With insight and a light touch, best-selling, Newbery Honor-winning author Gary D. Schmidt tells two poignant, linked stories: that of a grieving girl and a boy trying to escape his violent past. Following the death of her closest friend in summer 1968, Meryl Lee Kowalski goes off to St. Elene's Preparatory Academy for Girls, where she struggles to navigate the venerable boarding school's traditions and a social structure heavily weighted toward students...

When a thief breaks into the P.E. lockers, leaving behind cryptic ransom notes, Drew Leclair, who is determined to stay out of trouble, investigates while dealing with her friends' obsession with the upcoming Wonderland dance.

"Sixteen-year-old Harper Jacobs and her bored friends make a pact to engage in a series of not-quite illegal break-ins. They steal from each other's homes, sharing their keys and alarm codes. But they don't take anything that can't be replaced by some retail therapy, so it's okay. It's thrilling. It's bad. And for Harper, it's payback for something she can't put into words-something to help her deal with her alcoholic mother, her delusional father,...

"Everyone on the Bader Ginsburg Middle School Badgers is looking forward to the playoffs and a chance to win back the Supreme Bowl trophy from the Wellstone Middle School Warriors--but somebody has stolen the trophy, and evidence points to one of the Badgers, so teammates Kenny Hu and Romeo Russell set out to clear their friend and discover the truth"--Title verso page.

Fleischman Middle School has won the regional Math-Tastic competition the last two years, but just before this year's contest, the trophies are stolen--the four friends of Snoops, Inc. have a suspect (or two), but when they set out to solve the mystery their investigation takes an unexpected turn.

Justice knows how things can go down for African American young men and it isn't always fair. He tries to live the straight and narrow. Pining for his crush, Ebony, writing rap lyrics, and looking forward to chess games in the park. Justice never thought he be labeled a criminal. When his teachers phone and wallet are stolen, he is at the center of the investigation, and Justice wants to prove his innocence before his wrongly convicted of a crime...

The "Jewels" of the Martha Washington Middle School team are focused on the upcoming quiz bowl in New York City but when they discover that the Atkinson Preparatory School Rivals may be planning a diamond heist, they set out to foil the theft.

"Every day at the Athensville Zoo the peacocks are allowed to wander freely among the visitors, delighting and guiding kids and grownups alike, and kind, curious Plum is the peacock most proud of their responsibility"--Title verso page.

Pete's Pets has adorable new kittens in the shop, but are they stolen and is Nancy Drew's archenemy Deidre Shannon involved? Nancy and her friends investigate when kittens go missing from the River Heights Animal Shelter.

When his father's valuable signed baseball disappears during the team's sleepover, Ian Shin, catcher for the Scottsville Knights, suspects the new pitcher, Hunter Yates, but he cannot be sure, and his trust in his teammates is shattered--so he must uncover the truth to bring the team back together.