Children's Fiction
Treasure Island With Lots Of Dogs
After the death of a brutish guest at his family's inn, young Jim Hawkins discovers a treasure map that leads him and some local adventurers to an island filled with danger and intrigue. Within hours of sighting the island, the crew, led by the villainous Long John Silver, reveals itself as a band of pirates desperate to steal the treasure for them …
Jim Hawkins describes his departure from home as he sets off to become the cabin boy on the voyage to Treasure Island. Like his fellow adventurers, he mistakes the roughness of the ship's crew as an asset rather than a danger . . .
Several weeks later, I took leave of my tearful mother and set off with Dr. Livesey for the port of Bristol. Squire Trelawney had gone ahead to secure a seaworthy ship and a trusty crew, and by the time we arrived at the docks, he had purchased a sturdy schooner called the Hispaniola and had begun gathering our provisions.
He was delighted to see us and told us excitedly about his luck in finding an experienced crew. As we boarded a skiff and rowed out to inspect the Hispaniola, he described an unexpected stroke of good fortune.
"I was standing at dockside last week," he said, "when I was approached by an old sailor who had hobbled down for a whiff of the fresh salt air. Long John Silver was his name. He walked with a crutch - for he had lost a leg in service to the Queen - and he carried a green parrot on his shoulder.
"As we stood admiring the ship, Silver told me that life on shore was bad for his health and that he wanted to head back to sea as a cook. Out of pure pity, I hired him on the spot." The squire's generosity was instantly rewarded, for Long John seemed to know all the sailors in Bristol, and in no time, he had helped assemble a rough-and-tough pack of old sea dogs. To be sure, they were a mangy-looking crew, with more fleas than manners, but Long John assured the squire that they were ready for adventure.
Treasure on Superstition Mountain
Even though Henry Barker and his two brothers learned firsthand that the urban legend about danger on nearby Superstition Mountain wasn't just a myth, this doesn't stop them from planning their return. Along with their friend Delilah, the Barker brothers soon find themselves entangled in more danger and mystery as they uncover a real treasure, but …
TreeSong
This story tells of silent, unchanging forests and of the life history of one Sitka spruce tree, home to numerous insects and birds. It speaks of First Nations People who honored the land and could hear the singing of the trees. It follows the arrival of the European settlers in North America who broke the ancient pattern of forest life by felling …
Trial By Fire
Seventeen year-old Nathan is running - running from his past and running from his present. Raised by a white mother and never having known his native father, he must cope with prejudice and stereotypes. When he meets Sally, the beautiful outsider, he finds someone who believes in him. But when Sally's house is put to the torch by an arsonist, suspi …
Triceratops
This book tells the story of Triceratops, a dinosaur that was heavier than a present-day elephant with three large horns on its head and a neck frill. It looked fierce but it was actually just a plant eater. It used its horns to defend itself against predators. Triceratops lived in herds for protection.