Adventure

A Hand Full of Stars

A teenager who wants to be a journalist in a suppressed society describes to his diary his daily life in his hometown of Damascus, Syria.

Pirate Wars

Jolly, Griffin, and their pirate friends are back, battling to save the world from the evil Maelstrom. Griffin leaves his magic room in the belly of a giant whale to take on the lord of the kobalins. Princess Sole dad fights to protect the sea star city and encounters an awe-inspiring serpent god. Together, Jolly and Munk make their way underwater to reach the center of the Maelstrom. There they meet the beautiful Aina, who is a polliwog like themselves but from an ancient time. Is she a girl or a ghost? A friend or an enemy?While the battle for the sea star city is raging, Jolly learns the shocking truth about Aina. As Jolly begins to understand the past, she realizes what she must do to save the whole Caribbean.

City of Dogs

Sam has always wanted a dog, but Jenny is a dog like no other. She has come from another world—a parallel world of mythology, where the whims of the gods decide the course of Destiny. Jenny fled in terror after her attempt to save the life of her first beloved boy interrupted the gods’ plans for a battle for control of the world. But now her escape threatens Sam’s world as well. So Jenny has to convince her motley pack of dog friends—tiny Pico, giant Gentleman Jim, slow-moving Boris, excitable Checkers, and nervous Flo—that it’s their destiny to restore the worlds to order before it’s too late. Norse mythology, a huge respect for the hearts and minds of dogs, and many dashes of humor combine to tell the tale of a grand, epic quest to save the world for humans, gods, and dogs.

The McElderry Book of Greek Myths

Here are twelve of the most beloved legends of Greek mythology, from Pandora and her dreaded box to Icarus with his wings of wax, and, of course, that greedy, gold-fingered King Midas. Vibrant art adds a fresh twist to this collection, giving today’s readers their own version of these timeless tales.

The Mystery of the Cupboard

When Omri puts away the cupboard in The Secret of the Indian, he vows that it will be forever. Little Bear, Boone, and the other miniature figures he had brought to life will remain plastic. But then Omri and his family move to an old country farmhouse that they inherited from a distant relative, and he unearths a faded journal hidden in the thatched roof. To Omri’s utter amazement, the notebook was written by his “wicked” great-great-aunt Jessica Charlotte on her deathbed. Even more astonishing: It reveals how the cupboard and its magic were created–and changed the destiny of his family. In trying to right a wrong done in the past, Omri finds he has no choice but to break the promise he made to himself. The magical cupboard is opened once more.

Nim at Sea

This time Nim’s the fish-out-of-water as she stows away on a cruise ship to save her kidnapped sea lion friend. Accompanied by her likeable iguana, Fred, the island girl lands with a splash in Manhattan, on the run from a very Bad Guy, and on her way to reunite with her friend, cowardly adventure novelist Alex Rover.

The Smugglers

Young John is charmed by the Dragon, the schooner he is planning to sail to London and use for the honest wool trade. But a mysterious gentleman delivers an ominous warning to “steer clear of that ship,” because the ship was “christened with blood.” The ship looks clever and quick, and the crew seems to know what to do, but with such a warning John is left to wonder how well he really knows what lies ahead. 

A companion book to the adventure, The Wreckers.

Muddle Earth

Joe Jefferson is an ordinary schoolboy from ordinary Earth. At least, he was. But something strange happened when he was walking his dog, and now he’s Joe the Barbarian—fearless warrior-hero, summoned by Muddle Earth’s leading wizard to slay ogres, wrestle dragons, and bravely confront villains. Joe doesn’t feel much like a warrior-hero. But evil is stirring in the heart of Elfwood, and the people of Muddle Earth need help (although most of them don’t know it yet). Perhaps Joe Jefferson really is a hero after all. Actually, Muddle Earth’s only wizard. And he’s not very good. He doesn’t really look much like one either.

The Arrival

A man gives his wife and daughter a last kiss and boards a steamship to cross the ocean. He’s embarking on the most painful yet important journey of his life – he’s leaving home to build a better future for his family. Shaun Tan evokes universal aspects of an immigrant’s experience through a singular work of the imagination. He does so using brilliantly clear and mesmerizing images. Because the main character can’t communicate in words, the book forgoes them too. But while the reader experiences the main character’s isolation, he also shares his ultimate joy.

This book is a wordless picturebook.