Pre-Teen Fiction

The Black Cauldron, the Newbery Medal-winning second book in Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain

In the land of Prydain, evil is never far away. Arawn, Lord of the Land of Death, has been building an army of dark warriors to take over Prydain, and the only way to stop him is to destroy the Black Cauldron he uses to create his dreaded soldiers.

Taran, Assistant Pig-Keeper, and his loyal companions must journey deep into Arawn's domain to destroy the Black Cauldron. For each of them, the quest has special meaning. For Taran, it is a glorious opportunity to use his first sword in battle. But war requires a sacrifice greater than he'd ever imagined. . . .

Includes a new pronunciation guide. This title has Common Core connections.

In the wake of the catastrophic invasion that has levelled the Stoneholding, the last bastion of order in the world of Ahn Norvys, Kalaquinn Wright Pursues the mission entrusted to him. Freshly invested as High Bard, sets forth across lands that lie under a dark cloud of uncertainty and strife, charged with the task of finding the lost Prince Starigan. This is but the first step in rekindling the Sacred Fire and restoring peace to a broken world.

The task, however, will not be an easy one, for the Talamadh, the golden harp that binds together heaven and earth in sacred harmony, remains in the clutches of the tyrant Ferabek. After securing safe haven for the remnant folk of his clanholding, Kal and his companions venture into the lowlands of Arvon, a palce of looming danger. Despite the adversities of a world sinking into the world sinking into the twilight of darkness and chaos, the young Holdsman keeps faith and its sustained by the loyalty of friends, the resources he begins to discover in himself, and unwavering hope. In his quest for the lost prince, moreover, Kal learns that royalty is to be founsd in unexpected quarters.

By fate's caprice, Kal falls prey to his enemies. In the trail that befalls him, his mettle is tested, and he draws upon an inner strength that he has never known before. He also discovers that the Talamadh, with which Ardiel, once High King of Arvon, inaugurated the Great Harmony, though weak falerting, still retains a vestige of its ancient potency. But will it be enough to stem the tide of chaos that floods over darkling fields of Arvon?

The High King by Lloyd Alexander

When the most powerful weapon in the land of Prydain falls into the hands of Arawn, Lord of the Land of Death, Taran and Prince Gwydion rally an army to stand up to the dark forces.

The companions' last and greatest quest is also their most perilous. The biting cold of winter is upon them, adding to the danger they already face. Their journey, fraught with battle and bloodshed, ends at the very portal of Arawn's stronghold. There, Taran is faced with the most crucial decision of his life.

In this breathtaking Newbery Medal-winning conclusion to The Chronicles of Prydain, the faithful friends face the ultimate war between good and evil.

Caught living in a world between fantasy and reality, Carrie, a 13-year-old homeschooled girl, struggles to make sense of loss and new beginnings, seeking comfort in a heart-shaped locket with a secret. "Themes include: family, fantasy, and grief.""

Gabool the Wild is the most feared rat ever to sail the high seas. As the pirate king he rules with a quick temper and a swift sword, terrorizing all who cross his path. Joseph the Bellmaker and his daughter, the mousemaid Mariel, are his latest victims. When their ship is attacked by the searats, Gabool takes Joseph's marvelous bell among the booty, and casts him and his daughter overboard. Washed ashore, and suffering from memory loss, Mariel finds a home at Redwall Abbey. And when she recalls what happened to her and her father, she sets off with three Mossflower companions to confront Gabool--and make him pay for his crimes...

When Swartt and his evil hordes of searats and vermin attack the peaceful inhabitants of Redwall, Veil is left with a difficult decision: Should he join Swartt in battle against the only creature who has ever loved him? Or should he turn his back on his true father?

Brian Jacques's eighth entry in his beloved Redwall series is full of swirling adventure and dramatic surprises. But most of all, it shows that questions of right and wrong don't always have simple answers.

NOTE: this edition includes a "Discussion Questions" section for classroom use.

Rosa Bernardi, an only child living with her Italian immigrant parents in 1960s Chicago, often feels alone, or sola, as her parents would say. But after she holds her best friend AnnaMaria's baby brother for the first time, Rosa is sure that if she prays hard enough, God will send her a brother of her own. When Rosa's prayers for a sibling are answered, she is overjoyed--until tragedy strikes. Rosa is left feeling more sola than ever, and wondering if her broken family will ever be whole again.

A Booklist Top Ten First Novel for Youth and winner of a 2017 Catholic Press Association Book Award.

Will Wilder didn't mean to unlock his otherworldly gift. But that is exactly what happens when Will "borrows" a sacred relic believed to protect the town of Perilous Falls for nearly a century. Even though his intentions are good, the impulsive twelve-year-old unwittingly awakens an ancient evil endangering all of Perilous Falls.

As boats sink and hideous creatures crawl from the rising waters, it is up to Will to confront a nightmarish enemy and set things right before it is too late. Along with his sweet--if lethal--great-aunt Lucille, the curator of a museum of supernatural artifacts, Will proves that the actions of one twelve-year-old boy can change the world.