boys

"It's summertime and a boy and his dog are leaving behind their apartment in the busy city. His grandparents' home in the countryside feels like a different world. From the window, the curious boy sees a path leading enticingly into the forest. He can't wait to explore. At each bend in the trail the boy discovers more wonders of the surrounding natural world, from towering trees to a still, silent lake. He can't resist diving down, down into the cool water and greeting the fish below. Then later, when boy and dog have been warmed by the gentle sunshine, they wander back, contentedly, to their family. But before they go to sleep, nature gives them one last dazzling show: they look up, up to a night sky awash with stars"--Provided by publisher.

A young boy named Miguel Rivera loves music, and wants to become an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz, but no music is allowed in his household, so he takes a journey to the Land of the dead to unlock the real story behind his family's history.

"It's a hot summer, and life's going all right for Jackson and his family on the Mish. It's almost Christmas, school's out, and he's hanging with his mates, teasing the visiting tourists, and avoiding the racist boys in town. Just like every year, Jackson's Aunty and annoying little cousins visit from the city--but this time a mysterious boy with a troubled past comes with them. As their friendship evolves, Jackson must confront the changing shapes of his relationships with his friends, family, and community. And he must face his darkest secret--a secret he thought he'd locked away for good"--From the publisher's web site.

"Patryk and Jurek are as much friends as rivals in the small Russian-occupied Polish village where they live. When, in August 1914, Patryk finds an old button on the forest floor, Jurek becomes wildly jealous. Not long after, World War I comes to Poland, bringing one invading army after another to the village. Jurek devises an exciting dare among the seven boys in their pack: whoever steals the best military button will be Button King. The boys agree. The contest is on. The competition escalates from stealing uniform buttons on a wash line to looting the bodies of dead soldiers to setting up an ambush. Leading the charge is Jurek, who will do anything to be Button King. It's only Patryk who tries to stop Jurek's increasingly dangerous game before it leads to deadly consequences"--Provided by publisher.

"Freddy knows what he'd rather be-anywhere but in front of Tabby. He's said the wrong thing and now he's not only hurt her feelings, but he might be uninvited her awesome birthday party with a jumping castle and a mechanical bull. Then Hugo, the new kid at school, tells everyone that Freddy is boring. It's the last straw"--Back cover.

If you were the onlly living boy on the planet, what would you do? When 12-year old Erik Farrell runs away from home, he finds himself without his memory, stranded on a patchwork planet with danger lurking around every corner. Now every day is a struggle to survive. Luckily, Erik quickly makes friends like Morgan, a mermaid warrior and Thea, a teenage princess from a mysterious insect race. He'll need their help to escape the Dreaded Lord Baalikar and the evil Doctor once and maybe, one day, find his way back home.

"After discovering shocking truths about his past, as well as the secret origins of Doctor Once, the Patchwork Planet, and the deadly Baalikar, Erik begins a dangerous new quest to defeat Baalikar once and for all. But this is not something Erik can do alone--he must somehow convince the devastated populaces of the planet's cities to come out of hiding and unite against their common foe"--Back cover.

"A very important mission! Felix, Calcita, and Robocan will have to venture into the remote Muddy Swamp in the unknown Land of the Ogres to get the silty stone with which the Troll Witch can heal the poor Troll Master, who is very sick. Will our trio of heroes be able to find that rare stone and overpower the ogres that live in the swamp? Giant toads, talking plants, all kinds of monsters, and many ogres, yes, the angry kind, in the third adventure of Felix and Calcita, the fun comic series by Artur Laperla, creator of Superpatata/Super Potato"--From the publisher's web site.

Amir, haunted by his betrayal of Hassan, the son of his father's servant and a childhood friend, returns to Kabul as an adult after he learns Hassan has been killed, in an attempt to redeem himself by rescuing Hassan's son from a life of slavery to a Taliban official.

A personal account of the author's experiences living in New York City orphanages and foster homes from 1949 until his reunion with his friend and guardian three years later.