After his parents die, Jeffrey Lionel Magee's life--and his name--changes. Maniac Magee appears in Two Mills looking ragged and undernourished, and the kids make fun of him until they see him on the football field. But somehow, despite his own problems, Maniac Magee manages to bring a new direction to everyone he encounters along his path.

Four students, each with their own individual stories, develop a special bond and attract the attention of their teacher, a paraplegic, who chooses them to represent their sixth-grade class in the Academic Bowl competition.

Originally written in 1921 for the authors grandchildren, Hendrik Willem van Loons The Story of Mankind has charmed generations with its warmth, simplicity, and wisdom. Rather than the dry recitation of events so common in school textbooks, van Loons witty, amiable tone animates the story of human history as a grand and perpetually unfolding adventure. Beginning with the origins of human life and sweeping forward to illuminate all of history, van...

Shy twelve-year-old Nisha, forced to flee her home with her Hindu family during the 1947 partition of India, tries to find her voice and make sense of the world falling apart around her by writing to her deceased Muslim mother in the pages of her diary.

"Twelve-year-old Annabelle must learn to stand up for what's right in the face of a manipulative and violent new bully who targets people Annabelle cares about, including a homeless World War I veteran"-- Growing up in the shadows cast by two world wars, Annabelle has lived a mostly quiet, steady life in her small Pennsylvania town. Until the day new student Betty Glengarry walks into her class. Betty quickly reveals herself to be cruel and manipulative,...

Every Sunday after church, CJ and his grandma ride the bus across town. But today, CJ wonders why they don't own a car like his friend Colby. Why doesn't he have an iPod like the boys on the bus? How come they always have to get off in the dirty part of town? Each question is met with an encouraging answer from grandma, who helps him see the beauty -- and fun -- in their routine and the world around them.

"Meet the marvelous Pyes: There is Mrs. Pye, the youngest mother in town; Mr. Pye, a famous bird man, who handles all the nation's important bird problems; Rachel Pye, who is so reasonable she can make unreasonable ideas sound like good ones; Jerry Pye, who knows about rocks of all sorts and plans to grow up to be a rock man; and Uncle Bennie, who is only three years old. Last is Ginger Pye, the "intellectual dog." The most famous pup in all of Cranbury,...

Paul and Maureen Beebe's determination to own a pony from the herd on Chincoteague Island, Virginia, is greatly increased when the elusive Phantom and her colt are among the ponies rounded up for the yearly auction.

A teenage boy accompanies his father, who has recently escaped from prison, on a trip that turns out to be an often painful time of discovery for them both.

How can an old man and his wife select one cat from a choice of millions and trillions?