Middle Readers

Alys was seven the first time she saw the soul eaters.

These soul eaters are twin sisters who were abandoned by their father and slowly grew into something not quite human. And they feed off of human souls. When her village was attacked, Alys was spared and sent to live in a neighboring village. There the devout people created a strict world where fear of the soul eaters--and of the Beast they believe guides them--rule village life. But the Beast is not what they think he is. And neither is Alys.

Inside, Alys feels connected to the soul eaters, and maybe even to the Beast itself. As she grows from a child to a teenager, she longs for the freedom of the forest. And she has a gift she can tell no one, for fear they will call her a witch. When disaster strikes, Alys finds herself on a journey to heal herself and her world. A journey that will take her through the darkest parts of the forest, where danger threatens her from the outside--and from within her own heart and soul.

The moving story of an orphan, determined to know her own history, who discovers the true meaning of family.

Twelve-year-old Crow has lived her entire life on a tiny, isolated piece of the starkly beautiful Elizabeth Islands in Massachusetts. Abandoned and set adrift in a small boat when she was just hours old, Crow's only companions are Osh, the man who rescued and raised her, and Miss Maggie, their fierce and affectionate neighbor across the sandbar.

Crow has always been curious about the world around her, but it isn't until the night a mysterious fire appears across the water that the unspoken question of her own history forms in her heart. Soon, an unstoppable chain of events is triggered, leading Crow down a path of discovery and danger.

Vivid and heart-wrenching, Lauren Wolk's Beyond the Bright Sea is a gorgeously crafted and tensely paced tale that explores questions of identity, belonging, and the true meaning of family.

"Big Nate is funny, big time" --Jeff Kinney, author of Diary of a Wimpy Kid

For fans of Jeff Kinney and Raina Telgemeier, here comes the second novel in the New York Times bestselling Big Nate series.

BIG NATE will surpass all others!

But it won't be easy. He's stuck with Gina, his all-time enemy, in a class project for his least favorite teacher Mrs. Godfrey, aka Godzilla. To make matters worse, Gina ALSO ends up on his fleeceball team, right when Nate is set to win his first fleeceball championship ever. This is his moment for glory, but Gina's sure to steal his thunder, or ruin everything.

Will Nate win or lose? Pass or fail? Or end up in detention . . . AGAIN?

Meet BIG NATE, self-described genius and definitely NOT the teacher's pet in this comic-strip novel perfect for anyone who's ever been to middle school.