Special Collections

All Quiet on the Western Front

Paul Baumer enlisted with his classmates in the German army of World War I.

Youthful, enthusiastic, they become soldiers.

But despite what they have learned, they break into pieces under the first bombardment in the trenches.

And as horrible war plods on year after year, Paul holds fast to a single vow: to fight against the principles of hate that meaninglessly pits young men of the same generation but different uniforms against each other--if only he can come out of the war alive.

Date Added: 03/15/2019

Johnny Tremain

This thrilling Newbery Medal-winning novel about the Revolutionary War is a classic of children's historical fiction.Fourteen-year-old Johnny Tremain, an apprentice silversmith with a bright future ahead of him, injures his hand in a tragic accident, forcing him to look for other work. In his new job as a horse-boy, riding for the patriotic newspaper The Boston Observer and as a messenger for the Sons of Liberty, he encounters John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and Dr. Joseph Warren.Soon Johnny is involved in the pivotal events of the American Revolution, from the Boston Tea Party to the first shots fired at Lexington. Powerful illustrations by artist Michael McCurdy help bring this classic novel for middle graders to life."This sweeping tale of redcoats and revolutionaries has a lot to offer. Forbes, a historian, writes with detail and precision, imbuing historical events with life and passion that is often lacking in textbooks." (Common Sense Media)

Date Added: 03/15/2019

The Princess Bride

William Goldman's modern fantasy classic is a simple, exceptional story about quests—for riches, revenge, power, and, of course, true love—that's thrilling and timeless. Anyone who lived through the 1980s may find it impossible—inconceivable, even—to equate The Princess Bride with anything other than the sweet, celluloid romance of Westley and Buttercup, but the film is only a fraction of the ingenious storytelling you'll find in these pages. Rich in character and satire, the novel is set in 1941 and framed cleverly as an “abridged” retelling of a centuries-old tale set in the fabled country of Florin that's home to “Beasts of all natures and descriptions. Pain. Death. Brave men. Coward men. Strongest men. Chases. Escapes. Lies. Truths. Passions.”

Date Added: 03/15/2019

Slaughterhouse Five or the Children’s Crusade

Slaughterhouse-Five, an American classic, is one of the world's great anti-war books.

Centering on the infamous firebombing of Dresden, Billy Pilgrim's odyssey through time reflects the mythic journey of our own fractured lives as we search for meaning in what we fear most.

Date Added: 03/15/2019

Love's Labour's Lost

The play opens with the King of Navarre and three noble companions, Berowne, Dumaine, and Longaville, taking an oath to devote themselves to three years of study, promising not to give in to the company of women - Berowne somewhat more hesitantly than the others. Berowne reminds the king that the princess and her three ladies are coming to the kingdom and it was suicidal for the King to agree to this law. The King denies what Berowne says, insisting that the ladies make their camp in the field outside of his court. The King and his men comically fall in love with the princess and her ladies.

Date Added: 03/15/2019