The world as you know it was created and is still maintained by The Seems. From the Department of Weather to the Department of Emotions, the Seems ensure our world is just as we like it. Occasionally, something in one of these departments will break down, and a Fixer is sent in to repair it before there is damage to our world. Becker Drane may seem like your average 7th grader, but he's actually one of 37 Fixers in the entire world, and is just about to embark on his first mission. Will Becker fix the Glitch in Sleep and become the hero of the Seems, or will his first assignment be his last? Michael Wexler and John Hulme are the editors of Voices of the Xiled, a short story collection for adults, and authors of other works of adult nonfiction. Michael and John both live in the New York City area.

Through the eyes of young Gilbert, a peasant boy who Robin takes under his wing, readers will meet the world's most famous outlaw as he does battle with the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham and his evil friends.

What do you when your world is turned upside down? If you’re five young rats with music in your soul and dancing in your blood, you head for the Hollow, and the chance to dance at the Boom Boom Room. But not even wise old Uncle Switchtail can prepare Benny, Fletcher, Ella, Woody and Monk for the dangers they’ll face on the way to their dream. The kids have talent, grit and determination. Will that be enough to survive unexpected treachery, and a trip to the world of the humans?The Red-Hot Rattoons is filled with laughs, hair-breadth escapes, and enchanting characters. Even better, it vibrates with the key ingredients of all great backstage stories: heart, hope, and the unique joy that comes from chasing a dream with every ounce of strength and courage you possess.

Jim Marlowe’s Martian pet, Willis, seems like nothing more than an adorable ball of fur with an uncanny ability to imitate the human voice. But Jim’s devotion to the little creature will soon lead Jim and his pal Frank into a death-defying trek across Mars.  Their journey of wonders—including an encounter with the mysterious ancients of Mars—ends when they are plunged into the midst of a dangerous rebellion.

When Billie Jo is just fourteen she must endure heart-wrenching ordeals that no child should have to face. The quiet strength she displays while dealing with unspeakable loss is as surprising as it is inspiring. Written in free verse, this award-winning story is set in the heart of the Great Depression. It chronicles Oklahoma's staggering dust storms, and the environmental-and emotional-turmoil they leave in their path. An unforgettable tribute to hope and inner strength. Like the Oklahoma dust bowl from which she came, 14-year-old narrator Billie Jo writes in sparse, free-floating verse. In this compelling, immediate journal, Billie Jo reveals the grim domestic realities of living during the years of constant dust storms: That hopes-like the crops-blow away in the night like skittering tumbleweeds. That trucks, tractors, even Billie Jo's beloved piano, can suddenly be buried beneath drifts of dust. Perhaps swallowing all that grit is what gives Billie Jo-our strong, endearing, rough-cut heroine-the stoic courage to face the death of her mother after a hideous accident that also leaves her piano-playing hands in pain and permanently scarred. Meanwhile, Billie Jo's silent, windblown father is literally decaying with grief and skin cancer before her very eyes. [+]

Jack’s best mate, Charlie, has always been effortlessly cool. When Charlie wakes up one day and finds a mysterious, moving black tattoo on his back, it’s a clear sign that he’s even cooler than Jack thought. To top it off, Charlie has got super powers also. Or does he?Jack soon learns the terrifying truth: Charlie’s incredible powers come from an age-old demon called the Scourge, who is using Charlie to bring about its evil master plan. When the Scourge vanishes with Charlie, Jack and Esme, a girl with super powers of her own, follow their friend from the streets of London into Hell itself, where they face horrors that may well cost them their lives.

Ah, Christmas! Gemma Doyle is looking forward to a holiday from Spence Academy, spending time with her friends in the city, attending ritzy balls, and on a somber note, tending to her ailing father. As she prepares to ring in the New Year, 1896, a handsome young man, Lord Denby, has set his sights on Gemma, or so it seems. Yet amidst the distractions of London, Gemma’s visions intensify–visions of three girls dressed in white, to whom something horrific has happened, something only the realms can explain. The lure is strong, and before long, Gemma, Felicity, and Ann are turning flowers into butterflies in the enchanted world of the realms that Gemma alone can bring them to. To the girls’ great joy, their beloved Pippa is there as well, eager to complete their circle of friendship. But all is not well in the realms–or out. The mysterious Kartik has reappeared, telling Gemma she must find the Temple and bind the magic, else great disaster will befall her. [+]

Set in Australia, this humorous and touching story of the misadventures of a clever girl who cannot speak and her social misfit of a father will delight readers. “Gleitzman has created a plucky heroine, and readers will enjoy this light, first-person, humorous tale with an Australian tang. ”-School Library Journal.

Daughter Sister Half-sister Stepdaughter Stepsister Cousin Niece Granddaughter Great-Granddaughter There are so many things to be when the relatives are coming to your birthday party! But sometimes the best thing of all is to be a birthday girl. Oh, happy birthday!.

An audiobook first! New York Times bestselling author Tamora Pierce has written the new novel in her popular Circle of Magic universe to go directly to audio-preceding the print version by at least a year.  Residents on one of the islands south of Emelan have sent a call for help to Winding Circle temple: Their plants and trees and the animals that live around them are mysteriously dying.  From Winding Circle come two familiar figures: prickly green mage Rosethorn, whose plant magic will help her decipher what's ailing the plant life, and Briar's former student, the stone mage Evvy. With them comes the eager, nervous Dedicate Initiate Myrrhflower and Luvo, a being best described as a walking, intelligent rock. All are pulled into the island's mystery when Evvy is caught up by the wild spirits loose in an immense bubble of molten rock.  Can they evacuate the island in time-or will they try to shift a volcano?.

Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games. " The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When Kat's sister is chosen by lottery, Kat steps up to go in her place. NARRATED by Carolyn McCormick.

When this series was first broadcast on National Public Radio in 1981, it generated the largest response in the network's history: 50,000 letters and phone calls in a single week, an audience of 750,000 per episode, and a subsequent 40-percent jump in NPR listenership. This landmark production, perhaps the most ambitious radio project ever attempted, began when Star Wars creator George Lucas donated the story rights to an NPR affiliate. Writer Brian Daley adapted the film's highly visual script to the special demands and unique possibilities of radio, creating a more richly textured tale with greater emphasis on character development. Director John Madden guided a splendid cast—including Mark Hamill and Anthony Daniels, reprising their film roles as Luke Skywalker and the persnickety robot See Threepio—through an intense 10-day dialogue recording session. Then came months of painstaking work for virtuoso sound engineer Tom Voegeli, whose brilliant blending of the actors' voices, the music, and hundreds of sound effects takes this intergalactic adventure into a realm of imagination that is beyond the reach of cinema. At first glance, it seems difficult to imagine Star Wars presented as a radio serial. Wouldn't the story be weakened by the loss of visuals? This remarkable production, broadcast on National Public Radio in 1981, proves that sounds convey pictures quite well on their own. John Williams's original score and sound effects from the film add drama and depth to the story, and the characters are brought to life by a talented cast including Mark Hamill and Anthony Daniels reprising their roles as Luke Skywalker and C-3PO. Though Brock Peters's Darth Vader is a bit of a disappointment (James Earl Jones left some pretty big boots to fill), Perry King does a fine turn as Han Solo, and Ann Sachs makes a believable Princess Leia. The story itself has been greatly expanded, and listeners are treated to several new scenes, including conversations between Princess Leia and her father on Alderaan and Biggs Darklighter's confession to Luke that he had decided to join the Rebel Alliance after leaving the Imperial Space Academy. [+]

Is this the right book for you? Take the kidding test and find out. Answer yes/no. Do you ever pretend that you are dead to get out of going to school? Do you like to ring up people you know and pretend to be someone else? Do you own any of the following items: fake dog poo, rubber vomit, gorilla suit? Do you wish that every day could be April Fool's Day? Score yourselves one point for each Yes answer. If you score 3-5, you are a practical joker genius. You will love this book. If you score 1-2, you are a good practical joker. You will love this book. If you score 0, you are not a practical joker. You are what practical jokers call a 'victim'. You will love this book.