Every Parent's Nightmare


Book Description

What would you do if your son was jailed for life in a hellhole of a Bulgarian prison for a crime he didn't commit? This is the harrowing story of one father's fight to prove his son's innocence.




Bogeyman


Book Description

The New York Times bestselling author “gives a master class on true crime reporting in Bogeyman. He writes with both muscle and heart” (Gregg Olsen, #1 New York Times bestselling author). Bogeyman describes in dramatic detail and with heartrending poignancy the efforts of tenacious Texas lawmen to solve the cold case murders of three little girls and hold serial child killer David Elliot Penton accountable for his horrific crimes. From the book: “For years he’d stalked elementary schools and playground looking for young girls from low-income neighborhoods to abduct, rape and murder. He thought of them as ‘throwaway kids’—hardly missed, and soon forgotten, except by those who loved them. He was every parent’s worst nightmare. The bogeyman they warned their children about . . . the fiend who lurked outside bedroom windows.” “Absorbing and haunting! Bogeyman spills creepily across the page with Steve Jackson’s hellacious verve and insight, reminding us there are few better explorers of the American berserk.”—Ron Franscell, bestselling author of Alice & Gerald: A Homicidal Love Story “Steve Jackson’s latest, Bogeyman, reveals a living, breathing nightmare that haunted parents, as well as detectives. Be sure to add it to your reading list if you’re a fan of true crime books.”—Aaron Habel, host of Generation Why Podcast “There are true crime books that just lay out the facts, and there are true crime books that pull you deeply into a world. Jackson writes deeply . . . It’s all in Bogeyman, a fascinating, well-paced read about the lows and highs of cold case investigations.”—Katherine Ramsland, bestselling author and professor of forensic psychology, in Psychology Today




Every Parent's Nightmare


Book Description

Child abuse has to be one of the greatest evils in any society, a secretive sin that betrays innocence, destroys the essence of childhood, and can cause lifelong emotional pain and dysfunction. As a parent herself, Bruna Dessena knows that every parent's nightmare is that one day their child might be abused. How do you deal with that? How do you help the child? What do you do first? What will happen next? Every Parent's Nightmare answers all these questions. The author tells you about paedophiles and paedophile rings, including how they groom children over time to gain their trust before they abuse them. She also covers the legal aspects, what should be done when you find out, and what happens in a court of law. Bruna includes the Sexual Offences Act and the Children's Act so that you'll know the child's rights and what you can expect from the legal system in South Africa. Written simply and without undue melodrama, Bruna gives it to you straight. Recommended for all adults who have children or work with children, this book will help you to deal with the trauma if it's already happening or to guard against it happening.




Nightmares!


Book Description

"Coraline meets Monsters, Inc. in this delightfully entertaining offering from actor [Jason] Segel and co-author [Kirsten] Miller."—Publishers Weekly The hilariously frightening, middle-grade novel Nightmares! is a Texas Bluebonnet nominee and the first book in a trilogy about a boy named Charlie and a group of kids who must face their fears to save their town. Sleeping has never been so scary. And now waking up is even worse! Charlie Laird has several problems. 1. His dad married a woman he is sure moonlights as a witch. 2. He had to move into her purple mansion, which is NOT a place you want to find yourself after dark. 3.He can’t remember the last time sleeping wasn’t a nightmarish prospect. Like even a nap. What Charlie doesn’t know is that his problems are about to get a whole lot more real. Nightmares can ruin a good night’s sleep, but when they start slipping out of your dreams and into the waking world—that’s a line that should never be crossed. And when your worst nightmares start to come true . . . well, that’s something only Charlie can face. And he’s going to need all the help he can get, or it might just be lights-out for Charlie Laird. For good. Praise for Nightmares! Book one is a New York Times bestseller and Texas Bluebonnet nominee! "Charlie Laird, who learns fear will eat you alive if you feed it, makes an impression, and...readers will want to accompany him again."—The New York Times Book Review "A touching comical saga...about facing things that go bump in the night."—US Weekly "“[Nightmares!] succeeds at scaring and amusing in equal measure…[It's] sweet, charming, and imaginative."—Kirkus Reviews "Segel...and Miller build an entertaining, cartoony world full of scary (but not too scary) monsters, silly jokes, plucky kid heroes...with a promise of adventures to come."—Booklist "An engaging and creative story...woven with a generous amount [of] humor."—VOYA "There's humor and a fairly high ick-factor."—School Library Journal "Cleverly crafted...This novel presents just the right mix of 'scary and humorous.'"—ILA Literacy Daily




Dream Director


Book Description

Arlo discovers that he can stop his dreams from being scary by becoming the Dream Director! Watch as Arlo's dreams go from frightening to funny. What kind of dreams could you direct?




The Nightmare Thief


Book Description

For fans of A Snicker of Magic and The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl comes a suspenseful dark fantasy duology, perfect for middle school readers that love stories of magic and sisterhood with a dash of danger. Maren Partridge loves working in her family's dream shop where she can hand-craft any dream imaginable. The shop has only one rule. Dreams cannot be given to a person without their consent. Maren has no problem with this—until her sister, Hallie, has an accident that leaves her in a coma. Maren's certain she can cure Hallie with a few well-chosen dreams. And when no one is watching, she slips her a flying dream. But a strange new customer from the shop has been following Maren and knows what she did. Now she's laid the perfect trap to blackmail Maren into creating custom nightmares for a dark and terrible purpose. As Maren gets drawn further into the sinister scheme, she must make a choice: to protect her family or to protect the town from her family's magic. Pick up the first book in the Nightmare Thief duology if you are looking for: Suspenseful stories of magical realism for kids with a side of danger Gifts for 11 year old girls, 13 year old girls, and any young reader 11-14 that loves fantasy Books that explore bullying, family ties, and feature strong female characters Books for 4th graders, and any classroom with grades 3-8




Crossing the River


Book Description

A powerful exploration of grief and resilience following the death of the author's son that combines memoir, reportage, and lessons in how to heal Everyone deals with grief in their own way. Helen Macdonald found solace in training a wild gos­hawk. Cheryl Strayed found strength in hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. For Carol Smith, a Pulitzer Prize­ nominated journalist struggling with the sudden death of her seven-year-old son, Christopher, the way to cross the river of sorrow was through work. In Crossing the River, Smith recounts how she faced down her crippling loss through reporting a series of profiles of people coping with their own intense chal­lenges, whether a life-altering accident, injury, or diag­nosis. These were stories of survival and transformation, of people facing devastating situations that changed them in unexpected ways. Smith deftly mixes the stories of these individuals and their families with her own account of how they helped her heal. General John Shalikashvili, once the most powerful member of the American military, taught Carol how to face fear with discipline and endurance. Seth, a young boy with a rare and incurable illness, shed light on the totality of her son's experiences, and in turn helps readers see that the value of a life is not measured in days. Crossing the River is a beautiful and profoundly moving book, an unforgettable journey through grief toward hope, and a valuable, illuminating read for anyone coping with loss.




No Kids


Book Description

The shocking treatise that was a bestselling international media sensation upon its 2007 publication in France now makes its eagerly anticipated English-language debut. A mother of two herself, Maier makes her deadly serious, if at times laugh-out-loud-funny, argument with all the unbridled force of her famously wicked intellect. In forty to-the-point, impressively erudite chapters drawing on the realms of history, child psychology, politics, and the environment, Maier effortlessly skewers the idealized notion of parenthood as a natural and beautiful endeavour. Enough with this “baby-mania” that is plaguing modern society, says Maier, it’s nothing but brainwashing. Are you prepared to give up your free time, dinners with friends, spontaneous romantic getaways, and even the luxury of uninterrupted thought for the “vicious little dwarves” that will treat you like their servant, cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars, and end up resenting you? Speaking to the still “child-free”, to fellow suffering parents, and to adamant procreationists alike, No Kids is a controversial, thought-provoking, and undeniably entertaining read. Reasons to avoid having kids: •You will lose touch with your friends •Your sex life will be over •Children cost a fortune • Child-rearing is endless drudgery •Vacations will be nightmares •You’ll lose your identity and become just “mom” or “dad” •Your children will become mindless drones of capitalism •The planet’s already overcrowded •Your children will inevitably disappoint you




A Mother's Nightmare - Incest


Book Description

While alerting readers to the very real dangers that await those who accuse a spouse of child sexual abuse, author John E. B. Myers helps parents and professionals navigate the current court system to work toward attaining victory - and safety. He provides supportive and practical suggestions for documenting evidence and seeking an expert's advice. Myers demystifies the subject of incest and explains the requirements of the court systems so that mothers will enter the legal arena prepared.




Don't Say Dumb Shit


Book Description

Join a mother's trail of tears, if you dare. This story is perhaps every parent's worst nightmare come true: sibling sexual abuse. How do you survive? How can friends and family provide support? Don't be too quick to throw stones of judgement. Rather, gather your own stones of tragedy, injustice, and betrayal to memorialize all that has been lost.