Pandemonium

Acclaimed author Chris Wooding’s first graphic novel — fun fantasy-adventure with a macabre twist! Seifer’s life is about to become a royal pain. . . . As captain of the local skullball team, Seifer Tombchewer is the envy of his peers. He’s fast, he’s strong, and he flies circles around the competition. But Seifer’s always dreamed of more–of leaving his tiny, remote village for a new life beyond the mountains. He just never dreamed it would happen like this. Knocked unconscious and abducted, Seifer awakens in the royal palace to learn that Prince Talon Pandemonium has gone missing. And since Seifer is a ringer for Talon, it’s his duty to replace the missing royal in his roles of diplomat, warrior, and Lord Defender of the Realm. He might fool Talon’s sisters. He might fool Talon’s army. But Seifer has little hope of fooling Talon’s enemies. . . .Chris Wooding and debut artist Cassandra Diaz team for a classic tale of mistaken identity set against the breathtakingly original backdrop of the Darkling Realm.

Caddy’s World

People vanish for days, come to live in your bedroom, hide under tables for hours and hours, count pennies in jam jars until they have enough to buy bread, and then the next day gild halos for the school play with real gold leaf.  Caddy’s home is a turmoil of piled possessions, lost belongings, and unexpected adventures. Her one constant is her three best friends, a charmed circle that she never wants to leave. But the summer that Caddy is twelve, everything turns upside down. Her mother spends most of her time in the hospital with the fragile new baby. Her father comes home from London to “organize” his family, causing plenty of chaotic confusion. Her boyfriend, not content with dating three girls, is looking to conquer a fourth. But worst of all for Caddy, her best friends are growing up and growing apart. Luckily, Caddy is the bravest of the brave and luckily for Caddy, endings are not always the end, and a world that is entirely unpredictaale is also a world full of surprises.

Pegasus: The Flame of Olympus

Reborn as the Flame, thirteen-year-old Emily has saved Olympus from destruction but when the gruesome Nirads begin a new invasion, Emily and her friends become entangled in the conflict as old grudges are unearthed and new enemies are discovered.

A Boy And A Bear In A Boat

A boy and a bear go to sea.  They’re not going far–it really shouldn’t take long…

But then they encounter “unforeseeable anomalies”:  Turbulant stormy seas!  A terrifying sea monster!  And the rank remains of The Very Last Sandwich.  The odds are against the boy and the bear and their boat.  Will the Harriet, their trusted vessel, withstand the violent lashings of the salty waves?  And will anyone ever answer their message ina  bottle?  Charming, entertaining and utterly original, this beautiful book mapys the growth of a truly memorable friendship and tells the story of how, when all is lost, the most unexpected joys can be found.

The Adventures Of Sir Balin The Ill-Fated

Many years ago, the storytellers say, the great King Arthur brought justice to England with the help of his gallant knights of the roundtable.  While most of King Arthur’s knights freely chose a life of duty, for Sir Balin the Ill-Fated, destiny was foretold in a prophecy. And seriously, “ill-fated” is right there in his title, so Balin’s not surprised when things go sour. Still, no matter how dire the task, a loyal and gallant knight never refuses adventure!  Will Sir Balin finally discover his true destiny? And which ill-fated path will he have to choose? Join Balin on this, the noblest quest of all. With black-and-white drawings from acclaimed artist Aaron Renier throughout.

Alek

A very small boy called Doup once came with the Crow-girl to make his home in Crow Cave, a tine community nestled by the sea.  Now he has grown and is ready to leave behind childish things: he reclaims his birth name, Alek, and travels away from Crow Cove to the fishing village of Last Harbor to visit his older brother.  One night, Alek awakens from a deep sleep to see two points of light at the end of the beach, where all should be dark.  When he investigates, he witnesses a terrible crime:  shipwreckers have lured a boat to crash upon the rocky shore and are in the process of killing all the survivors.  He is not the only witness.  A beautiful girl has escaped…at least for now.  Alek must keep her safe while waiting for the chance to bring the murders to justice.  Dramatic, poignant, and moving, this is the final book in the much-acclaimed Children of Crow Cove series.

Australia

Australia’s emergence as an important multicultural society in the twentieth century is examined in context with the unique geography and history of this island continent.

Mexico (Cultures of the World)

Provides comprehensive information on the geography, history, wildlife, governmental structure, economy, cultural diversity, peoples, religion, and culture of Mexico.

Brave Music of a Distant Drum

Ama is a slave. She is old and dying and has an incredible story to tell. It is about violence and heartaches, but it is also a story of courage, hope, determination and ultimately, love. Since Ama is blind, she cannot write down her story for future generations. Instead, she summons the son from whom she has been long separated. at first he thinks she’s old and tiresome. But as Ama’s astonishing journey unfolds in her own words, his world changes forever, until he can never see it with the same eyes again. Nor will those who read Ama’s story.