July/August 2008
— A thirteen-year-old girl wakes before dawn to ride her pony bareback through woods and fields, finding renewal in their secret morning gallop.
— Swordbird, by Nancy Yi Fan; HarperCollins: New York, 2007; $15.99 Imagine you live in a world of birds, of flight, of complete freedom. Imagine an evil hawk comes along and...
— A new student struggles with bullying on the soccer field until a classmate teaches him moves that help him make the team and find acceptance.
— A girl escapes her unwanted birthday party to the woods where she encounters a wolf, recognizing their shared solitude before exchanging wordless farewells.
— A girl alone in a gray house during her parents' divorce remembers losing her only friend years ago, then discovers singing as an outlet for her pain.
— Kate struggles with jealousy when her friend Madison excels at everything, leading to a painful confrontation and eventual reconciliation about their differences.
— A boy waits in line at a shaved ice stand, observing others' pleasure before experiencing his own first taste of Gushing Grape.
— A 12-year-old searches frantically for her free-roaming cat Comet, posts flyers around the neighborhood, and finally reunites with him after a neighbor rescues him from a rooftop light well.
— Desperate Journey, by Jim Murphy; Scholastic Press: New York, 2006; $16.99 Something about Desperate Journey just pulled me in. The author, Jim Murphy, showed me a different way of life....
— A girl diving into a pool transforms through daydreams into a bird, fish, and otter before a bump returns her to reality at the diving board.