All Books
Synopsis: A multimillion-copy bestseller in China—now available in English! In this heart-pounding adventure, a group of individuals who have come together for an expedition, each with a specific interest, soon find themselves motivated by one common goal: the sheer will to survive.
THE QUEST: To find the lost city of Jingjue, a once-glorious kingdom, along with the burial chamber of its mysterious queen. Both lie buried under the golden dunes of the desert, where fierce sandstorms and blazing heat show no mercy.
THE TEAM: Teenagers Tianyi, who has the ability read the earth and sky through feng shui, and Kai, Tianyi’s best friend and confidant; Julie, a wealthy American whose father vanished on the same trek a year ago; Professor Chen, who wants to fulfill a lifelong dream; and Asat Amat, a local guide gifted in desert survival.
THE OBSTACLES: Lethal creatures of the desert and an evil force that wants to entomb the explorers under the unforgiving sands of China’s Taklimakan Desert forever.
Translated from the Chinese by Jeremy Tiang, whose recent work includes NEVER GROW UP, the translation from Chinese of the autobiography from action movie superstar Jackie Chan.
THE QUEST: To find the lost city of Jingjue, a once-glorious kingdom, along with the burial chamber of its mysterious queen. Both lie buried under the golden dunes of the desert, where fierce sandstorms and blazing heat show no mercy.
THE TEAM: Teenagers Tianyi, who has the ability read the earth and sky through feng shui, and Kai, Tianyi’s best friend and confidant; Julie, a wealthy American whose father vanished on the same trek a year ago; Professor Chen, who wants to fulfill a lifelong dream; and Asat Amat, a local guide gifted in desert survival.
THE OBSTACLES: Lethal creatures of the desert and an evil force that wants to entomb the explorers under the unforgiving sands of China’s Taklimakan Desert forever.
Translated from the Chinese by Jeremy Tiang, whose recent work includes NEVER GROW UP, the translation from Chinese of the autobiography from action movie superstar Jackie Chan.
Publication Date: 11/21/17
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: “A delicate and heartbreaking mystery story...Thorpe’s book is a reminder that in an era of nativism, some Americans are still breaking down walls and nurturing newcomers, the seeds of the great American experiment.” —The New York Times Book Review
“The teens we meet have endured things none of us can imagine…and [this book has] never been more crucial than at this moment.” —USA TODAY
“Helen Thorpe has taken policy and turned it into literature.” —Malcolm Gladwell
From the award-winning, “meticulously observant” author of Soldier Girls and Just Like Us comes a powerful and moving account of how refugee teenagers at a public high school learn English and become Americans, in the care of a compassionate teacher.
The Newcomers follows the lives of twenty-two immigrant teenagers throughout the course of the 2015-2016 school year as they land at South High School in Denver, Colorado. These newcomers, from fourteen to nineteen years old, come from nations convulsed by drought or famine or war. Many come directly from refugee camps, after experiencing dire forms of cataclysm. Some arrive alone, having left or lost every other member of their original family.
At the center of their story is Mr. Williams, their dedicated and endlessly resourceful teacher of English Language Acquisition. If Mr. Williams does his job right, the newcomers will leave his class at the end of the school year with basic English skills and new confidence, their foundation for becoming Americans and finding a place in their new home. Ultimately, “The Newcomers reads more like an anthropologist’s notebook than a work of reportage: Helen Thorpe not only observes, she chips in her two cents and participates. Like her, we’re moved and agitated by this story of refugee teenagers…Donald Trump’s gross slander of refugees and immigrants is countered on every page by the evidence of these students’ lives and characters” (Los Angeles Review of Books).
With the US at a political crossroads around questions of immigration, multiculturalism, and America’s role on the global stage, Thorpe presents a fresh and nuanced perspective. The Newcomers is “not only an intimate look at lives immigrant teens live, but it is a primer on the art and science of new language acquisition and a portrait of ongoing and emerging global horrors and the human fallout that arrives on our shores” (USA TODAY).
“The teens we meet have endured things none of us can imagine…and [this book has] never been more crucial than at this moment.” —USA TODAY
“Helen Thorpe has taken policy and turned it into literature.” —Malcolm Gladwell
From the award-winning, “meticulously observant” author of Soldier Girls and Just Like Us comes a powerful and moving account of how refugee teenagers at a public high school learn English and become Americans, in the care of a compassionate teacher.
The Newcomers follows the lives of twenty-two immigrant teenagers throughout the course of the 2015-2016 school year as they land at South High School in Denver, Colorado. These newcomers, from fourteen to nineteen years old, come from nations convulsed by drought or famine or war. Many come directly from refugee camps, after experiencing dire forms of cataclysm. Some arrive alone, having left or lost every other member of their original family.
At the center of their story is Mr. Williams, their dedicated and endlessly resourceful teacher of English Language Acquisition. If Mr. Williams does his job right, the newcomers will leave his class at the end of the school year with basic English skills and new confidence, their foundation for becoming Americans and finding a place in their new home. Ultimately, “The Newcomers reads more like an anthropologist’s notebook than a work of reportage: Helen Thorpe not only observes, she chips in her two cents and participates. Like her, we’re moved and agitated by this story of refugee teenagers…Donald Trump’s gross slander of refugees and immigrants is countered on every page by the evidence of these students’ lives and characters” (Los Angeles Review of Books).
With the US at a political crossroads around questions of immigration, multiculturalism, and America’s role on the global stage, Thorpe presents a fresh and nuanced perspective. The Newcomers is “not only an intimate look at lives immigrant teens live, but it is a primer on the art and science of new language acquisition and a portrait of ongoing and emerging global horrors and the human fallout that arrives on our shores” (USA TODAY).
Publication Date: 11/14/17
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis:
In Book Two of The Stones of Bothynus trilogy, Minimize, the Greene sisters' escapades continue. This time it's Annie, Red's younger sister, whose life is changed by new experiences made possible by the Stones of Bothynus.
Fifteen-year-old Annie is bold, curious, and possibly in over her head when she ''borrows'' a device that Uncle Alistair brilliantly crafted from ancient and powerful artifact dust from the Stones of Bothynus. Using the device, she shrinks herself to explore a hidden cave behind a waterfall on her grandmother's Smoky Mountain farm. After glimpsing an angelic being in the cave she works feverishly to decipher ancient writings copied from the cave wall. Intrigued and awed she discovers that the writings reveal a half-angel's world of pain and longing and strives to learn more.
Minimize continues the sci-fi/fantasy adventures of the Greene family as they become more deeply enmeshed in adventure, this time in the angel realm.
Publication Date: 11/14/17
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction
Synopsis: SKIPPING STONES 2018 HONOR AWARD WINNER FOR MULTICULTURAL TEEN BOOKS As the Civil War rages, fifteen-year-old Thomas Beck longs to fight for his country. He's underage, but his brother, Robert, claims there's another reason he can't fight: there's no such thing as a Chinese Yankee. Assumed a slave because of his odd appearance--including his traditional Chinese queue (long braid)--Thomas soon discovers that giving battle with his regiment isn't enough to shed the Chinese label from his Yankee status. It's not until Thomas befriends a runaway slave and the war moves toward a pivotal moment in Gettysburg that he begins to understand the true meaning of freedom in America. Freedom for Me is a historical novel based on the life of a real Chinese Yankee. For ages 10 and up.
Publication Date: 11/09/17
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Historical Fiction
Synopsis: When babies don't get their way, they have a tantrum.
Do big kids have tantrums? No! Big Kids use their words!
Every child's life is filled with milestones. Some happen easily; others need a little extra support. Artist and mom Maria van Lieshout has been there! Drawing upon her own experiences, she has created an engaging series of books just right for children on the brink of major changes and the caregivers who encourage them.
Do big kids have tantrums? No! Big Kids use their words!
Every child's life is filled with milestones. Some happen easily; others need a little extra support. Artist and mom Maria van Lieshout has been there! Drawing upon her own experiences, she has created an engaging series of books just right for children on the brink of major changes and the caregivers who encourage them.
Publication Date: 11/07/17
Age Level: 5 - 8
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: In this gripping debut novel, seventeen-year-old Cat must use her gene-hacking skills to decode her late father’s message concealing a vaccine to a horrifying plague.
Catarina Agatta is a hacker. She can cripple mainframes and crash through firewalls, but that’s not what makes her special. In Cat’s world, people are implanted with technology to recode their DNA, allowing them to change their bodies in any way they want. And Cat happens to be a gene-hacking genius.
That’s no surprise, since Cat’s father is Dr. Lachlan Agatta, a legendary geneticist who may be the last hope for defeating a plague that has brought humanity to the brink of extinction. But during the outbreak, Lachlan was kidnapped by a shadowy organization called Cartaxus, leaving Cat to survive the last two years on her own.
When a Cartaxus soldier, Cole, arrives with news that her father has been killed, Cat’s instincts tell her it’s just another Cartaxus lie. But Cole also brings a message: before Lachlan died, he managed to create a vaccine, and Cole needs Cat’s help to release it and save the human race.
Now Cat must decide who she can trust: The soldier with secrets of his own? The father who made her promise to hide from Cartaxus at all costs? In a world where nature itself can be rewritten, how much can she even trust herself?
Catarina Agatta is a hacker. She can cripple mainframes and crash through firewalls, but that’s not what makes her special. In Cat’s world, people are implanted with technology to recode their DNA, allowing them to change their bodies in any way they want. And Cat happens to be a gene-hacking genius.
That’s no surprise, since Cat’s father is Dr. Lachlan Agatta, a legendary geneticist who may be the last hope for defeating a plague that has brought humanity to the brink of extinction. But during the outbreak, Lachlan was kidnapped by a shadowy organization called Cartaxus, leaving Cat to survive the last two years on her own.
When a Cartaxus soldier, Cole, arrives with news that her father has been killed, Cat’s instincts tell her it’s just another Cartaxus lie. But Cole also brings a message: before Lachlan died, he managed to create a vaccine, and Cole needs Cat’s help to release it and save the human race.
Now Cat must decide who she can trust: The soldier with secrets of his own? The father who made her promise to hide from Cartaxus at all costs? In a world where nature itself can be rewritten, how much can she even trust herself?
Publication Date: 11/07/17
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Science Fiction
Synopsis:
Get ready to take an ENTERTAINING and EDUCATIONAL stroll through TEXAS HISTORY while learning some FUN TEXAS FACTS along the way!!
A TWO PART book. The first part is a rhyming and witty story that touches on some of the history of Texas while also introducing the importance, meaning and symbols that are relevant in our state. The second part includes 28 fun Texas facts mixed with more knowledge of fundmantal elements such as the Texas pledge and our state song.
Incredibly illustrated, the pictures depict exactly what the author had probably envisioned when writing the book.
Useful in English and History classes, it also adds some extra excitement for children who bore easily when learning the basics. The style of presentation creates an easy way to remember important facts.
An upbeat, rhythmic Texas history lesson!!!
Publication Date: 11/02/17
Age Level: 5 - 8
Genre: Historical Nonfiction
Synopsis: From Dance Moms star and So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation judge Maddie Ziegler comes the first novel in a brand-new middle grade trilogy about friendship, dance, and going after your dreams.
Twelve-year-old Harper has been dancing practically since she learned to walk. She loves her dance studio and team, and just won her first ever top junior solo in a regional competition. But right before the school year starts, Harper’s parents drop a bombshell—the family has to relocate from their cozy town in Connecticut to sunny Florida for their jobs. That means saying goodbye to her friends, dance team, trips to see shows in NYC—and did she mentioned dance team?
While her parents reassure her that they will find her a new studio as soon as they move, Harper is not happy. When she arrives, she realizes that the competition in Florida will be fierce and it doesn’t matter how talented she is—she is the new girl and will have to prove herself. During her very first class, Harper finds it harder than she thought it would be. Even though they are all the same age and have been dancing for roughly the same amount of time, it feels like everyone has better feet, quicker turns, and faster taps than Harper. And it doesn’t help that a group of girls, who nicknamed themselves The Bunheads, wonder how she made the team if she can’t even do a simple turn sequence in front of the class.
Thankfully, Harper befriends Lily, a fellow newbie in the studio who is just as eager to make her mark and find a friendly face. With a big competition coming up for the dance team, Harper is determined to show everyone—especially those Bunheads—what she’s made of! And when a very badly timed sprained ankle threatens all of the work they have done, the Bunheads, Lily, and Harper must learn to truly work together to give them their best shot at the top spot!
Twelve-year-old Harper has been dancing practically since she learned to walk. She loves her dance studio and team, and just won her first ever top junior solo in a regional competition. But right before the school year starts, Harper’s parents drop a bombshell—the family has to relocate from their cozy town in Connecticut to sunny Florida for their jobs. That means saying goodbye to her friends, dance team, trips to see shows in NYC—and did she mentioned dance team?
While her parents reassure her that they will find her a new studio as soon as they move, Harper is not happy. When she arrives, she realizes that the competition in Florida will be fierce and it doesn’t matter how talented she is—she is the new girl and will have to prove herself. During her very first class, Harper finds it harder than she thought it would be. Even though they are all the same age and have been dancing for roughly the same amount of time, it feels like everyone has better feet, quicker turns, and faster taps than Harper. And it doesn’t help that a group of girls, who nicknamed themselves The Bunheads, wonder how she made the team if she can’t even do a simple turn sequence in front of the class.
Thankfully, Harper befriends Lily, a fellow newbie in the studio who is just as eager to make her mark and find a friendly face. With a big competition coming up for the dance team, Harper is determined to show everyone—especially those Bunheads—what she’s made of! And when a very badly timed sprained ankle threatens all of the work they have done, the Bunheads, Lily, and Harper must learn to truly work together to give them their best shot at the top spot!
Publication Date: 10/31/17
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: The must-have guide for any fan of #1 New York Times bestselling fantasy author TAMORA PIERCE! Enter the world of Tortall in this full-color, behind-the-scenes collectible guide, brought to you by the author who Sarah J. Maas says “shaped [her] not only as a young writer but also as a young woman” and whom Leigh Bardugo calls “the real lioness.”
The secrets of Tortall are revealed. . . .
As Tortall’s spymaster, George Cooper has sensitive documents from all corners of the realm. When Alanna sends him a surprising letter, he cleans out his office and discovers letters from when King Jonathan and Queen Thayet first ascended the throne, notes on creating the Shadow Service of spies, threat-level profiles on favorite characters, Daine’s notes on immortals, as well as family papers, such as Aly’s first report as a young spy and Neal’s lessons with the Lioness. This rich guide also includes the first official timeline of Tortallan events from when it became a sovereign nation to the year Aly gives birth to triplets. Part history, part spy training manual, and entirely fascinating, this beautiful guide makes a perfect gift and is ideal for anyone who loves Alanna, King Jonathan, Queen Thayet, Kel, Neal, Aly, Thom, Daine, Numair, and the unforgettable world of Tortall!
“Tamora Pierce creates epic worlds populated by girls and women of bravery, heart, and strength. Her work inspired a generation of writers and continues to inspire us.” —HOLLY BLACK, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“Few authors can slay so effectively with a single sentence—I mean fist-in-the-air, shouting-at-my-book slay—as Tamora Pierce. All these years later, I still draw strength from her words.” —MARIE LU, #1 New York Times bestselling author
The secrets of Tortall are revealed. . . .
As Tortall’s spymaster, George Cooper has sensitive documents from all corners of the realm. When Alanna sends him a surprising letter, he cleans out his office and discovers letters from when King Jonathan and Queen Thayet first ascended the throne, notes on creating the Shadow Service of spies, threat-level profiles on favorite characters, Daine’s notes on immortals, as well as family papers, such as Aly’s first report as a young spy and Neal’s lessons with the Lioness. This rich guide also includes the first official timeline of Tortallan events from when it became a sovereign nation to the year Aly gives birth to triplets. Part history, part spy training manual, and entirely fascinating, this beautiful guide makes a perfect gift and is ideal for anyone who loves Alanna, King Jonathan, Queen Thayet, Kel, Neal, Aly, Thom, Daine, Numair, and the unforgettable world of Tortall!
“Tamora Pierce creates epic worlds populated by girls and women of bravery, heart, and strength. Her work inspired a generation of writers and continues to inspire us.” —HOLLY BLACK, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“Few authors can slay so effectively with a single sentence—I mean fist-in-the-air, shouting-at-my-book slay—as Tamora Pierce. All these years later, I still draw strength from her words.” —MARIE LU, #1 New York Times bestselling author
Publication Date: 10/31/17
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Series
Synopsis: Easy and Fun Introduction to French for your child.Buckle your seatbelts! Your child 6-10 is about to take off on a trip of adventure, discovery and learning with Bonjour! Let's Learn French.Your child-and you-will be speaking French in no time!Easy to use, whether or not you know French.Free downloadable audio version at polyglotkidz.com. Audio includes tips on French pronunciation. Download before using book.Your child's guide is Pete the Pilot. Kids take a pretend flight to France, meet Louis l'escargot, France's favorite snail, follow his adventures, and learn French effortlessly.Story told in English introduces words and expressions in French.Also featuring:Fun activities to use French including treasure hunt and daily expressionsSkitCulture CornerSongDirections for adding an impressionist touch for your child's drawings and paintings
Publication Date: 10/31/17
Age Level: 5 - 8
Genre: Nonfiction
Synopsis: A warm-hearted, whimsical fantasy tale, with lashings of mystery, magic, and mythology, and prose that 'flows like water.' Prepare to fall in love with Esperance! "A fresh new fantasy, of an enchanting world." - Wendy Orr, New York Times best selling author of Nim's Island. When fifteen-year-old Esme Silver objects at her father's wedding, her protest is dismissed as the action of a stubborn, selfish teenager. Everyone else has accepted the loss of Esme's mother, Ariane - so why can't she?
But Esme is suspicious. She is sure that others are covering up the real reason for her mother's disappearance - that 'lost at sea' is code for something more terrible, something she has a right to know.
After Esme is accidentally swept into the enchanted world of Aeolia, the truth begins to unfold. With her newfound friends, Daniel and Lillian, Esme retraces her mother's steps in the glittering canal city of Esperance, untangling the threads of Ariane's double life. But the more Esme discovers about Ariane, the more she questions whether she really knew her at all.
This fresh, inventive tale, the first in an MG-to-YA series, is an ideal read for 10-14 year olds. Esme's Wish recently won first place in the fantasy category of the 2018 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards, which recognises excellence in children's literature.
But Esme is suspicious. She is sure that others are covering up the real reason for her mother's disappearance - that 'lost at sea' is code for something more terrible, something she has a right to know.
After Esme is accidentally swept into the enchanted world of Aeolia, the truth begins to unfold. With her newfound friends, Daniel and Lillian, Esme retraces her mother's steps in the glittering canal city of Esperance, untangling the threads of Ariane's double life. But the more Esme discovers about Ariane, the more she questions whether she really knew her at all.
This fresh, inventive tale, the first in an MG-to-YA series, is an ideal read for 10-14 year olds. Esme's Wish recently won first place in the fantasy category of the 2018 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards, which recognises excellence in children's literature.
Publication Date: 10/30/17
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fantasy
Synopsis: Gianna Saldaña is a curious young lady who has had to search on her own to find out information about her family. She joins an after-school Genealogy Club run by Mr. Williams, one of the teachers at her school. Through online research, she can find pictures of her relatives and more conclusive information than she ever dreamed possible. In Gianna the Treasure Hunter, Gianna helps her friend Stephanie find out about her family as well by delving into the Ellis Island Records and recording her grandmother's story.
Publication Date: 10/29/17
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: It’s 1911 in Pennsylvania coal country, and Corey must work at the mines to help support his family in this exciting historical novel.
Corey is just eleven years old, but his family needs him to chip in. He’s dropped out of school and works as a breaker boy picking out coal impurities from bins in the coalmines of Pennsylvania.
But after skating accident nearly kills Corey, he begins having panic attacks and nightmares. Corey turns to Mrs. Chudzik, a strange and mysterious local recluse, for help. She’s a trained doctor and Corey’s overwhelming fear of tight spaces means he is jeopardizing his family’s future.
When there is a disaster at the mine, trapping his father and other miners, Corey knows it’s time to face his fear. He and Mrs. Chudzik’s hound, Hovi, must find the trapped miners and bring help. But how can he when the thought of being in the dark and enclosed space might be more than Corey can handle?
Corey is just eleven years old, but his family needs him to chip in. He’s dropped out of school and works as a breaker boy picking out coal impurities from bins in the coalmines of Pennsylvania.
But after skating accident nearly kills Corey, he begins having panic attacks and nightmares. Corey turns to Mrs. Chudzik, a strange and mysterious local recluse, for help. She’s a trained doctor and Corey’s overwhelming fear of tight spaces means he is jeopardizing his family’s future.
When there is a disaster at the mine, trapping his father and other miners, Corey knows it’s time to face his fear. He and Mrs. Chudzik’s hound, Hovi, must find the trapped miners and bring help. But how can he when the thought of being in the dark and enclosed space might be more than Corey can handle?
Publication Date: 10/24/17
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Historical Fiction
Synopsis: A Newbery Honor Book
A Coretta Scott King Honor Book
A Printz Honor Book
A Los Angeles Times Book Prize Winner for Young Adult Literature
Longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature
Winner of the Walter Dean Myers Award
An Edgar Award Winner for Best Young Adult Fiction
Parents’ Choice Gold Award Winner
An Entertainment Weekly Best YA Book of 2017
A Vulture Best YA Book of 2017
A Buzzfeed Best YA Book of 2017
An ode to Put the Damn Guns Down, this is National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestseller Jason Reynolds’s fiercely stunning novel that takes place in sixty potent seconds—the time it takes a kid to decide whether or not he’s going to murder the guy who killed his brother.
A cannon. A strap.
A piece. A biscuit.
A burner. A heater.
A chopper. A gat.
A hammer
A tool
for RULE
Or, you can call it a gun. That’s what fifteen-year-old Will has shoved in the back waistband of his jeans. See, his brother Shawn was just murdered. And Will knows the rules. No crying. No snitching. Revenge. That’s where Will’s now heading, with that gun shoved in the back waistband of his jeans, the gun that was his brother’s gun. He gets on the elevator, seventh floor, stoked. He knows who he’s after. Or does he? As the elevator stops on the sixth floor, on comes Buck. Buck, Will finds out, is who gave Shawn the gun before Will took the gun. Buck tells Will to check that the gun is even loaded. And that’s when Will sees that one bullet is missing. And the only one who could have fired Shawn’s gun was Shawn. Huh. Will didn’t know that Shawn had ever actually USED his gun. Bigger huh. BUCK IS DEAD. But Buck’s in the elevator? Just as Will’s trying to think this through, the door to the next floor opens. A teenage girl gets on, waves away the smoke from Dead Buck’s cigarette. Will doesn’t know her, but she knew him. Knew. When they were eight. And stray bullets had cut through the playground, and Will had tried to cover her, but she was hit anyway, and so what she wants to know, on that fifth floor elevator stop, is, what if Will, Will with the gun shoved in the back waistband of his jeans, MISSES.
And so it goes, the whole long way down, as the elevator stops on each floor, and at each stop someone connected to his brother gets on to give Will a piece to a bigger story than the one he thinks he knows. A story that might never know an END…if WILL gets off that elevator.
Told in short, fierce staccato narrative verse, Long Way Down is a fast and furious, dazzlingly brilliant look at teenage gun violence, as could only be told by Jason Reynolds.
A Coretta Scott King Honor Book
A Printz Honor Book
A Los Angeles Times Book Prize Winner for Young Adult Literature
Longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature
Winner of the Walter Dean Myers Award
An Edgar Award Winner for Best Young Adult Fiction
Parents’ Choice Gold Award Winner
An Entertainment Weekly Best YA Book of 2017
A Vulture Best YA Book of 2017
A Buzzfeed Best YA Book of 2017
An ode to Put the Damn Guns Down, this is National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestseller Jason Reynolds’s fiercely stunning novel that takes place in sixty potent seconds—the time it takes a kid to decide whether or not he’s going to murder the guy who killed his brother.
A cannon. A strap.
A piece. A biscuit.
A burner. A heater.
A chopper. A gat.
A hammer
A tool
for RULE
Or, you can call it a gun. That’s what fifteen-year-old Will has shoved in the back waistband of his jeans. See, his brother Shawn was just murdered. And Will knows the rules. No crying. No snitching. Revenge. That’s where Will’s now heading, with that gun shoved in the back waistband of his jeans, the gun that was his brother’s gun. He gets on the elevator, seventh floor, stoked. He knows who he’s after. Or does he? As the elevator stops on the sixth floor, on comes Buck. Buck, Will finds out, is who gave Shawn the gun before Will took the gun. Buck tells Will to check that the gun is even loaded. And that’s when Will sees that one bullet is missing. And the only one who could have fired Shawn’s gun was Shawn. Huh. Will didn’t know that Shawn had ever actually USED his gun. Bigger huh. BUCK IS DEAD. But Buck’s in the elevator? Just as Will’s trying to think this through, the door to the next floor opens. A teenage girl gets on, waves away the smoke from Dead Buck’s cigarette. Will doesn’t know her, but she knew him. Knew. When they were eight. And stray bullets had cut through the playground, and Will had tried to cover her, but she was hit anyway, and so what she wants to know, on that fifth floor elevator stop, is, what if Will, Will with the gun shoved in the back waistband of his jeans, MISSES.
And so it goes, the whole long way down, as the elevator stops on each floor, and at each stop someone connected to his brother gets on to give Will a piece to a bigger story than the one he thinks he knows. A story that might never know an END…if WILL gets off that elevator.
Told in short, fierce staccato narrative verse, Long Way Down is a fast and furious, dazzlingly brilliant look at teenage gun violence, as could only be told by Jason Reynolds.
Publication Date: 10/24/17
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: The most popular gamer on YouTube, Ali-A, presents his very own action-packed graphic novel!
It’s launch time for the hotly anticipated video game Alien Liberator 2, and who better to invite along than top gamer Ali-A? Ali is promised the biggest game launch ever—but what he doesn’t count on is just how real the action is about to get!
When a merciless band of aliens turns up to spoil the party, it’s up to Ali to transform from gaming icon to real-life hero. Can he defeat the end-of-game boss and save the day? With a little help from his fans and his very special dog, Eevee, he’s going to give it his best shot!
It’s launch time for the hotly anticipated video game Alien Liberator 2, and who better to invite along than top gamer Ali-A? Ali is promised the biggest game launch ever—but what he doesn’t count on is just how real the action is about to get!
When a merciless band of aliens turns up to spoil the party, it’s up to Ali to transform from gaming icon to real-life hero. Can he defeat the end-of-game boss and save the day? With a little help from his fans and his very special dog, Eevee, he’s going to give it his best shot!
Publication Date: 10/24/17
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Series
Synopsis: From Gold Star father and beloved Democratic National Convention speaker Khizr Khan comes a book for young people about the Constitution—what it says and why it matters for everyone.
Our Founding Fathers created the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights as a blueprint for American government and the rights of American citizens. This document is not merely a piece of parchment but a living, breathing promise of our deepest democratic values.
Khizr Khan grew up in Pakistan, with few of the fundamental rights that are enshrined in the Constitution. He immigrated to America and became a citizen, raising his family to appreciate and honor all our nation has to offer. Khizr Khan is deeply passionate about the Constitution: the guarantees and protections it provides for each and every person and the beacon of light it shines throughout the world.
This Is Our Constitution is a personal journey that Khizr Khan is taking with our nation’s young people.
The book includes:
* A highly personal introduction and conclusion
* Notes throughout that share Khizr Khan’s reflections on and connections to the U.S. Constitution
* The fascinating history of why and how the Constitution was written
*Article by article and section by section, an easy-to-follow explanation of what the Constitution means
* A closer look at key amendments, including the Bill of Rights, and pivotal Supreme Court decisions
* The complete texts of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution
This is a book about why the Constitution matters to you, and us all.
Our Founding Fathers created the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights as a blueprint for American government and the rights of American citizens. This document is not merely a piece of parchment but a living, breathing promise of our deepest democratic values.
Khizr Khan grew up in Pakistan, with few of the fundamental rights that are enshrined in the Constitution. He immigrated to America and became a citizen, raising his family to appreciate and honor all our nation has to offer. Khizr Khan is deeply passionate about the Constitution: the guarantees and protections it provides for each and every person and the beacon of light it shines throughout the world.
This Is Our Constitution is a personal journey that Khizr Khan is taking with our nation’s young people.
The book includes:
* A highly personal introduction and conclusion
* Notes throughout that share Khizr Khan’s reflections on and connections to the U.S. Constitution
* The fascinating history of why and how the Constitution was written
*Article by article and section by section, an easy-to-follow explanation of what the Constitution means
* A closer look at key amendments, including the Bill of Rights, and pivotal Supreme Court decisions
* The complete texts of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution
This is a book about why the Constitution matters to you, and us all.
Publication Date: 10/24/17
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Historical Nonfiction