Heartsongs


Book Description

Mattie Stepanek began writing poetry and short stories at the age of three. Some of his poetry explores the uncensored reality of living with a rare form of muscular dystrophy and with the grief associated with the loss of his three siblings to the same life-threatening condition. But most of his poems proclaim the innocent hope. profund wisdom, and delighful humor of childhood.




Marvelous Mattie


Book Description

With her sketchbook labeled My Inventions and her father's toolbox, Mattie could make almost anything – toys, sleds, and a foot warmer. When she was just twelve years old, Mattie designed a metal guard to prevent shuttles from shooting off textile looms and injuring workers. As an adult, Mattie invented the machine that makes the square-bottom paper bags we still use today. However, in court, a man claimed the invention was his, stating that she "could not possibly understand the mechanical complexities." Marvelous Mattie proved him wrong, and over the course of her life earned the title of "the Lady Edison." With charming pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations, this introduction to one of the most prolific female inventors will leave readers inspired. Marvelous Mattie is a 2007 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.




Mattie's Call


Book Description

When their mother goes missing from her nursing home, three estranged siblings must fulfill the requests left in her will before they can find closure—or receive their inheritance. Mattie Benson feels trapped in Grand Oak Acres Nursing Home. Abandoned by her adult children and missing her deceased husband, she takes matters into her own hands and leaves the facility. A Mattie’s Call is issued, and soon the siblings learn things about their mother they never knew—namely, her ability to bring them together through the conditions of her will. Gabrielle, the eldest daughter, must stop living life on her looks, get a job, and move out of the family home. This feat proves difficult for a forty-nine-year-old woman accustomed to the generosity of wealthy men. Joshua, the runaway groom, must reconnect with the son he never knew existed. He isn’t against the idea, but facing the only love of his life proves more difficult than he anticipated. Alice, Mattie’s baby girl, has been trapped in a loveless marriage for years. The stipulation that she complete her college degree scares her more than climbing a mountain, but an unforgivable moment with her husband proves she must move forward with her life. Stumbling and ultimately rising to the challenge, the siblings get to know one other as their parents’ legacy mends old wounds and paves the way for new beginnings.




Fever 1793


Book Description

It's late summer 1793, and the streets of Philadelphia are abuzz with mosquitoes and rumors of fever. Down near the docks, many have taken ill, and the fatalities are mounting. Now they include Polly, the serving girl at the Cook Coffeehouse. But fourteen-year-old Mattie Cook doesn't get a moment to mourn the passing of her childhood playmate. New customers have overrun her family's coffee shop, located far from the mosquito-infested river, and Mattie's concerns of fever are all but overshadowed by dreams of growing her family's small business into a thriving enterprise. But when the fever begins to strike closer to home, Mattie's struggle to build a new life must give way to a new fight-the fight to stay alive.




Mattie Mitchell


Book Description

An adventure story from award-winning author Gary Collins: Newfoundland's Favourite Storyteller! "There is a feeling that comes to one who goes unafraid into the wilderness. For the very few who experience it comes a sense of belonging; of being a fragile part of the mysterious whole; of profound peace; of wanting never to leave," says Gary Collins in describing the inspiration that overtook him when he penned the final pages in this, the biography of Mattie Mitchell, a hunter, trapper, and guide of Mi'kmaq descent whose daring feats became known worldwide, but which history books somehow forgot. In researching the life and times of Mattie Mitchell, critically acclaimed author Gary Collins (author of the award-winning What Colour is the Ocean?) gleaned much insight on his subject from the diary and other personal papers of Marie Sparkes, granddaughter to the remarkable Mi'kmaq woodsman. Now, for the first time, Mattie Mitchell's legendary deeds are revealed in full, comprehensive detail. In 1998, the government of Newfoundland and Labrador recognized Mattie Mitchell's contribution to the growth and prosperity of the province by opening its Mattie Mitchell Prospectors Resource Room. In 2001, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada recognized Mattie Mitchell as a person of national historic significance. In 2005, a plaque in Mattie Mitchell's honour was placed in Gros Morne National Park.




Lemons on Friday


Book Description

When your life is suddenly full of questions, how do you move forward in faith? After being married for less than a year, country music legend Alan Jackson's daughter Mattie was faced with navigating a future that didn't include her young husband and the life they dreamed of together. Ben Selecman passed away twelve days after suffering a traumatic brain injury--and three weeks before celebrating his first anniversary with his wife. Suddenly, twenty-eight-year-old Mattie had to find a way to reconcile herself with a good God, even when He did not give her the healing miracle she prayed for. In Lemons on Friday, Mattie Jackson Selecman invites you to walk with her during the first years of grief following Ben's tragic death as she grapples with her loss and leans on a steadfast God. Mattie wrestles with questions that we've all faced in the midst of grief and loss, including: How did I get here? Will this always hurt? Who am I now? Where can I find the strength to keep going? Lemons on Friday will give you the encouragement you need to see life and love in a brand new light, no matter what you're facing. Praise for Lemons on Friday: "Mattie's story carries you through a valley of unbearable heartbreak, and in the very next moment, you are experiencing an ocean of peace that is the heartbeat of Jesus. Her honesty and vulnerability in this book are a beacon of light to any heart that has experienced total darkness. The courage and wisdom expressed through her words will inspire hope in readers, no matter their walk of life." —Lauren Akins, New York Times bestselling author of Live in Love




True Grit


Book Description

#1 New York Times bestseller “An epic and a legend” —Washington Post “Quite simply, an American masterpiece.” —Boston Globe “The dialogue in True Grit is exquisite.” —David Mamet “Charles Portis had a wonderful talent—original, quirky, exciting.” —Larry McMurtry Charles Portis has long been acclaimed as one of America’s most enduring and incomparable literary voices, and his novels have left an indelible mark on the American canon. True Grit, his most famous novel, was first published in 1968, and has garnered critical acclaim as well as enthusiastic praise from countless passionate fans for more than fifty years. This story of danger and adventure in the old west became the basis for two award-winning films, the first starring John Wayne, in his only Oscar-winning role, as Marshall Rooster Cogburn, and the widely praised remake by the Coen brothers, starring Jeff Bridges. True Grit tells the story of Mattie Ross, who is just fourteen when the coward Tom Chaney shoots her father in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and robs him of his life, his horse, and $150 cash. Filled with an unwavering urge to avenge her father’s blood, Mattie finds and, after some tenacious finagling, enlists one-eyed Rooster Cogburn, the meanest available US Marshal, as her partner in pursuit, and they head off into Indian Territory after the killer. True Grit is essential reading. Not just a classic Western, but an undeniable classic of American literature as eccentric, cool, funny, and unflinching as Mattie Ross herself. For fans of either the John Wayne classic or the more recent Coen brothers’ movie, it’s a chance to relive the story of Mattie and Rooster and experience their story as it was originally told. For fans of taut, funny storytelling, it will be a joy to experience in its original form. This edition includes an afterword by bestselling author Donna Tartt (The Secret History and The Goldfinch) and a reading group guide.




Just Peace


Book Description

From a New York Times bestselling author, an inspirational world vision from the boy Jimmy Carter called “the most remarkable person I have ever known.” “I was touched by the depth of passion and awed by the firm resolve with which Mattie Stepanek pursued a dream that has evaded men and women throughout history. What began as a casual discourse . . . became a treasured and enlightening friendship that changed my life forever.” —Jimmy Carter Sometimes the most important messages come from the most unlikely places. Mattie J.T. Stepanek, a thirteen-year-old boy, made a difference before he died with his Heartsongs poetry series. He continues to impact the world through Just Peace. This poet, best-selling author, peace activist, and prominent voice for the Muscular Dystrophy Association fervently believed in world peace not just as a concept, but as a reality. Mattie was working on this manuscript with Jimmy Carter when he died in June 2004. Just Peace explores Mattie's concept of the world and all people as a unique mosaic of gifts. War and injustice shatter the mosaic, which can only be made whole again by planning and actively pursuing peace. The young visionary's essays, poetry, and photographs appear throughout the book. Just as important to the book and enlightening to the reader are Mattie's many correspondences, including his personal e-mails to and from former president Nobel Peace Laureate Jimmy Carter, Mattie's peace “hero” and role model, who has written a special forward for the book. Just Peace is an intimate portrait of a president, a young man of hope, and peace itself.




Sadie


Book Description

Look for Courtney Summer's groundbreaking new thriller, I'm the Girl, September 13th 2022 "Sadie: a novel for readers of any age, and a character as indelible as a scar. Flat-out dazzling." —A. J. Finn, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window A New York Times bestseller! An Edgar Award Winner! Appearing on over 30 Best Book of 2018 lists including The Boston Globe, Bustle, Buzzfeed, Globe and Mail, Good Morning America, NPR, Publishers Weekly, and more! A YALSA Top 10 Quick Pick 4 Starred Reviews from Kirkus, School Library Journal, Booklist, Publishers Weekly! "Sadie: a novel for readers of any age, and a character as indelible as a scar. Flat-out dazzling." —A. J. Finn, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window "Sadie is an electrifying, high-stakes road trip. Clear your schedule. You're not going anywhere until you've reached the end." —Stephanie Perkins, New York Times bestselling author of There's Someone Inside Your House and Anna and the French Kiss "A haunting, gut-wrenching, and relentlessly compelling read." —Veronica Roth, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Carve the Mark and the Divergent series A missing girl on a journey of revenge. A Serial—like podcast following the clues she's left behind. And an ending you won't be able to stop talking about. “Today, WNRK is launching the first episode of our new serialized podcast, The Girls, created and hosted by West McCray.” When popular radio personality West McCray receives a desperate phone call from a stranger imploring him to find nineteen-year-old runaway Sadie Hunter, he’s not convinced there’s a story there; girls go missing all the time. But when it’s revealed that Sadie fled home after the brutal murder of her little sister, Mattie, West travels to the small town of Cold Creek, Colorado, to uncover what happened. Sadie has no idea that her journey to avenge her sister will soon become the subject of a blockbuster podcast. Armed with a switchblade, Sadie follows meager clues hoping they’ll lead to the man who took Mattie’s life, because she’s determined to make him pay with his own. But as West traces her path to the darkest, most dangerous corners of big cities and small towns, a deeply unsettling mystery begins to unfold—one that’s bigger than them both. Can he find Sadie before it’s too late? Alternating between Sadie’s unflinching voice as she hunts the killer and the podcast transcripts tracking the clues she’s left behind, Sadie is a breathless thriller about the lengths we go to protect the ones we love and the high price we pay when we can’t. It will haunt you long after you reach the final page.




A Northern Light


Book Description

In 1906, sixteen-year-old Mattie, determined to attend college and be a writer against the wishes of her father and fiance, takes a job at a summer inn where she discovers the truth about the death of a guest. Based on a true story.