Crenshaw

Crenshaw
Author: Katherine Applegate
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Total Pages: 257
Release: 2015-09-22
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1250080223

In her first novel since The One and Only Ivan, winner of the Newbery Medal, Katherine Applegate delivers an unforgettable and magical story about family, friendship, and resilience. Jackson and his family have fallen on hard times. There's no more money for rent. And not much for food, either. His parents, his little sister, and their dog may have to live in their minivan. Again. Crenshaw is a cat. He's large, he's outspoken, and he's imaginary. He has come back into Jackson's life to help him. But is an imaginary friend enough to save this family from losing everything? Beloved author Katherine Applegate proves in unexpected ways that friends matter, whether real or imaginary. This title has Common Core connections.

Ivan & Friends 2-Book Collection

Ivan & Friends 2-Book Collection
Author: Katherine Applegate
Publisher: HarperCollins
Total Pages: 640
Release: 2020-09-15
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0063032694

Discover the unforgettable world of best friends Ivan and Bob in this collection, including the Newbery Medal-winning The One and Only Ivan and its incredible sequel, The One and Only Bob! Ivan is an easy-going gorilla. Living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, he has grown accustomed to humans watching him through the glass walls of his domain. He rarely misses his life in the jungle. Mostly, he thinks about art. Then he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from her family, and she makes Ivan see their home—and his own art—through new eyes. When Ruby arrives, change comes with her, and it’s up to Ivan to make it a change for the better. Continuing the story of these friends in The One and Only Bob, Bob sets out on a dangerous journey in search of his long-lost sister with the help of Ivan and Ruby. As a hurricane approaches and time is running out, Bob finds courage he never knew he had and learns the true meaning of friendship and family.

Runt

Runt
Author: Marion Dane Bauer
Publisher: HarperCollins
Total Pages: 149
Release: 2002-10-21
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0547511868

In this beautifully written story set in the north woods of Minnesota, four healthy wolf pups—Leader, Sniffer, Runner, and Thinker—are born one spring. And then one final, undersized pup emerges—Runt. Despite his size, Runt manages to keep up with his brothers and sisters and learn the ways of the pack. But he finds it impossible to please his father, the pack’s leader, and gradually withdraws from the others. When he ventures into forbidden human territory, Runt at last comes to understand his mistakes and to recognize his own worth. Award-winning author Marion Dane Bauer combines her gift for evocative writing with her in-depth knowledge of wolves to create a compact tale that has the power of an epic. Like the best animal stories, it reflects our own world and shows us what it means to be alive. Afterword.

The One and Only Bob

The One and Only Bob
Author: Katherine Applegate
Publisher: HarperCollins
Total Pages: 278
Release: 2020-05-05
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0062991337

A #1 New York Times bestseller and a #1 Indie bestseller! "Good dog Bob. Great to have a best friend.”—Danny DeVito Return to the unforgettable world of the Newbery Medal-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling novel The One and Only Ivan in this incredible sequel, starring Ivan’s friend Bob! Catch up with these beloved friends before you see the star-studded film adaptation of The One and Only Ivan, now available on Disney+! Bob sets out on a dangerous journey in search of his long-lost sister with the help of his two best friends, Ivan and Ruby. As a hurricane approaches and time is running out, Bob finds courage he never knew he had and learns the true meaning of friendship and family. Bob, Ivan, and Ruby have touched the hearts of millions of readers, and their story isn’t over yet. Catch up with these beloved friends before the star-studded film adaptation of The One and Only Ivan hits theaters in August 2020! One and Only Bob is an instant #1 New York Times bestseller, embraced by new and old fans of Katherine Applegate's beloved One and Only Ivan. Great for summer reading or anytime! A Today show pick for “25 children’s books your kids and teens won’t be able to put down this summer!" In the tradition of timeless stories like Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little, Katherine Applegate blends humor and poignancy to create an unforgettable story of friendship, family, and hope. The One and Only Bob features first-person narrative; author's use of literary devices (personification, imagery); and story elements (plot, character development, perspective). This acclaimed middle grade novel is an excellent choice for tween readers in grades 5 to 8, for independent reading, homeschooling, and sharing in the classroom.

Finding Zasha

Finding Zasha
Author: Randi Barrow
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Total Pages: 332
Release: 2013-01-01
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 054553223X

A heroic and daring WWII story perfect for fans of Alan Gratz and Jennifer A. Nielsen! In 1941, the Germans began the long, bloody siege on Leningrad. During the chaos, twelve-year-old Ivan is sent to live with relatives when his mother's job is moved to the mountains. But it is a long and dangerous journey to get out of Leningrad. After settling into a new town it falls under Nazi occupation and Ivan is picked by Axel Recht, an especially heinous soldier, to come work for the Nazis. One of Ivan's more pleasant tasks is to train Alex's dogs. Yet Ivan is determined to use his position to undermine the Nazis and rescue the dogs. But Ivan underestimates Axel's attachment to Zasha and Thor, and soon finds himself being hunted by a ruthless soldier who will stop at nothing to get his dogs back. As World War II rages around them, Ivan must find a way to hide from Axel, protect Zasha and Thor, avoid the constant barrage of deadly bombings, and survive in the devastating conditions of a city cut off from the world.

The Only Road

The Only Road
Author: Alexandra Diaz
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 224
Release: 2016-10-04
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1481457527

PURA BELPRÉ HONOR BOOK ALA NOTABLE BOOK “An important, must-have addition to the growing body of literature with immigrant themes.” —School Library Journal (starred review) Twelve-year-old Jaime makes the treacherous and life-changing journey from his home in Guatemala to live with his older brother in the United States in this “powerful and timely” (Booklist, starred review) middle grade novel. Jaime is sitting on his bed drawing when he hears a scream. Instantly, he knows: Miguel, his cousin and best friend, is dead. Everyone in Jaime’s small town in Guatemala knows someone who has been killed by the Alphas, a powerful gang that’s known for violence and drug trafficking. Anyone who refuses to work for them is hurt or killed—like Miguel. With Miguel gone, Jaime fears that he is next. There’s only one choice: accompanied by his cousin Ángela, Jaime must flee his home to live with his older brother in New Mexico. Inspired by true events, The Only Road is an individual story of a boy who feels that leaving his home and risking everything is his only chance for a better life. The story is “told with heartbreaking honesty,” Booklist raved, and “will bring readers face to face with the harsh realities immigrants go through in the hope of finding a better, safer life, and it will likely cause them to reflect on what it means to be human.”

Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus

Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus
Author: Dusti Bowling
Publisher: Union Square & Co.
Total Pages: 204
Release: 2017-09-05
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1454923466

“Aven is a perky, hilarious, and inspiring protagonist whose attitude and humor will linger even after the last page has turned.” —School Library Journal (Starred review) Aven Green loves to tell people that she lost her arms in an alligator wrestling match, or a wildfire in Tanzania, but the truth is she was born without them. And when her parents take a job running Stagecoach Pass, a rundown western theme park in Arizona, Aven moves with them across the country knowing that she’ll have to answer the question over and over again. Her new life takes an unexpected turn when she bonds with Connor, a classmate who also feels isolated because of his own disability, and they discover a room at Stagecoach Pass that holds bigger secrets than Aven ever could have imagined. It’s hard to solve a mystery, help a friend, and face your worst fears. But Aven’s about to discover she can do it all . . . even without arms. Autumn 2017 Kids’ Indie Next Pick Junior Library Guild Selection Library of Congress's 52 Great Reads List 2018

The Most Dangerous Game

The Most Dangerous Game
Author: Richard Connell
Publisher: Lindhardt og Ringhof
Total Pages: 28
Release: 2023-02-23
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 8728187490

Sanger Rainsford is a big-game hunter, who finds himself washed up on an island owned by the eccentric General Zaroff. Zaroff, a big-game hunter himself, has heard of Rainsford’s abilities with a gun and organises a hunt. However, they’re not after animals – they’re after people. When he protests, Rainsford the hunter becomes Rainsford the hunted. Sharing similarities with "The Hunger Games", starring Jennifer Lawrence, this is the story that created the template for pitting man against man. Born in New York, Richard Connell (1893 – 1949) went on to become an acclaimed author, screenwriter, and journalist. He is best remembered for the gripping novel "The Most Dangerous Game" and for receiving an Oscar nomination for the screenplay "Meet John Doe".