It’s 1861, and although Mike Kelly is far younger than the legal age of 16, he
and his best friend Todd secretly join up with the Second Kansas Infantry and
become army drummer boys. Mike’s dreams of glory end when he’s wounded at
the bloody Battle of Wilson’s Creek and must begin a dangerous adventure behind
enemy lines.

In 1860, life in New York City’s slums is hard and dangerous. For a widow with six children, it is impossible. So when Mrs. Kelly learns of the Children’s Aid Society, she sees a way to provide for her children. They will be sent west on an “orphan train” to families eager for help on their farms. Thirteen-year-old Mary Frances is confused and angry. How could a mother send her children away? At her new home in Missouri, however, Mary Frances is surprised to discover that the kind family provides a refuge on the Underground Railroad. Their sacrifices will finally help her understand her mother’s difficult decision. Joan Lowery Nixon is a four-time winner of the Edgar Allan Poe Best Juvenile Mystery Award. She has also received two Golden Spur Awards. The author of more than a hundred books for children, she was inspired to write The Orphan Train Adventures by the true stories of its children. Through Barbara Caruso’s lively narration, A Family Apart quickly draws listeners into Mary Frances’ world.

Danny and his younger sister, Peg, are placed in St. Joseph, Missouri, with kind Alfrid and Olga Swenson. Danny is thrilled to have a “real” father again, but when Olga suddenly dies, he is devastated–until he thinks of an ingenious plan to find Alfrid a new wife.

The Kellys traveled across the Atlantic Ocean looking for relief from Ireland’s potato famine and a better life in America. For years, everything went well, until Tom Kelly became ill and died, leaving his wife to support their young children. Although she tried desperately to find employment, Mrs. Kelly could not sufficiently support her children and eventually had no choice but to send them west on the Orphan Train. Join in the fascinating adventures of the Kelly children as they settle into their new lives with new families in the West.

Mike Kelly, almost twelve, is adopted by the Friedrichs, a German immigrant farm family living in Missouri. His new stepmother is kind, but his stepfather is very strict. And as for his stepbrother, Gunter, he’s just a bully who finds countless ways to get Mike in deep trouble. Mike knows he has to make the best of his new life, but he begins to suspect that the Friedrichs are hiding something, and hevows to uncover their secret. Can Mike find a way to expose the truth without risking his own life?

The Civil War has officially ended and Frances Mary Kelly’s true love, Johnny, is back from the war. But to Frances’s dismay, Johnny
is hesitant to marry her. Attempting to ease her aching heart, Frances accepts an offer to go to New York City and escort a group
of orphans out West to new homes. Along the way, she must deal with a flood of painful memories and a threatening stranger. Will
Frances be able to complete her mission … and return home to find out what her future will be?

The Orphan Train Adventures follow the story of the six Kelly children, whose widowed mother has sent them west from New York City in 1856 because she realizes she cannot give them the life they deserve.

Shy Megan Kelly truly believes she is to blame for her family’s misfortune. She’ll never forget the day a Gypsy grabbed her palm and read it, announcing that Megan was a “bad-luck penny” who
would always bring trouble to those around her.

Megan is happy when a loving young couple living in the rugged Kansas territory adopts her. But during the first trying months, a blizzard, a pack of prairie wolves, and an armed fugitive are just
some of the disasters the family must face. Megan is certain the Gypsy’s curse is real. With the help of her new family, can Megan find a way to overcome her fear and superstition?

It’s the autumn of 1863, and as the Civil War rages, a stranger named Violet seeks refuge with the Kelly family. Peg Kelly, 11, is thrilled–Violet treats her like
an adult, not a child. Violet is fleeing Confederate raiders and has information that may save the Union. But she can’t deliver her message unless she takes a dangerous journey.

The coroner has ruled Barry Logan’s death as the latest in a string of teen-age suicides. Marti Lewis was Barry’s best friend, and she knows that he was murdered. She just can’t get anyone to believe her. The evidence is clear to Marti. Barry was excited about being accepted at Texas A&M and had everything to live for. Why would he shoot himself in the head after watching a music video that disgusted him? The police found the gun in his right hand, but he was left-handed. Everyone is refusing to accept the obvious. Now Marti is being followed. The murderer is free to strike again, and she could be the next on his list. This popular four-time Edgar Award-winning author is famous for plots that build inexorably to hair-raising conclusions. Narrator Alexandra O’Karma does an excellent job capturing the struggle of a young heroine whose loyalty and integrity drive her to search for the truth.

Katie Gillian’s mother is a dedicated investigative reporter. Her articles have helped innocent men on death row and have halted the illegal dumping of toxic wastes. Now the Gillians have moved from their home in Dallas to a small, quiet Texas town, where Katie’s mother is taking six months off to write a novel. In the local high school, Katie feels like an outsider. But as she meets the townspeople, she begins to feel fear as well. Someone prowls around outside her house at night. A homely girl who befriends Katie suddenly disappears. Now the Gillians are determined to discover what evil is lurking in the shadows of this seemingly ordinary town. Joan Lowery Nixon has written more than 90 books for young readers. A four-time winner of the Edgar Award and recipient of numerous other honors, she creates mysteries that immediately grab the attention of young adults. The psychological suspense of Shadowmaker is heightened by Stina Nielsen’s dramatic narration.

Holly Campbell’s world has suddenly been turned upside down. Her best friend stands accused of murdering his parents. She knows Cody is innocent, but how can she help him prove it? Holly’s father, the detective in charge of the murder investigation, isn’t being fair. He’s forbidden her to see Cody, and he and her mother are too preoccupied with their failing marriage to listen to reason. Cody’s strange neighbor wants to help, but the woman gives Holly the creeps. She’s supposed to be a psychic, but the things she’s asking Holly to do are frightening and very risky. Known as the grande dame of young adult mystery writers, this four-time Edgar Award-winning author has won a huge following of dedicated fans. Narrator Christina Moore gives perfect voice to the evil and fear that haunt the two teenagers throughout this exciting mystery.

Christina Lattimore’s family is wealthy and powerful. She attends the best private high school. Yet Christina feels trapped by her family’s expectations. Frustrated and angry at her situation, she pays little attention when a strange car follows her home one night. Its headlights are the last thing she remembers until she wakes up in captivity. Christina is terrified when she realizes kidnappers are holding her for ransom. But after her rescue, she faces an even greater shock. Her family thinks she was an accomplice in her own kidnapping! Can she convince them of her innocence? Joan Lowery Nixon is called the grande dame of young adult mystery writers. Winner of four Edgar Awards, she captivates her fans with this suspenseful tale that explores issues of communication and trust. Narrator Julie Dretzin dramatically portrays Christina’s thoughts as she struggles to clear her name.

Thirteen-year-old Stacy is sunbathing in the backyard when she hears a strange noise from inside the house. Turning to look, she sees a man with a gun burst through the door; then everything goes black. She wakes up in a hospital bed to learn that she has spent the last four years in a catatonic state. Suddenly 17, she finds herself struggling to adjust and fighting to remember what happened to her. She is the only witness to the shooting that injured her and killed her mother. Her memory is hazy, but slowly more details of that awful day come back. She knows that it was someone familiar to her, but she can’t quite see his face yet. Can Stacy remember in time to keep him from finishing what he started? Young adult mystery lovers will be enthralled by the nonstop suspense and believable characters of The Other Side of Dark. Narrator Christina Moore’s reading builds the tension to a fever pitch as Stacy races against time to stop a killer.

The first time 16-year-old Sarah walks into her new home, she is overwhelmed by a feeling of dread. Something terrible has happened here. When an icy presence whispers a desperate plea for help, Sarah investigates. Sarah first began sensing spirits after her near death experience. She had hoped to leave the hauntings behind and start over in this new town. But now she has learned that someone was murdered in this house, and the murderer went unpunished. Maybe her new friends can help her make sense of the disturbing visions and the relentless whispers that plague her. As the phantom pleas become more frantic, so does Sarah-especially since she realizes that her own life depends on solving the murder of this insistent ghost. Narrator Julie Dretzin does a remarkable job of plugging the listener into the horror of this story from an Edgar Award-winning author. Adrenaline levels rise as the story rushes inexorably to an ominous conclusion.