Gentle Reads 2005

Author	A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Series	# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Booklists	A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Gentle Reads 2005

List created by -Maria Levetzow

• Great Tree of Avalon by T.A. Barron

From Fincayra, Merlin brought forth a seed from which grew the Great Tree of Avalon, a land where all creatures live in harmony. But the Dark Prophecy has foretold the end of Avalon, and Merlin is gone. And now a snobby Chosen One and a newly admitted apprentice third class from the Society of the Whole are Avalon's last hope.

• Sign of the Qin by L.G. Bass

The first in a series set in a society reminiscent of ancient China, The Sign of the Qin starts the story of an Emperor's son, born with the sign of outlaw. The Emperor orders the Prince's mother banned from the Court and tries to have his son assassinated. An assorted band of outlaws gather to protect the Prince against not only his father but the evil forces that are massing to take over the world.

• Honey, Baby, Sweetheart by Deb Caletti

Ruby is "The Quiet Girl". And nobody is more surprised than she is when she starts seeing rich and risky Travis Becker. But the dangerous things she does with Travis, like going over 100 mph on his motorcycle, are exciting and make Ruby feel alive. Until Travis wants her to do things that she knows are wrong.

• Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko

Moose's family has just moved to Alcatraz Island, where his dad has gotten a job. Moose doesn't like it here, but they have no choice; it's the middle of the Great Depression and jobs are hard to come by. Of course, it's not all bad. Moose has instant notoriety for living in the same place as the notorious Al Capone. Who knew that could cause him so much trouble?

• Lion Boy by Zizou Corder

Charlie lives with his mom and dad, both of whom are important scientists. He's a pretty normal kid, except for the fact that he can speak to cats - and understand what they say to him. Which comes in very handy when his parents disappear and he sets out to find them. First in a series.

• Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer

Jack is ill-suited to the life of a farm boy, and is very happy when the village bard chooses him as an apprentice. The happiness is short-lived, however, when he finds out that an evil half-troll queen wants revenge on the bard and everyone associated with him. This is an epic fantasy, rich and full of wonderful, surprising characters.

• Assassin by Patricia Finney

Lady Grace Cavendish, favorite maid of honor of Elizabeth I, must solve a murder mystery and clear the name of her betrothed.

• Taylor Five by Ann Halam

Taylor, her brother and her parents live on an orangutan reserve on the island of Borneo, helping orangs return to the wild. After rebel forces overrun the reserve, Taylor, her brother and a very humanized orangutan named Uncle are the only ones who get away.

• Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata

Katie depends on her older sister Lynn to teach her about life. When Lynn gets sick, though, Katie has to start figuring things out for herself.

• The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place by E.L. Konigsburg

Margaret Rose loves it at her uncles' house; they have built towers in the backyard, festooned with crystals and pendants, which she thinks are beautiful. But not everyone agrees with her, and Margaret Rose is in for a battle when neighbors try to take the towers down.

• How I Found the Strong by Margaret McMullan

Frank isn't old enough to fight in the Civil War. Nonetheless, the war takes much of what is precious to him: his brother, his grandpa and grandma, his childhood. He's not fighting at the front, but he's certainly fighting to keep his family and what is left of his life.

• Airborn by Kenneth Oppel

Matt works on a giant airship and it is the only place he's ever felt at home. When the crew of the Aurora takes in a crippled air balloon and its very ill captain, Matt doesn't realize that his world will turn topsy-turvy as a result of the captain's log which describes magical flying creatures.

• Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary Schmidt

Turner Buckminster, the new kid in town, makes friends with Lizzie Bright, a black girl who lives on Malaga Island, a small community of blacks that the city fathers want gone. Can Turner save Malaga Island and Lizzie?

• The Safe-Keeper's Secret by Sharon Shinn

Damiana is the Safe-Keeper of her village. People tell her secrets and she keeps those secrets, no matter what. The night that Damiana's own daughter is born, a special secret comes to Damiana. It's a newborn baby, and Damiana raises both children as her own.

• Montmorency by Eleanor Updale

He's only known as Montmorency, the name on the tool bag he was clutching as the police brought him to the hospital after a botched burglary. He's kept alive by Dr. Fawcett; he's a guinea pig in prison. But the experiences he has with Dr. Fawcett lead him to a new way of life. After his release, he leads two lives: that of a gentleman, and that of a thief.

• Secret Hour by Scott Westerfeld

Jessica has just moved to Bixby, Oklahoma from Chicago. Among all the day-to-day adjustments, Jessica finds out that she is a "midnighter", a person born at exactly midnight, and who can experience an additional hidden hour that all others miss. Having the world to yourself sounds pretty good, until Jess finds out from other midnighters that there are evil things in the secret hour, too.