Everyone has a secret. It might not be obvious from the outside, but everyone, everyone, has something they don’t want anyone else to know.
Ludlow Finch, a scrappy, city pickpocket, never thought much about secrets. Not until the day his parents tried to sell his teeth — teeth that were still in his mouth! — and he had to run for his life. After a terrifying chase, Ludlow ended up in the tiny mountain town of Pagus Parvus, working as an assistant to Joe Zabbidou, a pawnbroker.
Ludlow had known pawnbrokers before, but none like Joe — Joe is a secret pawnbroker, that is, he buys secrets. Anyone in Pagus Parvus who has a secret they just can’t live with anymore can come to Joe and pawn his secret. Joe will pay them handsomely, and they’ll never have to think about that secret again. What’s Ludlow’s role? He writes the secrets down, in Joe’s big black book, a book that no one is ever allowed to read.
But what happens when Pagus Parvus’ leading — and most loathed — citizen, Jeremiah Ratchet steals the Black Book? And what will happen when he reads it?
Shhhh.
Posted by: Sarah
Imagine that you had been kidnapped from your family at age 4 and raised by Delaware Indians in the mid 1700s. Then think about growing up as an Indian boy (even though you were white) and learning to love your Indian home and family while learning to hate white people. Now think about being taken away from your Indian family at age 15 and taken back to live with your white family. You did not even remember that family and they were hated whites! This confusing and conflicting situation actually happened to many children in that time of American history. This classic historical fiction book about True Son’s wrenching experiences in the realm of American Indians versus whites is an emotional adventure which should interest many readers from 6th grade through adults.
Here’s another cute story about a duck that I just couldn’t pass up. Max, the duck, decides that flying south for the winter is for the birds. Since he loved spring so much, he decided to stay in town for the winter only to learn that it can be cold and lonely. He takes shelter in a house with a kind lady and her many pets. By spring, he has overstayed his welcome – or so the other animals thought. Once Max is gone, the other pets find the house isn’t quite the same without him. Will their feathered friend return again? Read the book to find out.
Queen (and that is her given name) is the youngest child and the only girl in her family and she is very spoiled.
Marie Curie is an incredible scientist, but she also led a fascinating life. Krull once again presents the story of a great scientist and shares more than just the dry facts. She makes the person come alive by introducing kids to them in such a way that they can’t help but be fascinated. Marie Curie is no different. Krull takes a narrative approach to the biographies she writes, and this makes the person come alive for the readers.
I chose to read this book, because it seemed to be a little outside of my usual realm of book choices. The story is set during the Great Depression and is the story of 14 year-old Collie who is looking for his older brother who has run away from home. Collie jumps trains in order to travel across the country, meeting lots of good and bad along the way. He becomes one of the thousands of men and boys who jumped trains during this period in history in search of work or as an escape from their own desperate times. Although the subject is certainly a somber one, Collie makes a friend Ike who helps to add some fun and real adventure, which lightens the story a little bit. The story was fascinating to me, and I found I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. The author does a good job of painting a realistic picture of life on the rails. This is a wonderful survival/adventure/historical fiction/boy story!
Snakehead is the seventh title in the Alex Rider adventure series and it does not disappoint. In this gem, Alex gets called into duty by the Australian Secret Service. He only, and reluctantly, agrees to help them because it will allow him to work with his godfather, a man he never before knew existed and from whom Alex desperately wishes to learn more about his deceased parents. There are terrible secrets associated with all this which Alex only finds out after a most dangerous mission traipsing all over Southeast Asia. Snakeheads are the violent and morally reprehensible gangs operating in that area who smuggle drugs, weapons, and people. 
