“Some dolphin luck would be very useful,” said Beany. It’s a wet, cold, and miserable Christmas. Mrs. Robinson is ill and so is Old Blanket, the Robinsons’ beloved dog. Following the doctor’s orders, Mr. Robinson takes Mrs. Robinson off to recuperate in a warmer climate, leaving Beany and Sun Dance, their two younger children, in the capable care of Mrs. Brogan, who with her son, Robin, lives in the other half of Porridge Hall, an old seaside mansion. The twins, Ant and Perry, are shipped off to Great Aunt Mabel. To Beany and Sun Dance, it seems as though things can’t get any worse. Sun Dance settles down to capture any burglar who may attempt to rob their house, and Beany determines to find an ancient sword, with a hilt in the shape of a dolphin, that is supposed to bring luck and grant wishes. Meanwhile, Ant and Perry find their old aunt not quite what they expected. She eats porridge and nothing else and lives with two large dogs, four cats, and a parrot. Before the Robinson family is reunited, each one of them has had extraordinary, sometimes scary, frequently harrowing adventures that make for touching, often hilarious, utterly absorbing reading. This companion to Hilary McKay’s earlier Dog Friday and The Amber Cat, with its rich characterization and great originality, is an outstanding achievement.
Age
Catalog sorted by age group
Gulf
An adolescent boy must save his younger brother when he becomes psychically linked to a doomed Iraqi soldier during the Persian Gulf War.
Manolito Four-Eyes: The 2nd Volume of the Great Encyclopedia of My Life
Ten-year-old Manolito recounts further exploits in his small Madrid neighborhood with his grandfather, his little brother “the Bozo,” and his school friends, including a shoplifting prank, recycled art, and the Filthy Feet Gang.
Escape Under the Forever Sky
Loosely based on real-life events this suspenseful story is also funny and touching. Lucy’s mother is the U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia so Lucy’s life must be one big adventure right? Wrong. Lucy’s worrywart mother keeps her locked up inside the ambassador’s residence. All Lucy can do is read about the exciting world that lies beyond the compound walls and imagine what it would be like to be a part of it. That is until one day Lucy decides she has had enough and she and a friend sneak off for some fun. But to their horror Lucy gets kidnapped! With only herself to rely upon, Lucy must use her knowledge of African animals, inventiveness, will, and courage to escape and in the process embarks on an adventure beyond her wildest imagination.
Triskellion 2: The Burning
As twins Rachel and Adam are pursued across Europe by terrifying forces, they realize they can trust no one — and must draw on their special powers to survive. After the shocking revelations in Triskellion, being guests of the “Hope Project” might seem like a relief. But Rachel and Adam soon figure out that they’re being held prisoner, and that the program has more sinister goals than archaeological research in mind. A hideous discovery at the funeral of their grandmother makes it clear that the teenagers must flee from England to Paris, Seville, and finally Morocco, evading not only their former benefactors but also the followers of “The Englishman,” a zombie-like figure with a frightening agenda of his own. It will take all of their special abilities and courage to stay alive until their journey reaches an explosive climax — and they unearth, on the North African coast, an ancient secret even more startling than the first.
Daisy Dawson And The Secret Pond
Daisy Dawson has an amazing gift: she can understand and talk to animals! In her second adventure, she is determined to find a pair of shy otters and take their photo to show at school. With Boom the basset hound, Cyril the squirrel, and a pair of mischievous young squirrels in tow, it promises to be a perfect day with friends. But as they all set out, the birds are singing about rain clouds on the way. Will Daisy get the picture she needs before the weather gets her?
Summer of Madness
This story is about a girl named Karen who has to take over her family’s household for three weeks while her mother goes away. While her mother is away, Karen finds out that someone had been trespassing on their land and poisoning her cows. So, aside from doing all the household chores she is also on the look out.
Mothers and Other Strangers: Stories
A collection of stories highlights the similar problems faced by women of all ages, including the pensive, eighteen-year-old Ginny; seventeen-year-old Loretta, who is alone; and fifty-five-year-old Allison, who cannot help crying all the time.
The Adventures of Tintin: The Crab with the Golden Claws / The Shooting Star / The Secret of The Unicorn (3 Complete Adventures In 1 Volume, Vol. 3)
Same great Tintin volumes, same 3-in-1 format, with a classy new look!Join traveling reporter Tintin and his faithful dog Snowy, along with well-known friends such as Captain Haddock, as they embark on extraordinary adventures spanning historical and political events, fantasy and science-fiction adventures and thrilling mysteries. These full-color graphic novels broke new ground when they were first released and became the inspiration for countless modern-day comic artists.This repackaged hardcover volume contains 3 classic Tintin stories, including: The Crab with the Golden Claws, The Shooting Star, and The Secret of The Unicorn.
The Wish House
From the best-selling author of WITCH CHILD and SORCERESS comes another engrossing, atmospheric novel — following a teenage boy as he uncovers the secrets of the mysterious and provocative Wish House. It’s the start of summer vacation, and fifteen-year-old Richard has discovered that a family has taken up residence in the usually deserted Wish House. Richard is intrigued by both the house and the bohemian family now living there. The father, Jethro Dalton, is an internationally renowned painter; his seemingly licentious wife is fascinated by herbs and cures. But it’s their beautiful and vibrant daughter, Clio, the muse for Jethro’s paintings, who draws Richard utterly into the Daltons’ world. Soon Richard finds himself so captivated by Clio that he steals off to the woods to spend days and nights with her, meanwhile struggling to understand and fit in with her eccentric clan. How could he know that some mysteries are best left alone — and that some betrayals can never be forgiven?