National Network for Equitable Library Service

The game of life. Stories about competition in sports and games and activities. The Greek conception of the agon, competitive tests of skill and endurance and fortitude – and experiencing what an old TV show once called the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. There is more, however, than the pleasure of a score and the pain of a loss. More than the outcome of the competition is what the competition reveals about character. And, though all playing involves fun and skill and struggle, there is the game that leads to the short-term outcome and there is the game that is without end.

Her hands lay inert and upturned on her lap – probably stunned, she thinks, by the hideousness of the skirt underneath them. Centre seam puckered, zipper mangled, it's handmade in a way that makes people say, 'Did you sew that yourself?' when they mean, 'How can you wear that thing?' But she made it the day after he died, and she talked to him in her head the whole time. Which is why it looks like hell and why she had to wear it anyway. Biology is not Dree's thing. Equally heinous are English, Social Studies, her sister and mother, not to mention Edmonton in general.

"For a young science whiz, an eagerly awaited day at the Fair turns into a wacky adventure with more twists and loops than the Gravity Whirl ride! Miller Sanford's parents think he's too young to explore the annual town fair alone. Hopeful they will reconsider this year, Miller works extra hard to be nice to his little sister Penny and her friends. But when his mother can't attend the Fair and his father has to cover her volunteer booth hours as well as his own, Miller ends up with more responsibility than he can handle.

"Day after day, Hugh looks for signs of German spies. It seems like a harmless way to spend time.at least at first. It is summer 1943 and America is at war. Eleven-year-old Hugh and his family are spending the summer on the South Carolina coast. Day after day Hugh scans the Atlantic Ocean through his binoculars, looking for signs of enemy activity. It seems like a harmless way to spend time.at least at first. But one day Hugh sees something in the water that looks like a periscope. Later he plucks a black bag out of the surf. Inside is a crudely drawn map.

As Paul struggles to understand his family's livelihood, he learns that being a man has nothing to do with wielding the power to hurt people and animals.

Charlie Bumpers is finally on the same soccer team as his two best friends, and they're sure the Pirates will be the best team ever! But their high hopes are crushed on the first day of practice.

Angelica isn't a liar. She just loves making up stories. When she goes to sleepaway camp and is mistaken for a princess, she could easily clear up the misunderstanding...but pretending to be royalty is way more fun! When her best friend from home surprises her at camp, Angelica is forced to fess up. Luckily, she also has a talent for repairing things, and when disaster strikes on the girls' kayaking trip, Jelly has to repair more than just her newfound friendships.

As the eve of the great Wizards' Summit approaches, wizards from all over Rockfall Mountain descend on the school at Shadow Tower to refine their craft. When professors start disappearing, it's up to magic-fearing monster sleuths Tank and Fizz to solve this spell-packed mystery and find the missing mages. Aleetha, their detective partner and a wizard-in-training, has dragged Tank and Fizz into the heart of the Shadow Tower, where libraries fly, spells fill the air, and an ancient army of darkness stirs, when she receives a mysterious message from her missing teacher.

From a Newbery Award-winning author: Seven beloved classics that beautifully capture growing up and overcoming challenges across America. In her Newbery Honor Book, Indian Captive, and her Regional America series, six of which are collected here, authorllustrator Lois Lenski presents realistic portrayals of unforgettable young people facing hardships in a range of areas across the country. Based on a true story, Indian Captive tells the compelling chronicle of a twelve-year-old girl kidnapped by the Shawnee in 1758 Pennsylvania.

Princes, princesses, goblins, ghouls, dragons, and more abound in these twenty-two Japanese fairy tales translated and retold for young Western readers. Prepare to encounter action and adventure in this highly regarded collection of classic Japanese tales, in which you'll meet a dragon king, a talking tortoise, a wily badger, princesses, knights, and mischievous monkeys!