Teen Age

Growing up Mexican-American in Fresno, California in the 1950’s and 60’s might not have been easy, but it was certainly never boring for young Gary Soto, his brother Rick and sister Debra. As this compilation of 21 short stories and articles illustrates, there is no limit to the amount of fun a child can have, or how much he can terrorize siblings and neighbors if his imagination is active.

Echo Brown is a wizard from the East Side, where apartments are small and parents suffer addictions to the white rocks. Yet there is magic...everywhere. New portals begin to open when Echo transfers to the rich school on the West Side, and an insightful teacher becomes a pivotal mentor. Each day, Echo travels between two worlds, leaving her brothers, her friends, and a piece of herself behind on the East Side. There are dangers to leaving behind the place that made you.

Little Little La Belle isn't redundant. She's a dwarf - a beautiful blond heiress who lives a pampered existence in the New York town named after her family. With her 18th birthday approaching, her parents want to marry Little Little off to the perfect man. Enter Sydney Cinnamon. Orphaned young, he went on to become one of America's most famous dwarfs. The pint-size TV performer could have his pick of any diminutive lady. But with Little Little, it's love at first sight.

After her mother runs off with her much-younger boyfriend, 14-year-old Flanders is shipped off to a boarding school in Virginia. On the train, she meets Carolyn Cardmaker, a preacher's daughter who will become her best friend. She also meets Ernestine Blue. Miss Blue is Flanders' faculty advisor at the Charles School, where each residence hall is named after a Charles Dickens novel. But Miss Blue's strict disciplinarian persona may be concealing a tragic past.

Breeden Andehar grew up the son of a boatwright in a village far from the capital city of Arlon. At 16, he is given a chance to receive an education at the local monastery alongside three sons of nobility, a cloth merchant's daughter, and a clever orphan. Breeden and his new friends have their education cut short when a bitter rivalry between two brother gods spawns a conflict which threatens the entire Land.

I'm the first Vampire human hybrid. Someday I will reclaim my father's throne. Until then, I'm stuck in freaking high school. No one knows I survived the attack on my royal family all those years ago. I owe my life to my guardians, two ancient Vampires who would give their lives to protect me. I might have unspeakable powers of night, but right now? I need to pass AP calc, make a couple of friends, and try not to drink the sweet, young blood of my classmates. Being in hiding means pretending I'm a nice, normal, human teenage girl, and that's the hardest part.

Yes, there really is a Normal, Illinois. Charles Harrisong should know; he was born there. But life is difficult for Charles because his family isn't normal. They're poor, for one thing. They stand out, which is the worst thing. After an ugly incident at school, Charles and family leave Normal and begin an adventure that takes them to a houseboat that just might be their new home. And Charles begins a personal journey within his own heart; one that will ultimately deliver him both from and to himself.

War has broken out in the North. The Corrupt Lord of the Ice has invaded Norghana with a host from the Frozen Continent. Will the king and the Rangers manage to stop him, or will they die in the attempt?

From Erth to the dragon homeworld, Ki:mera, everything has been forever changed by the meeting of dragons and humans. Their fate has become inextricably intertwined - and their story will transform the very fabric of time. Ren, the human boy, now has unprecedented powers. With his control of a magical horse, his abilities scare even the most formidable dragons. Yet the dragons fear even more the rise of the dark dragon Graven, and rumors that the dragons who came first may have known more than anyone realized run rampant through the wearle.

I just returned from the mall after school shopping with my soon-to-be sophomore and her friend. I now understand why fathers opt to go camping, roll around in elk urine, and shit in a hole rather than go to the mall three days before school starts. As if the crowds weren’t bad enough, my girl decided to wear a flannel that hung lower than her shorts, making it appear that she was walking around naked from the waist down. She was flocked by sales people, who, I am sure, were calculating their commissions in their heads. I mean, why not?

Since its original publication in 1911, The Secret Garden has ranked as one of the world's best-loved novels, captivating children and adults alike with its luminous tale of secrets and revelations, growth and renewal, and, above all, the transforming power of love.

King Uthar has been defeated in the Frozen Continent. Wounded, he retreats to Norghania to regroup his forces and shield himself behind the walls of the capital. Lasgol and his friends will try to pass the fourth and final year of instruction and graduate as Rangers on their own merits. To do this they will have to take part in deeply dangerous missions and help the king against the invaders.

When Abby signs up for a DNA service, it’s mainly to give her friend and secret love interest, Leo, a nudge. After all, she knows who she is already: Avid photographer. Injury-prone tree climber. Best friend to Leo and Connie...although ever since the B.E.I. (Big Embarrassing Incident) with Leo, things have been awkward on that front.

In Dusk of Dragons (Age of the Sorcerers, book six), the many story lines and characters finally converge in a complex and epic battle for the very future of the capital and the kingdom. Lenore leads her army for the capital, determined to avenge her mother and take it back from King Ravin. Devin, Renard, Erin, and Greave all lead their own personal battles. Inside the gates, Aurelle and others aid the cause. And Grey oversees it all. What follows is shocking and unexpected, with a series of twists that turn heroes into villains and villains into heroes in the fog of war.

On the verge of summer before his senior year, Jay is a soft soul in a world of concrete. While his older brother is everything people expect a man to be—tough, athletic, and in charge—Jay simply blends into the background to everyone, except when it comes to Leroy. Unsure of what he could have possibly done to catch the eye of the boy who could easily have anyone he wants, Jay isn’t about to ignore the surprising but welcome attention.

After six incredible books, John Marsden has written the final volume and a last adventure for Ellie, Lee, Homer, Fi, and Kevin. It may be the end of the series, but does it mean the end to Australia as we know it or the end of the war? Or both?

At long last, Sadie has vanquished her lifelong academic rival—her irritatingly charming, whip smart next door neighbor, Seb—by getting the coveted, only spot to her dream college. Or at least, so she thinks. When Seb is unexpectedly pulled off the waitlist and admitted, Sadie has to compete with him all over again, this time to get a spot on the school’s famous zine.

Christopher Columbus is one of the most famous explorers of all time, but he was neither the first nor last adventurer to ever stumble upon a great discovery. From the Silk Road of Asia to the icy shores of Antarctica, our knowledge of the world today is in large part due to several intrepid pioneers, risking life and limb for the sake of exploration. After all, setting off into the dark unknown requires an enormous amount of bravery. But every explorer quickly learns that courage and curiosity aren't enough to save you if you can't read a map or trespass on somebody else's land!

Everyone knows their role in the kingdom of Haulstatt, from the lowest chamber maid to the queen herself. Even the mages magic in approved ways. But twelve-year-old Portia steals for a living, taking from society rather than living within its rules.

When Jordyn Jones transfers to Edgewood High, it's her opportunity to forget everything that happened at her old school. To forget what she and her friends did. To forget who she used to be. That was a different person—this is a fresh start. Now, she's someone new, someone better.