title: Jim Button and Luke the Engine Driver
author:  Michael Ende 
description: Grade 4-8-- Despite the appeal of Ende's Momo and The Neverending Story to Disney Studios--they made a movie of both-- Jim Button is standard fare for its fantasy type. Emma, an antique, anthropomorphic steam engine, carries Luke, the engineer; and Jim Button, a small black boy, on a fairy-tale search and rescue mission for a Chinese princess. The three travel from Morrowland, an island nation so small its king thinks one more subject (Jim) will crowd the place, through China to find Princess Li Si in Dragontown of Sorrowland. Emma, who may well be mother of "The Little Engine That Could," is the best drawn character. Overmuch description and cutesy comment make pages--but not much interest. Of course, some readers will throw their hats in the air and shout with joy--as do many characters in this story; others will bless the relief given by the many inserted drawings. --George Gleason, Department of English, Southwest Missouri State University, Springfield<BR>Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
zlib_text: 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  **FIRE AND RAIN**
  
   **By**
  
   **Elizabeth Lowell**
  
   ****
  
  **_Mackenzie-Blackthorn #2_**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **
  
  **
  
  ****
  
  ![](~export~_files/image002.jpg) ![](~export~_files/image004.jpg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Silhouette Desire #546
  
  ISBN: 0373055463
  
  Jan 1990
  
  Silhouette Reissue
  
  May 1. 2004
  
  ISBN: 0373218885
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Chapter 1**
  
  What in hell am I doing here?
  
  Luke looked in the mirror, swiped a last bit of axle grease off his chin and
  had no fast answers for his silent question. In fact, he had no answer at all
  as to why he had stayed on at Cash McQueen's apartment knowing that Carla
  McQueen was coming to dinner.
  
  It wasn't unusual for Luke to drive the long miles between his ranch in Four
  Corners country and the city of Boulder in order to visit his friend Cash. It
  wasn't unusual for the two of them to take on some kind of repair work on
  Cash's balky Jeep. It wasn't unusual for the two of them to split a pizza and
  a six-pack afterward and catch up on mutual news.
  
  It was damned unus