The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg (Scholastic Gold)

The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg (Scholastic Gold)
Author: Rodman Philbrick
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Total Pages: 240
Release: 2012-11-01
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0545370876

A Newbery Honor Book, this warm, funny, & heart-wrenching Civil War novel introduces readers to the Battle of Gettysburg & "Little Round Top," one of the most famous feats of bravery in U.S. history! In this emotive, Newbery Honor-winning page-turner, 12 year-old orphan Homer runs away from Pine Swamp, Maine, to find his older brother, Harold, who has been sold into the Union Army. With laugh-aloud humor, Homer outwits and outruns a colorful assortment of Civil War-era thieves, scallywags, and spies as he makes his way south, following clues that finally lead him to the Battle of Gettysburg and the dramatic story of the 20th Maine at Little Round Top. Even through a hail of gunfire, Homer never loses heart--but will he find his brother? Or will it be too late?With engaging wit and comical repartee reminiscent of Mark Twain, master storyteller Rodman Philbrick introduces us to the unforgettable character of Homer in this groundbreaking historical novel.The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels. Includes exclusive bonus content!

The Last Book in the Universe (Scholastic Gold)

The Last Book in the Universe (Scholastic Gold)
Author: Rodman Philbrick
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Total Pages: 228
Release: 2013-03-01
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0545303877

This fast-paced action novel is set in a future where the world has been almost destroyed. Like the award-winning novel Freak the Mighty, this is Philbrick at his very best.It's the story of an epileptic teenager nicknamed Spaz, who begins the heroic fight to bring human intelligence back to the planet. In a world where most people are plugged into brain-drain entertainment systems, Spaz is the rare human being who can see life as it really is. When he meets an old man called Ryter, he begins to learn about Earth and its past. With Ryter as his companion, Spaz sets off an unlikely quest to save his dying sister -- and in the process, perhaps the world.

Freak the Mighty (Scholastic Gold)

Freak the Mighty (Scholastic Gold)
Author: Rodman Philbrick
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Total Pages: 165
Release: 2013-03-01
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0545600278

Freak the Mighty joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels. Includes exclusive bonus content!It has been over twenty years -- and more than two million copies, eight foreign editions, and a popular Miramax feature film -- since the world was introduced to this powerful story of a unique friendship between a troubled, oversized boy and the tiny, physically challenged genius who proves that courage comes in all sizes. This simple yet timeless story explores many themes, including bullying -- an important topic in today's schools. Freak the Mighty is sure to remain fresh, dramatic, and memorable for the next twenty years and beyond!

Max the Mighty

Max the Mighty
Author: Rodman Philbrick
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Total Pages: 135
Release: 2013-06-25
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0545628229

A companion to Newbery Honor winning author Rodman Philbrick's Freak the Mighty. This is the dramatic, heart-wrenching tale of Max and Worm, two outsiders who turn to each other for survival. Meet Maxwell Kane, the brooding giant-of-a-boy who escaped from his basement hiding place and faced the real world in FREAK THE MIGHTY.Still grieving over the loss of his best friend, Kevin, Max finds himself defending a young, solitary girl cruelly nicknamed "Worm" because she loves to read so much.When Max gets blamed for a horrific crime, he and Worm are forced to run for their lives. They flee across America -- hunted by the police, and pursued by the mysterious man known as the Undertaker. The only way they can survive is to confront Worm's darkest and most revealing secret. And that means facing something more frightening than death itself.

Reynold de Burgh: The Dark Knight

Reynold de Burgh: The Dark Knight
Author: Deborah Simmons
Publisher: Harlequin
Total Pages: 284
Release: 2009-08-01
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1426838123

The "black sheep" of the de Burgh family is a title Reynold wears well. Outcast and injured, this knight is journeying alone. But his bitter pilgrimage is interrupted by a very determined damsel who holds him to his knight's vow—to protect and serve! Sabina Sexton knows her reluctant rescuer is skeptical about her quest. But the danger is very real, and wary Sabina must place her life—and her heart—in this dark and dangerously attractive knight's keeping….

The Journey of Little Charlie

The Journey of Little Charlie
Author: Christopher Paul Curtis
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Total Pages: 188
Release: 2018-01-30
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1338164007

The Newberry Medalist brings humor and heart to this story of a Civil War–era boy struggling to do right in the face of history’s cruelest evils. Twelve-year-old Charlie is down on his luck: His sharecropper father just died, and Cap’n Buck—the most fearsome man in Possum Moan, South Carolina—has come to collect a debt. Fearing for his life, Charlie strikes a deal with Cap’n Buck and agrees to track down some folks accused of stealing from the cap’n and his boss. It’s not too bad of a bargain for Charlie . . . until he comes face-to-face with the fugitives and discovers their true identities. Torn between his guilty conscience and his survival instinct, Charlie needs to figure out his next move—and soon. It’s only a matter of time before Cap’n Buck catches on. Praise for The Journey of Little Charlie A National Book Award Finalist “This is a compelling and ugly story for middle-grade readers told with genuine care. Little Charlie is a product of his Southern upbringing, yet in Curtis’s skillful hands he learns the world is not as he’d thought . . . Christopher Paul Curtis does it again.” —Historical Novel Society “A characteristically lively and complex addition to the historical fiction of the era from Curtis.” —Kirkus Reviews

The Tragically True Adventures of Kit Donovan

The Tragically True Adventures of Kit Donovan
Author: Patricia Bailey
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
Total Pages: 285
Release: 2017-05-15
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0807581445

2018 Oregon Book Award Winner—Eloise Jarvis McGraw Award for Children's Literature 2018 WILLA Literary Award Winner—Children's/Young Adult Fiction and Nonfiction Category A plucky heroine's search for justice in the lawless West. Life in a Nevada mining town in 1905 is not easy for thirteen-year-old Kit Donovan, who is trying to do right by her deceased mother and become a proper lady. When Kit discovers Papa's boss at the gold mine is profiting from unsafe working conditions, she realizes being a lady is tougher than it looks. With a man's hat and a printing press, Kit puts her big mouth and all the life skills she's learned from reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to work, defying threats of violence, and finds that justice doesn’t always look like she imagined it would.

Running Out of Night

Running Out of Night
Author: Sharon Lovejoy
Publisher: Yearling
Total Pages: 304
Release: 2016-03-08
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0385378475

A Children’s Book Review Seven Middle Grade Books for African American History Month Pick Fans of Elijah of Buxton, Trouble Don’t Last, and Stealing Freedom will be drawn to this tale of the incredible journey of an abused twelve-year-old white girl and an escaped slave girl who run away together and form a bond of friendship while seeking freedom. Every day is a misery for a nameless, motherless Southern girl who is treated cruelly by her pa and brothers. Her life changes forever when a runaway slave named Zenobia turns to her for help and shelter. Longing for her own freedom, the girl decides to run away, and she and Zenobia set off on a harrowing journey. Along the way, Zenobia names the girl Lark, after the bird, for her ability to mimic its song. Running by night, hiding by day, the girls are pursued by Lark’s pa and brothers and by ruthless slave catchers. Brightwell, another runaway slave, joins them, and the three follow secret signs to a stop on the Underground Railroad. When the hideout is raided and Zenobia and Brightwell are captured, Lark sets out alone to rescue her friends. A CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book of the Year An International Reading Association Best Chapter Book of the Year A Vermont Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award Master List Selection A Great Stone Face Book Award Nominee A New Mexico’s Land of Enchantment Book Award Selection A Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Awards Selection "Lush, detailed, total-immersion storytelling."--Kirkus Reviews "Distinguished by lively descriptions and dialogue."--Publisher's Weekly "A gripping historical novel . . . heart-stopping, heart-racing and eventually heart-easing.--Library Voice "Powerful debut novel."--International Reading Association "An essential read for those interested in American history."--San Louis Obispo Tribune "A gritty, engrossing tale.--Slo Coast Journal

Wild River (The Wild Series)

Wild River (The Wild Series)
Author: Rodman Philbrick
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Total Pages: 165
Release: 2021-03-02
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1338647288

Newbery Honor author Rodman Philbrick sends readers rushing down a raging river on a life-or-death adventure when a white water rafting trip goes terribly wrong! Daniel Redmayne is fast asleep on the first night of a white water rafting trip, when he's awoken by screams. The dam has failed. The river is surging, and their camp will be under water in a matter of moments.As the shrieking roar of the river rushes closer, the kids scramble to higher ground. They make it; their counselors do not.Now they're on their own, with barely any food or supplies, in the middle of the Montana wilderness. Do Daniel and his four classmates have what it takes to stay alive until they can get rescued? Alone in the wild, they forge powerful bonds -- but develop dangerous disagreements. If nature doesn't break them, they might just destroy each other.This gripping survival story from the Newbery Honor author of Wildfire is filled with adrenaline-pumping adventure and moments of true bravery.

When I Crossed No-Bob

When I Crossed No-Bob
Author: Margaret McMullan
Publisher: HarperCollins
Total Pages: 227
Release: 2009-04-06
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0547531192

This novel takes place 10 years after HOW I FOUND THE STRONG ended and deals with the reconstruction and race relations after the war. Told from the point of view of 13 year old Addy, who is abandoned by her redneck family and taken in by Shanks (from STRONG) and his new wife. There Addy learns she can make different decisions than those dictated by her own racist family. Vivid scenes involving the Ku Klux Klan, a school burning and attempted lynching add drama to this riveting coming of age historical novel. Author, Margaret McMullen captures the hardship and hardscrabble feel of this post-Civil War time as well as the hopeful rebuilding of southern communities.