Mary Clayborne, the teenage daughter of a country doctor and a piano teacher, dreams of going to a conservatory and becoming a concert pianist. When her mother falls ill, she temporarily puts aside her ambition in order to care for her younger brothers and sisters. A timeless coming of age story.
This unique collection of American stories from the frozen tundra of Alaska to the lush green hills of Virginia; from the sweltering bayous of Louisiana to the windswept prairies of South Dakota is told in DeSpain's signature gentle style. Every reader will find something of interest - the stories range from practical tales of wisdom such as Pulling the Rope to silly and scary ones such as The Haint that Roared and The Big, Smelly, Hairy Toe. The stories represent not only the geographic diversity of the United States but also offer a portrait of our nation's character, values, beliefs, and customs that differ from region to region yet retain a fundamental sense of shared community.
Maybe it's because his mother was a teacher. Or maybe it's because he has spent most of his life in classrooms - as a wide-eyed first grader, a naive college student, a seminarian, and now as a visiting writer in residencies across the country. There's something about school that infuses the work of Donald Davis and he has collected his all-time favorite school stories in the book. Whether we're traveling around the world with Miss Daisy, the fourth grade teacher who was integrating arithmetic, geography and English before the term whole language ever surfaced; or watching in awe as a classmate conjugates malaprops in Miss Vergilius Darwin's Latin class; or driving a school bus and learning about segregation - we experience flashes of recognition in moments that transcend Donald Davis's childhood stories.
The fourteen personal stories in this delightful coming of age book apply universal elements with characters and situations that everyone will recognize so that only the names, places and times change from our own childhood stories.
Jim May writes the stories of his youth, growing up in the rural Midwest between the Truman and the JFK eras, where trading stories was as common as trading horses, and frequently required the same skills. Neighboring, as his mother called it, was part of the social fabric. These 18 poignant and humorous stories of life's joys and trials told with the freshness of youth, yet tempered with the wisdom of age evoke a simpler time in our nation's history without romanticizing the inherent hardships.
This collection of African-American folktales highlights the unbroken chain of a rich oral tradition. The stories share the richness and variety of a cultural heritage that has crossed the Atlantic, survived slavery, and triumphed over the ignorance of racism and bigotry.
High John the Conqueror sometimes called simply High John or John was a slave trickster who always outwits Old Master. Much like Greek slave Aesop's animal characters, High John was the subject of a series of subversive narratives, whose mission was to outsmart his oppressors. Tall tales of High John's exploits flourished during slavery, but after emancipation they fell out of circulation and his antics were all but forgotten.
Ricky is the only family Donyell Mason has left. When Ricky becomes a prime suspect in a terrible crime, Donyell sets about to clear his big brother.
Cecilia has always been secure in her world. A high school cheerleader, she is pretty and popular. And she dates Ryan, one of the cutest boys in her school. She leads a charmed and pampered life. Clearly everyone forgot the warnings buried deep in the quatrains of Nostradamus-- the end of days. When the world they know is destroyed, will their struggle to survive destroy their love? This new normal-- this new life-- is cruel and unpredictable and tests both of them in ways that they've never imagined. But it's not the end, only the beginning, but the beginning of what? From what we've calculated, it's been seven days since The End. We don't really have a more suitable name for it. There was absolutely no warning. It was three days after Christmas. We were alone and scared. Nobody expected the theories and stories to actually come true. After 2012 passed with no strange activity, the whole idea of the apocalypse seemed like rubbish. But we were proven terribly wrong. Nostradamus got it right after all.
Cecilia has always been secure in her world. A high school cheerleader, she is pretty and popular. And she dates Ryan, one of the cutest boys in her school. She leads a charmed and pampered life. Clearly everyone forgot the warnings buried deep in the quatrains of Nostradamus-- the end of days. When the world they know is destroyed, will their struggle to survive destroy their love? This new normal-- this new life-- is cruel and unpredictable and tests both of them in ways that they've never imagined. But it's not the end, only the beginning, but the beginning of what? This situation was way out of my control. I was willing to give up anything to go back to the way things were before... I tried my best to comfort and reassure Cecilia that somehow everything would be okay. But I really couldn't be convincing when I could barely convince myself. We were walking into an unknown world. A world without leadership. No government. No medicine. No transportation. No food except what we could grow... or kill. It was going to be mass chaos.
Whether they joined the Yearbook Club or they were asked to participate by cranky school counselor, Mr. Crandall, the YC girls become fast friends. Kiki, Marnyke, Nishell, Sherise, and Tia are best friends forever. But all BFFs have their differences. Fights, jealousies, secret crushes-- introducing the gossipy girls of South Central High. Will shy Kiki ever move beyond the shadow of her popular twin? Can Nishell overcome an embarrassing secret? Will Sherise's relationship with Marnyke's ex cause trouble for everyone? Will Marnyke's deep loneliness lead to an unwise decision? And will Tia realize that driving ambition without friendship is hollow? All under 150-pages. Sherise thinks Carlos is fine. Everyone else, including her sister, Kiki, says he's a thug. But Carlos swears that he's out of the game.
Whether they joined the Yearbook Club or they were asked to participate by cranky school counselor, Mr. Crandall, the YC girls become fast friends. Kiki, Marnyke, Nishell, Sherise, and Tia are best friends forever. But all BFFs have their differences. Fights, jealousies, secret crushes-- introducing the gossipy girls of South Central High. Will shy Kiki ever move beyond the shadow of her popular twin? Can Nishell overcome an embarrassing secret? Will Sherise's relationship with Marnyke's ex cause trouble for everyone? Will Marnyke's deep loneliness lead to an unwise decision? And will Tia realize that driving ambition without friendship is hollow? All under 150-pages. Nishell has been crushing on Jackson since forever. But Jackson is Marnyke's man... And Nishell doesn't want any girlfriend drama.
Whether they joined the Yearbook Club or they were asked to participate by cranky school counselor, Mr. Crandall, the YC girls become fast friends. Kiki, Marnyke, Nishell, Sherise, and Tia are best friends forever. But all BFFs have their differences. Fights, jealousies, secret crushes-- introducing the gossipy girls of South Central High. Will shy Kiki ever move beyond the shadow of her popular twin? Can Nishell overcome an embarrassing secret? Will Sherise's relationship with Marnyke's ex cause trouble for everyone? Will Marnyke's deep loneliness lead to an unwise decision? And will Tia realize that driving ambition without friendship is hollow? All under 150-pages. Marnyke's sassy and bold front hides a deep loneliness. Is that why she's so desperate to hold on to Darnell?
Whether they joined the Yearbook Club or they were asked to participate by cranky school counselor, Mr. Crandall, the YC girls become fast friends. Kiki, Marnyke, Nishell, Sherise, and Tia are best friends forever. But all BFFs have their differences. Fights, jealousies, secret crushes-- introducing the gossipy girls of South Central High. Will shy Kiki ever move beyond the shadow of her popular twin? Can Nishell overcome an embarrassing secret? Will Sherise's relationship with Marnyke's ex cause trouble for everyone? Will Marnyke's deep loneliness lead to an unwise decision? And will Tia realize that driving ambition without friendship is hollow? All under 150-pages. Shy and level-headed, Kiki longs for true love. She wishes that Jackson would talk to her. But Jackson is a player and only wants one thing...
Gabby Herrera is not like her perfect sister, Celia--straight-A student, obedient, responsible. Her parents don't get it. They don't get er C-average report card. Her love for basketball. "The three of them think anything is possible if you just try hard enough. Well, I've tried. It's not possible." She can't be who she is unless she is just like them. And if she's not like them, she's not a real person. She's a broken person. A broken Herrera. And that is unacceptable.
Sixteen-year-old Neema Powell was always the best-looking girl in school. Her girlfriends said that she looked like Beyonce, with beautiful caramel skin and a body others would kill for. But right now she was a wreck. Her mother's sleazy boyfriend was towering over her screaming, "Get out!" And her own mother wouldn't even look at her as she walked out of the apartment into the dead January day. Neema knew that Nate, her boyfriend, would take care of her. I'll give Mom a couple of days to calm down, Neema thought, and I'll swing by to pick up a few items. Like my pills. A couple of days couldn't hurt. But those two days made all the difference, and Neema must draw from somewhere deep for the inner strength she will need.
After two years in a loving home, TJ's mother got him back. She was clean. No pot. No meth. His chest felt like it was burning. His heart was racing. Trapped. He felt trapped. He didn't have a say. Everything he had come to care about would be gone: Miss Dixie, hot meals, friends, Mae's little hand, and Annabelle. And the brutal life he'd escaped quickly reclaimed him. Kaden Cruz didn't run after him. Instead his voice boomed, "You owe us." TJ didn't look back. But he knew this wasn't the end of Kaden Cruz. He could still hear his father's voice. "It's not free. You'll have to pay them back one day."
An eye-opening exploration of the history of the 1909-founded SIS and other British espionage agencies, investigating their typical training and tools as well as the escapades of famous spies.
A look at potential future developments in warfare, including advancements in robot technology, as well as satellite-guided bombs and other technologies that are currently considered state-of-the-art.
A look at potential future developments in medicine, including the use of nanotechnology, as well as genetic mapping and other technologies that are currently considered state-of-the-art.
A look at potential future developments in communication, including holograms, as well as the Global Positioning System and other technologies that are currently considered state-of-the-art.
An eye-opening exploration of the history of the 1951-founded Mossad and other Israeli espionage agencies, investigating their typical training and tools as well as the escapades of famous spies.
An eye-opening exploration of the history of the 1954-founded KGB and other Russian espionage agencies, investigating their typical training and tools as well as the escapades of famous spies.
An examination of the differences in religious and political beliefs between Western nations and Islamic extremists, as well as the ways in which information is shared and manipulated.
An examination of controversial issues and events that have arisen during the ongoing war against Islamic extremists, spotlighting such topics as prisoner treatment and the invasion of Iraq.
