Special Collections
Author Set: Richard Peck
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Amanda/Miranda
by Richard PeckIntrigue, romance, and scheming aboard the Titanic This updated edition of the popular Richard Peck novel, available in time to commemorate the anniversary of the Titanic's fateful voyage in 1912, starts with a chilling prophecy. When Miranda begins her position as maid-servant to the glamorous and selfish Amanda Whitwell, Amanda wastes no time in using Miranda to suit her own cruel purposes. Miranda becomes the lynchpin to a plot that Amanda devises to marry an American who can maintain her lavish lifestyle, but also keeps the rogue she loves close at hand. However, destiny intervenes, and they board the ill-fated Titanic. This story has all of the romance, glamour, intrigue, and tragedy of the Titanic but ends, satisfyingly, with redemption and forgiveness.
Are You in the House Alone?
by Richard PeckAn updated look for the classic YA thriller from genre heavyweight Richard Peck Sixteen-year-old Gail is living the upper-class suburban life when she begins receiving terrifying phone calls and notes in her locker. And the calls keep coming. When she's attacked by the town's golden boy everyone refuses to take action against him and his powerful family. A frightening drama that deals with heavy teen issues and the idea of justice (or lack thereof) from bestselling author Richard Peck.
Bel-Air Bambi and the Mall Rats
by Richard PeckWhen Bambi Babcock's TV-producer father bankrupt, the Babcocks have to get out of Los Angeles ... fast. Dad heads for his hometown of Hickory Fork, which he remembers as a wholesome place for kids to grow up. But Bambi, her sister Buffie, and their little brother Brick come up against the Mall Rats, a down-home teenage gang run by scary Tanya and beef Jeeter. When the Mall Rats walk into school dives for cover. They've already trashed the mall. Bambi knows that if her show-biz family is going to get stuck here, they must turn the school around and save the town. The Mall Rats will never know what hit them.
The Best Man
by Richard PeckNewbery Medalist Richard Peck tells a story of small-town life, gay marriage, and everyday heroes in this novel for fans of Gary Schmidt and Jack Gantos
Archer Magill has spent a lively five years of grade school with one eye out in search of grown-up role models. Three of the best are his grandpa, the great architect; his dad, the great vintage car customizer,; and his uncle Paul, who is just plain great. These are the three he wants to be.
Along the way he finds a fourth--Mr. McLeod, a teacher. In fact, the first male teacher in the history of the school. But now here comes middle school and puberty. Change. Archer wonders how much change has to happen before his voice does. He doesn't see too far ahead, so every day or so a startling revelation breaks over him.
Then a really big one when he's the best man at the wedding of two of his role models. But that gets ahead of the story.In pages that ripple with laughter, there's a teardrop here and there. And more than a few insights about the bewildering world of adults, made by a boy on his way to being the best man he can be.
Blossom Culp and the Sleep of Death
by Richard PeckBlossom, high-school freshman and possessor of "second sight," helps an Egyptian princess, dead for 3500 years, to regain her tomb, and in addition saves a suffragette school teacher from losing her job in 1914.
Close Enough to Touch
by Richard PeckThrough his friendship with Margaret, Matt is able to come to terms concerning the death of Dory, his girlfriend.
Don't Look and It Won't Hurt
by Richard PeckA teenage girl struggles to understand her place within her family and in the world.
The Dreadful Future of Blossom Culp
by Richard PeckIt's Halloween, 1914. Teenage psychic Blossom Culp sneaks into the house where the rest of her class is having a party-and that's when everything goes haywire. Suddenly Blossom is hurled into a time warp. Her psychic powers have found a way to send her into the future-our time. But will they be able to send her back?
Dreamland Lake
by Richard PeckFlip and Brian have been best friends since grade school. But everything changes during the spring of seventh grade. That's when they find a man lying dead in the leaves near Dreamland Lake. What happens in the summer that follows will change the course of their friendship--and their lives--forever."A finely tuned shocker."--Kirkus Reviews
Fair Weather
by Richard PeckThirteen-year-old Rosie Beckett has never strayed further from her family's farm than a horse can pull a cart. Then a letter from her Aunt Euterpe arrives, and everything changes. It's 1893, the year of the World's Columbian Exposition-the "wonder of the age"-a.k.a. the Chicago World's Fair. Aunt Euterpe is inviting the Becketts to come for a visit and go to the fair! Award-winning author Richard Peck's fresh, realistic, and fun-filled writing truly brings the World's Fair-and Rosie and her family-to life.
Father Figure
by Richard PeckAfter his mother dies, 17-year-old Jim realizes he must raise his younger brother, Byron, alone. But when their father shows up with plans to take them to Florida, Jim wonders if the reunion will last.An ALA Best Book for Young Adults.
The Ghost Belonged to Me
by Richard PeckOnly Alexander knows why the barn is haunted-and by what When Alexander notices an eerie light coming out of the barn,. He thinks his friend Blossom Culp is trying to spook him. But strange things really are happening there. Slimy footprints appear out of nowhere, and whimpering sounds float down from the hayloft. And when he ventures into the barn in the dark of night, his breath catches in his throat. Suddenly Blossom's words come back to him: "You can make contact with the Unseen. . . . " Now there's a girl ghost standing right in front of him, telling him of great danger ahead. But is there time for Alexander to act on her warning? Blossom Culp #1 Peck’s blending of mystery and humor makes an unusual and entertaining ghost story. ” Booklist, starred review .
Ghosts I Have Been
by Richard PeckUpon discovering that she has the gift of Second Sight, Blossom also learns that whether glimpsing the future or traveling into the past, one is powerless to alter history.
The Great Interactive Dream Machine
by Richard PeckJosh Lewis' best friend, Aaron Zimmer, has turned his computer into a wish-granting machine. It ought to be every techno-addict's dream, but there are a few bugs in the system. Nobody knows when the computer will interactivate next--and it doesn't just grant Josh and Aaron's wishes. In fact, Aaron's mom's poodle seems to eb doing some of the wishing, too. When a mysterious spy called The Watcher starts monitoring their every move in cyberspace, the real trouble begins in this compelling story from Newbery medal-winning author Richard Peck. "A guaranteed fun, faced-paced adventure. "--School Library Journal .
Here Lies the Librarian
by Richard PeckPeewee idolizes Jake, a big brother whose dreams of auto mechanic glory are fueled by the hard road coming to link their Indiana town and futures with the twentieth century. And motoring down the road comes Irene Ridpath, a young librarian with plans to astonish them all and turn Peewee’s life upside down. Here Lies the Librarian, with its quirky characters, folksy setting, classic cars, and hilariously larger-than-life moments, is vintage Richard Peckan offbeat, deliciously wicked comedy that is also unexpectedly moving. .
The Last Safe Place on Earth
by Richard PeckWalden Woods looks like the perfect place to be a 10th grader-especially from Todd's house on Tranquility Lane. He's even found the perfect girl, the mysterious Laurel. But when something frightens his little sister so that she has nightmares, and a parent group tries to ban "evil" books from the school libraries, Todd begins to wonder what dark forces are at work in this "ideal" community. A provocative new novel by a highly honored author that speaks to today's issues of censorship and fundamentalism.
London Holiday
by Richard PeckLondon Holiday finds three women leading ordinary lives: Lesley is a St. Louis society woman; Julia is a successful Manhattan interior designer; and Margo, a teacher, is the divorced mother of a teenager. Best friends since their Missouri childhood, they are awakened to the realities of their often dreary existences by a shocking act of violence. Now desperate for change, the three friends escape on a trip to London and the unexpected promise of new lives awaiting them. Safe in the cozy confines of Mrs. Smith-Porter's bed-and-breakfast, the women enter a gracious new world of tea in the garden, antique markets, lush countryside, and...romance.
A Long Way From Chicago
by Richard PeckA summer they'll never forget.
Each summer Joey and his sister, Mary Alice—two city slickers from Chicago—visit Grandma Dowdel's seemingly sleepy Illinois town. Soon enough, they find that it's far from sleepy...and Grandma is far from your typical grandmother. From seeing their first corpse (and he isn't resting easy) to helping Grandma trespass, catch the sheriff in his underwear, and feed the hungry—all in one day—Joey and Mary Alice have nine summers they'll never forget!
A Newbery Honor Book
A National Book Award Finalist
An ALA Notable Book
An ALA Best Book for Young Adults
Lost in Cyberspace
by Richard PeckMeet Josh Lewis, a sixth grader at the elite Huckley School. When his best friend Aaron announces that he can time travel with his computer, Josh isn't fazed. But when Aaron actually microprocesses himself into cyberspace, the duo must deal with unexpected visitors from the past -- and find out more about Huckley's history than they ever wanted to know! "Amiable characters, fleet pacing, and witty,in-the-know narration will keep even the non-bookish interested. "-- Publishers Weekly .
Monster Night at Grandma's House
by Richard PeckDaytime at Grandma's house is fine, but bedtime is terrifying when a monster seems to be about.
The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail
by Richard PeckNewbery Award-winning author Richard Peck is at his very best in this fast-paced mystery adventure. Fans of The Tale of Desperaux, A Little Princess, and Stuart Little will all be captivated by this memorable story of a lovable orphan mouse on an amazing quest. The smallest mouse in London's Royal Mews is such a little mystery that he hasn't even a name. And who were his parents? His Aunt Marigold, Head Needlemouse, sews him a uniform and sends him off to be educated at the Royal Mews Mouse Academy. There he's called "Mouse Minor" (though it's not quite a name), and he doesn't make a success of school. Soon he's running for his life, looking high and low through the grand precincts of Buckingham Palace to find out who he is and who he might become. Queen Victoria ought to be able to help him, if she can communicate with mice. She is all-seeing, after all, and her powers are unexplainable. But from her, Mouse Minor learns only that you do not get all your answers from the first asking. And so his voyage of self-discovery takes him onward, to strange and wonderful places.
New York Time
by Richard PeckBarbara and Tom struggle for equilibrium in the heart of New York's East Side, after all those years of separate bathrooms, lawn services, and orderly cocktail parties conducted in a fog of Arpege and Old Spice. Barbara rises from the ruins of her marriage to find herself and the real meaning of love, as she heads out after the life she has always wanted.
On The Wings of Heroes
by Richard PeckDavy Bowmans brother and their dad hung the moon. Dad looks forward to Halloween more than a kid, and Davys brother, Bill, flies B-17s. Davy adores these two heroes and tries his best to follow their lead, especially now. World War II has invaded Davys homefront boyhood. Theres an air raid drill in the classroom, and being a kid is an endless scrap drive. Bill has joined up, breaking their dads heart. Its an intense, confusing time, and one that will invite Davy to grow up in a hurry. Still, Richard Peck is a master of comedy, and even in this novel of wartime uncertainty, he infuses his tale with humor: oddballs and rascals and boyhood misadventures alongside the poignant moments. This is one of Richard Pecks very finest novelsa tender, unforgettable portrait of the World War II homefront and a familys love. .
Princess Ashley
by Richard PeckIn her new high school, where her mother has taken a job as counselor, Chelsea experiences joys and sorrows as she makes choices about new friends and learns they are not always what they seem.
Remembering the Good Times
by Richard PeckHow well do we know our best friends? They were the best of friends. Sixteen-year-old Buck Mendenhall first met Kate Lucas the summer before seventh grade. In eighth grade they made friends with the brilliant and wealthy newcomer, Trav Kirby. They didn't seem to need anyone else. Mostly they looked forward to the good times shared at Kate's house. It didn't matter if their classmates wondered about them; no one could unravel their binding ties. At least that's what they thought. When one of the trio finds the future too great a threat, the other two can only wonder: "How well did we know our best friend?" With humanity, wit, and a quiet intensity, Peck's novel depicts suicide as a turning point inward of the pressures in an alienated and violent society.