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HEARTBEAT
By Sharon Creech
Age Range: 10+
It Ponders Big Questions In An Accessible And Life-Affirming Manner Through An Acutely Observed Story, Told In The First-Person By Annie, A Girl On The Cusp Of Growing Up. The Use Of Blank Verse That Varies In Form, Rhythm And Pace To Reflect Mood And Subject Is Simply Stunning. Creech Deals With Major Themes Sympathetically And Realistically. |
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THE AMAZING MAURICE AND HIS EDUCATED RODENTS
By Terry Pratchett
Age Range:10+
A Brilliant And Witty Twist On The Tale Of The Pied Piper. Funny And Irreverent, But Also Dark And Subversive, In The Way It Parodies The Classic Folk Tale Genre. This Is A Story That Holds A Mirror Up To Our World And Questions Attitudes And Behaviour Prevalent In Our Society. A Clever And Most Entertaining Read. |
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JOURNEY TO THE RIVER SEA
By Iva Ibbotson
Age range: 9+
A pacy adventure story. Set in the early 1900s the story follows the orphaned heroine Maia as she moves from England to the Amazon Basin to live with relatives she has never met. The interwoven plots and strong characterisation explore themes of industrialisation, family and nature. A compelling read with a hugely satisfying ending. |
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I, JUAN DE PAREJA
by Elizabet De Trevino
Told through the eyes of Velasquez's slave and assistant, this vibrant novel depicts both the beauty and the cruelty of 17th century Spain and tells the story of Juan, who was born a slave and died a respected artist. |
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CALLENDER PAPERS
by Cynthia Voigt
Jean was barely thirteen when she agreed to work with Mr. Theil to catalogue his family papers. She was trying to be brave and independent, but he was a frightening man. Yet, as she went through his papers, a nightmare unfolded. It was a cruel story from the past...events that long ago shook a peaceful village. And the more Jean learned, the more she knew she was in mortal danger.... |
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FEATHER AND BOONE: CROW CHRONICLES #1: THE MOB
by Clem Martini
Publisher Comments:
One of the most talked-about children's novels of 2004 is the first book in the saga of a family of crows who face troubled times. Murder and revenge mar the flock's annual Gathering, and the Chooser must decide on fit punishment. Then, an unexpected spring blizzard forces the crows to seek shelter in forbidden worlds ... |
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THE BRONZE BOW
by Elizabeth George Speare
Set in Galilee in the time of Jesus, this story tells of a young Jewish rebel who is won over to the gentle teachings of Jesus. A Newbery Medal Book. |
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JACKAROO: A NOVEL OF THE KINGDOM
by Cynthia Voigt
False, they were all of them false, the stories; as false as the stories of fairies dancing in moonlight glades on Midsummer Night.
But they served a purpose. In a distant time and far-off kingdom, life is hard. People don't have enough to eat, and winter is upon them. There's little that offers hope, and many turn to the legends of Jackaroo — the masked outlaw hero who rides at night giving aid to the helpless and coin to the destitute — for solace. But Gwyn, the Innkeeper's daughter — sensitive, industrious, and independent — is too practical to believe such tales.
But when a snowstorm forces her and a young Lordling to seek refuge in an abandoned house, Gwyn wonders if perhaps she has been too cynical. Hidden away in an old forgotten cupboard, Gwyn discovers a package — a cloak, a mask, a sword....Jackaroo? Could the stories be true?
It takes a shock and a devastating betrayal for Gwyn to begin to understand what — and who — Jackaroo really is. And she comes to know what part she will play in discovering the truth, such as it may be, behind the legends |
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IF I JUST HAD TWO WINGS
by Virginia Frances Schwartz
Thirteen-year-old Phoebe, born a slave on an Alabama cotton plantation, has a powerful dream that fills her with light--a dream about flying to "the freedom place." Her mother warns that "dreamin' leads to trouble," but Phoebe decides to follow her vision and, joined by another slave, named Liney, and Liney's two children, flees the plantation. A series of harrowing adventures follows as the two young women search for the Underground Railroad and a conductor who will guide them to freedom in Canada. |
