Ted has lived among the dogs at the pet store for as long as he can remember. But there are so many dogs there, nobody ever chooses Ted. So he decides to go someplace else — someplace perfect. But Ted can’t fly through the air like the circus dogs, and he doesn’t have fancy pom-poms like the show dogs. Just as he loses hope, he sees a sign: Wanted: Perfect Pet. Little animal lovers will be tickled along with Ted at the unusual household that finally becomes his perfect place.
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The Tiny King
The tiny king lives in a big castle guarded by lots of big soldiers. Every day the tiny king eats dinner at his big table (he can never finish all the food), rides a big white horse (though he is thrown off every time), and takes a bath in his big bath (which is never much fun). And every night he sleeps in his big bed all alone. The tiny king is so sad and so lonely that he never sleeps very well. One day he meets a big princess and asks her to be his queen. Not long after, they are blessed with lots of children. Now the castle no longer felt so big. The children ran around, laughing and playing all day long. Everything is just the right size, bath time is a real riot, and the tiny king sleeps soundly at last.
Bright, bold cutouts and a whimsical use of collage created a witty, heartwarming story.
Scrivener’s Moon
When she returns home after two years, Fever finds that her Scriven mother’s creation, New London, the city on wheels, is nearly complete and ready to fight the nomad tribes of Britain–and Fever must journey to the north to find the ancient birthplace of the Scriven mutants and solve the mystery of her own past.
Good-Bye, Havana! Hola, New York!
When five year old Gabriella hears talk of Castro and something called revolution in her home in Cuba, she doesn’t understand. Then when her parents leave suddenly and she remains with her grandparents, life isn’t the same. Soon the day comes when she goes to live with her parents in a new place called the Bronx. It isn’t warm like Havana, and there is traffic not the ocean outside her window. Their life is different- it snows in the winter and the food at school is hot dogs and macaroni. What will it take for the Bronx to feel like home?
A Tinfoil Sky
Mel and her mother, Cecily, know what it’s like to live rough, whether it’s on the streets or in the apartment of an abusive man. When Cecily announces that they’ve had enough and that they are going to go home to her mother’s, Mel dreams of security, a comfortable bed, and a grandmother’s love seem to be about to come true. But some mistakes cannot be easily forgiven or erased. Her grandmother is not what Mel expects, and though the local library offers sanctuary, a real home seems beyond her grasp. Mel’s determination to rise above what fate has dealt is about to change that. Cyndi Sand-Eveland’s work with homeless youth gives her characters an authenticity no reader will forget. Ultimately, a story of hope and acceptance, A Tinfoil Sky is a powerful novel.
My Name Is Mina
Mina loves the night. While everyone else is in a deep slumber, she gazes out the window, witness to the moon’s silvery light. In the stillness, she can even hear her own heart beating. This is when Mina feels that anything is possible and her imagination is set free. A blank notebook lies on the table. It has been there for what seems like forever. Mina has proclaimed in the past that she will use it as a journal, and one night, at last, she begins to do just that. As she writes, Mina makes discoveries both trivial and profound about herself and her world, her thoughts and her dreams.
Award-winning author David Almond reintroduces readers to the perceptive, sensitive Mina before the events of Skellig in this lyrical and fantastical work. My Name is Mina is not only a pleasure to read, it is an intimate and enlightening look at a character whose open mind and heart have much to teach us about life, love, and the mysteries that surround us.
Town Mouse Country Mouse
A town mouse and a country mouse exchange visits and discover each is suited to his own home. Peep-holes in some of the pages allow the reader to guess at what happens next.
Princess Sylvie
Princess Sylvie persuades her father, the king, to leave the palace gardens and walk in the woods. The king is unsure. What might be in the woods? Then Sylvie’s dog Oskar runs off after a long-eared hare and Sylvie’s adventures begin. This is a delightful story for young children about exploring new places and making new friends, and about the comforts of home.
Magical Mischief
What if magic took over everything in its path? This is the fate of the old Hardbattle Bookshop. Magic has settled in every corner and brought chaos to Mr. Hardbattle’s life, driving away all of his customers. Then one day, just when Mr. Hardbattle’s had enough, a young boy named Arthur stumbles in. And soon Mr. Hardbattle, Arthur, and the lovable Miss Quint are banding together to reclaim the shop. A new home for magic must be found.
Nowhere Girl
Luchi Ann only knows a few things about herself: she was born in a prison in Thailand. Her American mother was an inmate there. And now that her mother has died, Luchi must leave the only place she’s ever known and set out into the world. Neither at home as a Thai, because of her fair skin and blond hair, nor as a foreigner, because of her knowledge of Thai life and traditions, Luchi feels as though she belongs nowhere. But as she embarks on an amazing adventure-a journey spanning continents and customs, harrowing danger and exhilarating experiences-she will find the family, and the home, she’s always dreamed of. Weaving intricate elements of traditional Thailand into a modern-day fairy tale unique unto itself, Nowhere Girl is a beautifully rendered story of courage, resilience, and finding the one place where you truly belong.