Young Readers

When a terrible drought struck William Kamkwamba's tiny village in Malawi, his family lost all of the season's crops, leaving them with nothing to eat and nothing to sell. William began to explore science books in his village library, looking for a solution. There, he came up with the idea that would change his family's life forever: he could build a windmill. Made out of scrap metal and old bicycle parts, William's windmill brought electricity to his home and helped his family pump the water they needed to farm the land.

For listeners of Unbroken, out of the depths of the Great Depression comes the astonishing tale of nine working-class boys from the American West who at the 1936 Olympics showed the world what true grit really meant. With rowers who were the sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the University of Washington’s eight-oar crew was never expected to defeat the elite East Coast teams, yet they did, going on to shock the world by challenging the German boat rowing for Adolf Hitler.

Michelle loves everything about her home under the sea. She and her mermaid friends can play for hours, swimming among the fish and the coral. But her mother is the queen and Michelle is about to be crowned a princess - a fact that she is not entirely happy about, because it means she'll be destined to stay inside the Coral Palace. She wants adventure and she's heard rumors about another world - another kind of creature - living above the sea. Creature called humans.

A natural storyteller and raconteur in his own right - just listen to Paddle Your Own Canoe and Gumption - actor, comedian, carpenter, and all-around manly man Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) brings his distinctive baritone and a fine-tuned comic versatility to Twain's writing. In a knockout performance, he doesn't so much as read Twain's words as he does rejoice in them, delighting in the hijinks of Tom - whom he lovingly refers to as a "great scam artist" and "true American hero".

When South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony was asked to accept a herd of "rogue" wild elephants on his Thula Thula game reserve in Zululand, his common sense told him to refuse. But he was the herd's last chance of survival: they would be killed if he wouldn't take them. In order to save their lives, Anthony took them in. In the years that followed he became a part of their family. And as he battled to create a bond with the elephants, he came to realize that they had a great deal to teach him about life, loyalty, and freedom.

Miles and Niles find themselves marooned for the summer at Camp Good Times, which is all about peace and good vibes. (Can you say boring?) With no clear prank-ortunities, the Terrible Two fail to see what about all of this is so good. But when kids from the nearby Yawnee Valley Yelling and Push-Ups Camp raid Good Times' super-secret candy stash, the campers look to Miles and Niles for help.

Fifi is one of the kindest fairies in all of Sunflower Grove. She will do anything in her power to help maintain the magic of the home that she loves so much. When something - or someone - appears to be stealing precious water from the soil, Fifi and her fairy friends will stop at nothing to restore the nature around them, even if it means going up against one of their own. If you like magic, kid's fairy tales and stories with heart, you'll love The Fairies of Sunflower Grove series!

No Better Friend tells the incredible true story of Frank Williams, a radarman in Britain's Royal Air Force, and Judy, a purebred pointer, who met as prisoners of war during World War II. Judy, who became the war's only official canine POW, was a fiercely loyal dog who sensed danger - warning her fellow prisoners of imminent attacks and protecting them from brutal beatings. Frank and Judy's friendship, an unbreakable bond forged in the worst circumstances, is one of the great recently unearthed stories of World War II.

My whole world changed when I stepped inside the academy. Nothing is right about this place or the other students in it. Here I am, a mere mortal among gods...or monsters. I still can't decide which of these warring factions I belong to, if I belong at all. I only know the one thing that unites them is their hatred of me. Then there's Jaxon Vega. A vampire with deadly secrets who hasn't felt anything for a hundred years.

Eleven-year-old Delphine and her younger sisters Vonetta and Fern travel to Oakland to meet their mother, Cecil, who abandoned their family years earlier. But even when Cecil gets them to her house, she shows no interest and seems to view them as nothing but a nuisance.

Dan Brown meets Jason Bourne in this riveting middle-grade mystery thriller. When a young boy is discovered in Washington DC's National Gallery without any recollection of who he is, so begins a high-stakes race to unravel the greatest mystery of all: his identity. As the stakes continue to rise, the boy must piece together the disjointed clues of his origins while using his limited knowledge to stop one of the greatest art frauds ever attempted.

This edition of Margot Lee Shetterly’s acclaimed book is perfect for young students. It's the powerful story of four African-American female mathematicians at NASA who helped achieve some of the greatest moments in our space program. Before John Glenn orbited the earth, or Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, a group of dedicated female mathematicians known as “human computers” used pencils, slide rules, and adding machines to calculate the numbers that would launch rockets, and astronauts, into space.

Since the days of the early Church, Christians have recounted the lives of saints to explain the gospel, soften rebellious hearts, and inspire believers. Saint Athenagoras of Athens (133-190 AD) wrote, in A Plea for the Christians: “Among us you will find uneducated persons, craftsmen, and old women, who, if they are unable in words to prove the benefit of our doctrine, yet by their deeds they exhibit the benefit arising from their persuasion of its truth. They do not rehearse speeches, but exhibit good works; when struck, they do not strike again; when robbed, they do not go to law; they...

When Thomas Jefferson became president in 1801, America was deeply in debt and needed its economy to grow quickly, but its merchant ships were under attack. Pirates from North Africa routinely captured American sailors and held them as captives demanding ransom and tribute far beyond what the new country could afford.

Neil Josten is out of time. He knew when he came to PSU he wouldn't survive the year, but with his death right around the corner he's got more reasons than ever to live. Befriending the Foxes was inadvisable. Kissing one is unthinkable. Neil should know better than to get involved with anyone this close to the end, but Andrew's never been the easiest person to walk away from. If they both say it doesn't mean anything, maybe Neil won't regret losing it, but the one person Neil can't lie to is himself.

Gertrude, Eugenia, and Dee-Dee Porch do not belong. They don’t belong in the snooty town of Antiquarium, where all girls have to go to etiquette school and the only dog allowed is the bichon frise. They don’t belong with their adoptive family, where all their cousins are named Lavinia and their Aunt has more brooches than books. And they certainly don’t belong at Mrs. Wintermacher’s etiquette school—they’re far more interested in science. After getting kicked out of the last etiquette school that would take them, the girls expect to be sent away for good...

The I Escaped Series: The World's Favorite Escapes Three friends battle stormy weather and a hungry Komodo dragon when they're trapped overnight atop a barren rock. From bestselling authors Ellie Crowe and Scott Peters comes a gripping tale of survival for young readers. On a stormy night in Indonesia, American teenagers Jake and Tay and their local dive guide find themselves in a harrowing predicament. High on a rock in the ocean, they huddle together as the wind howls and the rain pours down. Below them, lurking in the water, a hungry Komodo dragon waits for an opportunity. Jake and ...

16-year-old Josh, a sailor and baseball fan, battles sharks and huge waves after a torpedo sinks the WWII USS Indianapolis battleship.From multi-award-winning Ellie Crowe and Scott Peters comes a high-seas adventure based on the true story of the world's deadliest shark attack on the brave sailors of the United States Navy. 16-year-old Josh is thrilled to be a WW2 sailor aboard the mighty USS Indianapolis. But when a Japanese torpedo strikes in the middle of the night, it tears the battleship in half. As the ship sinks, Josh is plunged deep into the black ocean. In horror, he watches the US...

Emilia is reeling from the shocking discovery that her twin sister, Vittoria, is alive. But before she faces the demons of her past, Emilia yearns to claim her king, the seductive Prince of Wrath, in the flesh. Emilia doesn’t simply desire his body, she wants his heart and soul—but that’s something the enigmatic demon can’t promise her. When a high-ranking member of House Greed is assassinated, Emilia and Wrath are drawn to the rival demon court. Damning evidence points to Vittoria as the murderer, and she’s quickly declared an enemy of the Seven Circles.

Orphan-girl Hannah True battles strange happenings, suspicion, and angry villagers when her town believes it's under attack by witches. The Survival Series that celebrates the awesome history of us. From bestselling author Scott Peters and Salem Witch whiz Juliet Fry comes a gripping retelling of the Salem Witch Trials for modern young readers. On a stormy night, young orphan Hannah is terrified to see witches’ fingers tapping at her bedroom window. Are they real or just a trick of the moon? The next morning, her best friend says a witch's spirit attacked her in the dark. Hannah is ...