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Michael's great-great-aunt Dew was a hundred years old, and she kept an old box filled with pennies, one for each birthday. Michael loved to sit at her feet and count out the pennies while Aunt Dew told the story behind each one. Michael's mother wanted to throw out the old box and buy a new one. But Aunt Dew said, "Anybody takes my hundred penny box, takes me." And for his love for Aunt Dew, Michael knew he had to try to save the hundred penny box that contained all the stories of her life.

A Newbery Honor Book

"Dear Levi,
I surely hated leaving you behind in Pennsylvania, but you know I couldn't pass up the chance to go out to Oregon to see about Pa's claim.... Once you're old enough, Levi, you can come too. Till then, mind Miss Amelia, and don't go chasing after her chickens too much...."

Amanda Freebold doesn't know what to do. Her father left three years ago for the new colony of Jamestown, in America, thousands of miles away. All Amanda has to remember him by is a little brass lion's head he gave his family to guard them while he is gone. Now her mother has just died, leaving Amanda to take care of her younger brother and sister.

Do you ever wonder where inventors get their ideas? Benjamin Franklin was one of the most famous inventors in American history, and according to this book he got most of his ideas—the good ones at any rate—from a mouse!

Funny and Wise, Ben and Me is a classic American story that celebrates its sixtieth anniversary in 1999. It has amused generations of young people, and once you've read it and met Amos, the mouse who tells the story, you will never think of Benjamin Franklin, or American history, quite the same way again.

The two adventurers were going along. Avon was singing.
"Stop!" cried Edward. "We've reached the end of the branch." With great care the two creatures edged to the very tip.
"The end of the branch," said Avon.
"The beginning of the sky," said Edward.
"Which is it?" asked Avon. "The beginning or the end?"
"It depends on what there's more of, the tree or the sky. Think of all the things that get in your way along the branch—leaves, bark, other creatures, a million things to slow you down. Now look at the sky."

April 3, 1778
Jonathan, 13, knows he's ready to fight the British. He can handle a gun. And he yearns to don a uniform and battle for glory, just like his brother and cousin.
So on this day when the tavern bell tolls, calling men to arms, Jonathan doesn't ask his father's permission. He simply goes. And to his joy, he's accepted.
In the next twenty-four hours, Jonathan learns what it means to fight, and to be a soldier. He also learns what it's like to meet death face to face.
It's a lesson he will never forget....

After Chester, a cricket, arrives in the Times Square subway station via a picnic basket from his native Connecticut, he takes up residence in the Bellinis' newsstand. There, the tiny creature is lucky enough to find three good friends: a little boy named Mario whose parents run the unsuccessful newsstand, a fast-talking Broadway mouse named Tucker and his pal, Harry the Cat. Throughout their escapades and their ups and downs in New York City, together they somehow manage to bring success to the almost bankrupt newsstand.

William's new dog, Riley, is in trouble. He chased a neighbor's horse, and local law punishes any animal that chases livestock. William will do anything to save his dog's life. Riley has become the friend he's needed after his grandfather's sudden death and his parents' separation.

Will William and his friend Grace be able to save Riley—even if several citizens and the bully Ellis Porter think Riley deserves the most severe punishment possible?

Some dogs have a bark bigger than their bite. But Sweetie, the Great Dane, can't afford to bark—or bite. After three little nips and three masters, the next stop is the pound. So when the burglar comes calling, he waves his tail. When coyotes come prowling, he tries to make peace—as they howl in scorn. They promise they'll return—to eat his food, his friends, Red the Irish Setter, Poky the Beagle, and Sweetie for dessert! If Sweetie can't protect them they'll all perish! How can he outfox twelve hungry coyotes?

Lolly, Spider, and Sam decide to tell stories. Lolly reads a very short story. The others think it's dull. Sam's story is more suspenseful, but the others say the ending is dumb. Spider knows he can tell the best story of all... and the scariest!

This summer will be different. That's for sure. When an eleven-year-old city boy is dropped off to stay on a farm with relatives, he doesn't know what to expect. His cousin Harris soon takes care of that. Harris is rude and crude and finds trouble at every turn. He leads his city cousin into everything from wrestling slippery pigs to catching mice to a daredevil jump out of a barn loft. And that's not all. There are swimming and cowboy movies and enough good food to fill the boys up for days.

In the 1820s, twelve-year-old Kanah and ten-year-old Patty journey with their family from Vermont, over the Mohawk Turnpike and Ridge Road, to a new farm in western New York State.

Toad likes the flowers that Frog grew in his garden. Frog likes the chocolate chip cookies Toad baked. Frog and Toad are friends. Beginning readers will delight in these five stories about two friends who are always together.

Destination Unknown...

Pedro de Salcedo could not have known what adventures lay ahead! His incredible voyage as ship's boy aboard Christopher Columbus' Santa Maria would bring both danger and excitement. Pedro captured his experience between the pages of a journal. If he did not return alive perhaps someone, someday would find it and learn of his incredible journey to the new world.

Chizuko came to visit her friend Sadako in the hospital. She had a piece of gold paper that she had cut into a large square. "Watch!" she said, and she folded the paper over and over, and it turned into a beautiful crane.

"If a sick person folds one thousand paper cranes," Chizuko said, "the gods will grant her wish and make her well again." The girl handed the crane to Sadako. "Here's your first one."