I had high hopes for this book after reading Hinton's The Outsiders, while it didn't meet my expectations, it was still a good read. Taming The Star Runner follows Travis Harris, a hardened, popular city boy from Tulsa- with a soft spot for writing, but when he comes home to find his abusive stepfather cramming his writing in the fireplace, the hot-tempered Travis knows that he has gone too far, and attacks him. Later, when released from Juvie, he is placed in the custody of his Uncle Ken, who lives in the outskirts of rural Tulsa, longing for his home, Travis hates life in the country, laughed at and ignored for his tough attitude and looks, he is alone- his personality that was revered in his home town has become his downfall. When he is introduced to Casey, one of the riding instructors at ken's ranch he is facinated- bolder and braver than any girl he's known and intent on taming the Star Runner, the wildest, meanest, and most striking horse in the barn.

Danny is no stranger to falling- after a bad fall at age seven that resulted in the the loss of her left eye, Danger Danielle Warren is a shell of her former adventurous self. But when her long-gone father, star of his own wilderness-survival reality show COUGAR offers her a chance to join him for a show co-starring teen actor Gus Price in the Amazon Rainforest, Danny jumps at the chance to reunite with her father and prove that she can still be the girl she was before the accident. The trials of the rainforest change Danny and bring many revelations. Readers will not be able to put it down! A page-turner to the end, Fisher’s The Speed of Falling Objects is a great book!

T. Lily Decker has a 12-year plan: avoid stress, drugs, alcohol, boyfriends, and take her regular psych quizzes, given by her best friend Sawyer, to make sure she escapes inheriting her mother's schizophrenia- if she can live steer clear of everything crazy from 18 to 30, she could evade the looming threat of the mental illness. Lily does everything she can to avoid becoming her mother, Violet- obsessed with Peter Pan and the works of Escher, who tried to make Lily "fly" to Neverland from the rooftop of their apartment when she was young. When she starts her local newspaper internship following the story of a soon-to-be-mother elephant at the local zoo, she is invited to come to witness the birth of the baby elephant after all the healthy publicity brought to the zoo by her previous articles, but when the elephant calf Swifty is rejected and nearly killed by her mother, then put in custody of the circus to which the young elephant's sire is owned, Lily is forced to forget her twelve-year plan to save Swifty. Full of twists and turns, When Elephants Fly is a rollercoaster of a plotline! An inspiring story of courage, and doing what's right, readers will revel in Fischer's dynamic and realistic characters. A fast and delightful read! Enjoy!

From Lawrence Scanlan comes a detailed account of the life of the famous racehorse Secretariat. I, Being a life-long horse enthusiast, thoroughly enjoyed it! Many things contribute to a racehorse's success- The owner, jockey, trainer, hot-walker, groom, the horse, his spirit, & temperament... even the weather! It also tells the story of Secretariat's groom, Eddie Sweat, and his dedication to the big, red horse he loved and their times together. A book for anyone, Scanlan makes The Big Red Horse a story that can just as easily be enjoyed by those unfamiliar with the world of horses as those who are acquainted with the many "terms of the track" - I, despite having loved and read about horses for years learned much about the world of horseracing and it's many wonders. A delightful read, I hope you will enjoy it! -armcginn

From renowned author William Golding, The Lord of the Flies explores the farthest, darkest, and most primitive reaches of the human mind. Stranded on an island in the midst of the vast Pacific Ocean, Ralph and a group of schoolboys are left to fend for themselves, with no adult guidance they revel in their newfound freedom. With the hope of rescue crushed with the crash of their plane, their last hope lies in their signal fires. Soon Ralph's tribe begins to forsake their civilized ways, lapsing back into the lawless abyss of true human nature. Without the promise of rescue on the horizon, the boys forget their last hope for rescue, as all of their previous experience is consumed by the primal will to survive. Filled with page-turning intensity, Lord of the Flies is an ardent and harrowing tale, a hard book to put down. Readers will be fascinated by the down-to-earth Ralph, the reckless Jack, the sensible Piggy, and the reliable twins, Sam n' Eric. A good book, but not recommended for those younger than middle school age or particularly sensitive due to its blunt and straightforward nature, and minor language, but an over-all magnificent and meticulously structured plotline. Placed in 1950, and published in 1945, it may contain words and references used differently than in modern times. Ever a classic young adult or teen novel, readers will be transfixed by its looming reality. -armcginn

Kalinka has nowhere to run. Orphaned. Friendless. Cold. Hunted. Alone by herself, lost in the boundless expanse of the snowy Ukrainian Steppe. More dangerous still than the frosty, bitter, and hostile world around her is the yellow star of David embroidered on the coat. when out on the plains she finds horses unlike those she has ever seen before- as though from another time- feral, wily, and clever, the Przewalski's horses have endured the unfriendliness their wild world has thrown at them since the time of the ancient cave paintings- but the unspeakable horrors of WWII are unlike any they have ever faced. As they come to trust Kalinka, the rare horses and their girl are forced to flee from their home- with Nazis in pursuit, intent on their extermination.

Hi DOGO!, Just found out about the new National Geographic Almanac and would love to have one! I Immensely enjoy flipping though the Natl. Geo. books we have at home- It wouldn't be the first time as I've already read through them all! I enjoy National Geographic, with all of its facts, there is always something new to learn! Good luck and my congratulations to the winner! :)