Books in Young Adult series

This masterful new verse translation of Homer's classic story of the Trojan War has been hailed by critics as "an astonishing performance" and "a remarkable tour de force." Robert Fagles, chairman of the Department of Comparative Literature at Princeton University, brings the energy of contemporary language of this 2,700-year-old epic, while maintaining the drive and metric music of Homer's poetry, as well as the impact and nuance of Homer's mesmerizing repeated phrases.

They've spent years at the same high school without speaking a word to one another, but that's all about to change. Popular Bliss has the perfect boyfriend, the perfect prom dress—and now the perfect case for revenge after finding her BFF and boyfriend making out in the back of the limo. Bad girl Jolene wouldn't be caught dead at the prom, yet (due to her mother's ultimatum) here she is, trussed up in pink ruffles, wondering whether boot camp might have been the better choice. And shy, studious, uber-planner Meg, ready to stop being a wallflower and start experiencing life firsthand, never counted on her date's standing her up and leaving her idling in the parking lot outside the prom. Get ready for The Anti-Prom, Abby McDonald's hilarious, heart-tugging tale about three girls on one crazy night.

Here are 2 classic thrillers by a master of suspense. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde explores the split nature of man. Dr. Jekyll, a respectable man, transforms into an alter ego named Mr. Hyde who carries out all the wickedness Dr. Jekyll represses. In the body of Mr. Hyde, Jekyll finds freedom from the bonds of social convention but soon finds himself lured deeper into violence, and ultimately murder. The second tale, Markheim, tells of a robber named Markheim who murders a shopkeeper on Christmas day. Award-winning British narrator Ralph Cosham does justice to these 2 bone-chilling tales.

Whether it's a curse or a blessing, the fact remains: whenever Roger is in enough pain he can cross over to the Land of the Dead and speak to the people there. It's an unexpected gift, and one that, throughout Roger's life, has been taken advantage of byhis violent uncle; the mysterious, malign Soulviners with their dark magic; and even by a queen, fighting for her queendom. But not anymore. The dangerous life of queen's fool is behind him, young Princess Stephanie sits on the throne, and Roger is living a life of his choosing. He, Maggie, and Jee have a small, out of the way, increasingly prosperous inn, supported by their hard work. It's a simple, industrious life -- and it's about to be destroyed. The war is not over. The savage invaders are back. And they're looking for the boy who killed their leader. They're looking for Roger.

No one understands Declan. Not his mother or his father or his teachers. No one but maybe his new group of friends. After moving, Declan will do anything to fit in at his new school, even if it is illegal. When he and his new friends get caught, the consequences are tragic. Given a second chance that he is not sure that he wants, Declan is sent to work at a ski lodge in the Canadian Rockies. Though he is not locked up, he feels trapped and lonely, and learns that second chances aren't easy. While there, Declan learns to snowboard and meets new friends, but the ghosts of his past keep rising up to haunt him. Standing on the edge, Declan realizes that the only way to break free is to face his past, and to look forward to the future.

George Orwell's classic satire of the Russian Revolution has become an intimate part of our contemporary culture, with its treatment of democratic, fascist, and socialist ideals through an animal fable. When the animals of Mr. Jones's Manor Farm revolt against their human rulers, they establish the democratic Animal Farm under the credo, "All Animals Are Created Equal". Out of their cleverness, the pigs, Napoleon, Squealer, and Snowball, emerge as leaders of the new community. In a development of insidious familiarity, the pigs begin to assume ever greater amounts of power, while other animals, especially the faithful horse Boxer, assume more of the work. The climax of the story is the brutal betrayal of Boxer, when totalitarian rule is reestablished with the bloodstained postscript to the founding slogan: "But Some Animals Are More Equal than Others".