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Bad Girls: Sirens, Jezebels, Murderesses, Thieves & Other Female Villains
Synopsis: From Jezebel to Catherine the Great, from Cleopatra to Mae West, from Mata Hari to Bonnie Parker, strong women have been a problem for historians, storytellers, and readers. Strong females smack of the unfeminine. They have been called wicked, wanton, and willful. Sometimes that is a just designation, but just as often it is not. "Well-behaved women seldom make history," is the frequently quoted statement by historian and feminist Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. But what makes these misbehaving women "bad"? Are we idolizing the wicked or salvaging the strong?

In BAD GIRLS, readers meet twenty-six of history’s most notorious women, each with a rotten reputation. But authors Jane Yolen and Heidi Stemple remind us that there are two sides to every story. Was Delilah a harlot or hero? Was Catherine the Great a great ruler, or just plain ruthless? At the end of each chapter, Yolen and Stemple appear as themselves in comic panels as they debate each girl’s badness—Heidi as the prosecution, Jane for context.

This unique and sassy examination of famed, female historical figures will engage readers with its unusual presentation of the subject matter. Heidi and Jane’s strong arguments for the innocence and guilt of each bad girl promotes the practice of critical thinking as well as the idea that history is subjective. Rebecca Guay’s detailed illustrations provide a rich, stylized portrait of each woman, while the inclusion of comic panels will resonate with fans of graphic novels.
Publication Date: 02/01/13
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Educational
Stolen Nights
Rebecca Maizel
Synopsis:

STOLEN NIGHTS by Rebecca Maizel
A Vampire Queen Novel

A new year is beginning at Wickham Boarding School. A new chance at life, at reversing the evil in my past. But nothing is ever as simple it seems...

Last year, the love of my life died performing a ritual to fulfill my one wish and make me human. And now I've performed the same ritual for my friend Vicken – and survived. Why am I here, back safe on Wickham campus?

The strong magic I used in the ritual did more than just make Vicken human. It drew someone to Lover's Bay who does not belong here. She wants the ritual. Then she wants me dead. And she will take down any and everyone in my life to get what she wants.

As if that weren't enough, the ritual has also summoned the anger of the Aeris, the four elements and most fundamental powers on earth. They have a surprise and an unbearable punishment for me – like stepping into the sun for the first time, only to be put into a cage. And now I have to make an impossible choice – between love or life, yearning or having, present or past…

Publication Date: 01/29/13
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Mystery
The Prey
Andrew Fukuda
Synopsis:

"Action-packed, heart-pounding, page-flipping action. I'm thoroughly in love with this riveting, thrilling read. –YA Reads



Don't miss the electrifying second book in the must-read trilogy of the year!

With death only a heartbeat away, Gene and the remaining humans must find a way to survive long enough to escape the hungry predators chasing them through the night. But they're not the only things following Gene. He's haunted by Ashley June who he left behind, and his burgeoning feelings for Sissy, the human girl at his side.

Their escape takes them to a refuge of humans living high in the mountains. Gene and his friends think they're finally safe, but not everything here is as it seems. And before long, Gene must ask himself if the new world they've entered is just as evil as the one they left behind. As their enemies close in on them and push Gene and Sissy closer, one thing becomes painfully clear: all they have is each other…if they can stay alive.

Chilling, inventive, and electrifying, The Prey is the second book in Andrew Fukuda's The Hunt series.

Publication Date: 01/29/13
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Mystery
Eye of the Desert
N K Bauer
Synopsis: Eye of the Desert, the first novel in the Elizabeth Stanford fantasy series. Elizabeth Stanford begins what she believes is a very simple journey, to find her missing grandmother and bring her home safely. Her bizarre dreams of ancient Egyptian temples portend what awaits her. Elizabeth meets mysterious friends of her grandmother: Violet Teasdale, Trevor Winslowe, Unas, Uraeus, and the Tetrad. A massive earthquake sets it all in motion. Elizabeth is plunged into the center of an ancient power struggle that has lasted for eons. She learns the people she meets are not at all what they seem. Even her beloved grandmother has secrets Elizabeth never suspected. One of these secrets has passed from grandmother to granddaughter. Her journey is so much more complicated than finding her grandmother. Elizabeth is drawn into a world she could never before have imagined. It is a world where time and space are severely limiting terms. A world where information travels on the wind. A world where old scores are begging to be settled.
Publication Date: 01/27/13
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
All We Know of Love
Nora Raleigh Baskin
Synopsis: A boldly original tale about a girl who journeys through love and loss to find her mother — and discovers that everyone has a story to tell, including herself.

"I used to think that a person would not know who I was, not really know me, until they heard about my mother."

Four years, four months, and fifteen days ago, Natalie Gordon's mother walked out mid-sentence, before she finished what she was going to say. Now Natalie is traveling twenty-four hours on a bus to Florida to find her mother, to find herself, to find out something about love. Along the way, Natalie struggles to understand her relationship with Adam, a boy she pines for with near-obsession, and to her surprise, she meets people with stories like her own, stories about giving love and getting lost in the desire to be wanted. Acclaimed middle-grade novelist Nora Raleigh Baskin makes her young adult debut with a deeply resonant novel about secrets held and secrets shared, about having the courage to uncover all we know — and don’t know — of love.
Publication Date: 01/22/13
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Chick Lit
Courage Has No Color-The True Story of the Triple Nickles
Synopsis: NAACP Image AwardA 2014 YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Finalist

They became America's first black paratroopers. Why was their story never told? Sibert Medalist Tanya Lee Stone reveals the history of the Triple Nickles during World War II.

World War II is raging, and thousands of American soldiers are fighting overseas against the injustices brought on by Hitler. Back on the home front, the injustice of discrimination against African Americans plays out as much on Main Street as in the military. Enlisted black men are segregated from white soldiers and regularly relegated to service duties. At Fort Benning, Georgia, First Sergeant Walter Morris's men serve as guards at The Parachute School, while the white soldiers prepare to be paratroopers. Morris knows that for his men to be treated like soldiers, they have to train and act like them, but would the military elite and politicians recognize the potential of these men as well as their passion for serving their country? Tanya Lee Stone examines the role of African Americans in the military through the history of the Triple Nickles, America's first black paratroopers, who fought in a little-known attack on the American West by the Japanese. The 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion, in the words of Morris, "proved that the color of a man had nothing to do with his ability."

From Courage Has No Color
What did it take to be a paratrooper in World War II? Specialized training, extreme physical fitness, courage, and -- until the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion (the Triple Nickles) was formed -- white skin.
It is 1943. Americans are overseas fighting World War II to help keep the world safe from Adolf Hitler's tyranny, safe from injustice, safe from discrimination. Yet right here at home, people with white skin have rights that people with black skin do not.
What is courage? What is strength? Perhaps it is being ready to fight for your nation even when your nation isn't ready to fight for you.
Publication Date: 01/22/13
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Nonfiction
UNDYING MOON
Raveyn Knight
Synopsis: Chandra Kane is a teenager who has a parrot that quotes Shakespeare, a living corpse that hides under her bed, and a pair of magical bracelets that belonged to her dead mother. Her evil clone is seducing her boyfriend and a murderous midget is stalking her girlfriends. Could life be any weirder? Absolutely. Chandra Kane is about to celebrate her one-hundredth birthday.
Publication Date: 01/21/13
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Finders Keepers? A True Story in India
Smita Turakhia, Robert Arnett
Synopsis: Robert Arnett
Publication Date: 01/20/13
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Educational
¿Es mio? Una historia verdadera en la India
Smita Turakhia, Robert Arnett
Synopsis: ¿Es mio? is the translation of the English edition of Finders Keepers?, the honored recipient of many distinguished awards. The charming true story set in India incorporates the author's heartwarming experiences while traveling there. The book shares the traditions, customs, and values of the people through simple experiences he had with them. The delightful jewel-toned illustrations take children on a picturesque, fun-filled journey through the exotic land.

The author's experiences emphasize timeless and universal values of honesty, respect, doing the right thing, and brotherhood. This wonderful book teaches multicultural respect, character education skills, self-esteem, tolerance, and cultural awareness. Includes glossary, pronunciations of Indian words, engaging character-building questions, facts on India, and craft activity.

With such beautiful illustrations and story, ¿Es mio? is an excellent picture book for parents and educators seeking to introduce children to lands beyond their borders. A great character education and a multicultural book.

Finders Keepers? un libro infantil en inglés y ganador de prestigiosos premios en los Estados Unidos, nos llega traducido al español bajo el titulo ¿Es mío? Este libro encantador nos trae una historia para niños y niñas con un mensaje que perdura en el tiempo. El autor narra sus cálidas y sencillas experiencias en la India y comparte con el lector las tradiciones, los estilos de vida y los valores de las personas con los que convivió. Las vívidas ilustraciones, abundantes en detalles, capturan los colores, la vida diaria y a las gentes de la India de tal forma, que la historia cobra vida.

Pinturas suntuosas con motivos de la India, matizadas con los colores de las piedras preciosas...[y] manjar tentador para la imaginación viajera...entretiene al lector.... School Library Journal

Un libro ilustrado verdaderamente excepcional, un tesoro para compartir con pequeñines y jóvenes. Midwest Book Review

Ilustraciones esplendidas y un mensaje global...un libro maravilloso...enseña el respeto multicultural, la educación del carácter, tolerancia y conciencia cultural... [los estudiantes] querían que volviera leer el libro una vez lo habíamos terminado. Learning® Magazine Teacher Evaluators

Publication Date: 01/20/13
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Spanish
The Paganini Curse
Giselle M. Stancic
Synopsis: In 1911 New York City, a teenage violinist must use her ingenuity and determination to find a murderer--before she becomes the next victim of The Paganini Curse.
Publication Date: 01/18/13
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Horatio's One Wish
James Bernardin, Joshua Kriesberg
Synopsis: Winner of the Mom's Choice Awards Gold Medal. This is a story that will tickle your funny-bone and touch your heart.  "Gently inspiring prose in the style of Charlotte's Web," raves The Midwest Book Review. "A touching tale with kindness, empathy, and courage." "Delightful." "Unforgettable."  

"Amiable traveling companions" take you on "a journey with considerable suspense," writes Publisher Weekly.  "All the right elements for an epic read-aloud adventure," says Seattle Child's Magazine.
              
Horatio has lived alone as long as he can remember. His only friend is a river otter named Rollic, who visits him nearly every day. But when Rollic goes missing, Horatio knows he must try to find him. With the help of hamster twins, Whisklet and Whimser, Horatio embarks on an adventure beyond anything he could have dreamed. Along the way, Horatio meets Leala, a champion archer from the hedgehog village--a village Horatio never knew existed. Leala opens a door to a home Horatio has yearned for all his life. Will Horatio continue on and risk his life to rescue his friend or will he follow Leala back to his long-lost home?

Enter a world full of magic and mystery, of woodland creatures and strange beasts.  Horatio's One Wish is a humorous and heartwarming story that shows what true friendship means. Show less
Publication Date: 01/16/13
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
Etched in Clay:The Life of Dave, Enslaved Potter Poet
Synopsis: "The life of Dave, an enslaved potter who inscribed his works with sayings and poems in spite of South Carolina's slave anti-literacy laws in the years leading up to the Civil War. Includes afterword, author's note, and sources"--Provided by publisher.
Publication Date: 01/15/13
Age Level: Any Age
Genre: Poetry
Vortex
Julie Cross
Synopsis:

Julie Cross's Vortex is the thrilling second installment of the Tempest series, in which the world hangs in the balance as a lovelorn Jackson must choose who to save

Jackson Meyer has thrown himself into his role as an agent for Tempest, the shadowy division of the CIA that handles all time-travel-related threats. Despite his heartbreak at losing the love of his life, Jackson has proved himself to be an excellent agent. However, after an accidental run in with Holly―the girl he altered history to save―Jackson is once again reminded of what he's lost. And when Eyewall, an opposing division of the CIA, emerges, Jackson and his fellow agents not only find themselves under attack, but Jackson begins to discover that the world around him has changed and someone knows about his erased relationship with Holly, putting both their lives at risk all over again.

Publication Date: 01/15/13
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Romance
Uses for Boys
Erica Lorraine Scheidt
Synopsis:

Anna remembers a time before boys, when she was little and everything made sense. When she and her mom were a family, just the two of them against the world. But now her mom is gone most of the time, chasing the next marriage, brining home the next stepfather. Anna is left on her own―until she discovers that she can make boys her family. From Desmond to Joey, Todd to Sam, Anna learns that if you give boys what they want, you can get what you need. But the price is high―the other kids make fun of her; the girls call her a slut. Anna's new friend, Toy, seems to have found a way around the loneliness, but Toy has her own secrets that even Anna can't know.

Then comes Sam. When Anna actually meets a boy who is more than just useful, whose family eats dinner together, laughs, and tells stories, the truth about love becomes clear. And she finally learns how it feels to have something to lose―and something to offer. Real, shocking, uplifting, and stunningly lyrical, Uses for Boys by Erica Lorraine Scheidt is a story of breaking down and growing up.

Publication Date: 01/15/13
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Romance
The Reluctant Knight
Doug Glener
Synopsis: Percival Adler always dreamed of going on a quest-until he stumbled into a real one. Now he's found himself entangled in an adventure with a Mongol warlord, an insane pharaoh, and the greatest samurai of 19th-century Japan. The cast of characters takes to Manhattan in search of a legendary relic that gives its wielder unimaginable power. Inside: lost civilizations, time-traveling warriors, suspicious parents, barbarous hordes, and one unforgettable ride.
Publication Date: 01/15/13
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fantasy
The Reluctant Knight
Doug Glener
Synopsis: Percival Adler always dreamed of going on a quest-until he stumbled into a real one. Now he's found himself entangled in an adventure with a Mongol warlord, an insane pharaoh, and the greatest samurai of 19th-century Japan. The cast of characters takes to Manhattan in search of a legendary relic that gives its wielder unimaginable power. Inside: lost civilizations, time-traveling warriors, suspicious parents, barbarous hordes, and one unforgettable ride.
Publication Date: 01/15/13
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fantasy

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