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TAY |
The Bomb
(age 12+) by Theodore Taylor historical ... realistic ... nature ... war Publisher comments: Shortly after the first atomic bombs were dropped on Japan, World War II came to and, and the terrible reality of the atomic age began. Sixteen-year-old Sorry Rinamu has lived on the Bikini Atoll in the western Pacific all his life. Now the United States government wants to use his home as a site for atomic weapons tests. The islanders are told that they must leave weapon tests. The islanders are told that they must leave the island in the interest of world peace but can return when the island in the interest of world peace but can return when the land is safe again. Sorry doesn't believe the story. He is sure that radioactive fallout will poison the warm blue waters and beautiful white sand beaches, and Bikini Atoll will be lost to its people forever. Sorry knows that he has no choice but stop this disaster before it starts — even if it means standing alone against the U.S. military, and risking his own life to save his ancestral land. |
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ALL |
City of the Beasts
(age 12+) by Isabel Allende nature ... action ... adventure ... family ... fantasy Publisher comments: Alexander Cold is about to join his fearless grandmother on the trip of a lifetime. An International Geographic expedition is headed to the dangerous, remote wilds of South America on a mission to document the legendary Yeti of the Amazon known as the Beast. But there are many secrets hidden in the unexplored wilderness, as Alex and his friend Nadia soon discover. Drawing on the strength of their spirit guides, both young people are led on a thrilling and unforgettable journey to the ultimate discovery. sequel: Kingdom of the Golden Dragon sequel: Forest of the Pygmies |
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BAU |
Backwater
(age 12+) by Joan Bauer growing up ... adventure ... nature ... family Catalog: While compiling a genealogy of her family of successful attorneys, sixteen-year-old history buff Ivy Breedlove treks into the mountain wilderness to interview a reclusive aunt with whom she identifies and who in turn helps her to truly know herself and her family. |
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PFE |
Life As We Knew It
(age 12+) by Susan Beth Pfeffer letters/journal ... science fiction ... adventure ... nature ... survival Publisher comments: Miranda’s disbelief turns to fear in a split second when an asteroid knocks the moon closer to the earth. How should her family prepare for the future when worldwide tsunamis wipe out the coasts, earthquakes rock the continents, and volcanic ash blocks out the sun? As summer turns to Arctic winter, Miranda, her two brothers, and their mother retreat to the unexpected safe haven of their sunroom, where they subsist on stockpiled food and limited water in the warmth of a wood-burning stove. In her journal, Miranda records the events of each desperate day, while she and her family struggle to hold on to their most priceless resource--hope. sequel: The Dead and the Gone |
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LON |
The Call of the Wild
(age 12+) by Jack London historical ... adventure ... nature ... animals The Call of the Wild centers on Buck, a dog bred for a life of ease on a California estate, who is kidnapped and sold to Klondike gold hunters. To survive the biting cold and his ruthless masters, Buck must listen to the Call and learn the ways of his wolf-ancestors who guide him from within. |
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LON |
White Fang
(age 12+) by Jack London adventure ... nature ... animals White Fang tells the story of a half-wolf, half-dog nearly destroyed by the vicious cruelty of mankind. Brought to the very brink of his existence, White Fang is lucky enough to experience the one thing that can save him ... human love. Slowly, the ferocious White Fang grows into a creature capable of bravery, loyalty, and affection. |
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RAW |
The Yearling
(age 12+) by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings nature ... growing up ... animals A young boy living in the Florida backwoods is forced to decide the fate of a fawn he has lovingly raised as a pet. |
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O'D |
The Black Pearl
(age 12+) by Scott O'Dell nature ... spooky ... adventure From the depths of a cave in the Vermilion Sea, Ramon Salazar has wrested a black pearl so lustrous and captivating that his father, an expert pearl dealer, is certain Ramon has found the legendary Pearl of Heaven. Such a treasure is sure to bring great joy to the villagers of their tiny coastal town, and even greater renown to the Salazar name. No diver, not even the swaggering Gaspar Ruiz, has ever found a pearl like this! But is there a price to pay for a prize so great? When a terrible tragedy strikes the village, old Luzons warning about El Diablo returns to haunt Ramon. If El Diablo actually exists, it will take all Ramons courage to face the winged creature waiting for him offshore. |