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Blindsided written by Priscilla Cummings
In many ways, Natalie O'Reilly is a typical 14-year-old girl. But a routine visit to the eye doctor produces devastating news: Natalie will lose her sight within a few short months.
Suddenly her world is turned upside down. Natalie is sent to a school for the blind to learn skills such as Braille and how to use a cane. Outwardly, she does as she's told; inwardly, she hopes for a miracle that will free her from a dreaded life of blindness. But the miracle does not come and Natalie ultimately must confront every blind person's dilemma. Will she go home to live scared? Or will she embrace the skills she needs to make it in a world without sight?
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Mamba Point written by Kurtis Scaletta
When his dad gets a job at the U.S. embassy in Liberia, 12-year-old Linus Tuttle knows it's his chance for a fresh start. Instead of being his typical anxious self, from now on he'll be cooler and bolder: the new Linus.
But as soon as his family gets off the plane, they see a black mamba --- one of the deadliest snakes in Africa. Linus's parents insist mambas are rare, but the neighborhood is called Mamba Point, and Linus can barely go outside without tripping over one --- he's sure the venomous serpents are drawn to him. Then he hears about kasengs, and the belief that some people have a deep, mysterious connection to certain animals. |
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My Life As a Book written by Janet Tashjian
Summer is finally here, and Derek Fallon is looking forward to pelting the UPS truck with water balloons, climbing onto the garage roof and conducting silly investigations. But when his parents decide to send him to Learning Camp, Derek's dreams of fun come to an end. Ever since he's been labeled a "reluctant reader," his mom has pushed him to read "real" books --- something other than his beloved "Calvin & Hobbes."
As Derek forges unexpected friendships and uncovers a family secret involving himself (in diapers! no less), he realizes that adventures and surprises are around the corner, complete with curve balls.
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Amazing Monty: More First Grade Adventures written by Johanna Hurwitz
It's because six-year-old Monty is such a great reader that he finds out about a free pair of parakeets in need of a new owner. And though Yankee and Doodle end up in his classroom, not his own house, unexpected things are happening at home as well. First, there's the tooth that finally falls out, then the amazing news that Monty will have a new brother or sister. But one surprise --- the carwash his friends Ilene and Arlene find exciting --- turns out to be more of an asthma trigger for Monty than a treat. |
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