When Toni V, a construction worker on a futuristic colony, finds the diary of a teenage girl whose life has been turned upside-down by Holocaust-like events, he begins to question his own beliefs.
The Diary of Pelly D
Intermediate (ages 9-14)
Material appropriate for intermediate age groups
Freaky Stuff
Premonition n.: pre-mo-ni-shun.Spine-tingling, gut churning feeling you get that you can see into the future where something is about to go horribly wrong! Look out, World. Fasten your seatbelts. Brian Hobble is back! He’s survived all the weird stuff that happened last year when his favorite author, Lance Cummins visited his school. And now Cummins’s bestselling book Zombie Squad has been turned into a hit TV show. Brian knows the monsters on the show aren’t real, but before he knows it, he has to save his little brother from flesh-eating zombies, rollerblade off a ramp 17,000,000,000 miles high, and most terrifying of all, kiss a girl. He’s not saying who she is yet. He’ll never crack so don’t even try breaking him. Prepare to be freaked. Very freaked!
Elephant Run
In 1941, bombs drop from the night skies of London, demolishing the apartment Nick Freestone lives in with his mother. Deciding the situation in England is too unstable, Nick’s mother sends him to live with his father in Burma, hoping he will be safer living on the family’s teak plantation. But as soon as Nick arrives, trouble erupts in this remote Burmese elephant village. Japanese soldiers invade, and Nick’s father is taken prisoner. Nick is stranded on the plantation, forced to work as a servant to the new rulers. As life in the village grows more dangerous for Nick and his young friend, Mya, they plan their daring escape. Setting off on elephant back, they will risk their lives to save Nick’s father and Mya’s brother from a Japanese POW camp. In this thrilling journey through the jungles of Burma, Roland Smith explores the far-reaching effects of World War II, while introducing readers to the fascinating world of wild timber elephants and their mahouts.
Without Warning: Ellen’s Story, 1914-1918
After World War I calls her brother to the front lines, a young woman sets out to make a difference in this powerful historical novel.”I don’t know much about wars except soldiers and sailors get killed and Jack might get killed with them. But grown-up people say . . . they’re a chance for young men to go off to foreign parts and be brave and come home heroes.”England, 1914. The piercing tone of the bugle changes a sleepy British village and Ellen Wilkins forever. It is the call to enlist — a chance Ellen’s brother, Jack, won’t miss. The call also spurs Ellen to leave the safety of home and begin a journey of self-discovery, one that takes her close to the front lines to pursue her calling as a nurse. In this gritty and insightful novel, Dennis Hamley deftly portrays the everyday realities of life in wartime, along with harrowing accounts of war’s lifelong effects on the young people caught in its path.
Stuff: The Life of a Cool Demented Dude
Stuff. My head’s full of it. I don’t even know where most of it comes from. I just seem to pick it up, like my brain emits a special sort of tractor beam that locks on to pointless information. But in the face of my problems, all the extra stuff is proving useless. What problems? you ask. I shall tell you. Problem 1: The invasion of my home. Dad’s new girlfriend moved in, and, even worse, she brought along her daughter, who has no sense of humor and no taste in music. Problem 2: My girlfriend, Delfine. Her brother would break both my arms if I broke up with her. Problem 3: The new girl at school. Stunning. Gorgeous. Willowy. My Destiny (but see Problem 2). Problem 4: My comic strip. At first it was cool to anonymously author the strip in the school paper, but now that everyone suspects who they are in the strip, I run the risk of getting my legs broken in addition to my arms (see above). Clearly, I need to plan The Great Escape! Part hilarious musings, part graphic novel, stuff is the quirky exposé of a fourteen-year-old boy who, let’s face it, could use a little help.
Lord Of The Deep
Fishing. This is it, the big time. Mikey’s 13, a deckhand working on a charter boat in Hawaii. Working for the best skipper anywhere, his stepdad, Bill. Before Bill came along, it was just Mikey and his mom. Now they’re a real family, and Mikey has a little brother. He can’t believe how lucky he is. And now he’s learning from the best, even though he’s only 13. Because Bill believes in him. And Mikey won’t let him down. He loves fishing and being out on the boat. But some seas, some fish, and some charter clients are a lot tougher to handle than Mikey ever imagined. Take Ernie and Cal—they chartered Bill’s boat for three days and they’re out for the adventure of their lives. Now it’s up to Mikey and Bill to deliver it.
Big Bear’s Book
Big Bear tells the story of Christina’s ten teddy bears, since he’s the oldest and wisest, and remembers the time Christina broke her arm, her father’s bedtime stories, and the terrible teenage years when she almost forgot her bears.
Diamonds In The Shadow
THE FINCH FAMILY did not know that five refugees landed from Africa on the day they went to the airport to welcome the family sponsored by their church. The Finch family only knew about the four refugees they were meeting – Andre, Celestine, Mattu, and Alake – mother, father, teenage son and daughter.
Soon Jared realizes that the good guys are not always innocent, and he must make a decision that could change the fate of both families. This story presents many points of view and a fresh perspective on doing the right thing.
Garden Of The Purple Dragon
In the time of the Han Dynasty in ancient China, a young orphan struggles with her new responsibility. Ping has survived her days as a slave at Huangling Palace, but new challenges await her in the desolate mountains of Tai Shan. The aged dragon Danzi is gone, and now it is up to Ping to take care of the baby dragon, Kai. She does her best, but food is scarce, and she must be constantly on the lookout for her enemies. Things seem to get better when fate leads her back to the Imperial Palace, to the Garden of the Purple Dragon. Yet even within these hallowed walls, Ping and Kai are not as safe as they believe. This story of adventure, action, friendship, and loyalty will have readers cheering for Ping and the young dragon as they embark on their journey of faith and courage.
The Goatnappers
Justin’s place as the first high school freshman in twenty years to make the varsity baseball team is at risk when his math grades plummet while he is trying to cope with the abuse of a young billy goat he sold and a visit from his estranged father to Lost Goat Lane.