Del Norte Public Library

In a small East Texas town largely ruled by prejudices and bullies, fourteen-year-old Austin sets out to win a ride in the next parade and, in the process, grows in her understanding of friendship and helps her widowed mother through her mourning.

"Starting a new school in the fall with her friend Shirley, everything is going well for Jamila until Shirley pulls her into a new assignment: stop Chuck Milton, a school bully who's using blackmail and intimidation to become school president--an assignment that will involve a bit of breaking and entering."--Provided by publisher.

Fifth-grader Nolan Byrd, tired of being called names by the class bully, has a secret identity--Shredderman!

As the season changes to winter, the cold weather does nothing to put a chill on pushy Takada and shy Nishimura's deepening bond! Nishimura also finds herself building friendships with the rest of her classmates, too, even hosting friends at her home--for the very first time! What will she do when Christmas comes around and Takada, wondering how his feelings for Nishimura differ from how he feels about the rest of their friends, asks her if they should...

Resolving to become the world's greatest stand-up comedian despite less-than-funny challenges in his life, wheelchair-bound middle school student Jamie Grimm endures bullying from his mean-spirited cousin and hopes he will be fairly judged when he enters a local comedy contest.

"Opposites attract when a cheerful airhead meets the resident wallflower of his new class! With the end of summer vacation for friendly Takada and gloomy Nishimura, school is back in session. The new semester brings new changes for all the kids in their elementary class, including Nishimura. Her unusual friendship with Takada is helping her to open up little by little! But will she revert back to a wallflower when the school sports festival rolls...