2011 Children's Choices-Advanced Readers (Grade 5-6)

When their rock band becomes popular, five middle schoolers use their new fame to generate awareness (and donations) for an important cause.

After nearly a year of crazy, things have finally settled down for Lucy B. Parker. But then Lucy's mom and soon-to-be stepdad announce that they're finally getting married--in a month--and Lucy's life turns upside down. Wedding planning is hard enough, but when a reality TV crew ends up following the family around while it's happening, the results are disastrous. Can Lucy save her mom's wedding, and the family, or will everything fall apart?

All participants in late medieval debates recognized Holy Scripture as the principal authority in matters of Catholic doctrine. Popes, theologians, lawyers--all were bound by the divine truth it conveyed. Yet the church possessed no absolute means of determining the final authoritative meaning of the biblical text--hence the range of appeals to antiquity, to the papacy, and to councils, none of which were ultimately conclusive. Authority in the late medieval church was a vexing issue precisely because it was not resolved. Ian Christopher Levy's book focuses on the quest for such authority between 1370 and 1430, from John Wyclif to Thomas Netter, thereby encompassing the struggle over Holy Scripture waged between Wycliffites and Hussites on the one hand, and their British and Continental opponents on the other. Levy demonstrates that the Wycliffite/Hussite "heretics" and their opponents--the theologians William Woodford, Thomas Netter, and Jean Gerson--in fact shared a large and undisputed common ground. They held recognized licenses of expertise, venerated tradition, esteemed the church fathers, and embraced Holy Scripture as the ultimate authority in Christendom. What is more, they utilized similar hermeneutical strategies with regard to authorial intention, the literal sense, and the appeal to the fathers and holy doctors in order to open up the text. Yet it is precisely this commonality, according to Levy, that rendered the situation virtually intractab≤ he argues that the erroneous assumption persists today that Netter and Gerson spoke for "the church," whereas Wyclif and Hus sought to destroy it. Levy's sophisticated study in historical theology, which reconsiders the paradigm of heresy and orthodoxy, offers a necessary adjustment in our view of church authority at the turn of the fifteenth century. "In Holy Scripture and the Quest for Authority at the End of the Middle Ages, Ian Christopher Levy reveals the crux of a late medieval quandary regarding ecclesial authority. He perceptively shows how theologians and the Catholic Church were mired in a nearly intractable constellation of issues involving scriptural interpretation, appeals to tradition, development of doctrine, the question of concrete, visible instruments of authority, and the role of canon law and university theologians. This highly original contribution treats themes and issues at an immensely complex and important juncture in the development of early modern religious thought and practice, the ramifications of which are still very much with us today." --Boyd Taylor Coolman, Boston College

It was a funny, vivid like book.It will make many people laugh it will leave people wanting more. It makes books as funny as the "Captain Underpants" series look like just words on pages.

Describes ten different types of pirates throughout history, from Vikings and corsairs to privateers and yang-fei, and matches their strengths and weaknesses against one another in fictional battles.

Inspired by family stories, two-time Newbery Honor winner and New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Holm beautifully blends family lore with America's past in this charming gem of a novel, rich in historical detail, humor, and the unique flavors of Key West.Life isn't like the movies, and eleven-year-old Turtle is no Shirley Temple. She's smart and tough and has seen enough of the world not to expect a Hollywood ending. After all, it's 1935, and jobs and money and sometimes even dreams are scarce. So when Turtle's mama gets a job housekeeping for a lady who doesn't like kids, Turtle says goodbye without a tear and heads off to Key West, Florida, to stay with relatives she's never met.Florida's like nothing Turtle has ever seen. It's hot and strange, full of wild green peeping out between houses, ragtag boy cousins, and secret treasure. Before she knows what's happened, Turtle finds herself coming out of the shell she has spent her life building, and as she does, her world opens up in the most unexpected ways.From the Hardcover edition.

Scott Chantler's fast-paced story will engage readers while his bold-lined art with richly detailed backgrounds is a tribute to classic comic books. As an acrobat in a traveling circus, 14-year-old orphan Dessa Redd flies through the air with ease. Still, she is weighed down by troubling memories. But when her ragtag circus troupe pulls into the city of Kingsbridge, Dessa feels a tickle of hope. Maybe here in the royal city she will finally find her twin brother --- or the mysterious man who snatched him away when they were just children. Meanwhile, Topper, the circus juggler, recruits Dessa and the circus strongman, Fisk, for the job of robbing the royal treasury. Hungry and desperate, both agree, setting off a series of adventures that will take the three thieves from one end of the world to the other in search of Dessa's long-lost brother.

Four thousand years ago the world’s first super human walked the earth. Possessing the strength of one hundred men, skin impervious to attack, and the ability to read minds, this immortal being used his power to conquer and enslave nations. Now plans are in motion that will transport this super human to the present, where he’ll usher in a new age of tyranny unlike anything the world has ever seen. Determined to stand against them, using powers they’ve only just begun to master, is a ragtag group of young heroes. For them this first test may be their greatest . . . and last. Watch a Video

Sixth-grader Tommy and his friends describe their interactions with a paper finger puppet of Yoda, worn by their weird classmate Dwight, as they try to figure out whether or not the puppet can really predict the future. Includes instructions for making Origami Yoda.

Teenage runaway slaves with superhuman powers, a Hessian giant, the most evil slave owners imaginable, and Benjamin Franklin: this story of the Revolution blends fact and fantasy in an imaginative reinterpretation of a critical time in American history.

Teenage runaway slaves with superhuman powers, a Hessian giant, the most evil slave owners imaginable, and Benjamin Franklin: this story of the Revolution blends fact and fantasy in an imaginative reinterpretation of a critical time in American history.

Two best friends embark on a project to study the behavior and taste of the popular girls at their elementary school so that by the time they get to middle school they too will be in the right crowd. Novel appears in the form of a scrapbook.

Since their mother’s death, Carter and Sadie have become near strangers. While Sadie has lived with her grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane. One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a “research experiment” at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives. Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking, and the worst of them—Set—has his sights on the Kanes. To stop him, the siblings embark on a dangerous journey across the globe—a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family, and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs.

A true story from Raina's early years. One day after girl scouts raina trips and falls damaging her two front teeth. Even after she gets her braces off she isn't treated the same. When she meets a bunch of nerdy kids she realizes they may be her true friends.

Title: Planet Earth( What Planet Are You On? [With Poster]) <>Binding: Paperback <>Author: DanGreen <>Publisher: Kingfisher

It's Humpty Dumpty, Little Bo Peep, Miss Muffet, and others like they've never been seen before. Renowned artist J.otto Seibold re-nurseries and re-rhymes over the Mother Goose classics in this must-have collection. Full color.

Did you know there were tiny living things in your home that you can't see? Some are plants, others are mould, others are tiny little insects! But what do they do and what do they look like? Find out about the good ones and the bad ones! Full-page photographs of these alien-like creatures in high magnification reveals their horror (or even their beauty). This book supports natural history studies and the KS2 and KS3 science curriculum where appropriate. It is part of a series, Micro Monsters which takes a close-up look at the tiny creatures that are around us all the time and which we cannot see with the naked eye. Some are harmless, some are just pests, and some are deadly. From bedbugs to zooplankton and from bacteria to water fleas, all microscopic life is here. The revelation of the places these creatures inhabit will have readers squirming in their seats as they find out how these mini monsters can help and hinder humans. These high-interest books are accessible to readers aged 7+, but suitable for older readers who prefer less text on the page, and support natural history studies and the science curriculum at Key Stage 2 and 3. Each book features revealing close-up photos of micro monsters that are sure to dazzle and intrigue.

High-school freshman Lynn Vincent has always had confidence in her own creative abilities and sense of fashion until she is persuaded to audition for an online teen magazine and wears her most unusual creation.

What is a girl to do when Mom and Dad announce that the whole family is moving to Scotland for a yearlong teacher exchange? Can you spell d-i-s-a-s-t-e-r? When Andrea gets there, she finds she and her family are living with the principal and she is being pestered by the ultraweird Jasmin. But then she finds an amazing girl's soccer league and a cute boy named Stewart. Will Andrea's new tough soccer girls accept that she is crushing on a boy from a rival team and not totally devoted to winning a championship? Perfect for fans of Lauren Myracle.

Rachel thinks that she and her mother are safe working for Ms. Moore at her estate close to The Line, an electrified border of the Unified States, but when Rachel has an opportunity to Cross into the forbidden zone, she is both frightened and intrigued.

Rachel thinks that she and her mother are safe working for Ms. Moore at her estate close to The Line, an electrified border of the Unified States, but when Rachel has an opportunity to Cross into the forbidden zone, she is both frightened and intrigued.

Spending the summer after sixth grade at his great-uncle's oceanside museum, Thatcher and local girl Trudy team up to help Shoal, one of the people of Atlantis cursed by a witch whose head still survives, and who has an army of monstrous creatures helping her.

Can it text? Blog? Scroll? Wi-fi? Tweet? No, it's a book. A donkey with a laptop computer and a gorilla with a printed book discuss the merits of their preferred formats. Playful and lighthearted with a subversive twist that is signature Lane Smith, It's a Book is a delightful manifesto on behalf of print in the digital age. This satisfying, perfectly executed picture book has something to say to readers of all stripes and all ages. - Publisher.

Robert Haas, a photographer with National Geographic, presents his photographs of animals from around the world, which he shot from the air.

Moving to inner-city Boston after his parents' divorce, eleven-year-old Nicky struggles to cope with the changes in his life, including acquiring a former guide dog that leads to a mystery for Nicky to solve.

New York high school student Elizabeth gets an after-school job as a page at the "New-York Circulating Material Repository," and when she gains coveted access to its Grimm Collection of magical objects, she and the other pages are drawn into a series of frightening adventures involving mythical creatures and stolen goods.

Garth Hale, accidentally zapped into the ghost world by ghost wrangler Frank Gallows, teams up with Cecil, his grandfather's ghost, in an effort to save him from the evil ruler of Ghostopolis and get him back home again.

Each bright, vibrant Explorers title features a series of beautiful, child-friendly, story-based scenes - easy to read but with a wealth of detail and plenty to look for - partnered by photographic spreads giving more in-depth information. There's a fun extra element: coloured buttons throughout the book allow readers to jump about through the book and find connections between topics -connections that are neatly summarised at the end of each book.

A fictionalized biography of the Nobel Prize-winning Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, who grew up a painfully shy child, ridiculed by his overbearing father, but who became one of the most widely-read poets in the world.