| Ice --Arthur Geisert |
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"Ice" is a gorgeously rendered wordless tale of discovery and adventure set in Geisert's porcine universe, in which a community of pigs that is suffering from the heat goes in search of ice. |
| Legend --Marie Lu |
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What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem. |
| Life: An Exploded Diagram --Mal Peet |
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In this fictional memoir, which spans the years 1945 to the present, Clem Ackroyd tells the story of his working-class origins and postwar Norfolk upbringing and, especially, his clandestine relationship with Frankie Mortimer, upper-class daughter of the local landowner. While in 1962 Clem and Frankie move ever deeper into love and lust, the Americans and Russians are facing off over Castro, Cuba, and nuclear missiles -- a backdrop, metaphor, and historical event that charges the plot and themes of Peet's story. This is mesmerizing through the sheer force and liveliness of its prose, as well as its unpredictable, inexorable plot. |
| Over and Under the Snow --Messner/Neal |
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Over the snow, the world is hushed and white. But under the snow exists a secret kingdom of squirrels and snow hares, bears and bullfrogs, and many other animals that live through the winter safe and warm, awake and busy, under the snow. Discover the wonder and activity that lies beneath winter s snowy landscape in this magical book. |
| Red Sled --Lita Judge |
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The premise of this book is simple; the execution is anything but. Pencil and watercolor spreads create a basic wintry mountain environment, but the stars of the show are the expressive animals. Their childlike delight in each dynamic scene brings a sense of excitement to the story. The text consists entirely of sound effects, laid out on the page in varying font sizes to evoke a sense of movement. The book begs to be read aloud and offers wonderful opportunities for audience participation. This delightful flight of fancy conveys the true excitement of sledding with the imagined fun of befriending wildlife. A gem. |
| The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman --Meg Wolitzer |
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Twelve-year-olds Duncan Dorfman, April Blunt, and Nate Saviano meet at the Youth Scrabble Tournament where, although each has a different reason for attending and for needing to win, they realize that something more important is at stake than the grand prize.
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| The Future of Us --Asher/Mackler |
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It's 1996, and less than half of all American high-school students have ever used the Internet. Emma just got her first computer and an America Online CD-ROM. Josh is her best friend. They power up and log on--and discover themselves on Facebook, 15 years in the future. Everybody wonders what their destiny will be; Josh and Emma are about to find out. |
| The Mice of Nibbling Village --Greaves/Pinkney |
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Long out of print, these poems about mice busily going about their domestic activities--baking bread, reading by candlelight--are accompanied by quaint, cozy watercolors Come and visit Nibbling Village. It's a secret place inhabited by Victorian-attired mice who spend their time cooking, sewing, cleaning, and, of course, nibbling. With wonderully atmospheric and old-fashioned illustrations bringing the village of Nibbling to life, these tales are perfect for fans of Beatrix Potter. |
| The Scorpio Races --Maggie Stiefvater |
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A lyrical tale of alienated werewolves and first love....Stiefvater skillfully increases the tension throughout; her take on werewolves is interesting and original while her characters are refreshingly willing to use their brains to deal with the challenges they face. |
| The Story of Christmas --Pamela Dalton |
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The Nativity story from the King James Bible serves as the text for this engaging interpretation done in exquisite cut-paper-and-watercolor illustrations that stand out against dramatic, black backgrounds. |
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