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$2 BOOK CLEARANCE - OTHER FICTION
Mystery
In The Footsteps Of Sherlock Holmes "The Case Of The Gentle Conspirators" (Allen Sharp) A reconstruction of a case from recently discovered notes by Dr Watson. This book tells the story of an art theft from a great house. The theft seems almost impossible given the circumstances but Inspector Lestrade comes to Holmes for assistance. 11+
The Hill Of The Red Fox (Allan Campbell McLean)
Sally Marshall's Not An Alien! (Amanda McKay)
Ascent Into Asgard: A Jocelyn Osgood Jaunt (Geoffrey McSkimming)
The Young Unicorns (Madeline L'Engle)
No Way Of Telling (Emma Smith)
Rufus (Catherine Storr)
The Three Investigators “The Mystery Of The Fiery Eye” (Robert Arthur) Three junior detectives solve a mystery involving a collection of antique busts, a legacy, a strange letter, and a red ruby. 9-12 YO http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/series/alfred-hitchcock-and-the-three-investigators/mystery-of-fiery-eye.htm
From The Mixed-Up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (E.L. Konigsburg) The story is about two children Claudia and her younger brother Jamie who run away from home to live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. While at the museum, Claudia becomes fascinated with one of the museum's statues, and does not want to go home until she can discover the maker of the statue. To discover the artist she must explore the files of the statue's former owner, Mrs. Basil E, Frankweiler. 9-12+ WINNER OF THE NEWBERY AWARD http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/From_the_Mixed-Up_Files_of_Mrs._Basil_E._Frankweiler
The Ghost Of Windy Hill (Clyde Robert Bulla - respected author of Sonlight curriculum novels) professor with a reputation for being unafraid of ghosts moves with his family into a house that is supposed to be haunted but his children find the neighbours more mysterious than the house. 7-10 YO http://www.ioffer.com/i/Book-The-Ghost-Of-Windy-Hill-By-C-R-Bulla-19207351 (Cover art different)
The Mystery Of The Trembling Earth (Anne Collins) Trina, Alec and Noah are in the woods with their dog when an earthquake strikes. But the children discover that things are not all that what they seem. The more they find out, the more dangerous a situation they end up in. http://www.mondopub.com/c/@XwfvmOS64b5w6/Pages/product.html?record@43549
Adventure
Dark Wind Blowing (Jackie French) Mike is just like any other normal kid – he lives with his mum in an ordinary house, in a small town, where nothing unusual ever happens. His next–door neighbour is Lance Loosley, a boy who's known at school as 'Loser' because he's so unpopular. Loser tells Mike that 'Tenterfield' – the old property nearby, which was recently bought by some foreign investors is being used as a laboratory to run dangerous experiments. Of course, Mike doesn't believe Loser for a second. He's always concocting stories to make himself look good. 10+ http://www.harpercollins.com.au/global_scripts/product_catalog/book_xml.asp?isbn=0207197962&tc=cx
Island: Survival (Gordon Korman) Shows us how the survivors of the Phoenix shipwreck manage to maintain life on the deserted island they've found themselves on. Finding food and water and making shelter and fire are surmountable challenges, but soon there will be others. The cost they've already paid is high. The ship's captain who is dead at sea, the mate who took most of the supplies and deserted the sinking ship, and of the four who've made it safely to the Island, Will has lost his memory and considers the others to be his enemy. But things are bound to get worse when they discover the plane they'd hoped would be their salvation might be the worst danger they've had to face. 9-13 YO http://www.amazon.com/Island-Survival-Gordon-Korman/dp/0613357329
Island: Escape (Gordon Korman)
Everest: The Summit (Gordon Korman)
Dive: The Deep (Gordon Korman)
Adrift (Allan Baillie) Playing in a large crate by the sea Flynn, his little sister Sally and her cat, Nebu, find themselves floating out from the shore. Flynn has to keep them all alive and in doing so comes to respect his sister and reassess his place in the family. 9+ http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_books2.php/book_id=10120540/st=product/sv=title (Cover art different)
The Return Of The Indian (Lynne Reid Banks) Omri has never forgotten Little Bull and finally yields to the temptation to see his tiny friend again. But when the cupboard door opens, Little Bull is slumped, unconscious, over his horse, two bullet wounds in his back. As Omri tries to help him, he faces the terrifying responsibility of power, the power of life and death... 9+ http://www.amazon.co.uk/Return-Indian-Lynne-Reid-Banks/dp/0007148992 (Cover different)
The Mystery Of The Cupboard (Lynne Reid Banks)
The Secret Of The Indian (Lynne Reid Banks) In this sequel to The Indian in the Cupboard and The Return of the Indian, Omri and Patrick foil a burglary and are forced to share their secret of time travel. The action picks up where The Return of the Indian ended. A tiny army has frightened away the "skinheads" who tried to rob Omri's house. The boys are left to explain to Omri's parents the tiny bullet holes and other damage. Complications multiply when Patrick is sent back to Boone's time, Omri's school principal tumbles into the secret, and Boone and his girlfriend are stuck in the present. 9+ http://www.amazon.ca/Secret-Indian-Lynne-Reid-Banks/dp/080727562X (Cover different)
The Adventures Of The Bailey School Kids "Giants Don't Go Snowboarding" (Debbie Dadey)
The Adventures Of The Bailey School Kids "Zombies Don't Play Soccer" (Debbie Dadey)
The Adventures Of The Bailey School Kids "Frankenstein Doesn't Slam Hockey Pucks" (Debbie Dadey)
The Adventures Of The Bailey School Kids "Skeletons Don't Play Tubas" (Debbie Dadey)
The Library Card (Jerry Spinelli)
Nightmare To Nowhere (NL Ray)
Red Hot Mountain (Bettina Bird)
Home Alone 2: Lost In New York (Todd Strasser)
The Forbidden Bridge (Betty Roland)
My Side Of The Mountain (Jean Craighead George - SONLIGHT CURRICULUM TITLE) Every kid thinks about running away at one point or another; few get farther than the end of the block. Young Sam Gribley gets to the end of the block and keeps going--all the way to the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York. There he sets up house in a huge hollowed-out tree, with a falcon and a weasel for companions and his wits as his tool for survival. In a spellbinding, touching, funny account, Sam learns to live off the land, and grows up a little in the process. Blizzards, hunters, loneliness, and fear all battle to drive Sam back to city life. But his desire for freedom, independence, and adventure is stronger. No reader will be immune to the compulsion to go right out and start whittling fishhooks and befriending raccoons. http://www.amazon.com/Side-Mountain-Jean-Craighead-George/dp/0140348107 (Cover different)
Castaway (Caroline Pitcher) HB A graphic novel about six children stranded on an island during a school excursion. What started off as a dare becomes something far more dangerous, when six children on a geography trip find themselves cut off by the sea. Not only that, but it's the dead of night and Skull Island is rumoured to be haunted. One of the boys is injured and it transpires that another can't swim. Soon, getting back before the teachers find out they're gone is the least of their worries. http://www.amazon.ca/Castaway-Caroline-Pitcher/dp/1598890298
Floodland (Marcus Sedgwick) Ten-year-old Zoe is desperate. In a not-too-distant future where the polar ice caps have melted and most of the planet's land is underwater due to global warming, she is alone with one precious possession--a rowboat. With it, she can navigate the few bits of land still visible in search of her parents, from whom she was accidentally separated. http://www.readingmatters.co.uk/book2.php?id=12
Island Of The Blue Dolphins (Scott O’Dell – SONLIGHT CURRICULUM TITLE) Inspired by the real-life story of a 12-year-old American Indian girl, Karana. The author based his book on the life of this remarkable young woman who, during the evacuation of Ghalas-at (an island off the coast of California), jumped ship to stay with her young brother who had been abandoned on the island. He died shortly thereafter, and Karana fended for herself on the island for 18 years. O'Dell tells the miraculous story of how Karana forages on land and in the ocean, clothes herself (in a green-cormorant skirt and an otter cape on special occasions), and secures shelter. Perhaps even more startlingly, she finds strength and serenity living alone on the island. http://www.amazon.com/Island-Blue-Dolphins-Scott-ODell/dp/0440439884
The Cay (Theodore Taylor) This award-winning novel remains a powerful classic of prejudice, love, and survival. In 1942, 11-year-old Phillip Enright lives with his parents on the Dutch island of Curaçao, but when the war moves too close for comfort, his mother decides to travel with him back to the safety of Virginia. When their boat is torpedoed, however, Phillip is blinded and finds himself adrift on a life raft with an old black man and a cat. They eventually land on a deserted island. Phillip is suspicious of "the large Negro," but soon grows to trust--and ultimately love--the patient and generous Timothy. 9-12 YO http://www.amazon.com/Cay-Theodore-Taylor/dp/0440416639
Windcatcher (Avi) Tony can hardly believe it! He's just learned to sail and he's manoeuvring through narrow channels with amazing skill! But he suddenly realises that he is lost and the mysterious couple with the motor-boat are too busy searching under the water to answer his cry for help. Decising to do some searching of his own, he discovers a 200 year-old shipwreck and confronts treasure hunters who will stop at nothing to keep Tony from learning their secret. 9+
Dimanche Diller In Danger (Henrietta Branford) She's an orphan and an heiress, and she has a wicked guardian, the dreadful Valburga Vilemile, who seems certain to get her hands on Dimanche's fortune. You might think that Dimanche doesn't stand a chance. She's sent away on so many dangerous activity holidays, and has so many near misses with broken ropes and bicycle brakes. And perhaps she might have come to a very nasty end, if it weren't for her devoted nanny, Polly Pugh. She is resourceful and brave, and so is Dimanche, so between them they make a great pair. When Valburga Vilemile finally dismisses Polly Pugh and tries to pack Dimanche off to boarding school, they decide to run away. http://www.harpercollinschildrensbooks.co.uk/books/default.aspx?id=22102 (Cover art different)
The Man On The Moon-Eyed Horse (Sid Fleischman) Young Clint's ingenious scheme foils a villainous train wrecker's attempt to rob the circus train. http://www.amazon.com/Man-Moon-Eyed-Horse-Sid-Fleischman/dp/0316285714 (Cover art different)
Cliffhangers 2 “Fortress” (David Harris) What deadly secret lies behind the walls of the formidable Fortress? Who is the sinister Scarface and what is he plotting? When Matt breaks into the Fortress, what he discovers will endanger his life. 9-12 YO http://www.amazon.ca/Cliffhangers-2-Fortress-David-Harris/dp/0141303239
The Bird Smugglers (Joan Phipson) During a thirty-six hour flight from Australia to England, fourteen-year-old Margaret uncovers a smuggling plot among her seatmates. 9-12 YO http://www.trademe.co.nz/Books/Young-adult-fiction/Author-PR/photos/a-140211333/p-47124693.htm
The Hostage (Ann Holm – author of SL title ‘I Am David’) The story of the son of the Danish Prime Minister who is kidnapped by a political opponent seeking to get Denmark out of NATO. 10+ http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hostage-Anne-Holm/dp/0749703709/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207097791&sr=1-4
Michael And The Moonshiners (Chris Wood) Many boys have wished that they could find a real smugglers' cave, but when Michael found one he was not at all pleased. His discovery brought him a whole lot of trouble and problems far more difficult than he thought it possible to solve. If you like reading about smugglers you will enjoy this story. 9 – 12 YO http://www.amazon.co.uk/Michael-Moonshiners-Chris-Wood/dp/B001025SHM
The Adventures Of Young Fatty “Where Time Stood Still” (D.W. Fookes) A two hour joy flight over the jungles of New Guinea, develop into a mind-blowing adventure with mega action. Fatty finds a huge cave, nearly half the size of a football field, at least 40 metres high and with thousands of pointy stalactites hanging from it! 10-13 YO http://aussiebid.com.au/auctiondetails.php?id=68776147#largerpics
Adventurers Inc. “Susette’s Awesome Adventure” (Mallory Tarcher) Susette, Toni, Allison, and Rosita's second summer adventure takes them to the Grand Canyon, where they are taking part in river rafting. Susette only has one problem with this: she is terrified of water. Meeting local boy Tommy helps some, but how can Susette possibly enjoy the trip if she's worried the whole way? She will have to find a way to overcome her fear. --Emotions are well portrayed in this fast-paced, exciting addition to the series. 10+ http://www.ecampus.com/book/9780821747087
Animals
Green Grass Of Wyoming Part 1 (Mary O’Hara) PB FC This is the necessary culmination of "My Friend Flicka"and "Thunderhead." Like those others, it is by no means a children's book. It can be read on one level by children, and on another by adults. Ken has finally grown up, and his long-time faith in Thunderhead has been justified. Now a self-reliant teenager, Ken enters the world of horseracing in the third title of the Flicka trilogy. He meets a pretty horse-breeder from Philadelphia who steals the affections his animals once monopolized. The Goose Bar ranch is finally doing well, thanks in no small part to Ken and his wonderhorse, the racing champion Thunderhead. 10+ http://www.amazon.com/Green-Grass-Wyoming-Mary-OHara/dp/0060809043/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1196656212&sr=1-2 (Cover different)
Thunderhead (Mary O’Hara) PB VGC (Older edition) In the second book of the "Flicka" trilogy, Ken is determined to break Flicka's rebellious colt, Thunderhead, to get the racehorse of his dreams. But the attempt proves difficult, and in the process Ken learns a great deal about himself. 11+ http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thunderhead-Egmont-Classics-Mary-OHara/dp/140521001X
The Catch Colt (Mary O’Hara) HBDJ GC (Ex lib, tape residue, some page discolouration) The daughter of a Wyoming rancher meets with parental opposition when she falls in love with a young out-of-work cowboy who has always been a loner and a drifter. 11+ http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/o/mary-ohara/catch-colt.htm
Shiloh (Phyllis Reynolds Naylor) When 11-year-old Marty Preston chances upon a mistreated beagle pup in his hometown of Friendly, West Virginia, he is not prepared for the ethical questions he has to face. Should he return the dog to its owner, only to have the animal abused again? Should he tell his parents? Should he steal food to help the poor creature? 9+ http://www.amazon.com/Shiloh-Newbery-Summer-Phyllis-Reynolds/dp/0689862229/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-4102143-1332717?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190701866&sr=1-1 WINNER OF THE NEWBERY MEDAL
Saving Shiloh (Phyllis Reynolds Naylor) Marty doesn't want to lose the dog he struggled so hard to gain, but when he sees Shiloh's old owner, drunk and out hunting on Marty's property, he is afraid of losing Shiloh for good. Along with the moving story of boy loves dog, Naylor offers a sympathetic portrayal of life in West Virginia. 9+ http://www.amazon.com/Shiloh-Season-2000-Kids-Picks/dp/068983862X/ref=pd_bbs_3/104-4102143-1332717?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190701934&sr=1-3
Shiloh Season (Phyllis Reynolds Naylor) This finale to the Shiloh trilogy retains the same flavourful style of the first two books and has a high-action plot involving runaway prisoners and life-and-death rescues. 9+ http://www.amazon.com/Saving-Shiloh-Phyllis-Reynolds-Naylor/dp/1416914226/ref=pd_bbs_2/104-4102143-1332717?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190701997&sr=1-2
Nop's Trials (Donald McCaig) The story of Lewis Burkholder, a livestock farmer and sheepdog trialer, and his young border collie Nop. Lewis lives contentedly on his Virginia farm with his wife Beverly, his pregnant daughter Penny, and his son-in-law Mark. One fateful day, Nop is stolen and forced to endure all too many of life's cruelties before being reunited with Lewis. Throughout it all, Nop's raw desire to do his job and serve his master carries him through his "trials." http://www.amazon.com/Nops-Trials-Donald-McCaig/dp/1558211853 (Cover different)
Dolphin Diaries #8 "Beyond The Sunrise" (Lucy Daniels - author of the Animal Ark series)
The Peanut Butter Hamster And Other Animal Tales (Grace Fox Anderson)
The Midnight Fox (Betsy Byars)
Baker's Hawk (Jack Bickham)
Mister Wolf And Me (Mary Francis Shura)
Golden Prize And Other Stories About Horses (Dennis Hockerman)
Star Of Wild Horse Canyon (Clyde Robert Bulla - Author of Sonlight curriculum novels such as 'Viking Adventure'.)
Stuart Little (E.B. White - author of Charlotte's Web) Stuart Little is no ordinary mouse. Born to a family of humans, he lives in New York City with his parents, his older brother George, and Snowbell the cat. Though he's shy and thoughtful, he's also a true lover of adventure. Stuart's greatest adventure comes when his best friend, a beautiful little bird named Margalo, disappears from her nest. Determined to track her down, Stuart ventures away from home for the very first time in his life. He finds adventure aplenty. But will he find his friend? A treasured story, for which Garth Williams's original black-and-white line drawings for the jacket of Stuart Little have been colorized by the celebrated illustrator Rosemary Wells. 8-12 YO http://www.amazon.com/Stuart-Little-E-B-White/dp/0064400565
Gooseberry Park (Cynthia Rylant) Stumpy Squirrel moves into a new nest in Gooseberry Park just before her babies are born. When the tiny squirrels arrive her friends--a dog, a hermit crab, and a bat--help her care for them. But when a terrible ice storm destroys the tree where Stumpy lives, her friends must rescue the babies and search for the missing Stumpy. The adventures of Gwendolyn, Kona and Murray as they nurture the baby squirrels, raid the professor's cupboards and eventually devise a scheme to reunite Stumpy with her brood add up to first-rate entertainment. 8+ http://www.alibris.com/search/books/isbn/0152322426 (Cover different) AN IRA TEACHERS' CHOICE BOOK
Because Of Winn-Dixie (Kate DiCamillo) NEWBERY HONOR WINNER
Pony Pals #8 "Good-bye Pony" (Jeanne Betancourt)
Pony Pals #9 "The Wild Pony" (Jeanne Betancourt)
A Friend From The Woods (EM Watkins)
Patches (Edith Buck)
Saddlebottom (Dick King-Smith) Dorothea, an aristocratic Wessex Saddleback pig, considers it a disgrace that one of her children has the white saddle-shaped patch on his bottom and not on his back. Saddlebottom runs away from home and meets a very unusual cat, and his fortunes change dramatically. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Saddlebottom-Puffin-Books-Dick-King-Smith/dp/0140321772
Sophie’s Tom (Dick King-Smith) A battle of wills develops when Sophie wants to take in Tom, a stray cat. Sophie's father does not like cats, but his small daughter is set on adding a live pet to her farm animals. http://www.alibris.com/search/books/qwork/6208940/used/Sophie's%20Tom (Cover different)
Just Plain Cat (Nancy K. Robinson) Chris didn’t think it was very friendly to have a NO CATS ALLOWED sign in the kitchen. After all, Tiger is too little to do anything wrong….isn’t he? But before too long, Chris finds out thet Tiger is determined to live up to his name. 7-10 YO http://www.amazon.co.uk/Just-Plain-Cat-Robinson-Nancy/dp/0590407783
It’s Like This, Cat (Emily Cheney Neville) Dave Mitchell, age fourteen, is an only child who doesn't seem to get along with his father, who is constantly lecturing his choice of music and friends. To make matters worse, Dave's mother has asthma attacks every time the two boys fight. It seems that the only person Dave can confide in is his neighbor, the crazy cat lady, the neighbourhood creep. He calls her Aunt Kate. It is Aunt Kate who introduces Dave to his new best friend, Cat, a stray tomcat whom Aunt Kate picked up off the streets. Cat accompanies Dave everywhere, from adventures to Central Park with Dave's buddy Nick to visiting Dave's older acquaintance, Tom, at Coney Island. 10+ A NEWBERY MEDAL WINNER http://www.amazon.com/Its-Like-This-Trophy-Newbery/dp/0064400735/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/104-4102143-1332717?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190704956&sr=1-2
One- Eyed Cat (Paula Fox) Ned fired the forbidden rifle just once, at a flickering shadow in the autumn moonlight. But someone -- a face, fleetingly seen staring at him from an attic window -- was watching. And when a one-eyed cat turns up at an elderly neighbour's woodshed, Ned is caught in a web of guilt, fear, and shame that he cannot escape -- until another moonlit night, come spring, brings redemption and surprising revelations. 9+ A NEWBERY HONOR WINNER http://www.amazon.com/One-Eyed-Cat-Paula-Fox/dp/0689839707/ref=pd_bbs_2/104-4102143-1332717?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190701019&sr=1-2
The Fledgling (Jane Langton) Georgie lives in an unconventional household, but even her rather unusual family does not truly understand her intense belief that she can fly. Then a Canadian goose enters her life. His are the guiding wings that allow Georgie to fulfill her dream. However, where there are dreams there are always those who, lacking imagination, will seek to destroy them in the name of common sense. Georgie discovers this to her sorrow, yet learns that in opening the sky to her, her friend has truly given her the world. 9+ A NEWBERY HONOR WINNER http://www.amazon.com/Fledgling-Jane-Langton/dp/0590434519/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-4102143-1332717?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190789662&sr=1-1
The Hullabaloo At No. 13 (Gyles Brandreth) Hamlet Orlando Julius Caesar Brown awakes to find that the lion licking his face is actually a sweet little puppy and is determined to keep him. His mother protests so Hamlet sets off to find the real owner, making new friends and becoming involved in a pantomime in the process. 8-11 YO http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/THE-HULLABALOO-AT-No-13-GYLES-BRANDRETH_W0QQitemZ130129257290QQihZ003QQcategoryZ1093QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1713.m153.l1262#ebayphotohosting
The Snake That Went To School (Lilian Moore) Returning from summer camp is exciting, and for Hank Jenkins, it seems extra exciting because he's bringing home Puffy. Puffy is a snake, and a harmless one, a hog-nosed snake that puffs himself up and hisses. Puffy can even play dead, and Hank is very sure that his mother won't mind. Well, almost very sure. To give himself some time, he drapes his sweater over Puffy's cage until they get home. Is it love at first sight between Puffy and Mrs Jenkins? Absolutely not! 8-11 YO http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-images/0590407619/ref=cm_ciu_pdp_images_1?ie=UTF8&index=1#gallery
Mrs. Frisby And The Rats Of Nimh (Robert O’Brien) There's something very strange about the rats living under the rosebush at the Fitzgibbon farm. But Mrs. Frisby, a widowed mouse with a sick child, is in dire straits and must turn to these exceptional creatures for assistance. Soon she finds herself flying on the back of a crow, slipping sleeping powder into a ferocious cat's dinner dish, and helping 108 brilliant, laboratory-enhanced rats escape to a utopian civilization of their own design, no longer to live "on the edge of somebody else's, like fleas on a dog's back." O'Brien's incredible tale, along with Zena Bernstein's appealing ink drawings, ensures that readers will never again look at alley rats and field mice in the same way. 10+ WINNER OF THE NEWBERY AWARD http://www.amazon.com/Mrs-Frisby-Rats-Robert-OBrien/dp/0689206518 (Cover art different)
The Music Of The Dolphins (Karen Hesse) Mila has been raised by dolphins. When the Coast Guard discovers her, she is taken to a research facility and has to adjust to living with humans. She slowly acquires language and develops a love for music. Her love for music gives her insight into the human world yet allows her to remain connected to her dolphin world. Mila is very observant of her human caretakers and asks thought-provoking questions as to why humans behave as we do. 10+ http://www.amazon.com/Music-Dolphins-Karen-Hesse/dp/0590897985/ref=pd_bbs_2/104-4102143-1332717?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190705238&sr=1-2
Possum Perkins (William Taylor) What is it about Rosie Perkins, Michael wondered, that made everyone dislike her so much? She was bright; maybe it was because she was a loner....Strange family she had, her mum the town drunk! And what about that possum she was raising....... 10+ http://www.trademe.co.nz/Books/Young-adult-fiction/Author-SU/auction-145189640.htm
The Grizzly (Annabel & Edgar Johnson) A young boy and his estranged father find themselves united for the first time on a camping trip, by facing the terrifying threat of a grizzly bear. 7-11 YO http://www.amazon.com/Grizzly-Annabel-Johnson/dp/0060228717
Green Watch “Gorilla Mountain” (Anthony Masters) Green Watch flies out to Africa to meet Alison Best and her husband John who are studying a family of gorillas. The Bests are trying to protect the gorillas from poachers. En route to meet John in the mountains Green Watch is ambushed and Alison is kidnapped. Left to fend for themselves in the bush, the Green Watch team have to find Alison and save the gorillas. Can anyone help them? And how can the poachers be stopped? 9-12 YO http://www.darkwoodonline.co.uk/?page=shop/flypage&product_id=66882&keyword=anthony+masters&searchby=author&offset=0&fs=1&CLSN_476=12077934824763e6d966f01756d8e6ee
Gray Wolf (Rutherford Montgomery) Tells the story of Speed, a grey wolf who lives a rough and tumble life in the harsh High Country in which he is born. In addition to battling the elements and hunger, Speed must face the challenges of human hunters and his own son, Loafer, a half-wolf determined to kill him at the behest of his human owners. Paints a realistic portrait of life from a wolf's point of view. 10+http://www.seriesbooks.com/graywolf.htm (Cover similar)
Take Care Of Dexter (Clyde Robert Bulla – author of Viking Adventure, SL title) This is the story of an old horse and a young boy who steps in to save its life. Dave befriends the strange new family and their pony, Dexter, when the rest of the townspeople remain aloof. 6-10 YO http://www.amazon.com/Take-Dexter-Clyde-Robert-Bulla/dp/B000P8L9Q6
Classics
Scholastic Junior Classics “The Wizard Of Oz” (L. Frank Baum) After a terrible cyclone, Dorothy finds herself lost in a strange and magical world. The only way to get home is to visit the Emerald City, where she may be able to ask the Great Wizard of Oz for help. Will Dorothy ever reach Oz? And what will she find when she gets there? http://www.amazon.com/Wizard-Oz-Scholastic-Junior-Classics/dp/043923641X
Little Women PB VGC
The Story of the Treasure Seekers PB FC (Ex lib, light tanning)
The Borrowers PB FC (Tanning, ex lib)
The Borrowers Avenged PB VGC
The Borrowers Afloat PB GC
The Borrowers Afield PB GC
The Borrowers Aloft PB FC
The Prisoner of Zenda PB VGC
A Christmas Carol PB VGC
The Black Arrow $2 PB GC
The House At Pooh Corner PB GC
The Return Of The Indian (Lynne Reid Banks) Omri has never forgotten Little Bull and finally yields to the temptation to see his tiny friend again. But when the cupboard door opens, Little Bull is slumped, unconscious, over his horse, two bullet wounds in his back. As Omri tries to help him, he faces the terrifying responsibility of power, the power of life and death... 9+ http://www.amazon.co.uk/Return-Indian-Lynne-Reid-Banks/dp/0007148992 (Cover different)
The Mystery Of The Cupboard (Lynne Reid Banks)
The Secret Of The Indian (Lynne Reid Banks) In this sequel to The Indian in the Cupboard and The Return of the Indian, Omri and Patrick foil a burglary and are forced to share their secret of time travel. The action picks up where The Return of the Indian ended. A tiny army has frightened away the "skinheads" who tried to rob Omri's house. The boys are left to explain to Omri's parents the tiny bullet holes and other damage. Complications multiply when Patrick is sent back to Boone's time, Omri's school principal tumbles into the secret, and Boone and his girlfriend are stuck in the present. 9+ http://www.amazon.ca/Secret-Indian-Lynne-Reid-Banks/dp/080727562X (Cover different)
The Chronicles Of Narnia "The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe" (CS Lewis)
The Chronicles Of Narnia "The Silver Chair" (CS Lewis)
The Chronicles Of Narnia "The Last Battle" (CS Lewis)
The Chronicles Of Narnia "The Voyage Of The Dawntreader" (CS Lewis)
Emily Climbs (LM Montgomery)
Emily Of New Moon (LM Montgomery)
Emily's Quest (LM Montgomery)
A Tangled Web (LM Montgomery)
The Golden Road (LM Montgomery)
More Adventures At Willow Farm (Enid Blyton) http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/enid-blyton/more-adventures-on-willow-farm.htm
The Folk Of The Faraway Tree (Enid Blyton) Jo, Bessie and Fanny have a visit from snooty friend Connie. Connie won't believe in the Faraway Tree and the magical people who live there - Moon-face, Silky the fairy and Saucepan Man. There's only one way to prove her wrong - together the children climb the tree, and visit some of the lands at the top of it, like the Land of Secrets and the Land of Treats. And after a few adventures, Connie learns to be a nicer person altogether! 7-11 YO http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/enid-blyton/folk-of-faraway-tree.htm
Bimbo And Topsy (Enid Blyton)
A Book Of Animal Stories (Enid Blyton)
The Naughtiest Girl Is A Monitor (Enid Blyton) When Elizabeth Allen is chosen to be a school monitor, she's delighted. But soon she finds our just what a responsible job it is. The harder she tries, the worse she behaves! Will the naughtiest girl in the school ever learn to be good? 10+ http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/enid-blyton/naughtiest-girl-is-monitor.htm
Storytime Book (Enid Blyton)
Stories For Bedtime (Enid Blyton)
Tell-A-Story Book (Enid Blyton)
Don't Be Silly Mr Twiddle (Enid Blyton) Mr Twiddle is a kind old man who means to do his best, but he is often forgetful, a bit lazy and sometimes very silly. Poor Mrs Twiddle is driven to distraction by his muddles. This time he brings a sheep and a goat into the kitchen, cleans his teeth with glue and loses his railway tickets. 6+ http://www.navrang.com/?Page=Product&ID=2039
Captains Courageous (Rudyard Kipling) A novel of maritime adventure that takes place on the We're Here, a small fishing boat whose crew members rescue the protagonist, Harvey Cheyne, when he is washed overboard from an ocean liner. The captain refuses to take him back to port and instead makes Harvey a member of the crew. The rest of the story focuses on Harvey's personal transformation from the arrogant, pampered son of a millionaire to an admirable young man who has learned the values of hard work, simple living, and self-reliance. 11+ http://www.amazon.com/Captains-Courageous-Classics-Rudyard-Kipling/dp/0451523814
The Jungle Book (Rudyard Kipling) No child should be allowed to grow up without reading The Jungle Books. Published in 1894 and 1895, the stories crackle with as much life and intensity as ever. Rudyard Kipling pours fuel on childhood fantasies with his tales of Mowgli, lost in the jungles of India as a child and adopted into a family of wolves. Mowgli is brought up on a diet of Jungle Law, loyalty, and fresh meat from the kill. Regular adventures with his friends and enemies among the Jungle-People--cobras, panthers, bears, and tigers--hone this man-cub's strength and cleverness and whet every reader's imagination. 8-12 YO http://books.google.com.au/books?id=uNk7rlR1Te8C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q=&f=false
Walker Treasures "Little Long-Nose" (Wilhelm Hauff) When young Jacob insults an old woman in the marketplace, she turns him into a squirrel for seven years. Forced to be one of her many furry servants, he rises through the rodentine hierarchy to Cook, regains a distorted version of his human form, and escapes; later, as chef for the Duke, he rescues a girl who has been transformed into a goose, thus regaining his original features. Gorgeous painted scenes done in a neoclassical style, capturing both the story's humor and its informal but elegant tone. A beautiful little volume one to treasure. 9+ http://www.alibris.com/search/books/qwork/3982820/used/Little%20long%20nose
The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn (Mark Twain – SONLIGHT CURRICULUM TITLE) A beloved classic about a mischievous but well-meaning young lad who barely avoids calamity as he bounds along from one adventure to another. The book is noted for its colourful description of people and places along the Mississippi River, and its sober and often scathing look at entrenched attitudes, particularly racism. The drifting journey of Huckleberry Finn and his friend, runaway slave Jim, down the Mississippi River on their raft is a most enduring image of escape and freedom. 10+ http://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Huckleberry-Finn-Penguin-Classics/dp/0142437174
The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer (Mark Twain) The adventures and pranks of a mischievous boy growing up in a Mississippi River town in the early nineteenth century under the watchful eye of his Aunt Polly. Tom Sawyer is one part trickster, one escape artist and one part very lucky fellow! The story takes the reader along on a series of entertaining adventures and pranks while Tom's youthful romance with his sweetheart Becky Thatcher blooms in the background. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is one of Mark Twain's most beloved works. 10+http://books.google.com.au/books?id=0YuoyXI0fTUC&dq=the+adventures+of+tom+sawyer+mark+twain&source=gbs_summary_s&cad=0 (Cover different)
The Time Machine (HG Wells) The Time Machine, by H.G. Wells is a classic science fiction/fantasy novel. It is based in England around the late 1800's and also thousands of years into the future. It is an epic tale of a journey through time. 12+
A Little Princess (Specially adapted for younger readers) (Frances Hodgson Burnett) The novel tells of the troubles of a wealthy young girl, Sara Crewe, who is sent to an oppressive London boarding school during her father’s campaign in India. Thanks to Capt. Crewe’s money, Sara is treated as a little princess until, one day, word comes of her father’s tragic death. Miss Minchin, the school’s greedy headmistress, wastes no time in putting the now-penniless Sara to work for her room and board. It is only through the friendship of two other girls and her own resolute nature that Sara eventually finds her way back to happiness. 7-10 YO http://www.amazon.com/Little-Princess-Frances-Hodgson-Burnett/dp/0064401871
The Strange Case Of Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde - Simplified Edition (RL Stevenson) An adaptation for younger readers where Dr. Jekyll experiments with a drug that splits his personality into good and evil elements. Gradually, he loses control of the process and finds himself slipping more and more frequently into the guise of the evil and depraved Hyde. Finally, Hyde is accused of murder, and the good doctor, tormented by the struggle between good and evil that he embodies, is forced into an act of violence by his tortured conscience. 10-12 YO
Illustrated Classic Editions "The Strange Case Of Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde" (RL Stevenson) An adaptation for younger readers where Dr. Jekyll experiments with a drug that splits his personality into good and evil elements. Gradually, he loses control of the process and finds himself slipping more and more frequently into the guise of the evil and depraved Hyde. Finally, Hyde is accused of murder, and the good doctor, tormented by the struggle between good and evil that he embodies, is forced into an act of violence by his tortured conscience. 9-12 YO http://www.alibris.com/search/books/qwork/6370462/used/Strange%20Case%20of%20Dr%20Jekyll%20and%20Mr%20Hyde
The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett) Bratty, spoiled Mary Lennox is orphaned when her parents fall victim to a cholera outbreak in India. As a result, Mary becomes the ward of an uncle in England she has never met. As she hesitantly tries to carve a new life for herself at imposing and secluded Misselthwaite Manor, Mary befriends a high-spirited boy named Dickon and investigates a secret garden on the Manor grounds. She also discovers a sickly young cousin, Colin, who has been shut away in a hidden Manor room. Together Mary and Dickon help Colin blossom, and in the process Mary finds her identity and melts the heart of her emotionally distant uncle. 10+ http://www.amazon.com/Secret-HarperClassics-Frances-Hodgson-Burnett/dp/006440188X (Cover different)
The Secret Garden (Specially adapted for younger readers) (Frances Hodgson Burnett) Bratty, spoiled Mary Lennox is orphaned when her parents fall victim to a cholera outbreak in India. As a result, Mary becomes the ward of an uncle in England she has never met. As she hesitantly tries to carve a new life for herself at imposing and secluded Misselthwaite Manor, Mary befriends a high-spirited boy named Dickon and investigates a secret garden on the Manor grounds. 7-10 YO
Scholastic Junior Classics “The Wizard Of Oz” (L. Frank Baum) After a terrible cyclone, Dorothy finds herself lost in a strange and magical world. The only way to get home is to visit the Emerald City, where she may be able to ask the Great Wizard of Oz for help. Will Dorothy ever reach Oz? And what will she find when she gets there? http://www.amazon.com/Wizard-Oz-Scholastic-Junior-Classics/dp/043923641X
Family & Relationships
African Skies (Karen Rispin) Though Laurel Binet and Darren Grant both love their work in exotic Africa, they can't stand each other. Their opposing passions spark arguments over what's really important: she's investing her life in the study of wildlife for a master's degree; he has no time for people who waste their energies serving animals when people need food and shelter. When their worlds collide during calamitous seasons of starvation and epidemic, Darren and Laurel have to learn to work together. Encounters with deadly snakes, the unscrupulous acts of a fanatical conservationist, and a frightening kidnapping force both Laurel and Darren to examine their faith -- and their feelings for one another. Can love bring harmony where once there was war? 12+ http://www.amazon.com/African-Skies-Palisades-Pure-Romance/dp/1576736261#reader_1576736261
In A Place Of Danger (Paula Fox) When Emma had to go and stay with her strange Aunt Bea, she was scared, scared for her father having a heart operation in hospital, and scared of her aunt who didn't seem to be normal. But as the weeks go by and Emma meets a new friend, she comes to realise that adults can have failings too-and that love can take many forms. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/f/paula-fox/in-place-of-danger.htm
The Gift (Nuri Mass)
Rosy Cole: She Walks In Beauty (Sheila Greenwald) Rosy Cole befriends a pre-teenage model named Christi. Seeing all the attention that Christi receives, Rosy decides that she needs a make-over herself. With the help of Christi's brother, Donald, Rosy transforms herself, and soon becomes a sensation. But Rosy's new look has her so distracted that she begins to ignore her family and friends. Will Rosy turn back into her old self, or will she stay the self-consumed beauty she has become? 8-12 YO http://www.alibris.com/search/books/qwork/5816535/used/Rosy%20Cole:%20She%20Walks%20in%20Beauty
Fourth Grade Celebrity (Patricia Reilly Giff – author of SL titles ‘Nory Ryan’s Song’ and ‘Pictures Of Hollis Woods’ & ‘Lily’s Crossing’) Tired of being compared with her popular older sister, Casey decides she will make herself over. Cassandra Eleanor Valentine searches for a way to become a celebrity in her school. 9-12 YO http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?WRD=Fourth-Grade+Celebrity (Cover art different)
Philip Hall Likes Me. I Reckon Maybe. (Bette Greene) Philip Hall is the cutest, smartest boy in the sixth grade, and Beth Lambert loves him. The fact that he beats her in class work, sports, and almost everything else doesn't bother Beth at first. Then she realizes that Philip might be best because she's letting him beat her. Beth knows that she deserves to be Number One--and she's going to prove it! This funny, universal story of a girl learning that she matters in the world has delighted readers for over twenty years. 9+ A NEWBERY HONOR WINNER http://www.amazon.com/Philip-Reckon-Puffin-Newberry-Library/dp/0141303123/ref=pd_bbs_2/104-4102143-1332717?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190790735&sr=1-2
Missing May (Cynthia Rylant) This wonderful book revolves around a few delightfully named characters: Summer, Uncle Ob, Aunt May and Cletus Underwood. After being passed among relatives, Summer joins her aunt and uncle and marvels at the couple's deep love for one another. But after Aunt May dies, Summer and Uncle Ob are brought together in their struggles to come to terms with the death. Cletus, a neighbour boy, comes along to help provide an answer. 11+ A NEWBERY MEDAL WINNER http://www.amazon.com/Missing-May-Cynthia-Rylant/dp/0439771285/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-4102143-1332717?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190702232&sr=1-1
The Noonday Friends (Mary Stolz) Living in New York City – in Greenwich Village – should be exciting. Franny dreams of being rich and becoming a ballerina. She doesn’t get to share her dreams with too many friends because she must take care of her little brother while her mother works. She doesn’t get to play after school. Will her noonday friends be all she ever has? 9+ A NEWBERY HONOR WINNER http://www.amazon.com/Noonday-Friends-Harper-Trophy-Books/dp/0064400093/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-4102143-1332717?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190789948&sr=1-1 (Cover different)
The Summer Of The Swans (Betsy Byars) Sara is a teenage girl with lots of reasons to be angry. Her mother is dead, her father has left her to be raised by her aunt, her older sister seems prettier and more mature, and her younger brother Charlie is mentally retarded. She often feels put upon to look after Charlie when nobody else wants to. On top of all this, she is having the worst summer vacation ever. She learns to see her world with new eyes, though, when Charlie disappears one day. 10+ A NEWBERY MEDAL WINNER http://www.amazon.com/Summer-Swans-Puffin-Modern-Classics/dp/0142404411/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-4102143-1332717?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190703218&sr=1-1 (Cover different)
Hope Was Here (Joan Bauer) Hope is a strong, faithful, friendly and lively 16-year-old girl. She is raised as a waitress with Addie, a cook. The two live a great life except for one thing; every time they feel comfortable and settled into a town, the diner they work for shuts down, and they have to start all over somewhere else. This time the diner they work for in Brooklyn, New York shuts down so they journey to Mulhoney, a small rural town in Wisconsin. Mulhoney holds one of the greatest diners; The Welcome Stairways where Hope and will Addie will work. 11+ A NEWBERY HONOR WINNER http://www.amazon.com/Hope-Was-Here-Joan-Bauer/dp/0439322367/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/104-4102143-1332717?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190789490&sr=1-2
Bridge To Terabithia (Katherine Paterson) Despite their superficial differences, it's clear that Jess and Leslie are soul mates. The two create a secret kingdom in the woods named Terabithia, where the only way to get into the castle is by swinging out over a gully on an enchanted rope. Here they reign as king and queen, fighting off imaginary giants and the walking dead, sharing stories and dreams, and plotting against the schoolmates who tease them. Jess and Leslie find solace in the sanctuary of Terabithia until a tragedy strikes and the two are separated forever. 10+ A NEWBERY MEDAL WINNER http://www.amazon.com/Bridge-to-Terabithia/dp/0439366771/ref=sr_1_7/104-4102143-1332717?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190702402&sr=1-7
Joey Pigza Loses Control (Jack Gantos) The loveable, disaster-prone hero Joey Pigza is now in charge of his attention deficit disorder and ready to greet the world as a normal kid--with the help of his new and improved meds, of course. Now that Joey has a handle on his actions, he feels prepared to face the most mysterious member of his family--his estranged father, Carter Pigza. He convinces his skeptical mom to let him spend part of his summer vacation getting to know his dad again. 10+ A NEWBERY HONOR WINNER http://www.amazon.com/Pigza-Loses-Control-Summer-Reading/dp/0060739436/ref=sr_1_10/104-4102143-1332717?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190791028&sr=1-10
Capped! (Rowena Cory Lindquist) It looks like fists, not slammers, when the school bully decides to 'play.' 9+
Bug Brother (Pete Johnson) Jamie is smaller than his younger brother Harry and he's fed up with everyone thinking he's the youngest. Then Jamie finds a magic cloak and accidentally turns Harry into a bluebottle. In the mad panic of trying to rescue him, Jamie discovers that being a big brother has nothing to do with size. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/j/pete-johnson/bug-brother.htm
Fantasy
THE LITTLES SERIES (John Peterson)
Here's the tiny family that always ends up in king-sized trouble, the Littles have adventures galore in the land of the Biggs. JOHN PETERSON wrote many books for young readers. The Littles has been a perennial favourite among elementary-school children, and the stories have been the inspiration for a morning cartoon show as well as two animated feature films. 5-9 YO PB VGC or much better
The Littles Give A Party Granny Little is depressed that she's turning 80, so the Littles decide to throw her a surprise party. With any luck, the party will be just what Granny needs to put a smile back on her face. http://www.amazon.com/Littles-Give-Party/dp/059046597X/ref=pd_sim_b_img_8
The Littles Go Exploring The Littles venture into the land beyond the Dark Wood, an area unknown to small people. http://www.amazon.com/Littles-Go-Exploring/dp/0590465961/ref=pd_sim_b_img_2
The Littles Go To School Tom and Lucy Little are taken to school in Henry Biggs' gerbil cage. http://www.amazon.com/Littles-Go-School/dp/0590421298/ref=pd_sim_b_img_1
The Littles Have A Wedding Cousin Dinky is getting married and Tom and Lucy want to give him a special gift. http://www.amazon.com/Littles-Take-Trip-John-Peterson/dp/0590462229/ref=pd_sim_b_img_9 (Cover different)
The Littles And The Lost Children In this rousing new adventure about tiny people, Winkie and Tip Small-Fry are lost in Trash City, the secret community under the town dump. http://www.amazon.com/Littles-Lost-Children/dp/0590430262/ref=pd_sim_b_img_1
The Littles Take A Trip Mr. Little and his family travel to Big Valley to attend the first annual meeting of the tiny people.
The Littles And The Terrible Tiny Kid The Littles are in for big trouble when many messes around the house suggest that they have a terrible tiny kid on their hands. http://www.amazon.com/Littles-Terrible-Tiny-Kid/dp/0590455788/ref=pd_sim_b_img_2
Children Of The Valley Book 1 "The Music From The Sea" (Jackie French) Set many years in the future and as far as the people of the Valley know, they are the only ones left in the world. The only people who leave the safety of the Valley are the Collectors, who hunt for metal or new plants in the world outside - except for two children, Possum, from the House of the Three Jasmines, and Mopoke of Iron Fist, with their companion the crippled collector, Desert Wind. The Valley in these books is based on the valley she lives in there - but hundreds of years in the future. 9-12 YO
Children Of The Valley Book 5 "The Tribe That Sang To The Trees" (Jackie French) Possum and Mopoke go out as explorers and Possum finds her mother at last. 9-12 YO
The Lord Of The Rings Part 2 "The Two Towers" (JRR Tolkien) Tolkien's invention of strange people, curious incidents and miraculous doings, is poured out into this second volume of his trilogy. As the story goes on the world of the Rings grows more vast and mysterious and crowded with curious figures. 12+ http://www.amazon.com/Two-Towers-Lord-Rings-Part/dp/0345339711
A Dinosaur Called Minerva (Tessa Krailing) Sprog doesn't want to spend his holidays with his nutty great aunt, but when he meets Minerva the adventure of his life begins. Not only is Minerva a dinosaur but she has a toothache too. Sprog simply has to help, but how can he without anyone kowing about it? 7-10 YO http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/k/tessa-krailing/dinosaur-called-minerva.htm
Chronicles Of Prydain #1 "The Book Of Three" (Lloyd Alexander) The tale of Taran, assistant pig keeper, has been entertaining young readers for generations. Set in the mythical land of Prydain (which bears a more than passing resemblance to Wales), Lloyd Alexander's book draws together the elements of the hero's journey from unformed boy to courageous young man. Taran grumbles with frustration at home in the hamlet Caer Dallben; he yearns to go into battle like his hero, Prince Gwydion. Before the story is over, he has met his hero and fought the evil leader who threatens the peace of Prydain: the Horned King. 12+ http://www.amazon.com/Book-Three-Prydain-Chronicles/dp/0440407028 (Cover different)
Chronicles Of Prydain #2 "The Black Cauldron" (Lloyd Alexander) The second book in the five book series by Lloyd Alexander, and is a Newbery Honor Book. It continues the story of Taran, the Assistant Pig-Keeper of Prydain. Taran, with a band of warriors and friends, is called upon to find and destroy the Black Cauldron, which is being used by the evil Arawn, Lord of the Land of Death, to produce deathless warriors from the bodies of his fallen enemies. Throughout this quest, Taran and his companions learn about sacrifice, honor, and courage. 12+ http://www.amazon.com/Black-Cauldron-Chronicles-Prydain/dp/080508049X/ref=pd_sim_b_img_1 (Cover different)
Chronicles Of Prydain #4 "Taran Wanderer" (Lloyd Alexander) When Taran sets out to find out his parentage, he leaves the familiar behind and ventures to the far corners of Prydain. When three enchantresses tell him of the Mirror of Llunet and what it might offer, Taran is fixed on his destination. On his quest, he tangles with despicable folk, meets the honest people of the Free Commons, and comes to understand much about himself. 12+ http://www.amazon.com/Taran-Wanderer-Chronicles-Prydain-Alexander/dp/0805080511/ref=pd_sim_b_img_2 (Cover different)
Deltora Quest #3 "Shadowgate" (Emily Rodda) The Four Sisters, evil creations of the Shadow Lord, are poisoning Deltora and starving its people. Lief, Barda, and Jasmine have found and destroyed the first of the Sisters. Now they must find the second, hidden within the mountains that border the Shadowlands. 10+ http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/r/emily-rodda/shadowgate.htm
The Dark Is Rising #1 "Over Sea, Under Stone" (Susan Cooper) Three children on a holiday in Cornwall find an ancient manuscript which sends them on a dangerous quest for a grail that would reveal the true story of King Arthur and that entraps them in the eternal battle between the forces of the Light and the forces of evil. 10+ http://www.amazon.com/Over-Under-Stone-Susan-Cooper/dp/0020427859#reader_0020427859
The Dark Is Rising #3 "Greenwitch" (Susan Cooper) Simon, Jane and Barney, enlisted by their mysterious great uncle, arrive in a small coastal town to help recover a priceless golden grail stolen by the forces of evil, the Dark. They are not at first aware of the strange powers of another boy brought to help, Will Stanton — nor of the sinister significance of the Greenwitch, an image of leaves and branches that for centuries has been cast into the sea for good luck in fishing and harvest. Their search for the grail sets into motion a series of disturbing, sometimes dangerous events that, at their climax, bring forth a gift that, for a time at least, will keep the Dark from rising. 12+ http://www.powells.com/biblio?PID=28585&cgi=product&isbn=0-689-71088-7 (Cover different)
The Dark Is Rising #4 "The Grey King" (Susan Cooper) Will Stanton travels to Wales to recover from hepatitis. Here he learns more of his legacy as an Old One; meets Bran Davies, whose life in intertwined with his; and recovers the last talisman for the struggle against the Dark. 12+ http://www.amazon.com/Grey-King-Susan-Cooper/dp/0689710895
The Wish (Gail Carson Levine) Ah, the ancient mysteries of life. Why are the popular people popular? What's different about them--what makes them special? This age-old question is explored with a simple premise: a girl who is granted one wish by an old lady on the subway wishes to be "the most popular kid at Claverford." As is the fate of many who are granted only one wish, Wilma doesn't think through her wish carefully enough. While she is now adored by boys and girls alike, she is a mere three weeks away from graduating from Claverford. At Elliott, her next school, she'll be back to her lowly, oft-ridiculed self. Tension builds for Wilma until her graduation-night dance, the night before her popularity--and maybe even her relationship with her wonderful new boyfriend--will invariably come to a screeching halt. This fun, witty, insightful novel thoroughly examines the nature of "popularity," and what it means to be true to yourself. http://www.amazon.com/Wish-Gail-Carson-Levine/dp/0064473619
The Giver (Lois Lowry – SONLIGHT CURRICULUM TITLE) In a world with no poverty, no crime, no sickness and no unemployment, and where every family is happy, 12-year-old Jonas is chosen to be the community's Receiver of Memories. Under the tutelage of the Elders and an old man known as the Giver, he discovers the disturbing truth about his utopian world and struggles against the weight of its hypocrisy. Lowry examines the idea that people might freely choose to give up their humanity in order to create a more stable society. Gradually Jonas learns just how costly this ordered and pain-free society can be, and boldly decides he cannot pay the price. A NEWBERY MEDAL WINNER http://www.amazon.com/Giver-Lois-Lowry/dp/0440237688/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1208125013&sr=1-1
The Thief (Megan Whalen Turner) It all starts when Gen the thief tells the kingdom of Sounis he can steal anything. To prove himself right he steals the king's seal, and then goes to brag about it in a wineshop. Soon after he is caught and thrown in the dungeon and kept there until the Magus (Sounis's most trusted advisor) wants to use him to steal something. Along with the Magus, his apprentices Ambiades and Sophos, and the soldier Pol, Gen goes on an adventures over the mountains of Eddis to the kingdom of Attolia to steal something that is said to be a myth. 10+ A NEWBERY HONOR WINNER http://www.amazon.com/Thief-Megan-Whalen-Turner/dp/0060824972/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-4102143-1332717?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190702737&sr=1-1 (Cover different)
A Wrinkle in Time (Madeleine L'Engle) Everyone in town thinks Meg Murry is volatile and dull-witted, and that her younger brother, Charles Wallace, is dumb. Their physicist father has disappeared, and spurred on by these rumours and an unearthly stranger, Mrs Whatsit, Meg and Charles Wallace and their new friend Calvin O'Keefe embark on a perilous quest through space to find their father. In doing so, they must travel behind the shadow of an evil power that is darkening the cosmos, one planet at a time. This is no superhero tale, nor is it science fiction, although it shares elements of both. The travellers must rely on their individual and collective strengths, delving deep within themselves to find answers. A NEWBERY MEDAL WINNER http://www.amazon.com/Wrinkle-Time-Madeleine-LEngle/dp/0440498058
The Woman In The Wall (Patrice Kindl) An agoraphobic seven-year-old girl retreats into secret passages she has built in her house until her family nearly forgets her. 12+ http://www.amazon.ca/Women-Wall-Patrice-Kindl/dp/0141301244
The Computer Nut (Betsy Byars) The story of a girl who gets a message from a space alien via her home computer. http://www.amazon.com/Computer-Nut-Betsy-Byars/dp/0140320865
Humour
George's Marvellous Medicine (Roald Dahl) When George's parents are away for the day, he's tempted to do something about his tyrannical grandmother. "Something" means going round the house collecting all kinds of horrible ingredients that will make up a magic potion to make her disappear. But instead of disappearing, she gets bigger. 8+ http://www.amazon.co.uk/Georges-Marvellous-Medicine-Puffin-Fiction/dp/0141311347
Figgs & Phantoms (Ellen Raskin) Chronicles the adventures of the unusual Figg family after they left show business and settled in the town of Pineapple. 11+ A NEWBERY HONOR WINNER http://www.amazon.com/Figgs-Phantoms-Newbery-Library-Puffin/dp/0140329447/ref=pd_bbs_2/104-4102143-1332717?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190789370&sr=1-2 (Cover different)
Malcolm In The Middle “The Exchange Student” (Pam Pollack) Boys, girls, and parents see themselves reflected in the completely chaotic, but unconditionally loving world of an 11-year-old named Malcolm. Is Malcolm's house big enough for two genius kids? (That's a trick question, right?) Malcolm's family welcomes a visitor for the week—an exchange student from another school. Oh wait, maybe "welcome" isn't exactly the right word... Her name is Camellia. She's the same age as Malcolm and every bit as smart. She's as tough as Reese, as cute as Dewey—everyone loves her. She's even got Francis on her side. Mom and dad are ecstatic; she's like the daughter they always wanted. She must be stopped! http://www.amazon.com/Exchange-Student-Malcolm-Middle/dp/0439228506
Absolutely Normal Chaos (Sharon Creech) Mary Lou Finney is less than excited about her assignment to keep a journal over the summer. Boring! Then cousin Carl Ray comes to stay with her family, and what starts out as the dull dog days of summer quickly turns into the wildest roller coaster ride of all time. A wonderful story of contemporary teen life. 11+ http://www.amazon.com/Absolutely-Normal-Chaos/dp/0439470145/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/104-4102143-1332717?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190704511&sr=1-2
Pilchards In Tomato Sauce (Alison Stewart) A hilarious story of two boys camping with limited food supplies, as the title suggests. 7-10 YO
Holiday With The Fiend (Sheila Lavelle) Charlie Ellis lives next door to Angela Mitchell whom she once described in a class essay as 'My Best Fiend'. Appropriate really, as all Angela's marvellous ideas usually spell disaster for Charlie. Going on holiday together, Angela promises not to get Charlie into any trouble, but things get off to a bad start when Angela dyes Charlie's hair - with disastrous results! 6-10 YO http://www.amazon.co.uk/Holiday-Fiend-Young-Sheila-Lavelle/dp/0006727875/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207789158&sr=1-1
Ralph S. Mouse (Bev Cleary) In this instalment in Cleary's beloved Mouse and the Motorcycle trilogy, Ralph has problems. His motorcycle is suffering wear and tear from his nightly excursions, and his adoring relatives are messing up the hotel lobby where they live. Yet the "S" stands for Smart, and Ralph calculates that the mysterious place called "school" might hold the solution to his problems. 8-11 YO http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-media/product-gallery/0380709570/ref=cm_ciu_pdp_images_0?ie=UTF8&index=0
Runaway Ralph (Bev Cleary) Fed up with his timid mother and uncle and his squirmy little cousins, Ralph hops onto his toy motorcycle and zooms down the road to summer camp. It turns out camp is not all peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and fun. A strict watchdog, a mouse-hungry cat, and a troubled boy named Garf lead Ralph on some fur-raising escapades. Perhaps home isn't such a bad place to be, if only Ralph can find a way to get there again. 8-11 YO http://www.harperchildrens.com/catalog/cleary_books_description.asp?isbn=0380709538 (Cover different)
A Bean Birthday (Betsy Byars – author of SL title “Summer Of The Swans) Anna Bean doesn’t want a nickname. Even though her brother is called ‘String Bean’ and her sister is ‘Jelly Bean.’ But being a Bean is always lots of fun – especially when there’s a secret birthday surprise to plan… 7-10 YO http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/5688899
Dead Average (Moya Simons) When Danny Thompson gets a starring role in a TV commercial because he looks just like your 'average' boy, he's all set to make his fortune. Nobody tells him what the ad is about. And what about the dog that follows him home? Danny hasn't really encouraged him, just whistled at him and patted him. That dog's a winner until…. 9-12 YO http://www.amazon.ca/Dead-Average-Moya-Simons/dp/1860390609
Realistic
Choose Your Own Adventure "Skateboard Champion" (Edward Packard) The reader's decisions control the fate of a slowly improving skateboarder who gets a chance to be coached by the leader of the school's skateboarding group. 9-12 YO http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/p/edward-packard/skateboard-champion.htm
Bloomability (Sharon Creech) Dinnie is thirteen years old and has travelled all over the United States already. Her father is constantly looking for a good job that he enjoys, and Dinnie, her mom, her sister and her brother follow him from place to place. They get settled and comfortable, only to be uprooted and brought someplace new. Suddenly, though, Dinnie's aunt and uncle show up and take her away to a school in Switzerland where her uncle is going to be the headmaster. At first Dinnie feels like she has been kidnapped and she thinks of nothing but going home. But then gradually she gets to know the school and some of the students, and she actually begins to enjoy herself. She has new experiences and grows into a person more open to the world and better able to make decisions about her life. 10+ http://www.amazon.com/Bloomability-Sharon-Creech/dp/0330397842/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-4102143-1332717?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190704415&sr=1-1
When Heroes Die (Penny Raife Durant) Devastated to discover that Uncle Rob, his hero, is dying of AIDS, twelve-year-old Gary, in need of advice and guidance in his life, finds that it is Uncle Rob himself who gives him strength to face the future. 11+ http://search.barnesandnoble.com/When-Heroes-Die/Penny-Raife-Durant/e/9780689718359/?itm=10
Tangerine (Edward Bloor So what if he's legally blind? Even with his bottle-thick, bug-eyed glasses, Paul Fisher can see better than most people. He can see the lies his parents and brother live out, day after day. No one ever listens to Paul, though--until the family moves to Tangerine. In Tangerine, even a blind, geeky, alien freak can become cool. Who knows? Paul might even become a hero! Edward Bloor's debut novel sparkles with wit, authenticity, unexpected plot twists, and heart. The writing is so fine, the story so triumphant, that you just might stand up and shout when you get to the end. Hooray! 10+ http://www.amazon.com/Tangerine-Edward-Bloor/dp/0439286034
Maniac Magee (Jerry Spinelli) Maniac Magee is a folk story about a boy, a very excitable boy. One that can outrun dogs, hit a home run off the best pitcher in the neighbourhood, tie a knot no one can undo. "Kid's gotta be a maniac," is what the folks in Two Mills say. It's also the story of how this boy, Jeffrey Lionel "Maniac" Magee, confronts racism in a small town, tries to find a home where there is none and attempts to soothe tensions between rival factions on the tough side of town. Presented as a folk tale, it's the stuff of storytelling. "The history of a kid," says Jerry Spinelli, "is one part fact, two parts legend, and three parts snowball." And for this kid, four parts of fun. 9-12 YO WINNER OF THE NEWBERY AWARD http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/jerry-spinelli/maniac-magee.htm Teaching site: http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000596.shtml
Dear Mr. Henshaw (A SONLIGHT TITLE - Bev Cleary) Leigh Botts has been author Boyd Henshaw's number one fan ever since he was in second grade. Now in sixth grade, Leigh lives with his mother and is the new kid at school. He's lonely, troubled by the absence of his father, a cross-country trucker, and angry because a mysterious thief steals from his lunch bag. Then Leigh's teacher assigns a letter-writing project. Naturally Leigh chooses to write to Mr. Henshaw, whose surprising answer changes Leigh's life. 9+ NEWBERY MEDAL WINNER http://www.beverlycleary.com/books/0380709589.html (Cover art slightly different)
Rob’s Place (John Rowe Townsend) Rob, 11, is lonely and confused, and turns to an imaginary tropical island for solace after a series of changes: his parents' divorce, his mother's remarriage and new baby and his best friend's move leaves him friendless for the summer. 11+ http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/t/john-rowe-townsend/robs-place.htm
The Writing On The Wall (Lynne Reid Banks – author of “The Indian In The Cupboard”) A teenage girl takes a journey of self-discovery and unwittingly becomes involved in drug smuggling. 12+ http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/lynne-reid-banks/writing-on-wall.htm
The Pinballs (Betsy Byars) Three unwanted kids; “Pinballs”, as wisecracking Carly dubs them, collide in a warm and caring foster home and learn to pin their hopes on each other. 10+ http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-images/0064401987/ref=cm_ciu_pdp_images_1?ie=UTF8&index=1#gallery
The Great Gilly Hopkins (Katherine Paterson – SONLIGHT CURRICULUM TITLE) Gilly Hopkins is a determined-to-be-unpleasant 11-year-old foster kid who the reader can't help but like by the end. Gilly has been in the foster system all her life, and she dreams of getting back to her (as she imagines) wonderful mother. (The mother makes these longings worse by writing the occasional letter.) Gilly is all the more determined to leave after she's placed in a new foster home with a "gross guardian and a freaky kid." But she soon learns about illusions--the hard way. This NEWBERY HONOR BOOK manages to treat a somewhat grim, and definitely grown-up theme with love and humour, making it a terrific read for a young reader who's ready to learn that "happy" and "ending" don't always go together. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-images/0064402010/ref=cm_ciu_pdp_images_0?ie=UTF8&index=0#gallery
(Last update January, 2012)