Eleven year old Alice is motherless and the story revolves around her trying to find a role model. At first she thinks that the teacher Miss Cole should be that model, but after a time she realizes it it the stodgy, but kind and thoughtful Mrs. Plodkin, whom she should emulate.

Outside appearances are not always what they seem.
How we treat people is more important then how we look.

The book is set in the 1930's. Moose has the enormous responsibility of taking care of his sister, Natalie, who has autism. It is further complicated by the unusual setting--their family lives on Alcatraz Island. This affects Moose's life in many ways: he has an unusual set of friends, he can't play like normal kids, he has to be more mature, etc. How he handles all of this, as well as his ultimate concern for what is best for Natalie, makes a beautiful story.

Have great compassion for people slightly different than yourself. Children can sometimes do things better than grown-ups. Circumstances can force you to rise to a higher maturity level. Bending the rules for a good cause is okay as long as no one is hurt by it. Don't give up if you know something would be best for someone and at first it doesn't look like it could happen. Honesty is always important.

Alanna wants to become a knight even though that is traditionally a male occupation. She is willing to do just about anything to reach her goal, including lying numerous times and taking matters into her own hands. She must learn to work hard and allow others to help in addition to all the knightly skills she studies.

If you think it's a good idea, go ahead and lie about it so you can do whatever it is you want, regardless of what your parents want for you.

Loosely based on a true story of the author's grandmother, Sallie McAlister, and her brother, William, who correspond with each other during the Civil War. Sallie's family share their feelings back and forth about the war, everyday life and the horses they love. The neighbor boy, Isaac, draws pictures of the family's horses and Sallie and Isaac decide to contact the generals (both sides) and ask them to share their stories about the horses that have served them during the war. They, in turn, will make a book from the letters they receive. Sallie's parents caution her not to get her hopes up that the project will be a success. To everyone's delight, the letters they receive are touching and the response is amazing.

People contributed and suffered a great deal during the war. Don't think that because you are a child you cannot accomplish something meaningful. Horses are special, caring animals that love their owners.

When you go to the beach, there's a lot to see. Through rhyming verse, Alice Shertle describes everything from one small grain of sand to toys to lemonade, umbrellas, and even toes! The ending of the book reminds readers of the most important thing for a beach--you.

Fun. Beach play. Self-esteem.

Samantha (Sam) Madison was caught charging select students for her drawings. Her parents strongly disapproved and sent her to art school thinking she had too much time on her hands. Her first class started out great! She met a cute boy named David. However, it ended in disaster when the instructor criticized her work in front of the whole class. Determined to not go to class the next day, she loiters around the studio neighborhood and finds herself standing right in front of the presidential motorcade. The President enters a cookie shop and suddenly, a man appears and draws out a gun and aims toward the President. Without thinking, Sam jumps onto the back of the would-be assassin, knocking him down, and saving the President. Of course, Sam receives many accolades for her heroic feat and the President makes her Teen Ambassador to the U.N. and she learns why the President stopped his motorcade that day - he was waiting for his son, David, to finish his class at art school. What will Sam do as the Teen Ambassador to the U.N.? Will she ever return to art school and become a better artist? Will sparks ignite between David and Sam in spite of her crush on her sister's boyfriend? First in a series.

Every American has the priviledge of freedom of speech.

It is important to be loyal to your family members.

Learn to listen and not just hear and see and not just look at what you THINK you know.

This is a non-fiction account of the yellow fever epidemic that struck Philadelphia in 1793. The epidemic lasted approximately 5 months and killed an estimated four to five thousand people. The book chronicles the impact that the epidemic had on the city, which was then the capitol of the young United States. The book details how the epidemic engendered some of the worst behavior in people as well as how it engendered some of the best behavior, as people rose above fear and personal considerations to respond to the challenge the epidemic placed before them. This book details the impact of the epidemic on the federal government and goes so far as to state that the epidemic may have prevented a revolution given the level of rioting that was occurring in Philadelphi prior to the outbreak of the epidemic. The book includes images of primary source materials such as newspaper accounts, maps, and messages, as well as a 12 page listing of source material used in writing the book to support further investigation.

Sometimes tragedy can strike on a large scale and people may be powerless to stop it; they can only choose how they respond to the tragedy. Tragedy can bring out both the best and the worst in people. In tough times, people do come together to help others. It can take combined efforts to survive and overcome difficult times. Good things can come out of tragedy.

Life is changing for the Garner family. The government has taken over some of their land and will be building houses on it. Life had already been hard for Luke. The government states that a family can only have two children and Luke is the third. The government made the population law because they worried that there wasn't enough food to feed everyone. The government has a Population Police to enforce the law. Luke can't go to school, have friends, or play in the front yard. He can never risk being seen, he can never leave home. He is sometimes envious of his two older brothers and the freedom they have. After a bypasser makes a remark to Dad, they get even more cautious about Luke and he has to stay in his room in the attic 24/7. He can only sit on the stairs when the family is eating together. One day, he sees a face in the window of one of the new houses - a face he has never seen before. Is this another child being hidden? He has to find out! So, one day, he decides to sneak across to meet this hidden child. He meets Jen, a live wire, who is determined to help Luke get out. Not only that, she wants him to participate in a rally the shadow children are planning to persuade the President that they have rights, too, and should be allowed to go free. When Luke happens to mention that his family's farm has more grain that the government will even buy, Jen excitedly sends that information to the Department of Agriculture's on-line bulletin board. Jen hopes that a Government worker will see it and begin to realize that the law is unnecessary. Will Luke go with Jen to the rally? And, will it make a difference?

It is up to each one of us to make the world a better place. Quote from book: "Hope doesn't mean anything," Jen snapped. "Action's the only thing that counts." (pg. 113) Make the best of the situation. Be willing to take a chance to better your life. Don't stay in misery because it is familiar.

Born an African prince, At-mun was captured by slavers and shipped to America in 1725. During the raid that led to his capture, he lost communication with his beloved and crippled sister, Ath-mun. After being dubbed "Amos" by a slave auctioneer, At-mun was purchased by a Quaker man and taught to read and write alongside white children. Amos took on "Fortune" as a last name when others recognized his good fortune in life. He bought his freedom when he was near 60 years old and worked as a tanner and carpenter to save money. His first two wives, whose freedom he purchased, died within a year of marriage. His third wife, Violet, and her young daughter, Celyndia, travelled with him to a new land to establish a tanning business and a homestead in a predominantly white community. Over time, Amos' skills were renown, and he became a respected member of his church and community. At the age of 80, he finally purchased his own land and continued to help others, even a young, ailing peasant girl whom would soon die. Amos lived and worked for freedom all his life and was successful because of his diligence, kindness, and determination.

Freedom is more than physical. It's better to give than to receive. A strong man is made by hard work, kindness, and perseverance. Make the most of what you have.

In the first of the Bartimaeus Trilogy the reader is introduced to 11 year old Nathaniel, a magician’s apprentice that was sold to the government by his parents at age five. The story is set in an alternative London ruled by powerful, unpleasant magicians. Nathaniel’s master is a cold and cruel middle–ranking magician named Arthur Underwood. Nathaniel survives fairly well until just before his eleventh birthday when he is publicly humiliated by the evil Simon Lovelace. His master does nothing to stop it; in fact adds to it. Nathaniel vows revenge. He reads and studies until he is able to summon a very powerful, 5,000 year old djinni named Bartimaeus. He commands Bartimaeus to steal something very dear to Lovelace, the Amulet of Samarkand. Bartimaeus is a rebellious djinni and the reader will be entertained by the humorous footnotes and quips by him. Because of the theft of the amulet, people die and havoc reigns. The boy magician is plunged into something more dangerous than anything he could have ever imagined. Nathaniel and Bartimaeus manage to kill or send back the worst magicians and demons and foil Lovelace’s plot to overthrow the Prime Minister. Will the power Nathaniel has discovered make him drift into the ambitious and power hungry mindset? Perhaps the next in the series will tell.

Seek revenge on those that have done you wrong. You can excel even when others don't believe in you.

All fiction - part fantasy, this book leaves you wondering what's real in an Alice in Wonderland sort of way. This tale of two brothers start out mundane enough until one brother starts popping in and out of thin air and casting spells on others with great subtlety. This story is reminiscent of Madeline L'Engle's "A Wrinkle in Time" with the unique characters and parallel planes. Spider describes it as "pushing reality around a little" (162). I describe it as a reader's nightmare. You think you are reading about one brother, then about two, then about one, then again about two. In either case, the man or men are kept busy with a transatlantic quest to find out the truth about their ancestry through various means of detective and mystical powers.

Childhood events and experiences can stifle the person that was truly intended to be.

Louise Rennison is a British comedian and it shows in her writing of the diary of Georgia Nicolson, a totally self centered fourteen-year-old. Georgia ‘s diary gives the reader a look at contemporary adolescent life in middle-class England. The title translates into: Angus, Georgia’s pet Scottish Wildcat; thongs, totally useless underwear in Georgia’s opinion; and full-frontal snogging, kissing with all the extras. There is a glossary in the back of the American edition to explain the British slang. Georgia has to deal with a three-year-old sister that leaves wet nappies (diapers) on her bed, a cat that terrorizes the neighbor’s poodle, parents who do not see things her way, and the tribulations of finding a boyfriend. The reader follows one year of her life attending a girl’s school as she and her friends play pranks and sneak off from school. They spend afternoons, evenings and weekends trying to find a boyfriend. The reader will probably laugh out loud at the antics of the insane cat and the soaring joys and bottomless angst of being a teenager.

Getting a boyfriend is important. Parents are idiots.

Margaret Simon has a mom who was born Christian and a dad who was born Jewish. They decided that their family would be of no religion, and Margaret can choose a religion for herself when she gets older, if she wants to. Well, Margaret talks to God when she's alone, even though she has no specific religion. She talks to him about her move from New York to Farbrook, and about her new friend Nancy Wheeler. She talks to God about her new male teacher in 6th grade, about how she wished she could grow enough to fill out her new bra and maybe even start her period. Nancy and Margaret, along with two other girls, Gretchen and Janie, form a private club where they talk about boys and growing up. They all attend a dance at school, and a party at a boy's house. Margaret tries out different churches to see if she can feel God in a church. At the end of the year, she completes an independent study project about religion. She's decided that it would be better for a child to just be told by her parents which religion she's supposed to be. Margaret gets angry with God when she has to cancel a vacation with one grandmother to meet another set of grandparents for the first time ever. They make a big fuss about her being a Christian, then they leave. Margaret decides she'll never talk to God again. After she starts her period, she does talk to him again, and thanks him for making her normal.

Girls in adolescence mature at different times, and it's normal. God is God, no matter what religion you are. The struggles, betrayal, and gossip of pre-teens.

This exciting adventure story is about Callie Hayes, a young woman in her mid-twenties who has yet to find her place in life. Her family keeps trying to ‘find her a man’. She longs to be an artist but finds herself in a rut, earning minimum wage raising rats for laboratory use. Her friend, Meg, talks her into volunteering for a seemingly harmless psychology experiment. She wants to back out but she finds herself thrown unexpectedly into a frightening and alien world. About all she has to guide her is a suggestion to stay on the white road and a manual, most of which is gibberish to her. The narrative is a loose allegory of the Christian life. Provided with a "field manual" (the Bible), Callie must navigate the Arena to return home. She hooks up with Pierce Andrews, and together with a ragtag group, they battle the mutant Trogs, who delight in raping, torturing and devouring their victims. Malevolent beings called the Watchers turn up all over the place to dishearten and tempt her. However, Elhanu (Christ) soon appears in disguise to help. It is the link she establishes with him, the master of the Arena, that sustains her. The closer she gets to the final exit, the more dangerous the journey becomes. She falls in love with Pierce and together they overcome the obstacles.

The main message is about fear and how one can choose to live with it or conquer it. Only man’s nature, fears, and limitations make the journey of life such a needlessly hard and difficult one

Alex Rider is accidently caught up in another thriller when he makes friends with a boy his age, Paul, the son of one of the world's richest men, Nikolai Drevin. However, Drevin is a criminal, unbeknown to his son, and it is Drevin himself who tries to kidnap Paul as a way to cover up his plan to destroy Washington D.C.

Never give up.
Evil people always get what's coming to them.

Twelve year old Artemis Fowl is a genius and criminal mastermind who is forced to safeguard his family's reputation and stature in history now that his father has disappeared and his mother is struggling with dementia. Artemis has hatched an ingenious plot to ransom "the people's" (a secret world of fairies, trolls, and dwarfs) gold by kidnapping one of their secret members. But first, Artemis must obtain and decipher the people's secret book of instructions. If he's successful, he must then find a fairy to kidnap. Little does Artemis know that he's kidnapped one of the member's of the elite LEPrecon force, Capt. Holly Short. Can she outwit the ingenious one? Has Artemis underestimated the technology and tricks that the people possess? ** Warning: This book discusses the Santa Claus "myth" and its origin. **

A mother or father is worth any price. It's better to be smarter than your opponent.

In this fourth adventure of Artemis Fowl, our young genius finds himself in Germany with his bodyguard, Butler, stealing a famous painting from a bank vault. Not long after the heist, he is rejoined with old friend Holly Short. As it turns out, their arch-nemesis, Opal Koboi, has managed to clone herself and escape confinement in a super secure laboratory. She is now out to get revenge on all of the characters that helped put her into confinement, namely Holly, her commander Julius Root, and Artemis. With the help of a dwarf and a few other creatures from the People, Opal is recaptured and all are safe once more. However, Holly quits the LEPrecon force and decides to go into practice as a private eye. Artemis begins to recognize that he would rather be doing good deeds than bad ones, and vows to reform. Only time will tell if he succeeds.

Even the most intelligent beings can sometimes be out-smarted. There is more to life than money. Friends are important.

Lady Grace Cavendish is a maid of honor in the court of Queen Elizabeth in 1569. Both of her parents died in service to the Queen, and Grace's estate is to be given to her upon her wedding when she's 16-years old. Now she's 13, and she must choose one of three suitors the Queen has appointed for her. At a Valentine's ball, Grace chooses the youngest suitor, Robert, because Charles is too old, though he is her friend, and the other suitor, Gerald, seems pompous. The next day, Gerald is found dead, stabbed in his bed, and Robert is accused. Grace sets out to prove that her betrothed is not the assassin. To solve this mystery, she must be very unlady-like, but the Queen supports her efforts, and she solves the layered mystery of Gerald's murder.

Mystery. Historical. Looks and money aren't the most valuable things in life.

Three girls from different social classes and environments take a summer job with the same family in The Hamptons of New York. Through many trials and tribulations the girls learn that they are not what society says they are and they also become friends. The book is pleasantly interspersed with pinches of flavor from designer shopping trips and celebrity sightings.

Put yourself first and have fun at all cost.

Anna Percy, East coast rich girl, has moved to Beverly Hills where she's hobnobbing with the rich and famous, like Sam Sharpe, daughter of action film super star, Jackson Sharpe. While Anna wants to stay true to her good girl ways, she can't resist the chance to hop on Jackson's Gulfstream with the coolest Beverly Hills High School seniors and jet away to Las Vegas. The other BHHS seniors are on the class trip to DC while Anna and her pals enjoy endless cash, casual sex, underage drinking and no inhibitions whatsoever. Anna's BFFE from New York shows up in Vegas as a surprise, boyfriend in tow, of course. And Anna just can't decide which boy she wants--her BFFE's, the single guy who's crushing on her, or her true love, last year's flame.

Partying. Friendship. Romance.

In this real-life legend, Sid Fleischman fictionalizes the notorious bandit Joaquin that stole and killed white men during the California Gold Rush. Annyrose Smith is left by her brother, Lank, to heal a broken Ankle at an an old woman's home. Because the old woman mistreated Annyrose, when Joaquin and his banditos arrive at the farm, Annyrose begs to leave with them. Joaquin agrees only if Annyrose will teach him to read. Life with banditos is not easy for a law-abiding citizen. Annyrose and Joaquin disagree on practically everything, but over time, as they help one anther, they grow to love each other like a father and daughter. Annyrose finds Lank in Bedbug and reunites with him, but he's working for the law that's on Joaquin's trail. Annyrose makes sure Lank can't chase Joaquin, but soon they hear that he's been killed. His head is in a jar, on display, for spectators willing to pay $1. To give her farewells, Annyrose decides to view the head. To the surprise of lank and her, it's not Joaquin's!

The line between right and wrong. Keeping your morals intact. California legend.

At thirteen, Twig has to leave the woodtroll village in the Underworld and venture into the Deepwoods. His surrogate mother fears the skypirates, whom the woodtrolls trade with, may kidnap Twig and force him to become one of them. Twig knows that woodtrolls never--never--leave the paths, and yet with all the beauty and interesting things of the Deepwoods, Twig soon becomes lost in the trees. A series of strange realizations follow: creatures try to take Twig's life; colonies of strange tribes live differently from the woodtrolls; underground civilizations. Along his way, Twig befriends a banderbear, meets a caterbird who promises to be there when Twig really needs him, and encounters many allies in odd places. After a night with some skypirates--one of which Twig suspects may be his father--Twig encounters a strange creature, an evil shapeshifter, a gloamglozer. The gloamglozer has been the ally, in different forms, who helped Twig find his way out of danger time after time. Twig falls for the creature's promises of greatness and is tossed into an abyss. Saved by the caterbird and dropped onto the deck of the sky pirates' ship, Twig meets his father, Cloud Wolf, and becomes a sky pirate.

Make your own way. Don't fear the unknown. Be yourself.

In The Land of Elyon series, Beyond the Valley of thorns is book 2. Upon returning to Bridewell with her father one year after the walls were removed, Alexa is visited by Yipes in her favorite place--the library. A letter from the deceased Warvold reveals that she is to journey into the Dark Hills to find a secret. Her old pal Murphy the squirrel meets up with Alexa and Yipes, and John Christopher presents her with the last Jacosta, which allows her to communicate with animals. John, Yipes, Murphy, Alexa, Odessa the wolf and a giant named Armon must destroy the evil forces of Abaddon by conquering Grindall and his ogres and rescuing Alexa's mother--yes, she is alive--from the dungeon. The fate of the Land of Elyon rests on Alexa's young shoulders.

Leadership. Responsibility. Courage and persistence.

Sophie, an orphan, is snatched up in the middle of the night by a giant, a Big Friendly Giant. The BFG, for short, is the only giant in all of England that is neither mean, ugly nor eats little children. Together Sophie and the BFG come up with a plan to capture the other giants and rid the world from their terror.

If one tries hard enough, right will win over might. Standing up for what you believe is not always easy.

Black Cat wanders the streets of New York, on buildings, in the subway car, on the basketball court, and everywhere else. Where is his home? He prowls, day and night, all through the city. And the question is asked...where is his home? His answer..."anywhere I roam".

Security. City life. Creative language, poetry.

A tale of teenage friendships, betrayals, and jealousy. Anna moves from her mother’s home in New York to her father’s home in California. In typical teenage fashion, Cammie is jealous of her for no other reason than the boys are giving their attention to Anna, the new girl. To make matters worse, so is Cammie’s father who hires Anna as his intern on a hot, new, TV show. While Anna is trying to adjust to life on the west coast, learn the ins and outs of a new job, and discover the true feelings of her heart, Cammie is plotting to teach Anna a lesson. But, in the end, it may not be Anna who learns the biggest lesson.

Cammie’s father sums it up nicely when he says, “don’t ___ where you live”. This is a principal dogs have followed since the beginning of time. Any dog owner knows that a dog will have an “accident” anywhere in the house except in their own bed. Perhaps Cammie should get a dog!

Taran, who spends his days wishing for something interesting to happen, suddenly finds himself on a rescue mission to save his oracular pig. He is joined by an unusual group who end up helping him fight the dangers that threaten his homeland. The first in The Prydain Chronicles series of five books. The last in the series, The High King, was honored with the Newbery medal. The second book in the series, The Black Cauldron, received the Newbery Honor medal.

A teen's journey to adulthood is about discovering who you are. Every living thing deserves our respect. We need to accept help when it is needed.

Four orphaned children set up housekeeping in an old deserted boxcar. They are determined to stay together and so the children must not let adults know their whereabouts or that they are living on their own. The oldest child, Henry, gets odd jobs to earn money for food, and the younger siblings take care of Benny, who is only 5, and do the cooking and "cleaning." A local doctor takes an interest in the family and helps reunite them with their grandfather.

It is important for a family to stick together. Hard work will provide results. People are resourceful. Not all people can be trusted. One shouldn't jump to conclusions.

In Hollywood people are accustomed to weird people but 17 year-old Victoria Jurgen with her shaved head, ears full of rings, no makeup and long full cape is still a bit too much for her peers . Victoria models herself after her favorite star, Egg, in her favorite science fiction movie, Terminal Earth, which she has seen 42 times. She even insists that everyone, including her mother, call her Egg. Victoria’s mother is an actor and her father is a special effects make-up artist. She spends Tuesday’s with her dad helping him create his masks and prosthetics for his special effects make up. She is happiest working with him. She is the very opposite of her mother in personality and her mother says she makes herself “boy-proof” on purpose. She spends the rest of her time antagonizing her mother and disdaining the other members of the Science Fiction Club and the School Newspaper. Neither of her parent’s busy careers leave them much time for her. Her friends at school could take her strange looks but they cannot stand her rude, anti-social behavior. They try, but even the new boy, Max, who can see beyond her exterior, finally gives up. Things spiral downward until she finds herself with no one to talk to and failing trigonometry. She finally comes to see that SHE must change if she wants to have friends and if she wants Max to become her boyfriend. So change she does. Max shows her that she can be her own person, and fight real apocalyptic conservation issues right on earth.

You must like yourself so that others can like you. Being a friend is what it takes to have friends.

Jesse Aarons is looking forward to being the fastest runner in fifth grade when a new kid moves in next door to his family farm. The new kid turns out to be the fastest runner in fifth grade even though the new kid is--a girl! Leslie Burke is an unusual girl and Jesse doesn't quite know what to make of her when they first meet. The two share grade-school adventures like besting the school bully and gradually grow to be friends and, eventually, even best friends. Together they discover a secret place across a dry creek bed where they build a pretend castle and rule as queen and king of Terabithia. It is Leslie's imagination that fuels their many fantasy adventures and Jesse comes to rely on her strength and wisdom. As the winter rains set in, the dry creek bed fills with water--and danger. The children must swing across the dry creek bed on an old rope to get to Terabithia and Jesse becomes more and more afraid of the adventure. But Leslie is brave and he decides he must be as well. One day, Jesse joins a teacher on a cultural trip out of town and Leslie decides to go to Terabithia alone. When Jesse returns home, he learns the terrible news that the old rope broke and Leslie died on her way to Terabithia. Jesse is devastated by the news. His struggles to overcome his pain and go on without Leslie finally help him to see the wonderful gift which she has given him. He builds a Bridge to Terabithia and takes his little sister, Maybelle, there to begin anew.

This book is one of the few children's literature resources available that deals with the subject of death--and it does so in a compassionate, gentle manner. The author also addresses other important issues in this book. Friendship is very important, and so is compassion and thinking about how the world is for another person. Magic is possible. Never stop dreaming.

Teddy Roosevelt was a child afflicted with severe asthma, and his doctors said he had to limit his activity. Under the influence of his father, Teddy overcame his physical afflictions and explored the untamed west, hobnobbed with political dignitaries, became a war hero, mayor of New York City, vice president, and then President of the United States by the age of 42. Even after his presidency, Teddy went on to discover a river in Brazil, have two animals named for him, and he also won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work during his presidency. Theodore Roosevelt was a man who overcame physical affliction to see his dreams fulfilled.

Overcoming physical affliction. Persistence. Strong-will. Leadership. Environmental protection and conservation.

Ronde and Tiki Barber share a summer of their lives when Tiki broke his leg and what it took for both of them to get through it and be side by side again.

If you work hard, every day, you can overcome obstacles. Respect your parent(s). Work to do your best at everything you do. Believe in yourself and others will too.

This is a story of a dog from the southern United States captured and sold into work as a sled dog in Alaska during the Alaskan Gold Rush years. It is a story about a dog who travels further and further from his life as a domesticated dog until he finally answers to the call of the wild that still runs in his blood.

Life is hard and requires courage, strength and cunning. Even in hard times, love between animals and love between animals and people can be found.

In this first book of the series Guardians of Ga’Hoole, something terrible is happening in the Forest of Tyto. Eggs and owlets are being stolen! Soren, a baby Barn owl, is pushed from the nest and is snatched by owls that are up to no good. He is taken to a place they call St Aegolius Academy for Orphaned Owls. It is not the kindly place the name would imply. Instead Soren must work and must submit to brainwashing techniques. Soren makes friends with Gylfie, an Elf owl, and together they manage to resist being moon blinked (brain washed). They realize they must escape and get help to stop these wicked owls from taking over the entire owl world. The story follows these two young owls through their escape and the beginning of their search for the Great Tree of Ga’Hoole. Along the way the reader benefits from the author’s research in owl species and behavior.

This story reminds us of our need for personal choice and the need for fellowship based on trust and love. It teaches us to be kind and compassionate to all around us.

When a gray cat's owner dies, the cat is shipped north to where he was born. In his new home, he has no one to pet him like his former owner, a nice old woman, pet him. He's uncared for and forgotten, so he travels the country side. Through villages, cities, Paris; over bridges, canals, in the rain and cold he travels. When he wanders into a sea port he's frail and tired from his journey. He finds his old home, where the old lady used to pet him. Children live there. The children give him water and pet him just like his former owner did. He's home again.

Need for love, affection. Finding home.

Holden Caufield is 16 when he's kicked out of yet another prep school; this time for his grades. Since his younger brother died, Holden hasn't done well in school and has a cynical outlook on life. He leaves school before he's supposed to and stays three days in New York City on limited funds. His adventures take him into bars, hotels, and meetings with old friends and acquaintances. Holden worries about his father being angry and his mother's disappointment at learning he's been kicked out of another school. He visits his young sister, Phoebe, whom he adores, at night when his parents are not home. She loves him deeply, and when he says he's moving away to the country, she drags up a huge suitcase and declares she's going with him. In the end, Holden stays to face reality. He ends up in a hospital, none to happy that he's shared his story with others. The title of this book comes from a song that Holden mis-quotes in his mind. "When a body catch a body coming through the rye..." is how the song plays in his head. He reveals to Phoebe that the only thing he really wants to be is a catcher on the edge of a rye field near a cliff. He'd catch kids before they fell over the cliff. He would be the catcher in the rye.

Cynicism of adult world. Hatred and fear for loss of innocence. Growing up and seeing life through adult eyes. Desire to protect children and loved ones.

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