The Terrorist� by Caroline Cooney� (Scholastic, 1997) Billy Williams, age 11 and son of an American businessman living in London, is killed when he is handed a package bomb in a crowded subway station.� As the family struggles to manage their anger and grief over Billy's death, his older sister, Laura, is transformed from a self-absorbed teenager into a vengeful and relentless investigator, determined to find those responsible. When no group comes forward to claim responsibility, Laura� becomes increasingly obsessed with finding the terrorist. Unknowingly she herself becomes involved with a terrorist plot when she agrees to help a Iranian classmate flee from England.

The Ghost of Fossil Glen by Cynthia DeFelice (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1998)�� Allie loves to collect fossils and she first hears a strange voice when she is stranded on a fossil-covered hill and about to fall 100 feet to certain injury or death. This mysterious event is only the first for Allie as she puts together the clues of the� disappearance of a young girl several years before. Her own life is in danger as she comes closer to discovering the greedy motives of a land-developer.

Lone Wolf by Kristine L. Franklin� (Candlewick Press, 1997) For the past three years, following the death of his baby sister in a car accident and the subsequent divorce of his parents, eleven-year-old Perry Dubois, has lived in remote northern Minnesota with his father and pet dog. His isolated world is changed drastically when two things happen: he starts to hear a lone wolf howling near the cave which is his secret hideout, and the large and lively Pestalozzi family moves into the property next door. This story contains survival adventures, animal lore, and the chance for this youngster to come to terms with these changes in his life.

The Secret of Platform 13 by Eva Ibbotson� (Dutton, 1998)� A magical island kingdom where humans live happily with assorted fanciful creatures and modern London are united by a passage through a "gump." The gump is a grassy bump which is actually a hidden door located under platform 13 in an abandoned railway station. The station is only open for nine days every nine years. During one nine day period, the prince of the magical kingdom is kidnapped by Mrs. Trottle, a wealthy childless woman, when his nursemaids take him on an outing in London. Nine years later, a rescue mission consisting of a wizard, a fairy, a giant and an ogre set off to bring back the prince in this mixture of fantasy and farce.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine� (HarperCollins, 1997) At her birth, Ella is cursed with the "gift" of obeying everyone's command. She must literally do what everyone tells her, from sweeping the floor to giving up a beloved heirloom necklace. After her mother dies, Ella battles both ogres and wicked stepsisters, makes friends and loses them, and must deny her love for her prince, Charmant, to save his life and his realm. This retelling of the Cinderella story is funny and imaginative and has a spunky, almost� modern, Cinderella.

A Picture of Freedom: The Diary of Clotee, a Slave Girl by Patricia McKissack (Dear America Series by Scholastic, 1997) Twelve� year old Clotee is a house slave who must conceal the fact that she can read and write.� She records in her diary her experiences and her struggle to put a picture in her mind with the new word she has learned ---- freedom, as she decides whether to attempt an escape.� One of the nice features of this series is the section of historical notes including first person documentary type information relating to the specific time period.

Silverwing by Kenneth Oppel� (Simon and Schuster, 1997) Although Shade, a young silverwing bat, is known as "Runt" within his community, he actually possesses greater curiosity and intelligence than his peers. When he becomes separated from the rest of his colony during their annual winter migration, he teams up with an exiled� Brightwing bat. Using a mental map given to him by his mother, they ward off fire-carrying owls and six-foot flesh-eating bats as they journey through hollow trees, lofty bell towers, mountain passes and high waterfalls. This book offers fast-paced action� in the monochromatic nighttime world of bats.

My Life in Dog Years by Gary Paulsen� (Bantam/Doubleday, 1998) This is a biography with a twist for dog-lovers.� Proceeding chronologically, each chapter portrays an important dog in Paulsen's life from his first dog, Snowball, in the Phillipines; to Dirk, who protected him from bullies; and Cookie, who saved his life. Typical of Paulsen non-fiction this book will make you laugh and cry as Paulsen shares the personalities of his special animal friends.

Hero by S.L. Rottman� (Peachtree Publishers, 1997) 15-year-old Sean has been abandoned by his father, abused by his mother, and is having trouble in school with his classes, teachers and fellow students. When Sean breaks curfew, he is arrested, charged, and sentenced to do community service on a nearby ranch. He grows to love and respect Dave Hassler, the rancher, who teaches him to believe in himself.

Wringer by Jerry Spinelli� (HarperCollins, 1997)� Upset that coming of age in his hometown of Waymer means he must become a� "wringer" during his town's annual Pigeon Day, Palmer must decide whether he will assume the responsibilities of his violent actions, or refuse to take part in the day's festivities.
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