Blacklock, Dyan Pankration: the Ultimate Game Whitman, c1997 191 pages.
Set in Greece in 430 B.C. the story tells of Nic who is sent from home because of the plague spreading in Athens. He is taken by pirates and sold as a slave. Nic knows his only friend, Gellius, will be at the Olympic Games. Nic escapes and makes his way to his friend for help.
This book pictures the Olympics and especially the Pankration....a good adventure: pirates, thieves, and treachery. Pankration: pronounced either pahn-KRAHT-ee-uhn or pan-KRAY-shun
Crispin: The Cross of Lead
Avi. Set in 14th century England a young, nameless, fatherless boy sets out to learn his true identity after his mother died and he was wrongly accused of stealing and now is hunted. Along the way he he meets Bear who is a very strong character in this story.... and the adventures begin. There is a real sense of how life must have been in feudalistic England.....extremely hard for the poor. There is mystery, suspense and some violence.
The Cat Who Escaped from Steerage
Mayerson Evelyn Wilde The Cat Who Escaped from Steerage Atheneum c1990
0-684-19209-8 66 pages.
Chanah and her family are packed together in the steerage section of a ship with other Polish immigrants bound for America. The story tells of the hardships faced by early immigrants coming to America. Chanah must worry about her cousin, Yaacov,who may not be allowed into America.She also must find her lost cat before leaving the ship.
0-684-19209-8 66 pages.
Chanah and her family are packed together in the steerage section of a ship with other Polish immigrants bound for America. The story tells of the hardships faced by early immigrants coming to America. Chanah must worry about her cousin, Yaacov,who may not be allowed into America.She also must find her lost cat before leaving the ship.
Everything on a Waffle
Horvath, Polly Everything on a Waffle Farrar Straus Giroux c2001
150 pages 0-374-32236-8
Primrose Squarp's parents are lost at sea and she must eventually go to live with her Uncle Jack.Promrose learns to cope with the situation. Spending time at the restaurant, The Girl on the Red Swing, where everything is served on a waffle, helps as the owner, Miss Bowzer, lends a listening ear. Primrosr never gives up hope that her parents will return which they do.
150 pages 0-374-32236-8
Primrose Squarp's parents are lost at sea and she must eventually go to live with her Uncle Jack.Promrose learns to cope with the situation. Spending time at the restaurant, The Girl on the Red Swing, where everything is served on a waffle, helps as the owner, Miss Bowzer, lends a listening ear. Primrosr never gives up hope that her parents will return which they do.
The Green Book
Walsh, Jill Paton, The Green Book Farrar, Straus, and Giroux c1982
69 pages
Science fiction adventure about a family that must leave earth with a group and find a new home. The story tells of their ride in space, being pioneers in a new place, and how they learned to survive.
69 pages
Science fiction adventure about a family that must leave earth with a group and find a new home. The story tells of their ride in space, being pioneers in a new place, and how they learned to survive.
Olive's Ocean
Henkes, Kevin Olive's Ocean Harper Collins c2003 217 pages
0-06-053544-X
Just after a classmate of Martha Boyle's is killed, her family goes on their summer visit to her grandmother's house on the ocean. Martha spends her summer visit learning more about herself, relaionships in life, and thinking of the death of her classmate.
Newbery Honor book
ALA Notable book
ALA Best Book for Young Adults
0-06-053544-X
Just after a classmate of Martha Boyle's is killed, her family goes on their summer visit to her grandmother's house on the ocean. Martha spends her summer visit learning more about herself, relaionships in life, and thinking of the death of her classmate.
Newbery Honor book
ALA Notable book
ALA Best Book for Young Adults
Gutman, Dan. The Homework Machine
Four students with very different characters form an unlikely friendship that leads to problems in the story. Interestingly, the story is told through voices of the students, parents and the teacher given in depositions to the police. It is not a realistic story but a nice little book read for fun. Great moral too, ....DO YOUR HOMEWORK!
McKernan, Victoria. Shackleton's Stowaway
In 1914 Ernest Shackleton's ship the Endurance set sail from Buenos Aires to cross the Atlantic continent - a last unclaimed prize in exploration. As the crew stood on the deck and watched the city fade from sight Perce Blackburrow hid below deck in a locker. But his thrill of stowing away soon turns to fear. Within months, the Endurance was trapped and crushed by ice and sank. There was no hope of rescue. If they were to survive in that hostile land they would have to do it on their own. The story becomes an edge-of-your-seat novel through the eyes of the stowaway Perce Blackborrow. I recommend this book.
Sebestyen, Ouida. Words By Heart
Lena can recite scripture by heart. Hoping to make her Papa proud of her and to make her classmates notice her mind and not her black skin, Lena vows to win the Bible quoting contest in her school. But winning does not bring what she expected. This sheltered girl learns about the terrible reality about prejudice and racism. Now she must learn how to forgive. Kids will like this book if they like stories about racism. I think there is a lot to learn from this book.
Philbrick, Rodman. The Young Man and the Sea
Skiff Beaman is 12 years old and struggling on his own in a fishing town on the coast of Maine. His father if grieving over his mother's death by doing nothing but watch TV and drink beer. Skiff realizes he must be the breadwinner if they are to survive. He needs to raise their boat the Mary Rose, and earn money for supplies to repair her. After many setbacks, Skiff sets out to try and harpoon a bluefin tuna in the open sea for money. This second half of the book does some paralleling on Hemingway's, The Old Man and the Sea.
I loved to read about Skiff's determination to succeed. It's an inspiring book from that viewpoint. There's lots of action and I think kids will like this book.
I loved to read about Skiff's determination to succeed. It's an inspiring book from that viewpoint. There's lots of action and I think kids will like this book.
Hobbes, Will; Bearstone
A young man searches for his identity in a world foreign to his upbringing. Cloyd, a 14 year old Ute, is hostile and in trouble with everone. His life comes to a head when he is sent to live with an old rancher who's wife recently died. That summer proves a turning point in his life. I think this book is exciting and will be liked by those who want action and a good story line. I also like happy endings which this book gives.
Jones, Diana Wynne. The Merlin Conspiracy.
This work of fantasy tells the story of teenage wizards who live in a world of many worlds trying to save their countries from the corruption of magic. The plot is confusing and there are some questionable themes through the book. Overall, there are books that better represent this genre. Not recommended.
This work of fantasy tells the story of teenage wizards who live in a world of many worlds trying to save their countries from the corruption of magic. The plot is confusing and there are some questionable themes through the book. Overall, there are books that better represent this genre. Not recommended.
The Rebel Trumpet
Shirreffs, Gordon D. The Rebel Trumpet.
This is the story of Steve who joins the Union Army as a fifteen year old drummer and his experience of the Civil War in New Mexico. It should be enjoyable for anyone who enjoys historical fiction or stories of the Civil War era.
This is the story of Steve who joins the Union Army as a fifteen year old drummer and his experience of the Civil War in New Mexico. It should be enjoyable for anyone who enjoys historical fiction or stories of the Civil War era.
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