In this sequel to Year of the Dog, Pacy has another big year in store for her. The Year of the Dog was a very lucky year: she met her best friend Melody and discovered her true talents. However, the Year of the Rat brings big changes: Pacy must deal with Melody moving to California, find the courage to forge on with her dream of becoming a writer and illustrator, and learn to face some of her own flaws. Pacy encounters prejudice, struggles with acceptance, and must find the beauty in change.Based on the author's childhood adventures, Year of the Rat, features the whimsical black and white illustrations and the hilarious and touching anecdotes that helped Year of the Dog earn rave reviews and satisfied readers. Views: 119
Seeker, Morning Star, and the Wildman return in this gripping sequel to Seeker and discover that the mysterious warrior sect they were so desperate to join is not what it appeared to be. Deeply disillusioned, the three escape and head off on quests they think are separate but soon become intertwined—and desperately life threatening. Fortunately, they have acquired the remarkable physical skills of the Noble Warriors, for they are certainly going to need them. The mighty warlord of the Orlan nation is gathering his forces and has vowed to destroy Anacrea—and everything and everyone that crosses his path.Includes a teaser to the third book in the sequence, Noman. Views: 118
'An amazing adventure story, told with sparkling style and sleight of hand' JACQUELINE WILSONVita set her jaw, and nodded at New York City in greeting, as a boxer greets an opponent before a fight.Fresh off the boat from England, Vita Marlowe has a job to do. Her beloved grandfather Jack has been cheated out of his home and possessions by a notorious conman with Mafia connections. Seeing Jack's spirit is broken, Vita is desperate to make him happy again, so she devises a plan to outwit his enemies and recover his home. She finds a young pickpocket, working the streets of the city. And, nearby, two boys with highly unusual skills and secrets of their own are about to be pulled into her lawless, death-defying plan.Katherine Rundell's fifth novel is a heist as never seen before - the story of a group of children who will do anything to right a wrong. Views: 118
A collection of pieces by contemporary Irish authors on John Milington Synge, from arguement to homage, from the school-room to the stage. Contributors include: offer Sebastian Barry, Marina Carr, Anthony Cronin,Roddy Doyle, Anne Enright, Hugo Hamilton, Joseph O'Connor, Mary O'Malley, Fintan O'Toole, Colm Toibin and Vincent Woods. Includes the One Act Synge play, 'When the Moon has Set'. Views: 118
From BooklistWhen Bean's teacher introduces The Amazing Book of World Records, everyone in the second grade vows to set new records. Bean tries stuffing her mouth full of straws, speed washing dishes, and screaming (with predictably disastrous results); finally, Ivy involves her friend in digging for dinosaur bones so they can become the world's youngest paleontologists. Barrows' dynamic duo is as appealing here as in the first two books, and emergent readers will identify with their outrageous antics. Also intriguing are Bean's sister, Nancy (who never misses an opportunity to put down her sibling), and her ever-supportive dad, whose banana bread fixes almost any problem. Weisman, Kay ReviewBest friends Ivy and Bean return for a very welcome third outing. When Bean's desperate boredom forces her to the pages of The Amazing Book of World Records, she determines to break one herself, no matter what. But after her attempt to stuff 257 straws in her mouth falls short by some 217 straws, and her loudest scream fails to shatter her sister's glass octopus, she combines her newfound interest in one-of-a-kind stunts with Ivy's fascination with paleontology to purse dreams of fame in her backyard. Barrows balances the two girls' personalities perfectly, Ivy's quiet studiousness the steady counterpoint to Bean's restless ebullience. The odd happy piece of information "It took [Mary Anning] a whole year to get the whole [ichthyosaur] out. . . . Chip, chip, chip, a tiny bit at a time" is conveyed effortlessly without impinging on the terrifically childlike voice "Lookit! I got one." Blackall's black-and-white spot illustrations share equal billing with the text, punctuating the written narrative with wry, spiky visuals that capture the kids' personalities beautifully. The resolution deflates Ivy and Bean's ambitions but leaves both dignity and enthusiasm intact other record attempts can wait till tomorrow. Just right. -Kirkus Reviews When Bean's teacher introduces The Amazing Book of World Records, everyone in the second grade vows to set new records. Bean tries stuffing her mouth full of straws, speed washing dishes, and screaming (with predictably disastrous results); finally, Ivy involves her friend in digging for dinosaur bones so they can become the world's youngest paleontologists. Barrows' dynamic duo is as appealing here as in the first two books, and emergent readers willidentify with their outrageous antics. Also intriguing are Bean's sister, Nancy (who never misses an opportunity to put down her sibling), and her ever-supportive dad, whose banana bread fixes almost any problem. -Booklist Rambunctious second-grader Bean and her more conservative friend, Ivy, are back for another easy-chapter-book adventure. This time, a book of world records gets the class thinking of feats they can accomplish. Bean unsuccessfully (and hilariously) tries to break some records, then decides to be the youngest person to discover dinosaur bones and starts digging in the backyard. Ivy has read a book about Mary Anning, who found a dinosaur skeleton at the age of 12. Anning is held up as a model of patience and perseverance, two qualities from which Bean would benefit. Her father is home during the day, and readers see their wonderful, positive relationship. He supports their efforts and agrees that the bones they ve discovered are mysterious. It's not a terribly original story idea, but Barrows has a fine touch. Blackall's humorous drawings add to the fun. This is a great chapter book for students who have recently crossed the independent reader bridge. -School Library Journal Views: 117
As the final days of summer heat up, so does a sibling showdown over a high-stakes lemonade stand business. Jessie and Evan Treski compete to see who will make $100 first off of their respective lemonade stands. Full of surprisingly accessible and savvy marketing tips for running a stand (or making money at any business) and with clever mathematical visuals woven in, this sensitively characterized novel subtly explores how war can escalate beyond anyone's intent. Views: 116
Embrace possibility in this luminous novel about a girl in search of her past who discovers a secret rooftop world in Paris.Everyone thinks that Sophie is an orphan. True, there were no other recorded female survivors from the shipwreck that left baby Sophie floating in the English Channel in a cello case, but Sophie remembers seeing her mother wave for help. Her guardian tells her it is almost impossible that her mother is still alive?but ?almost impossible? means ?still possible.? And you should never ignore a possible. So when the Welfare Agency writes to her guardian, threatening to send Sophie to an orphanage, she takes matters into her own hands and flees to Paris to look for her mother, starting with the only clue she has? the address of the cello maker. Evading the French authorities, she meets Matteo and his network of rooftoppers?urchins who live in the hidden spaces above the city. Together they scour the city in a search for... Views: 116
Ten-year-old Nathaniel Fludd is the reluctant hero of Flight of the Phoenix (2009), the madcap debut of the American author R. L. LaFevers's Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist series and a Junior Library Guild selection. The year is 1928, the setting England, and Nate's wayward parents have just been reported lost at sea. Nate is sent that very day to his Aunt Phil's house in Batting-at-the-Flies, but not for long . . . The morning after he arrives at the renowned beastologist's doorstep, she whisks him away to the Arabian desert to witness a phoenix lay an egg! A delightful adventure sure to please fans of mythology, maps, camels, and gremlins. Includes a glossary of terms from "cartographer" to "Tidy Sum." Don't miss the next books in the Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist series: The Basilisk's Lair (Book 2), The Wyverns' Treasure (Book 3), and The Unicorn's Tale (Book 4)! Views: 115
Warrior. Princess. Hero. Diana's destiny is to be the world's greatest female super hero... if she can survive this action-packed adventure!Twelve-year-old Princess Diana is fierce and whip-smart, and she loves her island home of Themyscira. Her deepest wish is to be able to train with the rest of the Amazons and protect her homeland—but she's not even allowed to hold a sword. This is the year Diana hopes to persuade her mother, Queen Hippolyta, to let her learn how to fight when the world's most powerful women gather on Themyscira for a festival to celebrate their different cultures.But at the start of the festivities, an unexpected and forbidden visitor—a boy!—brings news of an untold danger that threatens Themyscira and all of its sacred neighboring lands. It's up to Diana and her best friend, Princess Sakina, to save them, even if it means tangling with a cunning demon who reveals that a terrifying force is out to... Views: 115
Set sail for a “quirky, fast-paced adventure on the high seas” (SLJ) in this rollicking tale of pirates, poison, and monsters from New York Times bestselling author of Here Be Monsters!The kooky residents of Ratbridge are clamoring for the miracle medicine Black Jollop, but a shortage calls for action. The Nautical Laundry, the famed rat-pirate vessel, must journey afar to gather the medicine’s secret ingredient. But things aren’t what they seem…and soon the ship is under attack. Can young Arthur and his Ratbridge friends triumph and return with the cure for the towns ills? Illustrated throughout with hundreds of detailed and delightful black-and-white drawings, this imaginative novel will captivate young sea-faring scallywags and brave buccaneers who love a daring, humorous, and extraordinary adventure. Views: 113
