When guerrilla soldiers strike Santiago's village, they destroy everything in their path -- including his home and family. Santiago and his four-year-old sister escape, running for their lives. But the only way they can be truly safe is to leave Guatemala behind forever. So Santiago and Angelina set sail in a sea kayak their Uncle Ramos built while dreaming of his own escape. Sailing through narrow channels guarded by soldiers, shark-infested waters, and days of painful heat and raging storms, Santiago and Angelina face an almost impossible voyage hundreds of miles across the open ocean, heading for the hope of a new life in the United States.
Cole Mattews has been violent and destructive for most of his 15 years, but when his beating of Peter Driscal results in brain damage, Cole is forced to face the consequences. Sent to an island in the harsh climes of Alaska, he must fend for himself for a year. Initially thinking that he can escape the island, the troubled teen is set upon by a giant white bear. This savage attack is the beginning of Cole's transformation from a brutal, angry boy into a sensitive, changed individual.
Fourteen-year-olds Elliot and Vincent live worlds apart, but both dream of a better life. Learning to run the Montana ranch that he will some day inherit, Elliot dreams of being an astronaut. In Africa, Vincent must deny his thirst for knowledge of the world beyond his village in order to become a Masai warrior. Forced to quit school, his only link to the outside world is a short wave radio. The boys find each other when NASA chooses Elliot to be its first Junior Astronaut. As Elliot hurtles through space over Africa, Vincent picks him up on the short wave radio. At first their communications, monitored by the news media, are fraught with misunderstanding. But as they learn about each other's culture, their friendship captures the world's attention and promises hope for the future. George Guidall's narrative expertise instantly gets listeners involved in this fast-paced coming-of-age tale. They are sure to absorb its inspiring message about the value of communication among cultures.
When Petey Corbin is born in 1920, no one knows about cerebral palsy. After struggling to care for her frail infant who is often racked by seizures, Petey's mother reluctantly places him in an asylum. There, he is labeled an idiot and ignored. Few people look beyond his twisted body to see the intelligence in his eyes. Then another young resident, Calvin Anders, arrives in Petey's ward. As he learns to understand Petey's garbled sounds, Calvin becomes his spokesman and best friend. Years later, however, they are separated when Petey is moved to a nursing home. Alone and withdrawn, Petey wonders if he will ever find another person who understands him. Ben Mikaelsen, award-winning author of Rescue Josh McGuire, Stranded, and other popular books for young adults, has crafted a poignant tale of friendship and triumph over disabilities. Petey was chosen by the New York Public Library as one of its 100 Books for Reading and Sharing, and it won the Western Writers of America Award.
Twelve-year-old Koby isn't like the other kids in her class. She lost her right foot in an accident four years ago, and she is keenly aware that her classmates don't know how to act around her. The only place she feels at home is in her small boat, where she can watch whales play in the ocean. When Koby discovers a stranded mother whale and her baby, she realizes that their survival depends on her ability to keep them breathing through the night. But she is alone, and help is nowhere in sight.
Thirteen-year-old Josh McGuire knows an orphaned bear cub he's found will be given to researchers if the game warden tracks it to his dog house. Instead, he runs away with the cub to the mountains, vowing to protect it until hunting laws are changed. But the Montana wilderness is a dangerous place, and saving the cub's life may cost Josh his own. Rescue Josh McGuire has won the International Reading Association Award and Western Writers of America Spur Award. Its popular author Ben Mikaelsen lives in Montana with his wife and Buffy, a 600-pound black bear.
