Archives: Books

Three girls become unlikely friends during troubled times in early 1900s New York City. Bella, newly arrived from Italy, gets a job at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. There, along with hundreds of others, she works long hours at a guieling job under terrible conditions. Yetta, a coworker from Russia, has been crusading for a union, and when conditions worsen, she joins a historic strike. Wealthy Jane learns of the plight of the workers and becomes involved in their cause. And all three girls are at the Triangle factory on March 26, 1911, when a spark ignites some cloth and the building is engulfed in fire. Can any of them survive?

“This deftly crafted historical novel unfolds dramatically with an absorbing story and well-drawn characters who readily evoke empathy and compassion. Haddix has masterfully melded in-depth information about the history of immigration, the struggle for women’s rights, the beginnings of the organized labor movement, and the horrific Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in 1911 within a narrative that will simultaneously engross and educate its readers.”
—School Library Journal

In the year 2000 Melly and Anny Beth were old and ready to die. But when offered the chance to be young again by participating in a top-secret experiment called Project Turnabout, they agreed. They received injections that made them grow younger, and it seemed like a miracle. But when the injections that were supposed to stop the unaging process turned out to be deadly, Melly and Anny Beth decided to run for their lives.

Now it is 2085. Melly and Anny Beth are teenagers. They have no idea what will happen once they are babies again, but they do know they will soon be too young to take care of themselves. They need to find someone to help them before time runs out, once and for all….

 “This will provoke lively discussion in middle-school book clubs, and draw sf fans as well as readers who like survival stories.”
—Booklist

When Britt’s older brother, Bran, lands a summer job house-sitting for the Marquises, an elderly couple, it seems like a great opportunity. Britt and Bran have moved to Florida so their mother can finish college, and the house-sitting income will allow their mom to quit her job and take classes full-time. Having never lived in a real house before, Britt is thrilled. There’s only one problem: Britt starts to suspect her family isn’t supposed to be there.

She’s been noticing that Bran is acting weird and defensive–he hides the Marquises’ mail, won’t let anyone touch the thermostat, and discourages Britt from meeting any of the neighbors. Determined to get to the bottom of things, Britt starts investigating and makes a startling discovery–the Marquises aren’t who Bran has led her and their mom to believe. So whose house are they staying in, and why has Bran brought them there?

“Like the books in Haddix’s Shadow Children series, this story propels readers along on a strong current of narrative and jolts them with unexpected twists… Britt’s first-person narrative makes riveting reading.”
—Booklist

For as long as Tessa can remember, her country has been at war. When local golden boy Gideon Thrall is awarded a medal for courage, it’s a rare bright spot for everyone in Tessa’s town—until Gideon refuses the award, claims he was a coward, and runs away. Tessa is bewildered, and can’t help but follow Gideon to find out the truth. But Tessa is in for more than she bargained for. Before she knows it, she has stowed away on a rogue airplane and is headed for enemy territory. But all that pales when she discovers a shocking truth that rocks the foundation of everything she’s ever believed—a truth that could change the world. Is Tessa strong enough to bring it into the light?

“The plot is good, the story line is captivating, and there are certainly many opportunities for discussion…will find itself at home in any school library and many public libraries as well…perfect for reluctant readers.”
—VOYA

Ever since their father’s sudden death eight years ago, Chuck and Lori’s mom has spent most of her time on the road as a motivational speaker, leaving them and their younger siblings in the care of their grandparents. But this trip is different; this time, their mother has invited Chuck and Lori along in an attempt to reconnect with her eldest—and now most distant—children.

Lori is so angry with her mother for her constant absence she can barely look at her, and Chuck, as usual, tries to make himself invisible. From the start the trip seems doomed. But slowly, walls built up over the years begin to show cracks. Laser-sharp glares are finally and painfully turned inward. And in the end secrets are finally revealed–secrets that will change all of their lives forever . . .

“Haddix adeptly shows the trauma of family tension and sibling rivalry in subtle passages rich in detail, creating an absorbing, realistic novel that challenges readers to grow, like Lori and Chuck, by exploring the unfamiliar.”
—Booklist

A new girl in town joins a cult-like religious group until an outrageous act forces her to reexamine her values and find a way to break free.

“Tightly written, with well-drawn characters, and demonstrating insight into the psychology of belief and affiliation, this cautionary novel is in no way anti-religious: Dorry has found genuine meaning in worship and prayer, and at the end of the book, continues her spiritual journey, but in her own way.”
—Kirkus Reviews

For eighth grader KT Sutton, life revolves around softball. As the star pitcher of a highly selective club team, she has her whole future mapped out. But in the middle of a championship game, she suddenly blacks out. When she wakes up, everything has changed. School has become sports, and sports have become school. KT desperately wants to find her way back to the real world, but bits and pieces of disturbing memories and dreams make her wonder if something truly awful happened there, to send her into this crazy new place. What if softball were ruined for her in the real world, too? And what if she’s lost something a lot more important than a softball game?

“Cleverly constructed… Haddix’s insightful tale is a compelling blend of sports, action and mystery.”
—Kirkus Reviews

Becca thought her life was over when her father was sent to prison for embezzlement. It didn’t help that he used her as his excuse: “How else is a guy like me supposed to send his daughter to college?” After the trial, she and her mother fled town, started over in a new place, and vowed to never let anyone know who they really are.

Now, four years later, Becca is starting her senior year of high school, and thinks she might be ready to shed some of the secrecy. It seems like she might have to do that to apply for college and college scholarships and financial aid. But what if she and her mother were escaping more than just shame when they ran away? And what if Becca has already revealed enough of the truth to put them both in danger?

“The disastrous turns that Becca’s senior year takes will rivet readers and perhaps even alleviate some stress about their own (presumably scandal-free) application processes.”
—Publishers Weekly

When Kira agrees to let her friends hypnotize her at a slumber party, she has no idea that she will reveal secrets even she didn’t know she had–memories of fleeing a war-torn country with her mother, understanding a language she can’t identify. Then her mother disappears, and a woman calling herself Aunt Memory takes Kira to Crythe, a place that doesn’t officially exist, in order to rescue her mother–or so Kira thinks.

She soon learns that there are memories locked in her mind that place her and her mother in grave danger, but those memories are also the only thing that might save them. Escape from Memory imagines a culture that values its memories above everything else–and a teen who has to make the most important decision of her life.

“Haddix nimbly balances a fascinating examination of the significance of memory with an exciting, fantastical adventure story.”
—Booklist