A Different Kind of Beauty by
In "Bringing Up Beauty," Elizabeth had her heart broken over the lab puppy she raised for - and returned to - a guide dog program. In "A Different Kind of Beauty," she's trying again. But this time, she vows, she won't fall in love. She'll have fun, sure, but she won't surrender to those big soulful eyes and goofy puppy love. Hmmm... is it Beauty II she's resisting, or Scott, the "former" boyfriend who just keeps hanging around?
Airborn by
"Matt Cruse is the 15-year-old cabin boy aboard the Aurora, the 900-foot luxury airship he has called home for the past two years. While crossing the Pacificus, Matt fearlessly rescues the unconscious pilot of a crippled hot air balloon. Before he dies, the balloonist tells him about the fantastic, impossible creatures he has seen flying through the clouds. Matt dismisses the story as the ravings of a dying man, but when Kate de Vries arrives on the Aurora a year later, determined to prove the story is true, Matt finds himself caught up in her quest. Then one night, over the middle of the ocean, deadly air pirates board the Aurora. Far from any hope of rescue, Kate and Matt are flung into adventures beyond all imagining. . ." -Author's website
Dead And Gone by
A shallow grave, human remains, an unsolved murder from years ago, and it looks like the past is coming back to spin Mike's new life out of control. What's making the usually cool Riel so rattled, and what does a beautiful but manipulative girl have to do with it all?
The Heaven Shop by
There is a lion in our village, and it is carrying away our children. At her father's funeral, Binti's grandmother utters the words that no one in Malawi wants to hear. Binti's father and her mother before him, dies of AIDS. Binti, her sister, and brother are separated and sent to the home of relatives who can barely tolerate their presence. Ostracized by their extended family, the orphans are treated like the lowest servants. With her brother far away and her sister wallowing in her own sorrow, Binti can hardly contain her rage. She, Binti Phirim, was once a child star of a popular radio program. Now she is scraping to survive. Binti always believed she was special, now she is nothing but a common AIDS orphan. Binti Phiri is not about to give up. Even as she clings to hope that her former life will be restored, she must face a greater challenge. If she and her brother and sister are to reunited, Binti Phiri will have to look outside herself and find a new way to be special. Compelling and uplifting, The Heaven Shop, is a contemporary novel that puts a very real face on the African AIDS pandemic, which to-date has orphaned more than 11 million African children. Inspired by a young radio performer the author met during her research visit to Malawi, Binti Phiri is a compelling character that readers will never forget.
The Mob by
The Mob is the saga of a crow family, the Kinaars, who are faced with troubled times. When the family converges for the annual Gathering, a mob mounts a revenge attack on a cat -- with disastrous consequences. The Gathering should be a time to rejoice. Instead, it becomes a time of fear, danger and uncertainty, when ancient laws and customs are tested. A tribunal passes judgment -- the instigator of the mob, the impulsive and charismatic Kyp, must be punished. Then, just when the Kinaars are divided over The Mob attack, an unexpected blizzard spells more trouble. They desperately need a safe roost. The family splits, leaving the Gathering Tree to seek shelter in forbidden worlds ?
Nobody's Child by
When the Armenians of Turkey are marched into the desert to die in 1915, Mariam is rescued by her Turkish friend Rustem, and lives with mixed acceptance as a guest in his father's harem. Kevork is shot and left for dead in a mass grave in the desert, but is rescued by nomadic Arabs and nurtured back to health. Both teens must choose between the security of an adopted home or the risk of death in search of family. A sequel to the highly successful The Hunger, Nobody's Child is a stirring and engaging account of one of the twentieth century's most significant events.
Peacekeepers by
Nell's trying to be understanding about her mother's chosen mission, to go halfway around the world to be a peacekeeper, even though she's a single mom and has to leave Nell and her brother with their uncle Martin who doesn't know anything about raising kids. Because little brother "Mikey" has to go to school close to home, Nell has to leave her terrific school for one which is likewise nearby. Which she sarcastically refers to by its acronym--JAWS. And which contains several nasty people who have made it their mission in life to torment Nell, and worse. When you learn that Master Corporal Alice Mackelwain has named her two children Nellie Letitia (after Nellie McLung) and Lester Bowles (after Lester Pearson), you realize that she is just a bit of an idealist. So it isn't a surprise that she's serving as a peacekeeper in Bosnia, trying to bring peace and stability to that country after a bloody war. Still, Nell could use her help to deal with the verbal and even physical threats. Instead she responds in classic victim fashion--she withdraws emotionally, she hides out as much as possible, as if she could ever really escape. Even though a classmate, Sam, emerges as a friend, Nell finally has to face her fears and tormenters. The outcome is anything but terrific. Dianne Linden has pulled no punches in this compelling, dramatic, often humorous, portrait of children struggling to cope with absent parents in difficult times. Woven through the novel are emails from their mother in Bosnia, which present a picture of a whole different level of difficulties in getting through life.
The Princess Pawn by
Willow Kingswell thinks of herself as an ordinary fourteen-year-old. Although she has been hearing her grandmother's stories about the enchanted realm of Mistolear for as long as she can remember, being a princess is the furthest thing from her mind. What's worrying Willow these days is finding a way to get accepted by the in-crowd at her high school without betraying her friend Abby. What's also worrying her is Nana, who is her only family, and who seems increasingly frail and confused. Suddenly, Willow finds herself magically transported to the real Mistolear, where it turns out she actually does have a large family -- and a royal one at that! Willow's courage and intellect are put to the test as she attempts to save the kingdom from a terrifying spell. Maggie L. Wood has created a complex and compelling adventure fantasy that addresses contemporary teen issues with insight, compassion, and a wry sense of humour.
Sister to the Wolf by
Quebec, 1703. In this rough town, indien slaves are routinely mistreated. As Cecile Chesne watches the branding iron burn into young Lesharo's flesh, she knows she must act. Defying convention, the headstrong girl buys the slave's freedom and treats him as an equal. Lesharo is Pawnee--the People of the Wolf. Sworn to protect Cecile, he accompanies her and her father, a coureur de bois, as they leave Quebec for a perilous journey to the new fort at Detroit. Fort society, however, makes Cecile and Lesharo miserable. Torn between two worlds, they can only be free in the wild. But freedom will not come easily. One terrible night, Cecile is forced to make a dreadful choice...
Stitches by
A boy's aspirations to become a puppeteer make him a target for the school bully.
Airborn by
"Matt Cruse is the 15-year-old cabin boy aboard the Aurora, the 900-foot luxury airship he has called home for the past two years. While crossing the Pacificus, Matt fearlessly rescues the unconscious pilot of a crippled hot air balloon. Before he dies, the balloonist tells him about the fantastic, impossible creatures he has seen flying through the clouds. Matt dismisses the story as the ravings of a dying man, but when Kate de Vries arrives on the Aurora a year later, determined to prove the story is true, Matt finds himself caught up in her quest. Then one night, over the middle of the ocean, deadly air pirates board the Aurora. Far from any hope of rescue, Kate and Matt are flung into adventures beyond all imagining. . ." -Author's website