Prosper and Bo are orphans on the run from their cruel aunt and uncle. The brothers decide to hide out in Venice, where they meet a mysterious thirteen-year-old who calls himself the "Thief Lord." Brilliant and charismatic, the Thief Lord leads a ring of street children who dabble in petty crimes. Prosper and Bo delight in being part of this colorful new family. But the Thief Lord has secrets of his own. Soon the boys are thrust into circumstances that will lead them to a fantastic, spellbinding conclusion.
Winner of the 2000 Zurich Children's Book Award and the 2001 Children's Book Award from the Vienna House of Literature.
Orphaned Kit Tyler knows, as she gazes for the first time at the cold, bleak shores of Connecticut Colony, that her new home will never be like the shimmering Caribbean island she left behind. In her relatives' stern Puritan community, she feels like a tropical bird that has flown to the wrong part of the world, a bird that is now caged and lonely. The only place where Kit feels completely free is in the meadows, where she enjoys the company of the old Quaker woman known as the Witch of Blackbird Pond, and on occasion, her young sailor friend Nat. But when Kit's friendship with the "witch" is discovered, Kit is faced with suspicion, fear, and anger. She herself is accused of witchcraft!
The summer that Patty Bergen turns twelve is a summer that will haunt her forever. When her small hometown in Arkansas becomes the site of a camp housing German prisoners during World War II, Patty learns what it means to open her heart. Even though she's Jewish, she begins to see a prison escapee, Anton, not as a Nazi, but as a lonely, frightened young man. As their gentle friendship blossoms, Patty experiences a kind of love she never felt from her abusive father or her distant mother. Soon Patty must weigh the cost of harboring a Nazi prisoner-the possibility of losing family, friends, and even her freedom-against the beauty of this dangerous but unforgettable friendship. Based on the author's own painful experiences growing up in Arkansas during World War II, this poignant novel is an ALA Notable Book, a National Book Award finalist, one of the New York Times Outstanding Books of the Year, and the winner of the Golden Kite Award.
Imagine living in a country in which women and girls are not allowed to leave the house without a man. Imagine having to wear clothes that cover every part of your body, including your face, whenever you go out.
In this powerful and realistic tale, eleven-year-old Parvana lives with her family in one room of a bombed-out apartment building in Kabul, Afghanistan's capital city during the Taliban rule. Parvana's father- a history teacher until his school was bombed and his health destroyed- works from a blanket on the ground in the marketplace, reading letters for people who cannot read or write. One day he is arrested for the crime of having a foreign education, and the family is left without someone who can earn money or even shop for food. As conditions in the family grow desperate, only one solution emerges. Forbidden by the Taliban government to earn money as a girl, Parvana must transform herself into a boy and become the breadwinner.
Lyrical yet unsentimental, The Midwife's Apprentice won the coveted 1996 Newbery Medal. Filled with striking characters, it paints unforgettable pictures of village life in the Middle Ages, the midwife's craft, and a very remarkable girl's growing independence and pride. Brat has no name, no home, and no shelter against the 14th-century English winter except the foul warmth of a dung heap. So when Jane the Midwife wakes her with a kick and takes the half-starved creature to her cottage, a curious relationship begins. Jane teaches Brat to gather herbs and make the poultices used to ease the pain of childbirth for the village women. The skinny young girl quickly learns to obey the sharp-tongued midwife, and secretly watches Jane practice her art whenever she can. But Jane is also teaching Brat unspoken lessons that will take longer-maybe a lifetime-to master.
Her family's lighthouse home is an island of enchantment for 13-year-old Eliza Wells. Surrounded by whales, seals, and pelicans, she avoids the problems that beset the mainland: like the increasingly heated conflict between the local town's white and Chinese citizens. This compelling historical novel by the award-winning author of Shadow Spinner is based on actual 19th-century events. Narrator Christina Moore voices all the confusion, compassion, and strength of a heroine willing to risk what she loves most in order to do what she knows is right.
When the kids in Room 3B study their ancestors, they find out something amazing about Ida: her great-great grandmother sailed on the Titanic! Now Harry and his friends wish they could go to sea, too, and a field trip to a real riverboat gives them the perfect chance. An elementary school teacher for 27 years, Suzy Kline uses her classroom experiences to create wonderfully original characters and situations for her engaging books about Horrible Harry, Song Lee, and the rest of the unforgettable kids in Room 3B.
ALA Book Award winner Graham Salisbury writes dramatic stories for young adult readers. One of the most critically acclaimed books of 2001, Lord of the Deep is a vivid fishing adventure that takes place off of the great blue island of Hawaii. Since Bill married Mikey's mom, Mikey's life has become truly incredible. At age 13, Mikey is the youngest deckhand on the whole island, working hard on Bill's deep-sea charter fishing boat. It's his second week out on the boat, and he's busy trying to prove himself to both Bill and the disrespectful charter guests. But after making a mistake at a crucial moment, Mikey begins to feel more and more alone. Mikey's admiration for Bill compels him to take a stand for personal integrity and the truth--a decision that fills him with both regret for his actions and a deep appreciation for Bill. With narrator Robert Ramirez's enjoyable reading, listeners are in for a hot and sunny day on the boat.
Last year, 10-year-old Junebug desperately wanted to leave the grimy Auburn Street project where he lived with his mother and sister. Now his dream has come true. They have moved to the other side of New Haven into a safe, new apartment complex. His mother takes care of the elderly residents there. Moving means changes, however. And not all of them are good. There is a bully in his new school who won't leave him alone. Junebug has to take grumpy old Reverend Ashford for a walk every morning. And he worries about the friendship growing between his mother and the Reverend's son. As Junebug adjusts to a new neighborhood, his struggles will help young readers understand the importance of honesty. JD Jackson's narration is perfect for voicing the young boy and his widening world in this wonderful sequel to Junebug.
Though Alice and Greta live on the same mountain, they are about as different as two witches can be. Alice's outlook is always rosy, just like her clothes. Greta always dresses in poison green, a color as putrid as her personality. Alice uses her magic to help people, while Greta uses hers to make people miserable. Steven J. Simmons' delightful IRACBC Children's Choice award winner teaches children some valuable lessons about getting along with others and accepting the consequences of their actions.
When Mr. Hardy disappears while investigating a mystery surrounding a vacant house rumored to be either haunted or an abode for criminals, the Hardy Boys search for the truth.
