When a novel like Huckleberry Finn, or The Yearling, comes along it defies customary adjectives because of the intensity of the respouse it evokes in the reader. Such a book, we submit, is Old Yeller; to read this eloquently simple story of a boy and his dog in the Texas hill country is an unforgettable and deeply moving experience. Set in the rough wilderness of early frontier Texas, "Old Yeller" is a timeless coming-of-age tale. Travis is left to...

Moving to Vermont the summer after seventh grade, a young gymnast hides a secret as she makes new friends and investigates her grandmother's claim that someone is trying to destroy her cricket farm.--

Recounts the adventures of a young boy and an escaped slave as they travel down the Mississippi River on a raft.

Eleven-year-old girl Ash McNulty struggles to keep up keep up with her fellow "Gifted and Talented" classmates, but when her plan to win the Quiz Bowl to show she is still on top backfires, she learns that there are many ways to be special.

"Her search takes Henna away from Earth's End for the first time and all the way to St. Basil's Conservatory on the capital island -- a strange botanical boarding school rumored to keep a seed of every plant ever grown in the Gardenias. Studying there should be a dream for a gardener like Henna, surrounded not only by rare and incredible plants but also, for the first time, by other kids. Especially interesting are her new roommates: wise-cracking...

Sofía Acosta, a fifth grader trying to fit into her ballet-obsessed Cuban American family and her affluent suburban New York community, learns to speak up for herself and others when she mistakenly reveals a visiting dancer's plan to defect to the United States.

Several months after the tragic events set in motion by bully Betty Glengarry, Annabelle McBride is struck by lightning during a powerful summer storm, leaving her with heightened senses that give her a new understanding of animals and help her learn about compassion and forgiveness.

A fictionalized account of Zora Neale Hurston's childhood with her best friend Carrie, in Eatonville, Florida, as they learn about life, death, and the differences between truth, lies, and pretending. Includes an annotated bibliography of the works of Zora Neale Hurston, a short biography of the author, and information about Eatonville, Florida.

Twelve-year-old Beatrice Miller copes with the ups and downs of friendships, puberty, and identity, guided by the wisdom and love of her beloved Mamaw and mom, the summer before seventh grade.--

"While the other girls have always known they were destined to be witches, Hasani is a Wildseed---a stray witch from a family of non-witches, with no background knowledge, no way to control her magic, and a lot to catch up on. 'Wildseed' may be an insult that the other girls throw at her, but Wildseeds are more powerful than they know. And Hasani will learn that there are ways to use magic and thrive that can never be taught in a classroom"--