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How I Became an American
by Karin Gundisch James SkofieldIn 1902 in a small German town a traveler turns up singing songs about America. The land sounds like paradise, and young Johann Bonfert is excited when his own family plans a life overseas. They set out from a small town in Central Europe in search of a better life in America. But for ten-year-old Johann, the journey across the Atlantic to Youngstown, Ohio, is much more than a change of home and homeland. Johann's whole family is changing, with new jobs, a new language, and new struggles. Everything is different in America. Rich people want to stay thin, the milk cows have American names, and the very air, which at home smelled of hay and rain, here smells only of soot. But finally, as he writes about his new life and begins to realize just how far he has come, "Johnny" also begins to feel that at last he is an American. Through the plain-spoken, affecting voice of Johann, prize-winning author Karin Gundisch and celebrated translator James Skofield capture the stark truths faced by German-speaking immigrants and the heartening family bonds that saw them through--experiences as true today as they were a hundred years ago." This book is full of a young boy's thoughts and dreams and very interesting details about the way people lived in the United States and Germany over a hundred years ago. It contains lyrics of songs used to encourage and discourage immigration, short versions of German children's stories and a few footnotes.
Surprise! Surprise! (Sweet Valley Kids #1)
by Francine Pascal Molly Mia StewartBirthday Party Fun! Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield love being identical twins. They look and dress alike, and they do everything together. Now the twins are about to celebrate their seventh birthday, and they are going to plan their own party. First they invite their whole second-grade class. Then they decide on the food and decorations. Jessica and Elizabeth also buy each other surprise presents. And when they see what they've bought for each other, they get the biggest surprise of all! Many more books about the Sweet Valley Kids are in the Bookshare Collection. For fun reading, read them All!
Biggie and the Mangled Mortician (Biggie Weatherford #2)
by Nancy BellThis time out, as her twelve-year-old grandson J.R. narrates, the grande dame of the East Texas town of Job's Crossing definitely has her hands full. She's directing and starring in a local production of HMS Pinafore, but just before the first rehearsal, cast member and new town mortician Monk Carter suddenly takes his final bow. The cause of death is chalked up to either a heart attack or epileptic seizure, Although Doc Hopper's examination shows that the undertaker's ribs were powerfully crushed. Suspects are few and far between, but there's no stopping Biggie, with J.R. at her side, as they attempt to bring down the curtain on a crafty killer. Loaded with quirky Southern charm, knee-slapping humor, and irresistible eccentric characters, Biggie and the Mangled Mortician will delight old Biggie fans-- and make new ones wonder how they ever lived without her.
Tempt Me at Twilight (The Hathaways #3)
by Lisa KleypasPoppy Hathaway is in love with a man whose family considers her beneath him. When she catches the attention of a hotel owner who connives to marry her, she is furious. Can he win her heart?
Shooting Stars
by Lebron James Buzz BissingerFrom the ultimate team- basketball superstar LeBron James and Buzz Bissinger, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Friday Night Lights and Three Nights in August--a poignant, thrilling tale of the power of teamwork to transform young lives, including James's own. The Shooting Stars were a bunch of kids--LeBron James and his best friends--from Akron, Ohio, who first met on a youth basketball team of the same name when they were ten and eleven years old. United by their love of the game and their yearning for companionship, they quickly forged a bond that would carry them through thick and thin (a lot of thin) and, at last, to a national championship in their senior year of high school. They were a motley group who faced challenges all too typical of inner-city America. LeBron grew up without a father and had moved with his mother more than a dozen times by the age of ten. Willie McGee, the quiet one, had left both his parents behind in Chicago to be raised by his older brother in Akron. Dru Joyce was outspoken, and his dad was ever present; he would end up coaching all five of the boys in high school. Sian Cotton, who also played football, was the happy-go-lucky enforcer, while Romeo Travis was unhappy, bitter, even surly, until he finally opened himself up to the bond his teammates offered him. In the summer after seventh grade, the Shooting Stars tasted glory when they qualified for a national championship tournament in Memphis. But they lost their focus and had to go home early. They promised one another they would stay together and do whatever it took to win a national title. They had no idea how hard it would be to pursue that promise. In the years that followed, they would endure jealousy, hostility, exploitation, resentment from the black community (because they went to a "white" high school), and the consequences of their own overconfidence. Not least, they would all have to wrestle with LeBron's outsize success, which brought too much attention and even a whiff of scandal their way. But together these five boys became men, and together they claimed the prize they had fought for all those years--a national championship.
Death Splits a Hair (A Judge Jackson Crain Mystery #2)
by Nancy BellIn the second Judge Jackson Crain Mystery, Joe Junior McBride, beloved barber of Post Oak, Texas, has been murdered. At first glance, the homicide appears to be the work of a prowler, but as the investigation progresses, Joe Junior's second wife, Marlene Ashburn, becomes the prime suspect. A stranger turns up at the funeral, and something about him reminds everyone of Joe Junior. But Joe's brother, Gerald, claims never to have seen him, and mounting evidence points to Marlene as the murderer. Meanwhile, Judge Crain and his adolescent daughter, Patty, try to combine her social activities as a teenager with some careful snooping into the secret lives of their friends and neighbors. And as they come closer to the solution, Jackson and Patty each find a touch of romance
Paint the Town Dead (A Judge Jackson Crain Mystery #3)
by Nancy BellFrom the beloved author of the Biggie Weatherford mystery series comes this third thrillin' installment featuring Texas judge Jackson Crain. An old love, a new flame, and the murder of a real estate tycoon thrust County Judge Jackson Crain smack in the middle of the most baffling case he has ever seen. Add a glamorous lady evangelist and a victim's tippling wife, and suspects abound. It is only through delving into the past that Jackson is able to unravel the mystery and see the killer brought to justice. Paint the Town Dead is a sure-to-please cozy that should win Nancy Bell many new fans.
Charlie's Run
by Valerie HobbsWhen Charlie's parents announce that they are separating, he knows that even though they aren't saying that horrible word--divorce--it's only a matter of time. To Charlie's mind, his family is perfect, and he can't bear the idea that things won't be the same. "There isn't a darned thing you can't get done if you set your mind to it," his father has always said, and Charlie decides that it's up to him to change his parents' minds. He needs to do something big, something he would never do, to show them that he's serious. But his plan to keep his family together takes on a life of its own, and leads him further from his family than he'd ever have guessed. In this moving novel, Charlie encounters kindness, hardship and danger, discovers the hard way that divorce isn't the worst thing that can happen to a kid, that many families have unthinkably serious problems, and that for most kids, running away is a bad decision. He realizes that the problems which can't be fixed must be faced.
The Witch's Portraits
by Lisa Geurdes MullarkeyLaura Adson could never have guessed that her eccentric neighbor would turn out to be much, much more than just a mysterious old lady. For years she had heard the whispers and rumors about the strange and shadowy past of the rarely seen woman who lived next door. But if Laura's best friend, Cara, hadn't become positively obsessed with the idea that Mrs. Blackert must be a witch, then neither of them would have found themselves standing on a garbage can, during a thunderstorm, peering into her candlelit dining room. And they would never have known about the portraits--portraits whose eyes seemed to shift and slide. They lined the walls of the room, shimmering with an unearthly sense of evil. And Mrs. Blackert was having a conversation with one of them, a conversation that was not one-sided.... full of scenes that fire the imagination and crawl up the spine, Lisa Mullarkey's debut novel offers a suspenseful tale of friendship, witchery, and horribly impossible things... whose truth may be inescapable.
Storm of Shadows (Chosen Ones Series #2)
by Christina DoddBrilliant Rosamund Hill has lived her life buried in academia, discounting the legend of the Chosen as a myth--then Aaron Eagle shows up at her door. With the promise of a love that will defy fate itself, Rosamund is forced to confront the truth about the Chosen...and the dangerous man who sweeps her into a world of dark secrets.
Fabulous
by Dorothy Potter Benedict"Fabulous!" she said softly and at the sound of her voice the pointed ears twitched slightly. "Fabulous," she repeated, inching forward, stretching out her hand, slowly, slowly till the tips of her fingers touched his shoulder. Under her touch she felt his flesh quiver, his whole body draw into a tight knot of fear. She drew her hand away. I won't make you be touched today. You're too new in this world for human hands. And in that instant she seemed close to the Nature that had produced this wonder.
The Message in the Sand Dunes (Kay Tracey Mystery #6)
by Frances K. JuddSTRANGE SECRETS. The hurricane tore into the beach before Kay could get indoors. Lightning was striking everywhere. Then it hit the little cottage that belonged to the two old Crowley sisters and the place burst into flames. Kay tried to help them save their things but the sisters panicked. Why? Did their odd behavior have any connection with the robberies in the area ... including the break-in at Kay's own beach cottage? What were the Crowley sisters hiding?
Dear Mrs. Ryan, You're Ruining My Life
by Jennifer B. JonesWhat do you do when your mother takes embarrassing moments from your life and includes them in books read by kids all over the country? If you're Harvey Ryan, you hatch a plan to focus your mother on something, or someone else. So Harvey decides to set his mom up with the only eligible man he knows, the school principal. But when his plan works, Harvey quickly realizes having his mother date his principal is even worse than her being a famous author. One mother can sure cause a lot of trouble in a boy's life.
The Electric Kid
by Garry KilworthBlindboy, he's the finder. Me, I'm the fixer. Hotwire and Blindboy, that's us. A team. Blindboy can hear things, electric junk, down below the ground. Once we've found something worth anything, then it's my job to fix it up so that it works. I've got a sort of natural talent for fixing electron gadgets. My dad once said to me, "You're a real hotwire. I never saw a girl so fast with her fingers." That's how come I'm called Hotwire now. Set in the year 2061, an eleven-year-old boy and thirteen-year-old girl support themselves in a city dump by finding broken electronics from computer mother boards to freezers, then repairing and selling them. They are kidnapped by one of the most devious criminals in their dangerous, futuristic city and forced to use their unique talents to commit crimes for him. If they are caught trying to escape,, they'll be killed. If they are arrested, they'll be forced to work in the sweatshops until they die of madness and exhaustion. Can these brave, determined, street-smart kids save themselves?
Lydia Jane and the Baby-Sitter Exchange
by Natalie HoneycuttFor two months, Mrs. Humphrey had said no to everything Lydia Jane wanted to do that was interesting or fun. As far as Lydia Jane could tell, "no" was Mrs. Humphrey's favorite word. Lydia Jane, who is eight, is interested in raccoons and stars and parachutes and... well, lots of things. Mrs. Humphrey, Lydia Jane's after-school sitter, is interested in just three things: cleanliness, safety, and peace and quiet. This means that during the long hours at the sitter's house, Lydia Jane can't do anything she wants. Can Lydia Jane find a way to exchange Mrs. Humphrey for the kind of baby-sitter who doesn't think noisy is the same thing as dangerous? Find out in this funny book!
Pagan the Black
by Dorothy Potter BenedictSandy is determined that his colt will not be shot as his mother had been. With determination, patience, and respect, Sandy trains and befriends a horse that others are convinced will be a man-killer. When a crisis arises, Sandy and Pagan have the chance to save lives and be named heroes--but only if Pagan's isn't the vicious man-killer that others claim he is.
Second-Grade Friends
by Miriam CohenJacob worries a lot. If only he knew how much his friends from second grade really like him... He thinks they think he's too short, too uninteresting, and just too strange because he likes beavers and has never gone on a fishing trip. He worries that no one will show up for his birthday party. When his entire class shows up to celebrate with Jacob, he finally understands just how wonderful and unique they really think he is.
Second-Grade Friends Again!
by Miriam CohenThe team is mad at Jacob. Jacob thinks it's all Honey's fault that he's missed the ball. In his anger he says something mean to Honey. When he sees how he's hurt her feelings, Jacob has to decide what to do.
Haunts in the House (Sabrina the Teenage Witch #27)
by John VornholtMonsters, and tricks, and ghouls, oh my! Sabrina can't believe that MR. Kraft is eliminating all the extra-curricular activities... even cheer-leading. When she discovers that there is no money to fund the programs she comes up with a great idea... a haunted house fund raiser: The Holloween Machine. The attraction has a fun house, a maze, and special effects. Converting an old factory into a working haunted house is no problem when you have the help of a hobgoblin -- a household helper. The "hobby" does homework, balances Aunt Zelda's checkbook, polishes the silverware, and even helps Sabrina with the planning of the fundraiser -- that is until Salem upsets the supportive guest. And when you upset a hobgoblin...watch out!
Storm of Visions (Chosen Ones Series #1)
by Christina DoddHailed as a master storyteller (Kristin Hannah), "New York Times"-bestselling author Dodd delivers the first book in a seductive new paranormal series about an ancient rivalry that lives in the world today, and introduces The Seven, a secret society created to combat evil.
Pedigree Unknown
by Dorothy LyonsJill Howell's expert horsemanship and her good looks and vivacity have made her one of the most popular members of the Hotspur Hunt Club. Now her engagement to the most eligible bachelor in the club--handsome, aristocratic Hadley S. Winslow III--is the envy of her friends. Caught up in the fairy-tale excitement of the wedding preparations, Jill has little reason to argue with Hadley's insistence on "proper breeding" for people and animals alike until he reacts unsympathetically when her own background is painfully called into question. Impetuously she breaks the engagement. Trying to forget her unhappiness, Jill devotes her time and energy to rehabilitating a broken-down gelding she has rescued from its cruel owner, finding in the gray horse she calls Granite a striking parallel to her own situation. Just as she does not know her true parents, so is the horse's pedigree unknown. Under Jill's care and with the welcome help of her attractive new friend, Dirk Martin, Granite is soon able to hold his own against the finest thoroughbred hunters. In an absorbing, action-packed novel of a girl's love of horses and her struggle against self-doubt, Dorothy Lyons again demonstrates the skill that has made her a favorite author of horse stories. Her readers will applaud the satisfying conclusion in which Granite proves to Jill that a fancy pedigree is not essential to a true winner.
World Class Gymnast (The Gymnasts #14)
by Elizabeth LevyWhat's wrong with this picture? The whole team has read about Heidi Ferguson. But when Lauren met her she didn't seem too happy about being a celebrity. And now she's in the hospital--but why? She doesn't seem very sick. Lauren can't figure it out. Heidi Ferguson has everything... She's famous... she's a world-class gymnast. What's wrong with her?
If Only You Knew (Hotlanta #2)
by Denene Millner Mitzi MillerDesigner clothes. Gorgeous boys. Family secrets. Major drama. They don't call it Hotlanta for nothing! Twins Sydney and Lauren Duke are the privileged princesses of the Atlanta social scene. Prim-and-proper Sydney may be unlucky in love, and wild-child Lauren may have lost her best friend, but the girls still have the world at their Jimmy Choo-clad feet. But an unsolved murder mystery keeps drawing them back to the wrong side of town. There, Lauren has to risk everything to protect the boy who's stolen her heart. And Sydney discovers details about their family's past that no one--least of all the girls' fiercely guarded mother--wants to face. When the twins realize what they're up against, can they deal with the dark, dangerous truth?
A Hole in the World
by Sid HiteWhen 15-year-old Paul Shackleford is sent to live on a relative's isolated Virginia farm as punishment for lying, his life is transformed. There, he meets some very unusual people and one very surly dog, who are still reeling from the death of a beloved farm hand. Paul then hears about the presence of a ghost, and finds himself investigating the life and afterlife of the departed man.
Undercurrents
by Willo Davis RobertsFourteen-year-old Nikki Simons has lost her mother to cancer. Her older sister, Bonnie, will soon be off on an exciting trip before heading to college, leaving Nikki to cope with things at home, including her little brother, Sam. Nikki still grieves for her mother, knows she will desperately miss Bonnie, and feels inadequate to fill in for them at home. And then their father makes a shattering announcement: He is going to marry Crystal, a woman he met through work who is only slightly older than his daughters. Not long after the peculiar wedding (none of Crystal's family or friends attended), Nikki learns that in place of a European trip the family had planned before her mother's death, they will be spending part of the summer in the village of Trinidad, in northern California, where Crystal has inherited a house on the beach. Nikki decides that going to the beach is preferable to having no vacation at all. But soon she's troubled by more than just Dad's hasty marriage to a woman who doesn't make much of an attempt to relate to his children. Other things about Nikki's new stepmother remain unexplained: Why is she reluctant to return to the house where she spent some time as a child? And after Dad is called back to Seattle on an emergency, what awful secret causes Crystal to have nightmares that waken Nikki out of a sound sleep? How is Nikki, by herself, expected to cope with things that baffle and frighten her?Then Nikki meets Julian Gyasi, an intriguing boy known as Spook who lives in a house on the cliff nearby. Why are there mysterious lights in the tower windows over there, and who is the man who frightens Nikki by watching her from the top of the cliff? As the days pass, Crystal's behavior becomes even stranger and Dad is still not there to help Nikki deal with either her stepmother or the increasingly mysterious situation at the Gyasi house.