Book Choices
January/February
Alabama Moon
• For as long as ten-year-old Moon can remember, he has lived out in the
forest in a shelter with his father. They keep to themselves, their only
contact with other human beings an occasional trip to the nearest general
store. When Moon's father dies, Moon follows his father's last instructions:
to travel to Alaska to find others like themselves. But Moon is soon caught
and entangled in a world he doesn't know or understand; he's become
property of the government he has been avoiding all his life. As the spirited
and resourceful Moon encounters constables, jails, institutions, lawyers,
true friends, and true enemies, he adapts his wilderness survival skills and
learns to survive in the outside world, and even, perhaps, make his home
there.
Found
• One night a plane appeared out of nowhere, the only passengers aboard:
thirty-six babies. As soon as they were taken off the plane, it vanished.
Now, thirteen years later, two of those children are receiving sinister
messages, and they begin to investigate their past. Their quest to discover
where they really came from leads them to a conspiracy that reaches from
the far past to the distant future—and will take them hurtling through
time. In this exciting new series, bestselling author Margaret Peterson
Haddix brings an element of suspense that will keep readers on the edge of
their seats.
Blizzard of Glass
• On December 6, 1917, two ships collided in Halifax Harbor in Nova Scotia,
Canada. One ship was loaded top to bottom with munitions and the other
held relief supplies, both intended for war-torn Europe. The resulting blast
flattened two towns, Halifax and Dartmouth, and killed nearly 2,000
people. As if that wasn't devastating enough, a blizzard hit the next day,
dumping more than a foot of snow on the area and paralyzing muchneeded relief efforts.
Fascinating, edge-of-your-seat storytelling based on original source
material conveys this harrowing account of tragedy and recovery.
Among the Barons
In this fourth installment of a series about a society that allows only two
children per family, Luke Garner is finally adjusting to his new life at
Hendricks School as Lee Grant. While the Grants belong to the highest class
of society called the Barons, Luke avoids snobbish affectations and
befriends his classmates, who are also illegal thirds. When the real Lee
Grant's younger brother arrives at the school, along with his fierce body
guard, Luke worries that Smits will expose him to the government.
However, Smits has come to enlist Luke's help in discovering how his older
brother really died, suspecting that he was murdered. The intrigue and
danger grow more acute when both boys are called "home" and Luke
discovers that the Grants have plans for him that could turn out to be fatal.
As in the previous books, characters who seem honest turn out to be
dangerous while others who seem suspicious end up as allies. The climax
hints at a further installment. Fans of the series are the most likely audience
for this story of Luke's continuing struggle to survive.
Artimis Fowl
• Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is a millionaire, a genuis, and, above all,
a criminal mastermind. But even Artemis doesn't know what he's
taken on when he kidnaps a fairy, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon
Unit. These aren't the fairies of bedtime stories, they're dangerous!
Full of unexpected twists and turns, Artemis Fowl is a riveting, magical
adventure.
Call of the Wild
• Jack London's novels and ruggedly individual life seemed to embody American
hopes, frustrations, and romantic longings in the turbulent first years of the
twentieth century, years infused with the wonder and excitement of great
technological and historic change. The author's restless spirit, taste for a life of
excitement, and probing mind led him on a series of hard-edged adventures from
the Klondike to the South Seas. Out of these sometimes harrowing experiences
— and his fascination with the theories of such thinkers as Darwin, Spencer, and
Marx — came the inspiration for novels of adventure that would make him one of
America’s most popular writers.
The Call of the Wild, considered by many London's greatest novel, is a gripping
tale of a heroic dog that, thrust into the brutal life of the Alaska Gold Rush,
ultimately faces a choice between living in man’s world and returning to nature.
Adventure and dog-story enthusiasts as well as students and devotees of
American literature will find this classic work a thrilling, memorable reading
experience.
Chasing Vermeer
This bewitching first novel is a puzzle, wrapped in a mystery,
disguised as an adventure, and delivered as a work of art.
When a book of unexplainable occurrences brings Petra and
Calder together, strange things start to happen: Seemingly
unrelated events connect; an eccentric old woman seeks
their company; an invaluable Vermeer painting disappears.
Before they know it, the two find themselves at the center
of an international art scandal, where no one is spared from
suspicion. As Petra and Calder are drawn clue by clue into a
mysterious labyrinth, they must draw on their powers of
intuition, their problem solving skills, and their knowledge of
Vermeer. Can they decipher a crime that has stumped even
the FBI?
A Day No Pigs Would Die
Originally published in hardcover in 1972, A Day
No Pigs Would Die was one of the first young
adult books, along with titles like The Outsiders
and The Chocolate War. In it, author Robert
Newton Peck weaves a story of
a Vermont boyhood that is part fiction, part
memoir. The result is a moving coming-of-age
story that still resonates with teens today.
Ender’s Game
Winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards
In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race's next attack, government agencies breed
child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A brilliant young boy, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin lives with his kind
but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his sister
Valentine. Peter and Valentine were candidates for the soldier-training program but didn't make the cut—
young Ender is the Wiggin drafted to the orbiting Battle School for rigorous military training.
Ender's skills make him a leader in school and respected in the Battle Room, where children play at mock
battles in zero gravity. Yet growing up in an artificial community of young soldiers Ender suffers greatly from
isolation, rivalry from his peers, pressure from the adult teachers, and an unsettling fear of the alien
invaders. His psychological battles include loneliness, fear that he is becoming like the cruel brother he
remembers, and fanning the flames of devotion to his beloved sister.
Is Ender the general Earth needs? But Ender is not the only result of the genetic experiments. The war with
the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway
for almost as long. Ender's two older siblings are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways.
Between the three of them lie the abilities to remake a world. If, that is, the world survives.
Ender's Game is the winner of the 1985 Nebula Award for Best Novel and the 1986 Hugo Award for Best
Novel.
Egypt Game
The first time Melanie Ross meets April Hall, she’s
not sure they have anything in common. But she
soon discovers that they both love anything to do
with ancient Egypt. When they stumble upon a
deserted storage yard, Melanie and April decide it’s
the perfect spot for the Egypt Game. Before long
there are six Egyptians, and they all meet to wear
costumes, hold ceremonies, and work on their
secret code. Everyone thinks it’s just a game until
strange things start happening. Has the Egypt
Game gone too far?
Fingerprints and Talking Bones
Throughout the twentieth century, important crimes
have been solved with unusual clues that have required
detectives to go off the beaten track and sometimes to
consult with experts from scientific fields. Charlotte
Foltz Jones has drawn together numerous actual
accounts that illustrate the fascinatingly diverse and
often surprising paths to truth. Bugs, dirt, bite marks,
and even pets are all potential crime-solving clues. This
page-turning book is perfect for detectives-to-be, young
scientists, and all those interested in a peek at the
police work that goes on behind the scenes.
Holes
A modern classic . . . from the New York Times bestselling author
who has been recognized with the Newbery Award as well as the
National Book Award!
Stanley Yelnats is under a curse. A curse that began with his nogood-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather and has
since followed generations of Yelnatses. Now Stanley has been
unjustly sent to a boys’ detention center, Camp Green Lake, where
the boys build character by spending all day, every day digging
holes exactly five feet wide and five feet deep. There is no lake at
Camp Green Lake. But there are an awful lot of holes.
It doesn’t take long for Stanley to realize there’s more than
character improvement going on at Camp Green Lake. The boys are
digging holes because the warden is looking for something. But
what could be buried under a dried-up lake? Stanley tries to dig up
the truth in this inventive and darkly humorous tale of crime and
punishment—and redemption.
Hunt for Red October
Here is the runaway bestseller that launched
Tom Clancy’s phenomenal career. A military
thriller so gripping in its action and so
convincing in its accuracy that the author was
rumored to have been debriefed by the White
House. Its theme: the greatest espionage coup
in history. Its story: the chase for a top secret
Russian missile sub. Lauded by the Washington
Post as “breathlessly exciting,” The Hunt for Red
October remains a masterpiece of military
fiction by one of the world’s most popular
authors, a man whose shockingly realistic
scenarios continue to hold us in thrall.
Jacob I Have Loved
Sara Louise Bradshaw is sick and tired of
her beautiful twin Caroline. Ever since
they were born, Caroline has been the
pretty one, the talented one, the better
sister. Even now, Caroline seems to take
everything: Louise's friends, their
parents' love, her dreams for the future.
For once in her life, Louise wants to be
the special one. But in order to do that,
she must first figure out who she is . . .
and find a way to make a place for
herself outside her sister's shadow
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
A beautiful paperback edition of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,
book two in the classic fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia. This edition
features cover art by three time Caldecott Medal-winning illustrator David
Wiesner, and interior black-and-white illustrations by the series' original
illustrator, Pauline Baynes.
Four adventurous siblings—Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie—
step through a wardrobe door and into the land of Narnia, a land frozen in
eternal winter and enslaved by the power of the White Witch. But when
almost all hope is lost, the return of the Great Lion, Aslan, signals a great
change . . . and a great sacrifice.
Open the door and enter a new world! The Lion, the Witch and the
Wardrobe is the second book in C. S. Lewis's classic fantasy series, which
has been captivating readers of all ages with a magical land and
unforgettable characters for over sixty years. This is a stand-alone read, but
if you would like to discover more about Narnia, pick up The Horse and His
Boy, the third book in The Chronicles of Narnia.
Loser
From renowned Newbery-winning author Jerry Spinelli comes an incredible
story about how not fitting in might just lead to an incredible life.
Just like other kids, Zinkoff rides his bike, hopes for snow days, and wants to
be like his dad when he grows up. But Zinkoff also raises his hand with all
the wrong answers, trips over his own feet, and falls down with laughter
over a word like "Jabip." Other kids have their own word to describe him,
but Zinkoff is too busy to hear it. He doesn't know he's not like everyone
else. And one winter night, Zinkoff's differences show that any name can
someday become "hero."
With some of his finest writing to date and great wit and humor, Jerry
Spinelli creates a story about a boy's individuality surpassing the need to fit
in and the genuine importance of failure. As readers follow Zinkoff from first
through sixth grade—making this a perfect classroom read—and watch his
character develop, it becomes impossible not to identify with and root for
him through failures and triumphs.
The Outsiders
No one ever said life was easy. But Ponyboy is pretty
sure that he's got things figured out. He knows that he
can count on his brothers, Darry and Sodapop. And he
knows that he can count on his friends—true friends
who would do anything for him, like Johnny and TwoBit. And when it comes to the Socs—a vicious gang of
rich kids who enjoy beating up on "greasers" like him
and his friends—he knows that he can count on them
for trouble. But one night someone takes things too far,
and Ponyboy's world is turned upside down...
Peter and the Starcatchers
Don't even think of starting this bookunless you're sitting in a
comfortable chair and have lots of time. A fast-paced, impossible-toput-down adventure awaits as the young orphan Peter and his mates
are dispatched to an island ruled by the evil King Zarboff. They set sail
aboard the Never Land, a ship carrying a precious and mysterious trunk
in its cargo hold, and the journey quickly becomes fraught with
excitement and danger.
Discover richly developed characters in the sweet but sophisticated
The Pigman
Join the millions of readers who have discovered The Pigman, the
beloved, groundbreaking young adult classic from Paul Zindel, the
Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-inthe-Moon Marigolds.
In The Pigman, what begins as a teenage prank soon becomes a
timeless examination of grief, acceptance, and the transformative power
of friendship. High-school sophomores John and Lorraine had no idea
Shark Beneath the Reef
Like his father and grandfather before him, 14-year-old
Tomás Torres dreams of catching a great shark in the Sea of
Cortez -- and he will catch it, although there are other things
he should be thinking about. With an education, her could
someday become a marine biologist. Tomás's family want
him to stay in school. But Tomás knows he will be more help
to them if he leaves school now to become a
fisherman. Should he drop out?
The choice is Tomás alone -- a difficult one for a boy just
A Solitary Blue
Jeff Greene was only seven when he came home from school to find a note from his
mother. She felt that the world needed her more than her “grown up” son did. For
someone who believed she could see the world’s problems so clearly, she was blind
to the heartache and difficulties she pushed upon her son, leaving him with his
reserved, undemonstrative father.
So when, years later, she invites Jeff to spend summers with her in Charleston, Jeff is
captivated by her free spirit and warmth, and a happiness he’s been missing fills him.
But Jeff's second visit ends with a devastating betrayal and an aching feeling of
loneliness. In life, there can be emotional pits so deep that seemingly nothing will
grow—but if he digs a little deeper, Jeff might just come out on the other side.
The Voyage of the Frog
This adventure novel about survival at sea by Newbery Honor author
Gary Paulsen is now available in an After Words paperback edition!
David thought he was alone, that the ocean around him was all there
was of the world. The wind screamed, the waves towered, and his boat,
the twenty-two foot fiberglass FROG, skidded and bucked and, each
moment, filled deeper and grew heavier with sea water.
David thought surely he was dead at fourteen. His uncle Owen, who had
taught him
The Westing Game
A bizarre chain of events begins when sixteen unlikely people gather for the
reading of Samuel W. Westing’s will. And though no one knows why the
eccentric, game-loving millionaire has chosen a virtual stranger—and a possible
murderer—to inherit his vast fortune, on things for sure: Sam Westing may be
dead…but that won’t stop him from playing one last game!
Winner of the Newbery Medal
Winner of the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award
An ALA Notable Book
White Mountains
Monstrous machines rule the Earth, but a few humans are fighting for
freedom in this repackaged start to a classic alien trilogy ideal for fans of Rick
Yancey’s The 5th Wave.
Will Parker never dreamed he would be the one to rebel against the Tripods.
With the approach of his thirteenth birthday, he expected to attend his
Capping ceremony as planned and to become connected to the Tripods—huge
three-legged machines—that now control all of Earth. But after an encounter
with a strange homeless man called Beanpole, Will sets out for the White
Mountains, where people are said to be free from the control of the Tripods.
Even with the help of Beanpole and his friends, the journey is long and hard.
And with the Tripods hunting for anyone who tries to break free, Will must
reach the White Mountains fast. But the longer he’s away from his home, the
more the Tripods look for him…and no one can hide from the monstrous
machines forever.
Where the Red Fern Grows
A loving threesome, they ranged the dark hills and
river bottoms of Cherokee country. Old Dan had the
brawn. Little Ann had the brains, and Billy had the
will to make them into the finest hunting team in
the valley. Glory and victory were coming to them,
but sadness waited too. Where the Red Fern Grows
is an exciting tale of love and adventure you'll never
forget.
The Winter Room
Following the turn of the seasons, eleven year old Eldon traces
the daily routines of his life on a farm and his relationship with
his older brother Wayne. During the winter, with little work to
be done on the farm, Eldon and Wayne spend the quiet hours
with their family, listening to their Uncle David's stories. But
Eldon soon learns that, although he has lived on the same
farm, in the same house with his uncle for eleven springs,
summers, and winters, he hardly knows him.
Chew on This
• Kids love fast food. And the fast food industry definitely loves kids. It couldn’t survive without them. Did you
know that the biggest toy company in the world is McDonald’s? It’s true. In fact, one out of every three toys
given to a child in the United States each year is from a fast food restaurant.
• Not only has fast food reached into the toy industry, it’s moving into our schools. One out of every five public
schools in the United States now serves brand name fast food. But do kids know what they’re eating? Where
do fast food hamburgers come from? And what makes those fries taste so good?
• When Eric Schlosser’s best-selling book, Fast Food Nation, was published for adults in 2001, many called for
his groundbreaking insight to be shared with young people. Now Schlosser, along with co-writer Charles
Wilson, has investigated the subject further, uncovering new facts children need to know.
• In Chew On This, they share with kids the fascinating and sometimes frightening truth about what lurks
between those sesame seed buns, what a chicken ‘nugget’ really is, and how the fast food industry has been
feeding off children for generations.
Max the Mighty
This is the dramatic, heart-wrenching tale
of Max (from Freak the Mighty) and
Worm, two outsiders who turn to each
other for survival.
Hero
Zach Harriman knew that his dad was
something of a hero, a man trusted by the
president to solve international crises at a
moment's notice. Suddenly people are telling
him he has powers - people who know much
more about his father than Zach ever did. But
there are the Bads, who appear out of nowhere
and attack him and his best friend. One thing is
clear: he can do things ordinary people cannot.
Like fend off grown men as though he
possesses the strength of a hundred. Like sense
when evil is about to strike. And evil is about to
strike in a very big way. Zach Harriman is his
father's son. And he, too, is a hero.
False Prince
In this first book in a remarkable trilogy, an orphan is forced into a twisted game
with deadly stakes.
Choose to lie...or choose to die.
In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner,
a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the
king's long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited
to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that
Conner's motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword's
point -- he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But
Sage's rivals have their own agendas as well.
As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner's sumptuous palace, layer
upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that, in
the end, may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together.
An extraordinary adventure filled with danger and action, lies and deadly truths
that will have readers clinging to the edge of their seats.
Shooting Kabul
• In the summer of 2001, twelve year old Fadi’s parents make the difficult decision to illegally leave
Afghanistan and move the family to the United States. When their underground transport arrives
at the rendezvous point, chaos ensues, and Fadi is left dragging his younger sister Mariam
through the crush of people. But Mariam accidentally lets go of his hand and becomes lost in the
crowd, just as Fadi is snatched up into the truck. With Taliban soldiers closing in, the truck speeds
away, leaving Mariam behind.
Adjusting to life in the United States isn’t easy for Fadi’s family and as the events of September
11th unfold the prospects of locating Mariam in a war torn Afghanistan seem slim. When a
photography competition with a grand prize trip to India is announced, Fadi sees his chance to
return to Afghanistan and find his sister. But can one photo really bring Mariam home? Based in
part on the Ms. Senzai’s husband’s own experience fleeing his home in Soviet controlled
Afghanistan in the 1970s, Shooting Kabul is a powerful story of hope, love, and perseverance.
Montmorency: Theif, Liar, Gentleman?
1875: When an ambitious young doctor
rescues a scruffy thief on the point of
death, he inadvertently creates
Montmorency – whose life is split
between the new London sewers and
Victorian high society. This is the first
book in the Montmorency series.
Legend
"Marie Lu's dystopian novel is a Legend in the
making."--USA Today
"Taut and exciting."--The Los Angeles TImes
"Legend doesn't merely survive the hype, it
deserves it."