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Kingdom of the Golden Dragon
Synopsis:

Not many months have passed since teenager Alexander Cold followed his bold grand-mother into the heart of the Amazon to uncover its legendary Beast. This time, reporter Kate Cold escorts her grandson and his closest friend, Nadia, along with the photographers from International Geographic, on a journey to another remote niche of the world. Entering a forbidden sovereignty tucked in the frosty peaks of the Himalayas, the team's task is to locate its fabled Golden Dragon, a sacred statue and priceless oracle that can foretell the future of the kingdom.

In their scramble to reach the statue before it is destroyed by the greed of an outsider, Alexander and Nadia must use the transcendent power of their totemic animal spirits -- Jaguar and Eagle. With the aid of a sage Buddhist monk, his young royal disciple, and a fierce tribe of Yeti warriors, Alexander and Nadia fight to protect the holy rule of the Golden Dragon.

Isabel Allende once again leads readers on a fantastical voyage of suspense, magic, and awe-inspiring adventure in this riveting follow-up to City of the Beasts.

Publication Date: 04/27/04
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
A Trick of the Eye
Dennis Haseley
Synopsis: When Richard discovers that he can communicate with the people in paintings, he is told of a secret from the past that can only be revealed by finding the right painting and so now, unsure of what he'll find, must decide whether to pursue the secret or just leave things alone.
Publication Date: 04/26/04
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Mystery
Messenger
Lois Lowry
Synopsis: Knowing that the Village will soon be closed to all outsiders, Matty must make the trek through the dangerous Forest to find Seer's daughter and convince her to return with him before it is too late and he loses her forever.
Publication Date: 04/26/04
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Shadowmancer
G. P. Taylor
Synopsis: Craving power and wealth, vicar Obadiah Demurral enlists the powers of darkness and uses his powers as a shadowmancer, a sorcerer who commands the souls of the dead, to become all-powerful, and Raphah, a young wizard who has come to reclaim a priceless stolen artifact, is the only one with the hope of defeating Demurral and his demonic forces.
Publication Date: 04/26/04
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Leaving Protection
Will Hobbs
Synopsis:

When sixteen-year-old Robbie Daniels leaves Port Protection, Alaska, for the nearby fishing town of Craig, king salmon season is less than forty-eight hours away from starting without him. The few salmon fishermen who can afford to hire help have already found their deckhands, and time is running out on Robbie's dream of fishing the open ocean for kings.

A tip from a teacher puts Robbie on the trail of a legendary captain named Tor Torsen, but when Robbie boards Tor's fishing troller without permission, he happens upon a piece of Russian history that Tor would do just about anything to hide. Then Tor surprises Robbie by hiring him on, but for reasons darker than Robbie ever could guess.

Catching king salmon from dawn till dusk, Robbie thinks himself lucky -- until he discovers his captain's true intentions. Tor is searching along the coastline for historic metal plaques buried by early Russian explorers laying claim to Alaska. When Robbie finds out how valuable these possession plaques are, he fears he may know too much to survive. Tor's wrath and a violent storm at sea put Robbie's courage and wits to the ultimate test.

Publication Date: 04/13/04
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Environment
Cirque Du Freak: A Living Nightmare
Synopsis: In the tradition of Stephen King's 'Salem's Lot, Cirque Du Freak is the frightening saga of a young boy whose visit to a mysterious freak show leads him on a journey into a dark world of vampires. Filled with grotesque creatures, murderous vampires, and a petrifying ending, Cirque Du Freak will chill, thrill, and leave readers begging for more.
Publication Date: 04/01/04
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
The House on Falling Star Hill
Synopsis: The break-out literary novel from Michael Molloy, who has achieved great commercial success with his WITCH TRADE and TIME WITCHES books.

When Tim moves to his grandparent's village, everything seems mysterious. Why are there no flowers anywhere? Who is the weeping woman wandering through midnight streets? And what is the secret of the empty house on Falling Star Hill? The mystery deepens when Tim meets Sarre, a girl from another world. She leads Tim to the place she comes from--a magical, old-fashioned land connected to our own by falling stars, where flowers are guarded like treasures. It is there that all secrets will be revealed. And it is there that Tim will find his destiny.
Publication Date: 04/01/04
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Double Helix
Nancy Werlin
Synopsis: Aware that his father is unhappy with him taking the job with Dr. Wyatt at Wyatt Transgenics, Eli takes on his new work with enthusiasm until he begins to uncover the connection between his employer, his family, and his mother's Huntington's disease.
Publication Date: 03/30/04
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Al Capone Does My Shirts
Gennifer Choldenko
Synopsis: Moose Flannagan moves with his family to Alcatraz so his dad can work as a prison guard and his sister, Natalie, can attend a special school.  But Natalie has autism, and when she's denied admittance to the school, the stark setting of Alcatraz begins to unravel the tenuous coping mechanisms Moose's family has used for dealing with her disorder.

When Moose meets Piper, the cute daughter of the Warden, he knows right off she's trouble.  But she's also strangely irresistible.  All Moose wants to do is protect Natalie, live up to his parents' expectations, and stay out of trouble.  But on Alcatraz, trouble is never very far away.

Set in 1935, when guards actually lived on Alcatraz Island with their families.  Choldenko's second novel brings humor to the complexities of family dynamics and illuminates the real struggle of a kid trying to free himself from the "good boy" stance he's taken his whole life.

Publication Date: 03/30/04
Age Level: Any Age
Genre: Historical Fiction
My Sister's Wedding
Hannah R. Goodman
Synopsis: Fifteen-year-old, self help book junky Madeline Hickman feels she has a pretty messed up life. She attributes it all to sex and booze. First, her alcoholic sister Barbara is marrying codependent enabler Michael. Michael mistakenly insists that Barbara will finally stop drinking once she's married. Then, her boyfriend Justin decides the best way to cope with the death of his father is bingeing on Jack Daniels. On top of that, he thinks sex is the answer to all of their problems. At the same time, her best friend Peter has decided sex with his girlfriend takes precedence over his friendship with Maddie. Then there's the mysterious family squabble between her beloved grandmother Bubbie and The Jewish Martha Stewart (a.k.a Maddie's mother). And to top it all off, her parents are totally clueless about everything-- or so she thinks. Between the surfacing of family secrets and losing her best friend and boyfriend, Maddie feels completely out of control.

"Hannah Goodman has written a wonderfully witty, engrossing and hilarious novel about sisters and their relationships. Her prose is dead on and her scenes flow effortlessly from one to the other. I can't remember the last time I stayed up to finish a book, but I had to finish My Sister's Wedding!"

--Rosemary O'Brien, Author of First Saturday

Publication Date: 03/28/04
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
The Oracle Betrayed
Catherine Fisher
Synopsis:

They might not know what the future holds,
but they know they hold it in their hands.

Mirany, the newly appointed attendant to the Speaker, is untested, in fear for her life, and keeper of the god's secrets.

Seth, an ambitious scribe toiling in the shadow of the pyramid, has discovered the secret labyrinths and underground passages to the tombs.

Hermia, the Speaker, interprets the words of the god and twists his wishes to suit her treachery.

General Argelin, the cunning leader in league with the Speaker, intends to dictate the choosing of the new ruler Alexos, the quiet boy, is fated to rule the land -- unless his enemies succeed in their plot.

Oblek, the foolish musician, may be the only person who can keep Alexos alive.

The Jackal, the black-market tomb raider, will strike like a scorpion if anyone interferes with his scheme to rob the sacred catacombs

Publication Date: 03/16/04
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Falling in the Garden
Walter G. Klimczak
Synopsis: I stood in anticipation before my open bedroom window, listening to the steady cadence of the rain. It fell upon the darkened world beyond and a myriad collection of sounds melted seamlessly together to form the powerful, dissonant voice of the storm. For all its predictability, there remained an element of surprise within the static-a subtle, unspoken phrase or message trying to break through the surface.Doing his best to live a life touched by sorrow, Michael Sullivan has always been searching for an answer. When his best friend moves away, he tries to look within for some kind of explanation. Then he meets Ashley Haddow in the center of a sprawling forest-a place they call The Meadow. Separated by a span of over 50 years, both form a friendship that transcends time.They soon come to share an impossible secret and find themselves in the middle of something far stranger than they could have ever imagined.
Publication Date: 03/03/04
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Midnighters: The Secret Hour
Scott Westerfeld
Synopsis:

This is the first book in New York Times bestselling author Scott Westerfeld’s Midnighters series.

A few nights after Jessica Day arrives in Bixby, Oklahoma, she wakes up at midnight to find the entire world frozen. For one secret hour each night, the town belongs to the dark creatures that haunt the shadows. And only a small group of people—Jessica included—is free to move about then. They are The Midnighters.  

The Secret Hour is the first book in the Midnighters trilogy, from the acclaimed New York Times bestselling author of the Uglies series.

Publication Date: 03/02/04
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Science Fiction
Kissing the Rain
Kevin Brooks
Synopsis: From the acclaimed author of MARTYN PIG and LUCAS comes another compelling, edgy ,YA thriller about love, loss, and life.

Moo Nelson likes to be alone. Overweight and shy, Moo is constantly mocked and bullied by his cruel classmates. He's happiest spending time on a secluded bridge above the highway, watching the cars go by. One day, from his special spot, Moo witnesses a crime that changes his life forever. He sees a car chase and a murder--and suddenly Moo's a celebrity of sorts. The police, the lawyers, and even the bullies are now really interested in Moo. But so is one shady character who seems intent on tracking Moo down. Now all Moo has to do is find out the truth behind the crime...before it's too late.
Publication Date: 03/01/04
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Fly Little Bird, Fly
Donna Nordmark Aviles
Synopsis: Holding tight to one another, vowing never to be separated, Oliver and Edward board the Orphan Train headed west to find a new home. The year is 1906 and the boys have been told that their mother has died and they are now alone. Follow the TRUE adventures of the Nordmark brothers as they travel on America's Orphan Train from the streets of New York City to the vast farmlands of the Midwest. Will they find a family to love? Will they be able to keep their promise? The future that awaits them will be full of twists and turns, surprises and anguish, all of which will shape their lives forever!
Publication Date: 02/18/04
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Historical Nonfiction
Truesight
David, Jr. Stahler
Synopsis:

On a frontier world is a colony called Harmony.

Like everyone who lives there, Jacob is blind.

In his debut novel, David Stahler Jr. vividly imagines a future where genetic engineering has taken a startling turn. On a distant planet, in a utopian community of the blind, one remarkable young man will discover just how much there is to see -- if only he is willing to look.

Publication Date: 02/17/04
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Science Fiction

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