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 City of OrphansThe streets of 1893 New York are full of life: crowded, filthy, dangerous. If you are a newsboy like thirteen-year-old Maks Geless, you need to watch out for Bruno, leader of the Plug Ugly Gang. With Bruno's boys in fierce pursuit, Maks discovers Willa, a strange girl who lives alone in an alley. It is she, stick in hand, who fights off the Plug Uglies—but further dangers await. Maks must find a way to free his sister Emma from The Tombs, the city jail where she has been imprisoned, accused of stealing a watch at the glamorous new Waldorf Hotel. Maks, believing her innocent, has only four days to prove it. Fortunately, there is Bartleby Donck, the eccentric lawyer (among other employments) to guide Maks and Willa in the art of detection. Against a backdrop alive with the sights and sounds of tenement New York, Maks, as boy detective, must confront a teeming world of wealth and crime, while struggling against powerful forces threatening new immigrants and the fabric of family love. Praise "Avi's vivid recreation of the sights and sounds of that time and place is spot on... Heroic deeds, narrow escapes, dastardly villains...and a family rich in love and hope are all part of an intricate and endlessly entertaining adventure. Terrific!" — Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "vibrant... a terrifically exciting read." — Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Dickensian street action...gripping ...Just as compelling as the fast-moving plot's twists and turns is the story's social realism, brought home by the contrasts between the overcrowded, unsanitary slums...and the luxurious Waldorf.... A riveting historical novel." — Booklist (starred review)  Crispin: The Cross of LeadWinner of the Newberry Award, ALA Notable, Booksense Top Ten, Best Children's Books of the year, Colorado Book Award and more. "Asta's son” is all he's ever been called. He and his mother are but poor peasants in fourteenth-century medieval England. But this thirteen-year-old boy who thought he had little to lose soon finds himself with even less—no home, family, or possessions. Accused of a crime he did not commit, he has been declared a "wolf's head." That means he may be killed on sight, by anyone. If he wishes to remain alive, he must flee his tiny village. All the boy takes with him is a newly revealed name—Crispin—and his mother's cross of lead. His journey through the English countryside is amazing and terrifying. Especially difficult is his encounter with the juggler named Bear. A huge, and possibly even mad, man, Bear forces the boy to become his servant. Bear, however, is a strange master, for he encourages Crispin to think for himself. Though Bear promises to protect Crispin, the boy is being relentlessly pursued. Why are his enemies so determined to kill him? Crispin is gradually drawn right into his enemies' fortress where—in a riveting climax—he must become a different person if he is to save Bear's life and his own. He discovers that by losing everything, he has gained the most precious gift of all: a true sense of self. A master of breathtaking plot twists and vivid characters, Avi brings the full force of his storytelling powers to the world of medieval England. "The suspense stays taut until the very end of the book…Exciting and true to the past. This novel is historical fiction at its finest." — VOYA Crispin's adventures continue in:  Crispin at the Edge of the World Crispin and Bear have set off to live their lives as free men. But they don't get far before their past catches up with them: Bear is being pursued by a secret brotherhood who believe he is an informer. When Bear is badly wounded, it is up to Crispin to make decisions about their future: where to go, whom to trust. Along the way, they become entangled with an extraordinary range of people, each of whom affects Crispin and Bear's journey in unexpected ways. To find freedom and safety, they may have to travel to the edge of the world—even if it means confronting death itself. In this riveting sequel to the Newbery Award–winning Crispin: The Cross of Lead, Avi explores themes of war, religion, and family as he continues the adventures of Crispin and Bear. "an extraordinary work of lyrical simplicity.... Readers will devour this story and eagerly anticipate the conclusion of Crispin's adventures." — School Library Journal And the trilogy's thrilling conclusion:  Crispin: The End of Time "As long as I could keep myself out of bondage, I would be true to Bear's teaching. And so it was that beyond all else, I was determined to keep my freedom." But the road to liberty is filled with danger, betrayal, and loss. Crispin must decide for himself what freedom really means—and how high a price he is willing to pay for it. "Avi guides his hero toward a final, very satisfying destiny in this wonderfully realized conclusion to the Crispin trilogy.... Crispin eventually falls in with a band of traveling musicians, who, he finds out in increasingly suspenseful scenes, are murderous thieves who hold a terrified boy in thrall. The story of how he and the child, Owen, escape their clutches makes for a heart-stopping read. As in the other titles in the saga, characters and setting are expertly rendered.... Thrilling and beautifully wrought." — Kirkus (starred review) "this final volume in the Crispin trilogy showcases the same strengths as the earlier books: brisk, suspenseful narrative with effortlessly interwoven details of medieval life and provocative questions of ethics and morality...another rousing page-turner..." — The Horn Book
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 The Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book (Diary of a Wimpy Kid)
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| Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Book 1) - $13.95 | Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (Book 2) - $13.95 | Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw (Book 3) - $13.95 |
 Our favorite LOL Kid's Poet,
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 Mad Love by Suzanne SelforsAs the daughter of the bestselling Queen of Romance, life for sixteen-year-old Alice Amorous should be pretty good. But ever since her mother was secretly hospitalized for mental illness, Alice has been forced to maintain a brave front—lying to her new crush, Tony, answering fan letters, forging her mother's signature, telling the publisher that all is well. Now time is running out and so is their money. The next book is overdue and the Queen can't write it. Alice needs to deliver a new novel for her mother—and she needs to come up with one fast. That's when she meets Errol, a strange guy claiming to be Cupid, who insists that Alice must write about his tragic romance with Psyche—the greatest love story of all time. Only, Alice doesn't believe in Cupid....
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 Museum of Thieves by Lian Tanner "Goldie Roth hated the punishment chains. She hated them more than anything—except perhaps for the Blessed Guardians. As the heavy brass cuffs snapped around her wrists and the weight of the chains fell on her shoulders, she stared sullenly at the cobblestones." Welcome to the tyrannical city of Jewel, where impatience is a sin and boldness is a crime. Like every child in Jewel, Goldie Roth wears a silver guardchain and must unquestioningly obey the Blessed Guardians. She is counting the days until Separation Day. When Separation Day is canceled, Goldie runs away, risking more than her own life. In the mysterious Museum of Dunt, she meets the boy Toadspit and discovers terrible secrets. Only the cunning mind of a thief can understand the museum's strange, shifting rooms. Fortunately, Goldie has a talent for thieving. Which is just as well, because the leader of the Blessed Guardians has his own plans for the museum—plans that threaten the lives of everyone Goldie loves. And it will take a daring thief to stop him. . . . Museum of Thieves is a thrilling tale of destiny and danger, and of a courageous girl who has never been allowed to grow up—until now. |
 The Hunger Games (Hunger Games Series #1) by Suzanne CollinsIn the ruins of a place once known as North America, a shining but harsh Capitol forces its subservient outlying districts to send their children into the deadly Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. When sixteen-year-old Katnis steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games, she believes it is her death sentence. Then Katniss discovers that survival is for her, second nature. But winning? If Katniss is to win, she will have to start weighing survival against humanity, and life against love.
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Poetry4Kids |
Reader Girlz |
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Ideal Bite |
National Geographic Kids |
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JK Rowling's Home Page |
World of the Sisters Grimm |
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Roald Dahl's Official Page |
Want to suggest a site for our nifty link list? Email info@abookforallseasons.com and let us know! |
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Kid's Book Reviews: Beauty Queens By Libba Bray $18.99 Satire, spunk, and sizzle, and a survivor-type plot from the comic master: bestselling, Printz Award-winning Libba Bray. A plane of beauty pageant contestants crashes on an island. The survivors are beset by mysteries and dangers. No access to email. And the spirit of fierce, feral competition that lives underground in girls. A journey into the heart of non-exfoliated darkness. Oh, the horror, the horror. Like Lord of the Flies with evening gowns. And a body count. Only funnier. Pure hilarity from page one. "Bray follows her Printz Award-winner, Going Bovine, with an only slightly less absurd premise in this out-there satire about a planeload of teen beauty queens who crash onto a (not so) deserted island... the 14 surviving contestants must rely on competitive moxie... Halfway through the ordeal, a boat full of shirtless, reality TV pirates runs aground, allowing for some smoking hot scenes...There's a lot of message, but every time the story veers toward sermonizing, Bray corrects with another crack about our media-saturated, appearance-obsessed, consumer-driven society," says Publishers Weekly Buy Beauty Queens By Libba Bray - $18.99 |
 Chronicles of the Red King #01: The Secret Kingdom By Jenny Nimmo $16.99 Bestselling author Jenny Nimmo is back with a brand-new series chronicling the origin and the adventures of Charlie Bone's magical ancestor, the Red King. Prince Timoken receives magical gifts on the day of his birth: a cloak made by the last moon spider and a potion called Alixir. When their peaceful homeland is attacked, Timoken and his sister must flee, with Timoken's gifts offering some protection, yet drawing the evil eternally after them. In this brand-new series, bestselling author Jenny Nimmo takes readers on an extraordinary quest with one of her most powerful and mysterious characters, the one who started it all for Charlie Bone and the children of the Red King. "Nimmo expands her popular Charlie Bone universe with this first book in the Chronicles of the Red King series about Charlie's ancestor, the Red King of Africa. His name is Timoken, and he is blessed and cursed at birth with jinni gifts — flight, the ability to speak with animals — that give him 'one foot in the world of men and the other in the realm of enchantments.' ... Timoken is a highly appealing young hero, and his panoply of human and magical friends provide just the right amount of help without stealing the show," says Publishers Weekly Buy Chronicles of the Red King #01: The Secret Kingdom By Jenny Nimmo - $16.99 |
 Linger (Book #2 in the Shiver series) By Maggie Stiefvater $9.99 The astonishing #1 New York Times bestseller! Once Grace and Sam have found each other, they know they must fight to stay together. For Sam, this means a reckoning with his werewolf past. For Grace, it means facing a future that is less and less certain. Into their world comes a new wolf named Cole, whose past is full of hurt and danger. He is wrestling with his own demons, embracing the life of a wolf while denying the ties of a human. For Grace, Sam, and Cole, life is a constant struggle between two forces—wolf and human—with love baring its two sides as well. It is harrowing and euphoric, freeing and entrapping, enticing and alarming. As their world falls apart, love is what lingers. But will it be enough? "If Shiver left fans wanting more, Linger will have them begging," says Romantic Times. "Beautiful and moving...The mythology surrounding the wolf pack is clever and so well written," says a School Library Journal starred review. "A lyrical tale of alienated werewolves and first love....her take on werewolves is interesting and original while her characters are refreshingly willing to use their brains to deal with the challenges they face," says a Publisher's Weekly starred review. Linger (Book #2 in the Shiver series) By Maggie Stiefvater - $9.99 |
 Troubletwisters By Garth Nix and Sean Williams $16.99 A new middle-grade fantasy series from NYT bestselling authors Garth Nix and Sean Williams, in which two twins find that they must act as wards against a threatening evil. Jaide and Jack Shield don't know that the world is under attack. They don't know who the Wardens are, or that they themselves are troubletwisters, young Wardens just coming into their powers. In this enjoyable romp, first in a series, 12-year-old twins Jaide and Jack Shield have just had their house blown up under mysterious and possibly magical circumstances, and are unceremoniously shipped off to spend time with their eccentric Grandma X. There, they soon discover that they are "trouble-twisters," apprentice magicians just coming into their powers. Grandma X will try to train them ... but when the evil proves stronger than expected, will the twins be able to defeat it on their own? Buy Troubletwisters By Garth Nix and Sean Williams - $16.99 |
 A World Without Heroes (Beyonders Series #1) By Brandon Mull $19.99 Attention "Fablehaven" fans! YA-magic creator Brandon Mull has a new series out! "Brandon Mull is a wizard with words. With Beyonders, he has conjured one of the most original fantasies I've read in years — an irresistible mix of adventure, humor and magic," says Rick Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson series. Jason Walker has often wished his life could be a bit less predictable—until a routine day at the zoo ends with Jason suddenly transporting from the hippo tank to a place unlike anything he's ever seen. In the past, the people of Lyrian welcomed visitors from the Beyond, but attitudes have changed since the wizard emperor Maldor rose to power. The brave resistors who opposed the emperor have been bought off or broken, leaving a realm where fear and suspicion prevail. In his search for a way home, Jason meets Rachel, who was also mysteriously drawn to Lyrian from our world. With the help of a few scattered rebels, Jason and Rachel become entangled in a quest to piece together the word of power that can destroy the emperor, and learn that their best hope to find a way home will be to save this world without heroes. "Jason's journey will require readers to think hard about life's unpredictable nature and the difficult decisions that must be made. It also touches on finding trust in others and the importance of asking for help...highly recommended" — School Library Journal Buy A World Without Heroes (Beyonders Series #1) By Brandon Mull - $19.99 |
 Mockingbird By Kathryn Erskine $6.99 Winner of the 2010 National Book Award for Young People's Literature. Caitlin has Asperger's. The world according to her is black and white; anything in between is confusing. Before, when things got confusing, Caitlin went to her older brother, Devon, for help. But Devon has died in a school shooting, and Caitlin's dad is so distraught that he is just not helpful. Over the course of the story, Caitlin, who like many with Asperger's has incredible brainpower but few social skills, must learn empathy. Her Amelia Bedelia—like misunderstandings provide delightful moments of levity. Caitlin, who can read a dictionary better than a social situation, comes across the word closure—and realizes this is what she needs. And in her search for it, Caitlin discovers that the world may not be black and white after all. This novel is not so much about violence as about the ways in which a wounded community heals. "Although teens may not initially understand Caitlin's seemingly unemotional acceptance of tragedy and her literal interpretation of events, they will soon become caught up in her search for closure and cheer for her as she discovers herself capable of friendship, love, and empathy. A good choice for supplementary reading in a high school psychology class, Mockingbird will also appeal to book groups for middle and high schoolers; siblings and friends of young people with Asperger's and other developmental disorders; and any middle school student who enjoys thoughtful characters and a good story," says Voya. "In Erskine's capable hands, Caitlin emerges as a wholly believable, admirable hero as she forges a unique path to friendship and healing. A lovely, important book," says Children's Literature. Buy Mockingbird By Kathryn Erskine - $6.99 |
 This Isn't What It Looks Like (Secret Series #4) by Pseudonymous Bosch $16.99 Recommended for ages 8-12 The Secret Series continues in this dangerous and daring fourth adventure. Cass finds herself alone and disoriented, a stranger in a dream-like, medieval world. Where is she? Who is she? With the help of a long-lost relative, she begins to uncover clues and secrets—piecing together her family's history as she fights her way back to the present world. Meanwhile, back home, Cass is at the hospital in a deep coma. Max-Ernest knows she ate Time Travel Chocolate—and he's determined to find a cure. Can our expert hypochondriac diagnose Cass's condition before it's too late? And will he have what it takes to save the survivalist? The Pseudonymous Bosch series, which begins with The Name of this Book is Secret, is equal parts supernatural whodunit, suspense-filled adventure and evocative coming-of-age tale. When an unlikely pair of 11-year-old outsiders—survivalist Cassandra and aspiring stand-up comedian Max-Ernest—team up to solve a mystery, they unwittingly cross paths with the villainous Dr. L and his ageless accomplice, Ms. Mauvais. Full of Lemony Snickett-like humor, and loaded with brainteasers—anagrams, coded messages, and palindromes—Bosch's deliberately eccentric offering is likely to acquire a cult following. Buy This Isn't What It Looks Like (Secret Series #4) by Pseudonymous Bosch - $16.99 |
 If Stones Could Speak: Unlocking the Secrets of Stonehenge What are the secrets of the ancient stone circle? Were the carefully placed stones a burial site, an ancient calendar, a place of Druid worship...or even a site of sacrifice? World-renowned archaeologist Mike Parker-Pearson has spent the last seven years on a quest to answer these and many other questions. In If Stones Could Speak, award-winning author Marc Aronson joins the research crew and records their efforts to crack Stonehenge's secrets. National Geographic helped sponsor the Riverside archeological team's mission, and now young readers can journey behind the scenes to experience this groundbreaking story first-hand, through the eyes of the experts. Mike and his team have revolutionized our understanding of Stonehenge by exploring the surrounding landscape for clues about the stones - an idea first suggested by a visitor from Madagascar. The results have been breathtaking: The team recently unearthed the largest Neolithic village ever found in England. Marc Aronson had total access to the site, the team, and their work over two seasons of digging and brings the inspirational story of the discoveries taking place at this World Historical Site to young readers. The informative and drama-driven text includes tales of dead bodies, cremations, feasting, and ancient rituals, as well as insights into the science of uncovering the ancient past. The expert text, stunning photography, and explanatory maps and illustrations will all help young readers see this ancient monument in totally new ways, and inspire future generations of archaeological explorers. |
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A Book For All Seasons, 703 Highway 2, Leavenworth, WA 98826 |
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