The magical people, or Karmidee, had been forced to live as an underclass, resulting in some very strange manifestations of magic. 10 yrs+

The City of Trees is in the grip of something strange. Although spring should have already arrived, the city is beseiged by icy cold and unending blizzards. Otto Hush, a magical Karmidee boy, is dismayed to find out that the Normals are blaming the Karmidee for the ill fortune. Otto realizes that even if the Karmidee once knew how to control the weather, by now they have long forgotten. But who or what is causing the unbearable cold? In his quest to save the city, Otto encounters the legendary Wool Bandits, helps a miniature family with a dangerous secret, and, together with new and extraordinary friends, challenges the ancient powers of the sinister Bird Charmers. Book jacket.

Delilah Smart is just an ordinary child who wants to have a normal childhood, but her parents have other plans. They are determined that she wins the Worldwide Junior Extreme General Knowledge Competition and in order to achieve this Delilah must cram all day and only play with educational toys like the Sir Isaac Newton Brain Building Bear. And because Mr and Mrs Smart are Very Busy People they buy a 'childcare robot' to do the boring stuff like looking after her. But Robot Granny Grabbers has hidden qualities and her own views on how to raise Deliliah. She let's her eat chocolate cake and play on trampolines. She builds aircrafts out of household objects and orders pets off the internet. And very soon Delilah is learning how to have fun. Then disaster strikes! ChildCare Solutions learn of Granny Grabbers' errant robot qualities and send a Nanny Deluxe replacement whose circuits are wired to ensure NO IMAGINATION whatsoever. Is Granny Grabbers for the scrapheap? It's instant Action Stations for Delilah Smart and the team ...

Delilah Smart's life hasn't been the same since childcare robot Granny Grabbers entered her world and made it whizz bang wonderful fun, no matter how determined her parents are to make it dull dull dull. And it's not long before Granny Grabbers and Delilah stumble upon their next adventure ... When local department store Blingman's hires an army of robotic cleaning personnel made by Happy Home Robotics, Granny Grabbers recognises a dear friend from her 'childhood' in the Happy Home Robotics Laboratory - PUG is clearly asking to be rescued from a life of cleaning servitude, and so it's action stations for Granny Grabbers and the team. Soon they devise a cunning plan that involves covert shopping trips, Easter bunny disguises, magic vanishing acts and a troupe of Paintball Pirates. And of course no daring rescue is complete without a grabbmobile ...

"The Last Last-Day-of-Summer reminds me that all children deserve to exist in magical spaces where their imaginations and familial bonds will them into heroism. Every single child should have the freedom to be one of The Legendary Alstons. And I, for one, am grateful to Giles, and this brilliant story, for that reminder." --Jason Reynolds, author of Newbery Honoree Long Way Down "The legendary heroes of this legendary book are already legendary when the story begins From there things can only get legendary-er " --Tom Angleberger, author of the Origami Yoda series "Lamar Giles has written an instant classic--readers won't want their time with the Legendary Alston Boys of Logan County to end." --Gwenda Bond, author of the Lois Lane series The Hardy Boys meets The Phantom Tollbooth, in the new century When two adventurous cousins accidentally extend the last day of summer by freezing time, they find the secrets hidden between the unmoving seconds, minutes, and hours are not the endless fun they expected. Otto and Sheed are the local sleuths in their zany Virginia town, masters of unraveling mischief using their unmatched powers of deduction. And as the summer winds down and the first day of school looms, the boys are craving just a little bit more time for fun, even as they bicker over what kind of fun they want to have. That is, until a mysterious man appears with a camera that literally freezes time. Now, with the help of some very strange people and even stranger creatures, Otto and Sheed will have to put aside their differences to save their town--and each other--before time stops for good.

Zack and Clovis are obsessed with the strange and unexplained disappearance of their father, Balthazar. Now, many years later, they revive the Ice Angel and plan to carry on their dad's legacy. But great danger looms. Is there a link with their dad's strange disappearance.

This is an autobiographical tale of a teddy bear named Otto. Otto is a German-born teddy bear. His first memories are of being stitched together and being given to David, a Jewish boy living in Germany before WWII. David and his best-friend Oskar always play with Otto, using him for pranks, games and even teaching him to type on a typewriter. Life is a lot of fun for the Otto. However, one day, David starts to wear a yellow star on his jacket. He and his parents are soon carted away by men in leather coats and uniforms. David decides to give his dear teddy bear to Oskar. Many lonely days pass for Oskar and Otto. But even gloomier days soon arrive when Osakar's father is drafted into the army and the bombings start. One day, a sudden explosion sends Otto flying through the air and into the middle a raging battle-field. The teddy bear is spotted by a soldier, but the moment the soldier picks Otto up, they are both shot through the chest. Otto and the soldier, an American G.I., are taken away to a hospital. In hospital, the soldier keeps Otto by his side. When he recovers, he pins a medal on Otto's chest, saying that Otto saved his life, taking the brunt of the bullet. The story makes papers and Otto becomes a mascot of the soldier's regiment. The teddy bear is then taken to America and is given to a sweet girl called Jasmin, the soldier's daughter. But Otto's new home and happiness is once again brutally ended when he is snatched away by mean and violent street urchins, who hit and trample on him and throw him into a bin. Otto is then picked up by an antiques dealer and taken to his shop. Years and years go by, until one rainy evening, when a bulky man stops and carefully examines the shop window. The man recognizes the bear instantly buys him. It is Oskar, Otto's old friend. The story of Oskar, a German tourist and survivor of the war finding his teddy bear in America soon makes the papers. And the day after Otto's picture appears in the paper, Oskar's telephone rings: it is his old friend David. And so, the three friends finally reunite, sharing the sorrows and pains of war and living a peaceful and happy life together. Otto now keeps himself busy, typing the story of his life on David's typewriter. Children will become attached to this loving, innocent protagonist, and will naturally be interested in his life story. Tomi Ungerer deals with one of the darkest chapters of history and pulls off the challenge admirably. This tale will prompt reflection and important questions without causing undue fear.