Central Kansas Library System

Sydney has always felt invisible.She's grown accustomed to her brother, Peyton, being the focus of the family s attention and, lately, concern. Peyton is handsome and charismatic, but seems bent on self-destruction. Now, after a drunk-driving accident that crippled a boy, Peyton s serving some serious jail time, and Sydney is on her own, questioning her place in the family and the world. Then she meets the Chatham family. Drawn into their warm, chaotic...

The Ingalls family moves to the Dakota territory, claims a homestead, and braves the hardships and perils of living on the frontier. Ma and the girls follow Pa west by train where they make their home at a rough railroad camp and plan for their own homestead.

The ordinary interactions and everyday routines of the Watsons, an African American family living in Flint, Michigan, are drastically changed after they go to visit Grandma in Alabama in the summer of 1963.

After an October blizzard, Laura's family moves from the claim shanty into town for the winter, a winter that an Indian has predicted will be seven months of bad weather.

Barry's family tries to evacuate before Hurricane Katrina hits their home in New Orleans. But when Barry's little sister gets terribly sick, they're forced to stay home and wait out the storm. At first, Katrina doesn't seem to be as bad as predicted. But overnight the levees break, and Barry's world is literally torn apart. He's swept away by the floodwaters, away from his family. Can he survive the storm of the century -- alone?

A Valentine's Day dance at Greg's school has turned his world upside down. As Greg scrambles to find a date, he's worried he'll be left out in the cold on the big night. His best friend, Rowley, doesn't have any prospects either but that's small consolation. Then an unexpected twist gives Greg a partner for the dance and leaves Rowley the odd man out. A lot can happen in one night, and in the end, you never know who's going to be lucky in love.

Seventh-grader John "Crash" Coogan has always been comfortable with his tough, aggressive behavior, until his relationship with an unusual Quaker boy and his grandfather's stroke make him consider the meaning of friendship and the importance of family.

Miranda's world is turning upside down. Her best friend Sal shuts her out of his life when he's punched by a new kid for no apparent reason. Her mom is about to be a contestant on a TV game show. A key goes missing, then a pair of shoes. And Miranda finds a mysterious note scrawled on a tiny piece of paper: I am coming to save your friend's life, and my own. I ask two favours. First, you must write a letter. Then she finds other notes left in strange...

Greg Heffley tells about his summer vacation and his attempts to steer clear of trouble when he returns to middle school and tries to keep his older brother Rodrick from telling everyone about Greg's most humiliating experience of the summer.-"Whatever you do, don't ask Greg Heffley about his summer vacation. As Greg enters the new school year, he's eager to put the events of the past three months behind him ... and one event in particular. Greg knows...

Greg Heffley's on a losing streak. His best friend, Rowley Jefferson, has ditched him, and finding new friends in middle school is proving to be a tough task. To change his fortunes, Greg decides to take a leap of faith and turn his decisions over to chance. Will a roll of the dice turn things around, or is Greg's life destined to be just another hard-luck story? It is perfect for readers of 8+ and also reluctant readers. You can also discover Greg...