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Thirteen year old Primrose lives with her peculiar, remote mother; nine year old David has just moved to the neighborhood to live with his grandmother. Primrose and David, both fragile, share unusual but memorable adventures as they learn to cope with what is missing from their lives.

The Newbery Medal winning author has vivid recollections of growing up in Norristown, PA, in the 1950s. His recollections are vivid, funny, and episodic and allow fans of Spinelli’s novels to glimpse where stories might begin.

Larger than life Maniac Magee is a modern folk hero, particularly in the small town of Two Mills, Pennsylvania where he brings together people from opposite sides of the track. Unforgettable characters deal poignantly, often humorously, with race, poverty, and more in this contemporary tall tale.

Will Tuppence is a 14-year old who likes to be in control. Playing chess-a game at which he excels — he likes to see the entire board. Will learns that — unlike chessmen — friends, family, even protons can be beyond one’s sway, making this coming-of-age story plausible and unusual.

Most boys look forward to birthdays, but not Palmer. Once he turns 10-years old, he’s expected to assume the role of “wringer” in the town’s annual pigeon shoot. He doesn’t want to strangle wounded birds any more than he wants to be bullied. His dilemma is compounded by the secret he keeps in his room.

Seventh grader “Crash” Coogan is a jock who, as he begins narrating this humorous, touching novel, is a downright bully. He takes aim most often at a neighbor and classmate named Penn. Penn not only wears hand-me-downs but joins the cheerleading squad. This is an unusual glimpse at “jockdom.”

Banesville, located in the heart of the apple-growing area of upstate New York, is no longer the idyllic small town it once was. There are rumors of ghosts, of an abandoned house being haunted, and of people dying in suspicious ways. The townsfolk are beginning to live in fear. All of this is inflamed by the unscrupulous editor of the local newspaper. Hildy Biddle and the staff of the high school newspaper, The Core, must unveil the corruption that has infiltrated their town before it’s too late. 

Meet Jenna Boller, star employee at Gladstone Shoe Store in Chicago. Standing a gawky 5’11” at 16 years old, Jenna is the kind of girl most likely to stand out in the crowd — for all the wrong reasons. But that doesn’t stop Madeline Gladstone, the president of Gladstone’s Shoes, from hiring Jenna to drive her cross country in a last ditch effort to stop Elden Gladstone from taking over his mother’s company and turning a quality business into a shop-and-schlock empire. Now Jenna Boller shoe salesperson is about to become a shoe-store spy as she joins her crusty old employer for an eye-opening adventure that will teach them both the rules of the road — and the rules of life. (from Penguin.com)

Sam Benton has always been the tallest student in his class. In fourth grade, Jeremy Liggins began calling him Tree, the nickname stuck, and now that is what everyone calls him. Because of his height, Tree has endured much teasing from classmates. But seventh grade is the hardest. (from Joanbauer.com)

Every Breedlove is a lawyer or soon will be, except Ivy Breedlove, who wants to be a historian, and her supposedly crazy Aunt Josephine who disappeared years ago. When Ivy’s Great Aunt Tib’s eyesight begins to fail, the responsibility of researching and writing the family history falls on Ivy, a task that she relishes. After learning that her Aunt Josephine is still alive, Ivy wants to find her. Relying on the expert skills of a wilderness guide named Mountain Mama, Ivy is led to Josephine’s log cabin in a remote area of the Adirondacks where she meets and gets to know her aunt while interviewing her for the family history. 

This is a story about a teenager and her vegetable, about having a gigantic dream and trying to fulfill it, about people we love not always understanding our passions, about being ourselves when most of the world says to conform. It’s about the power of grandmothers, the magic of seeds, the triumph of agriculture, and a towering dad who learns who his daughter really is. (from Joanbauer.com)

This fact- and fun-filled look at female contributions to the American Revolution provides a serious but lighthearted introduction to a range of known and unknown women. Affable illustrations include thought and speech bubbles.

A collection of nine magical tales about strange lands inhabited by princesses and kelpies. Stories about everyday places where magical and mysterious things happen to ordinary children, include an oak tree falling in love with a girl and a boy’s dream being stolen by the tooth fairy. 

Percy continues his epic adventures, this time he’s on the high seas and fighting to save Camp Half-Blood from monsters.

Kronos is at again and Olympus is threatened by an ancient monster. Percy and his friends must find the kidnapped Artemis — the only god who could hunt down the monster.

Kronos’s army is poised to invade Camp Half-Blood and demon cheerleaders turn up at freshman orientation — Percy has his hands full.

When Grace Cahill dies, her grandchildren, Amy and Dan, and seven other teams take up the challenge she left behind in her will: to search the globe for the 39 clues that will release the hidden power of the Cahills — a family filled with spies, scientists, artists and explorers — and make the winners the “richest, most important people in history.”

Thirty-five stories of laughter and terror to tickle your horror bone. Full of thirsty vampires, hungry insects, vengeful teachers, evil power tools, singing Girl Scouts, and other terrors.

Every time Martin opens his mouth, he gets in trouble. He’s just been dumped at the last place that will take him; a school filled with freaks and psychotic bullies. His roommate starts fires, his new friends are cheats, and his teachers hate him. Then things really get weird.

Find out why joggers never smile, learn what happens when you mess with a mummy, and meet some frighteningly intelligent insects.

Welcome to high school. Brace yourself for too much homework, too much attention from dangerous seniors, and no idea what your Spanish teacher is talking about. Or your math teacher, for that matter.

This well-researched book is a lively cultural history of the Western Publishing Company and their bold WWII experiment to create affordable books for children. Learn, too, about the exceptionally talented writers and illustrators who helped create such a memorable series.

Using original source material, letters, and interviews with people who knew her, Marcus creates a compelling picture of the unusual woman who re-invented children’s picture books, especially with her enduring classics, The Runaway Bunny and Goodnight Moon.