Books published by publisher KNOPF, ALFRED A

Against the backdrop of Kilimanjaro, on a great game preserve in Kenya, the warden, once a great hunter, his ten-year-old daughter Patricia, Oriunga, a primitive Masai warrior, and King, the gorgeous lion the small girl loves and knows so well -- these are the characters in a vibrant, swift, and suspenseful novel in which love and hate and savagery clash inevitably and then explode. It is the story of a young girl's power over a majestic beast. Possessing a special understanding for the wildlife that roams securely in the huge man-made preserve where she has grown up, Patricia loves above all living creatures King, the lion she has raised from a cub. Then an arrogant, proud warrior enters this sanctuary, and man and lion instantly recognize each other as predestined enemies. The fateful encounter between the two is precipitated by Patricia's need to test her power, just as the warrior must test his manhood. And the astonishing climax brings the instincts of the jungle and the response of civilization into sudden and shattering action. The Lion is a great and beautiful adventure story that will also enchant you by its vivid picture of animal life in a vast game preserve. And it abounds in searching and unforgettable insights into human fears, courage, and love.

Leo Borlock follows the unspoken rule at Mica Area High School: don't stand out—under any circumstances! Then Stargirl arrives at Mica High and everything changes—for Leo and for the entire school. After 15 years of home schooling, Stargirl bursts into tenth grade in an explosion of color and a clatter of ukulele music, enchanting the Mica student body. But the delicate scales of popularity suddenly shift, and Stargirl is shunned for everything that makes her different. Somewhere in the midst of Stargirl's arrival and rise and fall, normal Leo Borlock has tumbled into love with her. In a celebration of nonconformity, Jerry Spinelli weaves a tense, emotional tale about the fleeting, cruel nature of popularity—and the thrill and inspiration of first love. In this story about the perils of popularity, the courage of nonconformity, and the thrill of first love, an eccentric student named Stargirl changes Mica High School forever.