Synopsis: In this stunning debut novel, two very different characters—a black boy who loses his home in Hurricane Katrina and a white boy in Vermont who loses his best friend in a tragic accident—come together to find healing.
 
A hurricane, a tragic death, two boys, one marble. How they intertwine is at the heart of this beautiful, poignant book. When ten-year-old Zavion loses his home in Hurricane Katrina, he and his father are forced to flee to Baton Rouge. And when Henry, a ten-year-old boy in northern Vermont, tragically loses his best friend, Wayne, he flees to ravaged New Orleans to help with hurricane relief efforts—and to search for a marble that was in the pocket of a pair of jeans donated to the Red Cross.
 
Rich with imagery and crackling with hope, this is the unforgettable story of how lives connect in unexpected, even magical, ways.
 
“In Smith’s poetic hands, this poignant story barrels across the pages and into the reader’s heart, reminding us that magic can arise from the deepest tragedy.” —Kathi Appelt, Newbery Honor Award winner and two-time National Book Award Finalist

Synopsis: Set in a bustling meadow in the Colorado highlands, Magic, Mayhem and Life Underground with Bunkie is a light-hearted story about a rabbit who might have hopped right out of Mayberry and onto the black-and-white, boldly-illustrated page. But the adventures of this warm-fuzzy bunny won’t lull you to sleep. Life in the meadow for Bunkie Bernstein is no picnic – at least not until he gains access to the tasty vegetable patch on the Murdock Farm – a feat that requires the help of a scurrilous snake and shape-shifting flower. When a fire in the forest forces Bunkie to move, he befriends a pika that he just can’t quite trust. Whoever heard of a rabbit that can’t jump, anyway? Things start to look up when Bunkie meets, Beatrice. This beautiful, cotton-white female rabbit is like a dream. However, Bunkie quickly learns that Beatrice is the one dreaming when he discovers that this beautiful bunny thinks she is human! Their eventful year comes to a close just as winter sets in, but not before encountering a ghost in the burrow – a perfect mystery on one fall hallowed eve.

Synopsis: Amber, a gifted teen actress and dancer struggling in her Hollywood career, and Derrick, a top ranked prep basketball star, are equally passionate about what they do. But as their romance grows they must each make a decision about what they love most in life and the sacrifices they're willing to make for each other.

Synopsis: The growing threat of the Weird has driven the Expansion to paranoia and oppression. Mandatory testing for infection is introduced, and the colony Braun's World - following reports of a new portal opening - is purged from orbit, at an unimaginable cost in lives.

Delia Walker, a senior analyst in the Expansions's intelligence bureau, protests the new policies and is drummed out. Desperate for a sign of hope, she charters the decrepit freighter the Baba Yaga and heads into Satan's Reach, following rumours of a world where humans and the Weird live peacefully side by side.
Hunted by the Bureau, Walker, her pilot Yershov, and Failt – a Vetch child stowaway, fleeing slavery – will uncover secrets about both the Weird and the Expansion; secrets that could prevent the seemingly inevitable war...

Synopsis: The Story Continues in When the Music Stops: Dance On

Martas life: Part Two. Marta struggles to regain her ability to dance. As she finds a job to support herself, her dance and her personal life takes several unexpected and harrowing turns. Will she be able to find a deeper well of strength to meet these new challenges head-on?

Eighteen year-old Marta Selbryth remained in Billings, Montana until she realized she'd need an extended recovery time before she'd be able to return to dancing. As the story begins, it's May, 1958 and Marta's returned to her family home in Bremerton, Washington. Her plan: work on her recovery and make decisions about her future as a dancer as well as her relationship with her boyfriend, Steve Mason.

It's true, it is hard to go home after being on your own, but Marta's mother welcomes her and lets her discover her own way forward. However, Marta feels displaced by her mom's special friend, Robert. Being alone and lonely, she wanders aimlessly through her days and nights. When she takes a job with the local community theatre, her energy returns. Her enthusiasm further reignites when her former ballet teacher, Miss Holland, invites Marta to teach at her dance studio.

Over the fall, winter and into spring, a series of unexpected events at the dance studio and in Marta's romantic relationships throw her life in chaos. She must rethink what and who she wants and needs in her life as well as how much she's willing to forfeit to achieve her goals. Read the first chapter...

Synopsis: Redeye Fulda Cold by Bill Fortin is a different type of war novel. This piece of history is set in 1969 West Germany. The reality of what happened in the Cold War on the border between the opposing forces of East and West makes this a great read; it's an important part of our military history. Rick Fontain, the main character, is found just out of high school working for Bell Systems when he is summoned by his friends and neighbors. During his induction into the US Army he is given an aptitude test. The test results change the path of his life forever. He is encouraged to become an officer but the extra time, in addition to his two years, is a no go for Rick. He opts for training on the Redeye, the first ever hand held surface to air missile system designed for close combat for the infantry. What Rick doesn't know is that he is being watched from afar. His progress is being scrutinized and he is being evaluated for recruitment into the CIA.The style of the author, Fortin, is written in the first person. We travel with Bill on a journey that follows the army life of Rick though short snippets of his, at times, humorous and MASH-like journey. The style of headers detailing the timeframe of where and when things were taking place are unique and are always appreciated by the reader always pushing to find out where and when what would happen next.His journey from boot camp continues when he is stationed near the Fulda Gap. Not a well known place, but its stragetic position to the free world was an important post that kept Europe safe during those tense 30 plus years. Rick and his team would become one of the greatest deterrents to an invasion from Mother Russia. Fortin brings all the key elements together to make a fabulous story: mystery; intrigue; love; suspense; bravery and reality. It is a snap shot in history back to when the world was at the brink. Redeye Fulda Cold is a historical expression of our military tradition. The story ends leaving the reader wanting to see a sequel novel to find out where Rick goes next.Author Bill Fortin has deftly combined fictional characters and people he served with in the United States Army to recount some important but little-known events during the Cold War. His story takes the reader to the people and places of the late 1960s European Military Community and a series of carefully crafted CIA military operations designed to thwart a possible Russian invasion through the infamous Fulda Gap.

Synopsis: The Twin Willows Waterfall is now under the control of the Benandanti, but for Alessia, the victory comes at a steep price. And the arrival of Nerina, one of the seven Concilio elders from the Friuli Clan, only complicates her life. Now she’s hiding a 450-year-old immortal on her farm, juggling school and her increasingly frustrated friends, and trying to keep the Malandanti from regaining the Waterfall. But it’s the passion that still lingers between her and Jonah that really keeps Alessia awake at night.

After a fatal visit from the Malandanti’s mage, Alessia brings in Jonah’s twin sister, Bree, to serve as a Benandanti spy. Bree has her own reasons for wanting to bring down the Malandanti, and soon she and Alessia find themselves in a tenuous alliance. But not even the powerful magic that Bree possesses nor the strong leadership that Nerina provides can stop the vicious Malandanti. As the two Clans barrel towards their inevitable collision, Alessia and Jonah are swept into the devastation and forced to make the ultimate choice.