Determination

Alis

At fourteen, Alis has never been outside her strict religious community. But when her parents arrange for her to marry a forty-year-old man, she flees desperately to the dangerous, unfamiliar city. She learns quickly that the only way to survive there is to become a thief—or worse. Facing an impossible choice between a forced marriage or life on the streets, Alis seizes control of her own fate. But the path she chooses sets off a disastrous chain of events that leave her accused of murder. Steadfastly loyal, Alis must decide: will she betray a loved one or sacrifice herself?

Mouton’s Impossible Dream

The year is 1783. On a cozy French farm, there lives a sheep with an impossible dream: She wants to fly. Mouton’s friend Canard the duck is sympathetic, but Cocorico the rooster insists that, without wings, Mouton will never take off. Still, Mouton is full of hope and determination—perhaps just enough to make her impossible dream come true.

In Spite Of Killer Bees

In Spite of Killer Bees is a novel about not giving in and not giving up. Aggie and her two sisters have had to move to the small village that had been their father’s childhood home. Their mother is long gone, and their father – who’d been in and out of prison – has died. Although the village holds little charm for the girls, they have hopes. It seems that their late grandfather has made them heiresses.In the small, judgmental village, Aggie must fight to keep her diminishing family together. By refusing to abandon those she loves and comes to love, she risks more than her happiness.

Mechanimals

There was a farmer who had lots of animals that got swept away by a tornado. The twister left behind a mountain of scrap metal and machine parts.  When a tornado leaves a farmer with a heap of scrap metal and no animals, his neighbors are sure it’s all over for him. But the determined farmer refuses to admit defeat. His plans are big, and when his neighbors dismiss them with the words, When pigs fly, they grow bigger still. The farmer sets to work to turn that scrap metal into some surprising creatures.

Honda: The Boy Who Dreamed of Cars

One day in 1914 when Soichiro Honda was seven years old, an astonishing, moving dust cloud appeared in his small Japanese town. The cause was a leaky, noisy automobile–the first the boy had ever seen. At that moment Honda fell in love with cars, and a dream took hold. He would one day make them himself. It took Honda many years to reach his goal. Along the way he became an expert mechanic and manufacturer of car parts. After World War II he developed a motorized bicycle, the forerunner of his innovative motorcycles. Eventually Honda began manufacturing cars, first race cars and then consumer cars. Constantly seeking ways to make his products better than his competitors, Honda grew into a global industry leader. Soichiro Honda had an inventive mind and a passion for new ideas, and he never gave up on his dream. A legendary figure in the world of manufacturing, Honda is a dynamic symbol of lifelong determination, creativity, and the power of a dream.

Anila’s Journey

Set in colonial India, this richly layered coming-of-age tale follows a spirited young artist on a journey up the Ganges — and through the enigmas of her past.How can Anila Tandy, left to fend for herself after her mother’s death, dare to apply for a job that is clearly not meant for a woman? But somehow the “Bird Girl of Calcutta,” art supplies in hand, finds herself on an eye-opening journey up the Ganges, apprenticed to a gentleman scientist. As the lush landscape slips by, Anila dives into her past — a past where her beautiful Bengali mother still tells stories and her Irish father’s mysterious disappearance lingers. Gorgeously written and rich with atmosphere, Mary Finn’s debut novel tells the story of a determined young artist who must make her way in the dangerous world of late-eighteenth-century India.

The Secret Garden

The beloved original text now offered in a definitive gift edition by esteemed illustrator Inga Moore. First published in 1909, THE SECRET GARDEN has entranced readers with the courage and strength of two unhappy and withered children who become determined to make their lives and the lives of others around them more joyful. In this remarkable new edition, Inga Moore’s beautifully observed illustrations capture the wonder of the secret garden springing to life under the tender care of Mary Lennox; her spoiled invalid cousin, Colin; and Dickon, a Yorkshire boy.

Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates

On an island called Puerto Rico a boy named Roberto Clemente dreamed of nothing but winning at baseball. With no money–but plenty of determination–Clemente practiced on muddy fields with a glove made from a coffee sack. Little League became minor league, which turned into winter league and, finally, he made it to the major leagues! With lightning speed, towering home runs, and grand slams, Clemente introduced himself to America.

How the Ladies Stopped the Wind

Iceland is a very windy place.Going for a walk can be challenging. The ladies in one village, with the help of the chickens, set out to stop the wind. But the hungry sheep have other plans. Why aren’t there any trees in the Icelandic countryside? This original tale will tell you why and leave you smiling at the determination of the ever singing Icelandic ladies and their steadfast chickens.