The Preposterous Adventures of Swimmer


Book Description

After years in captivity, a brilliant otter escapes into the wild Growing up in the high country, Swimmer bathed in clean water and dined on fresh crawfish. Then the trapper came, killing Swimmer’s mother and imprisoning him and his sister, who did not survive. After years of being poked and prodded by the Professor, he has had enough. He slips out of the townhouse and into the park across the street but is forced to return home when the city water proves too filthy to swim in. Unable to proceed on his own, he does something he vowed never to do: He asks the caretaker, Clarence, for help. Convinced that Swimmer would die in the wild, Clarence refuses to help the otter break free. And so, when the Professor is on a trip to Nashville for a lecture, Swimmer takes his chance, escaping back into the high country. It’s a wild world out there, and this clever otter intends to conquer it all.




America's Girl


Book Description

America's Girl is an intimate look at the life and trials of Gertrude Ederle, who in 1926 not only became the first woman to swim across the English Channel, but broke the record set by men. The feat so thrilled America that it welcomed her home with a ticker tape parade that drew two million people. This fascinating portrait follows Ederle from her early days as a competitive swimmer through her gold medal triumph at the 1924 Olympics, to the first attempt the next year by Ederle to swim from France to England in frigid and turbulent waters, a feat that had been conquered by only five men up to that time. This is also a stirring look at the go-go era of the 1920s, when the country was about to recognize that women not only could vote, but compete on an international scale as athletes. At the height of Prohibition, Ederle's triumph over the formidable Channel was a triumph for women everywhere. America's Girl immerses readers in a pivotal era of American history and brings to life the spirit of that time.




The Forgotten Door


Book Description

“Well written fantasy with strong character emphasis and empathy” from the author of the sci-fi classic Escape to Witch Mountain (Kirkus Reviews). At night, Little Jon’s people go out to watch the stars. Mesmerized by a meteor shower, he forgets to watch his step and falls through a moss-covered door to another land: America. He awakes hurt, his memory gone, sure only that he does not belong here. Captured by a hunter, Jon escapes by leaping six feet over a barbed-wire fence. Hungry and alone, he staggers through the darkness and is about to be caught when he is rescued by a kind family known as the Beans. They shelter him, feed him, and teach him about his new home. In return, he will change their lives forever. Although the Beans are kind to Little Jon, the townspeople mistrust the mysterious visitor. But Jon has untold powers, and as he learns to harness them, he will show his newfound friends that they have no reason to be afraid.




The Golden Enemy


Book Description

In a changed reality, a curious boy confronts an ancient anger Boy Jaim’s world is a peaceful place where war and violence are a distant memory and man and beast live together as friends. Although his contemporaries prefer to fly far above the surface of the earth, Boy Jaim is an explorer who yearns to chart the mysteries of the forest floor. And so, accompanied by his dog, Doubtful, he ventures into the woods and finds something he believed the world had left behind: hate. Doubtful smells the beast first—a powerful animal, dangerous and full of rage. It is a bear, come to take revenge on humankind for slaughtering its brothers long ago, and its violence forces Boy Jaim’s people to take up weapons for the first time in generations. But when the bear begins communicating with Boy Jaim, he finds they have common cause and will have to work together to survive.




The Magic Meadow


Book Description

In the dark of a grim hospital ward, five children escape to another world They call themselves the incurables. They are five children doomed to spend their lives in Belleview’s Ward Nine, unable to walk, care for themselves, or even take a trip outside. Their days are gloomy, but they have one another, and at night they play the game. Whispering about places that could never be, they build worlds so vivid that they almost seem real. And then one night, their dreams come true. While the others sleep, Brick closes his eyes and thinks harder than he ever has about the place he calls the Magic Meadow—a lush hill where dandelions grow. When he opens his eyes, he has been transported. The meadow is real, and with his friends at his side, he will return there again and again—to learn, to walk, to live.




The Preposterous Adventures Of George Washington Munchausen De Spoof (being The Most Amazing Story A Man Ever Told And Lived)


Book Description

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.




Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature, Vol 1


Book Description

Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature, A Checklist, 1700-1974, Volume one of Two, contains an Author Index, Title Index, Series Index, Awards Index, and the Ace and Belmont Doubles Index.




Talking Book Topics


Book Description







The Case of the Vanishing Boy


Book Description

His memory gone, a mysterious youth knows only one thing: It’s time to run On a crowded commuter train, a young boy shakes with fear, unable to remember how he got there or where he’s going. His memory is a total blank. He doesn’t even know his name. But beside him is a blind girl, Ginny, who has a way of seeing deep within people’s souls. Looking inside the boy’s addled memory, she discovers that his name is Jan—and he has every reason to be afraid. When the train stops, Jan flees into the night, and the police come charging after him. No matter where he goes—a church, the woods, the back alleys of this cozy suburban town—the hunters keep getting closer. He has incredible powers, and the government wants to use them for evil purposes. As his memory returns, Jan will tame his powers and stop running. With Ginny’s help, he will begin to fight back.