Greg Heffley's escapades—at home and at school—continue in this follow-up to the #1 New York Times best sellers, Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules.

A girl easily carried off by the wind. An elderly widow, whose husband died years ago under strange circumstances. And the house, Bourne Manor, in which they live—full of locked doors, secrets, and menace.

On average, people spend one third of their lives asleep. But what is sleep? In the sixth century BC, it was thought that people fell asleep because all the blood had drained from their heads. Scientists have come a long way since then, but many mysteries remain. For example, what causes narcolepsy? And how can someone get out of bed, leave home, walk to a nearby construction site, and climb a 130-foot-tall crane, all without waking up? Introduction. Afterword. Annotated list for further reading. Index. Black-and-white illustrations.

Everything in this book happened to real people. And YOU CHOOSE what side youre on and what you do next. The choices you make could lead you to survival or to death.In the You Choose Books set, only YOU can CHOOSE which path you take through history. What will it be? Get ready for an adventure.

With six boys growing up in the Scieszka house in Flint, Michigan, life was never boring. Jon Scieszka, the second oldest, says, "I think it was my dad, finding that his toast tasted like melted green plastic army man, who first asked the question, 'What Knucklehead put an army man in the toaster?'" (The answer wasn't Jon—that time, anyway!) The more Jon Scieszka thought about it, the more he realized, "I get a lot of my ideas from all the strange things that happened to me growing up with five brothers." Index. Afterword. Black-and-white photographs.

What would life be like with a herd of cows in your yard, twenty-four chicks in your living room, a coonhound and a beagle sleeping on your porch, and a work-crazed border collie who wants to herd everything? How long does it take to mow ninety acres and move five hundred tons of manure? Caleb, Chase, Cayne, Grey, and Ali, along with their parents, Becky and Dave, share a year of their life in this intimate depiction of one family and their small Ohio farm. Author's note. Resources. Illustrated with full-color photographs.

"From the first moment of their lives . . . the twins were constantly compared with each other. And almost no one was able to see any difference at all. Except Jay and Ray themselves." When Jay and Ray are accidentally enrolled as one student in their new school, the twins decide to play along, attending-and ditching-school on alternate days. But can pretending to be one person finally let them feel like two?

Proving that the truth can indeed be stranger than fiction, this collection of quirky anecdotes, quotes, and miscellany guides readers through the American Revolution-from the Townshend Acts of 1767 to Britain's surrender on October 19, 1781. Along the way, we learn how a wig started the Boston Massacre; how "Molly Pitchers" got her name; and why a man in the Continental Army tried to steal a cannonball (his explanation: his mother could use it to pound spices). Epilogue. Source notes. Index. Black-and-white art.

After a long, cramped voyage across the Pacific, ten-year-old Gim Lew must pass a grueling oral test if he is to join his father in America. It will require learning every detail of his native Chinese village (including the number and location of his neighbors' windows) and, harder still, speaking without a stammer. "If my memory didn't fail me, I knew my tongue would. And then we'd lose . . . everything." Based on interviews with Laurence Yep's father and research on his family's immigration history. Author's note. Further reading. Bibliography. Black-and-white photographs.

Mr. and Mrs. Willoughby want, above all, to be childless; in fact, they "frequently forgot that they had children and became quite irritable when they were reminded of it." The Willoughby children, meanwhile, want to be orphans-"worthy and deserving orphans," like their favorite literary characters. Now, both sides-parents and children alike-are crafting "ruthless" and "thoroughly despicable" schemes to get rid of each other. . . . Black-and-white line drawings.

Wild cats are ruthless hunters. Servals and caracals can jump off ledges, grabbing birds in flight. The "fishing cat," thanks to its webbed toes, can swim underwater after prey. A jaguar's jaws can crush the shell of a four-hundred-pound turtle. So why, then, are so many members of the Felidea family disappearing? Includes contact information for conservation groups. Web sources. Bibliography. Index. Full-color photographs and artwork.

Every day, Tinh goes out fishing with his father to provide food for the family and to earn money at the market of their tiny Vietnamese village. Tinh wants to make Ba proud and hopes that one dayhe will inherit the boat. When a terrifying storm hits, Ba expects him to secure their boat. Instead, Tinh leaves it on the beach, where an enormous wave has tossed it, and runs away from the raging ocean. Tinh feels guilty that he wasn't more responsible. How can he regain his father's trust? Author's note.

Since Jamie can't fight in Vietnam, she looks forward to hearing about her big brother TJ's heroic adventures in the jungle. Meanwhile, she volunteers at the local Army recreation center and competes against her friend Private Hollister in a hotly contested summer-long series of gin rummy games. Instead of letters, however, TJ sends Jaime nothing but rolls of film, which the soldiers at the Rec Center teach her to develop. And when Jamie sees TJ's pictures, she starts to change her mind about the war.

A street in Adam's town is going to be renamed for Martin Luther King. To celebrate, local real estate honchos, the Bolands, are sponsoring a big multicultural ceremony, complete with sushi and[ital and] burritos. So why is there no date set for such a carefully-planned event? Adam smells a rat. Meanwhile, there are a zillion other stories to investigate: the school-wide bully poll, the insidiousness of parental help on science fair projects, the possible demise of a beloved climbing tree. But how can Adam get the scoop when it seems like everyone, from Bolands to bullies, is out to get him?

"The most famed toxic critters are venomous[ital. venomous]. This means they must inject their poison-their venom[ital. venom]-into a victim by means of fangs, teeth, spines, stingers, or spurs." From the rattlesnake to the platypus, this book surveys the stunning variety of venomous animals that live on land, in trees, in rivers, and in the sea. Illustrated with full-color photographs. Bibliography. Glossary. Index.

"It ain't something I ever boast on, but I was the very first child to be born free in the Elgin Settlement at Raleigh at Canada West, what we call Buxton." Elijah's small-town life is full of adventures: riding Old Flap the mule to the secret lake to catch fish, trying to get a chance to shoot the Preacher's pearl-handled mystery pistol, playing pranks with his best friend Cooter. Then, even though "being fra-gile's the biggest bone Ma's got to pick with me," Elijah is given a serious, frightening responsibility.

After a short drive and a long hike, Dylan and his Eagle Scout troop reach their campsite, a remote beach on Hawaii's Big Island. It has a great view and a swimming hole, but it also has wasps, stinging ants, and foul-smelling drinking water. Another problem? Louie, a tough older boy who bullies Dylan. Then, a violent earthquake and tsunami rip the campers' world apart, and all previous troubles are forgotten. Dylan and Louie, who are the least injured, now must work together to help themselves and their fellow Scouts survive. Based on a true story.

You are a passenger on the Titanic's maiden voyage, and you choose what happens next. Will you travel as a wealthy first-class passenger, or will you experience a modest third-class voyage? Will you chat with your friends the Astors in the grand dining room, or will you make new societal acquaintances? Will you stay up and dance in the general room, or will you go to bed early? And when the captain's warning sounds, will you head for the lifeboats? Or will you be locked below decks? Illustrated with photographs. Afterword. Discussion questions. Additional reading. Glossary. Bibliography. Index.

Genevieve "Ginny" Davis is heading into seventh grade with a big to-do list. Among other things, she wants to "1. Get a dad. 2. Get the role of the Sugarplum Fairy in the Nutcracker. 3. Look good in the school photo for once!!!!," and convince her older brother Henry to stop acting like a juvenile delinquent. The ephemera of her daily life-including receipts, notes, bank statements, and school assignments-tells Ginny's story. Full-color, digitally-rendered art.

Persecuted for their unusual talents, Thea's people have lived in secret under the ice for generations. Now they are running out of room, and their stubborn Chief of Council will not even consider Thea's proposal to send an expedition to the surface. Meanwhile, Peter's family is on a research trip to Greenland, supposedly to study global warming-but are his parents searching for more than just ice?

Mags is writing a book about her new friend Gillian, whom she found playing violin in the woods: "I have tried to make Gillian sound like herself, which is sort of bossy and remote, and not like me, which is friendly and amusing and clever." Gillian needs to find her father so he can send her to auditionfor a prestigious music school: "I really don't know how I got into all this playing detectives stuff. When Mags said we should try to find Dad, I sort of went along with it. To be fair, it was sort of my idea to start with."

"Let me just say for the record that I think middle school is the dumbest idea ever invented. You got kids like me who haven't hit their growth spurt yet mixed in with these gorillas who need to shave twice a day. And then they wonder why bullying is such a big problem in middle school." In words and cartoons, middle-schooler Greg Heffley holds forth on girls, friendship, and the horrors of the "Cheese Touch." Black-and-white cartoons.

Now that Princess Quinn is sixteen, her father commands her to select a betrothed from a parade of dreary suitors. Quinn's childhood playmate Cam, talentless apprentice to the wizard Melikar, would love to be worthy of her hand, but his parentage is a mystery. Then the wizard abruptly releases him from his duties, leaving Cam free to take a dangerous journey to Outer Earth that might uncover his past.

"Emma-Jean had observed her peers closely over the years. Her painstaking research had given her amuch clearer understanding of their complex emotional lives and surprising sensitivities." A mathematician's daughter, Emma-Jean leads a rational life. This means staying clear of her unpredictable and unhygienic fellow seventh-graders. Then Colleen Pomerantz unexpectedly confides in her about a mean girl who is stealing her best friend. It's a complicated puzzle, but if anyone can solve it, Emma-Jean can.

"Police blotter, list of arrests, court column. Everybody read those. Tomorrow maybe, Dad would be in the newspaper, and everyone would know." Deet is stunned to learn that his dad has gone to jail. Now he has a lot of questions. Is getting arrested scary? Will his dad be locked up for a long time? And what will the kids at school say?

Uncle Vernon dies suddenly, leaving twelve-year-old Gabe alone. Gabe tells no one; he's sure that if he does, he'll be sent away. He doesn't even move the body. When he comes home from school the next day, a white card in a green envelope awaits him in the mailbox. It reads: "I have a secret. Do not be afraid." And Uncle Vernon's body is gone

"When Alexander was sixteen, his father left town on business for a month and put him in charge-not of the house, of the whole country." From his start in Macedonia, Alexander went on to rule all of Greece by the time he was twenty. At twenty-five he had conquered Persia and Egypt, and had come to believehe was a god. At thirty-two, he was king of the entire known world-but Alexander the Great still wanted more. Black-and-white art. Endnotes. Bibliography. Index.

April 1, 1946, started like any other Monday on the island of Hawaii. In the small coastal community of Laupahoehoe, however, people noticed something strange: The ocean was pulling back, back, back from the shore like water draining from a bathtub. Children arriving at school ran down to the beach to investigate the strange sight. Suddenly, someone yelled, "Big wave, big wave!" A giant roaring wall of water was headed toward land. Black-and-white photographs. Illustrations. List of related books, Web sites, and videos. Bibliography.

Aza is most definitely not the fairest of them all-but what she lacks in looks, she makes up for with her singing voice, a talent highly prized in the land of Ayortha. Her voice is so magical that the beautiful new Queen Ivi makes Aza, a commoner, her lady-in-waiting. All is not as it seems, however. When Aza happens to look into the Queen's mirror, she learns the secret of the Queen's beauty-and sees a chance to become the fairest herself.

Crispin has exchanged his noble birthright for Bear's release from prison, but the two travelers are not free from trouble yet. Now Bear must evade members of his old brotherhood, a secret band of rebels who think Bear betrayed them to gain his freedom. While fleeing, Bear is wounded, and Crispin is afraid: "If Bear died I didn't know what to do. Where could I go? What would I be?"

Madlyn and Rollo are sent to Clawstone Castle for the summer while their parents are in America on business. They discover that their great-aunt Emily and great-uncle George are having trouble attracting visitors to their crumbling castle with a newer and flashier castle down the road. The money is sorely needed for the upkeep of the Wild White Cattle that roam the pristine park nearby. Determined to save the graceful cows, the children do the only sensible thing: They audition ghosts to haunt the place. Black-and-white illustrations.

Once upon a time, there was a boy who lived in a farmhouse high on a hill. . . . The boy liked to imagine that his house was surrounded by the sea and that he could sail forth from his home to find adventure. . . . Lucy Martin finds these words written in a strange notebook that belonged to her great-uncle Oscar, who vanished long ago. Soon after Lucy begins to write in the notebook, she discovers the secret of Oscar's disappearance and sets a new mystery in motion.

Twelve-year-old Michael Arroyo has dreamed of pitching in the Little League World Series since long before he, his older brother, Carlos, and Papi came to the Bronx from Cuba. Now he's the star pitcher of the South Bronx Clippers, a team poised for the championship. But he has a secret: A few months ago, Papi died of a heart attack, leaving Michael and Carlos to fend for themselves. Michael worries that if anyone finds out, he'll lose his new home and his chance at victory.

Our heroes Lily Gefelty, Katie Mulligan, and Jasper Dash, Boy Technonaut, have taken a vacation jaunt to the Moose Tongue Lodge and Resort, where they rub elbows with the Manley Boys, the Cutesy Dell Twins, and other stars of series fiction. There,they discover a mystery brewing: the Hooper Quintuplets have been . . . kidnapped! Not only that, the priceless Mandrake Necklace has been . . . stolen! Gadzooks! Now 12% longer with bonus appendices, a complaint form, stationery, and an advertisement!

Twelve-year-old Sumiko is one of the only Japanese American kids in her California school district. When asked to leave a classmate's birthday party because of her race, it is just the beginning of her troubles. Soon after, Japan bombs Pearl Harbor. Sumiko's family is thrown into upheaval as the U.S. government forces them off their flower farm and into a prison camp on an Arizona Indian reservation. There she meets Frank, a Mohave boy who-despite his suspicions of Japanese Americans-might become her first real friend. Author's note.

Jake isn't sure he wants to be friends with Stella, but after his baby sister is born, Stella and her crowd of younger siblings come barreling into his life. He finds himself wondering about her even when he doesn't want to and gradually spending time with her on purpose: fishing, picking cherries, confiding in her. When a tragedy befalls Stella's family, Jake thinks he may be to blame, until an eccentric old woman helps him put things into perspective-and find a way to keep on being Stella's friend.

"In the beginning, we lived so that we could pack up any day. Then, over time, Abba relaxed. We bought things: a fold-out sofa, where Ma and Abba could sleep. A TV and a VCR . . . . One day, we said, we'd get the paperwork right." Nadira and her family have lived in New York for years. Now the Special Registration law for Muslims means they can no longer ignore the expired visas in their Bangledeshi passports.

In the summer of 1692, free-spirited ten-year-old Abigail Faulkner is terrified when the witch hunt spreads from Salem, Massachusetts, to her own town of Andover. "Was it possible for this much evil to exist in so small a community? Or were these good neighbors and friends only caught up in some awful game?" Soon, Abigail and her sister themselves stand accused. Based on events in the author's family history. Author's note. Sources. Suggested further reading.

Bethany Cole has hardly ever spent time away from her doting parents: no babysitters, no sleepovers, no trips to the mall alone. Then, right before her thirteenth birthday, she's taken on a road trip to the middle of nowhere and left with an aunt she never knew existed. No one will explain why she's been abandoned-or why the people in town look at her as if they're seeing a ghost.

An "undergrown, inept, suicidally eager kid" finds triumph in a gym-class game of Bombardment. A runner starts a race "like a cheetah on fire"-and is shocked to see his opponents fly past him. A girl tries to set her school's high jump record, only to end up famous for a different-and embarrassing-reason. In this collection of short tales, eight authors remember pivotal sports moments from their childhoods.

When lightning strikes a turnip-headed scarecrow, he blinks with surprise and comes to life. The Scarecrow soon enlists Jack, a young and clever orphan, as his devoted servant. Together, master and servant seek adventure, glory, and Spring Valley, the estate and home that is near to the Scarecrow's heart. If only they can keep clear of the scheming Buffalonis, who may be after some papers hidden inside the Scarecrow. Black-and-white illustrations.

Now that his cancer is in remission, eleven-year-old Toby Steiner just wants to enjoy his summer vacation in the country. Then he discovers a new tumor. Determined to keep this secret-and not to go back to the hospital for chemotherapy-Toby draws strength from his new friend, Pearl, an eccentric old woman who is fiercely defending her own freedom.

Not all dogs are pets. In fact, many canines around the world are wild and even dangerous. From canines' prehistoric ancestors to their connection with humans to links between wild and domestic dogs, here is a comprehensive exploration of some of Earth's most fascinating creatures. Includes sidebars. Full-color illustrations and photos. Diagrams. Maps. Bibliography. Index.

As usual, things are a bit chaotic in the Casson family. Caddy keeps avoiding her fiancé, Saffy is on a mission to find her biological father, and Indigo is beginning a cautious friendship with a boy who used to bully him. Rose, meanwhile, is trying desperately to reconnect with a friend who returned to America and hasn't been heard from since.

SHAKESPEARE'S SECRET Hero Netherfield is not too excited about starting sixth grade at a new school: She knows that she'll be teased about her name, just like at her old school. But when she learns that a mysterious diamond is hidden somewhere in her house, and the woman next door seems to know more than she's saying, life gets much more interesting. Is it true that the diamond has a connection to Shakespeare and British royalty? Or is it all "much ado about nothing?" Author's note. Historical time line.

Since Belle Prater inexplicably disappeared about a year ago, her son, Woodrow, and his cousin Gypsy have been searching for answers. Then, on the stroke of midnight on Woodrow's birthday, the phone rings. No one is at the other end of the line, but Woodrow is certain it was his mama. They find out that the call was placed from nearby Bluefield, and set out to see if they can track her down.

As editor of the school newspaper, the Slash, Adam Canfield can't help but notice a good scoop. When Mrs. Marris, the principal, tells Adam and his coeditor, Jennifer, to write an article about old Miss Bloch's donation to the school, she's a little stingy with the facts. Where is that money really going? Something is suspicious, and Adam, Jennifer, and cub reporter Phoebe are going to get to the bottom of the story.

Marcia Faitak can't believe it. The scale says one hundred and fifteen pounds. It's the day before eighth grade starts and thanks to a broken ankle she's out of shape and looks terrible. What boy is going to ask her to the dance in October? "Not Alex Ryan," she thinks. But Marcia's own appearance takes a back seat when her social studies teacher assigns her a service-learning project giving makeovers to the residents at West Creek Manor Nursing Home.

Eric and his twin brother, Clive, repeatedly beg their father, a steward on a cruise ship, to take them to sea, but Dad won't even entertain the idea. Then their father announces that his next trip will be his last, and the boys decide to follow him and become stowaways. For weeks they enjoy a leisurely life at sea and manage to avoid Dad, but their adventure becomes dangerous when pirates take over the ship.

Beekman O'Day has spent his entire life moving from place to place--hotels, apartments, rented rooms--whatever his wheeler-dealer father, Leo, can afford. Beekman missed the final ten days of fifth grade last year because Leo couldn't pay the bill. So when Leo enrolls him at a new private school and finds them a house of their own, Beekman makes a deal with Leo to try their best to stay put.

Possum has spent most of his twelve years at Deacon Smith's Home for Waifs trying to keep his best friend, Billy, out of trouble. When Billy dreams up a plan to run away and hunt for gold in the mountains, Possum reluctantly follows. On their journey through the Western frontier, the two orphans encounter swindlers and misfortune--along with a rare bit of kindness and luck.

Brooklyn eighth grader Anthony "Antsy" Bonano is fascinated with Calvin Schwa, a boy so ordinary that four out of five people never even notice him. When the two boys discover that being almost invisible can have its advantages, they team up to impress their classmates. However, Antsy soon begins to fall victim to the "Schwa Effect," too.

Thanks to Brittany Marcus's older brother, Bran, their mother can save money for a few months. Bran has arranged for the three to house-sit for the Marquises, an elderly couple who will be away this summer. Brittany likes the house, but something about Bran's behavior bothers her--he won't let them use the air conditioning, he installs a lock on his closet door, and he shreds the junk mail. What is Bran hiding?

Twelve-year-old Indigo Casson has just recovered from a long bout of mono and dreads returning to school, where bullies regularly harass him. When his older sister Saffy finds out about his troubles, she confronts the bullies, causing them to shift their attention to a new victim--Tom, an American who has just moved to London. Sympathetic to Tom's plight, an ordinarily shy Indigo tries to befriend him.

In 1609 the English ship Sea Venture was en route to Jamestown when a hurricane shipwrecked it near the coast of Bermuda, an island rumored to be haunted by evil spirits. All one hundred and fifty passengers survived but were left to wait for a rescue ship that never arrived. Over the next ten months the castaways struggled as new ships were built and tensions mounted amongst the group's leaders. Bibliography. Internet resources.

It is the end of the twenty-first century, and robots take care of humans' every need. Gavin Bell and his teenage sister, Fleur, live in a middle-class family. Their much-loved robot Grumps is breaking down so they agree to host a brand-new experimental robot. EGR3, known as Eager, can learn from his experiences and feel emotions. When the popular BOC4 robots begin to behave suspiciously, Eager's extraordinary abilities are tested to the limit.

The charter plane carrying thirteen-year-old Jordan and her younger brothers, Robbie and Baxter, crashes in the remote New Zealand Fiordland. The pilot is dead and the three are stranded without food or shelter in the wilderness. As Jordan despairs, a mysterious-and somehow familiar-voice in her head begins to guide her in ancient ways of survival. Author's note about Maori history.

Ever since Skiff's mother died, Skiff has been worried about his father, who lies on the TV couch all day, neglecting his boat and ruining his reputation as the best fisherman in Spinney Cove. When their boat, the Mary Rose, springs a leak and sinks at the dock, Skiff plans to catch and sell lobsters to pay for the repairs. Then someone sabotages his traps, and he decides that there's only one solution to his problems: landing a bluefin tuna.

Frances Cressen's mother has been searching for spiritual fulfillment ever since Frances's father died five years ago. This summer she plans to take Frances and her younger brother, Everett, to a retreat in Oregon. When Frances refuses to go, her mother arranges for her to stay with eccentric aunt Blue. Frances enjoys being free of her mother's demands but worries when she gets a troubling letter from Everett.

The poems and stories in this anthology highlight the intersecting experiences of Africans and Americans. In Africa, a girl spends two weeks visiting her father, who runs a Kalahari bushman tourist attraction. In the United States, an American girl learns about guilt and conflict when she befriends an Eritrean girl. Among the authors whose work is included here are Nikki Grimes, Muthoni Muchemi, and Angela Johnson. Introduction and author notes.

In the late 1950s Katie Takeshima and her family move from Iowa to a small town in Georgia. With her parents busy working long hours, Katie looks to her older sister, Lynn, for comfort and friendship. Lynn has always been the family member who points out the kira-kira--or bright spots--in life. When Lynn becomes seriously ill, Katie must find a way to stay strong.

Iqbal Masih was a child laborer who escaped from a Pakistani carpet factory and helped to liberate other exploited children until his tragic death in 1995, at age thirteen. In this fictional story inspired by true events, Fatima--a young Pakistani girl working in a carpet factory--recounts how Iqbal's arrival changed her life. Introduction. Epilogue.

Twelve-year-old Darryl Kirby is a whiz at computer games, especially those created by software guru Keith Masterly. After his family is killed in an accident, Darryl finds solace playing the complimentary video games in his room at Masterly Children's Shelter. Then Keith Masterly adopts Darryl. Darryl is thrilled at first, but when they arrive at a secret laboratory, he begins to question Mr. Masterly's intentions.

Meggie inherited a love of books from her father, Mo, but she has never understood why he refuses to read aloud and never speaks about her mother. Then one rainy night she overhears a stranger ask her father to go see "Capricorn." In the days that follow Meggie learns that when she was three, Mo read aloud from a book called Inkheart and somehow brought three of its characters to life; that same night, Meggie's mother disappeared.

ALA Notable Children's Books, 2004

"I hate school. I hate it worse than anything in the world. And even worse . . . it's ruining my life." Gregory has never felt comfortable in the classroom, and at thirteen, he is expelled from sixth grade. He panics when he learns that his parents plan to send him to boarding school. With the help of his grandfather, the only person who encourages him, Gregory begins to see the situation as an opportunity for a fresh start.

Rosa remembers that her parents named her Tzunún, the Mayan word for hummingbird, but other memories of her early life have worn thin over time. For eight years she and a man who tells her to call him "Uncle" have been traveling through the highlands of Guatemala, committing petty crimes. Psychics have told Uncle that Rosa will bring him a great treasure, but he grows impatient with waiting and draws her into a plan to rob a church.

What if Adolf Hitler had had a child? As part of a game at the school bus stop, Anna starts to tell her schoolmates the story of Hitler's daughter--a girl she calls Heidi. Anna explains that Hitler kept Heidi hidden from the public because she had a large birthmark on her face and walked with a limp. The more Mark hears about Heidi, the more real she seems to him.

In a remote village in southern Sudan, a bomb signals the onset of an attack by a rebel army. Eleven-year-old Stephen Majok and his friends Deng and Wol are told to hide in the brush. When the three return home the next day, they find their village decimated and empty. Stephen's mother is dead and his older sister has disappeared. Stunned and dismayed, the boys decide to hike across deserted grasslands to refugee camps in Kenya. An introduction gives background on the civil war in Sudan.

One afternoon, boredom and loneliness prompt twelve-year-old David to crawl into the unused air duct system in his apartment building. He discovers that he can easily spy on his neighbors and can even enter their homes. On a second visit to the ducts, he makes spooky noises and harasses Robert Alveston, an elderly man who lives alone. When a boy ghost appears and befriends him, David isn't sure what to do.

Class clown Alex Ryan has trouble pleasing his dad but can usually get a laugh out of his classmates. However, his attempts to impress pretty Marcia Faitak only hurt her feelings--or worse. On a hiking trip, Alex and a friend pull a prank that gives her such a scare, she falls and breaks her ankle. Alex is dubbed a hero after he helps get her to safety. He thinks he should tell the truth about his role in the accident, but his dad urges him to keep quiet.

Maddie, a foster child, likes to fill scrapbooks with photos of the houses she longs to call home. At twelve, she is sent to live at the East Tennessee Children's Home and has almost given up hope of finding a family of her own. Then Murphy, a new girl with stories of an exciting past, becomes her roommate. Maddie lets her guard down when she befriends Murphy, and she learns more than she expected to about the meaning of family.

Twelve stories give examples of the many ways in which dogs can touch people's lives. Sam is bored while dining at a restaurant with his parents until a dog leads him to a new friend. When a sheepdog rescues Fiona from the path of an oncoming truck, her father discovers why she has never learned to speak. Helen finds a way to express her grief over the loss of her brother with the help of her seeing-eye dog. Afterword.

Fowler Young, a sixth grader, finds a shiny green feather in the hallway at school and discovers that it belongs to Mrs. Picklestain's third grade classroom pet--an ill-cared for and lonely parrot. Fowler can't ignore the bird's plight and decides to kidnap it. He devises what seems to be a perfect plan and finds a scapegoat for the crime, but complications quickly arise.

Lidi, a talented magician, has doubts about her skill because the famed rope trick remains a mystery to her. She sets out with her canvasmaster and friend, Jericho, in search of the only man who can perform the trick--the elusive Ferramondo. On the road, they are joined by Daniella, a child with psychic powers, and Julian, a handsome outlaw. When the group is endangered, Lidi has to believe in her abilities in order to save them.

At six-foot-three inches tall and growing, twelve-year-old Tree is sometimes expected to act older than his age. This isn't easy with his two brothers away at college and his parents' divorce still too new. By helping others--his grandfather Leo, a Vietnam vet who recently had a leg amputated, and Sophie, a new girl who is being teased at school--Tree develops confidence in himself. When a flood threatens the town, Tree plays an important role in the relief effort.

Twelve-year-old Janey and her family are on their way to visit relatives when their car is hit by a drunk driver. Janey suffers disfiguring injuries to her face and loses both parents in the accident. She and her five-year-old sister, YoYo, find little time to grieve before they have to move from their hometown in Arizona to live with their grandfather and great-aunt in California.

Kong Qiu was born in China over 2,500 years ago and rose from poverty to become a member of his country's ruling class. Upon his retirement from government, he returned to his hometown and devoted himself to studying and teaching philosophy. His students called him Kongfuzi (Master Kong), which Jesuit missionaries later translated into the Latin name Confucius. Today Confucius's ideas continue to influence society. Author's note. Suggested reading. Source notes. Oil and mixed-media illustrations.

Once a year on a winter night in the waterfront town of Plymouth, England, a fog descends, and sailors stay ashore. Twelve ships arrive in the port, and from each one, a fisherman disembarks. Together the men head to the Admiral MacBride pub to a table set for thirteen and drink a toast to the ghost of Bruno. His haunting story is told here in verse. Illustrated in ink.

Saffy becomes troubled by questions about her past after discovering she was adopted at age three by her mother's twin sister. At thirteen, she is lonely despite being surrounded by a loving family. Then her grandfather dies and memories of her early childhood surface. Granddad leaves behind a note mentioning a memento he wants Saffy to have. With the help of a new friend, she travels to Italy, where she was born, to look for it.

The year is A.D. 79 in Ostia, Italy. Flavia Gemina, the only daughter of widower Captain Geminus, loves to solve mysteries. While investigating the disappearance of her father's missing signet ring, she meets her new neighbors, Dr. Mordecai ben Ezra and his two children, Miriam and Jonathan. When their dog is murdered, Flavia vows to help find the person responsible for the crime.

In 1974, farmers digging for water in northern China unearthed the head of a clay soldier buried for over 2,200 years. Today, after almost thirty years of work, archaeologists are still uncovering an estimated 7,500 terracotta soldiers, buried near the newly discovered tomb of the first emperor of China. Historians and archaeologists are slowly piecing together the story of this forgotten army and the remarkable emperor who ordered its creation, believing the soldiers would protect him for all eternity. Author's note.

This book addresses the question, "What makes Shakespeare so special?" by taking a look at the extraordinary and dangerous times during which he lived as well as the facts and rumors about his life. Quotes from Shakespeare's work appear throughout the text and are explained in accessible language. A scene from Romeo and Juliet and the plots of four other major plays are also introduced. Full-color illustrations. Time line. Index.

In 1895, William Roentgen saw the bones of his own hand while experimenting with cathode rays in his laboratory in Germany. His discovery led to an amazing revolution in medicine--the X-ray--but many scientists were injured and some died before the dangers of radiation became known. Today, the X-ray's uses extend to many fields, including art and airplane manufacture. Photographs and illustrations. Glossary. Bibliography. Recommended reading.

In the fall of 1914, Britain joins the fight against Germany. Ten-year-old Johnny is sent from London to the countryside to live with an aunt after his father enlists in the army. Johnny looks forward to his father's letters from the front and eagerly pits his toy soldiers against each other in imitation of the ongoing war. But he becomes frightened when his games seem to foretell his father's real battles. Author's note.

In Melville, Kansas--"the most landlocked city in America"--an eleven-year-old boy tries to dig a pond in his backyard and unearths a huge fossil. Soon his excavation attracts the attention of the local museum. A fossil expert tries to take over, and the boy's father considers auctioning off the finding. The boy isn't sure who should claim the fossil; he just wants to finish what he started and identify the creature.

Jackie, eleven, is accompanying her father on his business trip in Italy. One night, while driving them back to the hotel, he suddenly collapses. Jackie can't speak Italian, but tries to flag down help from the side of the road. Many cars pass before two men pick her up. Ignoring her pleas to be taken to the police, they drive for hours until they reach a house in a remote area. A woman greets the men and appears confused to see Jackie.

Robin accidentally breaks the window of a store that sells pet fish and has to work off the cost of the damage. Mr. Tsow, the grouchy Chinese manager, calls her a "half person" because she is only half Chinese. He hates music and warns Robin that her passion--ballet--is a "waste of time." After she injures herself while dancing, Mr. Tsow unexpectedly offers expert advice, and Robin becomes curious about his past. Afterword.

Antonia MacPherson, nicknamed Ant, feels she doesn't quite fit in with the rest of her family. Her mother and sisters have blond curly hair and love ballet, while Ant has straight, dark hair and would rather spend time with her dog or the friend her sister calls "stinky" Harrison. Ant pretends she is adopted and that her "real" parents are coming to take her away. Her art teacher learns about Ant's adoption lie and calls a meeting with Mrs. MacPherson.

While walking through the woods, twelve-year-old Rob is stunned to discover a tiger locked in a cage. That same morning, he meets Sistine, a new girl who talks back to the bullies on the school bus--the same ones who torment Rob daily. For the first time since his mother died, Rob feels willing to trust another person with his secrets. The next day, he tells Sistine about the tiger.

In nineteenth-century Japan, strict isolationist laws forbade citizens who left the country from returning. When fourteen-year-old Manjiro and four other fishermen were stranded on a remote island after a storm and rescued six months later, they could not go home. Here is the incredible story of how Manjiro became the first Japanese to set foot in America and took part in opening Japan to foreign trade. Photographs and prints. Author's note. Bibliography.

In 1895, Nathan, a twelve-year-old African American, lives with his father and grandfather on Pea Island, the site of the only U.S. Naval Life-Saving Station in North Carolina where blacks can work. After helping the station 's surfmen rescue the crew of a wrecked ship one night, Nathan aspires to become a surfman himself. His father discourages him--there are only seven positions available--but Nathan persists in working toward his dream. Author's note.

It is June of 1863 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In the middle of the night, twelve-year-old Ben sneaks out to search for his older brother, Reuben, a captain in the Pennsylvania 106th regiment. The boys' pa recently died, and Ben wants to bring Reuben home to Ma before the "big battle" everyone is talking about erupts. To Ben's dismay, his pesky younger cousin and Reuben's dog tag along for the adventure.

The word "vaquero" comes from the Spanish vaca, for cow, and means cowman. Vaqueros tended cattle in Mexico as early as the sixteenth century, yet their influence on American cowboy culture has been widely ignored. Some of the clothing and skills we commonly associate with cowboys actually originated with vaqueros. Black-and-white photo graphs, prints, and maps. Source list. Glossary. Bibliography. Index.

Scientists believe a giant asteroid crashed into the earth sixty-five million years ago and caused land-dwelling dinosaurs to become extinct. Growing evidence indicates that some of the flying dinosaurs survived and evolved into the huge variety of birds we see now. This fascinating text explains how the sparrow outside your window could be linked to Tyrannosaurus Rex. Full-color photographs and drawings. Glossary. Index.

In London during the Restoration, twelve-year-old Meg Moore finds herself in a unique position. Her father, a widower, owns a bookstore and allows her to read books unavailable to most men. Meg stands to inherit the store and dreams of marrying a bookseller to be her partner. Then her father decides to remarry. If his new wife bears a son, Meg may have to become a household servant, a fate she can't bear to imagine.

At the start of seventh grade, poet and math whiz Lizzie Archer trades her Victorian-style dresses for Gap jeans in order to fit in better. She feels awkward, but her strategy seems to work. To further shed her nerd image and attract the attention of the boy she likes, Lizzie makes mistakes on their shared math assignments. The plan backfires, and Lizzie feels more unhappy and confused than ever. Can she find a way to be herself and fit in?

In Vienna in February of 1938, twelve-year-old Greta Radky is devastated to learn that her mother plans to sell the family piano. Then Greta meets a retired music professor from Germany who has moved into her best friend's old apartment. The professor agrees to give Greta lessons and convinces her mother to keep the piano. Greta is curious about his past, but she learns little until the day the Nazis invade Austria.

Jake has always relied on Skelly, his grandfather, when he needs to talk guy-to-guy. But Skelly has Alzheimer's disease now. He becomes so confused and forgetful that he even mistakes the refrigerator for a closet. One day, Skelly no longer recognizes Jake as his grandson. Embarrassed and hurt, Jake avoids Skelly as much as possible. Then Skelly wanders off, and Jake realizes that his grandfather is still a very important person in his life.

Fifteen acclaimed children's book authors, including Judy Blume and Gary Paulsen, answer such questions as "What kind of child were you? When did you decide to become a writer?" The authors' lives, their craft, their books, and their work habits are all discussed in this fascinating collection of interviews. Childhood photographs, manuscript pages, other mementos, and lists of titles by each author are included.

Eddy is upset when his new bike is stolen. Another one arrives from his uncle's friend, but it's so old-fashioned that Eddy doesn't want to ride it. As he is putting it into the closet, he notices a tag on the handlebars. "Time bike," it says. Eddy experiments witht he dials, and nothing happens. Then he hears his aunt and sister repeat a conversation they had just a moment before.