Media Center

The Old Willis Place by Mary Downing Hahn

• Genre – Ghosts/Friendship/Haunted Houses

Diana and her brother Georgie are hiding as they watch the new caretaker and his daughter Lissa arrive to maintain the Old Willis Place. Diana and her brother have been living in the woods surrounding the property for a really long time. They are not allowed to leave the property or show themselves to anyone. They are not allowed to enter the old decaying Victorian mansion. Diana notices that Lissa is about her age and longs to have a true friend. Does she risk exposing herself and her brother to make a friend? Yes, she does. After Lissa brings Diana in the house, the spirit of an old woman, Miss Lilian, is unleashed. However, the old woman is not the only ghost on the property. Miss Lilian has done something unspeakable in her past that involves Diana and Georgie.

• Other Titles by This Author: Closed for the Season, All the Lovely Bad Ones, Took: A Ghost Story

Theodore Boone Kid Lawyer (Book 1) by John Grisham 

• Genre – Mystery 

Meet Theo Boone. Even though he is only thirteen, he is very educated about the law. He lives in the small town of Strattenburg, with his mom and dad who are both lawyers. He is obsessed with the law. He knows everyone in his town that is involved with the law, police officers, judges, court clerks, and more. He dreams of one day becoming a powerful trial lawyer. Theo gives advice to classmates and friends that are experiencing legal issue of their own. For example, his friend April's parents are divorcing, and she doesn’t understand why she must make choices where to live. He explains how the custody law works to April. Theo’s life takes a dramatic turn when he is suddenly involved in a sensational murder trial taking place in town.  If he doesn’t get involved, a stone-cold killer could go free. He has found a witness that is afraid to testify due to immigration issues. There are many twists and turns. How will the trial of Pete Duffy, who is accused of murdering his wife, end? Will Theo continue to work on other important cases? 

• This is the 1st book in the Theodore Boone series.

Dead Boys by Royce Buckingham

• Genre - Horror/Ghosts

Twelve-year-old Teddy and his mom have to move to Richland, Washington. Teddy is not crazy about moving to a place located in the dessert near a nuclear power plant where his mom will be working. As soon as they get into town his mom kicks him out of the house and say take your bike and make some new friends. When he is outside he notices that the house next door looks abandoned but there is a huge tree. Teddy starts making friends with some boys around town but something is very weird. The boys he meets seem to be living in different decades as if they are really dead and are now ghosts. After breaking into the house next door, Teddy realizes he may be the next victim. The tree surrounding the house wanted him to come in. The tree needs to live and it needs another 12-year-old boy. Can Teddy escape? Can he save himself and the other 6 boys the tree possess?

The Raft by S. A. Bodeen

• Genre – Realistic Fiction/Survival

Robie is visiting with her aunt in Honolulu while her parents are in Midway attol, which is a group of Islands in the Pacific. This is where the family lives and conducts research. Robie has flown back and forth many times from Honolulu to Midway. When her aunt has to leave for an emergency trip, Robie is left alone in the apartment and something happens one night that freaks her out. She wants to go home to Midway. She has taken the small cargo flight many time before without any incidents. However, due to bad weather and engine failure the plane is going to crash. Max, the copilot, is shouting at her to put on her lifejacket and jump out of the plane. Max is struggling to grab a raft. Robie makes it to the water and Max pulls her onto the raft. That is when the real danger begins. She has only herself to count on with minimal supplies. Will Robie survive and she her parents again? Is anyone looking for her? She is not even sure she was on the planes manifest.

Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper

• Genre – Realistic Fiction - Available on Sora

Melody Brooks is no ordinary girl. She was born with cerebral palsy. She cannot move or speak and has been in a wheel chair all her life. She is extremely bright with a photographic memory but cannot communicate with others until one day, the woman that takes care of her sometimes, Mrs. V, finds a computer device to help Melody speak. Melody wants to be just like everyone else in her class but her classmates and even her teachers assume Melody is stupid. However, when Melody takes the trivia exam and gets a perfect score everything changes. Due to her participation on the trivia team, the team wins a trip to Washington D. C. to compete but Melody is left out of the trip. Some of her classmates are jealous of her success and others cannot see beyond her physical disabilities. Melody story is an inspiration to us all.

The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley 

• Genre – Historical Fiction - Available on Sora

Ten-year-old Ada is living with her mom and brother in London, England during the time of World War II. Ada was born with a club foot. Her mother reminds her daily what an embarrassment she is and insists that Ada not leave the one room apartment because of her club foot. She can only watch the world from her window. Ada was born a cripple and her mom does not know that Ada has taught herself how to walk. If Ada’s mom found out, she may smack her around even more.  Her only pleasure is her brother Jamie. Jamie comes home and tells her stories about life outside the apartment. All the children in London are being transported to rural towns due to the War. Ada’s mom tells her that no one would want to take care of a cripple, so she is not going on the train, only her brother is. She has a chance to escape her life in London and takes it. Ada sneaks off with her brother. It is a difficult journey for her because of all the walking but she makes it. Ada and Jamie are taken in by Susan. They learn about kindness and create their own type of family. Will they stay together, or will mom find them? 

• Sequel: The War I Finally Won