A classic story by Hans Christian Andersen presented with modern illustrations. The story of how a little bird endures the abuses and miseries as he was growing up not realizing he would mature into a beautiful swan. It’s a great tale about personal transformation for the better. Views: 46
Carole Hanson and Stevie Lake have been best friends ever since they met at Pine Hollow Stables. So when Lisa Atwood joins their ridinggroup, the girls aren't sure she's got what it takes. Lisa may be the smartest student in the classroom, but she's got a lot to learn when it comes to horses. . . . Views: 46
From the depths of the sewers comes a monster so gargantuan that no fishbowl can hold itWarren Otis wants to make horror films when he grows up. But as an eight-year-old boy, he has to settle for imagining movies instead of making them. He's thought up some real nightmares, including Bubbles, an innocent goldfish flushed down the toilet and exposed to a chemical that turned her into a one-ton monster. Warren's life sometimes feels like it's a bad movie. He hasn't seen his mom for three years, since she's a fugitive from the FBI. His grandmother's cranky and his sister's acting mysterious. When things get too strange, Warren escapes into his imagination and writes one more scene featuring Bubbles. But will he ever get a chance to share his story with the people he loves? This ebook features an illustrated biography of Betsy Byars including rare images from the author's personal collection. Views: 46
Ferdinand Magellan, Vasco da Gama, and other fifteenth-century adventurers spring to life in this thrilling tale of the competition between Portugal and the Venetian Republic to discover an all-sea trade route leading to the spices of India. In the Lisbon workshop of banker and navigation enthusiast Abel Zakuto, a group of intrepid explorers gather to discuss the possibility of finding a way around the stormy tip of Africa — the Devil's Cave.Author Agnes Danforth Hewes won the first of her three Newbery Honor awards with this book, which was praised by The New York Times as "one of those engrossing works of historical fiction whose appeal is nearly universal . . . a colorful history of a far-reaching commercial struggle and a vivid drama of individual hopes and aspirations." Enchanting woodcuts by Lynd Ward illustrate this gripping adventure, which is suitable for grades 7 and up and will delight readers of all ages. Views: 46
Marli is staying with her dad in Melbourne, and missing her friends. Then she discovers a mystery - a crumbling, abandoned mansion is to be returned to her family after seventy-five years. Marli sneaks into the locked garden to explore, and meets Luca, a boy who has his own connection to Riversleigh. A peacock hatbox, a box camera and a key on a velvet ribbon provide clues to what happened long ago . . . In 1922, Violet is fifteen. Her life is one of privilege, with boating parties, picnics and extravagant balls. An army of servants looks after the family - including new chauffeur Nikolai Petrovich, a young Russian ?migr?. Over one summer, Violet must decide what is important to her. Who will her sister choose to marry? What will Violet learn about Melbourne's slums as she defies her father's orders to help a friend? And what breathtaking secret is Nikolai hiding? Violet is determined to control her future. But what will be the price of her rebellion? Views: 46
A modern classic in the making, this hilarious and heartwarming story explores the true meaning of family and friendship, and will delight fans of Pippi Longstocking.Speed and self-confidence, that's Astrid Glimmerdal's motto. And her hair-raising escapades give her plenty of opportunity to practise both. Nicknamed "the little thunderbolt", Astrid loves to spend her days racing down the hillside on her sledge or skis. But poor Astrid longs for other children to come to her village and join her adventures. Instead, she has to put up with a grumpy old seventy-four year old for a best friend (although secretly, she knows she wouldn't have it any other way). Astrid's world is about to be turned upside down, however, first by the arrival of a strange family, and then a mystery woman. Her best friend, Gunnvald, has been keeping a secret from her – one that will test their friendship to its limits. Everything is changing in Astrid's valley,... Views: 46
From New York Times bestselling author Alyson Noël comes a fun, adventure-filled, contemporary novel that poses the question what would you do if your dream life became reality? A dream is a wish your heart makes . . . when your life is in desperate need of a makeover. Nick Dashaway would know. Either he makes it big this year in seventh grade or he risks being a nobody forever. Enter the Greentree Middle School Talent Show, hosted by teen sensation Josh Frost. The show might just be Nick's ticket out of loserville. But popularity doesn't come easy, and when Nick is forcibly ejected from the stage, he feels like he's out of options. Desperate to avoid a permanent seat at the geek table and continued inattention from the love of his life, Nick chooses the only option he has left: he makes a wish. Be careful what you wish for, the old saying goes—and Nick's about to find out why.From the Hardcover... Views: 46
In this moving and authentic portrayal, Christy Award-winning author Nancy Moser transports readers back to the life and times of one of the literary world's beloved heroines, Jane Austen. Growing up in a clergyman's home gives Jane opportunities to observe human nature at its best—and worst. Vivid and delightful characters pour from her pen—Elizabeth Bennet, Fitzwilliam Darcy, Emma Woodhouse, Fanny Price, John Willoughby. . . . Jane dreams of publishing her stories and sharing them with the world, but how can she? She's just Jane from Steventon. Will anyone ever read her novels? Views: 46
When Max, the manager of Pine Hollow Stables, starts acting odd, Lisa, Carole, and Stevie decide that it's time for a new Saddle Club project. They'll cure Max's "hay fever" by inviting all the eligible women they know to Pine Hollow's fourth of July picnic. Views: 46
Stephanie has a whole underwear drawer full of trouble.A week ago, Stephanie's biggest problem was finding enough time to complete her homework and study for her Mathletes competition. Now, thanks to her big-mouth brother, Zeke, she has to deal with magical toilet brushes, sinister talking cats, nearsighted sea serpents, singing custodians, feminist pirates, runty freedom fighters, and all the cottony-white weirdness of Underwhere--the world beneath our own where people wear their undies on the outside of their clothes. Views: 46
"[Yolen is] the Aesop of the twentieth century"—The New York TimesFantasy legend Jane Yolen (The Emerald Circus The Devil's Arithmetic), adored by generations of readers of all ages, delights with these effortlessly wide-ranging fairy tales, myths, and legends. She fractures the classics to reveal their crystalline secrets, holding them to the light and presenting them transformed: a spinner of straw as a falsely-accused moneylender, a philosophical bridge who longs for its troll, and the villainous wolf retiring to a nursing home. Each offering features an intimate author note and poem, allowing readers to discover stories old, new, and refined for the world we live in—or a much better version of it. Views: 46
"The ability to summon is passed down through the blood..."Summoner: One who is gifted with the ability to summon demonic creatures that are emotionally connected to their human counterparts. As brought to life in the bestselling Summoner series, the magic of summoning is also an art, with a story of its own. The Summoner's Handbook reveals the story of James Baker — the epic journal that inspired the series hero, Fletcher, to discover his own summoning abilities. Along with a complete demonology, a guide to the basics of summoning, and glorious artwork from the world of the Hominum Empire, this is the volume that fans of the acclaimed and bestselling series must own. Views: 46
