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Homecoming (The Tillerman Series #1)

"IT'S STILL TRUE."

That's the first thing James Tillerman says to his sister Dicey every morning. It's still true that their mother has abandoned the four Tillerman children somewhere in the middle of Connecticut. It's still true they have to find their way, somehow, to Great-aunt Cilla's house in Bridgeport, which may be their only hope of staying together as a family.

But when they get to Bridgeport, they learn that Great-aunt Cilla has died, and the home they find with her daughter, Eunice, isn't the permanent haven they've been searching for. So their journey continues to its unexpected conclusion -- and some surprising discoveries about their history, and their future.

Dicey's Song (The Tillerman Series #2)

The four Tillerman children finally have a home at their grandmother's rundown farm on the Maryland shore. It's what Dicey has dreamed of for her three younger siblings, but after watching over the others for so long, it's hard to let go. Who is Dicey, if she's no longer the caretaker for her family?

Dicey finds herself in new friends, in a growing relationship with her grandmother, and in the satisfaction of refinishing the old boat she found in the barn. Then, as Dicey experiences the trials and pleasures of making a new life, the past comes back with devastating force, and Dicey learns just how necessary -- and painful -- letting go can be.

At the beginning of summer, Momma had abandoned them and them later been traced to an asylum where she lay unrecognizing, unknowing. So Dicey Tillerman, her brothers James and Sammy, and her sister Maybeth had spent the summer on their own on a long and difficult journey to find a home with the grandmother they'd never met before. Now that they'd moved in with Gram, their troubles, Dicey hoped, would be over. Dicey had watched over the younger kids and brought them through--now she wanted to be just a little bit selfish, to refinish the old sailboat she'd found in Gram's barn, to earn a little spending money, to adjust to Gram and to her new life in the Chesapeake Bay country that had once been her momma's childhood home. Yet even with the building of new ties and a new life, old problems and sorrows did not go away by themselves. None of the Tillermans, and especially not Dicey, could forget about Momma. Nor could Dicey easily relinquish her need to watch and worry over the three younger children. Though she felt a growing bond with feisty, seemingly eccentric Gram, who talked of reaching out...and letting go, it took a crisis to help Dicey understand what such things might mean. This story is a sequel to "Homecoming."

Tripping Over the Lunch Lady

School is great—lots of friends, fun sports, and interesting classes. But then there are the days that are horrible: arguing with your best friend, being laughed at in front of your class, meeting up with the school bully, failing a test you really studied for. We've all been there, including these authors. In this hilarious and diverse collection of short stories, ten well-known writers, including Avi, Angela Johnson, David Lubar, James Proimos, and Susan Shreve, tell of those funny and memorable middle school moments. And after reading these comical tales, kids will soon see that they're not alone.

Sometimes I'm Bombaloo (bkshelf) (Scholastic Bookshelf)

Most of the time Katie Honors is a good kid. But sometimes, when her baby brother has knocked over one too many of her beautiful castles, Katie becomes Bombaloo. She uses her fists and feet instead of her words. Her toys "end up all over the floor--and so does my brother." It takes some alone time, a lot of parental understanding, and a silly episode with flying underwear to calm Bombaloo down again and return her to her happy Katie Honors state.

There aren't too many kids who won't be able to relate to award-winning author Rachel Vail's miniature version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Katie's rage is scary and reflected alarmingly well by illustrator Yumi Heo's collage, pencil, and paint illustrations, reminiscent of the art of Lane Smith, Giselle Potter, and Maira Kalman. The message is clear: sometimes we get angry--really, really angry--but it's important to calm down eventually and make it up to those we may have hurt. (Ages 3 to 7) --Emilie Coulter

Category: FeelingsSometimes, Katie loses her temper.Sometimes she uses her feet and her fists instead of words. When Katie is this mad, she's just not herself. Sometimes, she's BOMBALOO.Being BOMBALOO is scary. But a little time-out and a lot of love calm BOMBALOO down and help Katie feel like Katie again!

Izzy, Willy-Nilly

Fifteen-year-old Izzy has it all -- a loving family, terrific friends, a place on the cheerleading squad. But her comfortable world crumbles when a date with a senior ends in a car crash and she loses her right leg.

Suddenly nothing is the same. The simplest tasks become enormous challenges. Her friends don't seem to know how to act around her. Her family is supportive, but they don't really want to deal with how much she's hurting.

Then Rosamunde extends a prickly offer of friendship. Rosamunde definitely isn't the kind of girl Izzy would have been friends with in her old life. But Rosamunde may be the only person who can help Izzy face her new one.

Companions of the Night

The romantic horror genre reaches a new level of complexity in this novel, which manages to be simultaneously thought-provoking and blood-curdling. Kerry becomes the unwitting accomplice of an attractive, mysterious boy on the run, only to discover that he is a vampire. Can she trust her feelings for someone so alien to her? Or has she been "seduced by the glamour of evil"? An ALA Best Book for Young Adults, this was called "a tingly thriller" by Horn Book

A Solitary Blue (The Tillerman Series #3)

Jeff Greene was only seven when Melody, his mother, left him with his reserved, undemonstrative father, the Professor. So when she reenters his life years later with an invitation to spend the summer with her in Charleston, Jeff is captivated by her free spirit and warmth, and he eagerly looks forward to returning for another visit the following year.

But Jeff's second summer in Charleston ends with a devastating betrayal, and he returns to his father wounded almost beyond bearing. But out of Jeff's pain grows a deepening awareness of the unexpected and complicated ways of love and loss and of family and friendship -- and the strength to understand his father, his mother, and especially himself.

No man is an island, but Jeff Green is trying to be one. He changed after his mother moved out. It was better that way--better not to feel, better not to care. Then, years later, Jeff's mother invited him to visit her. She seemed so warm and caring that he started to open up, to trust. He'd forgotten about the pain, but now he can't remember anything else.

The Runner (The Tillerman Series #4)

Bullet Tillerman runs. He runs to escape the criticism of his harsh, unforgiving father. He runs to numb the pain of his mother's inability to express her love. He is the star of the school track team, but he isn't a team man and doesn't want to be. Bullet runs for himself.

Bullet is unlikely choice to be asked to coach a new, African-American team member. But in coaching Tamer Shipp, Bullet learns some things about himself -- who he is, and who he can perhaps become.

Heir Apparent

Three Good Deeds