After the Train

Peter Liebig can’t wait for summer. He’s tired of classrooms, teachers, and the endless lectures about the horrible Nazis. The war has been over for ten years, and besides, his town of Rolfen, West Germany, has moved on nicely. Despite its bombed-out church, it looks just as calm and pretty as ever. There is money to be made at the beach, and there are whole days to spend with Father at his job. And, of course, there’s soccer. Plenty for a thirteen-year-old boy to look forward to. But when Peter stumbles across a letter he was never meant to see, he unravels a troubling secret. Soon he questions everything—the town’s peaceful nature, his parents’ stories about the war, and his own sense of belonging.

A Templar’s Apprentice

Scotland. 1307. Thirteen-year-old Tormod MacLeod is different. He knows things before they happen. Even his own brother treats him differently, and all Tormod can do is bide his time until he’s old enough to leave the village and make something of himself. His chance comes sooner than expected when a Templar knight asks him to deliver a secret message. But Tormod’s efforts end up endangering both their lives. What follows is a desperate journey to escape the army of King Philippe le Bel of France. If he is to survive, Tormod must learn to harness the powers within. “Kat Black is a refreshing voice in young adult fiction–wonderfully original, compelling, and thought-provoking.” –Allen Say “A fascinating book . . . with a depth of history. The blend of religion and the supernatural make this a very intriguing novel. Engrossing, well-researched, and well-told.” –Ed Masessa, Scholastic Book Fairs and author of #1 NY Times bestseller The Wandmaker’s Guidebook “A Templar’s Apprentice hooked me from the first page and never let up. With her amazing gift of bringing ancient settings to life, Black creates a world so complete that when I closed the book I could still feel its pull on me. With one surprising turn after the next, she brings the reader along on an exhilarating adventure of Templar Knights, a stolen map, a mysterious carved statue, and a brave boy with second-sight. I can’t wait for the next in the series.” —Wendy Mass, author of A Mango-Shaped Space

Moonrunner

Twelve-year-old Casey, an American boy who has just moved to Australia, chances upon a herd of wild brumbies, which reminds him of the wild mustangs of his home in Montana, and the relationship he develops with the stallion Moonrunner changes his life.

 

The Hollow Tree

Winner of the 1999 Canadian Governor General’s Award. It is 1777, and 15-year-old Phoebe Olcott is thrown headlong into the turmoil of war when her beloved cousin Gideon is hanged for being a British spy. When she finds a secret message from Gideon, containing the names of Loyalist families to be protected by the King’s soldiers, she decides to deliver it to the British general at Fort Ticonderoga. Thus begins an enthralling wilderness journey, where Phoebe is accompanied by a cat, a bear cub, and Jem Morrissay, a young Loyalist heading to British Canada himself. Award-winning author Janet Lunn has brought a little-known piece of our history to vivid life.

The Grand Mosque of Paris: A Story of How Muslims Rescued Jews during the Holocaust

When the Nazis occupied Paris, no Jew was safe from arrest and deportation. Few Parisians were willing to risk their own lives to help. Yet during that perilous time, many Jews found refuge in an unlikely place–the sprawling complex of the Grand Mosque of Paris. Not just a place of worship but a community center, this hive of activity was an ideal temporary hiding place for escaped prisoners of war and Jews of all ages, especially children.