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Synopsis: All Carrie Roberts wants is to be a little bit smaller.
To fit into the perfect dress for the Valentine's Day Dance. To look beautiful for her boyfriend, the school's star basketball player. To keep his jealous ex-girlfriend, a rival cheerleader, away from him. And to be noticed by her classmates.
Exercising and dieting don't work, but an advertisement for weight loss pills promises a quicker solution to her problem. As time runs out, she takes more than the recommended dose until she's just a few inches slimmer. Heads turn when she arrives at the dance, and the wonderful night with her boyfriend is beyond what she dreamed it would be.
Days later, Carrie discovers that her body is changing in ways that should be impossible. While her doctor searches for a cure, she desperately turns to her friends and family for support. Everyone is noticing her now whether she likes it or not, and even the media is intrigued by her incredible story. Getting everything she once wanted has created new problems--problems that are growing more terrifying every day.
Because Carrie Roberts is shrinking.
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"Just a Few Inches" is a Young Adult novel that deals with issues of body image, self-esteem, and teenage relationships. It is intended for readers age 13 and up.
To fit into the perfect dress for the Valentine's Day Dance. To look beautiful for her boyfriend, the school's star basketball player. To keep his jealous ex-girlfriend, a rival cheerleader, away from him. And to be noticed by her classmates.
Exercising and dieting don't work, but an advertisement for weight loss pills promises a quicker solution to her problem. As time runs out, she takes more than the recommended dose until she's just a few inches slimmer. Heads turn when she arrives at the dance, and the wonderful night with her boyfriend is beyond what she dreamed it would be.
Days later, Carrie discovers that her body is changing in ways that should be impossible. While her doctor searches for a cure, she desperately turns to her friends and family for support. Everyone is noticing her now whether she likes it or not, and even the media is intrigued by her incredible story. Getting everything she once wanted has created new problems--problems that are growing more terrifying every day.
Because Carrie Roberts is shrinking.
- - - - -
"Just a Few Inches" is a Young Adult novel that deals with issues of body image, self-esteem, and teenage relationships. It is intended for readers age 13 and up.
Publication Date: 05/31/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Synopsis: A Blue Ink Starred Review Best Book of 2016. Walter is a pigeon living with his parents in a rancher's coop when a deranged wildcat attacks and sends them scrambling for their lives. Barely escaping with his life, Walter finds himself in a city where kindly street pigeons teach him about language, philosophy, and politics.
A venture south to find a human family for the winter sees him face more desperate peril as a flock of snow geese help him finish the journey. Finding solace in a dorm room with two young college students, Walter heads home with one of them to a ranch in Texas where he is adopted by the close-knit family and their quirky pets.
Walter forms a quick bond with the scientist grandfather who spends every day with Walter, working on a project in a mysterious tiny shack behind the house. This secret work soon becomes the center of Walter's life--and his fate--when he is thrust into an epic struggle for survival against cosmic forces that threaten to destroy the world.
For fans of Watership Down and The Secret of NIMH, A Pigeon's Tale is a mind-bending sci-fi adventure tale about friendship, loyalty, and destiny.
A venture south to find a human family for the winter sees him face more desperate peril as a flock of snow geese help him finish the journey. Finding solace in a dorm room with two young college students, Walter heads home with one of them to a ranch in Texas where he is adopted by the close-knit family and their quirky pets.
Walter forms a quick bond with the scientist grandfather who spends every day with Walter, working on a project in a mysterious tiny shack behind the house. This secret work soon becomes the center of Walter's life--and his fate--when he is thrust into an epic struggle for survival against cosmic forces that threaten to destroy the world.
For fans of Watership Down and The Secret of NIMH, A Pigeon's Tale is a mind-bending sci-fi adventure tale about friendship, loyalty, and destiny.
Publication Date: 05/29/15
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fantasy
Synopsis: The realities of teen prostitution are revealed in this eye-opening, heartbreaking story from the author of America, which Booklist called “a piercing, unforgettable novel” and Kirkus Reviews deemed “a work of sublime humanity.”
As a teen girl in Newark, New Jersey, lost in the foster care system, Dime just wants someone to care about her, to love her. A family. And that is exactly what she gets—a daddy and two “wifeys.” So what if she has to go out and earn some coins to keep her place? It seems a fair enough exchange for love.
Dime never meant to become a prostitute. It happened so gradually, she pretty much didn’t realize it was happening until it was too late.
But when a new “wifey” joins the family and Dime finds out that Daddy doesn’t love her the way she thought he did, will Dime have the strength to leave? And will Daddy let her?
As a teen girl in Newark, New Jersey, lost in the foster care system, Dime just wants someone to care about her, to love her. A family. And that is exactly what she gets—a daddy and two “wifeys.” So what if she has to go out and earn some coins to keep her place? It seems a fair enough exchange for love.
Dime never meant to become a prostitute. It happened so gradually, she pretty much didn’t realize it was happening until it was too late.
But when a new “wifey” joins the family and Dime finds out that Daddy doesn’t love her the way she thought he did, will Dime have the strength to leave? And will Daddy let her?
Publication Date: 05/26/15
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: Meet Billy Sure, twelve-year-old inventor and CEO of Sure Things, Inc., and discover all of his wild and wacky inventions in this start to a hilarious middle grade series!
Everyone is talking about Billy Sure, the twelve-year-old CEO of Sure Things, Inc. and genius inventor of the All Ball, a ball that turns into different sports balls with the push of a button. Now Billy wants to help other kids achieve their inventing dreams just like he has!
So Billy is hosting an online contest for other kid-inventors to share their inventions, and the winning submission will be produced by his company. Ideas like the Sibling Silencer, No-Wash Socks, and a pencil that does all your work start pouring in. With so many great ideas, how is Billy supposed to pick a winner?
And that’s not all. Billy also has to keep the secret that could take him from hero to zero in a flash if anyone found out. Can Billy Sure find a way to stay on top of the world and help other kids achieve their dreams at the same time?
Each book in this series includes Billy’s drawings and doodles of inventions and more!
Everyone is talking about Billy Sure, the twelve-year-old CEO of Sure Things, Inc. and genius inventor of the All Ball, a ball that turns into different sports balls with the push of a button. Now Billy wants to help other kids achieve their inventing dreams just like he has!
So Billy is hosting an online contest for other kid-inventors to share their inventions, and the winning submission will be produced by his company. Ideas like the Sibling Silencer, No-Wash Socks, and a pencil that does all your work start pouring in. With so many great ideas, how is Billy supposed to pick a winner?
And that’s not all. Billy also has to keep the secret that could take him from hero to zero in a flash if anyone found out. Can Billy Sure find a way to stay on top of the world and help other kids achieve their dreams at the same time?
Each book in this series includes Billy’s drawings and doodles of inventions and more!
Publication Date: 05/26/15
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: Family is power. The Original Vampire family swore it to each other a thousand years ago. They pledged to remain together always and forever. But even when you're immortal, promises are hard to keep.
Klaus, Elijah and Rebekah Mikaelson had won it all, only to lose it again by 1788. Control of New Orleans is split between the vampires and the werewolves, much to Klaus's displeasure. In a dangerous attempt to reclaim his home, Klaus decides to build a vampire army to take out the werewolves once and for all. If he can't have love, then he'll settle for power. Elijah lets his brother take the reins as he turns his attentions to a beautiful and mysterious woman. But Rebekah has had enough of her brothers' love of bloodshed and begins a journey to find her first home and the key to her family's immortality. As the battle rages on, the siblings must come together and fight for what they believe in most: family.
Klaus, Elijah and Rebekah Mikaelson had won it all, only to lose it again by 1788. Control of New Orleans is split between the vampires and the werewolves, much to Klaus's displeasure. In a dangerous attempt to reclaim his home, Klaus decides to build a vampire army to take out the werewolves once and for all. If he can't have love, then he'll settle for power. Elijah lets his brother take the reins as he turns his attentions to a beautiful and mysterious woman. But Rebekah has had enough of her brothers' love of bloodshed and begins a journey to find her first home and the key to her family's immortality. As the battle rages on, the siblings must come together and fight for what they believe in most: family.
Publication Date: 05/26/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Historical Fiction
Synopsis: "The blade seemed to cut the air itself apart. Before he could stop, he had created a strange, ineffable crack in the air. Then, an arm reached through ... and shortly afterwards, a body followed."
Michael Phoenix is just your ordinary misfit teenager. He lives in a New England small town, his father ran off a year ago, and he falls asleep in school every now and then. However, one night, Michael accidentally opens a portal to another world, and an alien creature invades his home. All he thought he knew about the world is shattered when he is plunged into a world of darkness, a world that's strange and alien--a world that once was home to him. Michael embarks on a journey to the darkest corners of the Earth in search for purpose, home, and vengeance. He is ready to do all it takes, even if he must go to the source of his nightmares--even if he must enter the Realm of Flesh. Along the way, he gains supernatural abilities and learns to cope with loss.
A horror journey that ramps up towards a climactic showdown in the end. There's gore, twists, and violent action galore in this dark coming-of-age story. By the end of the day, each of the three main characters will have shed their fair share of blood and learned their lesson--if they live to see the end of the day.
Michael Phoenix is just your ordinary misfit teenager. He lives in a New England small town, his father ran off a year ago, and he falls asleep in school every now and then. However, one night, Michael accidentally opens a portal to another world, and an alien creature invades his home. All he thought he knew about the world is shattered when he is plunged into a world of darkness, a world that's strange and alien--a world that once was home to him. Michael embarks on a journey to the darkest corners of the Earth in search for purpose, home, and vengeance. He is ready to do all it takes, even if he must go to the source of his nightmares--even if he must enter the Realm of Flesh. Along the way, he gains supernatural abilities and learns to cope with loss.
A horror journey that ramps up towards a climactic showdown in the end. There's gore, twists, and violent action galore in this dark coming-of-age story. By the end of the day, each of the three main characters will have shed their fair share of blood and learned their lesson--if they live to see the end of the day.
Publication Date: 05/23/15
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old Emma was the only one who hadn’t given up on her boyfriend, Lucas. Everyone else—his family, his friends, his doctors—was convinced that any moment could be his last. So when Lucas miraculously returns from the brink of death, Emma thinks her prayers have been answered.
As the surprised town rejoices, Emma begins to question whether Lucas is the same boy she’s always known. When she finds an unidentifiable object on his family’s farm—and government agents come to claim it—she begins to suspect that nothing is what it seems. Emma’s out-of-this-world discovery may be the key to setting things right, but only if she and Lucas can evade the agents who are after what they have. With all her hopes and dreams on the line, Emma sets out to save the boy she loves. And with a little help from a distant star, she might just have a chance at making those dreams come true.
Publication Date: 05/19/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: Milo’s Louisiana bayou is overrun with alien bug invaders and magical creatures in this start to a breathtaking series from bestselling author Jonathan Maberry.
In a world filled with Bugs—monsters that ceaselessly ravage the Earth—Milo Silk has a hard time keeping his dreams separate from reality. So he keeps them locked up in his dream journal and hopes they’ll never come to pass. But too often, they do—like when his father disappeared three years ago. Lately, the Witch of the World has been haunting his dreams, saying he is destined to be the hero who saves everyone. But all Milo can think about is how he fears the Bugs will attack his own camp, and bring something even more terrible than ever before.
What Milo doesn’t know is that the Earth is already fighting back with its own natural power in the form of Nightsiders, magical creatures who prefer shadows to sunlight and who reside in trees, caves, and rivers. And the Nightsiders are ready to find an ally in Milo…
In a world filled with Bugs—monsters that ceaselessly ravage the Earth—Milo Silk has a hard time keeping his dreams separate from reality. So he keeps them locked up in his dream journal and hopes they’ll never come to pass. But too often, they do—like when his father disappeared three years ago. Lately, the Witch of the World has been haunting his dreams, saying he is destined to be the hero who saves everyone. But all Milo can think about is how he fears the Bugs will attack his own camp, and bring something even more terrible than ever before.
What Milo doesn’t know is that the Earth is already fighting back with its own natural power in the form of Nightsiders, magical creatures who prefer shadows to sunlight and who reside in trees, caves, and rivers. And the Nightsiders are ready to find an ally in Milo…
Publication Date: 05/19/15
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fantasy
Synopsis: Friends make everything better—and so do cookies!—in this warm-hearted novel in the tradition of Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, with a middle grade dash of sugar and spice.
Recipe for friendship: mix four very different girls, one boy, and a camp counselor. Add cookies.
When her four campers don’t get along, counselor Hannah has an idea. They gather in the kitchen at the Moonlight Ranch Summer Camp. There, they measure, mix, stir, and bake. As they bite into their warm sugar cookies, they finally seem to be friends.
But summer doesn’t last forever. And if the bond is going to survive the long school year, these kids will need a plan, a plan that just might require cookies.
Complete with recipes, this book will satisfy every reader’s craving for something sweet—just like a homemade sugar cookie.
Recipe for friendship: mix four very different girls, one boy, and a camp counselor. Add cookies.
When her four campers don’t get along, counselor Hannah has an idea. They gather in the kitchen at the Moonlight Ranch Summer Camp. There, they measure, mix, stir, and bake. As they bite into their warm sugar cookies, they finally seem to be friends.
But summer doesn’t last forever. And if the bond is going to survive the long school year, these kids will need a plan, a plan that just might require cookies.
Complete with recipes, this book will satisfy every reader’s craving for something sweet—just like a homemade sugar cookie.
Publication Date: 05/19/15
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis:
From #1 New York Times bestselling authors Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer, OFF THE PAGE is a tender and appealing YA novel filled with romance, humor, and adventure.
Delilah and Oliver shouldn’t be together. But they are together. And just as they’re getting used to the possibility that happily ever after may really, truly be theirs, the universe sends them a message they can’t ignore: they won’t be allowed to rewrite their story.
Delilah and Oliver must decide how much they’re willing to risk for love and what it takes to have a happy ending in a world where the greatest adventures happen off the page.
“Off the Page is just so sweet and magical. In high school, I would have given ANYTHING to crawl inside one of my favorite books to escape the real world. I wish!”—SARAH DESSEN, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Saint Anything
Publication Date: 05/19/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Romance
Synopsis:
Found as a baby, on a bed of moss under an old growth tree, Cedar’s beginning was a mystery. As she began her sixth grade year, Cedar resembled her namesake with her wild mane of brown hair, her sinewy body, and deer-like eyes. She makes her first true friend, a new student, Phillip, with whom she shares her special woodland spot along with the gifts
it brings.
When Cedar falls suddenly ill, Phillip discovers that her health is connected to the fate of the forest where she was found. Their special woods are threatened by an impending development, so they create a plan to save it which includes a hospital, a getaway car, and a protest.
Publication Date: 05/15/15
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: From London’s vilest slums to its grandest palaces, Wild Boy and Clarissa hunt a murderous poisoner in hope of proving themselves to a skeptical society.
London, 1842. Wild Boy, master detective and former freak-show performer, and Clarissa, circus acrobat and troublemaker, are the secret last hope of a city beset by horror. A poisoner stalks the streets, leaving victims mad with terror—and then dead. Can the Black Terror be traced to a demon called Malphas? With their partnership threatened by rules and regulations, can Wild Boy and Clarissa uncover a cure in time to save the queen and the city?
London, 1842. Wild Boy, master detective and former freak-show performer, and Clarissa, circus acrobat and troublemaker, are the secret last hope of a city beset by horror. A poisoner stalks the streets, leaving victims mad with terror—and then dead. Can the Black Terror be traced to a demon called Malphas? With their partnership threatened by rules and regulations, can Wild Boy and Clarissa uncover a cure in time to save the queen and the city?
Publication Date: 05/12/15
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Historical Fiction
Synopsis: "Adventures with Waffles follows friends Trille and Lena as they share wonderful adventures and help each other through difficult times. A Norwegian story of family, friendship, and waffles that works well for kids starting to read early middle grade novels." - Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor
Lena is Trille’s best friend, even if she is a girl. And there is never an ordinary day when you’ve got a best friend like Lena.
Hardly a day passes without Trille and Lena inventing some kind of adventure that often ends in trouble. Whether it’s coaxing a cow onto a boat or sledding down the steepest and iciest hill with a chicken, there is always a thrill—and sometimes an injury—to be had. Trille loves to share everything with Lena, even Auntie Granny’s waffles. But when Lena has to move away and Auntie Granny leaves the world, it sometimes seems like nothing will ever be right again. The warmth of friendship and the support of family suffuse this lightly illustrated novel, proving that when times are tough, a little taste of sweetness can make all the difference.
Lena is Trille’s best friend, even if she is a girl. And there is never an ordinary day when you’ve got a best friend like Lena.
Hardly a day passes without Trille and Lena inventing some kind of adventure that often ends in trouble. Whether it’s coaxing a cow onto a boat or sledding down the steepest and iciest hill with a chicken, there is always a thrill—and sometimes an injury—to be had. Trille loves to share everything with Lena, even Auntie Granny’s waffles. But when Lena has to move away and Auntie Granny leaves the world, it sometimes seems like nothing will ever be right again. The warmth of friendship and the support of family suffuse this lightly illustrated novel, proving that when times are tough, a little taste of sweetness can make all the difference.
Publication Date: 05/12/15
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: For Reluctant Readers
Synopsis: Chuckle your way through this easy-to-read illustrated chapter book about a big-toothed beaver who learns the importance of self-acceptance.
All beavers have flat tails and furry coats. Most beavers have two front teeth. And then there’s Buck. Unlike the rest of his family, he has one gigantic front tooth—and he hates it! His tooth ruins everything for him, especially the Annual Talent Show.
Whatever Buck tries to do for the contest—whistle, walk on stilts, blow bubbles—his tooth gets in the way. Can Buck learn to embrace his inner tooth?
All beavers have flat tails and furry coats. Most beavers have two front teeth. And then there’s Buck. Unlike the rest of his family, he has one gigantic front tooth—and he hates it! His tooth ruins everything for him, especially the Annual Talent Show.
Whatever Buck tries to do for the contest—whistle, walk on stilts, blow bubbles—his tooth gets in the way. Can Buck learn to embrace his inner tooth?
Publication Date: 05/12/15
Age Level: 5 - 8
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Synopsis: A girl looking to escape her past in New York City ends up on the run from a dangerous conspiracy in this sizzling, high-stakes novel.
When seventeen-year-old Liva came to New York City, all she wanted was to escape the painful memories of her past and finally find a fresh start. Her hopes for a new future were dashed the moment she became the sole witness to a brutal murder. When she’s taken into police custody—supposedly for her own protection—she realizes something isn’t right, but it’s too late. Soon, bullets start flying, and Liva realizes that she is not just a witness, but the target—and she needs to escape before it’s too late.
With the help of a sexy car thief that she met at the station, Liva manages to get away from the massacre unharmed, but now the two of them are alone in New York, trying to outrun and outwit the two killers who will stop at nothing to find them. Liva and Jay are living on the edge, but when you’re on the edge, there’s a long way to fall.
When seventeen-year-old Liva came to New York City, all she wanted was to escape the painful memories of her past and finally find a fresh start. Her hopes for a new future were dashed the moment she became the sole witness to a brutal murder. When she’s taken into police custody—supposedly for her own protection—she realizes something isn’t right, but it’s too late. Soon, bullets start flying, and Liva realizes that she is not just a witness, but the target—and she needs to escape before it’s too late.
With the help of a sexy car thief that she met at the station, Liva manages to get away from the massacre unharmed, but now the two of them are alone in New York, trying to outrun and outwit the two killers who will stop at nothing to find them. Liva and Jay are living on the edge, but when you’re on the edge, there’s a long way to fall.
Publication Date: 05/12/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Synopsis: *"This savvy, insightful take on the modern family makes for nearly nonstop laughs."—Kirkus Reviews, Starred
Stewart, 13: Socially clueless genius.
Ashley, 14: Popular with everyone but her teachers
Ashley's and Stewart's worlds collide when Stewart and his dad move in with Ashley and her mom. The Brady Bunch it isn't. Stewart is trying to be 89.9 percent happy about it--he's always wanted a sister. But Ashley is 110 percent horrified. She already has to hide the real reason her dad moved out; “Spewart” could further threaten her position at the top of the social ladder.
They're complete opposites, but they have one thing in common: they—like everyone else—are made of molecules.
In this hilarious and deeply moving story, award-winning author Susin Nielsen has created two narrators who will steal your heart and make you laugh out loud.
Praise
NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People
Nominated for the George Peach Book Award for Teen Readers
Nominated to the Pacific Northwest Young Reader’s Choice Award
Texas Lone Star Reading List
"A laugh-out-loud story of two teens learning to adjust to unusual family life that neither expected...Everyone from teenagers to adults will enjoy this story of ups and downs, laughter and tears, and the healing power of love."--VOYA
*"Drama, humour, poignancy, and suspense are rarely found in such perfect proportions..some truly funny writing...stellar, top notch stuff."—Quill & Quire, Starred
What Other Authors Are Saying
“Susin Nielsen is one of the best writers working today. In We Are All Made of Molecules, her astonishing ability to combine insight, tenderness, poignancy, and uproarious humor is in full flower. Susin Nielsen is a genius, and kids and adults alike will adore this book.” —Susan Juby, author of The Truth Commission
“What a skilled, gifted writer Susin is!…There’s so much to love about this story . . . but what grabbed me the most is the humor.” —Christopher Paul Curtis, Newbery Medal–winning author of Bud, Not Buddy and The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963
Stewart, 13: Socially clueless genius.
Ashley, 14: Popular with everyone but her teachers
Ashley's and Stewart's worlds collide when Stewart and his dad move in with Ashley and her mom. The Brady Bunch it isn't. Stewart is trying to be 89.9 percent happy about it--he's always wanted a sister. But Ashley is 110 percent horrified. She already has to hide the real reason her dad moved out; “Spewart” could further threaten her position at the top of the social ladder.
They're complete opposites, but they have one thing in common: they—like everyone else—are made of molecules.
In this hilarious and deeply moving story, award-winning author Susin Nielsen has created two narrators who will steal your heart and make you laugh out loud.
Praise
NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People
Nominated for the George Peach Book Award for Teen Readers
Nominated to the Pacific Northwest Young Reader’s Choice Award
Texas Lone Star Reading List
"A laugh-out-loud story of two teens learning to adjust to unusual family life that neither expected...Everyone from teenagers to adults will enjoy this story of ups and downs, laughter and tears, and the healing power of love."--VOYA
*"Drama, humour, poignancy, and suspense are rarely found in such perfect proportions..some truly funny writing...stellar, top notch stuff."—Quill & Quire, Starred
What Other Authors Are Saying
“Susin Nielsen is one of the best writers working today. In We Are All Made of Molecules, her astonishing ability to combine insight, tenderness, poignancy, and uproarious humor is in full flower. Susin Nielsen is a genius, and kids and adults alike will adore this book.” —Susan Juby, author of The Truth Commission
“What a skilled, gifted writer Susin is!…There’s so much to love about this story . . . but what grabbed me the most is the humor.” —Christopher Paul Curtis, Newbery Medal–winning author of Bud, Not Buddy and The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963
Publication Date: 05/12/15
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction