The last novel Ernest Hemingway saw published, The Old Man and the Sea has proved itself to be one of the enduring works of American fiction. It is the story of an old Cuban fisherman, down on his luck, and his supreme ordeal: a relentless, agonizing battle with a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream. Using the simple, powerful language of a fable, Hemingway takes the timeless themes of courage in the face of defeat and personal triumph won from...

Thelma usually outsmarts Frances until Frances decides to teach her a lesson about friendship.

Every year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. They hope this sacrifice will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch in the Forest, Xan, is kind. She shares her home with a wise Swamp Monster and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon. Xan rescues the children and delivers them to welcoming families on the other side of the forest, nourishing the babies with starlight on the journey. One year,...

After arriving in Ocean Beach to renovate an old home, Avery Lawford, her interior designer mother, and some friends discover a set of unexpected challenges.

Freddy moves to a new house and really needs friends to play with, and he looks until he finds some!

As the summer ends, friendship begins... When single mom Joy Lee abandoned her old life to take a job at a lakeside resort, she found something that her family's wealth and influence could never buy: peace of mind. Not easy to come by for the once-burned divorcée who keeps everyone at a distance. But when her new friend, Maris, dares her to take a chance with the drive-in's charismatic new owner, everything changes for Joy and her young son. A difficult...

After her mother leaves home suddenly, thirteen-year-old Sal and her grandparents take a car trip retracing her mother's route. Along the way, Sal recounts the story of her friend Phoebe, whose mother also left.

"From picnics by the river-bank to the battle for Toad Hall, the exciting adventures of Mole, Ratty, Badger, and the mischievous Toad have delighted generations of readers"--From back cover.

"Peter Armstrong and Hank Colfax are best friends, but their lives couldn't be more different. Peter, the local pastor who is dedicated to his community, spending time visiting the flock, attending meetings, and, with the holiday season approaching, preparing for the Christmas service and live nativity. As a bartender, Hank serves a much different customer base at his family-owned tavern, including a handful of lonely regulars and the local biker...

Third-grader Betsy and her friend Billy seem to be always getting into scrapes both inside and outside of school.