Dear Reader, Unless you are a slug, a sea anemone, or mildew, you probably prefer not to be damp. You might also prefer not to read this book, in which the Baudelaire siblings encounter an unpleasant amount of dampness as they descend into the depths of despair, underwater. In fact, the horrors they encounter are too numerous to list, and you wouldn't want me even to mention the worst of it, which includes mushrooms, a desperate search for something lost, a mechanical monster, a distressing message from a lost friend, and tap dancing. As a dedicated author who has pledged to keep recording the depressing story of the Baudelaires, I must continue to delve deep into the cavernous depths of the orphans' lives. You, on the other hand, may delve into some happier book in order to keep your eyes and your spirits from being dampened. With all due respect, Lemony Snicket

Alternate cover can be found here. Laura Ingalls and her family live deep in the Big Woods of Wisconsin. Their log cabin is surrounded by miles of trees, and their closest neighbors are bears, wolves, and panthers. Daily chores keep Laura and her sister Mary busy, but they still find time to go exploring with their dog, Jack.

Hero and the Crown is a fantasy novel written by Robin McKinley and published by Greenwillow Books in 1984. It is the winner of the 1985 Newbery Medal award. The book is the prequel to The Blue Sword, written in 1982. This story focuses on "Aerin Dragon-Killer," also known as "Aerin Firehair," the heroine who is introduced as a legendary character in The Blue Sword. The book narrates Aerin's evolution from the shy, retiring daughter of the King of Damar to the heroic queen who protects her people from the demonic Northerners.

Young Daine's knack with horses gets her a job helping the royal horsemistress drive a herd of ponies to Tortall. Soon it becomes clear that Daine's talent, as much as she struggles to hide it, is downright magical. Horses and other animals not only obey, but listen to her words. Daine, though, will have to learn to trust humans before she can come to terms with her powers, her past, and herself.

Reading goes to the dogs in this timeless Beginner Book edited by Dr. Seuss. From big dogs and little dogs to red, green, and blue dogs, dogs going up and dogs going fast . . . who knew dogs were so busy? And laughter will ensue at the repeated question “Do you like my hat?” Like P. D. Eastman’s classic Are You My Mother? Go, Dog. Go! has been a go-to favorite for over fifty years, leaving audiences of all breeds wagging their tails with delight. Originally created by Dr. Seuss, Beginner Books encourage children to read all by themselves, with simple words and illustrations that give clues to their meaning. "The canine cartoons make an elementary text funny and coherent and still one of the best around."--School Library Journal. 

L. T. Meade was the pseudonym of Elizabeth Thomasina Meade Smith, a prolific writer of girls\' stories. She was born in Bandon, County Cork, Ireland, daughter of Rev. R. T. Meade, of Nohoval, County Cork. Collection of 35 Works of L. T. Meade________________________________________A Big TemptationA Bunch of CherriesA Girl in Ten ThousandA Girl of the PeopleA Life For a LoveA Little Mother to the OthersA Master of MysteriesA Plucky GirlA Sweet Girl GraduateA Very Naughty GirlA World of GirlsA Young MutineerBetty VivianDaddy\'s GirlDickory DockFrances Kane\'s FortuneGirls of the ForestGood LuckHollyhockHow It All Came RoundLight O\' The MorningPollyRed Rose and Tiger LilySue, A Little HeroineThe Children of Wilton ChaseThe Children\'s PilgrimageThe Honorable MissThe Lady of the ForestThe Little Princess of Tower HillThe Palace BeautifulThe Rebel of the SchoolThe School QueensThe Time of RosesWild HeatherWild Kitty

This beloved Newbery Medal–winning book is the first of five books in Patricia MacLachlan's chapter book series about the Witting family. Set in the late nineteenth century and told from young Anna's point of view, Sarah, Plain and Tall tells the story of how Sarah Elisabeth Wheaton comes from Maine to the prairie to answer Papa's advertisement for a wife and mother. Before Sarah arrives, Anna and her younger brother Caleb wait and wonder. Will Sarah be nice? Will she sing? Will she stay? This children's literature classic is perfect for fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie books, historical fiction, and timeless stories using rich and beautiful language. Sarah, Plain and Tall gently explores themes of abandonment, loss and love. Read the rest of the Sarah books by Patricia MacLachlan: Skylark, Caleb’s Story, More Perfect than the Moon, and Grandfather’s Dance.

"I'm not sure I want to be a hero anymore." Having achieved her dream of becoming the first female knight errant, Alanna of Trebond is not sure what to do next. Perhaps being a knight errant is not all that Alanna needs....But Alanna must push her uncertainty aside when a new challenge arises. She must recover the Dominion Jewel, a legendary gem with enormous power for good -- but only in the right hands. And she must work quickly. Tortall is in great danger, and Alanna's archenemy, Duke Roger, is back -- and more powerful than ever. In this final book of the Song of the Lioness quartet, Alanna discovers that she indeed has a future worthy of her mythic past -- both as a warrior and as a woman.

Luke has never been to school. He's never had a birthday party, or gone to a friend's house for an overnight. In fact, Luke has never had a friend. Luke is one of the shadow children, a third child forbidden by the Population Police. He's lived his entire life in hiding, and now, with a new housing development replacing the woods next to his family's farm, he is no longer even allowed to go outside. Then, one day Luke sees a girl's face in the window of a house where he knows two other children already live. Finally, he's met a shadow child like himself. Jen is willing to risk everything to come out of the shadows -- does Luke dare to become involved in her dangerous plan? Can he afford not to?

Lara Cameron is a famous powerful wealthy New York building developer who struggled from brutal poverty in Glace Bay, a banker who took her body as part of her first deal, to Chicago, banker Keller whose love she takes lightly for granted. As her skyscrapers and boutique hotels tower on earth, she is at the top of a male dominated field. She lies and cheats to close a deal, making cruel enemies. She is forty, beautiful, glamorous, insecure, ruthless, vulnerable, secretly generous, rich - and still wants more. She marries an international concert pianist, the Lochinvar of her childhood dreams, but someone puts him in the hospital and threatens to take down her empire.

1981 Newbery Medal "Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated . . ." With her grandmother's taunt, Louise knew that she, like the biblical Esau, was the despised elder twin. Caroline, her selfish younger sister, was the one everyone loved.Growing up on a tiny Chesapeake Bay island in the early 1940s, angry Louise reveals how Caroline robbed her of everything: her hopes for schooling, her friends, her mother, even her name. While everyone pampered Caroline, Wheeze (her sister's name for her) began to learn the ways of the watermen and the secrets of the island, especially of old Captain Wallace, who had mysteriously returned after fifty years. The war unexpectedly gave this independent girl a chance to fulfill her childish dream to work as a watermen alongside her father. But the dream did not satisfy the woman she was becoming. Alone and unsure, Louise began to fight her way to a place where Caroline could not reach.Renowned author Katherine Paterson here chooses a little-known area off the Maryland shore as her setting for a fresh telling of the ancient story of an elder twin's lost birthright.

This is the thirteenth Land of Oz book, published shortly after the author’s death and dedicated to “the Children of our Soldiers, the Americans and their Allies, with unmeasured Pride and Affection.” In this story, the Munchkin boy Kiki Aru finds magic instructions hidden by his father, Bini Aru. The former Nome King Ruggedo, seeking vengeance against the Emerald City, allies himself with Kiki in order to conquer Oz. They play havoc with their magic, but eventually the Wizard prevails. And Ozma’s birthday is celebrated; she’s given the gift of a magical flower, obtained at great effort from an unusual island.

In this charming, light-hearted fantasy, young Creel makes a bargain with a dragon for a seemingly simple pair of blue slippers. But these aren't just ordinary shoes.They can be used to save Creel's kingdom . . . or destroy it. A Book Sense Children's Pick "Clever, well-plotted and good fun."-Kirkus Reviews "[T]he fairy-tale action and vivid scenes, from glittering dragon cave to posh dress shop, are captivating, and readers will easily connect with brave Creel."-Booklist "An endearing fantasy with quirky twists on traditional elements. . . . Readers looking for something to follow Hale's Princess Academy will find pleasure here."-Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books