Synopsis: In the first story, "Should Wizard Hit Mommy?" by John Updike, a three-year-old from a comfortable family can be lulled to sleep only by her father's bedtime stories, which aren't always as innocent as they seem. In "Too Much His Father's Son," Genaro Gonzalez depicts a nine-year-old boy from a poor, rural family who is struggling to do right by both his parents, and by himself, as a marriage breaks apart and everyone takes sides. In stories of…

Synopsis: It is November 25, 1960, and the bodies of three beautiful, convent-educated sisters have been found near their wrecked Jeep at the bottom of a 150-foot cliff on the north coast of the Dominican Republic. El Caribe, the official newspaper, reports their deaths as an accident. It does not mention that a fourth sister lives. Nor does it explain that the sisters were among the leading opponents of Gen. Raphael Leonidas Trujillo's dictatorship. It…

Synopsis: NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “Extremely funny . . . inspired lunacy . . . [and] over much too soon.”—The Washington Post Book WorldSOON TO BE A HULU SERIES • Now celebrating the pivotal 42nd anniversary of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy!Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American ReadIt’s an ordinary Thursday morning for Arthur Dent . . . until his house gets demolished. The Earth follows shortly after to…

Synopsis: When the prince of Enlad declares the wizards have forgotten their spells, Ged sets out to test the ancient prophecies of Earthsea.

Synopsis: Stock car racing fans should not have been surprised when 24-year-old Jeff Gordon upset ace driver Dale Earnhardt to win the 1995 Winston Cup point championship. After all, Jeff started racing at age five and had won over 500 "short track" motorcross, sprint car, and NASCAR races by the time he was 20 years old. What's in store for this young auto racing superstar? Jeff Gordon, for one, is not looking ahead. "We don't think about championships…

Synopsis: Darren Shan, the Vampire's Assistant, gets a taste of the city when he leaves the Cirque Du Freak with Evra and Mr. Crepsley. When corpses, drained of blood, are discovered, Darren and Evra are compelled to confront a foul creature of the night who may prove to be the end of them all...

Synopsis: At sunset, when their work is done for the day, a crane truck, a cement mixer, and other pieces of construction equipment make their way to their resting places and go to sleep.

Synopsis: From cuisine and martial arts to sex and self-esteem, East Eats West shines new light on the bridges and crossroads where two hemispheres meld into one worldwide "immigrant nation." In this new nation, with its amalgamation of divergent ideas, tastes, and styles, today's bold fusion becomes tomorrow's classic. But while the space between East and West continues to shrink in this age of globalization, some cultural gaps remain. In this collection…

Synopsis: The most-watched American trials of the 20th century were centered around these issues. They became famous because people found them so interesting. The issues addressed their deepest beliefs. And they touched on their deepest fears. Each of these cases left its mark on the 20th century. Book jacket.

Synopsis: Critic, author, and debunker extraordinaire, G. K. Chesterton (1874 1936) delighted in probing the ambiguities of Christian theology. A number of his most successful attempts at combining first-rate fiction with acute social observation appear in this original selection from his best detective stories featuring the priest-sleuth Father Brown.A Chestertonian version of Sherlock Holmes, this little cleric from Essex with "a face as round and…

Synopsis: What price is too high to pay, even for love? Plunge into fifth installment the internationally bestselling Mortal Instruments series and “prepare to be hooked” (Entertainment Weekly).The New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments continues—and so do the thrills and danger for Jace, Clary, and Simon.What price is too high to pay, even for love? When Jace and Clary meet again, Clary is horrified to discover that the demon Lilith’s magic has…

Synopsis: Tiny T. Rex wants to cheer up his friend, Pointy, with a hug, but he is frustrated because even as he gets bigger, his arms remain too small for proper hugging--but he is determined to practice, even when he gets into trouble.

Synopsis: A beloved nursery rhyme classic to put your child on the road to reading!Rosemary Wells, one of America's foremost creators of children's books, will have the very youngest child turning pages and remembering the words. What better way instill a lifetime love of reading and learning?

Synopsis: "I went on 'The Road' because I couldn't keep away from it; because I hadn't the price of the railroad fare in my jeans; because I was so made that I couldn't work all my life on 'one same shift'; because—well, just because it was easier to than not to."Jack London's "road" is the railroad, and these reminiscences paint a vivid portrait of life in the United States during the major economic depression of the 1890s. His…

Synopsis: Key Features Description Owen wakes up excited to enjoy a great night ahead. He has many beautiful friends to play with. Wonderful tree frogs catching flies. Shy caterpillars trying to hide. A baby elephant playing with his mother in the field. Owen appreciates all his friends as he flies through the night. This owl-shaped bedtime picture book also features a deer, a tiger, a fox, and more wonderful creatures. Owen wakes up excited to enjoy a…

Synopsis: BEST SELLER • A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK • Wise, funny, and heartbreaking, Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi’s acclaimed graphic memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution.“A wholly original achievement.... Satrapi evokes herself and her schoolmates coming of age in a world of protests and disappearances.... A stark, shocking impact.” —The New York Times: "The 50 Best Memoirs of the Past 50 Years"In powerful black-and-white comic…

Synopsis: Washington Irving's world of magic and mystery unfolds in two dramatic tales as Ichabod Crane takes a midnight ride that becomes a nightmare in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and Rip Van Winkle wakes after many years to find that everything has changed in Rip Van Winkle.

Synopsis: What happens when someone sticks his foot in his mouth? Out come words like these! "Smoking kills. If you're killed, you've lost a very important part of your life."--Brooke Shields "Trees cause more pollution than automobiles do."--Ronald Reagan "We don't like their sound. Groups of guitars are on their way out."--Decca recording company executive, turning down the Beatles, 1962 Here they are: the dumbest lines, stupidest thoughts, and…