Raise the stakes and feel the heat. Kip is addicted to the pure adrenaline rush that hits when the stakes are high and the bets are laid down. His gambling addiction uses up his money, his mother's money -- and then their real trouble begins. Dennis Foon's believable portrait of a teen caught in a gambling addiction crackles with suspense and a foreboding sense of where Kip will land. Originally published in 2000, this remarkable novel has been updated to reflect new technology and the rise of online gambling. Praise for the previous edition of Double or Nothing: New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age "Our Choice" List, Canadian Children's Book Centre South Carolina Young Adult Book Award finalist "This edgy novel believably captures the nightmare of compulsive gambling." -- Horn Book "Compelling characters . . . a fast-moving plot with plenty of crisp, authentic dialog." -- Booklist

Twelve years ago, for 12 days straight, the town of Widowsbury suffered a terrible storm, which tore open a gate through which escaped all sorts of foul, rotten things. Strange things and strange people were no longer welcomed in Widowsbury, for one could never be sure of what secrets waited under the surface . . . Adelaide Foss, Maggie Borland, and Beatrice Alfred are known by their classmates at Widowsbury's Madame Gertrude's School for Girls as "scary children." Unfairly targeted because of their peculiarities—Adelaide has an uncanny resemblance to a werewolf, Maggie is abnormally strong, and Beatrice claims to be able to see ghosts—the girls spend a good deal of time isolated in the school's inhospitable library facing detention. But when a number of people mysteriously begin to disappear in Widowsbury, the girls work together, along with Steffen Weller, son of the cook at Rudyard School for Boys, to find out who is behind the abductions. Will they be able to save Widowsbury from a 12-year-old curse?

"As one's world seems to break down around you, honesty seems quite out of reach. "Worlds Apart" is a story of David, a young man facing high school with his world falling apart around him. With gang war running rampant around him in 1980s New York City, it doesn't ultimately seem hopeful for his future. A coming of age thriller that deftly works in supernatural elements, "Worlds Apart" is a unique and much recommended read." - Helen Dumont, Midwest Book Review. The high school prom was the worst night of David's life, and twenty years later, he's unable to get over high school. But given the tragic circumstances of that night, who could? There are nine student deaths at Stanton High School every year. Surviving senior year has never been so stressful. In the 1980's, crime, gangs, and violence, have taken over New York City, making life a challenge for any student. The story follows David from the first day of his senior year, all the way to graduation. Doubts, a lack of direction, and regret are weighing heavily on his mind. He is a musical prodigy confused about college, life, and career choices. He can't trust his classmates at his ultra-competitive high school, where the goal is Harvard (no matter who gets hurt in the process.) Delancey is the girl of his dreams, but she is out of his league. The SATS, choices for college, school dances, and the prom, all start to overwhelm David. A fellow student, obsessed with the metaphysical world, befriends David. David must give the musical performance of his life in order to win back the girl of his dreams. An unforeseen supernatural plot twist leads the reader to a thrilling and suspenseful ending. Worlds Apart is a modern day retelling of the classic Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice.

Private Cathay's Secret depicts the determination and perseverance of a young slave girl, Cathay Williams. Thrust from her home on a Missouri plantation, she becomes a cook for the Union Army. Little does she realize this servitude throughout much of the Civil War will prepare her for her greatest challenge: impersonating a male soldier in the U. S. Army at the end of the war. Alongside her male companions, Williams endures hardships and performs her duties with them equally, during a time when women are not allowed to serve in the military. No one discovers her gender until she reveals it at the time of her discharge. Much has been written about the Buffalo Soldier 10th Cavalry, but infantry escapades are largely clouded in obscurity.