After receiving the gift of Second Sight from his old friend, the Bodach, 10-year-old Donald becomes responsible for safeguarding the ancient power of the walking stones before their glen is flooded by a hydroelectric company.
The Walking Stones
Intermediate (ages 9-14)
Material appropriate for intermediate age groups
The Cat: Or, How I Lost Eternity
Every day, eight-year-old Christine’s walk to school takes her past a talking alley cat. Christine stops and feels its warm head beneath her hand, and the cat’s insights invariably give her something to ponder. One day her teacher asks her why she’s always late for school. Frightened, she reveals her secret. Her punishment: she must write 200 lines stating repeatedly, “There are no talking cats, and from now on I will arrive at school on time.” However, the cat is real, no matter how many lines Christine writes and she might just as well leave out the “no” — the headmaster won’t even notice, says the clever cat. That’s what the cat always says — that life is all about being clever and looking out for yourself, first and foremost. Christine isn’t so sure, and she is a little scared of the cat, too. There must be more to life than self-interest.
More Minds
Princess Lenora sets out to conquer a giant causing problems in the northern countries and soon realizes that her real battle is actually going to be trying to keep the Balance, the source that keeps the alternative worlds in their place, from falling apart.
Swordquest
Wind-voice the half-dove, formerly enslaved, is now free, and Maldeor, the one-winged archaeopteryx, hungers for supreme power. Can Wind-voice and his valiant companions—Ewingerale, the woodpecker scribe; Stormac, the myna warrior; and Fleydur, the musician eagle—save the future of their world?
It is a prequel to Swordbird.
Shadows in the Twilight
Joel will soon be 12, and he thinks nothing is going on in the small community where he lives. But he’s wrong. One day, an incident that could easily have been a catastrophe turns into a miracle. Now Joel believes he owes the world a good deed, to prove that he deserved what might have been divine intervention. He thinks up an elaborate scheme, but it doesn’t go as anticipated. Even though his heart is in the right place, feelings are hurt. If he confesses what he’s done and why, will things be put right again?
Readers who met Joel Gustafson, his father, and their friends in A Bridge to the Stars will follow, with appreciation, Henning Mankell’s shrewd depiction, in this companion novel, of the surprising changes in Joel’s existence. Mankell deftly explores Joel’s self-discovery, his realization that lives can be altered in a single moment, and his new understanding that a choice between telling the truth and keeping silent can make all the difference.
The Hollow People
On an island that houses the asylum where lawbreakers are imprisoned, two teenagers rebel against a rigidly controlled society where dreams are considered antisocial and all citizens over the age of fourteen take a drug to control their behavior.
The Robe of Skulls
The sorceress Lady Lamorna wants a skull-studded gown of deep black velvet, but her treasure chest is empty of gold. That doesn’t stop her, however — from kidnapping, blackmailing, and using more than a little magic to get what she needs. Will her plans be foiled by the heroic Gracie Gillypot, two chatty bats, a gallant (if scruffy) prince, the wickedest stepsister ever, a troll with a grudge, and some very ancient crones?
Thumbelina: Tiny Runaway Bride
This is a contemporary retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale. It’s about a tiny girl just the size of your thumb. The tiny girl becomes separated from her overprotective mother, has adventures with various animals, and records her feelings in a diary as she gains self-reliance and searches for someone to love.
Secret Letters from 0 to 10
Ernest Morlaisse leads an unadventurous life. He comes home every day and eats the same snack and sits down to his homework. Enter Victoria de Montardent, the new girl in class. When Victoria sees Ernest it’s love at first sight. And she makes her declaration to everyone: ” I love Ernest. . . . We’re getting married in 13 years, eight months, and three days. This is an invitation to our wedding”. And believe it or not, Victoria’s bulldozer approach works! Quickly Ernest begins to discover that beating inside his chest is his heart. And he begins finding ways to use it.
Benin
This book provides a comprehensive look at the country of Benin which gained independence in 1961. Located between Nigeria and Togo, Benin is working to strengthen itself with a free press and a growing economy. The text offers chapters on the geography, the history, the formation of its new government and its structure, the economy, the environment, the people of Siera Leone, their religion and culture. The book is illustrated with color photography.