NEW NEW NEW!
New Books & Media
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NEW Materials for Primary & Intermediate Grades
American Revolution: A Nonfiction Companion to Revolutionary War on Wednesday (Magic Tree House Research Guide Series) (350008)
Mary Pope Osborne; Lexile: 600L; multiple books, PI
When Jack and Annie got back from their adventure in Magic Tree House #22: Revolutionary War on Wednesday, they had lots of questions. What was it like to live in colonial times? Why did the stamp Act make the colonists so angry? Who were the Minutemen? What happened at the Boston Tea Party? Find out the answers to these questions and more as Jack and Annie track the facts. Filled with up-to-date information, photos, illustrations, and fun tidbits from Jack and Annie, the Magic Tree House Fact Trackers are the perfect way for kids to find out more about the topics they discovered in their favorite Magic Tree House adventures. And teachers can use Fact Trackers alongside their Magic Tree House fiction companions to meet common core text pairing needs.
China: Land of the Emperor's Great Wall: A Nonfiction Companion To Magic Tree House #14: Day Of The Dragon King (350012)
Mary Pope Osborne; Lexile: 840L; multiple books, P
The bestselling nonfiction companions to the Magic Tree House books! When Jack and Annie came back from their adventure in Magic Tree House #14: Day of the Dragon King, they had lots of questions. Who was the Dragon King? How did he build the Great Wall? What is Chinese New Year? What are some other Chinese traditions? Find out the answers to these questions and more as Jack and Annie track the facts behind some of history's most intriguing and secretive figures. Filled with up-to-date information, photographs, illustrations, and fun tidbits from Jack and Annie, the Magic Tree House Fact Trackers are the perfect way for kids to find out more about the topics they discover in their favorite Magic Tree House adventures.
Pandas and Other Endangered Species: A Nonfiction Companion to Magic Tree House #48: A Perfect Time for Pandas (350013)
Mary Pope Osborne; Lexile: 880L; multiple books, P
When Jack and Annie got back from their adventure in Magic Tree House #48: A Perfect Time for Pandas they had lots of questions. What do pandas eat? Where do they live? Why are snow leopards so scarce? How can we help? Find out the answers to these questions and more as Jack and Annie track the facts. Filled with up-to-date information, photos, illustrations, and fun tidbits from Jack and Annie, the Magic Tree House Fact Trackers are the perfect way for kids to find out more about the topics they discovered in their favorite Magic Tree House adventures. And teachers can use Fact Trackers alongside their Magic Tree House fiction companions to meet common core text pairing needs.
Thanksgiving on Thursday (Magic Tree House #27) (350011)
Mary Pope Osborne; Lexile: 340L; multiple books, P
Jack and Annie are ready for their next fantasy adventure in the bestselling middle-grade series—the Magic Tree House! It's a time for giving thanks . . . when the Magic Tree House whisks Jack and Annie back to 1621 on the first Thanksgiving Day. The Pilgrims ask them to help get things ready. But whether it's cooking or clamming, Jack and Annie don't know how to do anything the Pilgrim way. Will they ruin the holiday forever? Or will the feast go on?
Crenshaw (350040)
Katherine Applegate; Lexile: 540L; multiple books, PI
In her first novel since The One and Only Ivan, winner of the Newbery Medal, Katherine Applegate delivers an unforgettable and magical story about family, friendship, and resilience. Jackson and his family have fallen on hard times. There's no more money for rent. And not much for food, either. His parents, his little sister, and their dog may have to live in their minivan. Again. Crenshaw is a cat. He's large, he's outspoken, and he's imaginary. He has come back into Jackson's life to help him. But is an imaginary friend enough to save this family from losing everything? Beloved author Katherine Applegate proves in unexpected ways that friends matter, whether real or imaginary.
Roller Girl (350265)
Victoria Jamieson; Lexile: GN440L; multiple books, PI
For most of her twelve years, Astrid has done everything with her best friend Nicole. But after Astrid falls in love with roller derby and signs up for derby camp, Nicole decides to go to dance camp instead. And so begins the most difficult summer of Astrid's life as she struggles to keep up with the older girls at camp, hang on to the friend she feels slipping away, and cautiously embark on a new friendship. As the end of summer nears and her first roller derby bout (and junior high!) draws closer, Astrid realizes that maybe she is strong enough to handle the bout, a lost friendship, and middle school... in short, strong enough to be a roller girl.
NEW Materials for Intermediate & Junior Grades
Moon Over Manifest (350141)
Clare Vanderpool; Lexile: 800L; multiple books, IJ
Abilene Tucker feels abandoned. Her father has put her on a train, sending her off to live with an old friend for the summer while he works a railroad job. Armed only with a few possessions and her list of universals, Abilene jumps off the train in Manifest, Kansas, aiming to learn about the boy her father once was. Having heard stories about Manifest, Abilene is disappointed to find that it's just a dried-up, worn-out old town. But her disappointment quickly turns to excitement when she discovers a hidden cigar box full of mementos, including some old letters that mention a spy known as the Rattler. These mysterious letters send Abilene and her new friends, Lettie and Ruthanne, on an honest-to-goodness spy hunt, even though they are warned to "Leave Well Enough Alone."
Echo (350597)
Pam Munoz Ryan; Lexile: 680L; multiple books, IJ
Music, magic, and a real-life miracle meld in this genre-defying masterpiece from storytelling maestro Pam Munoz Ryan. Lost and alone in a forbidden forest, Otto meets three mysterious sisters and suddenly finds himself entwined in a puzzling quest involving a prophecy, a promise, and a harmonica. Decades later, Friedrich in Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania, and Ivy in California each, in turn, become interwoven when the very same harmonica lands in their lives. All the children face daunting challenges: rescuing a father, protecting a brother, holding a family together. And ultimately, pulled by the invisible thread of destiny, their suspenseful solo stories converge in an orchestral crescendo. Richly imagined and masterfully crafted, ECHO pushes the boundaries of genre and form, and shows us what is possible in how we tell stories. The result is an impassioned, uplifting, and virtuosic tour de force that will resound in your heart long after the last note has been struck.
Pax (350092)
Lexile: 760L; multiple books, IJ
Pax and Peter have been inseparable ever since Peter rescued him as a kit. But one day, the unimaginable happens: Peter's dad enlists in the military and makes him return the fox to the wild. At his grandfather's house, three hundred miles away from home, Peter knows he isn't where he should be—with Pax. He strikes out on his own despite the encroaching war, spurred by love, loyalty, and grief, to be reunited with his fox. Meanwhile Pax, steadfastly waiting for his boy, embarks on adventures and discoveries of his own. . . .
Sophia's War: A Tale of the Revolution (350264)
Avi; Lexile: 730L; multiple books, IJ
Lives hang in the balance in this gripping Revolutionary War adventure from a beloved Newbery medalist. In 1776, young Sophia Calderwood witnesses the execution of Nathan Hale in New York City, which is newly occupied by the British army. Sophia is horrified by the event and resolves to do all she can to help the American cause. Recruited as a spy, she becomes a maid in the home of General Clinton, the supreme commander of the British forces in America. Through her work she becomes aware that someone in the American army might be switching sides, and she uncovers a plot that will grievously damage the Americans if it succeeds. But the identity of the would-be traitor is so shocking that no one believes her, and so Sophia decides to stop the treacherous plot herself, at great personal peril: She's young, she's a girl, and she's running out of time. And if she fails, she's facing an execution of her own.
The Thing about Jellyfish (350293)
Ali Benjamin; Lexile: 740L; multiple books, IJ
After her best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy is convinced that the true cause of the tragedy must have been a rare jellyfish sting-things don't just happen for no reason. Retreating into a silent world of imagination, she crafts a plan to prove her theory--even if it means traveling the globe, alone. Suzy's achingly heartfelt journey explores life, death, the astonishing wonder of the universe...and the potential for love and hope right next door.
Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95 (350596)
Phillip Hoose; Lexile: L1150; multiple books, IJS
Moonbird is a nickname scientists have given to a small Eastern shorebird known for both his unusually long life and his enormously long annual migration. Hoose intertwines the story of this bird's remarkable survival with detailed accounts of the rufa red knot's physical changes through its yearlong cycle of migrating from the bottom of the world (usually Tierra del Fuego) to its Arctic breeding grounds and back again at summer's end-a round trip of some 18,000 miles. Moonbird, known usually by the identifying label "B95" on his orange leg band, was first banded in 1995, when it was thought that he was at least three years old, and Hoose notes sightings of him through early 2011 just as the book was reaching completion. At that point it was estimated that over 20 years' time, B95 had flown "more than 325,000 miles in his life-the distance to the moon and nearly halfway back." The feat is particularly celebrated among bird scientists because this species is rapidly declining.
Chains (350592)
Laurie Halse Anderson; Lexile: 780L; multiple books, IJ
As the Revolutionary War begins, thirteen-year-old Isabel wages her own fight...for freedom. Promised freedom upon the death of their owner, she and her sister, Ruth, in a cruel twist of fate become the property of a malicious New York City couple, the Locktons, who have no sympathy for the American Revolution and even less for Ruth and Isabel. When Isabel meets Curzon, a slave with ties to the Patriots, he encourages her to spy on her owners, who know details of British plans for invasion. She is reluctant at first, but when the unthinkable happens to Ruth, Isabel realizes her loyalty is available to the bidder who can provide her with freedom. From acclaimed author Laurie Halse Anderson comes this compelling, impeccably researched novel that shows the lengths we can go to cast off our chains, both physical and spiritual.
Forge (350591)
Laurie Halse Anderson; Lexile: 820L; multiple books, IJ
The young soldiers at Valley Forge are suffering from hunger, cold, and the threat of the British army. Their newly forged bonds of friendship might be enough to help them survive. But the chains of Curzon’s past threaten to shackle him again. Surrounded by the fires of ignorance, mistrust, and greed, Curzon can’t risk sharing his deadly secrets with anyone. Does he have the mettle to hold on to his freedom? To claim his rightful place as an American? Is he strong enough to find the answer to the hardest question of all: Is Isabel still alive? Acclaimed author Laurie Halse Anderson continues the thrilling adventure started in her bestselling, award-winning novel Chains. Ride along on a gallop that will take you from battling the British at Saratoga to fighting the elements at Valley Forge to rebelling against merciless tyranny. Discover what the fight for freedom was really all about.
The War that Saved My Life (350593)
Kimberly Brubaker Bradley; Lexile: 580L; multiple books, IJ
Nine-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada’s twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn’t waste a minute—she sneaks out to join him. So begins a new adventure of Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan—and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?
NEW Materials for Junior & Senior Grades
All The Bright Places (350340)
Jennifer Niven; Lexile: 830L; multiple books, JS
Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him. Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death. When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.
The House of the Scorpion (350272)
Nancy Farmer; Lexile: 660L; multiple books, JS
Matteo Alacrán was not born; he was harvested. His DNA came from El Patrón, lord of a country called Opium--a strip of poppy fields lying between the United States and what was once called Mexico. Matt's first cell split and divided inside a petri dish. Then he was placed in the womb of a cow, where he continued the miraculous journey from embryo to fetus to baby. He is a boy now, but most consider him a monster--except for El Patrón. El Patrón loves Matt as he loves himself, because Matt is himself. As Matt struggles to understand his existence, he is threatened by a sinister cast of characters, including El Patrón's power-hungry family, and he is surrounded by a dangerous army of bodyguards. Escape is the only chance Matt has to survive.
The Mysteries of Beethoven's Hair (350023)
Russell Martin & Lydia Nibley; Lexile: 1400L; multiple books, JS
At the time of Ludwig van Beethoven’s death, it was a common practice to take a lock of hair from the deceased as a remembrance, a sacred remnant of the person who meant so much when alive. One such lock of Beethoven’s hair survived through the years and eventually became the joint property of two men who, in 1995, opened the sealed frame that encased the hair and began the process of unlocking the mysteries of Beethoven’s life, death, and possibly his genius. Follow the trail of Beethoven’s hair as it was passed on from the boy who cut it to his son and down through the years, as it was safeguarded from Nazi Germany and eventually sold at auction in 1994. Through careful forensic testing, the hairs in the lock revealed the causes of Beethoven’s deafness and his many illnesses. This fascinating story is not only a study of the secrets that forensics can reveal, but a moving history of many people’s devotion to Beethoven’s music.
The Impossible Knife of Memory (350590)
Laurie Halse Anderson; Lexile: HL720L; multiple books, JS
Hayley Kincain has two jobs: attending high school and caring for her father, Andy, a war veteran who suffers from PTSD. Hayley and Andy never stay in one place for too long, always picking up and leaving as soon as the demons torturing Andy become too much to bear. But when Hayley meets Finn, she finally allows herself to let go, finding solace in every moment they spend together. He becomes her refuge, her home. Then Andy’s symptoms begin to resurface, and Hayley is forced to make a decision: continue to keep running from her father’s illness, or face reality for a chance to hold on to the one thing that makes her truly happy.
Mother of God: An Extraordinary Journey into the Uncharted Tributaries of the Western Amazon (350018)
Paul Rosolie; Lexile: N/A; multiple books, JS
In the Madre de Dios—Mother of God—region of Peru, where the Amazon River begins its massive flow, the Andean Mountain cloud forests fall into lowland Amazon Rainforest, creating the most biodiversity-rich place on the planet. In January 2006, when he was just a restless eighteen-year-old hungry for adventure, Paul Rosolie embarked on a journey to the west Amazon that would transform his life. Venturing alone into some of the most inaccessible reaches of the jungle, he encountered giant snakes, floating forests, isolated tribes untouched by outsiders, prowling jaguars, orphaned baby anteaters, poachers in the black market trade in endangered species, and much more. Yet today, the primordial forests of the Madre de Dios are in danger from developers, oil giants, and gold miners eager to exploit its natural resources.
Revolution (350595)
Jennifer Donnelly; Lexile: HL560; multiple books, JS
An angry, grieving seventeen-year-old musician facing expulsion from her prestigious Brooklyn private school travels to Paris to complete a school assignment and uncovers a diary written during the French revolution by a young actress attempting to help a tortured, imprisoned little boy--Louis Charles, the lost king of France.
Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America (350049)
Barbara Ehrenreich; Lexile: 1340L; multiple books, S
Author Barbara Ehrenreich relates her experiences from 1998 to 2000, during which time she joined the ranks of the working poor as a waitress, hotel housekeeper, cleaning woman, nursing home aide, and Wal-Mart clerk to see for herself how America's "unskilled" workers are able to survive on only $6 or $7 an hour.
Brave New World (350039)
Lexile: 870L; multiple books, S
Aldous Huxley is rightly considered a prophetic genius and one of the most important literary and philosophical voices of the 20th Century, and Brave New World is his masterpiece. From the author of The Doors of Perception, Island, and countless other works of fiction, non-fiction, philosophy, and poetry, comes this powerful work of speculative fiction that has enthralled and terrified readers for generations. Brave New World remains absolutely relevant to this day as both a cautionary dystopian tale in the vein of the George Orwell classic 1984, and as thought-provoking, thoroughly satisfying entertainment.
Brave New World Revisited (350594)
Aldous Huxley; Lexile: 1360L; multiple books, S
When the novel Brave New World first appeared in 1932, its shocking analysis of a scientific dictatorship seemed a projection into the remote future. Here, in one of the most important and fascinating books of his career, Aldous Huxley uses his tremendous knowledge of human relations to compare the modern-day world with his prophetic fantasy. He scrutinizes threats to humanity, such as overpopulation, propaganda, and chemical persuasion, and explains why we have found it virtually impossible to avoid them. Brave New World Revisited is a trenchant plea that humankind should educate itself for freedom before it is too late.
New & Timely DVDs
FRONTLINE: Growing up Trans (022731)
DVD, JS, 90 min., PBS VIDEO, 2015
Go on an intimate and eye-opening journey inside a new frontier. Told from the perspective of parents, doctors, and, most revealing of all, eight transgender kids themselves, ranging in ages from 9 to 19, FRONTLINE takes a powerful look at this new generation, exploring the medical possibilities, struggles, and choices transgender kids and their families face today.
FRONTLINE: Chasing Heroin (022718)
DVD, S, 120 min., PBS VIDEO, 2016
Facing a heroin epidemic, America is experimenting with radical new approaches to the drug problem. Following four addicts in Seattle, the film examines U.S. drug policy and what happens when heroin is treated like a public health crisis, not a crime.
Immigration Battle: Inside Washington's Fight Over Immigration (022716)
DVD, S, 120 min., PBS VIDEO, 2015
Inside the hard-fought battles and secret negotiations over immigration reform on Capitol Hill. Explore President Obama's push for policy changes that could impact the fate of millions and define what it means to be American for decades to come.
In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto (022726)
DVD, JS, 120 min., PBS VIDEO, 2015
"Eat Food. Not Too Much. Mostly Plants." With those seven words, journalist Michael Pollan distills a career's worth of reporting into a prescription for reversing the damage being done to people's health by today's industrially-driven Western diet. Pollan offers a clear answer to one of the most urgent questions of our time: What should I eat to be healthy?
Healthcare & Support Systems
Helping Children Grieve (022723)
DVD, IJS, 55 min., FILM IDEAS, INC., 2009
This profound new video resource offers helpful information to adults (parents, caregivers, professionals) on how to help children of all ages grieve with hope and heart. You will meet two experts: Khris Ford and Paula D'Arcy, whose personal experiences with the death of loved ones give them intimate knowledge and compassion. And you will meet others who are now in the process of helping their children through grief.
Grieving the Sudden Death of a Loved One (022722)
DVD, JS, 60 min., FILM IDEAS, INC., 2012
When someone we love suddenly dies, we are stunned. We had no preparation and no time to gradually absorb the reality that our world was about to change dramatically. Because this type of loss is so disruptive, recovery almost always is complicated. This video is for those who have suffered a sudden loss through a medical disruption, suicide, homicide, accident, military death, or an unexplained death. Through expert advice and personal testimony, this program will offer support and encouragement for rebuilding your life after such a devastating loss.
Loving Someone with an Addiction (022720)
DVD, S, 56 min., FILM IDEAS, INC., 2015
Living with an addiction is both heartbreaking and exhausting. Family members are torn between how to help the addict and how to avoid supporting the addiction. Through interviews with experts and with families who have experienced the addiction of a loved one, this video will offer hope-filled support in the form of practical information, advice from others who have been there, and the power of shared experiences.
The Transforming Power of Caregiving: Returning to Life after Caregiving Ends (022719)
DVD, JS, 46 min., FILM IDEAS, INC., 2015
Whether you have cared for your loved one for one year or many, when it ends, it will feel abrupt. The life and routine that have become yours, suddenly comes to an end with a finality that is painful on many levels. We face the double sorrow of the death of our loved one as well as the ending of our primary purpose and role in life. Your focus was on someone else, and the thought of shifting that focus to yourself – may be scary. Many factors go into the development of new identity after the death of a loved one. It is okay to feel inadequate, overwhelmed, and to ask for help in facing the unfamiliar. As we walk through the process of rebuilding our lives we find that life may turn out to be completely different, new, even exciting. It is important to give ourselves permission to experience these things and be willing to look toward the future.
Caring for a Loved One with Alzheimer's: An Emotional Journey (022721)
DVD, S, 50 min., FILM IDEAS, INC., 2015
This dynamic program offers insight, hope, and understanding for anyone who cares for a loved one with Alzheimer's. This disease without cure currently afflicts more than 30 million people and there are no treatments to halt its progression, making care-giving both essential-and difficult. Caring for a Loved One with Alzheimer's is divided into 12 topics and features interviews with experts and the insights of a real Alzheimer's support group.
Cancer Update: Causes, Treatment and Prevention (022717)
DVD, JS, 22 min., HUMAN RELATIONS MEDIA, 2012
Created for health as well as high school biology classes, this program surveys the fundamentals of how cancers develop, how they are treated, the role of genetics and the role of lifestyle choices in cancer prevention. Viewers meet three real people coping with different kinds of cancers and see how their lives are affected. Program emphasizes that promising new treatments are being developed, but also that there is still much that needs to be learned. Engaging original animation clearly illustrates the process of how normal cells turn into cancer cells, how tumors develop, and how cancer cells metastasize to other parts of the body. Program also emphasizes the importance of early cancer screening plus steps students can take to reduce their risk of developing cancer.
Cancer: The Emperor of all Maladies (3 Discs) (022724)
DVD, S, 6hrs, PBS VIDEO, 2015
Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book by Siddhartha Mukherjee, this film tells the story of cancer, from its first description in an ancient Egyptian scroll to the gleaming laboratories of modern research institutions. It interweaves a sweeping historical narrative; with intimate stories about contemporary patients; and an investigation into the latest scientific breakthroughs that may have brought us to the brink of lasting cures. (3 DISCS)
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