Fueled by friendship and sympathy, Antsy Bonano signs a month of his life over to his “dying” classmate Gunnar Umlaut. Soon everyone at school follows suit, giving new meaning to the idea of “living on borrowed time.” But does Gunnar really have six months to live, or is news of his imminent death greatly exaggerated? When a family member suffers a heart attack after donating two years to Gunnar, Antsy wonders if he has tempted fate by playing God. Fans of “the Schwa” will welcome favorite and new characters in this wholly fresh tale, which is as touchingly poignant as it is darkly comical.

Nine-year-old Nannerl Mozart is a wonderful musician, but her brother Wolferl, age five, has already surpassed her talent. Initially the siblings play concerts together across Europe, but then their father, Leopold, decides Nannerl should remain in their hometown of Salzburg, Austria. Though Nannerl pleads with Leopold over many years, he never gives her the opportunity to become a professional musician. Despite not realizing her dream, Nannerl sees a chance for happiness: she hopes to marry retired army captain Armand d'Ippold—if her father doesn't stand in her way. Author's note.

Brooklyn, 1903: "My life, it's better than most guys have it. I got plenty to eat. I got Mama and Papa both. And they don't hit," fourteen-year-old Joseph Michtom says. Still, Joe feels deprived because he hasn't yet visited Coney Island's new amusement park. Joe's parents, though, have just invented the Teddy bear, and between running the booming new business, caring for Joe's sick little brother, and mourning the death of Joe's aunt Golda, they have no time for entertainment. Angry at his parents, Joe heads to Coney Island alone and quickly discovers what bad luck really is. Author's note. Black-and-white spot illustrations.

Though her parents urge her to, fourteen-year-old Nazia doesn't want to get married, as it will mean leaving school and her hometown, Karachi, Pakistan. Besides, she barely knows her fiancé, an older cousin. Then, misfortune befalls Nazia's family: her father suffers an injury at his construction job, and Nazia's dowry is stolen. Destitute and desperate, Nazia's mother pulls her out of school so that they can clean houses to support their family. With Nazia's newly degraded status, marriage seems unattainable, and education just an absurd dream.

"I looked at the clock.10:15. Saturday. September 26. And for me, the start of a new calendar: PD1 (The Day I Heard of the Proton's Death)." When Will, a high school freshman, learns about proton decay, he realizes that nothing lasts forever. Will doesnwant things like his Saturday night pizza-and-Monopoly tradition with his best friends to change, but he would love it if his little sister, Tabby, weren't such a brat anymore. Then Tabby is badly injured, and Will sees that, like the world around him, he may need to change, too.

"Jenny had never had a friend before . . . There was the púka, of course, but he was more like a teacher or a kindly old uncle than a friend." When the púka-a large, shape-shifting goat-asks eleven-year-old Jenny to befriend a ghost, she agrees; after all, the ghost is sad and lonely. For thousands of years, the ghost has guarded a mountaintop beacon from horrible monsters . . . such as the púka, Jenny begins to suspect. So, she wonders: is the púka actually kind, or just using her to get to the ghost? Glossary.

An asteroid hits the moon, throwing it out of orbit and causing tsunamis, earthquakes, and general devastation on Earth. In Manhattan, Alex and his two younger sisters must fight to survive as their food supply dwindles and the weather gets increasingly severe. All the while they pray that their mother, last known to be at her job in Queens, and their father, who was visiting relatives in Puerto Rico, will return home.

"I shall quest for a new master. An enlightened new master." So declares Conrad the Good, court jester to the cruel Count Otto of Schwarzenberg, who frequently punishes Conrad with a whip. Conrad makes good on his promise, stealing away with his beloved Christa and his trusty horse, Blackspur. As they travel, their small troupe grows . . . and so do their problems.For the road brings not only freedom, but plague, fierce winter storms, and a ruler even more vicious than Otto.

"To break the Radio Law would be a selfish act. It could endanger our family," Helmuth Hübener's brother tells Helmuth. Defying his brother, his Nazi stepfather, and German law, Helmuth, a teenager, listens to Allied radio stations. He is infuriated to learn that the Nazis are distorting the facts about the war and is determined to let his fellow Germans know the truth, even if it means risking his life. Based on real events. Time line of the Nazi regime. Bibliography. Suggestions for further reading. Photographs.

"Conor Broekhart was born to fly. . . ." Raised on the diamond-rich Saltee Islands under the beneficence of a generous king, Conor dreams of building and flying the first heavier-than-air machine. With the help of his brilliant tutor, who instructs him in swordplay and aeronautics, he begins to design such a craft. Then the power-hungry Marshall Bonvilain, commander of the Saltee army, commits a pair of murders that threaten to destroy Conor's dreams of flight . . . and his life.

Joan doesn't like living in California, until she meets Sarah, a "girl dressed in ragged jeans and a dirty T-shirt. . . . Her face was methodically streaked with red-brown clay." While Joan lives with her image-conscious, controlling parents, Sarah leads a free-wheeling life with her artistic father. The girls share common ground, though: Joan is afraid her parents may divorce, and Sarah worries that her absent mother will never return. Both girls also love writing, which they find helps them escape-and eventually, confront-their fears.

Rabbits in the supposedly impenetrable fortress of Stonehaven have been disappearing. The government blames predators, and rebels blame the increasingly oppressive government. But as Harry, a down-on-his-luck fox, and Quentin, an intellectual rabbit, separately investigate Stonehaven's mystery, their paths slowly converge, and they discover a third terrifying possibility.

Ishmael Leseur (a.k.a. Fishwhale Le Sewer) wishes he knew how to defeat the school bully, Barry, who constantly mocks his name. So, when a dorky new kid, James, joins the class and confounds Barry with sarcasm and wit, Ishmael wishes he could do the same. Nonetheless, when James starts a debate team, Ishmael is reluctant to sign up. Then he notices a cute girl on a rival team and starts to wonder-public speaking can't be that[ital that] bad, can it?

Scotland, circa 1790: The new lord decides he'd rather have sheep than tenants, and Roddy Macallan and his family are among the evicted. Over his father's objections, Roddy returns to the family's burned-out cottage, looking for an heirloom brooch that could finance the Macallans' passage to America. Caught and nearly killed while searching the ruins, Roddy is saved by Alan Dunbar, a notorious petty criminal. Roddy is initially wary of Alan, but soon finds him to be his greatest ally as the two face off against the lord and his men.

Amadeo Kaplan has two goals: to discover something very important, and to finally make a friend in his new town. So, when William (!) Wilcox (!) talks to him one day, Amadeo sees his dreams coming true. William could become a friend, and his mother organizes estate sales-perfect places for unearthing treasures. As Amadeo helps William and Mrs. Wilcox sort out an eccentric old woman's belongings, he comes across a valuable signed drawing. Amadeo's thrilled, but the drawing is only part of his ultimate discovery.

Like a lot of teenage girls, Nina kept a diary. Mostly, Nina wrote about typical teenage issues-her looks, romance, school. But amid these standard entries, Nina expressed her hatred of Stalin's regime: "Those bloody Bolsheviks, how I hate them! All hypocrites, liars, and scoundrels?" It was these "counter-revolutionary" passages that got Nina (and the rest of her family) arrested and exiled to a Siberian gulag. Includes letters from Nina's father, photographs, bibliography, and suggestions for further reading.

No wonder Benny's grumpy when he moves from Ireland to Tunisia-he lives on a compound, his parents are stricter than ever, he has hippies for teachers, and all his classmates seem to hate him! Then Benny befriends a local boy, Omar, who learned English from TV and who takes Benny on some great adventures. Still, something's bothering Benny: "Where's your family, Omar?" To which Omar replies, "No Homer. No Marge."

John thinks his father is telling the truth-for once-when he claims he doesn't belong in debtors' prison. John is determined to find out who wanted his father arrested and why. He soon finds himself immersed in a world of spies and subterfuge, filled with possible suspects. Just what is his father's secret, and why does everyone from the family's maid to a Scotland Yard inspector have a stake in it? Black-and-white drawings.

Tony is the only Chinese boy in his Bronx neighborhood. If that weren't enough to get the local bullies' attention, he also has a weight problem. He gets back at his tormentors by caricaturing them in a graffiti mural, but Tony's revenge only brings him more trouble: His parents decide to send him to Shanghai for the summer to work for his uncle. While there, Tony meets a mysterious old artist, the painter Zhu Qizhan. Includes a note about Qizhan and a time line of his life.

"These poems are here for you to read and question, believe in and doubt, and hold up to the light. Hold them up to your doubt and see what happens. Measure them against your faith." This wide-ranging collection asks readers to consider the basis and power of their beliefs-about love, death, God, or even Santa Claus. It features poems from writers including Charles Simic, Rumi, Pablo Neruda, and William Shakespeare. Includes biographical notes and selected readings for each author.

ReWhen Phin Chase witnesses the murder of a mine boss, the killers plan to frame him for the crime. Now Phin is on the run through Pennsylvania coal country. Once Phin eludes the killers, he thinks his troubles are over. Then he discovers that a mysterious stranger is hot on his trail. What he wants, or who he is, Phin doesn't know. But he does know that the man has an unfair advantage in this game of hide-and-seek: a horse that can track by scent!

When J.J. Liddy asks his mother what she wants for her birthday, she says, "Time. That's what I want. Time." There never seems to be enough of it in Kinarva, or anywhere else in Ireland for that matter. Where does it all go? J.J. is determined to find out. With the help of a local history expert, he sets out on an adventure that takes him all the way to the mythical Tir na n'Og[acute accent on i and O]-the land where time is said to stand still. Sheet music. Bibliography.

When Beaufils's mother is on her deathbed she leaves Beaufils with a quest: to find the father he's never known, a knight of King Arthur's court. The naïve youth has never seen the world beyond his isolated forest and doesn't know what a knight is, or who King Arthur is, or even his own name; Beaufils simply means "Fair Son." Somehow, though, he ends up at the Round Table, where he finds a different quest-for a "very pretty" serving dish called the Holy Grail.

"Being of sound mind, I do hereby leave to Hattie Inez Brooks my claim and the house and its contents, as well as one steadfast horse named Plug and a contemptible cow named Violet." When orphaned sixteen-year-old Hattie inherits her uncle's Montana homestead, she jumps at the chance to finally have a home of her own. Hattie must "prove up" the claim, however, by fencing off and cultivating the land within ten months-or she'll lose everything. Recipes. Suggestions for further reading.

It's 2082. Corgan has to decide where to land the Prometheus before the others-Sharla, Ananda, and Cyborg-wake up. He knows they'll want to return to the Florida domed city, but Corgan isn't ready to go back just yet. His mortal enemy, Brigand, still rules the Flor-DC. Before Corgan returns, he wants to spend some time on the Isles of Hiva.Maybe in that peaceful place the four travelers can renew their friendships, and Corgan can prepare in secret to fight Brigand in one final battle.

Fourteen-year-old Clara Luna knows almost nothing about her father's early life-just that he entered the U.S. illegally from Mexico a long time ago. One day, she gets an invitation from her grandparents to spend the summer with them in Yucuyoo, the village her father grew up in. Clara agrees to go, but is shocked by life there: tiny shacks deep in the jungle, no electricity, a two-hour walk to the nearest market. Beforelong, however, Clara is feeling strangely at home. Glossary.

The town of Manod, Wales, has seen better days. Ever since the slate quarry closed, people have been leaving in droves; things have gotten so bad that Dylan Hughes has no one left to play football with. What's worse, his family may have to close their garage, the Snowdonia Oasis Auto Marvel. One day, however, some mysterious visitors arrive. They've brought priceless works of art from the National Gallery for safekeeping in the old quarry . . . and the opportunity for the crime of the century. List of paintings.

Patience, Kansas, is cursed. Ever since Jeremiah Waters installed the first flush toilet west of the Mississippi there in 1879, things have been going downhill. Legend has it that when the Plunger of Destiny returns to Patience, the final destruction will begin. Is the curse real? Twelve-year-old Jake, Jeremiah's great-great-great-grandson, doesn't plan on finding out. He wants to get out of Patience. However, when his dad Jim adds a very interesting plunger to the collection of his future American Toilet Museum, it may already be too late.

Bad things have been happening to Jamie Reardon lately. First, his cat died. Next his dad ran off with a cashier from the MicroMart. After that his aunt Sapphy had an accident at the cherry factory and lost her short-term memory. Jamie and his mom now live with Aunt Sapphy and try to find a way to make her mind "jump the scratch," like a needle on a broken record. Meanwhile, Jamie struggles with a terrible secret he'd do anything to forget.

Eleni is a twilight child, born in a small Finnish village at exactly midsummer, and can communicate with creatures-including sauna-dwelling tonttu and protective sprites called brounies-that no one else can see. When a shipwreck leaves Eleni stranded in a Scottish village, will her strange talent help her find a new home, or will she forever miss Finland and her lost childhood sweetheart, Matthias?

Dragonflies are showing up in Eskimo villages for the first time in memory, scaring small children. Robins, for which the native Arctic peoples have no name, are pecking at the tundra. A New York Times reporter travels to the top of the world, where it's fifteen degrees below zero, and the sun doesn't set for months. He joins climatologists and oceanographers on an expedition to study the mysteries of Arctic warming. Source notes. Suggestions for further reading. List of Internet resources. Acknowledgements. Picture credits. Index.

Life is frustrating for twelve-year-old Oliver Gasper: School is horrible, the family business is failing, and everyone picks on him. Sometimes he wishes that he could just disappear. Then, in an old magazine, he discovers a mystical chant that will turn its user invisible. Oliver scrawls the words on his hand, and soon he is happily unseen and making mischief at school. There's just one problem. Along with Oliver's hand, the invisibility chant has vanished, and he can't quite remember it. How will he ever become uninvisible?

Strange things begin to happen as Beatrice, a slave girl on a Louisiana sugar plantation, nears her thirteenth birthday. Suddenly the bees and the brier seem to be under her spell, and Master Reynard takes a special interest in her. Bea's protective tante Abielle was right: The girl is a "seer" like her maman and grandmère-and she must use her birthright to uncover the truth about her life and find freedom.

Eugenides is the ruler of all the lands of Attolia. He is the official father of the people, the lord of the barons, the undisputed and absolute sovereign, anointed by priests and priestesses. He is also a former enemy, a former thief, and still young and impetuous. Many are not ready to accept him as the king, even Eugenides himself.

Airship Academy student Matt Cruse is searching for the Hyperion, a lost ship rumored to be carrying tons of gold and a priceless taxidermy collection. Will his fellow treasure hunters-high-spirited aristocrat Kate; the competitive captain, Hal; and a mysterious Gypsy, Nadira-make it more trouble than it's worth?

Cal is curious about the other girls in the group home where she is taken after her mother has a breakdown. After all, unlike those other girls, she will only be staying for a few days. Despite her determination to keep her distance, Cal learns to knit from the "Knitting Lady," the old woman who runs the home, and is drawn into the stories she tells. Cal begins to accept this detour from her real life, and even loudmouth, prying Whitney wins her over.

"I'm Cooper Jewett . . . I'm a fine runner, I have fine friends, and I'm a moderate driver. I'm a Methodist most Sundays, and a dairyman every day." There's more to fourteen-year-old Cooper's story than he knows, however. Strange black cars are following him around his small New Hampshire town. Someone's broken into his house. He also just might be involved inone of the biggest Presidential scandals in history.

Thirteen-year-old Meggie Folchart and her father share a magical ability: They can bring characters out of books and into the real world. Then a boy named Farid comes to Meggie begging her to read him back into his story, the book Inkheart. Meggie's desire to see the beautiful and dangerous world she's heard so much about overwhelms her good sense, and she decides to go along.

A white trapper has been murdered and Indian John, a young Chippewa, is accused and shackled in the Carver's loft until trial. Indian John longs for his family and relives his capture by the gichi-mookomaanag-the white man. Meanwhile, thirteen-year-old Rebecca Carver begins to see the terrifying Indian as something new: an innocent man. Author's note about the 1812 trial that inspired the novel. Bibliography.

It is 1919 in British East Africa, where Rachel Sheridan lives with her missionary parents. When they die of influenza, Rachel's cruel neighbors entangle her in a inheritance scheme and send her to England to pose as a rich man's granddaughter. How can Rachel get home without family or friends to help her?

Genetically engineered to fight in virtual reality wars, sixteen-year-old Corgan now faces a real enemy: Brigand, a clone who will stop at nothing to gain power. When Brigand threatens his friends, Corgan is the only one who can help them to safety. But will he choose instead to defend his pride and accept Brigand's challenge to a one-on-one fight?

Twelve-year-old Ma Yan knew that getting an education was the only way out of her drought-stricken rural village. So even as her family struggled to find enough to eat, let alone pay her school fees, she was determined to continue her studies. This firsthand account of her fight was discovered by a foreign journalist-and eventually became Ma Yan's ticket out of a life of poverty. Black-and-white photos. Explanatory notes and commentary.

Funnyman author Jon Scieszka founded Guys Read, a literacy program that encourages boys to read. Now he has compiled a collection of writings and drawings from dozens of male authors and illustrators. Here are eighty-eight selections that are all about being a guy, from those who know what it's like. Black-and-white art. Foreword by Jon Scieszka.

When Nat and his sisters discover an ad that reads: "Pony to give away to good home. Call after 4 P.M.," all three feel an instant longing. With little complaint they make the hours-long walk to the farm where Smokey lives and tell the owner they will take the young stallion-even though they have no idea how they will take care of the pony, or what their mother will say when she finds out.

It is 1897. Seven-year-old Minik, a Greenland Eskimo, has arrived in New York, where he, his father, and four others are put on display at the American Museum of Natural History. When one Eskimo returns home and the others die, Minik is left alone in New York to figure out where he belongs. Based on historical accounts. Author's note. Bibliography.

Fortune was a slave who lived in Waterbury, Connecticut, during the late 1700s. Dr. Porter, the physician who owned him, specialized in setting broken bones. When Fortune died, Dr. Porter preserved his skeleton in order to study it. This requiem honors Fortune's life and poses questions about the path his skeleton took to its present resting place at the Mattatuck Museum in Connecticut. Afterword. Notes and sources.

Coretta Scott King Award, Author Honor Book, 2005

For years Charlie Porter's parents have isolated Charlie from the world beyond his home. Now, to punish him for trying to go outdoors, Charlie's father banishes him to the basement. When he manages to sneak outside, Charlie faints on the street. Police find him and take him to a hospital, and there he experiences kindness for the first time.

Twelve-year-old Danny Walker may not be tall, but he does have quickness, control, and an impressive double crossover. When Coach Ross cuts him from the travel team, a regional all-star squad, Danny wants to show him that size isn't everything, even in basketball. Then, to Danny's surprise, his wayward father shows up and assembles a second travel team. Will his father follow through and give Danny a chance to prove himself?

Ellie's mother is the prettiest woman in Spectacle, New York, but being a small-town beauty is not enough for her. Desperate for a glamorous career, she leaves her family to pursue her show-biz dreams in New York City. "I need to get established . . . then I'll send for you," she tells them. Months pass, and as Ellie cares for her siblings, contends with a neighborhood vandal, and fights off school bullies, she begins to wonder if her mother will keep her promise.

The Depression is ongoing when Jake Maki's family moves from Minnesota to a newly-formed Finnish immigrant community in Russia. Father believes that life will improve under Communism, but Jake is doubtful--their living quarters are cramped, mail is censored, and over time, the government becomes increasingly oppressive. When authorities arrest Jake's brother and father, Jake, his mother, and his younger sister must flee to safety. Historical note.

The lives of three young teens--Bird, Ethan, and Jay--intersect in rural Alabama when Bird arrives from Cleveland to look for her stepfather, Cecil. Bird hides in a shed, hoping to ask Cecil to come home. Ethan, adjusting to a new heart transplant, and happy to see his Uncle C.L., wonders about the girl hiding in his shed. Jay copes with the sudden death of his younger brother, Derek, and observes the neighborhood boy who received Derek's heart.

Emako Blue was a sophomore with a beautiful singing voice that she hoped would help her escape a dangerous South Central Los Angeles neighborhood. She was also a best friend, an attractive girl who wouldn't easily fall for anyone, a sympathetic listener, and the object of envy-until a drive-by shooting violently and abruptly ended her life. In this novel told from multiple perspectives, four friends and classmates remember how Emako influenced their lives.

In 1969, thirteen-year-old Mark finds out that the army needs scout dogs. With his older brother serving in Vietnam, Mark is eager to prove his patriotism and volunteers his dog and best friend, Wolfie. Too late Mark discovers that dogs in the army don't serve limited terms-he might never see Wolfie again. As he petitions for Wolfie's return, Mark learns firsthand about the complex issues surrounding the war.

In a rural village in Switzerland after a harsh winter, Giorgio's family is destitute. When the family needs money for a doctor, his father accepts a stranger's offer to apprentice Giorgio to a chimney sweep. On the way to meet the stranger, Giorgio befriends Alfredo, another boy who is heading to the same fate. Together with several others, they board a boat bound for Italy. This adaptation of a German novel is told through text and dramatic black-and-white illustrations.

This summer sixteen-year-old Robbie Daniels leaves his family's home in southeast Alaska to find work on a king salmon fishing boat. Robbie arrives in the departure town of Craig and on the advice of a friend seeks out Tor Torsen, captain of the Storm Petrel. Tor gruffly turns Robbie down but suddenly changes his mind that evening. Days later, out on the high seas, Robbie discovers Tor's darker motives for hiring him.

A common thief, Montmorency has spent years in prison recovering from an accident. Upon his release he adopts two opposing identities-the aristocrat Xavier Montmorency and his servant, Scarper. The latter's success as a burglar allows the former to prosper. Over time, however, Montmorency begins to feel as though he wants to shed his criminal past and become an honest man.

Bullies abused Elliot at his old school and left him traumatized. In order to survive at his new school, Elliot carefully plans how he will dress and behave. At first he seems to escape notice, but one day he is summoned to meet with the Guardians-the anonymous trio of upperclass boys who systematically terrorize the student body. The Guardians invite Elliot to join their group and inform him that as part of his initiation, he must choose their next victim.

Rusty Cooper and Joey Banks have been best friends for as long as they have been neighbors. When the boys are together, Joey usually takes the lead as they toe the line between danger and fun. Rusty gladly pledges to keep quiet about their escapades to avoid upsetting Joey's intimidating father, until a secret too terrible to keep eats away at his conscience. What would a true friend do?

Fourteen-year-old Meg Finn is no saint. So when she dies after assisting with an attempted robbery, her path toward eternal bliss is blocked. A strange creature named Flit explains that Meg performed an equal number of good and bad deeds in life. To secure a place in heaven, she must return to Earth and tip the balance in her favor. She agrees to help Lowrie McCall, the elderly man she tried to rob, fulfill his last wishes. They begin by tracking down a past love.

An orphan who has no memory of his family lives hand-to-mouth on the streets of Warsaw, Poland, during World War II. The boy believes his name is "Stopthief!" until an older street kid, Uri, welcomes him into a gang and gives him a name--Misha Pilsudski. Misha realizes that the Nazi occupation is affecting his daily routine, but he cannot fathom how it will impact the rest of his life.

ALA Best Books for Young Adults, 2004

Rose's mother believes that "north-born" children are destined for trouble. So she conceals the fact that Rose is born facing due north and tries to raise her as if she were an obedient "east." But Rose's adventurous nature cannot be suppressed. When Rose's sister grows ill and the family falls on hard times, a mysterious white bear offers them a proposition: health and prosperity in exchange for Rose. To her father's horror, Rose accepts.

ALA Notable Children's Books, 2003
ALA Best Books for Young Adults, Top 10, 2004

Memoirs and stories reveal how living and traveling abroad can have a profound effect on a young person's life. At age eleven, Lois Lowry moved from a small town in America to a big city in Japan. Piper Dellums was a teenager when an exchange student from South Africa came to live with her family. Seventeen-year-old Harry Mazer had never been away from home before he joined the Army during World War II. Includes an introduction, black-and-white photos, and biographical notes about the authors.

Thirteen-year-old Tottie Flannigan thinks her parents are pretty cool, even though her mother writes a newspaper column that often details embarrassing family stories. Everything Tottie believes about her family changes the day seventeen-year-old Zach shows up. When she opens the door, Tottie feels a tingle down her neck--the boy standing in front of her looks just like her father.

Sixteen-year-old Libby Dodge doesn't look like she belongs in Sherborn Women's Prison. But, despite her youth and delicacy, Libby is guilty of a crime--a crime she won't speak of to anyone. Her life in Sherborn is bleak until the day Mrs. Wilkinson, the new chaplain, arrives and starts a musical program that enlivens the atmosphere of the prison. Through a production of The Pirates of Penzance, Libby discovers her ability to sing and is given hope for a brighter future. Inspired by actual events. Author's note.

Shane Hunter really can't complain. His family's house is in an exclusive neighborhood; he and his sister attend the prestigious Shorelake Academy; and most importantly, he is the closing pitcher for his school's baseball team. Being a closer means dealing with--and thriving on--pressure. But when his father is arrested for money laundering, Shane can't maintain his calm, and even his pitching begins to suffer.

Sunny's sister, Jasmine (Jazz), died three months ago in a fire. Sunny's parents' grief for their dead daughter makes them all but ignore their living one. To Sunny this is nothing new--she always had to compete with Jazz for affection in the past. Only Sunny knew Jazz's cruel, manipulative side, and the truth is, she isn't sad that her sister is gone. So when a letter arrives in the mail from Jazz, Sunny considers keeping it a secret.

Col knows that his father was a career criminal and that his older brother, Mungo, is headed for the same path; he doesn't expect his own life to turn out differently. Then he rescues a young boy from drowning and discovers that a better future is possible. But his chances are jeopardized when his loyalty to Mungo is put to the test.

The Lucky Seven are an exclusive clique of seventh grade girls who attend Fielding School. On Caitlin's birthday, the girls gather at Caitlin's house for a sleepover. Gray feels disconnected from the group--she is preoccupied with thoughts about her mother, who is in remission from cancer. No one notices when she leaves the house with a stranger.

Logan Moore hates everyone: the father who abandoned him; the stepfather who wants to control him; the kids who get in his face. He only has affection for Jack, an unwanted mangy mutt who demands nothing of him. A mysterious disease is turning dogs in the area into vicious predators, and Logan's parents want to hand Jack over to the authorities. So Logan takes Jack and runs away.

Sixteen-year-old Peggy Fleming Farrell isn't thrilled with how the summer is turning out--her best friend is out of town, her parents have taken away her driver's license, the only job she can find is working odd hours at a gas station convenience mart, and she's expected to spend her free time taking care of her younger siblings. Somehow Peggy survives with the help of Denny, a coworker, and Charlotte, a new friend.

Heir Apparent is a virtual reality game set in a land of royalty and magic. Through direct brain stimulation, players experience all of their characters' sensations as they form alliances and fight enemies to become king of the land. Giannine Bellisario has never played before, so she is not surprised that she keeps "dying" and automatically restarting the game. Then, the gaming equipment becomes damaged, and the only way she can safely exit is to win.

ALA Best Books for Young Adults, 2004

Bully Dana Matherson welcomes Roy Eberhardt to Coconut Cove, Florida, by smushing his face up against the school bus window. While waiting for Dana to let go, Roy catches sight of a barefoot boy racing at top speed through backyards. Roy's determination to find the "running boy" eventually gets him involved in a fight to prevent the site of a future pancake house--home to burrowing owls--from being developed.

Newbery Medal Honor Book, 2003

"It's weird, . . . this business of being a teenager. I was talking about it to Flynn a while back and he said it's like you're in a tunnel . . . And the only way to get through it, that tunnel . . . is to do things differently. To go slightly off the rails. To go a bit haywire." Jesse Flood shares his thoughts and dreams, ups and downs, and memories of the past as he tries to figure out who he is.

A hundred years into the future, Mexico is known as Aztlán. Drugs have become legalized and scientists are able to clone humans. The clones are considered useful only for their organs, and by law their brains must be removed at birth. Matt is an exception--a clone of the powerful leader of Opium, a drug-producing country, he is kept intact and raised secretly in isolation. He is ten when a group of children discover him.
National Book Awards, Young People's Literature Winner, 2003
Newbery Medal Honor Book, 2003

"Writing Poetry: In the middle of the night/I turn on my light/then slowly peel/off layers of me/with the press of each key." This is the first of 105 poems that tell the story of a school year in the life of a thirteen-year-old girl. The narrator describes junior high, friends and family, a romantic interest, and her love of writing. "After words" offer advice to young poets. Mixed-media collage art complements the text.

A year ago, Corgan and his teammates, Sharla and Brig, won a virtual war for the Western Hemisphere Federation. Now the Supreme Council suspects someone may have cheated, and another war may have to be fought. The Federation prepares to form a new team and orders Sharla to produce a clone of Brig, who recently died. Two embryos survive the process, but only one is needed. Sharla gives the second clone to Corgan to raise in secrecy.

Anaxandra is six when King Nicander takes her from her home to be a companion to his daughter, Callisto. At age twelve, on the anniversary of her departure from home, Anaxandra becomes the sole survivor of a pirate raid. After nine days on her own, King Menelaus of Sparta finds her. To avoid becoming a slave, she claims to be the princess Callisto. Author's note.

Alem is half-Ethiopian and half-Eritrean. During a conflict between the two countries, he and his parents are made to feel unwelcome in Ethiopia and move to Eritrea. The environment in their new home turns out to be as hostile as that of the old. For a vacation, Alem's father takes him to London shortly after his fourteenth birthday. A few days after they arrive, Alem wakes to discover his father has gone home and left him behind to seek refugee status.

These ten stories offer a glimpse at the experience of growing up on the islands of Hawaii. Two teens face trouble while working the night shift at Taco Bell. Jimmy tells his friend a provocative story about two men who face sharks in the water. A group of sixth graders known as "Short Boyz" recruit a girl to help them fight off a bully. Izzy falls in love with his best friend, Tina.

Evie Thomas once had a best friend, a happy home, and a loving grandmother living nearby. Then her father, a policeman, testified in a murder trial, and the family was forced to enter a witness protection program. Now Evie's father is depressed and quiet and her mother clings to a new-found religion. When Evie finds out her older sister is making plans to leave, she wonders what her own future holds.

Ten-year-old Sun-hee and her older brother, Tae-yul, live in Korea in 1940. The country is occupied by Japan, and Koreans are forbidden to speak their own language or learn about their own culture. When World War II erupts, Koreans are forced to fight on the side of the Japanese. In alternating chapters, Sun-hee and Tae-yul describe what happens to their family during this time. Author's note. Bibliography.

Zazoo, almost fourteen, lives with Grand-Pierre, her adoptive grandfather. He brought her from Vietnam to southern France when she was two. One morning, a boy on a bicycle appears while Zazoo is swimming and asks her a question about the local pharmacist. Zazoo agrees to find the answer and discovers surprising information about Grand-Pierre's past.

Juli Baker devoutly believes in three things: the sanctity of trees (especially her beloved sycamore), the wholesomeness of the eggs she collects from her backyard flock of chickens, and that someday she will kiss Bryce Loski. Ever since she saw Bryce's baby blues back in second grade, Juli has been smitten. Unfortunately, Bryce has never felt the same. Frankly, he thinks Juli Baker is a little weird--after all, what kind of freak raises chickens and sits in trees for fun? Then, in eighth grade, everything changes. Bryce begins to see that Juli's unusual interests and pride in her family are, well, kind of cool. And Juli starts to think that maybe Bryce's brilliant blue eyes are as empty as the rest of Bryce seems to be. After all, what kind of jerk doesn't care about other people's feelings about chickens and trees? With Flipped, mystery author Wendelin Van Draanen has taken a break from her Sammy Keyes series, and the result is flipping fantastic. Bryce and Juli's rants and raves about each other ring so true that teen readers will quickly identify with at least one of these hilarious feuding egos, if not both. A perfect introduction to the adolescent war between the sexes.

Delia has always had a hard time making friends. After she moves from Boston to rural Alford, Massachusetts, she is grateful when Amandine befriends her. Amandine is an artist who can dance and act. Delia quickly becomes drawn into Amandine's imaginary world of improvisation and make-believe. Then the games the girls play take a cruel turn, and Delia begins to mistrust and fear Amandine.

Bored of life in East Weston, high school freshman Walter Nutria happily accepts an invitation to enter a spaceship one afternoon. The Lirgonians--aliens whose appearance resembles that of middle-aged pot-bellied men in footie pajamas--are impressed with the number of sci-fi videos he has rented and want him to command their army. What they don't know is that the enemy--the WotWots--have abducted Walter's best friend, Yselle, to be their general.

Based largely on Vincent van Gogh's letters to his brother, Theo, this biography focuses on the life and work of the nineteenth-century artist. From his happy childhood in the Netherlands to his tragic death in the South of France, the authors examine Van Gogh's struggles. Before he began painting at the age of twenty-seven, Van Gogh attempted missionary life and theological school. Sixteen-page color insert. Glossary. Time line. Notes. Bibliography. Index.

Chuck and Lori see little of their mother, who has been traveling constantly as a motivational speaker since the death of their father. At fourteen, Lori is so resentful she can barely stand to be in the same room with her mother. Chuck worries that if his mother ever gets to know him, she will agree with others that he is a loser. Both kids are unsure of what to expect when their mother invites them to accompany her on a two-weekbusiness trip.

Alexander was five when he first saw ghosts. His mother said he had found a "window through time." She told him he was special. But then, without warning, she left. Alexander's father, who doesn't believe in the ghosts, has since divorced and wants to marry Paige Hambrick. He arranges a trip to North Carolina so Alexander can get to know her. Soon after they arrive, Alexander feels a chill and smells an orangy scent. Why is it happening here? Why now?

Since Princess Addie and her sister, Meryl, were young, they have played games in which Meryl saves Bamarre from monsters or finds the cure to the Gray Death, the disease that killed their mother and threatens the king dom. Meryl is the brave one, unlike Addie, who is scared of everything. Then Meryl is stricken with the Gray Death, and Addie must face her fears to find the cure.

Piers hates the drudgery of his father's blacksmith shop and dreams of seeing the knights and great courts his mother has described in stories. When a knight named Sir Ither arrives, Piers eagerly volunteers to be his page, only to discover that Sir Ither does not behave honorably. Then Sir Ither is slain by Parsifal, an affable but unworldly young man. Parsifal longs to be a knight, and Piers offers to help.

Peter Still was born a slave on a plantation in Maryland around 1800. After an attempt to free the entire family failed, Peter Still's mother fled north with his baby sisters and left Peter and another brother behind. More than forty years later, Peter finally bought his freedom and incredibly, located his mother and siblings. He then returned south to free his wife and children.

"Now I was falling, and falling fast, toward a wilderness I was unprepared to deal with; I had the wrong clothes, no weapon, no survival gear except a sleeping bag and the plane's emergency kit...." Gary Paulsen has witnessed plane crashes, seen heart attack victims as an emergency ambulance volunteer, and hunted on his own since he was a boy. Here he connects these experiences to those of the characters in some of his best-known books.

Hattie is sent to live with her wealthy Uncle Charley after her brother and great-aunt die of influenza. Hattie, who has grown up poor, is still mourning her loss and feels guilty about having expensive new clothes. She is sent to Miss Bulkley's Academy, where her cousin Sophie goes to school. Sophie tells Hattie to keep her misfortunes a secret so she will fit in with the other girls.

It is 1915, and twelve-year-old Vahan Kendarian, the youngest son of a wealthy Armenian lawyer in Turkey, is confident that his privileged world will always include the house he loves and the laughter of his brothers and sisters. Then one spring afternoon, Vahan's father is taken away. Soon afterward, Vahan loses more family members, escapes captivity, and must learn to survive on his own. Based on the experiences of the author's great-uncle.

Following a disastrous Royal Navy shipwreck caused by misnavigation, the British Parliament offered twenty-thousand pounds in 1714 for a device sailors could use to accurately determine longitude. Among those who worked on solutions to the problem, none was as devoted as John Harrison. This country carpenter with an obsession for making clocks spent fifty-nine years trying to claim the longitude prize. Afterword. Glossary. Time line. Bibliography. Index.

On a farm in French Acadia in 1914, fourteen-year-old Felix is mesmerized by his Uncle Adolphe's fiddle playing. Felix asks to learn, but his mother is angry at Adolphe, and she forbids Felix to have anything to do with the fiddle . Then Felix is told about a man who constructed a homemade violin out of a wooden cigar box. Felix sets to work in secret, and through sheer determination, he succeeds in building a fiddle and teaching himself to play it.

Thirteen-year-old Ben Daggett is working as first mate on a fishing boat out of Martha's Vineyard when he spots a car in the water. The police learn that the driver, a sixteen-year-old from out of town, is missing. When Ben overhears his best friend talking to Donny, an older boy, he realizes that Donny must have pushed the car into the water.

The year is 1793. Fourteen-year-old Mattie Cook can hardly remember how life used to be when her father was alive. These days, Mattie daydreams of escaping from her mother's lectures and the daily routine of chores at the family coffee house in Philadelphia. Then in August, a mysterious fever epidemic strikes the city. Now Mattie must struggle to keep herself--and those she loves--alive.

After suffering a serious heart attack, Jess's beloved grandfather insists that the family still travel as planned to his boyhood home on the river. Jess helps her ailing grandpa finish his painting, River Boy. Then she becomes aware of a strange presence in the river--a boy who asks for her help. Jess knows that the river boy and Grandpa are connected, but how?