Synopsis: Here's a radical concept: Most girls are happy, and so are their mothers. Most girls are not destined for depression, eating disorders, low self-esteem, and raging fights with their parents-that's just a very noisy minority. In My Girl, Karen Stabiner tells the story of one girl's journey into adolescence, and of her own efforts to find a way to guide her daughter through life's real thickets-not the scary but rare ones we hear so much about. When Sarah reached sixth grade, horror stories about the coming teenage years began drifting her parents' way. The media reinforced the idea of mothers and daughters as adversaries, and the fashion industry promoted styles that fairly guaranteed a battle. But as Stabiner approached that supposedly stormy time, she found something quite different. The world was full of daughters who were sick of being told how wretched they were and mothers who found that the passage to adolescence was both exciting and enjoyable-despite the inevitable conflicts. Even the happiest adolescence is full of challenges, though, and Karen Stabiner has gathered a lifesaving breadth of expert instruction ("Even when it's difficult, the onus is on the mother to be an adult"), enlightenment ("Ninety-seven percent of girls do not have a diagnosable eating disorder"), and support (conflict is "an incredible compliment to a mother," the safe person in her daughter's life). Sarah grows from a child who still likes to be carried to bed occasionally into a teen mastering a demanding sport and navigating friendships, and Karen Stabiner tells the story of that transition in scenes that will be both familiar and instructive to all mothers. Along the way, she learns to let go a little and to adjust the balance of her own life. With warmth, humor, and sharp insight, My Girl charts those first years of adolescence-and engagingly debunks the prevailing assumption that they are inevitably miserable.

Synopsis: A witty British girl raised in America. A strong-willed young prince slated to assume the highest office in England. When their worlds collide. . .anything can happen! In this stunning re-imagining of the life of Prince William of Wales, author Valorie Beardsley follows the life of fictional Emily Harrison, a British-born girl who is raised in Los Angeles, and who just happens to have a crush on Prince William of Wales. Emily returns to England as a young adult to attend St. Andrews University, and is amazed when the man of her dreams is sitting in her classroom! Can William and Emily conquer their fears and succeed in love, when the whole world is watching them? Told with dazzling detail and sparkling insight, British Born American Bred is a delightful mingling of fantasy and reality that will have readers wondering not only what happens next, but also what really happens in the lives of the Royal Family. Beardsley combines the depth of historical fiction with the pace of a tabloid, making British Born American Bred one of the most original U.S. exports of the year!

Synopsis: When her personal diary--filled with secret crushes, fears, and kissing practice--somehow makes its way to the Internet, for all to see, seventh grader Erin Swift--using humor and ingenuity--must find a way to overcome this latest obstacle. Original.

Synopsis: A brave girl must defy an empire to save her homeland in a sweeping fantasy that combines breathless action with richly-imagined characters.

After the death of her beloved father, headstrong princess Thirrin Freer Strong-In-The-Arm becomes warrior queen of her homeland, Icemark, defending it from a formidable invader. Despite Thirrin's bravery and the support of Oskan, the Witch's son, the task proves more difficult than Thirrin ever dreamed. She must assemble a force to rival her opponent. And, in the chill winter of Icemark, she only has until spring to unite the strange beasts and frightening creatures who live just outside her country. Ultimately, it is Thirrin's vision and determination that will see her through to victory.

Synopsis: Edwidge Danticat, the award-winning, best-selling author of THE FARMING OF BONES and KRIK? KRAK! offers a powerful addition to The Royal Diaries series with the story of Haiti's heroic queen Anacaona.

With her signature narrative grace, Edwidge Danticat brings Haiti's beautiful queen Anacaona to life. Queen Anacaona was the wife of one of her island's rulers, and a composer of songs and poems, making her popular among her people. Haiti was relatively quiet until the Spanish conquistadors discovered the island and began to settle there in 1492.
The Spaniards treated the natives very cruelly, and when the natives revolted, the Spanish governor of Haiti ordered the arrests of several native nobles, including Anacaona, who was eventually captured and executed, to the horror of her people.

Synopsis: Leap into the ancient world in renowned author Ann Turner's exciting addition to the Life and Times series. Maia's story is filled with action, adventure, and all the drama of life in ancient Egypt.

The intrigue and mysticism of ancient Egypt comes to life in Ann Turner's spectacular addition to The Life and Times series. In the time of the Pharoah Hatshepsut's rule, the Egyptian days could pass as slowly as the Nile's lazy waters, or as quickly as the Nile's rising floodwaters.

Maia and her brother are orphaned and living with a cold, judgmental aunt and uncle in Thebes. Searching for a way out of their house, Maia pleads with her brother, Sethnet, who is learning to be a scribe, to teach her how to write. He agrees, and this is to be her saving skill.