Every year in Quill, thirteen-year-olds are sorted into categories: the strong, intelligent Wanteds go to university, and the artistic Unwanteds are sent to their deaths
Thirteen-year-old Alex tries his hardest to be stoic when his fate is announced as Unwanted, even while leaving behind his twin, Aaron, a Wanted. Upon arrival at the destination where he expected to be eliminated, however, Alex discovers a stunning secret--behind the mirage of the "death farm" there is instead a place called Artime.
In Artime, each child is taught to cultivate their creative abilities and learn how to use them magically, weaving spells through paintbrushes and musical instruments. Everything Alex has ever known changes before his eyes, and it's a wondrous transformation.
But it's a rare, unique occurence for twins to be separated between Wanted and Unwanted, and as Alex and Aaron's bond stretches across their separation, a threat arises for the survival of Artime that will pit brother against brother in an ultimate, magical battle.
Amy and Dan find themselves in a new global race but this time, everything's different. Those closest to them might be working for the enemy, and Amy and Dan are forced to ask themselves how far they're willing to go to save the kidnapped Cahills. How much can you risk when there's no one to trust?
Aidan and Sarah Cooper have no idea what they're getting into one afternoon when they discover a mysterious coded document in a secret compartment of an antique English desk their father recently bought at an auction. Something about the document seems familiar to Sarah, and that night she realizes what it is: the document seems to be referring to some books she has read - the Starcatchers series, about the origin of Peter Pan. But how could that be? The document seems far older than the books. And of course, the books are just stories. . . . Curious, Sarah and Aidan begin to decipher the mysterious document. At first it's a game -unraveling the mystery piece by piece, each piece leading them to a new, deeper puzzle. But soon the game turns strange - and scary. They discover that the "stories" are real, and that what they thought was a fictional battle between good and evil is still going on. And the scariest part is: They have become part of it. Pursued by a being that can take any form and will stop at nothing to get what it wants from them, Aidan and Sarah embark on a desperate, thrilling quest for help - a quest that leads them to some unforgettable people in some unlikely places, including one that's not supposed to exist at all. At each step they must solve new puzzles and escape new dangers, all the while knowing that if they fail, the evil they are fleeing will be let loose on an unsuspecting world.
It all begins with a train rushing through the night. On board, twins Joe and Nancy begin a quest to rescue their parents. Along the way, they will encounter mad scientists, a talking pig, creatures from another dimension, several bad knock-knock jokes, plenty of explosions, a whole army of villains and varmints, and shape-shifting Eggy-Things. Figuring out who is friend and who is foe is the least of the twins' problems as they piece together the body parts of a Top-Secret Robot who, when complete, will help to reunite their family. A collaboration between the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance and the Library of Congress's Center for the Book, the hilarious Exquisite Corpse Adventure originated as a national literacy project for young people to help launch the READ.gov website.
Going back to the beginning of time . . . Discover the final chapter in this out-of-this-world adventure series!
One of the biggest science experiments of all time is about to take place - and George and Annie have got front-row seats! Eric, Annie's scientist dad, is heading to the Large Hadron Collider to explore the earliest moments of the Universe - the Big Bang. Armed with his trusty super-computer, Cosmos, nothing can possibly go wrong . . . until George and Annie discover a fiendish plot to destroy the experiment!
George is swept into a terrifying adventure - through wormholes, into far-flung galaxies and to the edge of knowledge itself - while he and Annie race to outwit a sinister group who are bent on the destruction of science . . . But will they succeed?
This incredible adventure story includes some of the latest scientific theories about time travel and the Big Bang, as well as special essays from some of the leading scientists in the world - including Professor Stephen Hawking himself!
'An engrossing and thrilling story, written with all the insight you would expect from these authors. Complemented by full colour photos of our galaxy and many pages of scientific facts, this is a really good read.' ParentsinTouch.co.uk
Animal Ark is the veterinary surgery run by Mandy Hope's parents. If there are animals to be protected or looked after, Mandy is always there to help.
Mandy's friend James has a labrador called Blackie. When Blackie disturbs a family of hedgehogs all hell breaks loose! The mother breaks her legs - and her babies are kidnapped by the next-door neighbour. How can Mandy and James safely release the animals into the wild?
HEDGEHOGS IN THE HALL is one of the best-loved ANIMAL ARK stories.
(P) Hodder Children's Books 1997
Buddy Boutonniere, a big-hearted Standard Poodle, subsists in the bare backyard of a tract home in the desert city of Yucca Dunes. MacKenzie, a Border Collie, and Javier, a Chihuahua, provide Buddy with companionship and bring him food scraps when his neglectful owners forget to provide for him. When his owners move, leaving Buddy behind, Buddy's life starts taking strange twists, with new friends, new challenges, enemies, opportunities - and ultimately un-sought-for heroism. Buddy's story teaches young readers about the bonds of love and friendship, the role of free will in building character, the importance of responsibility in our lives, especially as it relates to animal welfare, and the acceptance of death as part of life's journey for ourselves and our pets.
As a punishment for lying, Kevin has lost his allowance. He doesn't lie now, but he's broke. He's got to find a way to make money. Lots of it, so he can impress Tina Zabinski, the World's Most Beautiful Girl, and ask her on a date. So Kevin gets creative - and his life becomes a financial comedy of errors. Does he really have what it takes to get filthy rich at age fourteen? In Gary Paulsen's hilarious follow-up to Liar, Liar, Kevin's schemes lead him into situations that are sweet, some that are sticky, and some that are downright stinky.
A New York Times best-selling author and multiple Bram Stoker Award winner, Marvel Comics writer Jonathan Maberry continues the story he began in Rot & Ruin. Six months have passed since Benny Imura and Nix Riley learned that flesh-eating zombies aren't the scariest or most dangerous monsters around. Now, Benny's brother Tom is training them in the art of zombie whacking. But as they plan to leave and find a better future, a zombie attack puts a crimp in their plans. And soon, they discover an old enemy they believed was long-gone may actually still be alive.
The author of the Mistborn trilogy and Elantris, Brandon Sanderson is winning abundant praise for this rollicking-and unusual-tale. Alcatraz Smedry can't exactly be described as someone who doesn't break things. In fact, he breaks lots of things. The truth is, he's a major klutz. Breaking things, however, might just be the ace in the hole he needs when he goes up against a cabal of nefarious (gasp!) librarians.
This debut of AJ Stern's popular Frankly Frannie chapter book series begins the adventures of Frannie-a girl who loves offices. Considering her last field trip ended in disaster, Frannie is relieved she'll be allowed to attend the upcoming excursion to a local radio station. Deciding it's time to get a job, Frannie brings everything she'll need-including business cards she made herself and a resume. But when things don't go as planned, Frannie ends up in trouble once again. "A perfect addition to the growing collection of feisty girls . series."-School Library Journal
Albert starts a new school and soon learns about the headmaster's new monstrous marble crusher machine...Sid Creedy decides to have fun with the new boy, Albert. The trusting Albert believes his outrageous stories until the tale of the Marble Crusher reaches the Head Teacher...
