Years afterwards, Ruben Hart tells the story of how, in 1929 Newport, Rhode Island, his family and his best friend's family were caught up in the violent competition among groups trying to control the local rum-smuggling trade.

On an unseasonably warm Easter Sunday, a young girl namedIvy discovers a chilling secret in the basement of the Rumbaughpharmacy across the street from the hotel where she lives withher mother. The discovery reveals a disturbing side to theeccentric lives of family friends Abner and Adolph Rumbaugh,known throughout their small western Pennsylvania townsimply as the Twins. It seems that Ab and Dolph have beencompelled by a powerful mutual love for their deceased motherto do something extraordinary, something that in its owntwisted way bridges the gap between the living and the dead.Immediately, Ivy's discovery provokes the revelation of aRumbaugh family curse, a curse that, as Ivy will learn over thecoming years, holds a strange power over herself and her ownmother.In his third book for young adults, Jack Gantos has scripted acompletely original drama. With gothic flavor and black humor,he depicts a group of people bound together by love,compulsion . . . and a passion for taxidermy.

"Enough games," the man said, raising the gun yet again. "And enough of the Population Police, I say." This time he cocked the gun and aimed carefully. This is real, Luke thought. This is really going to happen. "No, don't!" he screamed. Luke Garner is a third-born in a restrictive society that allows only two children per family. Risking his life, he came out of hiding to fight against the Population Police laws. Now, in the final volume of Margaret Peterson Haddix's suspenseful Shadow Children series, Luke inadvertently sets off a rebellion that results in the overthrow of the government. The people are finally free. But who is in charge now? And will this new freedom be everything they had hoped? With all of the plot twists and excitement Haddix's fans have come to expect, Among the Free brings the Shadow Children sequence to a chilling conclusion.

Let your imagination soar and take flight with these fourteen original tales of fantasy and science fiction by a distinguished line-up of award-winning children's and young adult authors. Joan Bauer gives us Chloe, a fantasy writer trying to tell a new story--but her characters won't cooperate. Suzanne Fisher Staples introduces us to the powers of djinn in her magical tale set in Pakistan. Charles de Lint offers a romantic tale set during the Summer of Love in his mythical city of Newford. A witch's son seeks revenge in a chilling murder mystery by Michael O. Tunnell. Craig and Jessica, two high school runners, star in this story of transformation by Rich Wallace. Patrice Kindl's mysterious Mrs. Duck moves into the boring town of Refreshing Acres--and nothing is ever the same again. In S.L. Rottman's action-packed tale, the world is on fire, and it's a race to the water's edge. David Lubar thrills us with his story of Deborah, an aspiring magician. Mel Glenn shares a conversation between Ryan and an Angel in the afterlife. Jessie's encounter with a toad changes her life in this uplifting tale by Nancy Springer. A soldier meets the ghost of Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City bomber, in John Ritter's thought-provoking story. An oracle makes an unsettling prediction in Sharon Dennis Wyeth's tale.Neal Shusterman introduces us to a young thief who holds the fate of the universe in his hands. Tamora Pierce's story takes us to the land of Hartunjar, where women are subservient to men--but not for long…