Friendship

Lockie Leonard, Scumbuster

Nothing’s simple for Lockie Leonard. He’s only lived in town for a year and his dad’s the local police sergeant, two facts that don’t win Lockie any popularity contests. Dumped by his popular girlfriend, he’s back to being the loneliest kid in town until he makes friends with Geoff Eggleston, or Egg, the weirdest human being Lockie’s ever known. Egg is a dark-haired, pimply-faced, very bright “Metal Head” who can’t even swim, though their town is right on the Australian coast. By contrast, Lockie is a trim, blond, expert surfer. Lockie and Egg decide to somehow clean up the town’s harbor, partly covered with scum from industrial waste. In the middle of all their planning, Lockie falls in love again, with a girl who turns out to be only eleven. To make it worse, she surfs better than he does, though he’s the best in his school. Can a thirteen-year-old surfrat have a headbanger for a best friend, stay in love with an eleven-year-old gremmie, and still save his town from industrial pollution? Tim Winton is a prize-winning Australion novelist whose The Riders was short-listed for the 1996 Booker Prize. He himself is an, expert surfer. With rich characterization, strong narrative drive, and much humor, Winton has written a contemporary story that reflects the concerns of all teenagers and will reach a wide audience.

Being Bindy

Eighth grade is torture–at least it is for Bindy!(1) Her best friend since kindergarten becomes her worst enemy.(2) She’s stuck taking yoga in sports ed, where she unleashes the Very Bad Thing that gets the whole school talking.(3) She suffers total humiliation when certain unmentionables are tossed around at assembly.What’s more, Bindy’s divorced parents are behaving badly.(1) Her laid-back father looks like he’s falling for–could it be?– none other than her ex-best friend’s mother. Which means that . . .(2) . . . Bindy’s worst enemy might just end up as her sister!(3) Her domineering mom always wants Bindy to do things her way.Enough is enough! To survive the drama in her life, Bindy must make some tough decisions in this funny, searching novel about being true to yourself.

My Saucy Stuffed Ravioli: The Life of Angelica Cookson Potts

While preparing for and going on vacation to Italy with her friends and family, food-loving English teenager Angelica deals with her unrequited love for Sydney, her fear of being seen in public in a bikini, and her worries that her mother might be having an affair.

The Amber Cat

While two friends convalesce from chicken pox, one boy’s mother tells them of a summer, long ago, when she was eleven–just their age–offering a story about a girl named Harriet who would mysteriously come and go at the beach. Who was Harriet? An underlying poignancy adds depth to this winning story with its surprise ending.

Bob’s Best-Ever Friend

Bob is feeling glum. His friends Billy and Sam are off visiting a pet show on Pluto, there are no space tourists to entertain, and Bob is bored. What he needs is a best-ever friend, to help him with intergalactic missions and jigsaw puzzles — but, being Bob, he doesn’t seem to notice the potential furry friend who is begging for his attention! This edition also includes the greatest glow-in-the-dark poster in the galaxy.

Where’s Tumpty?: A Tilly And Friends Book

Tumpty the elephant has his eyes tightly closed. What is he doing? He’s hiding, of course. But Tilly can still see him, even when he puts a cardboard box over his head or lies upside down behind a potted plant. All of Tumpty’s friends find his antics very funny . . . but wait! Where did Tumpty go?

Solomon Snow and the Stolen Jewel

Solomon Snow and his stalwart friends return in a second mock-Victorian extravaganza!

In their second adventure, the intrepid trio becomes ensnared in a plot to steal a priceless ruby. But what do a stubborn donkey, a shady dwarf, and Mr. Skippy the rabbit have to do with it all? While trying to rescue Prudence’s father from prison, Solomon, Prudence, the Infant Prodigy, and Mr. Skippy the rabbit find themselves caught up in the mad plans of the villainous Dr. Calimari to steal a fabulous and cursed ruby.