And yet gifted author Amy Efaw does the impossible— she turns Devon into an empathetic character, a girl who was in such deep denial that she refused to believe she was pregnant. Through airtight writing and fast-paced, gripping storytelling, Ms. Efaw takes the reader on Devon’s unforgettable journey toward clarity, acceptance, and redemption.
What If...All Your Friends Turned On You by Liz Ruckdeschel and Sarah James
Sixteen-year-old Haley Miller is back at Hillsdale High school after the holiday break, and she’s finally got her driver’s license! But something fishy is going on. The few people she trusts are now acting less than trustworthy, and she’s beginning to wonder: is she turning into an outcast? Haley was looking forward to her best spring break yet, but now it’s not clear she’ll get an invite from anybody. Maybe readers—with their excellent decision-making skills—can guide Haley back to her rightful place in the social strata. Anything’s possible in this fun series where Choose Your Own Adventure meets Gossip Girl.
When The Snow Fell by Henning Mankell
As it has in the past, the first snow of the year signifies to Joel Gustafson his very own New Year’s Eve. So when the snow begins to fall on a cold November day, Joel gets busy making new resolutions—three, to be exact. As the winter days pass, life becomes ever more complicated. Joel has questions and the answers don’t necessarily come easily, but he is determined to keep his resolutions—for his father, for himself, and for their future.
Henry & The Crazed Chicken Pirates by Carolyn Crimi
Barnacle Black Ear and his band of Buccaneer Bunnies are back! The floppy-eared scallywags are busy — shooting one another out of cannons; swinging from the masts of their ship — too busy to listen when Henry finds a threatening message in a bottle. While Henry works frantically on his book, HENRY'S PLAN FOR IMPENDING DANGER FROM THE UNKNOWN ENEMY WHY WROTE THE
SCARY NOTE, his mates bowl with coconuts or dig for treasure, and his father, Black Ear, bellows that Henry is wasting his time. But when Crazed Chicken Pirates attack the unsuspecting Bunnies, will Henry and his book save the day?
Miss Little's Gift by Douglas Wood
Douglas is the youngest, smallest, and newest student in his second-grade class, and he doesn’t like reading. He doesn’t like sitting still. And he doesn’t like Miss Little, especially when she makes him stay after class day after day, forcing him to sound out lines and blobs and squiggles when he’d rather be throwing a football. Luckily Douglas likes the pictures in the book Miss Little has chosen for him, pictures that remind him of the lake his family visits every summer. Award-winning author Douglas Wood — the boy in the story — alludes to scenes from The Little Island, the first book that enticed him to read, in a tale that will resonate
with many children with ADHD. It is also a heartwarming ode to a special teacher whose gentle persistence changed one little boy’s life forever.
Roberto's Trip to the Top by John Paterson Jr
Today was the day! Finally it is time for Roberto to take his well-earned trip on the teleférico to the top of El Ávila, the mountain overlooking his village. Since Papá has to work, Tío Antonio will go with his nephew, who makes sure to pack his camera so he can share the sights with Papá. Up, up, up, the cable car goes, over gasp-inducing ravines, to an exciting new world of vendors, animals, and a spectacular view of Caracas below. Featuring lively illustrations and interwoven with Spanish words that are translated in a glossary at the end, here is a warmhearted tale of a little boy’s first big adventure without his parents.
Wiggins Learns His Manners by Leslie McGuirk
Wiggens is a Chocolate Labrador puppy who just can’t seem to mind his manners. His parents don’t know what to do, until they discover a place that teaches puppies all about refinement and how to behave — the famous Four Seasons Restaurant! Wiggens is nervous at first, but with the help of a Saint Bernard, he and the other puppies soon learn ten important lessons (and sample delicious food as well). Leslie McGuirk’s playful art and language enliven tips from Four Seasons owner Alex von Bidder in a truly fetching tale about mastering your manners.
Hamlet by John Marsden
Something is rotten in the state of Denmark, but Hamlet can’t be sure what’s causing the stench. His rage at his mother’s infidelities — together with his greed for the sensual Ophelia and his dead father’s call to revenge a "murder most foul" — have his mind in chaos, and he wants to scatter his traitorous uncle’s insides across the fields. But was it really his father’s ghost that night on the ramparts, or a hell-fiend sent to trick him? "Action is hot," he tells Ophelia, who lives shut up in a tower with her longings and lust. "Action is courage, and reflection is cowardly. Picking up the knife has the colors of truth. As soon as I hesitate. . . ." In this dark, erotically charged, beautifully crafted novel, John Marsden brings one of Shakespeare’s most riveting characters to full-blooded life in a narrative of intense psychological complexity.
