Our Series

Crescent Pathways pairs character-building traits with key reading skills. The collection of stories spans reading levels from the elementary grades through high school. The stories offer messages you can relate to. Interactive elements appear throughout the stories to highlight the messages and the skills being presented. A short quiz is also included to challenge yourself on the concepts.

Elementary

Our library of elementary-level books covers such themes as responsibility, honesty, and patience. These 12 stories will resonate with young readers as they encounter everyday situations that reflect their own lives. They will learn basic lessons about the power of sharing and gain a deeper understanding about how their actions impact the people around them.

Library

Sticks and Stones

A young girl moves from her hometown and quickly becomes a target at her new school. This is unfamiliar territory as she had been quite popular at her old school. The more she fights back against her new classmates, the more they make fun of her. Things take a turn after her older brother puts a finger trap on her and she can’t escape. He finally shows her how to get it off. The young girl realizes that sometimes the best way to fight is not to fight at all.

Reading Skills: Literary Elements – Characters

Middle School

Our collection of middle-school books continues to hold a mirror up to the world. This assortment of tales tap into readers’ personal experience within a challenging world. Protagonists face circumstances and issues that test them. These compelling plots will help readers develop their sensibilities on inner strength, compassion, and interpersonal relationships.

Library

The Negotiator

Brian is well-liked at his middle school. When racial tensions between the school's students come to a head at the local basketball court, Brian decides to do something about it. He is influential in addressing the problem and negotiates between the groups to get them to share court time. The story covers ideas on how to use problem-solving skills to thwart conflicts.

Reading Skills: Literary Elements – Character Analysis

High School

Our selection of high-school books covers fundamental skills for young people on the cusp of adulthood. A story about a school-wide presidential vote becomes a teaching tool on the importance of substance over style in the area of public service. The stories delve deep into such issues as class, ethics, and even betrayal. Though the books are fictitious, they deal with these issues in a real way.

Library

Getting What You Give

A teen boy plans to spend a summer mowing lawns so he can get the latest video game console. One day, his mower starts smoking really bad, but he’s able to finish the job. His dad warns him to spend some money to repair the lawnmower or else it won't work at all anymore. Feeling he’s so close to his goal, the teen decides to keep mowing without doing the repairs. He ruins the machine and is unable to meet his goal. The story shows us that sometimes we should listen to others who have our best interests at heart.