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books tagged “realistic”
books tagged “realistic”
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Absolutely Normal Chaosby Sharon CreechISBN 0330322265 (0-330-32226-5)
Hardcover, Pan Books Ltd
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Absolutely Normal Chaos'Book summary:First, Mary Lou's weirdo country cousin, Carl Ray, comes to stay with the large and chaotic family, then Alex Cheevy asks her out, she stops talking to Beth Ann, her one-time best friend, and she has to cope with a neighbour's death. By the author of "The Recital" and "Nickel Malley". [via]
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Are You There God? It's Me, Margaretby Judy BlumeISBN 0130458562 (0-13-045856-2)
Hardcover, Bradbury Press
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret'More editions of Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret:
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Bad Boyby Walter Dean MyersISBN 0064472884 (0-06-447288-4)
Softcover, Amistad Pr
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Bad Boy'Book summary:In his own words...
As a boy, Walter Dean Myers was quick-tempered and physically strong, always ready for a fight. He also read voraciously-he would check out books from the library and carry them home, hidden in brown paper bags in order to avoid other boys' teasing. He aspired to be a writer. But growing up in a poor family in Harlem, his hope for a successful future diminished as he came to realize fully the class and racial struggles that surrounded him. He began to doubt himself and the values that he had always relied on, attending high school less and less, turning to the streets and his books for comfort.
In a memoir that is gripping, funny, and ultimately unforgettable, Walter Dean Myers travels back to his roots in the magical world of Harlem during the 1940s and 1950s. Here is the story of one of the strongest voices in young people's literature today.
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Bloomabilityby Sharon CreechISBN 006440823X (0-06-440823-X)
Softcover, Harpercollins Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Bloomability'Book summary:Kidnapped!
The kidnappers are actually her Aunt Sandy and Uncle Max, but that doesn't matter to Domenica Santolina Doone, better known as Dinnie. She feels as if she's being taken out of the country against her will. Certainly no one asked her opinion. Dinnie is used to change-with her family constantly moving from state to state while her father searches for one new "opportunity" after another. But when her aunt and uncle whisk her away to an international school in Lugano, Switzerland, Dinnie feels that this might be one "opportunity"that isn't right for her.
Suddenly Dinnie's surrounded by kids from many different cultures, backgrounds, and beliefs. Home, and her first life, seem so far away. Can she adapt to a new country, a new home, and new friends? Or will it just be easier to close herself off-just survive-and never realize all the "bloomabilities" that are possible?
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Born Blueby Han NolanISBN 0152046976 (0-15-204697-6)
Softcover, Harcourt Childrens Books
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Boy Meets Boyby David LevithanISBN 0375832998 (0-375-83299-8)
Softcover, Random House Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Boy Meets Boy'Book summary:In this delightful young adult novel for readers 12 and up, high school sophomore Paul says, "There isnt really a gay scene or a straight scene in our town. They got all mixed up a while back, which I think is for the best." And, as he observes at the end of the story, "It's a wonderful world." Paul has both gay and straight friends, and they all hang out together at terrific bookstores and concerts, and advise one another on the sometimes troubled progress of their various romances. Paul is smitten with Noah, and they are beginning a serious relationship when Kyle, Pauls ex, complicates things by deciding that all is forgiven. Joni is going out with Chuck, who dominates her, much to her friends' disapproval. Tonys conservative parents refuse to acknowledge that he is gay, so the others must bone up on Bible verses all week so they can pretend Saturday night is a study group. And then there's Infinite Darlene, football quarterback and Homecoming Queen, who deserves a whole romance novel of her own. Life in their town is gloriously accepting of differences and only occasionally verges on magic realism, in this first novel in which same sex preference is not the problem. --Patty Campbell [via]
Bridge to Terabithiaby Katherine Paterson, Donna DiamondISBN 0061227285 (0-06-122728-5)
Softcover, Harpercollins Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Bridge to Terabithia'Book summary:The story starts out simply enough: Jess Aarons wants to be the fastest boy in the fifth grade--he wants it so bad he can taste it. He's been practicing all summer, running in the fields around his farmhouse until he collapses in a sweat. Then a tomboy named Leslie Burke moves into the farmhouse next door and changes his life forever. Not only does Leslie not look or act like any girls Jess knows, but she also turns out to be the fastest runner in the fifth grade. After getting over the shock and humiliation of being beaten by a girl, Jess begins to think Leslie might be okay.
Despite their superficial differences, it's clear that Jess and Leslie are soul mates. The two create a secret kingdom in the woods named Terabithia, where the only way to get into the castle is by swinging out over a gully on an enchanted rope. Here they reign as king and queen, fighting off imaginary giants and the walking dead, sharing stories and dreams, and plotting against the schoolmates who tease them. Jess and Leslie find solace in the sanctuary of Terabithia until a tragedy strikes and the two are separated forever. In a style that is both plain and powerful, Katherine Paterson's characters will stir your heart and put a lump in your throat. [via]
More editions of Bridge to Terabithia:
- Bridge to Terabithia: ISBN 0061253707 (0-06-125370-7)
Softcover, Harper Entertainment - Bridge to Terabithia: ISBN 0064401847 (0-06-440184-7)
Softcover, Harpercollins Childrens Books - Bridge to Terabithia: ISBN 0064471470 (0-06-447147-0)
Softcover, Harpercollins Childrens Books - Bridge to Terabithia: ISBN 0061227285 (0-06-122728-5)
Softcover, Harpercollins Childrens Books
- Bridge to Terabithia: ISBN 0061253707 (0-06-125370-7)
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Bridge to Terabithia: The Official Movie Companionby David PatersonISBN 0061215317 (0-06-121531-7)
Softcover, Harper Entertainment
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Bridge to Terabithia: The Official Movie Companion'Book summary:Now a major motion picture, discover the beloved Newbery Medal-winning story of Jess Aarons and Leslie Burke. Join Jess and Leslie as they form an unlikely friendship and create the imaginary land of Terabithia. There they rule as king and queen, until a terrible tragedy occurs that helps Jess understand just how much he has learned from Leslie. [via]
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Catalystby Laurie Halse AndersonISBN 0142400017 (0-14-240001-7)
Softcover, Penguin Group USA
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Catalyst'Book summary:Chemistry honors student and cross-country runner Kate Malone is driven. Daughter of a father who is a reverend first and a parent second ("Rev. Dad [Version 4.7] is a faulty operating system, incompatible with my software.") and a dead mother she tries not to remember, Kate has one goal: To escape them both by gaining entrance to her own holy temple, MIT. Eschewing sleep, she runs endlessly every night waiting for the sacred college acceptance letter. Then two disasters occur: Sullen classmate Teri and her younger brother, Mikey, take over Kate's room when their own house burns down, and a too-thin letter comes from MIT, signifying denial. And so the experiment begins. Can crude Teri and sweet Mikey, combined with the rejection letter, form the catalyst that will shake Kate out of her selfish tunnel vision and force her to deal with the suppressed pain of her mom's death? "If I could run all the time, life would be fine. As long as I keep moving, I'm in control." But for Kate, it's time to stop running and face the feelings she's spent her whole life racing away from.
Catalyst, Laurie Halse Anderson's third novel for teens, is a deftly fashioned character study of a seldom explored subject in YA fiction: the type-A adolescent. Teens will identify (if not exactly sympathize) with prickly Kate instantly, and be shocked or perhaps secretly pleased to discover that life is no easier for the honor roll student than it is for the outcast. Anderson earns an A plus for this revealing and realistic take on life, death, and GPAs. (Ages 12 and older) --Jennifer Hubert [via]
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Chasing Redbirdby Sharon CreechISBN 0064406962 (0-06-440696-2)
Softcover, Harpercollins Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Chasing Redbird'Book summary:Zinny Taylor: Explorer
It started out as an ordinary summer. But the minute thirteen-year-old Zinny discovered the old, overgrown trail that ran through the woods behind her family's house, she realized that things were about to change.
Right from the start, Zinny knew that uncovering the trail would be more than just a summer project. It was her chance to finally make people notice her, and to have a place she could call her very own. But more than that, Zinny knew that the trail somehow held the key to all kinds of questions. And that the only way to understand her family, her Aunt Jessie's death, and herself was to find out where it went.
From Newbery Medal-winning author Sharon Creech comes an intricately woven tale of a young girl who sets out in search of her place in the worldand discovers it in her own backyard.
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Define "Normal"by Julie Anne PetersISBN 0316734896 (0-316-73489-6)
Softcover, Little Brown & Co
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Define "Normal"'Book summary:"Antonia is a "priss," Jazz is a "punk." Antonia belongs to the math club. Jazz hangs out at the tattoo parlor. Antonia's parents are divorced and her mother struggles to pay the rent. Jazz is from a traditional family and lives in a mansion with a pool. But when these two very different girls find themselves facing each other in a peer-counseling program, they discover they have some surprising things in common. Alternately hilarious and heart-wrenching, this is an absorbing read that will keep audiences thinking and laughing." [via]
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Flippedby Wendelin Van DraanenISBN 0375825444 (0-375-82544-4)
Softcover, Random House Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Flipped'Book summary:Juli Baker devoutly believes in three things: the sanctity of trees (especially her beloved sycamore), the wholesomeness of the eggs she collects from her backyard flock of chickens, and that someday she will kiss Bryce Loski. Ever since she saw Bryce's baby blues back in second grade, Juli has been smitten. Unfortunately, Bryce has never felt the same. Frankly, he thinks Juli Baker is a little weird--after all, what kind of freak raises chickens and sits in trees for fun? Then, in eighth grade, everything changes. Bryce begins to see that Juli's unusual interests and pride in her family are, well, kind of cool. And Juli starts to think that maybe Bryce's brilliant blue eyes are as empty as the rest of Bryce seems to be. After all, what kind of jerk doesn't care about other people's feelings about chickens and trees? With Flipped, mystery author Wendelin Van Draanen has taken a break from her Sammy Keyes series, and the result is flipping fantastic. Bryce and Juli's rants and raves about each other ring so true that teen readers will quickly identify with at least one of these hilarious feuding egos, if not both. A perfect introduction to the adolescent war between the sexes. (Ages 12 to 14) --Jennifer Hubert [via]
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Frances Hodgson Burnett's the Secret Gardenby Frances Hodgson Burnett, Tasha TudorISBN 006440188X (0-06-440188-X)
Softcover, Harpercollins Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Frances Hodgson Burnett's the Secret Garden'Book summary:After losing her parents and being shipped from India to the Yorkshire Moors, Mary Lennox is terribly lonely. Living in her uncle's gloomy mansion, she has nobody to play with. But one day, she learns of a secret garden somewhere in the grounds that her uncle won't allow anyone to enter. Then Mary uncovers an old key in a flowerbed - and a gust of magic leads her to the hidden door. Slowly, she turns the key and enters a world she could never have imagined... [via]
More editions of Frances Hodgson Burnett's the Secret Garden:
- Frances Hodgson Burnett's the Secret Garden: ISBN 0140366660 (0-14-036666-0)
Softcover, Puffin - Frances Hodgson Burnett's the Secret Garden: ISBN 0142437050 (0-14-243705-0)
Softcover, Penguin Group USA - Frances Hodgson Burnett's the Secret Garden: ISBN 0192835963 (0-19-283596-3)
Softcover, Oxford Univ Pr - Frances Hodgson Burnett's the Secret Garden: ISBN 0393926354 (0-393-92635-4)
Softcover, W W Norton & Co Inc - Frances Hodgson Burnett's the Secret Garden: ISBN 0141182180 (0-14-118218-0)
Softcover, Penguin Group USA - Frances Hodgson Burnett's the Secret Garden: ISBN 0141309318 (0-14-130931-8)
Softcover, Penguin Group USA - Frances Hodgson Burnett's the Secret Garden: ISBN 006075771X (0-06-075771-X)
Hardcover, Harperfestival - Frances Hodgson Burnett's the Secret Garden: ISBN 0394554310 (0-394-55431-0)
Hardcover, Random House Childrens Books - Frances Hodgson Burnett's the Secret Garden: ISBN 006440188X (0-06-440188-X)
Softcover, Harpercollins Childrens Books
- Frances Hodgson Burnett's the Secret Garden: ISBN 0140366660 (0-14-036666-0)
Frances Hodgson Burnett's the Secret Gardenby Dennis Butts, Frances Hodgson BurnettISBN 0192817728 (0-19-281772-8)
Softcover, Oxford Univ Pr
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Frances Hodgson Burnett's the Secret Garden'Book summary:Mistress Mary is quite contrary until she helps her garden grow. Along the way, she manages to cure her sickly cousin Colin, who is every bit as truculent as she. These two are sullen little peas in a pod, cooped up in a gloomy old manor on the Yorkshire moors, until a locked-up garden captures their imaginations and puts the blush of a wild rose in their cheeks; "It was the sweetest, most mysterious-looking place any one could imagine. The high walls which shut it in were covered with the leafless stems of roses which were so thick, that they matted together.... 'No wonder it is still,' Mary whispered. 'I am the first person who has spoken here for ten years.'" As new life sprouts from the earth, Mary and Colin's sour natures begin to sweeten. For anyone who has ever felt afraid to live and love, The Secret Garden's portrayal of reawakening spirits will thrill and rejuvenate. Frances Hodgson Burnett creates characters so strong and distinct, young readers continue to identify with them even 85 years after they were conceived. (Ages 9 to 12) [via]
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Girls In Pants: The Third Summer Of The Sisterhoodby Ann BrasharesISBN 0385729359 (0-385-72935-9)
Hardcover, Delacorte Pr
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Girls In Pants: The Third Summer Of The Sisterhood'Book summary:Ages 12 and up. Best buds Tibby, Carmen, Lena and Bridget are back with their magical pair of shared jeans in Girls in Pants: The Third Summer of the Sisterhood. Each summer brings new and difficult challenges, as the perennially separated friends discover afresh this last season before college. Tibby struggles with the idea of close friend Brian becoming her boyfriend, and their fragile relationship is soon tested by a tragedy in her immediate family. Carmen doesnt know how to react when she finds out that her middle-aged mom is pregnant, and Bridget is unpleasantly surprised to be reunited with the boy who broke her heart two summers ago. Finally, Lena, still coming to terms with the loss of her first love, tries to convince her strict father that art school is a better career path than Greek restaurant management. But through every crisis, each girl is assured of the love and support of the created sisterhood when she pulls on the denim armor of the cherished, and by now, a bit fragrant ("Rule # 1. You must never wash the Pants.") Traveling Pants.
Full of homey platitudes about life, love and the pursuit of perfect jeans, Girls in Pants occasionally reads like a lengthy Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul entry. But often thats precisely the kind of friendly reassurance female readers are looking for, and fans of the wildly popular series whove journeyed every summer with the "Septembers" will find much to laugh and cry about in this concluding volume. --Jennifer Hubert [via]
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Harriet the Spyby Louise FitzhughISBN 0385327838 (0-385-32783-8)
Hardcover, Random House Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Harriet the Spy'Book summary:Ages 8-12. Thirty-two years before it was made into a movie, Harriet the Spy was a groundbreaking book: its unflinchingly honest portrayal of childhood problems and emotions changed children's literature forever. Happily, it has neither dated nor become obsolete and remains one of the best children's novels ever written. The fascinating story is about an intensely curious and intelligent girl, who literally spies on people and writes about them in her secret notebook, trying to make sense of life's absurdities. When her classmates find her notebook and read her painfully blunt comments about them, Harriet finds herself a lonely outcast. Fitzhugh's writing is astonishingly vivid, real and engaging, and Harriet, by no means a typical, loveable heroine, is one of literature's most unforgettable characters. School Library Journal wrote, "a tour de force... bursts with life." The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books called it "a very, very funny story." And The Chicago Tribune raved, "brilliantly written... a superb portrait of an extraordinary child." [via]
More editions of Harriet the Spy:
- Harriet the Spy: ISBN 0064403319 (0-06-440331-9)
Softcover, Harpercollins Childrens Books - Harriet the Spy: ISBN 0064406601 (0-06-440660-1)
Softcover, Harpercollins Childrens Books - Harriet the Spy: ISBN 0064471543 (0-06-447154-3)
Softcover, Harpercollins Childrens Books - Harriet the Spy: ISBN 0064471659 (0-06-447165-9)
Softcover, Harpercollins Childrens Books - Harriet the Spy: ISBN 0385327838 (0-385-32783-8)
Hardcover, Random House Childrens Books
- Harriet the Spy: ISBN 0064403319 (0-06-440331-9)
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How I Live Nowby Meg RosoffISBN 0385746776 (0-385-74677-6)
Hardcover, Random House Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'How I Live Now'Book summary:"Every war has turning points and every person too."Fifteen-year-old Daisy is sent from Manhattan to England to visit her aunt and cousins she's never met: three boys near her age, and their little sister. Her aunt goes away on business soon after Daisy arrives. The next day bombs go off as London is attacked and occupied by an unnamed enemy.As power fails, and systems fail, the farm becomes more isolated. Despite the war, it's a kind of Eden, with no adults in charge and no rules, a place where Daisy's uncanny bond with her cousins grows into something rare and extraordinary. But the war is everywhere, and Daisy and her cousins must lead each other into a world that is unknown in the scariest, most elemental way.A riveting and astonishing story. [via]
If You Come Softlyby Jacqueline WoodsonISBN 0142406015 (0-14-240601-5)
Softcover, Penguin Group USA
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A Little Princessby U. C. Knoepflmacher, Frances Hodgson BurnettISBN 0142437018 (0-14-243701-8)
Softcover, Penguin Group USA
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› Find signed collectible books: 'A Little Princess'Book summary:Sara Crewe, an exceptionally intelligent and imaginative student at Miss Minchin's Select Seminary for Young Ladies, is devastated when her adored, indulgent father dies. Now penniless and banished to a room in the attic, Sara is demeaned, abused, and forced to work as a servant. How this resourceful girl's fortunes change again is at the center of A Little Princess, one of the best-loved stories in all of children's literature.[via]
This unique and fully annotated edition appends excerpts from Frances Hodgson Burnett's original 1888 novella Sara Crewe and the stage play that preceded the novel, as well as an early story, "Behind the White Brick," allowing readers to see how A Little Princess evolved. In his delightful introduction, U. C. Knoepflmacher considers the fairy-tale allusions and literary touchstones that place the book among the major works of Victorian literature, and shows it to be an exceptionally rich and resonant novel.More editions of A Little Princess:
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Little Womenby Louisa May AlcottISBN 0140380221 (0-14-038022-1)
Softcover, Penguin Group USA
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Little Women'Book summary:This "Penguin Classics" edition of Louisa May Alcott's inspiring tale of sisterhood, "Little Women", is edited with an introduction by Elaine Showalter. The charming story of four 'little women' - Meg, Jo, Amy and Beth - and their wise and patient mother Marmee, was an instant success when first published in 1868. Enduring hardships and enjoying adventures in Civil War New England, the March sisters have been adored for generations. Readers have rooted for Laurie in his pursuit of Jo's hand, cried over little Beth's death, and dreamed of travelling through Europe with old Aunt March and Amy. Future writers have found inspiration in Jo's devotion to her writing. In this simple, enthralling tale, both parts of which are included here, Louisa May Alcott has created four of American literature's most beloved women. In her enlightening, thoughtful introduction, Elaine Showalter discusses Louisa May Alcott's influences, and her aspirations for "Little Women", as well as the impact the novel has had on such women writers as Joyce Carol Oates and Cynthia Ozick. This edition also includes notes on the text by Siobhan Kilfeather and Vinca Showalter. Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888) grew up surrounded by American writers such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Henry David Thoreau. Drawing on her experience as a volunteer nurse in the Union Army during the American Civil War, she published "Hospital Sketches" in 1863, followed by gothic romances and lurid thrillers such as "A Modern Mephistopheles" and "A Long Fatal Love Chase". In 1868, she published "Little Women", which proved so popular that it was followed by two sequels. If you enjoyed "Little Women" you might like Elizabeth Gaskell's "Wives and Daughters", also available in "Penguin Classics". [via]
More editions of Little Women:
- Little Women: ISBN 0140390693 (0-14-039069-3)
Softcover, Penguin Group USA - Little Women: ISBN 0141312025 (0-14-131202-5)
Softcover, Penguin Group USA - Little Women: ISBN 0192834347 (0-19-283434-7)
Softcover, Oxford Univ Pr - Little Women: ISBN 0195852710 (0-19-585271-0)
Softcover, Oxford Univ Pr - Little Women: ISBN 0375756728 (0-375-75672-8)
Softcover, Random House Inc - Little Women: ISBN 0393976149 (0-393-97614-9)
Softcover, W W Norton & Co Inc - Little Women: ISBN 0140366687 (0-14-036668-7)
Softcover, Puffin - Little Women: ISBN 0192827650 (0-19-282765-0)
Softcover, Oxford Univ Pr - Little Women: ISBN 0394331877 (0-394-33187-7)
Softcover, McGraw-Hill College - Little Women: ISBN 0307122131 (0-307-12213-1)
Hardcover, Random House Childrens Books - Little Women: ISBN 0307171167 (0-307-17116-7)
Hardcover, Random House Childrens Books - Little Women: ISBN 030767116X (0-307-67116-X)
Hardcover, Goldencraft - Little Women: ISBN 0394562798 (0-394-56279-8)
Hardcover, Ariel Books/Knopf - Little Women: ISBN 0140380221 (0-14-038022-1)
Softcover, Penguin Group USA
- Little Women: ISBN 0140390693 (0-14-039069-3)
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Little Women, Or, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amyby Louisa May AlcottISBN 0316031054 (0-316-03105-4)
Softcover, Little Brown & Co
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Little Women, Or, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy'Book summary:Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy manage to lead interesting lives despite Father's absence at war and the family's lack of money. Whether they're putting on a play or forming a secret society, their gaiety is infectious. Written from Louisa May Alcott's own experiences, this remarkable novel has been treasured for generations. [via]
More editions of Little Women, Or, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy:
- Little Women, Or, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy: ISBN 0316030902 (0-316-03090-2)
Hardcover, Little Brown & Co - Little Women, Or, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy: ISBN 0316031070 (0-316-03107-0)
Hardcover, Little Brown & Co - Little Women, Or, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy: ISBN 0316031054 (0-316-03105-4)
Softcover, Little Brown & Co
- Little Women, Or, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy: ISBN 0316030902 (0-316-03090-2)
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Memoirs of a Geishaby Arthur GoldenISBN 0307275167 (0-307-27516-7)
Softcover, Vintage Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Memoirs of a Geisha'Book summary:According to Arthur Golden's absorbing first novel, the word "geisha" does not mean "prostitute," as Westerners ignorantly assume--it means "artisan" or "artist." To capture the geisha experience in the art of fiction, Golden trained as long and hard as any geisha who must master the arts of music, dance, clever conversation, crafty battle with rival beauties, and cunning seduction of wealthy patrons. After earning degrees in Japanese art and history from Harvard and Columbia--and an M.A. in English--he met a man in Tokyo who was the illegitimate offspring of a renowned businessman and a geisha. This meeting inspired Golden to spend 10 years researching every detail of geisha culture, chiefly relying on the geisha Mineko Iwasaki, who spent years charming the very rich and famous.
The result is a novel with the broad social canvas (and love of coincidence) of Charles Dickens and Jane Austen's intense attention to the nuances of erotic maneuvering. Readers experience the entire life of a geisha, from her origins as an orphaned fishing-village girl in 1929 to her triumphant auction of her mizuage (virginity) for a record price as a teenager to her reminiscent old age as the distinguished mistress of the powerful patron of her dreams. We discover that a geisha is more analogous to a Western "trophy wife" than to a prostitute--and, as in Austen, flat-out prostitution and early death is a woman's alternative to the repressive, arcane system of courtship. In simple, elegant prose, Golden puts us right in the tearoom with the geisha; we are there as she gracefully fights for her life in a social situation where careers are made or destroyed by a witticism, a too-revealing (or not revealing enough) glimpse of flesh under the kimono, or a vicious rumor spread by a rival "as cruel as a spider."
Golden's web is finely woven, but his book has a serious flaw: the geisha's true romance rings hollow--the love of her life is a symbol, not a character. Her villainous geisha nemesis is sharply drawn, but she would be more so if we got a deeper peek into the cause of her motiveless malignity--the plight all geisha share. Still, Golden has won the triple crown of fiction: he has created a plausible female protagonist in a vivid, now-vanished world, and he gloriously captures Japanese culture by expressing his thoughts in authentic Eastern metaphors. [via]
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Memorias De Una Geisha / Memoirs of a Geishaby Arthur Golden, Pilar VazquezISBN 0307275302 (0-307-27530-2)
Softcover, Random House Espanol
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Memorias De Una Geisha / Memoirs of a Geisha'Book summary:Una sensación literaria y bestseller internacional presenta con perfecta autenticidad y exquisito lirismo las fieles confesiones de una de las geishas más famosas de Japón.
En Memorias de una geisha entramos a un mundo donde las apariencias son de suma importancia; donde la virginidad de una niña es subastada al mejor postor; donde las mujeres son entrenadas para seducir a los hombres más poderosos; y donde el amor es desdeñado como una mera ilusión. Es una obra de ficción única y triunfal al mismo tiempo romántica, erótica y de suspenso absolutamente inolvidable. [via]More editions of Memorias De Una Geisha / Memoirs of a Geisha:
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Middlesexby Jeffrey EugenidesISBN 0312422156 (0-312-42215-6)
Softcover, Picador USA
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Middlesex'Book summary:"I was born twice: first, as a baby girl, on a remarkably smogless Detroit day in January of 1960; and then again, as a teenage boy, in an emergency room near Petoskey, Michigan, in August of 1974." And so begins Middlesex, the mesmerizing saga of a near-mythic Greek American family and the "roller-coaster ride of a single gene through time." The odd but utterly believable story of Cal Stephanides, and how this 41-year-old hermaphrodite was raised as Calliope, is at the tender heart of this long-awaited second novel from Jeffrey Eugenides, whose elegant and haunting 1993 debut, The Virgin Suicides, remains one of the finest first novels of recent memory.
Eugenides weaves together a kaleidoscopic narrative spanning 80 years of a stained family history, from a fateful incestuous union in a small town in early 1920s Asia Minor to Prohibition-era Detroit; from the early days of Ford Motors to the heated 1967 race riots; from the tony suburbs of Grosse Pointe and a confusing, aching adolescent love story to modern-day Berlin. Eugenides's command of the narrative is astonishing. He balances Cal/Callie's shifting voices convincingly, spinning this strange and often unsettling story with intelligence, insight, and generous amounts of humor:
Emotions, in my experience aren't covered by single words. I don't believe in "sadness," "joy," or "regret." & I'd like to have at my disposal complicated hybrid emotions, Germanic traincar constructions like, say, "the happiness that attends disaster." Or: "the disappointment of sleeping with one's fantasy." ... I'd like to have a word for "the sadness inspired by failing restaurants" as well as for "the excitement of getting a room with a minibar." I've never had the right words to describe my life, and now that I've entered my story, I need them more than ever.
When you get to the end of this splendorous book, when you suddenly realize that after hundreds of pages you have only a few more left to turn over, you'll experience a quick pang of regret knowing that your time with Cal is coming to a close, and you may even resist finishing it--putting it aside for an hour or two, or maybe overnight--just so that this wondrous, magical novel might never end. --Brad Thomas Parsons [via]
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Mujercitas / Little Womenby Louisa May AlcottISBN 0307349942 (0-307-34994-2)
Softcover, Random House Espanol
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Mujercitas / Little Women'Book summary:Este es un libro que raro será encontrar una mujer que no lo haya leído, sea joven o mayor. Mujercitas es más que un clásico, que ha sido llevado al cine y a la TV en más de una ocasión y que narra las aventuras de las cuatro hijas de la familia March, Meg, Jo, Beth y Amy en un soberbio retrato de la vida americana, en la segunda mitad del siglo XIX, con el que tuvo tanto éxito que publica la continuación en 1869. La obra tiene tintes autobiográficos de la autora, que se basó en sus padres, sus hermanas, sus amigos de Nueva-Inglaterra y de Europa. Las cuatro hermanas realizan un aprendizaje, a veces doloroso, a veces fascinante, de la vida y del amor. Van creciendo y abandonando, una a una, el hogar familiar para casarse y crear sus propias familias. Sólo se queda Jo, que quiere ser escritora. A pesar de la sensación que tiene de que ya ha terminado su tiempo de felicidad, sigue escribiendo y consigue publicar su primera obra. [via]
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The Pactby Jodi PicoultISBN 006085880X (0-06-085880-X)
Softcover, Harpercollins
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Pact'Book summary:Until the phone calls came at three o'clock on a November morning, the Golds and their neighbors, the Hartes, had been inseparable. It was no surprise to anyone when their teenage children, Chris and Emily, began showing signs that their relationship was moving beyond that of lifelong friends. But now seventeen-year-old Emily is deadshot with a gun her beloved and devoted Chris pilfered from his father's cabinet as part of an apparent suicide pactleaving two devastated families stranded in the dark and dense predawn, desperate for answers about an unthinkable act and the children they never really knew.
From New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoultone of the most powerful writers in contemporary fictioncomes a riveting, timely, heartbreaking, and terrifying novel of families in anguish and friendships ripped apart by inconceivable violence.
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The Penderwicks: Library Editionby Jeanne BirdsallISBN 0375831436 (0-375-83143-6)
Hardcover, Random House Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Penderwicks: Library Edition'Book summary:This summer the Penderwick sisters have a wonderful surprise: a holiday on the grounds of a beautiful estate called Arundel. Soon they are busy discovering the summertime magic of Arundels sprawling gardens, treasure-filled attic, tame rabbits, and the cook who makes the best gingerbread in Massachusetts. But the best discovery of all is Jeffrey Tifton, son of Arundels owner, who quickly proves to be the perfect companion for their adventures.
The icy-hearted Mrs. Tifton is not as pleased with the Penderwicks as Jeffrey is, though, and warns the new friends to stay out of trouble. Which, of course, they willwont they? One things for sure: it will be a summer the Penderwicks will never forget.
Deliciously nostalgic and quaintly witty, this is a story as breezy and carefree as a summer day.
From the Hardcover edition. [via] 
Saint Iggyby K. L. GoingISBN 0152057951 (0-15-205795-1)
Hardcover, Harcourt Childrens Books
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Sammy Keyes & the Hollywood Mummyby Wendelin Van DraanenISBN 037590266X (0-375-90266-X)
Hardcover, Random House Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Sammy Keyes & the Hollywood Mummy'Book summary:The sixth Sammy Keyes book is one of the most exciting yet, as Sammy and her friend Marissa decide to blow town and take a bus to the seedy, insane town of Hollywood to surprise (and shake some sense into) Sammy's mother, the elusive Lady Lana. When they arrive, they discover that she's transformed herself into the glamorous, platinum-blonde, "25-year-old" actress Dominique Windsor, who certainly could never have spawned a 12-year-old--let alone a scruffy, no-nonsense girl like Sammy. The plot thickens, however, as Lady Lana's masquerade backfires in the most dreadful of ways and Sammy is left to save the day and solve the biggest mystery of her life. (Ages 10 and older) [via]
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Sammy Keyes & the Moustache Maryby Wendelin Van DraanenISBN 0375902651 (0-375-90265-1)
Hardcover, Random House Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Sammy Keyes & the Moustache Mary'Book summary:Wendelin Van Draanen's funny, fast-paced girl-detective series hit the ground running with Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief, winner of the 1999 Edgar Allan Poe Award for best children's mystery. After four more Sammy stories, we've officially befriended the strong, spunky, skateboarding seventh grader who can't help but plant herself in the middle of the action. Sammy Keyes and the Curse of Moustache Mary starts innocently enough when Sammy decides to spend New Year's Eve weekend at a friend's house in the country. The next thing she knows, she's made friends with an elderly woman named Lucinda Huntley, owner of a 200-pound pet pig and heir to a Wild West story about a century-old family feud involving her great-grandmother "Moustache Mary," who came west from Missouri in 1845. When Mary's historic cabin burns to the ground, Sammy wastes no time in plunging headlong into the mystery--and into a few serious scrapes.
Sammy is growing up, and with her years come the rumblings of romance, confrontations with kids who use (and manufacture) drugs, and plenty of decisions about who she should trust... including herself. Van Draanen captures Sammy's honest, funny, fresh voice in an always-engaging first-person narrative that accompanies the rapid-fire action and adventure. Sammy Keyes is a person your favorite bookworm will want to get to know, and fortunately, more adventures are on the way. (Ages 10 and older) --Karin Snelson [via]
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Sammy Keyes and the Art of Deceptionby Wendelin Van DraanenISBN 0375811761 (0-375-81176-1)
Hardcover, Random House Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Sammy Keyes and the Art of Deception'Book summary:Sammy Keyes, girl sleuth extraordinaire, cracks the case once again in the latest installment of Wendelin Van Draanen's smart, snappy mystery series for readers ages 11 and older. This time, the trouble begins when 13-year-old Sammy ("a magnet for mayhem") attends a fancy reception at an art gallery (wearing high-tops, of course) and ends up tackling a gun-wielding art burglar who crashes the party. He, however, proves to be only one of an entire gallery of rogues. As ever, Van Draanen crafts an entertaining, multi-layered page-turner starring a brash, likable heroine with a big mouth and a big heart. Throw in a little romance at a Renaissance Faire, a whole new side to Sammy's grandmother (what's this about a tricked-out Harley?), and some thoughtful views on the nature of art, and voila! you have one of the best Sammy Keyes books to date. (Ages 11 and older) --Karin Snelson [via]
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Sammy Keyes and the Curse of Moustache Maryby Wendelin Van DraanenISBN 0375802657 (0-375-80265-7)
Hardcover, Random House Children's Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Sammy Keyes and the Curse of Moustache Mary'Book summary:Wendelin Van Draanen's funny, fast-paced girl-detective series hit the ground running with Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief, winner of the 1999 Edgar Allan Poe Award for best children's mystery. After four more Sammy stories, we've officially befriended the strong, spunky, skateboarding seventh grader who can't help but plant herself in the middle of the action. Sammy Keyes and the Curse of Moustache Mary starts innocently enough when Sammy decides to spend New Year's Eve weekend at a friend's house in the country. The next thing she knows, she's made friends with an elderly woman named Lucinda Huntley, owner of a 200-pound pet pig and heir to a Wild West story about a century-old family feud involving her great-grandmother "Moustache Mary," who came west from Missouri in 1845. When Mary's historic cabin burns to the ground, Sammy wastes no time in plunging headlong into the mystery--and into a few serious scrapes.
Sammy is growing up, and with her years come the rumblings of romance, confrontations with kids who use (and manufacture) drugs, and plenty of decisions about who she should trust... including herself. Van Draanen captures Sammy's honest, funny, fresh voice in an always-engaging first-person narrative that accompanies the rapid-fire action and adventure. Sammy Keyes is a person your favorite bookworm will want to get to know, and fortunately, more adventures are on the way. (Ages 10 and older) --Karin Snelson [via]
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Sammy Keyes And The Dead Giveawayby Wendelin Van DraanenISBN 0375823506 (0-375-82350-6)
Hardcover, Random House Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Sammy Keyes And The Dead Giveaway'Book summary:The bad news: Sammys made a deadly mistake.
The good news: No one knows she did it.
The delicious dilemma: Everyone thinks her archenemy Heather is to blame.
Now Heathers in a major jam, and in some ways its only fairHeathers pinned more than a few crimes on Sammy. Besides, there are distractions galore to keep Sammy from confessing. Like the end of the school year. And the Farewell Dance. Especially the dance, because shes going with Heathers brother, Casey. But Sammy knows that the truth has an uncanny way of resurfacing, and when it does, the stench can be more vile than the junior high cafeteria. . . .
From the Hardcover edition. [via]More editions of Sammy Keyes And The Dead Giveaway:
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Sammy Keyes and the Hollywood Mummyby Wendelin Van Draanen, Dan YaccarinoISBN 0375802665 (0-375-80266-5)
Hardcover, Random House Children's Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Sammy Keyes and the Hollywood Mummy'Book summary:The sixth Sammy Keyes book is one of the most exciting yet, as Sammy and her friend Marissa decide to blow town and take a bus to the seedy, insane town of Hollywood to surprise (and shake some sense into) Sammy's mother, the elusive Lady Lana. When they arrive, they discover that she's transformed herself into the glamorous, platinum-blonde, "25-year-old" actress Dominique Windsor, who certainly could never have spawned a 12-year-old--let alone a scruffy, no-nonsense girl like Sammy. The plot thickens, however, as Lady Lana's masquerade backfires in the most dreadful of ways and Sammy is left to save the day and solve the biggest mystery of her life. (Ages 10 and older) [via]
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Sammy Keyes and the Psycho Kitty Queenby Wendelin Van Draanen, Dan YaccarinoISBN 0375823492 (0-375-82349-2)
Hardcover, Random House Childrens Books
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Sammy Keyes and the Runaway Elfby Wendelin Van DraanenISBN 037580255X (0-375-80255-X)
Softcover, Alfred a Knopf Inc
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Sammy Keyes and the Runaway Elf'Book summary:Encyclopedia Brown's detective work might be enough to keep small-timers like Bugs Meany and Wilford Wiggins in line, but his hometown of Idaville may as well be Snoozeville compared to strange and surreal Santa Martina, where seventh-grade sharp-witted super-sleuth Sammy Keyes hangs her hat. Sammy doesn't go looking for cases to solve in this town: she's too busy pulling her rear end out of the fire, finding herself in one predicament after another.
In Sammy Keyes and the Runaway Elf (her fourth adventure, following Sammy Keyes and the Sisters of Mercy), Sammy gets snookered into dog-sitting Marique, a furry, orange, hoop-jumping Pomeranian, one of the 12 dogs-of-the-month riding atop the Canine Calendar Christmas float. But at the height of the parade, Marique disappears just as three people dressed as the Three Kings throw panicked cats onto the dog-laden float. Chaos ensues, and before the fake snow even settles, Sammy finds herself in the center of a dog-napping scheme, blackmailed by Marique's mean-old-lady owner into tracking the little Pom down before she has to pay $50,000... or else.
It's just another week in Santa Martina, and just another case for Sammy. More clever clues and characterizations from the capable Wendelin Van Draanen, who spins another complex, satisfying, often laugh-out-loud installment in this quirky youth mystery series. Encyclopedia Brown's got it easy. (Ages 9 to 12) --Paul Hughes [via]
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Sammy Keyes and the Search for Snake Eyesby Wendelin Van DraanenISBN 0375811753 (0-375-81175-3)
Hardcover, Random House Children's Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Sammy Keyes and the Search for Snake Eyes'Book summary:Not normally a mall rat, young Sammy Keyes somehow finds herself at the video arcade with her best friend one day, blowing off steam before the big junior-high softball tournament. Naturally, fans of this plucky girl detective (Sammy Keyes and the Hollywood Mummy, Sammy Keyes and the Sisters of Mercy, etc.) will not be at all surprised to learn that this innocent outing winds up putting Sammy in the middle of another big, messy, dangerous mystery. In spite of her best intentions, our sleuth is soon exploring the seamy underbelly of her hometown, confronting gang members, pursuing a man with "hatred for eyes, steel for a mouth," and trying to take care of an abandoned infant--all while remaining undercover at her grandmother's adults-only apartment complex. Newcomers and veterans of the Sammy Keyes mystery series will immediately take to this not-so-hard-boiled seventh-grade detective and her funny yet issue-laden adventures. (Ages 10 and older) --Emilie Coulter [via]
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Sammy Keyes and the Sisters of Mercyby Wendelin Van DraanenISBN 0375801839 (0-375-80183-9)
Softcover, Alfred a Knopf Inc
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Sammy Keyes and the Skeleton Manby Wendelin Van DraanenISBN 0375800549 (0-375-80054-9)
Softcover, Random House Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Sammy Keyes and the Skeleton Man'Book summary:Now in Knopf Paperback, seventh-grade gumshoe Sammy Keyes returns in her second mystery--a Halloween intrigue involving Frankenstein and a skeleton man in a tale of greed, grudges, and getting even. [via]
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The Saturdays: Library Editionby Elizabeth EnrightISBN 0140383956 (0-14-038395-6)
Softcover, Penguin Group USA
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Saturdays: Library Edition'Book summary:Four New York City siblings decide to pool their resources so that each can do a special thing on the Saturday that is his turn to receive the combined allowance. [via]
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The Secret Gardenby Frances Hodgson Burnett, Laura F. MarshISBN 0060762128 (0-06-076212-8)
Softcover, Harperfestival
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The Secret Garden : A Young Reader's Edition of the Classic Storyby Frances Hodgson Burnett, Thomas B. Allen, James HoweISBN 0394864670 (0-394-86467-0)
Hardcover, Random House Children's Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Secret Garden : A Young Reader's Edition of the Classic Story'Book summary:Illus. in full color. A storybook edition of Burnett's classic tale about the healing power of love. [via]
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Shredderman: Enemy Spyby Wendelin Van DraanenISBN 0375823549 (0-375-82354-9)
Hardcover, Random House Children's Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Shredderman: Enemy Spy'Book summary:Shredderman.com just made the national news! Everyone is talking about the new cyber-superhero. Oh yeah!
But now people are dying to know who is behind Shredderman.com. Reporters are snooping all over Cedar Valley! Oh no!
Nolan's parents and even his sidekick, Mr. Green, think he should lay low for a while. But being Shredderman is the best thing that's ever happened to Nolan. It's so much better than being Byrd-the-Nerd. Plus, Nolan's just stumbled across what might be a real spy-ring! How can Shredderman not try to fight it?
But some problems are too big for even a superhero to handle. Sometimes the mask gets in the way. Will Nolan's quest for truth and justice mean he has to give up his secret identity? Can he become a superhero in real life?
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So B. Itby Sarah WeeksISBN 0064410471 (0-06-441047-1)
Softcover, Harpercollins Childrens Books
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That Was Then, This Is Nowby S. E. HintonISBN 0140389660 (0-14-038966-0)
Softcover, Penguin Group USA
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› Find signed collectible books: 'That Was Then, This Is Now'Book summary:Ever since Mark's parents died, he has been living with Bryon. The boys are more like brothers than mere friends. They've been inseparable--until recently. Something seems to be changing between them, and Bryon can't figure it out. Is it Cathy, Bryon's new girlfriend? Is Mark jealous? Bryon is also tired of the street fighting, but Mark seems unable to quit. And where is Mark getting all of that money? In That Was Then, This Is Now, one of her most admired novels, S. E. Hinton paints a richly textured portrait of two boys at a crossroads in their friendship. With careful, intimate strokes, Hinton reveals a boy struggling over whether to protect his best friend or whether to follow his own beliefs about right and wrong. The ending will surprise readers, challenging them to puzzle over Bryon's dilemma in their own hearts. [via]
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Walk Two Moonsby Sharon CreechISBN 0060739495 (0-06-073949-5)
Softcover, HarperCollins Canada, Limited
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Walk Two Moons'Book summary:
"How about a story? Spin us a yarn."
Instantly, Phoebe Winterbottom came to mind. "I could tell you an extensively strange story," I warned.
"Oh, good!" Gram said. "Delicious!"
And that is how I happened to tell them about Phoebe, her disappearing mother, and the lunatic.As Sal entertains her grandparents with Phoebe's outrageous story, her own story begins to unfold--the story of a thirteen-year-old girl whose only wish is to be reunited with her missing mother.
In her own award-winning style, Sharon Creech intricately weaves together two tales, one funny, one bittersweet, to create a heartwarming, compelling, and utterly moving story of love, loss, and the complexity of human emotion.
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The Year Of The Dogby Grace LinISBN 031606002X (0-316-06002-X)
Softcover, Little Brown & Co
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Year of the Dog: A Novel'Book summary:It's the Chinese Year of the Dog, and as Pacy celebrates with her family, she finds out that this is the year she is supposed to "find herself." Universal themes of friendship, family, and finding one's passion in life make this novel appealing to readers of all backgrounds. This funny and profound book is a wonderful debut novel by a prolific picture book author and illustrator and has all the makings of a classic. [via]
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Memorias De Una Geisha / Memoirs of a Geishaby Arthur Golden, Pilar VazquezISBN 0307275310 (0-307-27531-0)
Softcover, Random House Espanol
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Memorias De Una Geisha / Memoirs of a Geisha'Book summary:Una sensación literaria y bestseller internacional presenta con perfecta autenticidad y exquisito lirismo las fieles confesiones de una de las geishas m!s famosas de Japón.
En Memorias de una geisha entramos a un mundo donde las apariencias son de suma importancia; donde la virginidad de una niña es subastada al mejor postor; donde las mujeres son entrenadas para seducir a los hombres más poderosos; y donde el amor es desdeado como una mera ilusión. Es una obra de ficción única y triunfal al mismo tiempo romántica, erótica y de suspenso absolutamente inolvidable. [via]More editions of Memorias De Una Geisha / Memoirs of a Geisha:
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