When the Russian army marches into East Prussia at the end of World War II, the Wolf family flees, but Liesl, Otto, and their baby sister, Mia, are separated from their mother, and they are forced to do dangerous things to survive.
Intermediate (ages 9-14)
Material appropriate for intermediate age groups
Nightlights
When a mysterious girl appears at school and learns of Sandy’s drawings, that she creates from the tiny stars that appear in her room at night, Morfie’s fascination soon turns into something sinister.
Thirst
A heroic girl in Mumbai fights for her belief that water should be for everyone.
Snark
‘Gabriel Clutch was a thief and a liar but he was right about one thing. He told me he had a great secret in his collection that would shake the literary world to its roots if it ever got out …’ So begins the delightfully dark Snark, a tumultous romp through worlds created by Lewis Carroll and here brought to life through the vivid imaginings and fabulous art of award-winning author and illustrator David Elliot. What exactly did happen to the Snark expedition? Did his dagger-proof coat protect the Beaver from the Butcher? What befell the Boots in the Tulgey Wood? Who fell foul of the Jabberwock? The Bandersnatch? The Jubjub bird? And, finally, the big question: what precisely is a SNARK …?
The Blue Bird’s Palace
Natasha lives a simple life with her father, but when she is granted a wish and makes the selfish choice to live in a palace, the guardian of the Blue Forest transforms her into a blue bird and she learns to be grateful and share.
Marie Curie: A Life Of Discovery
“A graphic account of a pioneering scientist who conducted innovative research on radioactivity. Marie Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two different sciences, and first woman to become a professor at the University of Paris.”
Dog Star
Nina, a young girl unsure of her role in her communist society, befriends a dog named Laika, who dreams of finding a home and is being studied in Nina’s father’s lab as part of the Soviet space program.
Onyeka And The Academy Of The Sun
When twelve-year-old Onyeka discovers that she has psychokinetic powers, her mother reveals that she is Solari, part of a secret group of Nigerian mutants that trains at the Academy of the Sun.
Vincent Ventura And The Curse Of The Weeping Woman / Vincent Ventura Y La Maldición De La Llorona
“Vincent Ventura, monster fighter extraordinaire, can’t believe the house at 666 Duende Street has attracted yet another creepy creature! In fact, this time there are several unusual beings, including two boys who disappear and reappear-are they ghosts?!? And the lady in white with fiery glowing eyes who calls out for them? Is she … La Llorona?!? And who is the other young woman? The next day at school, Vincent and his cousins Bobby and Michelle meet a new substitute teacher, Ms. Malin Che, who just moved into the haunted house. What is her connection to La Llorona and the unusual children? At least this time, the kids have new friends to help solve the mystery: Sayer, who they helped in a previous battle with trolls, or duendes, and Zulema, a witch owl who was the target of evil witches. As the relationship between Vincent and Zulema evolves, becoming more complex and exciting, so too does the current case! Two new beings turn up: a hideous figure dressed as a Mexican cowboy whose face is devoid of flesh and a second spooky woman! Ms. Che, a Latin American folklore expert, tells them about el Charro Negro and the weeping women collectively called Cihuateteos. This bilingual book for intermediate readers, the fourth installment in Garza’s Monster Fighter Mystery series, follows the nail-biting battle for the souls of two boys! Will Vincent and his friends be able to save them from the monsters’ clutches?!
Saving Earth: Climate Change And The Fight For Our Future
A timely and important illustrated nonfiction guide for middle grade readers about the history of our fight against climate change, and how young people today can rise to action.