Juvenile Literature

The Outsiders (1967) is S. E. Hinton’s first novel, which she wrote when she was a high school student. The novel addresses themes of violence, masculinity, and belonging, all of which Hinton witnessed first-hand with her childhood friends. In interviews, Hinton has explained that she saw a need for realistic books for teenage readers and decided to solve the problem herself. This coming-of-age story was inspired by her experiences growing up in Oklahoma and witnessing... Read The Outsiders Summary

... Read The Owl and the Pussy-Cat Summary

Originally published in 2018, The Parker Inheritance is a fast-paced mystery novel with messages about identity and society. Varian Johnson presents a dynamic young protagonist, Candice, who teams up with her new friend Brandon to uncover the truth behind a mysterious letter that reveals the hidden history of Lambert, South Carolina.The Parker Inheritance is the recipient of a number of awards: it was named a 2019 Coretta Scott King Honor Book, a Publishers Weekly Best... Read The Parker Inheritance Summary

... Read The Penderwicks Summary

The People of Sparks is the second of four science fiction novels in the highly lauded Book of Ember series, written by Jeanne DuPrau. Published in 2004, The People of Sparks follows Lina and Doon, the protagonists of The City of Ember, as they attempt to help the people of Ember navigate the post-apocalyptic surface world. This middle grade novel explores ideas of communities, the cyclical nature of violence and war, and the importance of... Read The People of Sparks Summary

... Read The Perfect Score Summary

The Perfect Shot by Elaine Marie Alphin was published in 2005. Her 17th book, it won The Foreword Book of the Year Gold Medal for Young Adult Fiction and the VOYA Top Shelf Fiction Award. It was also a Bank Street College Teen Selection in 2006. In it, high school basketball player Brian Hammet works on a history project about the trial of Leo Frank. This historical event mirrors the current trial of Michael Daine... Read The Perfect Shot Summary

In Norton Juster’s 1961 middle-grade fantasy adventure The Phantom Tollbooth, a bored young boy visits a magical land whose people suffer from a strange delusion and volunteers to find a source of wisdom that can heal them. The book is a touchstone for generations of young readers; it has sold nearly five million copies in more than a dozen languages and has been adapted for film, stage, and symphony hall. Author Juster published a dozen... Read The Phantom Tollbooth Summary

... Read The Pied Piper of Hamelin Summary

Published in 1968, Paul Zindel’s The Pigman established the young adult genre in fiction novels and became a classic book that is still read by teenagers in classrooms today. Written from the dual perspective of two high school students, Zindel takes the reader inside the mind of a teenager’s thoughts, fears, and impressions of others and examines what it means to be kind and empathetic. The novel was awarded the New York Times Outstanding Book... Read The Pigman Summary

... Read The Pinballs Summary

In The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights, historian Steve Sheinkin traces the story of the Port Chicago 50, a group of African-American sailors charged with mutiny for disobeying orders during World War II. Sheinkin’s history opens, however, with the story of Dorie Miller, a black mess attendant stationed at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attack in 1942. Though not trained for battle, Miller courageously begins fighting with an anti-aircraft... Read The Port Chicago 50 Summary

... Read The President Has Been Shot! Summary

... Read The Prince and the Dressmaker Summary

The Prince and the Pauper: A Tale for Young People of All Ages is Mark Twain’s first historical fiction novel, published in 1881 in Canda and in America the following year. Set in 16th-century England during the reigns of King Henry VIII and Edward VI, the novel revolves around two identical boys: Henry’s heir, Prince Edward, and Tom Canty, a London beggar. After a chance meeting, the two decide to exchange roles, leading to a... Read The Prince and the Pauper Summary

The Princess and the Goblin, first published in 1872, is a Victorian children’s fantasy novel written by George MacDonald. Arthur Hughes and W. B. MacDougall created the accompanying drawings for the original publication, and Jessie Wilcox Smith added new visual art to the story in 1920. In 1992, the novel was adapted into a full-length animated feature film of the same name. This guide utilizes the 2018 Leaves of Gold Press version of the novel... Read The Princess and the Goblin Summary

The Princess Diaries is the first novel in the titular children’s book series penned by American author Meg Cabot. First published in 2000, The Princess Diaries became a New York Times bestseller and was quickly adapted into a 2001 film of the same name starring Anne Hathaway as Mia Thermopolis and Julie Andrews as Mia’s grandmother. Although the film adaptation deviates greatly from the novel, both versions of The Princess Diaries tackle the adolescent experience... Read The Princess Diaries Summary

... Read The Puppets of Spelhorst Summary

The Raft, by S.A. Bodeen, tells the castaway story of Robie, a young woman who survives an airplane crash in the Pacific Ocean. The crash occurs as she attempts to return from a trip to visit her aunt in Honolulu.Other work by this author includes the novel, The Compound.The story is set in motion when Robie’s aunt is called away for workand allows Robie to remain at her apartment unsupervised. Robie is attacked on the... Read The Raft Summary

... Read The Railway Children Summary