Library

Flowers for Algernon, David Keyes- The beloved, classic story of a mentally disabled man whose experimental quest for intelligence mirrors that of Algernon, an extraordinary lab mouse. In poignant diary entries, Charlie tells how a brain operation increases his IQ and changes his life. As the experimental procedure takes effect, Charlie's intelligence expands until it surpasses that of the doctors who engineered his metamorphosis. The experiment seems to be a scientific breakthrough of paramount importance--until Algernon begins his sudden, unexpected deterioration. Will the same happen to Charlie?

Milkweed, Jerry Spinelli- A boy wanders the streets and survives by stealing what food he can. He knows nothing of his background: Is he a Jew? A Gypsy? Was he ever called something other than Stopthief? Befriended by a band of orphaned Jewish boys, he begins to share their sleeping quarters. He understands very little of what is happening. When the Nazi "Jackboots" march into the town, he greets them happily, admires their shiny boots and tanks, and hopes he can join their ranks someday. He eventually adopts a name, Misha, and a family, that of his friend Janina Milgrom, a girl he meets while stealing food in her comfortable neighborhood. When the Milgroms are forced to move into the newly created ghetto, Misha cheerfully accompanies them. There, he is one of the few small enough to slip through holes in the wall to smuggle in food. By the time trains come to take the ghetto's residents away, Misha realizes what many adults do not-that the passengers won't be going to the resettlement villages at the journey's end. Reading this unusual, fresh view of the Holocaust as seen through the eyes of a child who struggles to understand the world around him is like viewing a poignant collage of Misha's impressions. 

Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain- This wonderful series is a quick way into a range of exciting stories, from the chilling tale of Frankenstein, to the gripping adventure of Treasure Island and the powerful animal story of Cali of the Wild. Fast-moving and accessible, each story is a shortened, dramatically illustrated version of the classic novel, which loses none of the strength and flavour of the original. Huckleberry Finn is the story of a young boy, Huckleberry Finn, and his companion, Jim - an escaped slave on the run. It chronicles the journey they take down the Mississippi River on a plight for freedom.

The Shack, William P. Young- Mackenzie Allen Phillips's youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation, and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later, in this midst of his great sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change his life forever.

A Little Princess,  Frances Hogdson Burnett- Sara lives in India with her rich father who dotes on her.  Somehow, though, Sara has managed to not become selfish, spoiled, or self-centered even though she has been denied nothing in her short life.  When taken to stay at Miss Minchin's Select Seminary in London, Sara is heartbroken at being separated from her father (her mother having previously passed on at Sara's birth).  However, Sara tells herself that she must be a brave soldier and not complain.  What happens to Sarah after a few years will change her life.

Revolve Devotional Bible- The Revolve Devotional Bible is the perfect gift for the teen girl wanting to dig deeper in the Word and develop the discipline of reading Scripture. This devotional Bible can be read as a daily Bible, or by the topic most interesting to the reader. Filled with fun story like descriptions of the women in the Bible, study sections for "digging deeper," and daily devotional readings discussing applicable topics, this Bible is a great resource for every teen girl! Includes both Old and New Testaments of the New Century Version.

Flabbergasted, Ray Blackston- Jay is new in town, young and successful, and not afraid to plop down in a pew to scope out the females. What he finds is a lovely-yet-unusual missionary with a warped sense of humor and a wicked throwing arm. She and a wacky assortment of friends turn Jay's perceptions of life upside down, launching events that leave him and those around him thoroughly Flabbergasted.  By the way, when relational gumbo is on the menu, a South Carolina beach makes for great mood lighting. 

Eggs, Jerry Spinelli- David's mother died almost a year ago, and his father is burying his grief in work. So David, 9, lives with his grandmother, and takes out all of his anger and pain on her. Primrose, 13, never knew her father, and her mother is so distant that Primrose has moved into a van in the backyard. David meets Primrose while she is pretending to be dead at an Easter egg hunt, and the two begin sneaking out at night, roaming the town looking for trash to sell. As these two angry, hurting children squabble and connect, both find something in the other that allows them to begin to heal.

Do Hard Things, Alex & Brett Harris- Most people don't expect you to understand what we're going to tell you in this book. And even if you understand, they don't expect you to care. And even if you care, they don't expect you to do anything about it. And even if you do something about it, they don't expect it to last. We do. Alex and Brett A generation stands on the brink of a "rebelution." A growing movement of young people is rebelling against the low expectations of today's culture by choosing to "do hard things" for the glory of God.

The Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd- Lily Owens, 14, is an emotionally abused white girl living with her cold, uncaring father on a peach farm in rural South Carolina. The memory of her mother, who was accidentally killed in Lily's presence when she was four, haunts her constantly. She has one of her mother's few possessions, a picture of a black Madonna with the words, Tiburon, South Carolina, written on the back. Lily's companion during her sad childhood has been Rosaleen, the black woman hired to care for her. Rosaleen, in a euphoric mood after the passing of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, goes to town to register to vote and insults one of the town's most racist residents. After she is beaten up and hospitalized, Lily decides to rescue her and they go to Tiburon to search for memories of her mother. There they are taken in by three black sisters who are beekeepers producing a line of honey with the Black Madonna label. While racial tensions simmer around them, the women help Lily accept her loss and learn the power of forgiveness.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (series), Ann Brashares- Four teenagers and best friends since babyhood share a pair of pants throughout a summer of separation as a way of staying connected.

All Creatures Great and Small, James Herriot-  We meet the young Herriot as he takes up his calling and discovers that the realities of veterinary practice in rural Yorkshire are very different from the sterile setting of veterinary school. From caring for his patients in the depths of winter on the remotest homesteads to dealing with uncooperative owners and critically ill animals, Herriot discovers the wondrous variety and never-ending challenges of veterinary practice as his humor, compassion, and love of the animal world shine forth.

Stargirl, Jerry Spinelli- Stargirl. From the day she arrives at quiet Mica High in a burst of color and sound, the hallways hum with the murmur of “Stargirl, Stargirl.” She captures Leo Borlock’s heart with just one smile. She sparks a school-spirit revolution with just one cheer. The students of Mica High are enchanted. At first. Then they turn on her. Stargirl is suddenly shunned for everything that makes her different, and Leo, panicked and desperate with love, urges her to become the very thing that can destroy her: normal. In this celebration of nonconformity, Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli weaves a tense, emotional tale about the perils of popularity and the thrill and inspiration of first love.