New Releases by Gloria Whelan

A critically acclaimed historical novel by the author of the National Book Award-winning novel Homeless Bird. When shy ten-year-old Lucy comes to live with her aunt and uncle at their mission school, she's surprised at the number of harsh rules and restrictions imposed on the children. Why, she wonders, should the Indians have to do all the changing? And why is her aunt so strict with them? Then a girl called Raven runs away in protest, and Lucy knows she must overcome her timidity and stand up to her aunt—no matter what the consequences. With her trademark lyricism, spare prose, and strong young heroine, award-winning author Gloria Whelan has once again taken a chapter from history and transformed it into gripping, accessible historical fiction that is perfect for schools and classrooms, as well as for fans of Linda Sue Park and Louise Erdrich.

We are all going to be made perfect . . . In 1843, with all their possessions loaded onto a single wagon, ten-year-old Louisa May Alcott and her family bravely set out into the wilderness to make a new home for themselves on a farm called Fruitlands. Louisa''s father has a dream of living a perfect, simple life. It won''t be easy, but the family has vowed to uphold his high ideals. In her diary -- one she shares with her parents -- Louisa records her efforts to become the girl her parents would like her to be. But in another, secret diary, she reveals the hardships of this new life, and pours out her real hopes and worries. Can Louisa live up to her father''s expectations? Or will trying to be perfect tear the family apart?

Peter Liebig can''t wait for summer. He''s tired of classrooms, teachers, and the endless lectures about the horrible Nazis. The war has been over for ten years, and besides, his town of Rolfen, West Germany, has moved on nicely. Despite its bombed-out church, it looks just as calm and pretty as ever. There is money to be made at the beach, and there are whole days to spend with Father at his job. And, of course, there''s soccer. Plenty for a thirteen-year-old boy to look forward to. But when Peter stumbles across a letter he was never meant to see, he unravels a troubling secret. Soon he questions everything—the town''s peaceful nature, his parents'' stories about the war, and his own sense of belonging.

It''s the summer of 1942. At her grandparents'' island cottage in Michigan, 14–year–old Belle excitedly awaits the arrival of her exotic older cousin, Carolyn. Belle''s expecting worldly sophistication and French style. But Carolyn brings much more than that: she carries the troubling reality of the World War that is ravaging her home. Turtle Island will never be the same again. Set against the backdrop of breezy island cottages, this heartrending tale from National Book Award medalist Gloria Whelan is the story of a beautiful place and a special friendship–and how events thousands of miles away shaped them both.

Great middle greats fiction.

Each letter of the alphabet is represented by a name or word derived from some aspect of the country of Canada, and each term is presented in a rhyme and then further explained in a note.

Silvia tries to save her brother, Eduardo, after he is captured by the military government in 1970s Argentina.

When another girl is born to Chu Ju''s mother, it is quickly determined that the baby must be sent away. Chinese law states that a family may have only two children, and tradition dictates that every family should have a boy. Fourteen-year-old Chu Ju knows she cannot allow her sister to be sent to an orphanage and so she sets out in the middle of the night, vowing never to return.

The National Book Award-winning author of "Homeless Bird" sets this richly historical coming-of-age novel in British East Africa in 1919, and tells a breathtaking story of tragedy and deception, and one orphaned girl's triumph against all odds.

In Leningrad in 1941, when Russia and Germany are at war, fourteen-year-old Georgi vows to help his family and his city during the terrible siege.

Dawn Zonder is finally starting to feel at home in Starvation Lake with all her new friends when she finds out she might have to move again. If only Dawn could convince her family to stay in Starvation Lake for good. But the only house the Zonders can afford is the old Grader place. It'' s more than just run down-- it'' s haunted!

In 1913 Russia, twelve-year-old Katya eagerly anticipates leaving her St. Petersburg home, though not her older cousin Misha, to join her mother, a lady in waiting in the household of Tsar Nicholas II, but the ensuing years bring world war, revolution, and undreamed of changes to her life.

The kids from Starvation Lake are all excited about their trip to the ecology center . . . all of them, that is, except Baylor. Just the thought of being outdoors makes Baylor sick. The cold and the germs are bad enough, but no one said anything about the bears!

Koly es un personaje pasivo y acobardado que se debate en la indefensión. Los seres humanos se compran y se venden como objetos y son arrojados al perder su utilidad. De igual forma, la suegra compra, mediante un donativo, el favor de los dioses para su hijo, o entrega una cantidad de dinero a su nuera al abandonarla para tranquilizar su conciencia. El libro plantea la necesidad de que dos personas sean compatibles para vivir juntos, asunto lo suficientemente importante para no dejarlo al azar de una negociación entre progenitores. Tema central: falta de libertad y cómo conseguir ésta o ayudar a otros a hacerlo.

During a long, snowy winter, the fourth grade boys and girls at Starvation Lake Elementary School have a contest to see who can raise the most money to help pay for a class trip.

Times are hard in northern Michigan, and without a warm coat, Holly may not be able to start school. Will her Mama figure out a solution? National Book Award winner Whelan''s lyrical prose is accompanied by detailed paintings from Michigan artist van Frankenhuyzen. Illustrations.

When thirteen-year-old Koly enters into an ill-fated arranged marriage, she must either suffer a destiny dictated by India''s tradition or find the courage to oppose it.

When thirteen-year-old Koly enters into an ill-fated arranged marriage, she must either suffer a destiny dictated by India''s tradition or find the courage to oppose it.

In 1816, sixteen-year-old Mary O'Shea accepts her married sister's invitation to visit her in London and experiences much of the world beyond her beloved family farm on Mackinac Island.

When a tire fire causes a punk rock band to take a detour to Starvation Lake, the fourth-grade students talk them into playing at the school fund raiser.

Because the Sioux had killed her Papa at the Battle of Little Bighorn, eleven-year-old Miranda struggles with her mama's prejudice and her own experiences with Indians in the Wild West Show.

A fictionalized account of Ernest Hemingway''s sixteenth summer, during which love for his family, need for independence, and responsibility for decisions vie with each other, moving him from boyhood to manhood.

Libby Mitchell can’t believe her luck! In 1841, her pioneer family decides to move north—near her best friend, Fawn, who lives with the Ottawa tribe. But the girls’ happiness at reuniting is short-lived. Greedy men want to cheat Fawn’s people out of their land and put all of the forest in danger. Now Libby and Fawn must think of a way to stop them—before the woods that they call home are lost forever. History Stepping Stones now feature updated content that emphasizes Common Core and today’s renewed interest in nonfiction. Perfect for home, school, and library bookshelves!

His family's quest for the truth takes them from the political inferno of Central America to the snowy woodlands of northern Michigan.

When Alexi learns from his babuskha that a Russian village church has been closed for sixty years, the resourceful young boy decides to prepare it for a Christmas miracle.

When war erupts between England and America in 1812, it brings change and uncertainty—even to Michigan's remote Mackinac Island. For young Mary O'Shea, the hardest change is the departure of her father, who leaves Mackinac to join the American Army. With her sister and brother, Mary must tend the farm, deal with the hardships of British occupation, and hope for the safe return of their father.

In the winter of 1840, the night of the full moon is approaching. Nothing will stop Libby Mitchell from visiting her best friend, Fawn, during a special ceremony at the nearby wigwam camp. But Libby’s adventure takes an unexpected turn when soldiers suddenly rush in. They order everyone at the camp, including Libby, to move off the land—immediately! With each passing day, the displaced people must move farther away from home. Will Libby ever see her family again? History Stepping Stones now feature updated content that emphasizes Common Core and today’s renewed interest in nonfiction. Perfect for home, school, and library bookshelves!

When thirteen-year-old Clair's relationship with her minister father changes after her mother's death, she stops speaking, and the subsequent events change both their lives.