National Network for Equitable Library Service

Darek is envious when his older brother, Clep, returns from a quest wearing dragon claws for a necklace. His brother has killed a Great Blue, the largest and most feared of all dragons. The next day the village will hold a great celebration, and Clep will be the guest of honor. Unable to sleep that night, Darek sneaks outside. He hears something whimpering and realizes that the slain dragon has left behind a newborn dragonling that nobody noticed. Calling on all his courage, Darek decides to return the dragonling to its home--a terrifying valley filled with dozens of deadly beasts.

When the village Elder tries to buy Darek's blue dragon for his daughter, Darek refuses to sell. The angry Elder makes Darek's father hunt down another dragon, but knowing that dragons are peaceful and love their children, Darek sets off with his best friend Pola to stop the hunt. Can Darek find a way to save the baby dragons without putting his father's life in danger?

Darek and his family and friends are returning from their dragonquest with something different: Zantor, a live baby dragon. The villagers are surprised that it is nothing like the fierce creatures the Zorians have grown up believing dragons to be.

Dave's carefree life of pranks and stickball in his Lower East Side New York neighborhood ends the day his papa dies. No one wants the 11-year-old 'rascal,' so Dave is shuffled off to the Hebrew Home for Boys, a.k.a. the Hell Hole for Brats. There he must contend with a brutal headmaster, bullies, freezing rooms, and institutional slop to ea- all on top of his personal losses. But at least Dave is not alone. The boys in his class are 'buddies' who look out for each other, and soon Dave meets some friends on the outside. Still a rascal at heart, Dave sneaks out of the orphanage at night.

Life is hard for 12-year-old Lucas. First Uncle Asa dies of consumption, then Lizy and Pa. Now Mama is sick. And Lucas is the only one left to take care of her and their Connecticut farm. By the time his neighbor tells him of a strange, new cure, it is too late-Mama has just died. Reeling with sorrow, Lucas wanders until he sees a "help wanted" sign for a doctor's apprentice. He feels better while he is helping to pull teeth, visit the sick, and bury the dead. When he discovers townspeople are dying of consumption here, too, he wants to help them.

The Barkers are going to adopt a child, and twins Morgie and Moffie couldn't be more excited. They can't wait to tell him all about dinosaurs, teach him to play baseball and show him how to have tea parties. But their new brother, Marcos, only speaks Spanish. It won't be easy, but the twins know that with a little effort, they can all learn the Spanish word for "family."

Nicknamed the "trouble twins," 13- year-old brother and sister Dallas and Florida have long since given up hope of ever finding a family. Then they meet Tiller and Sairy, an eccentric older couple looking for some help with one last adventure while they're still spry enough to paddle a canoe and climb a mountain.

When you're a pinball, life is a risky game, especially for three adolescent children placed in a foster home. Their hard-won defenses are firmly in place as these three uneasy strangers meet their foster parents. For each of these children who were failed by their families, caring for others is so scary it hurts. No one has been in control. But as their daily lives become dotted with fried chicken dinners, puppies, and birthdays, they begin to hope that even pinballs can be winners.

David Ezra Stein is an accomplished author of children's books and has been honored with the Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award. In Interrupting Chicken, Papa warns little red chicken not to interrupt as he sets about reading their nightly bedtime stories-but the eager chicken just can't help warning the fairy-tale characters about the dangers they face. Frustrated to no end, Papa finally gives the little chicken the chance to tell a tale. Now will Papa be able to stop himself from interrupting?

Abby Lovitt has been riding horses for as long as she can remember, but Daddy hasn't let her name a single one. He calls all their geldings George and their mares Jewel and warns her not to get attached. The horses are there on the ranch to be sold, plain and simple. But with all the stress at school (the Big Four--Linda, Mary A., Mary N., Joan--have turned against her) and home (nothing feels right with her brother, Danny, gone), Abby can't help but seek comfort in the Georges and the Jewels, who greet her every day with soft nickers...