Super Max's Hero Surprise


Book Description

A heart warming story about a military child separated from a loved one by deployment, and the love between them that holds no distance Deployment (definition): Any movement from a military personnel's home station to somewhere outside the continental U.S. and its territories (source: Dept. of Veterans Affairs).-Since 2001, more than 2 million children have experienced a parent deployed at least once.-Military families relocate ten times more than civilian families. This averages to a move every two to three years. -37% of children with a deployed parent reported that they seriously worry about what could happen to their deployed caretaker.-Children in military families experience high rates of mental health, trauma, and related problems. One day, during a class assembly, Max gets some strong "Super Max" vibes. A special visitor has arrived at the school, and all eyes are now staring at Max. Why is everyone looking at her, and who is the special visitor to the assembly? She saw a face that mirrored hers, with eyes so full of mist.A beaming loving grin and daisies clutched inside his fist.She recognized the uniform with black and brown and green, and on his chest, her last name sewn, could easily be seen.Max rubbed her eyes to clear them-she could not believe the sight.Convinced her eyes were tricking her, she rubbed with all her might.But then she looked again and saw the image was quite real, and promptly, Max excitedly let out the loudest squeal. Is this special visitor a brother? Cousin? Uncle? Father? Join Max as she discovers who this surprise visitor is, and why they are setting off her "Super Max" vibes. Written in rhyme and accompanied with beautiful illustration work, Super Max's Hero Surprise will take readers on an emotional journey as it captures the strength of family ties, the emotions of living through deployment separation, and the joyous feeling of re-connection.










Arnold the Super-ish Hero


Book Description

Meet Arnold, an unconventional superhero. Though Arnold works in the family superhero business, he isn’t a superhero. He doesn’t even have a superpower, unless you count taking down messages. But one day, a call from a girl in distress comes in to superhero headquarters, and Arnold’s the only one around. He has to go. Determined to succeed, Arnold helps all kinds of people along the way. And that’s before he even finds the caller! He does so many good deeds, in fact, that he’s identified as a masked man “helping the good guys.” Wait, could being nice be a superpower? Just when the world can use some compassion, here’s Super Nice Guy to the rescue!




Heathers


Book Description

What’s your damage? In 1989, Michael Lehmann’s black comedy Heathers drew a line in the sand, rebuffing the sweetness and optimism of John Hughes’ more popular fare with darkness and death. Launching the careers of Winona Ryder and Christian Slater, Heathers became a cult classic, ranking #5 on Entertainment Weekly’s list of the 50 Best High School Movies and inspiring hoards of teen films that vastly overshadow its fame but lack its acid wit, moral complexity, and undeniable emotional punch. For the latest installment of Deep Focus, John Ross Bowie blends captivating memoir with astute analysis, tracing the rebel-teen mythology that links Columbine, heavy metal, and The Catcher in the Rye. With help from Lehmann, screenwriter Daniel Waters, and members of the cast, Bowie thoroughly unpacks the film’s peculiar resonance. Brilliant riffs on the etymology of its teen slang, the implications of its title, and its visual debt to Stanley Kubrick show how Heathers—for all its audacious absurdity—speaks volumes about the realities of high school and of life itself.







My Black Friend Says...


Book Description

My Black Friends Says... is the book we need right now. Written as a series of short essays with pauses for reflection and journaling, MBFS... explores the issue of race in a very practical, inviting, and empowering way. This book will give readers the ability to tackle race issues from a position of knowledge and confidence. It teaches readers about the ways in which we develop biases, how to tackle those biases and associated emotions, and how to move forward without shame or fear. Though each essay addresses an individual issue related to inclusion and diversity in our society, the combined knowledge will allow people to see the nuances of racism, discrimination, and advocacy in America. With an appendix of suggested reading materials, study topics, and terms to know, this book provides you with all you need to begin your journey towards being a catalyst for change.Excerpt from the first essay, also titled "My Black Friend Says...": "Imagine this as a cross-country trip from New York to Los Angeles. Bringing your shame is like bringing your mattress from home with you on the trip, and every few miles, you have to stop and make sure it's still secure. It makes the journey impossibly long and delays everyone else who has joined in, as well. It's best to leave that mattress(shame) behind and experience all the new opportunities you'll find down the road. Some of those experiences will feel like a night at the Ritz Carlton; others will feel like a pallet on a forest floor. Experience. Learn. Reflect. Think. Fall in love with the journey and the people with which you share it." --Heather Fleming




Power Up


Book Description

A multi-author exploration of contemporary challenges in leadership, team building, and conflict, through the lens of the superhero genre. In the past decade, heroes and villains spawned from the pages of comic books have upended popular culture and revolutionized the entertainment industry. The narratives weave together a multitude of complementary and sometimes competing storylines, spun across decades, generations, and mediums, forming a complex tapestry that simultaneously captures the imagination and captivates the mind. These stories reveal our own vulnerabilities while casting an ideal to which we aspire. They pull at our deepest emotions and push us to the cusp of reality, and bring us back to Earth with a renewed hope of a better tomorrow. They are an endless source of powerful metaphors to help us learn and develop, then be the best versions of ourselves possible. Through the lens of the superhero genre, each chapter explores contemporary challenges in leadership, team building, and conflict, while emphasizing the role of humanity and human nature in our own world. Contributors: Ian Boley, Jo Brick, Mitch Brian, Max Brooks, Mike Burke, Kelsey Cipolla, Amelia Cohen-Levy, Mick Cook, Jeff Drake, Clara Engle, Candice Frost, Ronald Granieri, PhD, Heather S, Gregg, PhD, James Groves, Geoff Harkness, PhD, Theresa Hitchens, Kayla Hodges, Cory Hollon, PhD, Joshua Huminski, Erica Iverson, Alyssa Jones, Mathew Klickstein, Jonathan Klug, Matt Lancaster, Steve Leonard, Karolyn McEwen, Eric Muirhead, Jon Niccum, Kera Rolsen, Mick Ryan, Julie Still, Patrick Sullivan, Aaron Rahsaan Thomas, Dan Ward, Janeen Webb, PhD.




Undercover Agent


Book Description

He's an undercover MI6 agent looking for a lost teammate.She's an American doctor who's uncovered a potentially deadly secret.Together, can they save the world from an enemy out to destroy both of their countries? Lynx It was one night. A night of pure passion and desire. A night I will never forget. But she walked out, and I never stopped thinking about her. Now, she's back. Within my reach. And again, she's off-limits. She belongs to someone else. One of my men. Teaming up with her to take down those who threaten our freedoms seems like a perfect way to get close to her. But there's more at stake than ever before. Emerson I never forgot him. He was-is-unlike any other man I'd ever known. But the timing was off; I had more happening in my life than I could handle. Now, with him right here, I can feel how much I've missed: His touch, his scent, his taste. Except, there's more on the line than a love affair. We have to keep it professional. But can I do that when I need so much more from this undercover agent?




Don't Mom Alone


Book Description

Being a good mom isn't about doing everything right to create a set of perfect trophy children--though every mom has felt the pressure to do just that and to do it all on her own. To ask for help feels like defeat. Yet when we try to do it all by our own strength, we end up depleted, lonely, and ineffective. Heather MacFadyen wants you to know that you are not meant to go it alone. Sharing her most vulnerable, hard mom moments, she shows how moms can be empowered by God, supported by others, and connected with their children. With encouragement and insight, she helps you foster the key relationships you need to be the mom you want to be. Whether you work or stay home, whether you have teenagers or babes in arms, you'll find here a compassionate friend who wants the best--not just for your kids but for you.




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