Grade: 7

Readers get a close look at the planning, construction, and use of the Jefferson home. Fisher includes black-and-white paintings, photographs, and house plans.

The author describes some of the dogs that have had special places in his life, including his first dog, Snowball, in the Phillippines; Dirk, who protected him from bullies; and Cookie, who saved his life.

Fourteen-year-old Amir has bounced from foster home to foster home since the death of his parents. He now lives with the loving Smiths who have raised his youngest brother, Ronald, since he was a baby. Amir’s goal is to unite all of his brothers and sisters. His lifeline during this time is Doris, a friend from his old neighborhood in the Bronx. They write letters sharing their feelings and concerns. When Doris writes about a friend experimenting with drugs, Amir must come to terms with his family’s past. And when the Smiths locate his aunt, uncle, and siblings, he must make a decision about where everyone’s true home is.

In this action-packed finale to the Starcatchers series, Peter and Molly find themselves in the dangerous land of Rundoon, ruled by an evil king who enjoys watching his pet snake consume those who displease him. But that’s just the beginning of problems facing our heroes, who once again find themselves pitted against the evil shadow-creature Lord Ombra in a struggle to save themselves, not to mention the planet. It’s a wild desert adventure, with rockets, carpets, and camels all flying through the air, zooming toward an unforgettable climax…

In this riveting and adventure-packed follow-up to the award-winning New York Times bestseller Peter and the Starcatchers, Peter leaves the relative safety of Mollusk Island - along with his trusted companion, Tinker Bell - for the cold, damp, dangerous streets of London. On a difficult journey across the sea, he and Tink discover the dark and deadly slithering part-man/part-creature Lord Ombra, who is intent on recovering the missing starstuff - celestial dust that contains unimagined powers. In London, Peter attempts to track down the indomitable Molly, hoping that together they can combat Ombra’s determined forces. But London is not Mollusk Island; Peter is not the boy he used to be; and Lord Ombra - the Shadow Master - is unlike anything Peter, or the world, has ever seen.

Science fans (and science phobes!), here’s a fun, readable book that introduces science terms with one topic per letter, including black hole, immune system, Occam’s razor, and xylem. Witty cartoon illustrations on each page will keep readers of all ages amused. For further scientific explanations, the glossary defines additional terms — from absolute zero to zygote.

Paul has a younger brother, Jacob, who has Down’s syndrome, and he is angry. He doesn’t like the attention his brother receives and he doesn’t want anyone to know they are brothers. Guided by his patient and wise grandfather, Paul makes a painful journey while coming to terms with feelings about his brother.

In 1966 Ji–li Jiang turned twelve. An outstanding student and leader, she had everything: brains, the admiration of her peers, and a bright future in China’s Communist Party. But that year China’s leader, Mao Ze–dong, launched the Cultural Revolution, and everything changed. Over the next few years Ji–li and her family were humiliated and scorned by former friends, neighbors, and co–workers. They lived in constant terror of arrest. Finally, with the detention of her father, Ji–li faced the most difficult choice of her life. Told with simplicity and grace, this is the true story of one family’s courage and determination during one of the most terrifying eras of the twentieth century.