Fierce Pretty Things


Book Description

In these eight darkly comic stories, Tom Howard explores the instincts for violence and tenderness that mark his character's lives. A brother and sister wander the pier after a deadly plague destroys most of humanity. A high school bully struggles to overcome his demons. A man in the grips of dementia is visited by his children's ghosts. The people in these blistering tales grapple with past mistakes, trying to navigate their way toward redemption and resurrection and failing often—but always with a ferocious heart. Their unforgettable voices guide us through schoolyards, cemeteries, drive-in theaters, and the rich landscapes of their own imaginations. Equal parts funny, tragic, and wise, Fierce Pretty Things is a striking debut that teaches us how to live in a world as cruel as it is beautiful.




It's a Beautiful Thing…


Book Description

Love messes you up. Sometimes it messes you over so bad that it kills you. Literally. Katie did not expect to die young; but once it begins, she has to say goodbye to life as she knows it. Other times it makes you do crazy things. Meet Iben. She’s desperate to be loved by bad boy Andy Thompson. Meet Dave. He’s in the closet, but not for much longer… This book contains three love story, each different from the next in many ways. They are centered around three types of relationships—gay, lesbian and straight.




All the Pretty Things


Book Description

"A skillfully plotted mystery, bursting with the glare and feverish energy of its summer amusement park setting. The atmosphere creeps up on you...[and] dark secrets await."--Holly Jackson, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder For fans of Sadie and One of Us Is Lying comes a thriller about a boy who turns up dead under suspicious circumstances and the one girl who may be the key to solving the mystery of his untimely death. For Ivy, summer means roller-coaster season, spinning cotton candy at the Fabuland amusement park, and hanging out with her best friend, Morgan. But this summer is different. One morning, Morgan finds a dead body. It's their former classmate Ethan, who was alive and working at Fabuland only the day before. To make matters worse, Morgan is taken to a hospital psych ward only days later, and she's not saying much--not even to Ivy. The police claim that Ethan simply took a bad fall, but Ivy isn't convinced and realizes it's up to her to get answers. What she finds is unsettling--it's clear that some people aren't being honest about Ethan's last night at Fabuland. Including Morgan. And the more secrets Ivy uncovers, the closer she gets to unraveling dark truths that will change her life forever. "A dark and timely thriller."-Amelia Brunskill, author of The Window




Sithok


Book Description

John McConnell was visiting elementary school classrooms to teach science when he came upon a shy third-grade boy who did not want to go to school. Ryan wanted to stay home and build robots. That sparked McConnell’s interest, and he discovered Ryan had an intensity for electronics uncommon for his age. The boy already had great building skills and was doing circuit drawings. The author’s curiosity led him to mentor Ryan—an arrangement that lasted well beyond college and resulted in the winning of $500,000 worth of cash, scholarships, and a Dr. Glen Seaborg week trip to the Nobel Awards. When McConnell was not mentoring Ryan, he was visiting classes in the area, presenting his program hands-on science and mentoring other students. When a school district gave him six thousand square feet of space, he created the Western Colorado Math & Science Center with over 150 exhibits. Students came on field trips from more than 100 miles away. McConnell also conducted science workshops to train teachers, capping his career of volunteerism by founding the Eureka! McConnell Science Museum in Grand Junction, Colorado.




REPLY ALL...and Other Ways to Tank Your Career


Book Description

Frieman, host of the "Modern Manners Guy" podcast on the Quick and Dirty Tips network, wants to help his fellow young professionals navigate the waters of office life and create a hazard-free career. His approach alternates between the buddy-buddy and tough love approach: "Say it with me: The world doesn't owe me anything." Complete with tips from celebrities and successful businesspeople, such as the cofounder of Warby Parker and the owner of Magnolia Bakery, the author covers job interview etiquette, the art of making a good impression, the best way to handle a first day on the job, dealing with co-workers and office politics, socializing at work, handling social media at work, not losing it at work events, business travel etiquette, and workplace relationships.




River Teeth


Book Description

In his passionate, luminous novels, David James Duncan has won the devotion of countless critics and readers, earning comparisons to Harper Lee, Tom Robbins, and J.D. Salinger, to name just a few. Now Duncan distills his remarkable powers of observation into this unique collection of short stories and essays. At the heart of Duncan's tales are characters undergoing the complex and violent process of transformation, with results both painful and wondrous. Equally affecting are his nonfiction reminiscences, the "river teeth" of the title. He likens his memories to the remains of old-growth trees that fall into Northwestern rivers and are sculpted by time and water. These experiences—shaped by his own river of time—are related with the art and grace of a master storyteller. In River Teeth, a uniquely gifted American writer blends two forms, taking us into the rivers of truth and make-believe, and all that lies in between.




Journey


Book Description

The winner of the prestigious Caldecott Honor, and described by the New York Times as 'a masterwork', Aaron Becker's stunning, wordless picture book debut about self-determination and unexpected friendship follows a little girl who draws a magic door on her bedroom wall. Through it she escapes into a world where wonder, adventure and danger abound. Red marker pen in hand, she creates a boat, a balloon and a flying carpet which carry her on a spectacular journey ... who knows where? When she is captured by a sinister emperor, only an act of tremendous courage and kindness can set her free. Can it also guide her home and to happiness? In this exquisitely illustrated book, an ordinary child is launched on an extraordinary, magical journey towards her greatest and most rewarding adventure of all...




Best. Night. Ever.


Book Description

Love Actually meets Adventures in Babysitting in this “fun, fresh” (Kirkus Reviews) novel written by seven authors about seven classmates who are preparing for a crazy night at their middle school dance. Lynnfield Middle School is prepped and ready for a dance to remember, including an awesome performance from Heart Grenade, the all-girl band who recently won a Battle of the Bands contest. Seven classmates—Carmen, Genevieve, Tess, Ryan, Ellie, Ashlyn, and Jade—intend to make the most of the night…or at least the five of them who are able to attend do. The other two would sacrifice almost anything to be there. One thing’s for sure—this entire crew is in for one epic night! Gail Nall, Dee Romito, Rachele Alpine, Ronni Arno, Alison Cherry, Stephanie Faris, and Jen Malone have created a charming, hilarious, and relatable novel that’s perfect for anyone who can’t wait to dance the night away.




My Teenage Werewolf


Book Description

A veteran journalist navigates the mother-daughter relationship at its most crucial moment With the eye of a reporter, the curiosity of an anthropologist, and the open (and sometimes wounded) heart of a mother, award-winning author Lauren Kessler embeds herself in her about-to-be-teenage daughter's life. In seventh- and eighth-grade classrooms, at home, online, at the mall, and at summer camp, Kessler observes, investigates, chronicles- and participates in-the life of a twenty-first-century teen. As she begins to better understand and appreciate her mercurial daughter, their relationship-at first a mirror of the author's difficult relationship with her own mother-lurches in new directions. With the help of a resident teen expert (her daughter), as well as teachers, doctors, therapists, and other mothers, Kessler illuminates the age-old struggle from both sides, gracefully interweaving personal experience with journalistic inquiry. Funny, poignant, and insightful, My Teenage Werewolf explores the fascinating and scary world of today's teen as it comes to grips with the single most important relationship in a woman's life.