This is a historical young adult novel set in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the summer and autumn of 1793, when the city was ravaged by a deadly Yellow Fever epidemic. The story follows Matilda "Mattie" Cook, a resilient 14-year-old girl who lives above her family’s coffeehouse. Mattie's world is shattered when the plague strikes, claiming thousands of lives. After their servant dies, Ma…
Jack and Annie are magically transported to the frozen Arctic in the middle of winter. This is their final mission to solve the fourth riddle set by Morgan le Fay, which asks for something that "covers what's real, hides the truth, and promotes courage." The siblings are immediately freezing until they are found and given warm clothing by a friendly Inuit seal hunter and his husky sled dogs. Th…
What Was the Titanic? by Stephanie Sabol is a captivating nonfiction book for young readers that tells the true story of one of the most famous maritime disasters in history. The book recounts the construction of the RMS Titanic—hailed as the largest and most luxurious ship of its time—and its tragic maiden voyage in April 1912. Readers learn about the ship’s design, the passengers aboard…
Island of the Blue Dolphins, written by Scott O’Dell, is a classic survival story inspired by the true account of a Native American girl who lived alone on San Nicolas Island, off the coast of California, in the 19th century. The novel follows Karana, a young girl who is left behind when her tribe is evacuated. Alone on the island, she must learn to provide for herself, facing hunger, wild an…
Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi is a historical novel set in 14th-century England that tells the story of a young boy’s journey from oppression to self-discovery. The protagonist, known only as “Asta’s son,” is declared a “wolf’s head” after being falsely accused of theft, making him an outcast who can be killed by anyone without consequence. With only a lead cross left by his m…
MEG: A Novel of Deep Terror is a fast-paced science fiction thriller that resurrects one of the ocean's most fearsome prehistoric predators—the Megalodon, a giant shark thought to be extinct for millions of years. The story follows Jonas Taylor, a deep-sea submersible pilot and paleontologist, who is haunted by a tragic encounter in the Mariana Trench. Years later, he is drawn back into the a…