rotten neighbor who's to blame - who pulled the string that started everything unraveling? Makes sense - unless there's more to the story than Dani wants to admit.
FAULT LINES traces Dani's journey through the rubble of loss to the path she finds back home, to forgiveness and hope.
Publication Date:
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: When her revenge plan goes awry, fourteen-year-old Dani Burkhart finds herself in unexpected places: the back seat of a cop car, the police station holding room, Juvenile Court. She wants her old life, the one with a family that's not falling apart. She wants to stay in her home with the woods in back, and keep her carefree dog with the windshield wiper tail, and hear her big brother shout "Sweet D-Dawg!" when her curveball dips like a sparrow.
Dani has always believed her grandmother's philosophy: Right will win. Now everything is wrong. So why not punish the rotten neighbor who's to blame - who pulled the string that started everything unraveling? Makes sense - unless there's more to the story than Dani wants to admit.
FAULT LINES traces Dani's journey through the rubble of loss to the path she finds back home, to forgiveness and hope.
Dani has always believed her grandmother's philosophy: Right will win. Now everything is wrong. So why not punish the rotten neighbor who's to blame - who pulled the string that started everything unraveling? Makes sense - unless there's more to the story than Dani wants to admit.
FAULT LINES traces Dani's journey through the rubble of loss to the path she finds back home, to forgiveness and hope.
Publication Date:
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: Firefly. Cricket. Vole. Peter. Can four creatures from four very different Nations help one another find their ways in a world that can feel oh-so-big? Delve into this “wise and lovely reading adventure” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) in the tradition of Charlotte’s Web and The Rats of NIMH, from the author of the New York Times bestselling Someday.
“Firefly Hollow will set your heart aglow” (ALA Booklist, starred review).
Firefly doesn’t merely want to fly, she wants to touch the moon. Cricket doesn’t merely want to sing about baseball, he wants to catch. When these two little creatures with big dreams wander out of Firefly Hollow, refusing to listen to their elders, they find themselves face-to-face with the one creature they were always told to stay away from…a giant.
But Peter is a Miniature Giant. They’ve always been told that a Miniature Giant is nothing but a Future Giant, but this one just isn’t quite as big or as scary as the other Giants. Peter has a dream of his own, as well as memories to escape. He is overwhelmed with sadness, and a summer with his new unlikely friends Firefly and Cricket might be just what he needs. Can these friends’ dreams help them overcome the past?
Firefly Hollow is nothing short of enchanting, reminding us all that the very best friend is the one who encourages you to achieve your dreams. Full-color tip-in illustrations and dozens of black-and-white drawings provide added glow.
“Firefly Hollow will set your heart aglow” (ALA Booklist, starred review).
Firefly doesn’t merely want to fly, she wants to touch the moon. Cricket doesn’t merely want to sing about baseball, he wants to catch. When these two little creatures with big dreams wander out of Firefly Hollow, refusing to listen to their elders, they find themselves face-to-face with the one creature they were always told to stay away from…a giant.
But Peter is a Miniature Giant. They’ve always been told that a Miniature Giant is nothing but a Future Giant, but this one just isn’t quite as big or as scary as the other Giants. Peter has a dream of his own, as well as memories to escape. He is overwhelmed with sadness, and a summer with his new unlikely friends Firefly and Cricket might be just what he needs. Can these friends’ dreams help them overcome the past?
Firefly Hollow is nothing short of enchanting, reminding us all that the very best friend is the one who encourages you to achieve your dreams. Full-color tip-in illustrations and dozens of black-and-white drawings provide added glow.
Publication Date:
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: “Clever and funny with an irresistible premise, this middle grade adventure/comic book hybrid will engage even the most reluctant reader.” —Rick Riordan, author of the worldwide bestselling Percy Jackson and the Olympians, the Kane Chronicles, and the Heroes of Olympus
What if superheroes were real—and you had to become one? A boy is suddenly thrust into the role of a real-life superhero and tasked with saving Earth from an alien invasion in this action-packed novel from New York Times bestselling author Robert Venditti and award-winning illustrator Dusty Higgins.
When twelve-year-old Miles Taylor unexpectedly inherits a golden cape that gives him amazing superpowers, his life instantly changes: he becomes a superhero. For real. With some help from a new friend named Henry, Miles does his best to protect his city. But his skills and courage are about to be put to the ultimate test—an alien horde is working its way toward Earth, with their sights set on the golden cape…and total domination. Ready or not, Miles is about to discover whether he has what it takes to save all humankind.
What if superheroes were real—and you had to become one? A boy is suddenly thrust into the role of a real-life superhero and tasked with saving Earth from an alien invasion in this action-packed novel from New York Times bestselling author Robert Venditti and award-winning illustrator Dusty Higgins.
When twelve-year-old Miles Taylor unexpectedly inherits a golden cape that gives him amazing superpowers, his life instantly changes: he becomes a superhero. For real. With some help from a new friend named Henry, Miles does his best to protect his city. But his skills and courage are about to be put to the ultimate test—an alien horde is working its way toward Earth, with their sights set on the golden cape…and total domination. Ready or not, Miles is about to discover whether he has what it takes to save all humankind.
Publication Date:
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis:
From the Hardcover edition.
In this adventurous retelling of The Prince and the Pauper, the lives of a runaway royal and a carnival worker become intertwined as each is compelled to fight for his life and family. Fans of The Sixty-Eight Rooms and Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy won’t want to miss this.
Lute is a prince, next in line to the throne. Griff is a poor carnival worker who does the heavy lifting while the malevolent ringmaster orders him about. But there’s something special about Griff: he can hear the thoughts of everyone around him. And one day, he begins to connect with Lute’s mind, even though they’ve never met and are miles apart.
When Lute must run for his very life, Griff may be the only one who can help him. In a journey over land and sea, these heroes battle deadly foes and make unlikely allies, including a host of magical creatures and their caretaker, a bitter old dwarf, and a mysterious lady pirate. When the boys finally come together, they will learn they are connected in ways they could never have imagined, ways that may save them—or cost them both their lives.
From the Hardcover edition.
Publication Date:
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: Laura finds out that, Ricky, the boy who created her horrible nickname, "Lard Butt," has moved back into town—and immediately schemes to keep him quiet. After all, she can't let her new swim teammates, especially drool-worthy Noah, hear the horrible name! No way!
She's determined to put a million years between grade school and junior high—even in the face of a father who drives an éclair, a would-be-movie-star mother who suddenly moves back home, and a past that comes back to haunt her with the dreaded nickname.
Although Laura's embarrassed about how she looks in a swimsuit, she tries to stay true to her vow to take risks. She even lets Maria talk her into going to the school dance, where she braves negotiating a truce for a quarreling couple. New friendships form, Laura's mother starts getting too domesticated for Laura's comfort, and hints of romance start to develop—or do they?
Review:
This book should be read by ALL girls no matter what age they are, even if it means reading the book to each other so girls can understand each other's feelings…
This book is so inspiring because as a girl, it is hard not to worry about my size and weight. This book really changed my perception of my body! …
~~Angel, 5 Girls Book Reviews
She's determined to put a million years between grade school and junior high—even in the face of a father who drives an éclair, a would-be-movie-star mother who suddenly moves back home, and a past that comes back to haunt her with the dreaded nickname.
Although Laura's embarrassed about how she looks in a swimsuit, she tries to stay true to her vow to take risks. She even lets Maria talk her into going to the school dance, where she braves negotiating a truce for a quarreling couple. New friendships form, Laura's mother starts getting too domesticated for Laura's comfort, and hints of romance start to develop—or do they?
Review:
This book should be read by ALL girls no matter what age they are, even if it means reading the book to each other so girls can understand each other's feelings…
This book is so inspiring because as a girl, it is hard not to worry about my size and weight. This book really changed my perception of my body! …
~~Angel, 5 Girls Book Reviews
Publication Date:
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: Kieran Quinn’s cousin is dead. They found him out in the woods, not a scratch on him. Then things got really weird. A creepy FBI agent is following Kieran around town in a minivan. He’s stumbled upon an odd, not-so-abandoned house in the forest. And his new friends, a quartet of octogenarians who live in the basement of a tiny house on Church Street, are telling stories unlike any he’s heard before.
The sudden death of 12-year-old Kieran’s cousin Michael is the first in a string of perplexing events that forces Kieran to remap his inner and outer worlds. Soon after Michael’s funeral, Kieran befriends the residents of a pair of extraordinary houses who begin to weave an unbelievable story about the true nature of the universe. Spurred on by his desire to find answers about Michael’s death, Kieran ranges over the humid suburban landscape, all the while evading an unfriendly FBI agent whose work may involve a lot more than he lets on. As the line between what is real and what is not becomes a blur, Kieran is propelled ever closer to the scene of Michael’s death. Too close, in fact.
The sudden death of 12-year-old Kieran’s cousin Michael is the first in a string of perplexing events that forces Kieran to remap his inner and outer worlds. Soon after Michael’s funeral, Kieran befriends the residents of a pair of extraordinary houses who begin to weave an unbelievable story about the true nature of the universe. Spurred on by his desire to find answers about Michael’s death, Kieran ranges over the humid suburban landscape, all the while evading an unfriendly FBI agent whose work may involve a lot more than he lets on. As the line between what is real and what is not becomes a blur, Kieran is propelled ever closer to the scene of Michael’s death. Too close, in fact.
Publication Date:
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: A New York Times Bestseller & A ZOELLA Book Club Pick!
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Shopaholic series comes a terrific blend of comedy, romance, and psychological recovery in a contemporary YA novel sure to inspire and entertain.
An anxiety disorder disrupts fourteen-year-old Audrey’s daily life. She has been making slow but steady progress with Dr. Sarah, but when Audrey meets Linus, her brother’s gaming teammate, she is energized. She connects with him. Audrey can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she’s never been able to do with anyone before. As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family.
From the Hardcover edition.
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Shopaholic series comes a terrific blend of comedy, romance, and psychological recovery in a contemporary YA novel sure to inspire and entertain.
An anxiety disorder disrupts fourteen-year-old Audrey’s daily life. She has been making slow but steady progress with Dr. Sarah, but when Audrey meets Linus, her brother’s gaming teammate, she is energized. She connects with him. Audrey can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she’s never been able to do with anyone before. As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family.
From the Hardcover edition.
Publication Date:
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: Stalking Los Angeles©
Finding courage and love in the madness
Reggie is tormented by his domineering father to shed the old Indian ways. Forced to leave his country home, he hates the city and his new school, where he is attacked by Kevin, the racist beast on campus. He falls hard for his first girl who can love him in only one way.
Reggie goes on a vision quest to reconnect with his Cochimi tribal ancestors –to discover his supernatural ‘power animal’ that will guide him into manhood. At the same time, a young cougar enters the megalopolis in search of a mate, but is attacked by the dominant male of his species.
Reggie’s vision quest spirals out of control –hallucinating he is a half-human, half-animal, capable of killing. He now must face Kevin, confront his father and challenge the stalking cougar, in order to win over a new girl who could love him completely.
Praise for Stalking Los Angeles
“Nothing seems to be going right in Reggie Youngblood’s life...Reggie soon finds his escape in studying mountain lions and his Indian heritage... Read Stalking Los Angeles by Tom Berquist to discover how Reggie falls in love, discovers himself and learns some of life’s most important lessons. Four out of five stars.”
~Litpick.com
“...the storyline was a very original idea... Reggie was likable and easy to relate to. (T)he plot moved along at a nice pace, and it always held my interest. I ... would recommend it to others.”
~Taylor H. Litpick.com
“Reggie is likeable... the epitome of a teenage boy...Berquist employs the use of dual narratives, paralleling Reggie’s journey with the journey of a mountain lion just reaching his maturity. This dual narrative brings (the novel) to the next level. I believe this novel would be something teenage boys ... could really identify with.”
~Shannon A. Los Angeles
“I would recommend this book to teens (who) struggle with who they are and struggling to accept their new surroundings. Stalking Los Angeles shows the perspective of various characters undergoing confusions about life, parents, sexuality, and themselves....(T)his book moved me to try and become more observant of nature and what it has to offer, what it can do to relieve my troubles, and to become more protective of it...Life will turn out ok; there are many bumps, trips, and struggles, but as Reggie proved, most struggles have a better reward at the end and have a great outcome.”
~Mel R. Los Angeles
“Stalking Los Angeles is a coming of age story for nature lovers... (A) heartwarming story of conservation and coming of age in a world that is careless and unkind both to mountain lions and to teenage boys. ...(I)t is a good story in which heroes get to be heroes. We could use more stories like that.”
~Elizabeth K. Lexington, KY
Excerpt:
Reggie could not see or hear that he was being sought out. Fast asleep, he could not know that animal that he wanted as his spiritual guide was steadily following his scent, and heading directly to the cabin.
At fifty feet away, the lion’s acute hearing picked up the rhythmic inhale and exhale of the two-leg’s breath. At twenty-five feet, the lion’s acute night vision could see the rise and fall of the two-leg’s chest.
On the ground below the raised cabin, the lion anchored its hindquarters with its tail and lifted its front quarters in one effortless ascension. It reached up and unsheathed its two-inch claws and locked them on the outside lip of the cabin floor. At two feet from the two-leg’s face, but on the other side of the screen, the lion’s whiskers felt the warmth of his body. Although the lion could have cut through the screen and then through the throat of the two-leg in a single swipe, he did not. The two-leg stirred and the animal left as silently as he came.
A note from the author: I hope you will enjoy my book. Know too, that you will be helping to preserve nature in the process. I am donating 25% of the royalties on this book to wildlife conservation.
Finding courage and love in the madness
Reggie is tormented by his domineering father to shed the old Indian ways. Forced to leave his country home, he hates the city and his new school, where he is attacked by Kevin, the racist beast on campus. He falls hard for his first girl who can love him in only one way.
Reggie goes on a vision quest to reconnect with his Cochimi tribal ancestors –to discover his supernatural ‘power animal’ that will guide him into manhood. At the same time, a young cougar enters the megalopolis in search of a mate, but is attacked by the dominant male of his species.
Reggie’s vision quest spirals out of control –hallucinating he is a half-human, half-animal, capable of killing. He now must face Kevin, confront his father and challenge the stalking cougar, in order to win over a new girl who could love him completely.
Praise for Stalking Los Angeles
“Nothing seems to be going right in Reggie Youngblood’s life...Reggie soon finds his escape in studying mountain lions and his Indian heritage... Read Stalking Los Angeles by Tom Berquist to discover how Reggie falls in love, discovers himself and learns some of life’s most important lessons. Four out of five stars.”
~Litpick.com
“...the storyline was a very original idea... Reggie was likable and easy to relate to. (T)he plot moved along at a nice pace, and it always held my interest. I ... would recommend it to others.”
~Taylor H. Litpick.com
“Reggie is likeable... the epitome of a teenage boy...Berquist employs the use of dual narratives, paralleling Reggie’s journey with the journey of a mountain lion just reaching his maturity. This dual narrative brings (the novel) to the next level. I believe this novel would be something teenage boys ... could really identify with.”
~Shannon A. Los Angeles
“I would recommend this book to teens (who) struggle with who they are and struggling to accept their new surroundings. Stalking Los Angeles shows the perspective of various characters undergoing confusions about life, parents, sexuality, and themselves....(T)his book moved me to try and become more observant of nature and what it has to offer, what it can do to relieve my troubles, and to become more protective of it...Life will turn out ok; there are many bumps, trips, and struggles, but as Reggie proved, most struggles have a better reward at the end and have a great outcome.”
~Mel R. Los Angeles
“Stalking Los Angeles is a coming of age story for nature lovers... (A) heartwarming story of conservation and coming of age in a world that is careless and unkind both to mountain lions and to teenage boys. ...(I)t is a good story in which heroes get to be heroes. We could use more stories like that.”
~Elizabeth K. Lexington, KY
Excerpt:
Reggie could not see or hear that he was being sought out. Fast asleep, he could not know that animal that he wanted as his spiritual guide was steadily following his scent, and heading directly to the cabin.
At fifty feet away, the lion’s acute hearing picked up the rhythmic inhale and exhale of the two-leg’s breath. At twenty-five feet, the lion’s acute night vision could see the rise and fall of the two-leg’s chest.
On the ground below the raised cabin, the lion anchored its hindquarters with its tail and lifted its front quarters in one effortless ascension. It reached up and unsheathed its two-inch claws and locked them on the outside lip of the cabin floor. At two feet from the two-leg’s face, but on the other side of the screen, the lion’s whiskers felt the warmth of his body. Although the lion could have cut through the screen and then through the throat of the two-leg in a single swipe, he did not. The two-leg stirred and the animal left as silently as he came.
A note from the author: I hope you will enjoy my book. Know too, that you will be helping to preserve nature in the process. I am donating 25% of the royalties on this book to wildlife conservation.
Publication Date:
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: The children of world leaders are held hostage in an attempt to keep the peace in this “slyly humorous, starkly thought-provoking” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) novel.
Greta is a Duchess and a Crown Princess. She is also a Child of Peace, a hostage held by the de facto ruler of the world, the great Artificial Intelligence, Talis. This is how the game is played: if you want to rule, you must give one of your children as a hostage. Start a war and your hostage dies.
The system has worked for centuries. Parents don’t want to see their children murdered.
Greta will be free if she can make it to her eighteenth birthday. Until then she is prepared to die with dignity, if necessary. But everything changes when Elian arrives at the Precepture. He’s a hostage from a new American alliance, and he defies the machines that control every part of their lives—and is severely punished for it. His rebellion opens Greta’s eyes to the brutality of the rules they live under, and to the subtle resistance of her companions. And Greta discovers her own quiet power.
Then Elian’s country declares war on Greta’s and invades the prefecture, taking the hostages hostage. Now the great Talis is furious, and coming himself to deliver punishment. Which surely means that Greta and Elian will be killed...unless Greta can think of a way to break all the rules.
Greta is a Duchess and a Crown Princess. She is also a Child of Peace, a hostage held by the de facto ruler of the world, the great Artificial Intelligence, Talis. This is how the game is played: if you want to rule, you must give one of your children as a hostage. Start a war and your hostage dies.
The system has worked for centuries. Parents don’t want to see their children murdered.
Greta will be free if she can make it to her eighteenth birthday. Until then she is prepared to die with dignity, if necessary. But everything changes when Elian arrives at the Precepture. He’s a hostage from a new American alliance, and he defies the machines that control every part of their lives—and is severely punished for it. His rebellion opens Greta’s eyes to the brutality of the rules they live under, and to the subtle resistance of her companions. And Greta discovers her own quiet power.
Then Elian’s country declares war on Greta’s and invades the prefecture, taking the hostages hostage. Now the great Talis is furious, and coming himself to deliver punishment. Which surely means that Greta and Elian will be killed...unless Greta can think of a way to break all the rules.
Publication Date:
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: A cynical shelter dog learns to let down his guard and form a new animal family in this heartwarming and humorous friendship story from the author of Santa Paws.
Webster is too cool to be scared. Or alarmed. Or even a tiny bit nervous. So what if no one will adopt him? He’s had it with people anyway. He’s going to be a loner. Not going to get too comfortable in this new shelter, even if the home-baked treats are good. Not going to get used to the nice soft bed. Not going to make friends, no matter how much he kind of likes Jack the Terrier and even Florence the bossy cat. Nope, he doesn’t need friends. Acquaintances are just fine. And the first chance he gets, he’s hitting the road and living life on the range, just like one of the stoic cowboys he’s decided to model himself after.
But sometimes the best-laid plans (even those of a dog’s) have a way of backfiring. Will a tough pup like Webster find a home and family after all?
Webster is too cool to be scared. Or alarmed. Or even a tiny bit nervous. So what if no one will adopt him? He’s had it with people anyway. He’s going to be a loner. Not going to get too comfortable in this new shelter, even if the home-baked treats are good. Not going to get used to the nice soft bed. Not going to make friends, no matter how much he kind of likes Jack the Terrier and even Florence the bossy cat. Nope, he doesn’t need friends. Acquaintances are just fine. And the first chance he gets, he’s hitting the road and living life on the range, just like one of the stoic cowboys he’s decided to model himself after.
But sometimes the best-laid plans (even those of a dog’s) have a way of backfiring. Will a tough pup like Webster find a home and family after all?
Publication Date:
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: “The Nest leaves a lasting mark on the memory.” —The New York Times Book Review
Steve just wants to save his baby brother—but what will he lose in the bargain? Kenneth Oppel’s (Silverwing, The Boundless) haunting gothic tale for fans of Coraline, is one of the most acclaimed books of the year, receiving six starred reviews. Illustrations from Caldecott Medalist Jon Klassen.
For some kids summer is a sun-soaked season of fun. But for Steve, it’s just another season of worries. Worries about his sick newborn baby brother who is fighting to survive, worries about his parents who are struggling to cope, even worries about the wasp’s nest looming ominously from the eaves. So when a mysterious wasp queen invades his dreams, offering to “fix” the baby, Steve thinks his prayers have been answered.
All he has to do is say “Yes.” But “yes” is a powerful word. It is also a dangerous one. And once it is uttered, can it be taken back?
Celebrated author Kenneth Oppel creates an eerie masterpiece in this compelling story that explores disability and diversity, fears and dreams, and what ultimately makes a family. Includes illustrations from celebrated artist Jon Klassen.
Steve just wants to save his baby brother—but what will he lose in the bargain? Kenneth Oppel’s (Silverwing, The Boundless) haunting gothic tale for fans of Coraline, is one of the most acclaimed books of the year, receiving six starred reviews. Illustrations from Caldecott Medalist Jon Klassen.
For some kids summer is a sun-soaked season of fun. But for Steve, it’s just another season of worries. Worries about his sick newborn baby brother who is fighting to survive, worries about his parents who are struggling to cope, even worries about the wasp’s nest looming ominously from the eaves. So when a mysterious wasp queen invades his dreams, offering to “fix” the baby, Steve thinks his prayers have been answered.
All he has to do is say “Yes.” But “yes” is a powerful word. It is also a dangerous one. And once it is uttered, can it be taken back?
Celebrated author Kenneth Oppel creates an eerie masterpiece in this compelling story that explores disability and diversity, fears and dreams, and what ultimately makes a family. Includes illustrations from celebrated artist Jon Klassen.
Publication Date:
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: Ginger must save her high-tech hometown from robots gone rogue in this “quirky, dryly funny” (Booklist) science fiction novel from National Book Award–winning author Pete Hautman.
Welcome to Flinkwater, Iowa, home of the largest manufacturer of Articulated Computerized Peripheral Devices in the world. If you own a robot, it probably came from Flinkwater.
Meet Ginger Crump, the plucky, precocious (and somewhat sarcastic) genius who finds herself in the middle of a national emergency when Flinkwater’s computers start turning people into vegetables. Mental vegetables, that is. In Ginger’s words, they’ve been “bonked.”
When Ginger’s father is bonked, she recruits her self-declared future husband, boy genius Billy George, to help her find the source of the bonkings. Soon they’re up against a talking dog, a sasquatch, and a zombie, while Flinkwater is invaded by an army of black SUVs led by the witless-but-dangerous Agent Ffelps from Homeland Security. Can Ginger get to the bottom of the bonkings, or will computer chaos reign forever?
Welcome to Flinkwater, Iowa, home of the largest manufacturer of Articulated Computerized Peripheral Devices in the world. If you own a robot, it probably came from Flinkwater.
Meet Ginger Crump, the plucky, precocious (and somewhat sarcastic) genius who finds herself in the middle of a national emergency when Flinkwater’s computers start turning people into vegetables. Mental vegetables, that is. In Ginger’s words, they’ve been “bonked.”
When Ginger’s father is bonked, she recruits her self-declared future husband, boy genius Billy George, to help her find the source of the bonkings. Soon they’re up against a talking dog, a sasquatch, and a zombie, while Flinkwater is invaded by an army of black SUVs led by the witless-but-dangerous Agent Ffelps from Homeland Security. Can Ginger get to the bottom of the bonkings, or will computer chaos reign forever?
Publication Date:
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: When Jason and his friends form a garage band, they call it "No Frills" because they want to keep it real—even when they enter a band contest and pressures to alter their image mount. Then one day, due to a close encounter with lightning, Jason's life changes in a big way—but is he magically cooler or is it just his perception?
As he goes from blah to cool, his head swells as he takes his fifteen minutes of fame too seriously. His too-busy mother and fortune-telling grandmother don't get through to him. Even maybe-more-than-a-friend Layla is ready to give up on Jason, especially when he starts flirting with much-older Mindy. Only a rescued kitten keeps him even remotely grounded. It isn't until he loses the friendships with the band mates he once counted on that he realizes he has a major problem, and he worries it might be too late to fix it.
As he goes from blah to cool, his head swells as he takes his fifteen minutes of fame too seriously. His too-busy mother and fortune-telling grandmother don't get through to him. Even maybe-more-than-a-friend Layla is ready to give up on Jason, especially when he starts flirting with much-older Mindy. Only a rescued kitten keeps him even remotely grounded. It isn't until he loses the friendships with the band mates he once counted on that he realizes he has a major problem, and he worries it might be too late to fix it.
Publication Date:
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: No Love in the Garden of Eden...
Eden Rose has learned to deal with her mother’s criticism that she can do nothing right. What she can’t deal with are the arguments between her parents. To escape their angry words, she finds refuge in an old abandoned house. She always returns home, hoping her mother will love her one day, even though Eden’s not sure what the word love means.
Three other teens with problems also hang out at the Old House. Meeting Murphy, Toby, and Josh changes Eden’s world, and she begins to have faith in herself. Perhaps she can do something right, after all.
Thanks to the boys, she begins to understand the meaning of love. But will it be enough to save her broken home life?
Eden Rose has learned to deal with her mother’s criticism that she can do nothing right. What she can’t deal with are the arguments between her parents. To escape their angry words, she finds refuge in an old abandoned house. She always returns home, hoping her mother will love her one day, even though Eden’s not sure what the word love means.
Three other teens with problems also hang out at the Old House. Meeting Murphy, Toby, and Josh changes Eden’s world, and she begins to have faith in herself. Perhaps she can do something right, after all.
Thanks to the boys, she begins to understand the meaning of love. But will it be enough to save her broken home life?
Publication Date:
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction