Truth is the absence of discord, and at this story's beginning, the word is not even in Delly's vocabulary. All she knows is bad, wrong, and trouble. However, with her younger brother's gentle help and Ferris's silent, cautious friendship, Delly begins to blossom with self-control and an awareness that she is quite capable of good, right, and helpfulness. Soon, truth is a haven; it cannot coexist ...

Unlikely friendships blossom, tenderheartedness starkly contrasts with selfish unkindness, and creative problem solving prevails. What a great recipe for a delightful, inspiring story. Its heroes -- a gorilla, an elephant, and a young girl --may be a fairy tale group, but the theme, compassion often requires courage, is very real and transcendent.

Beneath this comical adventure, quirky characters, and high-flying drama lies a beautiful unfolding of understanding. Kate DiCamillo has developed her characters so well that readers feel their pain when challenged to put aside their long-held beliefs about others. Wise Mrs. Meecham gently helps remove blinders and Flora's heart starts to hope while her squirrel, whose heart was open from the star ...

Story features imperfect middle and high-schoolers acting in authentic ways, which provides much to discuss. However, the authentic narrators relate events and perspectives that illustrate the power of kindness. Beautiful, moving, thought-provoking, and unforgettable!

Words with Wings is like a jewel box. Each free verse poem poses a thought, quandary, or observation and sparkles with precise word choice, exploration of emotion, irony, or contrast, and delightful metaphor. Each brief facet imaginatively unfolds this poignant story like a series of photographs, calling attention to important details otherwise unnoticed. Collectively these verses applaud teachers ...

This conclusion to an outstanding series tells a story of self-discovery, courage, and family, and poses questions on how an individual becomes who he/she is intended to be and what can be accomplished as a result. Haddix allows this volume, as well as the entire series, to raise important and significant ideas that are as engaging to consider as the incredible adventures her time travelers exper ...

This tale has all the ingredients of a rewarding read: suspended reality (a bright blue mouse whose tap-dance keyboard messages forge a human-friend bond), heart-pounding adventure (of his 90+ siblings who escaped their lab-captors, Isaiah-the-bright-blue-mouse narrowly escapes recapture and plans a risky rescue), and rich vocabulary (urbane, dulcet, cowlicky, and so much more!). Every chapter beg ...

An imaginative and fun, often hilarious, fantasy adventure! Explores concepts of identity, family, and character while engaging the reader with witty narrator commentary and great storytelling.

Courage can require more than a brave act; it can call on on to overcome the past and its associated fears to act for the benefit of others. This story, set in Northeastern Pennsylvania's col country, explores themes of courage, family, friendship, and acceptance. A gentle yet powerful reading experience.

"A “chip off the old block” Ali Cross is the perfect image of his D.C. detective dad, Alex Cross. However, he is still a kid with typical growing-up issues like obedience to parents, impulsivity, and appropriate cell phone use. His loving family and his best buds are there to help. At a local concert in the park, one of his pals is shot in the hand leading Ali and the gang to doggedly pursue t ...

What is Marvel to do? She fears literally everything: school, classmates, being out alone, teachers, global warming, earthquakes, and even that pile of refuse plastic floating in the Pacific Ocean! And now her overwhelming anxieties and accompanying absences are causing her to fail 7th grade. Enter a precious, little fainting goat being abused by a group of jr. high boys. Without hesitation Marvel ...

Junko Tabei of Japan is an intrepid young woman who loves climbing mountains. As a college student in Tokyo, she joins a post-war club of climbers and hones her mountaineering skills. After time she creates to an all-girls group and befriends Rumie, another female climber. Every weekend she and Rumie pursue multiple peaks at creative angles. While climbing with Rumie, a very famous climber notices ...

Time travel enables an intergenerational friendship (and interesting family relationship) that will ultimately change both boys beyond their on-stage experiences. A beautiful story that celebrates family and grit! Note: “fart|farting” is used in describing a dog

Grant simply loves to run – around town, with his best bud, Jay, and as a winning member of the school track team. He pounds out the miles until one day he really does pound the pavement – he face-plants just before the finish line! Hurt and embarrassed Grant must rebuild his self-esteem, but his social-media-loving brother has the video and sends it viral across the internet. To regain his co ...

Making friends in a new town is quite the chore for 12-year-old Trish who is both a math whiz and a girl baseball player. Being near perfect in both areas give her confidence but it also deters new relationships. However, team losses, baseball injuries and math competitions gone astray prevent Ben from liking her even though they have the very same interests and should be best buddies. Wise Abhi, ...

"Louisa is a young violinist from Toronto. But alas, her professional naturalist parents want her to spend her summer break with her uncle in the Tasmanian bush. Absolutely everything is strange and somewhat frightening from the dilapidated logging-camp home to the native animals including huge spiders. And to add insult to injury, a neighbor boy, Colin, with autistic social issues comes to live w ...

Miriam and her Jewish family leave New York City for a new life in a small town upstate. Her parents have bought a sad, run-down motel and plan to turn it around, but Miriam is struggling to face the challenges this brings. Two friends come alongside to help her, Uncle Mordy who comes for repairs, and Maria, the housekeeper. Another eleven-year-old, Kate, makes friends with Miriam, and together th ...

Told in free verse, this is a tale of survival and the human spirit. The African land of Darfur is the home of Amira, a young girl with hopes and dreams of going to school. But her village is very poor, and her mother believes she must forgo learning and focus on her family. When neighboring Sudanese tribes attack and her father is killed, Amira, her mother, and sister must leave and make the peri ...