Jake Hunter is your quintessential bully-tough, mean, and misunderstood. While he likes the power gotten from picking on the nerdy kids, he's sick of his dumb buddies, and he craves some adventure in his dull life. So when he stumbles upon a Web site called Villain.net that lets him download superpowers, he's eager to try out the laser vision and the radioactivity. But when he joins forces with a supervillain named Basilisk, Jake must decide if he truly wants to accept the consequences of being a villain. And of course, little does he know that Hero.com is out there too, recruiting teens for the other side. . . . Views: 16
From one of our most beloved and best-selling authors: a hilarious new stand-alone novel about one man's misadventures in travel and romance in the Italian countryside.When writer Paul Stewart heads to the idyllic Italian town of Montalcino to finish his already overdue cookbook, he expects it to be the perfect escape from stressful city life. But when he arrives, things quickly take a turn for the worse. His hired car is nowhere to be found, and with no record of a reservation at the car-rental counter and no other cars are available, it appears that Paul will be stuck at the airport—that is, until an enterprising stranger offers him an unexpected alternative: a bulldozer. With little choice in the matter, Paul accepts, and so begins a series of laugh-out-loud adventures as he trundles through the Tuscan countryside. A story of unexpected circumstances and making the best of what you have, My Italian Bulldozer is a warm and witty read guaranteed to put a... Views: 16
From School Library JournalGrade 5–8—This historical fantasy, a follow-up to The Cabinet of Wonders (Farrar, 2008), brings magic and mystery to life. When British spy John Dee, advisor to Queen Elizabeth, spirits young Petra Kronos away from Prince Rodolfo's monsters in Bohemia, Petra's only concern is returning home to London and rescuing her father. Instead, Dee keeps her captive and trains her as both a magician and a spy. On the other side of the world, Petra's friends Neel and Tomik unwillingly join forces to find not only Petra but also the Celestial Globe. Evil Prince Rodolfo also seeks the Globe, half of a set that reveals mysterious pathways through the world. Petra and the other characters have matured, and romance begins to play a role, but friendship and adventure remain at the forefront. While the multiple narratives dilute the action somewhat, the fantastical journey of Tomik and Neel, and Petra's struggles with her captor, her education, and her love interest will engage fans of the first book and bring new readers to the series. An author's note (cunningly penned by Astrophil, Petra's clockwork spider) explains which characters and events are rooted in historical fact.—_Karen E. Brooks-Reese, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PA_ (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. FromIn this spirited sequel to The Cabinet of Wonders (2008), Petra Kronos escapes Prince Rodolfo's monstrous assassins with the help of British spy John Dee. Dee, an intriguingly amoral benefactor for stubborn, challenging Petra, refuses to return her to Bohemia, instead keeping her busy with lessons in swordplay and magic. As Petra struggles to outmaneuver him, Neel and Tomik search for two globes that enable travel through mysterious Loopholes, but they are not the only ones after this power. With a little romance, a murder mystery, and political intrigue in spades, this historical fantasy crackles with energy. Series fans will be pleased. Grades 5-8. --Krista Hutley Views: 16
Quintessentially funny Judy Blume!Second grader Freddy Dissel has that left-out kind of feeling. Life seems lonely when you're the middle kid in the family. Freddy feels like "the peanut butter part of a sandwich," squeezed between an older brother and little sister. But now for the first time it's Freddy's chance to show everyone, including himself, just how special he is!From the Trade Paperback edition. Views: 16
Claire had been called an angel, though she was anything but celestial. She was alluring, sensual...filled with pain so deeply embedded she felt she could bear it no longer...until a mix up of names placed her life in the hands of an earthly angel named Garrett, who showed her she was worthwhile; a man who needed someone like Claire to help him piece together the shattered parts of his own life. Views: 15
In the seventh chapter book in the New York Times bestselling series, Amelia Bedelia comes out of her shell and heads to the beach!Amelia Bedelia and her mother share a summer vacation home at the shore with her aunt Mary (her mother's sister) and her cousin Jason, who has a wicked sense of adventure and a nose for trouble. With a local girl named Pearl as guide, the cousins build sand castles, swim and body surf, and learn how to sail. As much fun as their nautical adventures are, the lives of this trio get way more exciting when they stumble upon pirates! The Amelia Bedelia chapter books star Amelia Bedelia as a young girl and feature funny family and friendship stories just right for fans of Judy Moody and Ivy + Bean. The Amelia Bedelia books have sold more than 35 million copies since we first met the iconic character in 1963! Views: 15
For 60,000 years the rest of the world had pretty much left Australia and its Aboriginal nations alone. Then it became a home for Britain's criminals and poor. Now a con man had found gold and suddenly everyone was heading to Australia: adventurers, revolutionaries, camels . . . Australia would never be the same. Views: 15
It's 1972 in Gibber's Creek, and across the nation, the catchcry is, 'It's time'. In 1972, and the catchcry is 'It's time'. As political ideals drift from disaster to the dismissal, it's also time for Jed Kelly to choose between past love, Nicholas, the local Labor member, and Sam from the Halfway to Eternity commune. It's time too for Matilda Thompson to face her ghosts and the life that took a young girl from the slums of Grinder's Alley to being the formidable matriarch of Gibber's Creek. During this period of extraordinary social change and idealism, modern Australia would be born. And although the nation would dream of a better world, it would continue to struggle with opposing ideas of exactly what that better world might be. Jackie French, author of the bestselling To Love a Sunburnt Country, has woven her own experience of that time into an unforgettable story of a small rural community and a nation swept into the social and political tumult of the early 1970s. A time that... Views: 15
A haunted house continues its quest for vengeance on two young children After surviving the wrath of the house that wants them dead, Jason and his four-year-old sister, Sally, face a new challenge—a week without their mom and dad. When their parents are called away to deal with a work crisis, they are left with Katie, a seventeen-year-old babysitter. Katie doesn't believe in spirits, but that doesn't matter to Bobby, the ghost of the child who was murdered here. Bobby has become closer than ever to Sally—in fact, he now possesses her. And his hatred of babysitters and desire for vengeance will leave Jason, Sally, and Katie in even more danger than before. Views: 15
Maddy Swift is just a normal high school girl—until she's struck by lighting and reanimated as a zombie. Great. Like Barracuda Bay High wasn't cold-blooded enough already!Navigating the perils of cliques and hot guys was bad enough. Now Maddy has to learn to survive as the undead. She quickly discovers she's not the only one walking dead in class, and soon she's thrown into an epic battle surrounding everyone she's ever loved.Avoiding detection by curious Normals while fighting vengeful Zerkers and equally lethal Sentinels, Maddy discovers life as a zombie is no picnic. Turns out there's a lot more to it than shuffling around 24/7 growling, Brains!" Views: 15
The first book in a scifi retelling of the Mahabrahata. When Esmae wins a contest of skill, she sets off events that trigger an inevitable and unwinnable war that pits her against the family she would give anything to return to. In a universe of capricious gods, dark moons, and kingdoms built on the backs of spaceships, a cursed queen sends her infant daughter away, a jealous uncle steals the throne of Kali from his nephew, and an exiled prince vows to take his crown back. Raised alone and far away from her home on Kali, Esmae longs to return to her family. When the King of Wychstar offers to gift the unbeatable, sentient warship Titania to a warrior that can win his competition, she sees her way home: she'll enter the competition, reveal her true identity to the world, and help her famous brother win back the crown of Kali. It's a great plan. Until it falls apart. Inspired by the Mahabharata and other ancient Indian stories, A Spark of White... Views: 15
