Amy and Dan have managed to rescue one of the Cahills kidnapped by the Vespers, but the remaining hostages are still in peril. Their search for the next ransom item leads Amy and Dan to Turkey and then to Italy where a visit to the site of an ancient disaster changes everything. The Vespers are far more dangerous than the siblings ever imagined and, even worse, it looks like they have an undercover mole posing as a Cahill. Amy and Dan have to face the biggest decision of their lives with nowhere to turn . . . and no one to trust.
They were fighting for Texas - fighting for the land they called home. For twelve long days the men, women and children inside an old mission known as The Alamo defended it against the soldiers who surrounded them. But President Santa Anna was just as determined to keep Texas part of Mexico, and vowed there would be no mercy for them. The Texans waited for a rescue in terms of men and supplies - but no help came. Finally, in the pre-dawn darkness of March 6, 1836, thousands of Mexican soldiers poured over the walls and the gruesome battle that followed proved to be a turning point in American history. This gripping story is told through the eyes of two real-life survivors of the siege and battle - eight-year-old Enrique Esparza and Susanna Dickinson. Learn the fascinating story behind that famous battle cry, "Remember the Alamo!" Recommended for Grades 4-6.
The year is 1862 and twelve-year-old P.K. Pinkerton is on the run from Whittlin Walt and his gang of ruthless desperados. P.K. is determined to hold on to his ma,s last priceless possession: the deed to a large amount of land and silver mines in the Nevada Mountains. But this is the Wild West, and there,’s hardly a safe place to hide in Virginia City, an untamed mining town full of gamblers, hurdy girls and gunmen—all of them on the make! Relying on disguises will only keep P.K. hidden for so long as he works to outwit the outlaws who are quickly closing in . . .
At once thrilling, funny, and moving, this mystery adventure will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very last page.
Vietnam-born author Thanhha Lai bursts onto the literary scene with Inside Out & Back Again-her National Book Award-winning debut. Written in rich, free-verse poems, this moving tale follows a young Vietnamese girl as she leaves her war-torn homeland for America in 1975. With Saigon about to fall to the communists, 10-year-old Hà, her mother, and brothers are forced to flee their beloved city and head to the United States. But living in a new country isn't easy for Hà, and she finds adapting to its strange customs ever challenging.
We are a family on a journey to a place called wonderful' is the motto of Deza Malone's family. Deza is the smartest girl in her class in Gary, Indiana, singled out by teachers for a special path in life. But the Great Depression has hit Gary hard, and there are no jobs for black men. When her beloved father leaves to find work, Deza, Mother, and her older brother Jimmie go in search of him, and end up in a Hooverville outside Flint, Michigan. Jimmie's beautiful voice inspires him to leave the camp to be a performer, while Deza and Mother find a new home, and cling to the hope that they will find Father. The twists and turns of their story reveal the devastation of the Depression and prove that Deza truly is the Mighty Miss Malone.From the Hardcover edition.
From the Newbery Award-winning author of Across Five Aprils and Up a Road Slowly comes a tale of a brave young man's struggle to find his own strength during the Great Depression. In 1932, Americans' dreams were simple: a job, food to eat, a place to sleep, and shoes without holes. But for millions of people these simple needs were nothing more than dreams. When he was just fifteen years old, Josh had to make his own way through a country of angry and frightened people. This is the story of his struggle to find a life for himself during those turbulent times.
Oliver Twist runs away from the brutality of the workhouse only to find himself taken in by a gang of thieves run by the devilish Fagin, his violent side-kick Bill Sikes and the irrepressible Artful Dodger. Rescued from London's dingiest and darkest dens but then forced to help in a violent burglary, Oliver's chances of survival are slim, and his chances of happiness almost nil. But one member of the gang risks everything to save him – and loses everything as a result. Roy McMillan combines an abridged version of Dickens's novel with his own helpful explanations to retell the story for younger listeners.
After visiting Boston, Judy Moody's in the mood for LIBERTY and FREEDOM - freedom from her parents' rules and her pesky little brother, that is. But Judy's plans to declare independence, just like the Patriots did in 1776, wind up getting her into hot water. For sure and absolute positive, the founding fathers never had problems like hers! Will Judy be able to prove, once and for all, that she's ready for a bit more independence?
Angeline Reddy is the daughter of a famous lawyer, but she's no stranger to rulebreaking. Growing up in the wild goldmining town of Bodie, California, in the 1880s, Angeline has seen it all saloons, brawls, dance halls, and a whole lot of desperation. But nothing's more exciting than seeing her daddy, Patrick Reddy, in action in the courtroom. Yet when Angeline's beau, a detective, ends up on trial, she finds herself tangled in a dangerous mystery as she attempts to help clear his name. In the pages of her diary, Angeline begins to piece together the clues stumbling across more than one murder and plenty of people with secrets they're fixing to keep. In a time and place where folks would rather settle up with a gunfight than a jury, Angeline must work quickly if she hopes to save her beau.
Everything’s changing for twelve-year-old Marlee. Her brother’s gone off to college and her sister’s moved out of the room they’ve shared since Marlee was born. To Marlee, it feels like her whole world’s falling apart.
On top of all that, she’s starting middle school and has to break in new teachers—teachers who don’t yet know Marlee doesn’t talk. At least not until she meets Liz, the new girl at school. Liz is she’s brave, brash and always knows the right thing to say, especially to the resident mean girl, Sally. Liz even helps Marlee overcome her fear of speaking. But when Liz leaves school without even a good-bye, the rumor is that Liz was really a colored girl caught passing for white. Marlee decides that doesn’t matter. She just wants her friend back. And to stay friends, Marlee and Liz are even willing to take on segregation and the dangers their friendship could bring to both their families.
