Synopsis: "Robin 'Birdy' Perry, a new army recruit from Harlem, isn't quite sure why he joined the army, but he's sure where he's headed: Iraq. Birdy and the others in the Civilian Affairs Battalion are supposed to help secure and stabilize the country and successfully interact with the Iraqi people. Officially, the code name for their maneuvers is Operation Iraqi Freedom. But the young men and women in the CA unit have a simpler name for it: WAR"--P. [2]…

Synopsis: This diary of a runaway girl and her search for a home celebrates hope, resilience, and happy endings as only Wendelin Van Draanen, the author of Flipped and other acclaimed novels, can.   Holly has run away before, but this time she actually gets away—and what at first felt like an escape soon becomes a daily struggle for survival. She is smart and resourceful, and she manages to make it across the country on her own. But how long can this go…

Synopsis: From the award-winning author of The Running Dream and Flipped comes a remarkable portrait of a girl who has hit rock bottom but begins a climb back to herself at a wilderness survival camp. 3:47 a.m. That’s when they come for Wren Clemmens. She’s hustled out of her house and into a waiting car, then a plane, and then taken on a forced march into the desert. This is what happens to kids who’ve gone so far off the rails, their parents don’t know…

Synopsis: Heart-stopping adventure on the wild side of Seattle! How do you rescue a coyote trapped in the elevator of a downtown office building? How do you save an injured seal at the bottom of a cliff with the tide coming in? Fourteen-year-old Shannon and her younger brother, Cody, are about to find out as they spend a summer of breathless, sometimes reckless, often hilarious adventure visiting their uncle Neal at a wildlife center called Jackie's Wild…

Synopsis: From School Library Journal Grade 8-Up This is historical fiction at its best. Adele Geras (Harcout, 2001) tells the tale of the Trojan War from the viewpoint of several Trojans, mostly young and mostly female, while giving both the Olympic mythologic and Greek prophetic traditions significant roles in her story's plot and its symbolic imagery. Young sisters Xanthe and Marpessa hold center stage here as their adopted city suffers the siege…

Synopsis: Part of Penguin's beautiful hardback Clothbound Classics series, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith, these delectable and collectible editions are bound in high-quality colourful, tactile cloth with foil stamped into the design When Jonathan Harker visits Transylvania to help Count Dracula with the purchase of a London house, he makes a series of horrific discoveries about his client. Soon afterwards, various bizarre incidents…

Synopsis: A gripping narrative of one of the great survival stories of American history: the opening of the first permanent English settlement in the New World. Drawing on period letters and chronicles, and on the papers of the Virginia Company–which financed the settlement of Jamestown–David Price tells a tale of cowardice and courage, stupidity and brilliance, tragedy and costly triumph. He takes us into the day-to-day existence of the English men and…

Synopsis: Virgil's classic tale of a hero's mythical journey comes to life in this graphic retelling for kids. From the smoldering ruins of Troy, the warrior Aeneas sets out to find a new homeland for his people. But it's no easy task, for his adventure is filled with great sacrifice, angry gods, tragic love, and brutal battles. Will Aeneas be able to fulfill his destiny and found the mighty city of Rome? With extra background on the original Latin epic…

Synopsis: "The novella follows a governess who, caring for two children at a remote estate, becomes convinced that the grounds are haunted."--back cover.

Synopsis: A prophecy states that the king of Argos will be defeated by his infant grandson Perseus, so the king throws Perseus, and his mother, into the sea. They are rescued by a fisherman, and young Perseus grows up, unaware of his royal birth. Before he can claim his heritage, the hero is ordered to slay a hideous monster named Medusa, whose gaze turns men into solid stone. How can the youth fight an enemy he cannot even look at? He will need the…

Synopsis: With an Introduction and Notes by Dr Nicola Bradbury, University of Reading. Jane Austen teased readers with the idea of a 'heroine whom no one but myself will much like', but Emma is irresistible. 'Handsome, clever, and rich', Emma is also an 'imaginist', 'on fire with speculation and foresight'. She sees the signs of romance all around her, but thinks she will never be married. Her matchmaking maps out relationships that Jane Austen ironically…

Synopsis: A marvel of engineering that proclaimed the might of the Emperor of Ancient Rome. The Emperor Titus opened the enormous Colosseum in AD 80 to host 100 days of games, and it will astound readers to learn what the ancient Romans found entertaining. Over 50,000 screaming fans watched gladiators battling each other to the death, men fighting exotic wild beasts, and even mock sea battles with warships floating on an arena floor flooded with water. By…

Synopsis: At once a romantic history of a mighty river, an autobiographical account of Twain's early steamboat days, and a storehouse of humorous anecdotes and sketches, here is the raw material from which Mark Twain wrote his finest novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.Hannibal, Missouri, on the banks of the Mississippi River, was host to riverboat travelers from around the world, providing a vigorous and variable atmosphere for the young Samuel Clemens…

Synopsis: An exceptionally detailed investigation of Roman civilization from its founding to its decline in the West twelve centuries later, This book examines Roman political institutions, key figures, and geography. Readers (Grades 6-9) will encounter Roman religion through the ages and discover its role in shaping Roman society and family life. They will also learn about Rome's contributions to modern language, law, and architecture.

Synopsis: Since their mother's death, Carter and Sadie have become near strangers. While Sadie has lived with her grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane. One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a "research experiment" at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to…

Synopsis: To make this quintessential Greek drama more accessible to the modern reader, this Prestwick House Literary Touchstone Edition? includes a glossary of difficult terms, a list of vocabulary words, and convenient sidebar notes. By providing these, it is our intention that readers will more fully enjoy the beauty, wisdom, and intent of the play.The curse placed on Oedipus lingers and haunts a younger generation in this new and brilliant translation…

Synopsis: An iron giant saves the world in this contemporary classic.A mysterious creature stalks the land, eating barbed wire and devouring tractors and plows. The farmers are mystified—and terrified. And then they glimpse him in the night: the Iron Giant, taller than a house, with glowing headlight eyes and an insatiable taste for metal. The hungry giant must be stopped at any cost.Only a young boy named Hogarth is brave enough to lead the Iron Giant to…

Synopsis: The authoritative edition of Much Ado About Nothing from the Folger Shakespeare Library—the most trusted Shakespeare series for students, educators, and general readers—offers a complete, accessible resource for exploring one of William Shakespeare’s best-known romantic comedies.A favorite on stage and in classrooms, Much Ado About Nothing presents two contrasting love stories: the impulsive romance between Hero and Claudio, threatened by…

Synopsis: A timeless tale of love and fate, Romeo and Juliet is one of Shakespeare’s most celebrated tragedies. This passionate story follows two star-crossed lovers from feuding families, whose romance unfolds through some of the most beautiful and lyrical poetry ever written. This unabridged version is a must-read for anyone drawn to the power of love and the forces that conspire against it.