"Daisy's best friend Henry has mysteriously disappeared, leaving behind only a cryptic note"--

Naturally an undertaker will get the last word. But shouldn’t he wait until his clients are dead?

A town under quarantine during the 1918 flu epidemic must reckon with forces beyond their control in a powerful, sweeping novel of morality in a time of upheaval “An American variation on Albert Camus’ The Plague.”—Chicago Tribune NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY USA TODAY AND CHICAGO TRIBUNE • WINNER OF THE JAMES FENIMORE COOPER PRIZE FOR HISTORICAL FICTION Deep in the mist-shrouded forests of the Pacific Northwest is a small mill town called Commonwealth, conceived as a haven for workers weary of exploitation. For Philip Worthy, the adopted son of the town’s founder, it is a haven in another sense—as the first place in his life he’s had a loving family to call his own. And yet, the ideals that define this outpost are being threatened from all sides. A world war is raging, and with the fear of spies rampant, the loyalty of all Americans is coming under scrutiny. Meanwhile, another shadow has fallen across the region in the form of a deadly virus striking down vast swaths of surrounding communities. When Commonwealth votes to quarantine itself against contagion, guards are posted at the single road leading in and out of town, and Philip Worthy is among them. He will be unlucky enough to be on duty when a cold, hungry, tired—and apparently ill—soldier presents himself at the town’s doorstep begging for sanctuary. The encounter that ensues, and the shots that are fired, will have deafening reverberations throughout Commonwealth, escalating until every human value—love, patriotism, community, family, friendship—not to mention the town’s very survival, is imperiled. Inspired by a little-known historical footnote regarding towns that quarantined themselves during the 1918 epidemic, The Last Town on Earth is a remarkably moving and accomplished debut.

It's a race to the bottom of the world when Geronimo and his friends Petunia, Benjamin, Trap, and Bruce join explorer Roald Amundsen’s expedition to reach the South Pole in 1911. From Norway, through Portugal, and then straight on to the Bay of Whales in Antarctica. They’ll have to evade the sneaky sabotage of the Pirate Cats to make sure Amundsen is the very first person to reach the Pole!

Throughout history there have been many races to be first to achieve a goal: e.g. first to learn to fly; first to climb the world's highest mountain; first to reach the moon. The race to reach the South Pole more than 100 years ago involved a bitter struggle through the harshest environment on Earth. Brave and determined explorers faced extreme challenges with weather and equipment. Reading Level 30/F&P Level P