Difficult Family

After her grampa dies, the last place Libby expects to see him is sitting on the edge of her bed. But that's what happens the night after the funeral. Even more surprising is that Grampa has three important things to tell her: first, that she isn't alone or forgotten - "The dead ain't never that far from the living", he says; second, that she has "the Sight" - the ability to see family members who have died; and third, that there is something special just for her in the lake. Something that could help her and her father - if she can find it.

Seventh grade was supposed to be Alli's breakout year, only her big debut ends up being a big disaster. Then queen bee Rachel Delaney takes Alli under her wing, and Alli finds herself in the inner circle of seventh-grade cool. But the inner circle is nothing like Alli expected, and ugliness lurks behind the prettiest faces. Can Alli figure out where she fits in, or will she get caught up in the glamour of running with the in-crowd?

Richard Peck is a master of stories about people in transition, but perhaps never before has he told a tale of such dramatic change as this one, set during the first year of the Civil War. The whole country is changing in 1861, even the folks from a muddy little Illinois settlement on the banks of the Mississippi. Here, 15-year-old Tilly Pruitt frets over the fact that her brother is dreaming of being a soldier and that her sister is prone to supernatural visions.

When Ruby’s grandmother, Miss Eula goes to visit her new grandbaby in Hawaii, Ruby is sure that she will have a lonely, empty, horrible summer without her in boring old Halleluia, Mississippi. What happens instead? She makes a new friend, saves the school play, writes plenty of letters to her favorite (and only) grandmother...and finally learns to stop blaming herself for her grandfather’s death. Not too bad, for a nine-year-old.

Gardner Dickinson is almost 15, and his life is a mess. His bedroom is littered with library books he never reads. He daydreams about building muscles, but never gets around to it. Worst of all, his recently laid-off dad is more interested in playing golf than finding a new job. But one day life starts to click for Gardner. He finishes a few of those library books, begins running after school and starts earning some spare cash - and those muscles he’s craved - by splitting wood for the neighbors.

Wenn Sternschnuppen-Wünsche in Erfüllung gehen: eine Geschichte vom Abschied nehmen und neu anfangen. Niemand darf von dem Waisenjungen Florin, der weder Pass noch Geburtsurkunde besitzt, erfahren. Ganz verborgen wächst er bei einer älteren liebevollen Dame auf. Erst als er nach deren Tod in eine Pflegefamilie kommt, kann er wie jedes Kind zur Schule gehen und Freundschaften schließen. Doch das, was für ihn schon ein Wunder ist, wird von den Ereignissen in einer Sternschnuppennacht noch übertroffen!

This book is a gentle guide to the mystery of death, instilling a hopeful perspective of heaven as an everlasting home. A poignant addition to kids' books about heaven, it illuminates the invisible string of connection that persists even after a loved one's passing, a comforting notion for grieving kids.

Jennifer was born in 1997, when the consumer society had reached a golden age. She was born in a city that was being built on top of a valley that was a beautiful example of the gifts that Mother Nature presented to us. Jennifer's father had become addicted to heroin, while Jennifer's mother was struggling to make enough money to survive since she worked a retail job that only paid minimum wage.

Cassie wakes up on her 16th birthday only to realize she's been floating in her sleep. With her brother's help, Cassie learns how to control her new flying power, but she's afraid people will think differently of her if they find out. She's willing to do anything to keep her secret - practicing in the middle of the night, lying to her parents, even blowing off friends. But when a friend is in danger, Cassie must decide whether or not to help, even if taking action means revealing her secret.

Mystery Behind the Doors is a mystery novel about self-discovery, confidence, intentional action, choice, focus, and new ways of thinking. This inclusive book full of mystery and riddles holds the listeners' attention as they join the three friends on an enchanted journey between realms. There, they learn lifelong self-empowering lessons, applicable to tweens and beyond.

This heart-wrenching novel in verse describes the life of a poor girl surviving the Irish Land War and the everyday challenges she experiences.

At the suggestion of their friend Luke, Fiona and Finn volunteer at an animal rescue shelter, where they meet two sweet dogs who are in need of comfort, too. Perhaps with time, patience, and their father’s gentle words in their hearts, hope will spark once more.

How much do you have to give up to find yourself? When Pete first sets eyes on the Man, he's convinced he's an axe murderer. But at the revival meeting, Pete discovers that the Man is actually a savior of souls, and Pete has been waiting all his life to be saved.

It's not something Pete's parents can understand. Certainly his best friend, Rufus, an avowed atheist, doesn't understand. But Pete knows he can't imagine life without the Man.

Swordsman, soldier, poet...and possessor of the biggest nose in all of France! Cyrano de Bergerac was all this and more, for behind his grotesque face beat the heart of a lover. And, being Cyrano, who could he fall in love with but the most beautiful woman in Paris?From this conflict of nose versus heart springs one of the most uproarious, tender, funny, painful, and action-packed stories of all time - a tale that has its roots in truth, for Cyrano de Bergerac really existed.

I know from experience that even with the most wholesome upbringing and respectable parenting, some kids insist on doing wrong, and are tempted to lie, steal, and cheat because of the way their brains are wired. There comes a time when you realize prayer may be the most powerful action left to take. You've done it all, but now it's time to give them the tools of prayer to overcome their weaknesses. This book takes specific Scriptures from the book of Proverbs, for each day of a month, and turns them into prayers, from either the child's or the parent's perspectives.

Cassie Logan and her brothers have been warned never to go to the Wallace store. So they know to expect trouble there. What they don't expect is to hear Mr. Tom Bee, an elderly black man, daring to call the white storekeeper by his first name. The year is 1933, the place is Mississippi, and any child knows that some things just aren't done. Can a shared past between the two men make a difference?

Cuando su familia se mudó al pueblo de Westminster, California, la pequeña Silvia Méndez estaba entusiasmada con inscribirse en la escuela de su vecindario. Pero ella y sus hermanos fueron rechazados y les dijeron que, en vez, tenían que asistir a la escuela mexicana. Sylvia no podía entender por qué; era una ciudadana estadounidense que hablaba inglés perfectamente. ¿Por qué obligaban a los hijos de familias mexicanas a asistir a otra escuela? Al no poder obtener una respuesta satisfactoria de la junta escolar, la familia Méndez decidió tomar cartas en el asunto y organizar una demanda.

Richard Bach es ampliamente conocido por su célebre best seller Juan Salvador Gaviota, un clásico de la autoayuda espiritual. En este caso se adentra en el tema de las situaciones violentas vividas en la infancia, y ofrece una serie de pensamientos para estimular - e incluso desafiar - a sus lectores a extraer una enseñanza positiva de ellas.

Almost 10 years before Brown vs. Board of Education, Sylvia Mendez and her parents helped end school segregation in California. An American citizen of Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage who spoke and wrote perfect English, Mendez was denied enrollment to a whites-only school. Her parents took action by organizing the Hispanic community and filing a lawsuit in federal district court. Their success eventually brought an end to the era of segregated education in California.