Jenn's beloved dog was lost sometime ago. Long enough that she has given up the search. But she still misses her friend. One day she finds a lost dog. She takes him in and despite a rocky start, she grows to love him. Until she spots his picture on a missing poster. His name is Roscoe, and he's someone else's best friend. Jenn knows she should return Roscoe, but she really doesn't want to. Will Jenn do the right thing? Or will she keep this new dog she's grown to love so much?
- Relates, from various points of view, events from the night of October 6, 1998, when twenty-one-year-old Matthew Shepard, a gay college student, was lured out of a Wyoming bar, savagely beaten, tied to a fence, and left to die.
Three-year-old Casey wants what his older sister, Jessie, has--a shimmery skirt, glittery painted nails, and a sparkly bracelet--but Jessie does not approve until an encounter with teasing bullies helps her learn to accept and respect Casey for who he is. Age: 3-7.
Adult fiction. "Lydia is dead. But they don't know this yet." So begins the story of this novel about a Chinese American family living in 1970s small-town Ohio. Lydia is the favorite child of Marilyn and James Lee; their middle daughter, a girl who inherited her mother's bright blue eyes and her father's jet-black hair. Her parents are determined that Lydia will fulfill the dreams they were unable to pursue-in Marilyn's case that her daughter become a doctor rather than a homemaker, in James's case that Lydia be popular at school, a girl with a busy social life and the center of every party. When Lydia's body is found in the local lake, the delicate balancing act that has been keeping the Lee family together tumbles into chaos, forcing them to confront the long-kept secrets that have been slowly pulling them apart.
Adult fiction. In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is planned - from the layout of the winding roads, to the colors of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson, whose guiding principle is playing by the rules. Enter Mia Warren - an enigmatic artist and single mother - who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenaged daughter Pearl, and rents a house from the Richardsons. Soon Mia and Pearl become more than tenants: all four Richardson children are drawn to the mother-daughter pair. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past and a disregard for the status quo that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community. When old family friends of the Richardsons attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town--and puts Mia and Elena on opposing sides. Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Elena is determined to uncover the secrets in Mia's past. But her obsession will come at unexpected and devastating costs.
Adult fiction. This is a collection of stories exploring questions of immigration, identity, love, and family. From a young Vietnamese refugee who suffers profound culture shock when he comes to live with two gay men in San Francisco, to a woman whose husband is suffering from dementia and starts to confuse her with a former lover, to a girl living in Ho Chi Minh City whose older half sister comes back from America having seemingly accomplished everything she never will, these stories are a captivating testament to the dreams and hardships of immigration".
Adult fiction. The story of a South Vietnamese captain--a man brought up by an absent French father and a poor Vietnamese mother, a man who went to university in America--who returns to Vietnam to fight for the Communist cause.
Child nonfiction book. Text in Cree and English. It's summer and a young girl and her mom wait as Grandmother prepares for the outing. Then she leads the way to the field of flowers where they can finally start to pick the wild yarrow. Age: 3-8.
Child fiction book. Archie comes back from his summer away to find that he is the only kid in Grade 6 who has not grown bigger. Even his best friends Alfie and Shamini have gotten taller, and Shamini has developed in other ways, too. --from publisher. Age: 8-12.
After a gunshot leaves her paralyzed, Barbara Gordon enters the Arkham Center for Independence, where Gotham's teens undergo physical and mental rehabilitation. Now using a wheelchair, Barbara must adapt to a new normal, but she cannot shake the feeling that something is dangerously amiss.
- An anthology of stories in various genres, featuring disabled characters and written by disabled creators, ranging from established best selling authors to debut authors.
Child picture book. Audiobook on cd narrated in Spanish. A playground rap that introduces young readers to how people are different yet the same. Age: 5-8.
When Vladimir the squirrel's stockpile of nuts disappears, Detective Gordon deputizes his young, enthusiastic friend Buffy the mouse to help him discover the identity of the thieves. First book in the Detective Gordon series
Child fiction book. After being taken in by Captain Taylor and his wife in Kansas, twelve-year-old Mike Kelly and his friend Todd Blakely join the Union army as musicians and see the horrors of war firsthand in Missouri. Part of the Orphan Train Adventures series. Grade: 5+
Child fiction book. Ann, a young girl in eighteenth-century Williamsburg, wants to become a doctor like her father, but she is not allowed even to study Latin or mathematics. Part of the Young Americans series. Grade: 4+
Child fiction book. After having been a slave on Carter's Grove plantation near Williamsburg, Virginia, since childhood, Caesar finally finds a way to plan his own future. Part of the Young Americans series. Grade: 4+
Child fiction book. In Williamsburg, Virginia, two years before the start of the American Revolution, nine-year-old Maria worries that her mother will lose her contract to publish official reports and announcements of the British government because she prints anti-British articles in their family-run newspaper. Part of the Young Americans series. Grade: 4+
Trevor Noah's unlikely path from apartheid South Africa to the desk of The Daily Show began with a criminal act: his birth. Trevor was born to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother at a time when such a union was punishable by five years in prison. Living proof of his parents' indiscretion, Trevor was kept mostly indoors for the earliest years of his life, bound by the extreme and often absurd measures his mother took to hide him from a government that could, at any moment, steal him away. Finally liberated by the end of South Africa's tyrannical white rule, Trevor and his mother set forth on a grand adventure, living openly and freely and embracing the opportunities won by a centuries-long struggle. Born a Crime is the story of a mischievous young boy who grows into a restless young man as he struggles to find himself in a world where he was never supposed to exist. It is also the story of that young man's relationship with his fearless, rebellious, and fervently religious mother—his teammate, a woman determined to save her son from the cycle of poverty, violence, and abuse that would ultimately threaten her own life. The stories collected here are by turns hilarious, dramatic, and deeply affecting. Whether subsisting on caterpillars for dinner during hard times, being thrown from a moving car during an attempted kidnapping, or just trying to survive the life-and-death pitfalls of dating in high school, Trevor illuminates his curious world with an incisive wit and unflinching honesty. His stories weave together to form a moving and searingly funny portrait of a boy making his way through a damaged world in a dangerous time, armed only with a keen sense of humor and a mother's unconventional, unconditional love.
Adult nonfiction book, e-book, and audiobook on cd. “Born a Crime is the story of a mischievous young boy who grows into a restless young man as he struggles to find himself in a world where he was never supposed to exist. It is also the story of that young man's relationship with his fearless, rebellious, and fervently religious mother—a woman determined to save her son from the cycle of poverty, violence, and abuse that would ultimately threaten her own life."--publisher's description. Age: 15+
Child nonfiction book, and e-book. If my mother had one goal, it was to free my mind. My mother spoke to me like an adult. She was always telling me stories, giving me lessons. Bible lessons especially. She was big into Psalms. I had to read Psalms every day. She would quiz me on it. " What does the passage mean? What does it mean to you? How do you apply it to your life?" "That was every day of my life. My mom did what school didn't. She taught me how to think. Age: 10+
A wordless picture book featuring a sandcastle that takes on a life of its own.
Child fiction book, and e-book. Callie struggles to understand slavery when her stepbrother is sold away at the start of the Civil War, but is determined her whole family will be free one day. Grade: 3+
When Andrew spots a friendly forest monster outside his window, he knows it's time to play. Get ready to follow along with Andrew as he starts the strangest round of hide-and-seek you've ever seen Can he track down the tricky creature? Find out in this wild, word-free graphic novel.
This three-story book features bird, cat and dog as heroes in their own stories, and every story is connected.
The upbeat Belinda and the shy Barbara join a magical round of musical chairs! When their school gym transforms into a rowdy obstacle course, their friendship keeps them in the game.
Tells the story of a boy and girl and games they play, separately and together, through clever wordless comics
After hitting his head while riding a rusty old bicycle, Tyler meets a very unusual girl who takes him on an impossible adventure at the seashore.
Floyd is a teenage tennis prodigy. Since he was little, all he's ever known is the routine of training, of matches, of working hard to rise to the top. But something strange is happening. Floyd is being followed by a boy whom no one else can see. And Mike will go to all lengths to make himself heard. Floyd will discover that finding out what Mike wants will changes the course of his entire life. A thought-provoking journey of self-discovery. Mike examines what it means to break free and find your own path. Even if it means throwing away the plans of a lifetime.
Child picture book. In illustrations and verse, lists some of the places a teacher would take her students if she had the means, from a hot-air balloon trip over China's Great Wall to an airboat ride in the Everglades to observe alligators. Age: 5-7.
Adult nonfiction book, e-book, audiobook on Playaway, and e-audiobook. Born a free man in New York State in 1808, Solomon Northup was kidnapped in Washington, D.C., in 1841. He spent the next 12 years as a slave on a Louisiana cotton plantation, and during this time he was frequently abused and often afraid for his life. This is his detailed description of slave life and plantation society, culture and institutions. Age: Adult.
Miniature people who share an old country house with normal size humans, “borrow” things from the humans to furnish their tiny home and put food on their table. Borrowing expeditions are exciting, but staying out of sight of the big humans and avoiding the full-size cat also makes them terrifying and dangerous! Should they stay in their beloved old home under the kitchen clock, or is it time to leave home and find a new place?
Book 1, Borrowers series
Ever since their free-spirited mama died ten months ago, twelve-year-old Jack and her gender creative nine-year-old brother, Birdie, have been living with their fun-loving Uncle Carl, but now their conservative Uncle Patrick insists on being their guardian which forces all four of them to confront grief, prejudice, and loss, all while exploring what 'home' really means. Age: 9+
Relating the cycle of requests a mouse is likely to make after you give him a cookie takes the reader through a young child's day. Also available in Spanish: Si le das una galletita a un ratón / Laura Joffe Numeroff ; ilustrado por Felicia Bond
One thing leads to another when you give a pig a party! Also available in a big book format and in Spanish Language.
Adult nonfiction (ballet). In this adaptation of the work, the dancing is very classical, the costumes sumptuous, and the orchestra sparkling. At a Christmas party, Clara is presented with the elegant Nutcracker prince by her doting godfather, Herr Drosselmeyer. The Nutcracker is broken and Clara is devastated. That night, Clara dreams about the Nutcracker prince: he comes to life, fights off a Rat King and his minions, and takes her to his kingdom. This version stars: Merle Park (Clara) ; Rudolf Nureyev (The Prince and Herr Drosselmeyer) ; Leslie Edwards (Dr. Stahlbaum), Betty Kavanagh (Frau Stahlbaum), Keith Martin (Fritz), Ann Jenner (Louisa), Gerd Larsen (Grandmother), Stanley Holden (Grandfather), Wayne Sleep (the nutcracker), and Ronald Plaisted (the rat king).
Sadiq's father is going on a business trip, but before he goes he tells Sadiq a story of the Desert Star, which fits in perfectly with Sadiq's third grade class field trip to the planetarium, and inspires Sadiq to build a simple telescope to study the stars when his father returns.
Sadiq's third grade class decides that they want a classroom pet, and their teacher, Ms. Battersby, is okay with the idea, so the students form a club to decide what kind of pet to get, and to research how to take care of it.
Traveling to Antarctica for a prestigious science competition, twelve-year-old Jack and his genius foster siblings, Ava and Matt, become caught up in a mystery involving a missing scientist.
Book 1, Jack and the Geniuses series
Child picture book, and e-book. Sulwe has skin the color of midnight. She is darker than everyone in her family. She is darker than anyone in her school. Sulwe just wants to be beautiful and bright, like her mother and sister. Then a magical journey in the night sky opens her eyes and changes everything. Age: 3-8.
Child picture book. Illustrated by Meilo So. Hurry, the tortoise, befriends a monarch butterfly when she stops in his garden in Wichita Falls, Texas, during her migration from Canada to Mexico. Includes facts about monarch butterflies. Age: 3-8.
Adult nonfiction book, and e-book. Colin O'Brady's awe-inspiring memoir spans his triumphant recovery from a tragic accident to his gripping 932-mile solo crossing of Antarctica. Prior to December 2018, no individual had ever crossed the landmass of Antarctica alone, without support and completely human powered. Yet, Colin O'Brady was determined to do just that, even if, ten years earlier, there was doubt that he'd ever walk again normally. From the depths of a tragic accident, he fought his way back. In a quest to unlock his potential and discover what was possible, he went on to set three mountaineering world records before turning to this historic Antarctic challenge.
"A high-interest introduction to the life cycle of chipmunks, including how pups develop, their plant-based diet, threats from predators, and the burrowed habitats of these backyard animals"-- publisher. From series: In My Backyard (Creative Education, Inc. (Mankato, Minn.)
"A high-interest introduction to the life cycle of frogs, including how tadpoles develop, their insect diet, threats from predators, and the wet habitats of these backyard animals"-- publisher.
Child fiction book, and e-book. In rural Minnesota in 1974, thirteen-year-old Pride Star, raised to be independent, must accept help from friends and neighbors to care for eleven-year-old Nightingale and six-year-old Baby when her grandfather is hospitalized with a brain infection. Grade: 5+
Children fiction book. Desperate to keep her older brother from being drafted in the Vietnam War, eleven-year-old Reenie strikes up an unlikely friendship with Mr. Marsworth, an elderly shut-in, who helps her in her mission. Grade: 5+
This biography presents a portrait of the iconic music artist Bob Dylan, discussing his award-winning achievements, status as a counterculture figure, and influence on such performers as John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, and David Bowie.
Child fiction book, e-book, audiobook on CD, and e-audiobook. Based on a true story, a young Nicoleño Indian girl is left alone on a beautiful but isolated island off the coast of California for eighteen years between 1835 and 1853, not merely surviving through her enormous courage and self-reliance, but also finding a measure of happiness in her solitary life. Grade: 5+
Child fiction book, and audiobook on cd. From the depths of a cave in the Vermilion Sea, Ramon Salazar has wrested a black pearl so lustrous and captivating that his father, an expert pearl dealer, is certain Ramon has found the legendary Pearl of Heaven. Such a treasure is sure to bring great joy to the villagers of their tiny coastal town, and even greater renown to the Salazar name. No diver, not even the swaggering Gaspar Ruiz, has ever found a pearl like this! But is there a price to pay for a prize so great? When a terrible tragedy strikes the village, old Luzon’s warning about El Diablo returns to haunt Ramon. Grade: 5+
Child fiction book. As part of a Spanish expedition to the New World, a Jesuit seminarian witnesses the enslavement and exploitation of the Mayas and his own seduction by greed and ambition. Grade: 5+
Child fiction book. In the late nineteenth century, a young Nez Percé girl relates how her people were driven off their land by the U.S. Army and forced to retreat north until their eventual surrender. Grade: 5+