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Literature Circles

Grade 8 and up books

A Long Walk to Water

The New York Timesbestseller A Long Walk to Water begins as two stories, told in alternating sections, about two eleven-year-olds in Sudan, a girl in 2008 and a boy in 1985. The girl, Nya, is fetching water from a pond that is two hours' walk from her home: she makes two trips to the pond every day. The boy, Salva, becomes one of the "lost boys" of Sudan, refugees who cover the African continent on foot as they search for their families and for a safe place to stay. Enduring every hardship from loneliness to attack by armed rebels tocontact with killer lions and crocodiles, Salva is a survivor, and his story goes on to intersect with Nya's in an astonishing and moving way.

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Hermia loves Lysander and Helena loves Demetrius, but the playful Puck uses a magic potion that makes the wrong men love the wrong women. Even Titania, the fairy queen, is made to fall in love with a workman with the head of a donkey One of Shakespeare's most magical and best-loved comedies. In play format, ideal for group performance.

A Monster Calls

Patrick Ness's #1 New York Times bestseller and Carnegie Medal-winning masterwork is poised to attract a discerning crossover audience. The monster in Conor's backyard is not the one he's been expecting -- the one from the nightmare he's had every night since his mother started her treatments. This monster is ancient. And wild. And it wants something from Conor. Something terrible and dangerous. It wants the truth. From the final idea of award-winning author Siobhan Dowd -- whose premature death from cancer prevented her from writing it herself -- Patrick Ness has spun a haunting and darkly funny novel of mischief, loss, and monsters both real and imagined.

Against All Odds

When two police officers arrived out of the blue at Paul Connelly's door, he learned the shocking news that, out of the 10 children with whom he had shared a dormitory in care, only two were still alive. The revelation unearthed painful memories of a childhood that, until this point, Paul had tried desperately to put behind him. Abandoned there at two weeks old, Paul came of age in the infamous St. Leonard's Children's Home in East London. The children there were routinely abused, often over the course of many years. All were underfed, unloved, and told that they would amount to nothing. Angry and frustrated, Paul channeled his rage into boxing—but when an accident shattered his ambition to turn professional, he found his true calling and became a successful trainer, even working as a consultant on Elle Macpherson's The Body video. Paul has finally found peace and fulfillment beyond anything he could have imagined all those years ago. He now helps to heal broken bodies, build confidence, and transform lives—but he will never forget his past and the unnecessary victims of a broken society

Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging

Angus: My mixed-breed cat, half domestic tabby, half Scottish wildcat. The size of a small Labrador, only mad. Thongs: Stupid underwear. What's the point of them, anyway? They just go up your bum, as far as I can tell. Full-Frontal Snogging: Kissing with all the trimmings, lip to lip, open mouth, tongues ... everything. Her dad's got the mentality of a Teletubby (only not so developed). Her cat, Angus, is trying to eat the poodle next door. And her best friend thinks she looks like an alien -- just because she accidentally shaved off her eyebrows. Ergghhhlack. Still, add a little boy-stalking, teacher-baiting, and full-frontal snogging with a Sex God, and Georgia's year just might turn out to be the most fabbitty fab fab ever!

Anything but Typical

Jason Blake is an autistic 12-year-old living in a neurotypical world. Most days it's just a matter of time before something goes wrong. But Jason finds a glimmer of understanding when he comes across PhoenixBird, who posts stories to the same online site as he does. Jason can be himself when he writes and he thinks that PhoneixBird-her name is Rebecca-could be his first real friend. But as desperate as Jason is to met her, he's terrified that if they do meet, Rebecca wil only see his autism and not who Jason really is. By acclaimed writer Nora Raleigh Baskin, this is the breathtaking depiction of an autistic boy's struggles-and a story for anyone who has ever worried about fitting in.

April Raintree

April Raintree is a revised version of the novel, In Search of April Raintree, written specifically for students in grades 9 through 12. Through her characterization of two young sisters who are removed from their family, the author poignantly illustrates the difficulties that many Aboriginal people face in maintaining a positive self-identity.

At the Sign of the Sugared Plum

It is 1665 and Hannah is full of excitement at the prospect of her first trip to London. She is going to help her sister, Sarah, in her sweetmeats shop, 'The Sugared Plum'. But Hannah does not get the welcoming reception she expected. Sarah is horrified that Hannah did not get her message to stay away: the Plague is threatening to take hold of London...

Blood Red Horse

You need three things to become a brave and noble knight: A warhorse. A fair maiden. A just cause. Will has a horse-a small chestnut stallion with a white blaze in his brow. Ellie is a fair maiden, but she's supposed to marry Will's older brother, Gavin. And as for the cause, King Richard is calling for a Crusade. The Knights of England must go to the Holy Land to fight. Will and Gavin will go. Blood will be shed. Lives will be taken. But through it all, two things will be constant-Ellie, and a blood-red horse called Hosanna. . . .

The Breadwinner

Eleven-year-old Parvana lives with her family in one room of a bombed-out apartment building in Kabul, Afghanistan's capital city. Parvana's father -- a history teacher until his school was bombed and his health destroyed -- works from a blanket on the ground in the marketplace, reading letters for people who cannot read or write. One day, he is arrested for the crime of having a foreign education, and the family is left without someone who can earn money or even shop for food. As conditions for the family grow desperate, only one solution emerges. Forbidden to earn money as a girl, Parvana must transform herself into a boy, and become the breadwinner.

Can't Get There from Here

"A powerful and disturbing look at the downward spiral of despair that remains too common for too many teens (School Library Journal)." Her street name is Maybe. She lives with a tribe of homeless teens--runaways and throwaways, kids who have no place to go other than the cold city streets, and no family except for one another. Abused, abandoned, and forgotten, they struggle against weather, hunger, and constant danger. With the frigid winds of January comes a new girl: Tears, a twelve-year-old whose mother doesn't believe her husband is abusive. As the other kids start to disappear--victims of violence, addiction, and exposure--Maybe tries to help Tears get off the streets...if it's not already too late.

Catherine, Called Birdy

Catherine, a spirited and inquisitive young woman of good family, narrates in diary form the story of her fourteenth year--the year 1290. A Newbery Honor Book.

Cinder

The first book in the #1New York Times-and USA Today-Bestselling Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer! See where the futuristic YA fairytale saga all began, with the tale of a teenage cyborg who must fight for Earth's survival against villains from outer space.

The Climb

A mysterious stranger has come to the island. Why is he there? Why does he look at Eagle's Rock, and at Mr. Vitalis' house? Costas wants to know the answers to these questions. And he wants to be the first person to climb the dangerous Eagle's Rock. But will the stranger climb it first?

Counting by 7s

In the tradition of Out of My Mind, Wonder, and Mockingbird, this is an intensely moving middle grade novel about being an outsider, coping with loss, and discovering the true meaning of family. Willow Chance is a twelve-year-old genius, obsessed with nature and diagnosing medical conditions, who finds it comforting to count by 7s. It has never been easy for her to connect with anyone other than her adoptive parents, but that hasn’t kept her from leading a quietly happy life . . . until now.   Suddenly Willow’s world is tragically changed when her parents both die in a car crash, leaving her alone in a baffling world. The triumph of this book is that it is not a tragedy. This extraordinarily odd, but extraordinarily endearing, girl manages to push through her grief. Her journey to find a fascinatingly diverse and fully believable surrogate family is a joy and a revelation to read.

The Crossover

"With a bolt of lightning on my kicks . . .The court is SIZZLING. My sweat is DRIZZLING. Stop all that quivering. Cuz tonight I'm delivering," announces dread-locked, 12-year old Josh Bell. He and his twin brother Jordan are awesome on the court. But Josh has more than basketball in his blood, he's got mad beats, too, that tell his family's story in verse, in this fast and furious middle grade novel of family and brotherhood from Kwame Alexander (He Said, She Said 2013).

Josh and Jordan must come to grips with growing up on and off the court to realize breaking the rules comes at a terrible price, as their story's heart-stopping climax proves a game-changer for the entire family.

Dairy Queen

When you don’t talk, there’s a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said. Harsh words indeed, from Brian Nelson of all people. But, D. J. can’t help admitting, maybe he’s right. When you don’t talk, there’s a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said. Stuff like why her best friend, Amber, isn’t so friendly anymore. Or why her little brother, Curtis, never opens his mouth. Why her mom has two jobs and a big secret. Why her college-football-star brothers won’t even call home. Why her dad would go ballistic if she tried out for the high school football team herself. And why Brian is so, so out of her league. When you don’t talk, there’s a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said. Welcome to the summer that fifteen-year-old D. J. Schwenk of Red Bend, Wisconsin, learns to talk, and ends up having an awful lot of stuff to say.

Dark Ryder

In Dark Ryder a teenage girl is given a difficult task. If she can train and ride Dark Ryder, she gets to keep the horse as her own. If she fails, the horse will be put to death.

Disconnect

Since moving hundreds of miles to a new school, Daria has become increasingly dependent on her cell phone. Texts, Facebook and phone calls are her only connection to her friends in Calgary, and Daria needs to know everything that is going on at home to feel connected to her old life. Her cell phone habit looks a lot like addiction to her mother and to her new friend Cleo. Daria dismisses the idea of technology addiction as foolish until her habit puts a life in danger.

Doctor Illuminatus

When a family moves to an old English country estate, Sebastian, the son of an alchemist, is accidentally awakened from a centuries-long sleep. The evil enemy of Sebastian's father has also been awakened and continues to pursue his sinister plan.

Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie

A brave and beautiful story that will make readers laugh, and break their hearts at the same time. Now with a special note from the author! Steven has a totally normal life (well, almost). He plays drums in the All-City Jazz Band (whose members call him the Peasant), has a crush on the hottest girl in school (who doesn't even know he's alive), and is constantly annoyed by his younger brother, Jeffrey (who is cuter than cute - which is also pretty annoying). But when Jeffrey gets sick, Steven's world is turned upside down, and he is forced to deal with his brother's illness, his parents' attempts to keep the family in one piece, his homework, the band, girls, and Dangerous Pie (yes, you'll have to read the book to find out what that is!).

FaceSpace

Danny McBride is not the coolest kid in school, not in his wildest dreams. And if the other kids knew he spent his Saturday nights playing Parcheesi with his mom and working on a city made of Lego, he'd be even less cool. Danny wants more than anything to be popular. He creates a fictional British rocker named James and befriends him publicly online, hoping his make-believe friend's cool will rub off. It works. Danny starts making friends and feeling like part of the crowd--until people start wanting to meet the imaginary friend, and Danny's plan starts to unravel.

Far North

From the window of the small floatplane, fifteen-year-old Gabe Rogers is getting his first look at Canada's magnificent Northwest Territories with Raymond Providence, his roommate from boarding school. Below is the spectacular Nahanni River -- wall-to-wall whitewater racing between sheer cliffs and plunging over Virginia Falls. The pilot sets the plane down on the lake-like surface of the upper river for a closer look at the thundering falls. Suddenly the engine quits. The only sound is a dull roar downstream, as the Cessna drifts helplessly toward the falls . . . With the brutal subarctic winter fast approaching, Gabe and Raymond soon find themselves stranded in Deadmen Valley. Trapped in a frozen world of moose, wolves, and bears, two boys from vastly different cultures come to depend on each other for their very survival.

Ghost of Spirit Bear

In award-winning author Ben Mikaelsen's riveting sequel to the acclaimed word-of-mouth bestseller Touching Spirit Bear, readers will be captivated by what Booklist calls a "hugely satisfying resolution." Life in the wilderness--exiled from civilization as a punishment for his violent behavior--had its own set of hurdles, but for fifteen-year-old Cole Matthews, it's returning home and facing high school that he's not sure he can handle. With gangs and physical altercations haunting the hallways of their school, Cole and his former victim Peter--who Cole has now become friends with--must face it all together. So when Peter's limp and speech impediment make him a natural target to the bullies, Cole's suppressed rage comes bubbling to the surface a lot quicker than he anticipated. Will he throw everything away that he learned on the healing, remote Alaskan island? In this tale of teenage survival and self-awareness, Cole realizes it's not enough to change himself. He has to change his world.

Heart of a Champion

Jimmy Winter is a born star on the baseball field, and Seth Barnam can only dream of being as talented. Still, the two baseball fanatics have the kind of friendship that should last forever. But when Seth experiences an unthinkable loss, he's forced to find his own personal strength--on and off the field. An ALA Best Book for Young Adults An ALA Best Book for Reluctant Readers A New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Book of the Year

Hide and Shriek

When Emily, Tess, Cam and Dylan decide to ignore the new town curfew during their Friday-night game of hide-and-seek, they get more than they bargained for. Down by the river, they witness a shady deal go down involving some criminal types who recently moved into their neighborhood. When the teens are discovered, they are hunted through the dark streets and back alleys. They will have to use all their hide-and-seek skills to save each other. Ultimately, Emily, the youngest of the group and the best hider, discovers that sometimes staying hidden is the best way to escape.

Hitting the Road

The road isn't nice to kids who run away. Matt knew there would be trouble, even before he took off with his friend Cody. Along the way, there would be fighting, fear, hunger, and a jump from a speeding train. Was it all worth it?

Hunger Journeys

It's World War II in Amsterdam. Teenage Lena leaves her starving family to travel by train with her friend Sofie to Alemelo, a town close to the German border in search of food. It's a risky plan. The girls have false papers and are quickly pulled off the train by German soldiers. After Lena discovers the train had also been used to transport Jews to concentration camps, she fears her new friendship with the well-meaning Albert may lead her into more danger. Sofie, too, befriends a soldier, a relationship that turns quickly series and has unfortunate consequences for both girls.

I Am a Taxi

Winner of the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award For twelve-year-old Diego and his family, home is a prison in Cochabamba, Bolivia. His parents farmed coca, a traditional Bolivian medicinal plant, until they got caught in the middle of the government's war on drugs and were mistakenly convicted of drug possession. Diego's parents are locked up, but he can come and go: to school, to the market to sell his mother's handknitted goods, and to work as a "taxi," running errands for other prisoners. But then his little sister temporarily runs off while under his watch, earning his mother a heavy fine. The debt and dawning realization of his hopeless situation make him vulnerable to his friend Mando's plan to make big money, fast. Soon, Diego is deep in the jungle, working as a virtual slave in an illegal cocaine operation. As his situation becomes more and more dangerous, he knows he must take a terrible risk if he ever wants to see his family again.

Juvie

Sadie Windas has always been the responsible one — she’s the star player on her AAU basketball team, she gets good grades, she dates a cute soccer player, and she tries to help out at home. Not like her older sister, Carla, who leaves her three-year-old daughter, Lulu, with Aunt Sadie while she parties and gets high. But when both sisters are caught up in a drug deal — wrong place, wrong time — it falls to Sadie to confess to a crime she didn’t commit to keep Carla out of jail and Lulu out of foster care. Sadie is supposed to get off with a slap on the wrist, but somehow, impossibly, gets sentenced to six months in juvie. As life as Sadie knew it disappears beyond the stark bars of her cell, her anger — at her ex-boyfriend, at Carla, and at herself — fills the empty space left behind. Can Sadie forgive Carla for getting her mixed up in this mess? Can Carla straighten herself out to make a better life for Lulu, and for all of them? Can Sadie survive her time in juvie with her spirit intact? 

The Kid Is Lost

It's a baby-sitter's worst nightmare: the kid's gone missing Kurt has to get help... Fast... He leads the search into a deadly swamp in his 'All Terrain Vehicle', his ATV But will he find the lost child in time...?

Leviathan

It is the cusp of World War I. The Austro-Hungarians and Germans have their Clankers, steam-driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition. The British Darwinists employ genetically fabricated animals as their weaponry. Their Leviathan is a whale airship, and the most masterful beast in the British fleet. Aleksandar Ferdinand, a Clanker, and Deryn Sharp, a Darwinist, are on opposite sides of the war. But their paths cross in the most unexpected way, taking them both aboard the Leviathan on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure....One that will change both their lives forever.

Living Rough

In most ways, Poe is like the other kids in his school. He thinks about girls and tries to avoid too much contact with teachers. He has a loving father who helps him with his homework. But Poe has a secret, and almost every day some small act threatens to expose him. He doesn't have a phone number to give to friends. He doesn't have an address. Poe and his father are living in a tent on city land. When the city clears the land to build housing, Poe worries that they might not be able to find another site near his school. Will Poe have to expose his secret to get help for himself and his father?

Matilda Bone

Into the fascinating, pungent setting of Blood and Bone Alley, home of leech, barber-surgeon, and apothecary, comes Matilda, raised by a priest to disdain worldly affairs and focus on spiritual matters. To Matilda's dismay, her work will not involve Latin or writing, but practical tasks: lighting the fire, going to market, mixing plasters and poultices, and helping Peg treat patients. She is appalled by the worldliness of her new surroundings, and the sharp-tongued saints she turns to for advice are no help at all.  Filled with the witty dialogue and richly authentic detail that Karen Cushman's work is known for, Matilda Bone is a compelling comic novel about a girl who learns to see herself and others clearly, to laugh, and to live contentedly in this world. Author's note.

Macbeth

Macbeth is one of Shakespeare's best and most popular plays. It tells the bloody tale of Scotland's kings 1000 years ago - a tale of witches, murder, and the power of greed.

Maxed Out

More than anything, twelve-year-old Max wants to play hockey like he used to. But since the death of his dad, his mom does more crying than mothering, and Max has to take his special-needs brother, Duncan, with him everywhere he goes. The team needs Max to win the upcoming game against the Red Eagles, but one practice with Duncan makes it evident that it's not safe to leave him unattended on the sidelines. With only a week to figure out how he can play in the big game, Max is feeling the pressure. Will he find a way to be a good teammate, a good brother and a good son, or is it too much for one kid?

My Broken Family

In My Broken Family a teenage girl blames her father for her parents’ divorce and the collapse of her life. But she slowly learns that her situation is not quite as terrible as she had thought. An honest look at the family problems that can develop after divorce.

Nimona

Nimona is an impulsive young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta. As sidekick and supervillain, Nimona and Lord Blackheart are about to wreak some serious havoc. Their mission: prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddies at the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren't the heroes everyone thinks they are. But as small acts of mischief escalate into a vicious battle, Lord Blackheart realizes that Nimona's powers are as murky and mysterious as her past. And her unpredictable wild side might be more dangerous than he is willing to admit.

Nine Doors

Emery's neighbor, Richard, is the kind of kid who gets under your skin. When Richard suggests a game of "Nicky Nicky Nine Doors," Emery can't come up with a good excuse not to play. Using chocolate bars as "stunt poo," the boys start playing the classic prank of the burning bag on the doorstep, but this game has a modern twist. They videotape their neighbors' reactions. The naked guy and the man in the apron are highly entertaining, but Emery starts to get cold feet when another neighbor is reduced to tears. Emery wants out, but he's not sure how to stop the game without losing face. Soon the game gets serious, and Emery has a lot more to worry about than his reputation.

Notting Hill

William is single and lives in London's Notting Hill with his lodger, Spike. He owns a travel bookshop. One day Anna Scott, the biggest movie star in the world, walks into his shop, buys a book and changes William's life forever...This charming and hilarious film starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts is by Richard Curtis, the writer of Four Weddings and a Funeral and Love Actually.

Oil King Courage

When the Edmonton Oil Kings discover that Reuben Reuben has a hockey game as unforgettable as his name and his Inuit heritage, life changes in a hurry for him and his best friend Gear. A wealthy businessman sponsors a three-on-three pond-hockey tour across the western Arctic, and Reuben and Gear find out more than they ever bargained for about teamwork, about the North and about a dangerous family secret.

Our Plane Is Down

In Our Plane is Down a small plane goes down in the bush, hours from anywhere. A teenage brother and sister must struggle against the wilderness to rescue the pilot and survive themselves. They barely succeed.

Painting the Black

In his senior year of high school, late bloomer Ryan Ward has just begun to feel the magic of baseball--the thrill of catching a wicked slider, of throwing a runner out, of training hard and playing hard. His friend Josh, the star of the team, has helped Ryan push his limits. But when Josh clearly pushes the limits too far, Ryan is faced with a heartbreaking dilemma: he must choose between his love for the game and his sense of integrity.  

Reckless

Josh knows he's riding recklessly when he knocks down the old man he suspects is the hermit of Loggerman Creek. But he is shocked when the hermit walks into the forest with his bike after the accident. Being without his beloved bike for a week motivates Josh to hike into the woods and confront the crazy old man. The hermit, Jonathan, has fixed Josh's bike, and Josh learns that he has more in common with the old man than he ever imagined. When Jonathan needs help, Josh has to respect the old man's choices in order to save his life.

Responsible

Kevin Frasier is in a new high school--his fourth in the last year. He is trying to get along and not cause any waves. When he falls in with Nick and his friends, Frasier ends up going along as the group bullies and threatens their way through the school. When Nick starts tormenting Erin--and she stands up to him--the harassment escalates until Kevin is forced to make a difficult decision and risk everything.

Running for Dave

In Running for Dave, a school track star gets cancer and the rest of the team must find the strength to carry on in his  memory. Much more than a story about sports.

See No Evil

When Shawn and Daniel witness a gang beating behind the local mall they flee the scene, terrified that they've been seen. They recognize one of the attackers as a locally infamous gang member. When they learn that the kid who was attacked is in critical condition, Shawn wants to go to the police, but Daniel convinces him that they are in more danger if they speak up. The threats they receive from other members of the gang reinforce the boys' fears. When the gang attacks Daniel, Shawn has to put his own safety at risk to help his friend.

The Shakespeare Stealer

A delightful adveture full of humor and heart set in Elizabethan England! Widge is an orphan with a rare talent for shorthand. His fearsome master has just one demand: steal Shakespeare's play "Hamlet"--or else. Widge has no choice but to follow orders, so he works his way into the heart of the Globe Theatre, where Shakespeare's players perform. As full of twists and turns as a London alleyway, this entertaining novel is rich in period details, colorful characters, villainy, and drama.

Show Off

Nikki was one tough girl, or so all the kids said. She'd take on anybody, risk anything for the gang. But that was before she met Austin and began to turn her life around.

Skate Freak

Dorf is all about skateboarding and so far that's worked out fine. But now that he's in a new city, the terrain has changed. He's no longer free to skateboard where he wishes, school is more difficult, and his passion for skateboarding garners him the nickname and reputation of a freak. With daring stunts he gains the grudging respect of local troublemakers, but he needs to tap into another kind of courage to effect real change. Also available in French.

Snitch

Josh had been living in a group home after being ratted out by Scott, his one-time best friend. Now he has moved in with his brother and overbearing sister-in-law and has been sent to a class designed to teach him to deal with his anger. When an old enemy continues to push his buttons and Scott appears to be up to his old tricks, Josh struggles to control his temper. Framed for a crime he didn't commit, it will take all of his new-found strength to keep his cool--and his freedom. Also available in Spanish.

Speechless

Jelly Miles would rather be playing video games with his best friend PB than preparing for a speech competition. In fact, he'd rather be doing just about anything else. So he's as surprised as anyone that he's taking this year's competition seriously. At first, it's for the awesome prize. But when the competition turns ugly, Jelly realizes it's his chance to finally get the last word with the class know-it-all. With his reputation, self-respect and the friendship he values most on the line, can Jelly find the courage to get up in front of the whole school and show his true self?

Spoiled Rotten

Jessica loves her yearly backpacking trip with her father, but this year everything has changed. This year Jessica has to share her vacation with her new stepmother and her spoiled new stepsister, Amy. Jessica tries to salvage her holiday by sneaking off for a day hike alone, but Amy follows. Jessica is certain that Amy will ruin the day. Amy rises to the challenge of the rigourous hike and Jessica learns that Amy is not as spoiled as she thought. When Amy is injured and night falls, Jessica must face the challenge of hiking through bear country in the dark.

Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes

Sarah Byrnes and Eric Calhoune have been friends for years. When they were children, his weight and her scars made them both outcasts. Now Sarah Byrnes--the smartest, toughest person Eric has ever known--sits silent in a hospital. Eric must uncover the terrible secret she's hiding before its dark current pulls them both under.

Street Racer

Nitro will do anything to win and it doesn't matter who gets it in his way. But when he races on a dark highway with a blind curve, he takes one risk too many.

Street Scene

The guys weren't looking for trouble. Maybe Dwayne did pick the wrong girl to dance with. But did that give Sal and his gang an excuse to come after them? The fight should never have started - and it should never have ended the way it did.

Student Narc

In Student Narc, Kevin, a high school student, goes undercover to get evidence against the drug gang who caused his best friend’s death. Everything is going well until the gang discovers that Kevin is working for the cops.

Survival

When their small plane crashes in the Northern bush, things look bad. Mom's barely breathing. Doc Joe has a broken arm and hand and can't help. A storm blocks any rescue. It's all up to Sky and her brother...

Tears of a Tiger

Book 1 in The Hazelwood High Trilogy. Winner of the Coretta Scott King Award. An ALA Best Book for Young Adults. Andy Jackson was driving the car that crashed one night after a game killing his best friend, the captain of the Hazelwood High School Tigers. It was late, and they'd been drinking, and now, months later, Andy can't stop blaming himself. As he turns away from his family, friends, and even his girlfriend, Andy finds he's losing his ability to face the future. Available only in The Literacy Bridge 5.

Terror 911

Curtis was just picking up his sister. But that was at the World Trade Centre. And that was when the first plane hit. As the north tower burst into flames, the teenager must face the odds... To save his sister... his father... and himself? It's a hundred flights of steps... Can any of them make it that far...?

Tex

“In Tex, the raw energy for which Hinton has justifiably reaped praise has not been tamed—it’s been cultivated, and the result is a fine, solidly constructed, and well-paced story.”—School Library Journal, Starred An ALA Best Books for Young Adults A School Library Journal Best Books of the Year

Titan Clash

Jack Spencer has more to worry about than being kicked off his high school's basketball team. He uncovers suspicious circumstances surrounding the car crash that severely injured his mother and learns of his father's arrest for fraud. Jack's dad is tough on him, but he has learned to live with it. For the most part, he has it pretty good. Jack is a star player on his high school basketball team with everything going for him-scoring records, popularity and an easy path to a college scholarship. Almost as fast as the crash that put his mom in the hospital, everything Jack believes in starts to crumble. His only hope is to discover what's really going on, and quickly. If he doesn't, Jack may lose much more than a basketball career.

The Trap

Seventeen-year-old Johnny Least-Weasel knows that his grandfather Albert is a stubborn old man and won't stop checking his own traplines even though other men his age stopped doing so years ago. But Albert Least-Weasel has been running traplines in the Alaskan wilderness alone for the past sixty years. Nothing has ever gone wrong on the trail he knows so well. When Albert doesn't come back from checking his traps, with the temperature steadily plummeting, Johnny must decide quickly whether totrust his grandfather or his own instincts. Written in alternating chapters that relate the parallel stories of Johnny and his grandfather, this novel poignantly addresses the hardships of life in the far north, suggesting that the most dangerous traps need not be made of steel.

Truth

When an adult neighbor is brutally murdered during a high-school house party, everyone in school seems to have an idea who did it, but no one will go to the police. Jen was there and saw the body and she has her own ideas about who is responsible. As a reporter for the school TV show, she decides to try and uncover the truth and discover if a classmate's increasingly violent behavior is to blame. When she and others begin digging too deeply, violence flares in the small community. Finally, Jen is forced to take a stand, one that may cost her more than she could imagine. Also available in Spanish.

Watch Me

At first Kaz intends to help the old lady who's fallen in the park. But then he starts thinking about how he never gets what he wants. The next thing he knows, he's running away with her purse. The purse contains only five dollars and a battered watch. When Kaz learns who the old woman is and where the watch came from, he begins to understand consequences in a new way.

The Warning

Six stories of life, death and life-after-death. These stories are scary and strange. Creepy, to say the least. They'll raise the hairs on the back of your neck. Just don't read them in the dark...alone.

Wolf Brother

"Fantasy adventure on a grand scale, with a wealth of wilderness lore and convincing characterizations." --Booklist Fans of Fablehaven and City of Ember will devour Michelle Paver's bestselling fantasy series about one boy's epic fight against evil and the wolf who guides him. Six thousand years ago. Powerful mages stalk the land, threatening to destroy all the forest clans. According to legend, only twelve-year-old Torak and his wolf-cub companion can defeat them. Their journey together takes them through perilous terrain and into dangers they never imagined. Torak and Wolf are terrified of their mission. But if they do not battle to save their world, who will? "Torak's coming-of-age tale will keep the pages turning." --Publishers Weekly

You Can't Make Me

Waylon just wants to fit in. He'll throw rocks at the school. Or rip off a few cars. Or do what it takes so the guys will know he's grown up. But when the cops take him down, and his mother dumps him with his grandfather for the summer, Waylon has to get smart...fast.

Historical Fiction

Sports Fiction