Luke spends his days hanging out at the beach, working shifts at the local supermarket, and trying to stay out of trouble at school. His mate Bongo gets wasted, blocking out memories of the little brother that social services took away from his addict mom and avoiding the stepdad who hits him. And Casey, the girl they both love, longs to get away from her strict, controlling father and start anew in a place where she can be free. Set in Australia and narrated in alternating points of view, here is an affecting look at the evolving lives of three friends.
Poetry
Poetry genre
Dare to Dream… Change the World
From Jonas Salk to Steven Spielberg, the subjects of these biographical-inspired poems invented something, said something, stood for something, did something, changed something. They dared to dream. Thirty of our nation’s most prestigious poets focus their creative vision on people who not only changed their own lives, but the lives of people all over the world.
Cowboy Up!: Ride the Navajo Rodeo
It’s morning at the rodeo. Riders are standing by. Horses are in the chutes. “Cowboy up!” the announcer calls. Then the excitement begins In this riveting collection, narrative poems give voice to the individual competitors, lively prose explains rodeo events, and evocative photographs show off the riders and ropers, the horses, bulls, and broncs. It all adds up to an unforgettable close-up view of Navajo rodeo over the course of one action-packed day.
Noisy Poems for a Busy Day
Chock-full of playful pocket-sized poems that capture adventures big and small in a child’s day, this collection begs to be read aloud from sunup to sundown!
When I Grow Up
Benjamin Zephaniah’s cutting-edge poetry gets to the heart of what all these people do for a living. What will you be when you grow up?
Dreaming Up: A Celebration of Building
A collection of concrete poetry, illustrations, and photographs that shows how young children’s constructions, created as they play, are reflected in notable works of architecture from around the world. Includes biographies of the architects, quotations, and sources.
The Hunting of the Snark
A beautifully re-illustrated edition of Lewis Carroll’s unforgetabe story: “the impossible voyage of an improbable crew to find an inconeivable creature. “The master of nonsense, Lewis Carroll, re-illustrated in a fabulous new edition. A lovely gift book, and a delight to share, and read aloud.
My Book of Life by Angel
16-year-old Angel struggles to free herself from the trap of prostitution in which she is caught.
My Village
My Village is a beautiful collection featuring nursery rhymes and verses from around the world: New Zealand, China, Australia, Norway, Ireland, Tonga, Jamaica, Japan, Zimbabwe, Fiji, Indonesia, Denmark, Iran, Germany, Samoa, Switzerland, Russia, Brazil, France, Holland, Iceland, and India. Readers delight in quirky, touching, and funny verses from the 22 different countries, brought vividly to life by the appealingly fresh artwork from exciting young illustrator Mique Moriuchi, who captures each verse with a uniquely beautiful and child’s-eye focus. Danielle Wright has included some familiar rhymes along with others that are less well known. Internationally acclaimed poet and former Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen introduces the collection, discussing the origins of nursery rhymes as well as reviewing some of his favorites. Also endorsed by the International Youth Library, this book is an essential addition to any school or library.
The Originals: Animals That Time Forgot
They’re weird. They’re unusual. They have four horns and shaggy red fur. And they haven’t changed in hundreds, even thousands of years! They’re the originals–animals that, unlike their barnyard relatives, never evolved from their primitive states. Come meet the four-horned Hebridean sheep, brought to Scotland by Viking raiders, the tiny Exmoor ponies that roam the fog-filled moors of England, and the rest of these modern ancients. Jane Yolen’s childlike story poems and Ted Lewin’s light-infused water-color illustrations capture all the mystique of these remarkable animals.