In The Web Paige Chronicles, the reader is introduced to the character Wilhelmina Evangeline Beatriz Paige. Her friends and family call her “Web.” Web is a twelve-year-old computer and internet genius who helps her friends and others when they have problems with malware, WIFI protection, online scams, and other technological issues. When she helps a friend’s mother, she realizes she has skills that would help others, and she starts her own technology business.
Emmylou Anders and her family are hoping for a quiet vacation to help Mom recover from her latest round of chemo. Emmylou is upset because she will have virtually no contact with her best friend. Instead, she and her family are going to a place in the mountains. Her father says, “We’re going somewhere with no phones, no e-mail, and no one to bother us.” Emmylou is determined to have no fun, but when she and her brother, Levi, meet new friends, the Pixels, she begins to have a lot of fun. There is just one problem: the Pixels’ forest home is in danger!
Camila has kept a secret all her life; she has been tossed around between relatives ever since her mom was incarcerated and sentenced to death for killing in cold blood. Now, in high school, she has a strait-laced, A-student boyfriend, but she still has not told him her secret. She's OK with ignoring her secret and trying to live a normal life. Camila wants to be seen as someone worthy of love and a second chance, not some dangerous criminal's daughter.
Degas - Painter of Ballerinas by Susan Goldman Rubin shares the story of Degas's life and work through photos of his paintings, descriptions and direct quotes from Degas himself. Degas strayed from the expectations of his family. Instead of taking the path to become a lawyer to please his father, he embraced the challenges of a career as an artist. He was infatuated by the world of dance and spent the greater part of his life around dancers. His connection with the dancers centered around the respect that he had for artists in general.
Returning to Normal is a wonderfully insightful book that addresses real-life problems faced by teenagers whose parents are in, or returning from, prison. Xavier has a pretty good life. He and his girlfriend get along really well. His baseball coach is hopeful for Xavier's career, and his dad is coming home soon. What he doesn't expect is that his dad will be a totally different person who might ruin everything. His dad is always angry with him when he isn't drinking or lecturing Xavier. Things go downhill from there.
Prince Jasper of Thisley and his father are fighting. Jasper is punished and hopes for a way out of his duties. However, as he works in the stables, he sees his punishment in a different perspective. Meanwhile, on the other side of the mountains, Jasper's sister is giving birth. Jasper's mom decides to visit her, after her daughter pleads for her to come to Concordia. To keep her husband and Jasper from fighting, she insists that Jasper tag along. Jasper doesn't like this idea but decides that it it's for the best.
