When sixth-grader Rosie Saunders asks her best friend, Kayo Benton, to come along on her family's summer trip, the girls look forward to a perfect vacation. Their first stop is a campground in the colorful Arizona desert, where Rosie and Kayo busily explore trails lined with the almost-human forms of the Saguaro cactus. Soon they have found a new animal friend, too: a tiny abandoned kitten. But the eerie shapes of the giant plants aren't the only spooky things in the desert. Kidnappers looking for the daughter of a wealthy businessman grab Kayo by mistake.
Now, instead of trying to find a home for the kitten, Rosie desperately searches for a way to rescue Kayo from the two rough men who have carried her away into the desert night. In each addition to the Frightmare series, Peg Kehret provides plenty of suspense while the two girls' love for animals leads them into perilous adventures. The nonstop action will whisk you through Desert Danger at a hair-raising pace.
The tales of the Norse gods, of the giants, demons, trolls and dwarves, still have the power to fascinate more than a thousand years after they were first told. Here are the stories of the one-eyed god Odin, the all-seeing, who from his throne in Asgard the home of the gods, has to prepare for Ragnarok, the final conflict between good and evil. There are tales too of Tyr the god of war, of the cunning Loki, of Thor the mighty thunder god and a host of others. These retellings of the old tales are given extra dramatic perspective by the music of Mahler, Grieg, Smetana. They come to life as never before.
Many years ago, Jenny's grandfather had been captain of the brig Amaryllis, sunk at sea during a terrible storm. Gram and Jenny's father had stood on a bluff overlooking the sea, and watched in silent horror as the handsome ship was swallowed by merciless, churning waters. After that, Jenny's father couldn't get away from the sea fast enough. But Gram had stayed behind. Every night since the storm-for 30 years-Gram has combed the beach for a sign from her dead husband. Now, her ankle sprained, she needs Jenny to search for her. Every evening the two of them wander down to the shore and Jenny scans the sand for her grandmother. But there is someone else searching the beach besides Gram and Jenny, a dark figure who glides past them with little more than a nod and a muttered "good evening." Gram says his name is Seward, but she is strangely silent about him. What dangerous game has the three of them in its grasp?
"I looked over the edge of the ravine to see somebody there, helpless, barely moving. She lifted her head to look at me and I fled, stumbling, back to my room in Mr. Thiel's house. Something had followed me there. Something, somebody, tall and dark, wrapped in a cloak, able to move soundlessly through the house."-from The Callender Papers Jean Wainwright, ward of Wainwright Academy's strict but affectionate headmistress, Miss Constance, was quite unprepared for the strange happenings of that memorable summer, 1894. The school's most generous patron, Mr. Daniel Thiel, had written requesting that a young girl be sent from the school to his home in Marlborough. The lucky girl was to spend the summer sorting through the memorabilia associated with Thiel's late wife Irene, and her wealthy family, the Callenders. Jean, fascinated by the stories her aunt has told her about the flamboyant Callender family, accepts the challenge. But she takes an immediate dislike to her sullen new employer and is certain he is hiding something. Think carefully has been the guiding principle of Jean's upbringing. But is careful thought enough to protect her from the hidden secrets in the Callender Papers?
It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.
The odds are against him. He's been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined - every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute . . . and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.
The aliens have made contact! But because they consider Earth a small, backwater planet they send only one ambassador. The ambassador brings along his son, Pleskit, and (for political reasons) insists the boy should attend a regular school. Science fiction loving Tim Tompkins is desperate to befriend the alien . . . and Pleskit is going to need a friend, because someone is trying to sabotage the mission! This very funny book is made even more hilarious by a brilliantly creative performance from the late, great William Dufris (the original American voice of Bob-the-Builder). As AudioFile magazine said regarding the many voices, "William Dufris does a masterful job of creating them all . . . enjoy the extravaganza!" And (not to give away too much) - this may be the only book you'll listen to this year that features someone saving the world by projectile vomiting. Just saying . . .
