by Franklin W. Dixon

4.5 stars – 2,594 reviews

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The Tower Treasure is the first book in The Hardy Boys original series. It was written by Charles Leslie McFarlane, who was a Canadian journalist, novelist, screenwriter, and filmmaker. He is most famous for ghostwriting many of the early books in Hardy Boys series, using the pseudonym Franklin W. Dixon. In 1959 this book was revised by Harriet S. Adams, as a result its plot was significantly rewritten.

The book ranks 55th on Publishers Weekly’s All-Time Bestselling Children’s Book List for the United States. This book is one of the “Original 10”, generally considered by historians and critics of children’s literature to be the best examples of all the Hardy Boys writing.

A lot of stories about the young detectives of the Hardy brothers were written by the same authors who invented the famous detective Nancy Drew. TV series and computer games were made based on the Hardy Brothers books.

In The Tower Treasure, Frank and Joe Hardy have to investigate several cases at once. Their friend Chet’s car was stolen, and the cash register at the ferry station was robbed. Witnesses say a redheaded man was seen at the scene of the crimes. While the Hardy detectives are trying to figure out the circumstances under which the crimes were committed, another event happens that shakes the whole town: the local landmark, an impregnable mansion castle, was robbed! Is the same red-haired stranger involved, or is there a whole gang of criminals running around?

by Gary Paulsen

4.5 stars – 120 reviews

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Text-to-Speech: Enabled

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rom the Newbery Award–winning, New York Times–bestselling author of Northwind. “A stark, moving portrait of Mexican poverty and street life.” —School Library Journal

Fourteen-year-old Manny is an orphan in Juarez, Mexico. He competes with his bigger, meaner rivals for the coins American tourists throw off the bridge between Texas and his town. Across that heavily guarded bridge await a different world and a better existence.

On the night when Manny dares the crossing—through the muddy shallows of the Rio Grande, past the searchlights and the border patrol—the young man encounters an old stranger who could prove to be an ally or an enemy. Manny can’t tell for certain. But if he is to achieve his dream, then he must be willing to risk everything—even his life.