Tired of their hard life on Earth, where dogs chase them, winters are cold, and carrots scarce, three rabbit friends build a rocket ship and journey to Mars in hopes of finding a better life.
Young Happenstance has had enough excitement to last a lifetime, but his peripatetic mentor, Lord Umber, is constantly curious. Thus, they are off again in search of mysteries, bidmis, and dragon games. No smooth sailing here, as danger looms at every turn and not even kings are safe. Round two in the Books of Umber delivers more imaginative adventures and tantalizing hints about Hap’s past and Umber’s hopes for him. Catanese is still laying groundwork (the assassination subplot sits apart from the main story), but readers will find plenty of satisfying action and lots of narrow escapes. Grades 5-8.
Grade 8 Up — Alton Richards is resigned to spending a slow summer on his own after his girlfriend leaves him for his best friend and he finds himself with no money and no job. Unfortunately, his mother insists that he become his blind great-uncle's chauffeur and cardturner at local bridge tournaments. Though the 17-year-old has only met Lester Trapp on a few occasions, his mother hopes that this connection will inspire the wealthy old man to write the family into his will. Alton reluctantly agrees, even though he knows nothing about bridge and has no interest in learning the game.
Hopes and Prospects is essential reading for anyone who is concerned about the primary challenges still facing the human race. Professor emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Noam Chomsky is widely regarded to be one of the foremost critics of U.S. foreign policy in the world. He has published numerous groundbreaking books, articles, and essays on global politics, history, and linguistics.
Victoria Pryde's husband, Edward, has run up huge debts and has been missing for two weeks. When she reads in her racing paper that a horse called Mr Pryde is dead, she hopes it is some sick joke, but then her husband's car is discovered - with the charred remains of a body in the boot.
