Literary theme analysis, by a book like {foo}
Books about Adversity
A Year Down Yonder
by Richard Peck
Young girl moves to her grandmother's for a year, discovering life's hard lessons and unexpected joys.
The year is 1938, and the Great Depression has hit the Dowdel family hard. 15-year-old Mary Alice is sent downstate to live with Grandma Dowdel while her mother and father remain in Chicago. Her ... (Wikipedia)
Mistaken Identity: Two Families, One Survivor, Unwavering Hope
by Don Van Ryn
A tragic car accident leaves one survivor, but mistaken identity leads two families to believe she is their daughter. A story of hope and forgiveness.
Meet Laura Van Ryn and Whitney Cerak: one buried under the wrong name, one in a coma and being cared for by the wrong family. This shocking case of mistaken identity stunned the country and made ... (Goodreads)
Love and Other Consolation Prizes
by Jamie Ford
An orphan's story of courage and resilience, finding love amidst hardship.
From the bestselling author of, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, comes a powerful novel, inspired by a true story, about a boy whose life is transformed at Seattle's epic 1909 World's Fair. ... (Goodreads)
The Bad Beginning
by Lemony Snicket
Three orphans must use their wits to survive a cruel and unusual guardian.
Dear Reader, I'm sorry to say that the book you are holding in your hands is extremely unpleasant. It tells an unhappy tale about three very unlucky children. Even though they are charming and ... (Goodreads)
The Queen's Gambit
by Walter Tevis
A young prodigy's quest to become the best chess player in the world.
The Queen's Gambit traces chess prodigy Beth Harmon's life from her childhood in an orphanage through her struggles with tranquilizer and alcohol addiction to her triumphant rise through the ... (Wikipedia)
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
by Judith Viorst
A young boy experiences a day of unfortunate events, learning to accept his feelings and move on.
Alexander narrates the story of having a terrible, horrible, no good very bad day. From the moment Alexander woke up, he noticed the bubble gum that was in his mouth when he fell asleep had now ... (Wikipedia)
This Boy's Life
by Tobias Wolff
A young man's memoir of his tumultuous childhood and his struggle to overcome obstacles.
In the 1950s, nomadic and flaky Caroline Wolff wants to settle down and find a decent man to provide a better home for herself and her son, Tobias "Toby" Wolff. She moves to Seattle, Washington and ... (Wikipedia)
The Lost Boy
by Dave Pelzer
A heart-wrenching story of a boy's survival of extreme childhood abuse and neglect.
The book continues after the ending of the previous book,, A Child Called "It", with David Pelzer, 9 years old, running away from his home in Daly City, California . He ends up in a bar, getting ... (Wikipedia)
A Child Called "It"
by Dave Pelzer
True story of a child's unbearable suffering at the hands of an abusive parent.
Also see: Alternate Cover Editions for this ISBN [ACE], ACE #1, This book chronicles the unforgettable account of one of the most severe child abuse cases in California history. It is the story of ... (Goodreads)
Deeply Odd
by Dean Koontz
Odd Thomas, a fry cook with supernatural abilities, must save a young boy from a sinister cult.
About a month after the events detailed in Odd Apocalypse, Odd Thomas encounters a demented truck driver. During this encounter, when he touches the trucker, Odd suddenly has a vision of three ... (Wikipedia)
Last Night in Twisted River
by John Irving
Story of a father and son's journey of survival, spanning five decades of trials and tribulations.
The novel opens in 1954 in the small logging settlement of Twisted River on the Androscoggin River in northern New Hampshire . A log driving accident on the river has just claimed the life of a young ... (Wikipedia)
Brian's Winter
by Gary Paulsen
A retelling of the classic novel, "Hatchet", from the perspective of a young boy struggling to survive in the frozen wilderness.
The story deals with Brian, still stranded at the L-shaped lake during the fall and winter, constructing a winter shelter, building snow shoes , being confronted by a bear , befriending and naming a ... (Wikipedia)
The First Four Years
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
An account of the hardships endured and lessons learned in the first four years of marriage.
The novel gets its title from a promise Laura made to Almanzo when they became engaged. She did not want to be a farmer, but decided to try farming for three years. Laura keeps house and Almanzo ... (Wikipedia)
Hopeless
by Colleen Hoover
A young girl's journey to find hope and strength in the midst of life's darkest moments.
From the #1, New York Times, bestselling author of, All Your Perfects, comes the beginning of Sky and Dean’s passionate love story—where well-kept secrets threaten to opens wounds of a dark past. ... (Barnes & Noble)
Impulse
by Ellen Hopkins
A teenage girl's struggle to overcome trauma, while discovering her true identity.
From the book jacket: Conner Sykes : Conner is the perfect boy. He's handsome, has amazing grades, and is amazing at sports. His family seems like the poster family for the magazines. He and his twin ... (Wikipedia)
The Cay
by Theodore Taylor
A young boy and an elderly man, stranded on a small island, confront the challenges of survival together.
When World War II breaks out, 11-year-old Phillip Enright and his mother board the S.S. Hato to Virginia because his mother feels it is unsafe to stay in Curaçao with the German submarines ... (Wikipedia)
The War I Finally Won
by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
A young girl with a disability finds the courage to fight for independence and to make her own choices.
Ada and her younger brother, Jamie, now have a permanent home with their loving legal guardian, Susan Smith. Although Jamie adapts more easily, Ada still struggles with the aftermath of her old life, ... (Goodreads)
Three Comrades
by Erich Maria Remarque
Three German friends struggle to survive in the aftermath of World War I, facing poverty, illness, and political turmoil.
The city, which never is referred to by name (however, it is likely Berlin), is crowded by a growing number of jobless and marked by increasing violence between left and right. The novel starts in ... (Wikipedia)
Lost Boy: The True Story of Captain Hook
by Christina Henry
A re-imagining of Peter Pan's story from the perspective of the Lost Boys.
From the national bestselling author of, Alice, comes a familiar story with a dark hook—a tale about Peter Pan and the friend who became his nemesis, a nemesis who may not be the blackhearted villain ... (Goodreads)
A Life in Parts
by Bryan Cranston
A memoir of the actor's rise to fame, recounting his life struggles and successes.
“Nothing short of riveting...an engrossing first-person account by one of our finest actors” ( Huffington Post )—both a coming-of-age story and a meditation on creativity, devotion, and craft—Bryan ... (Barnes & Noble)
It's in His Kiss
by Julia Quinn
A young widow discovers the power of love and takes a chance on a new romance.
IF IT'S IN HIS HEART... IT'S IN HIS KISS MEET OUR HERO... Gareth St. Clair is in a bind. His father, who detests him, is determined to beggar the St. Clair estates and ruin his inheritance. Gareth's ... (Goodreads)
When Bad Things Happen to Good People
by Harold S. Kushner
Reflections on how to cope with life's tragedies, with guidance from religious faith.
When Harold Kushner’s three-year-old son was diagnosed with a degenerative disease and that he would only live until his early teens, he was faced with one of life’s most difficult questions: Why, ... (Goodreads)
Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10
by Marcus Luttrell
A riveting account of a heroic mission gone wrong, and the courage and strength of the Navy SEALS who faced impossible odds.
On a clear night in late June 2005, four U.S. Navy SEALs left their base in northern Afghanistan for the mountainous Pakistani border. Their mission was to capture or kill a notorious al Qaeda leader ... (Goodreads)
A Pocket for Corduroy
by Don Freeman
A teddy bear's quest to find a pocket for himself, learning the power of friendship and resilience along the way.
Come along with Corduroy as he goes on an all-new adventure. Corduroy, with his unaffected simplicity and childlike emotion, is one of the best-loved bears in children's books. His story has become ... (Goodreads)
Plainsong
by Kent Haruf
Interconnected stories of rural life in small-town America, and the struggles of the people living there.
A heartstrong story of family and romance, tribulation and tenacity, set on the High Plains east of Denver. In the small town of Holt, Colorado, a high school teacher is confronted with raising his ... (Goodreads)
Papillon
by Henri Charrière
An account of an unjustly convicted man's escape from a notorious French penal colony.
Henri Charrière, called "Papillon," for the butterfly tattoo on his chest, was convicted in Paris in 1931 of a murder he did not commit. Sentenced to life imprisonment in the penal colony of French ... (Goodreads)
Moab Is My Washpot
by Stephen Fry
Autobiography of an English comedian, exploring his childhood, life struggles, and eventual success.
Stephen Fry is not making this up! Fry started out as a dishonorable schoolboy inclined to lies, pranks, bringing decaying moles to school as a science exhibit, theft, suicide attempts, the illicit ... (Goodreads)
Buddenbrooks: The Decline of a Family
by Thomas Mann
A story of a family's decline, tracing four generations of a wealthy German family.
In 1835, the wealthy and respected Buddenbrooks, a family of grain merchants, invite their friends and relatives to dinner in their new home in Lübeck , Germany . The family consists of patriarch ... (Wikipedia)
The River
by Gary Paulsen
A young boy's journey of self-discovery, learning to navigate the wilderness.
Brian Robeson, a 13-year-old boy who spent 54 days surviving alone in the Canadian wilderness the previous summer, is hired by the government to again live in the woods with only two knives and ... (Wikipedia)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter faces a looming war as he battles dark forces and discovers his own power.
During the summer, Harry Potter and his cousin Dudley are attacked by Dementors . Forced to use magic to fend them off, Harry is expelled from Hogwarts, but his expulsion is postponed pending a ... (Wikipedia)
Hello, Universe
by Erin Entrada Kelly
A group of misfit kids navigate the wilderness and each other to find a missing boy.
Winner of the 2018 Newbery Medal In one day, four lives weave together in unexpected ways. Virgil Salinas is shy and kindhearted and feels out of place in his loud and boisterous family. Valencia ... (Goodreads)
Impossible
by Nancy Werlin
A young girl discovers a family curse that requires her to complete an impossible task to break it.
Lucy is seventeen when she discovers that she is the latest recipient of a generations-old family curse that requires her to complete three seemingly impossible tasks or risk falling into madness and ... (Goodreads)
Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, And a Dream
by H.G. Bissinger
A story of a small Texas town and its football team, and the struggles and triumphs of the people in it.
Return once again to the enduring account of life in the Mojo lane, to the Permian Panthers of Odessa – the winningest high school football team in Texas history. Odessa is not known to be a town big ... (Goodreads)
Passage to Dawn
by R.A. Salvatore
Epic fantasy tale about a young warrior on a quest to save a forgotten kingdom.
Passage to Dawn finds Drizzt and Catti-brie aboard the Sea Sprite six years after the events of the previous novel (, Siege of Darkness, , 1994), with the company of its captain, Deudermont, its ... (Wikipedia)
Slammed
by Colleen Hoover
A young woman navigating her way through university and newfound love amidst a tumultuous family life.
This is an alternate cover edition for , ASIN B008TRUDAS,. Following the unexpected death of her father, 18-year-old Layken is forced to be the rock for both her mother and younger brother. ... (Goodreads)
After Ever After
by Jordan Sonnenblick
A humorous and heartwarming story about a boy who survived cancer and now faces the challenges of middle school.
Jeff is a little baby child in remission. Even though cancer should be far behind him, Jeff still worries that it will return. He has got normal teen stuff to deal with, too - friends, parents, ... (Wikipedia)
Blood, Bones, and Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef
by Gabrielle Hamilton
A memoir of a chef's journey from childhood to adulthood, exploring the struggles of creating an independent life.
Before Gabrielle Hamilton opened her acclaimed New York restaurant Prune, she spent twenty hard-living years trying to find purpose and meaning in her life. Blood, Bones & Butter follows an ... (Goodreads)
After We Fell
by Anna Todd
The third book in the "After" series, Tessa and Hardin's relationship is tested as secrets are revealed and past mistakes come back to haunt them.
Book 3 of the After series—newly revised and expanded, Anna Todd's After fanfiction racked up 1 billion reads online and captivated readers across the globe. Experience the internet's most ... (Goodreads)
The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog: And Other Stories from a Child Psychiatrist's Notebook
by Bruce D. Perry
Insightful case studies of children dealing with extreme trauma, and their resilience.
In this instant classic of developmental psychology, a renowned psychiatrist examines the effect that trauma can have on a child, reveals how PTSD impacts the developing mind, and outlines the path ... (Barnes & Noble)
Enrique's Journey
by Sonia Nazario
A young man's perilous search for his mother in the US, crossing the Mexican border.
A true story from award-winning journalist Sonia Nazario recounting the odyssey of a Honduran boy who braves hardship and peril to reach his mother in the United States. In this astonishing true ... (Goodreads)
Ballet Shoes
by Noel Streatfeild
Three orphan sisters discover their talents and passions in pursuit of their dreams.
The book concerns three adopted sisters, Pauline, Petrova and Posy Fossil. Each of the girls is discovered as a baby by Matthew Brown (Great-Uncle-Matthew, known as "Gum"), an elderly, absentminded ... (Wikipedia)
Jo's Boys
by Louisa May Alcott
A heart-warming story of a teacher's impact on her students, and how they overcome obstacles in life.
Beginning ten years after Little Men, Jo’s Boys revisits Plumfield, the New England school still presided over by Jo and her husband, Professor Bhaer. Jo remains at the center of the tale, surrounded ... (Goodreads)
Fablehaven
by Brandon Mull
A tale of magical creatures, secrets, and a grand adventure to save a hidden world.
The series begins as 13-year-old Kendra and 11-year-old Seth Sorenson are traveling to their Grandpa and Grandma Sorenson's house while their parents are away on a 17-day cruise. When they get there, ... (Wikipedia)
Skip Beat!, Vol. 02
by Yoshiki Nakamura
Kyoko Mogami is determined to become a star and get revenge on her ex-boyfriend. She joins a talent agency and starts her journey to fame.
When Kyoko’s heart is broken, she decides that revenge is a dish best served in the spotlight! Kyoko Mogami followed her true love Sho to Tokyo to support him while he made it big as an idol. But ... (Goodreads)
Kaleidoscope
by Danielle Steel
When wealthy Arthur Patterson ( Donald Moffat ) finds out that he is dying, he tries to make peace with his past. He looks back to his World War II years, when he was a soldier in France . There, he ... (Wikipedia)
A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story
by Linda Sue Park
A boy's story of courage and perseverance, as he faces the civil war in Sudan.
A Long Walk to Water begins as two stories, told in alternating sections, about a girl in Sudan in 2008 and a boy in Sudan in 1985. The girl, Nya, is fetching water from a pond that is two hours’ ... (Goodreads)
A Solitary Blue
by Cynthia Voigt
Jeff's life is turned upside down when his absent mother returns, forcing him to confront his past and redefine his identity.
Jeff Greene was only seven when Melody, his mother, left him with his reserved, undemonstrative father, the Professor. So when she reenters his life years later with an invitation to spend the summer ... (Goodreads)
My Brilliant Friend
by Elena Ferrante
A story of two friends' lives, exploring the intricacies of female friendship and life in a Neapolitan neighbourhood.
A modern masterpiece from one of Italy's most acclaimed authors, My Brilliant Friend is a rich, intense and generous hearted story about two friends, Elena and Lila. Ferrante's inimitable style lends ... (Goodreads)
Father and I Were Ranchers
by Ralph Moody
A boy's coming-of-age story, learning the values of hard work and perseverance while growing up on a ranch.
Ralph Moody was eight years old in 1906 when his family moved from New Hampshire to a Colorado ranch. Through his eyes we experience the pleasures and perils of ranching there early in the twentieth ... (Barnes & Noble)
How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character
by Paul Tough
Examines the importance of character development in children's success, and the impact of adversity on their lives.
Why do some children succeed while others fail? The story we usually tell about childhood and success is the one about intelligence: Success comes to those who score highest on tests, from preschool ... (Goodreads)
How I Live Now
by Meg Rosoff
A girl's war-torn journey of survival, courage, and love.
Fifteen-year-old Elizabeth (who goes by the name of Daisy) is sent from the US to stay with her aunt Penn and her children, Daisy's cousins, on a remote farm in the United Kingdom during the outbreak ... (Wikipedia)
The Railway Children
by E. Nesbit
A family's adventure of courage and resilience in the face of difficult times.
In this much-loved children's classic first published in 1906, the comfortable lives of three well-mannered siblings are greatly altered when, one evening, two men arrive at the house and take their ... (Goodreads)
Going Solo
by Roald Dahl
A young man's adventures as a fighter pilot in WWII, his courage and resilience in the face of danger.
The book started with Dahl's voyage to Africa in 1938, which was prompted by his desire to find adventure after finishing school. , He was on a boat heading towards Dar es Salaam for his new job ... (Wikipedia)
Ramona and Her Father
by Beverly Cleary
A young girl's struggle to maintain a sense of normalcy after her father loses his job.
Ramona is well into her 2nd grade year at Glenwood School, and all is going well until one day her father comes home and announces he has lost his job. The Quimbys must now cope with the breadwinner ... (Wikipedia)
Fear
by Michael Grant
A group of teenagers battle supernatural forces in a dystopian world.
The fifth book in the bestselling Gone series by Michael Grant continues the page-turning saga of Sam, Astrid, and Drake in their terrifying post-apocalyptic world. It's been one year since all the ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Death of Bees
by Lisa O'Donnell
A teenage girl and her young brother struggle to survive after their parents' mysterious disappearance.
After Marnie discovers the dead bodies of her parents, she and her sister decide against reporting the deaths to the police and instead bury their bodies. Reporting the death would mean social ... (Wikipedia)
First Test
by Tamora Pierce
A young girl's quest to become a knight, overcoming obstacles and finding her own strength.
The first Protector of the Small book tells of Kel's fight to become an accepted and equally-treated first-year page. Whilst the laws of Tortall may have been changed to favour gender equality, the ... (Wikipedia)
Out of the Dust
by Karen Hesse
A poetic story of a young girl's endurance through a time of great hardship.
When Billie Jo is just fourteen she must endure heart-wrenching ordeals that no child should have to face. The quiet strength she displays while dealing with unspeakable loss is as surprising as it ... (Goodreads)
The Yearling
by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
A young boy's struggles to come to terms with the harsh realities of life in the rural south.
Young Jody Baxter lives with his parents, Ora and Ezra "Penny" Baxter, on a small farm in the animal-filled central Florida backwoods in the 1870s. His parents had six other children before him, but ... (Wikipedia)
Bambi
by Felix Salten
A beloved tale of a young deer's journey from innocence to understanding the circle of life.
Bambi is a roe deer fawn born in a thicket in late spring one year. Over the course of the summer, his mother teaches him about the various inhabitants of the forest and the ways deer live. When she ... (Wikipedia)
The Lifeboat
by Charlotte Rogan
After a shipwreck, a group of survivors struggle to survive on a lifeboat, revealing their true nature as they fight for survival.
The sinking of an ocean liner leaves a newly married woman battling for survival in this powerful debut novel. Grace Winter, 22, is both a newlywed and a widow. She is also on trial for her life. In ... (Barnes & Noble)
Steel Magnolias
by Robert Harling
A group of Southern women bond and support each other through life's joys and tragedies.
Presents the script of a 1988 play about a group of women in Chinquapin, Louisiana, who learn to draw upon their underlying strength and love to meet the challenges of life. ... (Goodreads)
Ramona the Brave
by Beverly Cleary
A young girl's adventures as she learns to navigate school and family life.
Ramona Quimby has spent most of the summer with her friend Howie Kemp , pounding old bricks into dust in a game called Brick Factory. Brick Factory makes Ramona feel powerful, something that doesn't ... (Wikipedia)
Sleepers
by Lorenzo Carcaterra
A gripping story about four boys and their horrific experiences in a juvenile detention centre.
Sleeper (colloq.): 1. out-of-town hit man who spends the night after a local contract is completed. 2. A juvenile sentenced to serve any period longer than nine months in a state-managed facility. ... (Goodreads)
In the Unlikely Event
by Judy Blume
A small town is shaken by a series of plane crashes, forcing its inhabitants to confront painful truths.
In her highly anticipated new novel, Judy Blume, the New York Times # 1 best-selling author of Summer Sisters and of young adult classics such as Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, creates a ... (Goodreads)
Seven Years in Tibet
by Heinrich Harrer
Exploration of Tibet, told through the story of a man who escapes internment and lives in the region for seven years.
The book covers the escape of Harrer and his companion, Peter Aufschnaiter , from a British internment camp in India. , Harrer and Aufschnaiter then traveled across Tibet to Lhasa , the capital. Here ... (Wikipedia)
Moominland Midwinter
by Tove Jansson
A family of Moomins explore the frozen winter landscape and the wonders it holds.
While the rest of the Moomin family are in the deep slumber of their winter hibernation , Moomintroll finds himself awake and unable to get back to sleep. He discovers a world hitherto unknown to ... (Wikipedia)
Hard Luck
by Jeff Kinney
A young boy’s adventures as he navigates life’s challenges and strives to overcome his bad luck.
Hard Luck is the eighth installment of the, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, book series . The series follows a middle school student named Greg Heffley and the various problems he encounters. The book is ... (Wikipedia)
Darkness, Be My Friend
by John Marsden
A group of five teenage friends discover the harsh realities of survival during a military conflict.
The author of, A Killing Frost, continues his bestselling series. ,“,Marsden,’,s style is as surefooted as his independent band of teens.,”—,School Library Journal, Ellie and her friends had been ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Upstairs Room
by Johanna Reiss
A young Jewish girl and her sister hide from the Nazis in a small upstairs room during World War II.
In the part of the marketplace where flowers had been sold twice a week - tulips in the spring, roses in the summer - stood German tanks and German soldiers. Annie de Leeuw was eight years old in ... (Goodreads)
Junie B. Jones Is a Graduation Girl
by Barbara Park
Junie B. Jones is graduating kindergarten and is excited to wear a black gown and a fancy hat. But things don't go as planned.
It's kindergarten graduation! All the children in Room Nine are excited when they get their bright white graduation gowns. Mrs. says to keep them in their boxes until the big day. But Junie B. Jones ... (Goodreads)
Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy
by Sheryl Sandberg
An exploration of resilience in the face of adversity, and hope in the midst of tragedy.
From Facebook’s COO and Wharton’s top-rated professor, the #1 New York Times best-selling authors of Lean In and Originals: a powerful, inspiring, and practical book about building resilience and ... (Goodreads)
Adrift: Seventy-Six Days Lost at Sea
by Steven Callahan
A harrowing tale of survival at sea after a shipwreck, and a man's inner journey.
Before The Perfect Storm , before In the Heart of the Sea , Steven Callahan's dramatic tale of survival at sea was on the New York Times bestseller list for more than thirty-six weeks. In some ways ... (Goodreads)
Jacob Have I Loved
by Katherine Paterson
A young girl's struggle to find her place in the world as she grapples with sibling rivalry and identity.
Esau have I hated . . . Sara Louise Bradshaw is sick and tired of her beautiful twin Caroline. Ever since they were born, Caroline has been the pretty one, the talented one, the better sister. Even ... (Goodreads)
Etched in Sand: A True Story of Five Siblings Who Survived an Unspeakable Childhood on Long Island
by Regina Calcaterra
True story of five siblings who survive abuse and neglect, finding strength to rise above their circumstances.
#1 International Bestseller Regina’s Calcaterra memoir,, Etched in Sand, is an inspiring and triumphant coming-of-age story of tenacity and hope.,, Regina Calcaterra is a successful lawyer, former ... (Barnes & Noble)
Meet Addy: An American Girl
by Connie Rose Porter
Addy, a young girl born into slavery, escapes to freedom with her mother during the Civil War. She learns to navigate her new life in Philadelphia.
Addy Walker's family is planning a dangerous escape from slavery in the summer of 1864. But before they can make the escape, the worst happens–Master Stevens decides to sell some of his slaves, ... (Goodreads)
Joni: An Unforgettable Story
by Joni Eareckson Tada
Story of faith and resilience in the face of adversity, after suffering a life-changing accident.
The award-winning story of a young woman who triumphed over devastating odds to touch countless lives the world over with the healing message of Christ. In a split second on a hot July afternoon, a ... (Goodreads)
The Potato Factory
by Bryce Courtenay
The story of Ikey Solomon, a convict who becomes a successful criminal in 19th century London and his wife, Mary Abacus, who builds a potato empire in Australia.
Ikey Solomon is very successful indeed, in the art of thieving. Ikey's partner in crime is his mistress, the forthright Mary Abacus, until misfortune befalls them. They are parted and each must make ... (Goodreads)
Tomorrow, When the War Began
by John Marsden
A group of friends fight for survival in a hostile, war-torn world.
Ellie Linton goes out camping in the bush for a week with her friends Homer Yannos, Lee Takkam, Kevin Holmes, Corrie Mackenzie, Robyn Mathers, and Fiona Maxwell. They find a way into a large, ... (Wikipedia)
The Other Side of Dawn
by John Marsden
The final book in the "Tomorrow" series, chronicling the aftermath of a foreign invasion of Australia and the struggle for survival of a group of teenagers.
Since their home was invaded by enemy soldiers and transformed into a war zone, Ellie and her friends have been fighting for their lives. Now a resolution may finally be in sight. But as enemy forces ... (Goodreads)
Against Medical Advice
by James Patterson
A true story of a young man's struggle with Tourette's syndrome and OCD, and his fight against the medical establishment.
This is the heart-rending drama of one family's courage, heartbreak, sacrifice, and triumph in confronting an agonizing medical condition, written by two master storytellers. Cory Friedman woke up ... (Goodreads)
A Kestrel for a Knave
by Barry Hines
A young boy in a working-class family finds solace in training a kestrel, despite the struggles he faces at home and school.
In the opening pages of the book, we see Billy and his half-brother Jud sleeping in the same bed in a troubled household. Billy tries to encourage Jud to get up to go to work, but Jud only responds ... (Wikipedia)
Make Lemonade
by Virginia Euwer Wolff
A teenage mother takes a job cleaning for a writer and learns to make the best of her situation.
An award-winning novel about growing up and making choices, Virginia Euwer Wolff's groundbreaking novel, written in free verse, tells the story of fourteen-year-old LaVaughn, who is determined to go ... (Goodreads)
The Darkest Hour
by Erin Hunter
A young tiger cub's quest to become a leader, facing danger and adversity.
Firestar is now the leader of ThunderClan, following the death of Bluestar and he receives his nine lives at the Moonstone. During the ceremony StarClan tells him the prophecy "Four will become two, ... (Wikipedia)
One for the Murphys
by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
A young foster child's struggles to find her place in a tumultuous world.
Twelve-year-old Carley Connors can take a lot. Growing up in Las Vegas with her fun-loving mother, she's learned to be tough. But she never expected a betrayal that would land her in a foster care. ... (Goodreads)
True Compass: A Memoir
by Edward M. Kennedy
An intimate reflection on the life of a senator, exploring the triumphs and tragedies of his personal and political journey.
In this landmark autobiography, five years in the making, Senator Edward M. Kennedy tells his extraordinary personal story–of his legendary family, politics, and fifty years at the center of national ... (Goodreads)
I Am David
by Anne Holm
An orphan's journey of escape and redemption, seeking freedom and a place to belong.
12-year-old David has lived in a concentration camp for as long as he can remember. While the people who run the camp are only referred to as them , later in the book it is stated that they came to ... (Wikipedia)
Lock and Key
by Sarah Dessen
A teenage girl's struggles to find acceptance and security in a new home.
After her drug and alcohol addicted mother abandons her, child services forces 17-year-old Ruby Cooper to move in with her sister, Cora, who had left for college when Ruby was young. Ruby is upset ... (Wikipedia)
My Losing Season: A Memoir
by Pat Conroy
A personal recollection of a college basketball season, exploring the struggles of an athlete's journey.
“I was born to be a point guard, but not a very good one. . . .There was a time in my life when I walked through the world known to myself and others as an athlete. It was part of my own definition ... (Goodreads)
Dead Man's Walk
by Larry McMurtry
Two Texas Rangers set off on a perilous mission across the open frontier, facing danger and adventure.
In 1842, young Texas Rangers Augustus McCrae and Woodrow Call are introduced quickly and brutally to the rangering life on their first expedition, in which they are stalked by the Comanche war chief ... (Wikipedia)
A Fortunate Life
by Albert B. Facey
Autobiography of an Australian man who overcomes poverty and hardship to live a fulfilling life.
This is the extraordinary life of an ordinary man. It is the story of Albert Facey, who lived with simple honesty, compassion and courage. A parentless boy who started work at eight on the rough West ... (Goodreads)
The Enemy
by Charlie Higson
A deadly virus has wiped out all adults, leaving children to fend for themselves against a new, terrifying enemy - each other.
Charlie Higson's The Enemy is the first in a jaw-dropping zombie horror series for teens. Everyone over the age of fourteen has succumbed to a deadly zombie virus and now the kids must keep ... (Goodreads)
Homecoming
by Cynthia Voigt
A young girl's journey to reunite with her siblings, triumphantly overcoming adversities.
It's still true... That's the first thing James Tillerman says to his sister Dicey every morning. It's still true that their mother has abandoned the four Tillerman children somewhere in the middle ... (Goodreads)
The Vow
by Kim Carpenter
A true story of a couple's love and commitment tested by a tragic accident that leaves the wife with no memory of her husband or their life together.
Life as Kim and Krickitt Carpenter knew it was shattered beyond recognition on November 24, 1993. Two months after their marriage, a devastating car wreck left Krickitt with a massive head injury and ... (Barnes & Noble)
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