Theme: Secret

Honey Cake

By Yoo Kyung Sung | Published: December 1, 2008

For David Nathan, Copenhagen is the most beautiful city in the world. Even Nazis in the street can’t make Copenhagen ugly. But life has changed since the soldiers arrived. His parents are always worried. And his older sister goes to school early and comes home late. Sometimes she doesn’t come home at all! David’s father [...]

Descriptors: Denmark, Germany, Historical Fiction, Intermediate (ages 9-14), Scandinavia, Sweden » Other Themes: , , , , , , , , , » Leave a comment

Wendy

By Yoo Kyung Sung | Published: December 1, 2008

In early twentieth-century London, before Wendy encounters Peter Pan, she is not the perfect girl her parents would like her to be. Intrepid, outspoken, and willful, she’s always getting into trouble. One evening, confined to the nursery by her horrible nanny, she sneaks out to spy on one of her parents’ glamorous parties. She sees her [...]

Descriptors: England (UK), Historical Fiction, Young Adult (ages 14-18) » Other Themes: , , , » Leave a comment

Sketches

By Yoo Kyung Sung | Published: December 1, 2008

After fleeing her home, suburban-bred Dana struggles to survive in the alleys, squats, and subway stations of downtown Toronto. Dana’s graffiti on an underpass catches the eye of a counselor at Sketches, a drop-in center where homeless teens can express themselves through art. As Dana works on a painting, she begins to confront the reason [...]

Descriptors: Canada, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult (ages 14-18) » Other Themes: , , , , , » Leave a comment

The Apprentice

By Yoo Kyung Sung | Published: December 1, 2008

In Renaissance Florence, thirteen-year-old apprentice Arduino’s dreams of being a painter are challenged after he discovers the extreme measures the Maestro Cosimo di Forlç will take in the name of jealousy. Arduino faces a decision that could cost him his only chance to realize his life’s dream.

Descriptors: Historical Fiction, Intermediate (ages 9-14), Italy » Other Themes: , , , , , » Leave a comment

Melusine

By Yoo Kyung Sung | Published: December 1, 2008

A teenaged boy becomes embroiled in the mysterious life of a farm girl while on vacation in the south of France.

Descriptors: France, Intermediate (ages 9-14), Mystery, Realistic Fiction » Other Themes: , , , » Leave a comment

The Swan Kingdom

By Yoo Kyung Sung | Published: December 1, 2008

Shadows fall across the beautiful, lush kingdom after the queen is attacked by an unnatural beast, and the healing skills of her daughter, Alexandra, cannot save her. Too soon the widowed king is spellbound by a frightening stranger, a woman whose eyes reflect no light. In a terrifying moment, all Alexandra knows disappears, including her [...]

Descriptors: England (UK), Fantasy, Intermediate (ages 9-14), Young Adult (ages 14-18) » Other Themes: , , , , , , , » Leave a comment

The White Giraffe

By Rebecca Ballenger | Published: October 29, 2008

When Martine’s home in England burns down, killing her parents, she must go to South Africa to live on a wildlife game preserve, called Sawubona, with the grandmother she didn’t know she had. Almost as soon as she arrives, Martine hears stories about a white giraffe living in the preserve. But her grandmother and others [...]

Descriptors: Fantasy, Intermediate (ages 9-14), South Africa » Other Themes: , , , , , , , » Leave a comment

A Song for Ba

By Rebecca Ballenger | Published: October 29, 2008

In the Chinese opera, men traditionally sing both male and female parts. Wei Lim’s father, Ba, however, usually plays masculine characters and sings in a deep bass voice. But Wei’s grandfather played female roles, and has secretly taught Wei to sing these difficult parts. When the New World’s entertainments begin to cause a shrinking audience [...]

Descriptors: Canada, Picture Book, Primary (ages 6-9), Realistic Fiction » Other Themes: , , , , , » Leave a comment

006 and a Half

By Rebecca Ballenger | Published: October 29, 2008

In this book, James Bond, Daisy decides she wants to play her favorite dress-up game: spies! But how can she accomplish her missions if no one understands her secret code language? Daisy is almost ready to call it quits when her mom gets into the action, and Daisy realizes that being a spy just might [...]

Descriptors: England (UK), Fiction, Picture Book, Primary (ages 6-9) » Other Themes: , , » Leave a comment

Dreamquake

By Rebecca Ballenger | Published: October 29, 2008

The dreamhunting began as a beautiful thing, when Tziga Hame discovered that he could enter the Place and share the dreams he found there with other people. But Tziga Hame has disappeared and Laura, his daughter, knows that the art of projecting dreams has turned sour. On St. Lazarus’s Eve, when elite citizens gather at [...]

Descriptors: Fantasy, New Zealand, Young Adult (ages 14-18) » Other Themes: , , , , » Leave a comment