Two more Caudills-One for Junior High and one for elementary

Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham is set today in southern California. Jane Arrowood, 15, tells her story of surviving a shark attack that leaves her without her right arm and elbow. Told in prose, the story of her relationships with her mom, her brother, her friends, the various hospital workers and one young fellow amputee carry you into her transformed world. Jane is a gifted artist before the attack. How do you cope when what defines you is no longer your talent but a horrific accident?

The White Giraffe by Lauren St. John is set in modern day South Africa. 11 year old Martine Allen is orphaned in a fire and must move from England to be with her maternal grandmother who runs a game preserve in South Africa. Martine tries to fit in at her new school and understand her seemingly cold and strict grandmother. Soon after arriving, Martine hears about the legend of a white giraffe. She is determined to find it. As she begins to put bits of information together, she also begins to realize that the animals on the preserve are in grave danger especially, the white giraffe. The fast paced story mixes suspence with a bit of supernatural while giving the reader wonderful descriptions of the animals, landscapes, foods and climate of South Africa. You will feel like you are right there with Martine and the white giraffe in the South African night.