National Network for Equitable Library Service

It is 1937 Poland, and Miriam is devastated when her grandparents tell her that they can no longer survive as a family, and that the only solution is for David to go to an orphanage. Leaving her young brother behind with strangers breaks her heart, and Miriam decides to rescue him. When Miriam learns that David is being forced to work in a factory by the unscrupulous orphanage director, she realizes that rescuing him may prove difficult. Help comes in the unlikely form of Benji, the orphanage’s resident bully, whose mean exterior hides a lonely boy inside.

Sixteen-year-old Peggy has gone north to plant trees for the summer. On a visit to a petroglyph site, she is abruptly transported to Notherland, an imaginary world she created when she was seven. There, she learns that Mi, a spirit-child who lives in the northern lights, has gone in search of a mythical "shining world." Fearing for her safety, Peggy and her Notherland companions—Gavi the philosopher loon, Molly the pirate-doll, and a mysterious young man named Jackpine—set out in search of Mi.

Growing up in the ?50s with a single mother and no father, Hope is a loner with a wonderful imagination. The letters she writes to her imaginary friend, Grace, help her cope with the difficult times in her life - her mother's sad days, their money worries, the pressures of not fitting in. On her eleventh birthday, Hope is shocked to learn that Grace is real. Hope decides that by finding Grace, their family will be healed. But, like most adventures, things do not go exactly as she hopes.

Private investigator Dan Sharp finds himself caught up in a political murder. When the husband of a Queen’s Park aide runs off to escape his gambling debts, private investigator Dan Sharp is hired to track him down. As the city’s political landscape verges on the bizarre — with a crack-using mayor and a major scandal looming — Dan finds himself pitted against a mysterious figure known for making or breaking the reputations of upcoming politicians. It’s not until a body turns up on his doorstep that Dan realizes he’s being punished for sticking his nose into dirty politics.

Read all five novels in the Saddle Creek Series! Stagestruck — Book 1 Abby is overjoyed when she is paired with champion showjumper Dancer. But strange events at an old converted barn start putting unexpected, and dangerous, obstacles in her path. With the help of a brave coyote named Cody and her extraordinary horse, Abby must find the truth: is someone is out to get her? Sundancer — Book 2 When Sundancer comes to Saddle Creek Farm, Bird’s aunt calls the horse “unrideable.” But he is a wounded horse with a story he’s not ready to share, and Bird feels like they have that much in common.

Beware The Other … Alex is the loneliest boy at school. Not only are his parents away (again), but his beloved cat is missing. Plus, one morning his reflection in the haunted bathroom mirror at school starts talking to him. Then two mysterious strangers in overcoats and sunglasses appear, whispering the same message, over and over: Beware The Other.… But, worse than all that, is the girl with the braid. She looks just like Alex. She’s better than him at everything, and they even share the same name. Soon, she’s the only Alex anyone can see, at school, at work, even at home.

Read three teen novels from award-winning author Deborah Kerbel, as the characters face new experiences and new friendships. This special collection includes three books: Mackenzie, Lost and Found When 15-year-old Mackenzie Hill and her dad move to Jerusalem, the adjustment from life in Canada to life in Israel is dramatic. The biggest shock of all comes when Mackenzie faces the wrath of her new friends, new community, and even her own father after she begins dating a Muslim boy.

Sadia wishes life in high school was as straightforward as a game of basketball. Fifteen-year-old Sadia Ahmadi is passionate about one thing: basketball. Her best friend Mariam, on the other hand, wants to get noticed by the popular crowd and has started de-jabbing, removing her hijab, at school every morning. Sadia’s mom had warned her that navigating high school could be tricky. As much as she hates to admit it, her mom was right. When tryouts for an elite basketball team are announced, Sadia jumps at the opportunity. Her talent speaks for itself.

A single mother. An abandoned farmhouse. An epic battle with the northern wilderness. Broke and desperate, Molly Bannister accepts the ironclad condition laid down in her great-aunt’s will: to receive her inheritance, Molly must spend one year in an abandoned, off-the-grid farmhouse in the remote backwoods of northern Alberta. If she does, she will be able to sell the farm and fund her four-year-old daughter’s badly needed medical treatment. With grim determination, Molly teaches herself basic homesteading skills.

Robin is kidnapped by dangerous poachers while trying to save leatherback turtles in Central America. Robin Green is carrying on her work rescuing vulnerable animals at The Wild Place Animal Shelter when she and Zo-Zo get an amazing chance to help protect sea turtles in Central America. Worried about the bugs, the heat, and the threat of poachers, Robin faces her fears and travels there with Zo-Zo, her brother, Squirm, and her eccentric grandmother, Griff.