12-year-old Joel lives with his father in the cold northern part of Sweden. At night he often sneaks out of the house to look for a lonely dog he has seen from his window. On the bridge across the icy river he starts a secret society and has adventures. But one night he discovers that his father’s bed is also empty, and so he will have to come to terms with his father’s newfound love.
Intermediate (ages 9-14)
Material appropriate for intermediate age groups
Key To Rondo
There are three rules to the old painted, music box: Wind the box three times only. Never shut the box when the music is playing. Never move the box before the music stops. Leo wouldn’t dream of breaking these rules, but does his stubborn cousin Mimi listen? She winds the box four times — and suddenly the paintings on its side come to life and a powerful witch is released. Now its up to Leo and Mimi to stop the witch, if only they can find the key to the music box — and the magical world it controls.
Count Karlstein
Can you hear the distant howling of hounds and the thunder of ghostly hooves? It’s All Souls’ Eve and Zamiel the Demon Huntsman has come to claim his prey! He’s headed straight for Castle Karlstein, where the evil count has hatched an evil plan; he’ll sacrifice his two young nieces to save himself. Can Lucy and Charlotte outwit their uncle and his oily henchmen to escape their dreadful fate? From the award-winning author of The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife comes a spooky, funny thriller just right for those middle-grade readers looking for horror–and humor.
Chad
Provides comprehensive information on the geography, history, governmental structure, economy, cultural diversity, peoples, religion, and culture of Chad.
The Golden City: Jerusalem’s 3,000 Years
This history of Jerusalem from King David’s time to the present day introduces religions and cultures that have formed Jerusalem’s heritage.
Fen Gold
Pip, the orphan, lives on an island in the middle of the fens at the Wickit monastery. Pip meets a living gargoyle, Perfect. The two become friends and embark on adventure.
Ransom for a River Dolphin
Finding a seriously hurt dolphin in the Amazon near her small Colombian village and suspecting her stepfather of having wounded it, Carmenza nurses it back to health and turns to the wise old Indian Omar to appease its spirit.
The Waorani: People of the Ecuadoran Rain Forest (Global Villages)
Describes the culture and plight of the Waorani, an indigenous tribe of the Ecuadoran rain forest whose environment and way of life are threatened by the encroachment of the industrial world.
Popol Vuh: A Sacred Book of the Maya
One of the few Maya documents to survive the Spanish conquest, the Popol Vuh describes the creation of the Maya universe and of humans. It tells the tale of the Hero Twins, who defeated the gods of the underworld in a ball game, and details the legendary history of the Quiche Maya rulers until their imprisonment and torture by the Spanish. Equivalent to the Bible and the Greek and Roman mythologies, the Popol Vuh is the essential text of Mayan culture.
Quantum Prophecy: The Awakening
It has been ten years since the great battle that wiped out all the superhumans. Whether they all died that day or simply lost their powers and blended back into society, only one thing is certain: They are gone. Or are they? Thirteen-year-olds Danny and Colin have recently begun changing. How can they explain Danny’s newfound ability to move at the speed of light, or Colin’s surprising strength? They can’t, but their parents—the lost generation of superhumans—can. They have been watching and waiting for these changes. So have others—and not everyone is happy about the boys’ new powers. Some will do anything to stop them.