by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Britt is a 12-year old girl who lives in a dismal apartment with her older brother, Bran, and her mother. When Bran comes home with the news that he has the opportunity to house-sit for the summer, they are all excited to be able to move to a better neighborhood. After the move, it doesn't take long for Britt to realize that Bran had lied about permission to live in the house. The dreadful secret that neither of them had expected is finally revealed.

by Joan Bauer

Hope is a 16-year old waitress who takes pride in making people happy. She lives with her Aunt Addie because her mother deserted her as a baby. Now Hope and Addie have come to Wisconsin to run the Welcome Stairways cafe for a man who is dying of leukemia. This is a good, old-fashioned book of goodness lining up against the bad guys, and happy endings for everyone. It is a book which is full of rich characterization, humor, and truth.

by Joan Lowery Nixon

Sixteen-year old Julie Hollister had not planned on spending her summer taking care of her great-aunt and her injured great-uncle on a ranch in Texas. But at least her time there is not boring. When Uncle Gabe insists that his fall down the stairs was not an accident, Julie does not know what to believe. When she investigates, she finds more than she bargained for--two deaths and some missing jewelry. Before long a killer is on her trail in hopes of silencing her before she discovers the truth.

by Joyce Moss

The five-volume set was designed to help high-school and undergraduate students make connections between literature and history. The two new supplements simply add to the number of entries of the original series.

by J. K. Rowling

The 6th book of the extremely popular series is darker and moves the series into murkier waters than any of its predecessors. In this book, no one and nothing is safe, including the preconceived ideas of good and evil and of right and wrong. The surprise ending will leave fans wondering what terrible events await in Book 7.

by Mary Higgins Clark

It was more than her name that earned Liza Barton the nickname of "Little Lizzie Borden". She accidentally shot her mother and wounded her estranged step-father while desperately trying to protect her mother from her stepfather. As a juvenile, she barely escaped conviction. To erase her past, Liza's adoptive parents change her name to Celia. Years later, Celia believes her life is perfect until her new husband buys her a house in New Jersey--the house where she killed her mother. It soon becomes evident that someone in town knows her past identity. Before long she finds herself and her son, Jack, the targets of a killer.

by Ursula K. Le Guin

The people of the Uplands have some very unusual and potentially dangerous gifts. Gry can communicate with animals, but she refuses to call creatures to the hunt. Orrec has the power of destroying other living things. Because it seems to be uncontrollable, everyone fears him. In the end, Gry and Orrec come to understand their gifts and how best to use them. This is a fantasy which depicts a struggle between good and evil, but it can also help explain how individuals must make choices if they are to realize their full potential.

by Kate Morgenroth

Although 15-year-old Jude has been brought up believing that his mother abandoned him at birth, when his drug-dealing father is murdered, he discovers the truth. His father had kidnapped him at three weeks of age. Jude's mother is actually the DA and a mayoral candidate. She welcomes Jude into her life and promptly sends him to an exclusive prep school. Once there, however, his life again is turned on end as he is implicated in the drug-related death of a schoolmate. A man he believes he can trust actually contributes to his being tried as an adult and sentenced to five years in the penitentiary. There he is the victim of constant abuse. As he struggles to avoid being like his father, Jude's real longing is for recognition from the mother he never knew.

by Matt Christopher

Jim Nardi has everything it takes to be a great football player for the Vulcans. He's fast and strong, and has good hands capable of catching long passes. He just has one problem; he's afraid of being tackled. Will his fear keep him from being the best?

by Christopher Paolini

This novel is the second volume in the Inheritance trilogy, following the prequel, Eragon. It is the classic heroic quest fantasy, with the addition of some very scary creatures of evil. Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, are the only hope for the land of Alagaesia which is suffering under the Empire of the wicked Galbatorix. However, Eragon is young, so he and Saphira are sent off to the elven city of Ellesmera to be tutored in magic, battle skills, and the ancient language. Meanwhile, other adventure is taking place at Eragon's home. The two narratives move toward a massive battle, where Eragon learns a shocking secret about his parentage.