Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: Death and grief

Book SynopsisFor readers of This Is How It Ends and All the Bright Places, How We Ricochet takes an intimate and unflinching look into the devastating consequences of a mass shooting for one girl and her close-knit family, from Faith Gardner, acclaimed author of Girl on the Line. It seems sometimes a charade that we continue celebrating in the face of relentless tragedy. How dare we? But then . . . what else is there to do?Betty’s mom needed new pants for her job.That was why Betty was at the mall with her mom and sister when the shooting started.Afterward, nothing is the same.There are no easy answers to be found, and Betty’s search for them leads her to Michael, the brother of the shooter. But this path only shows Betty one thing: that everything she thought she knew—about herself, about the world around her—can change in a heartbeat.A moving, powerful

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Book SynopsisSet against the backdrop of Caribbean folklore, Lisa Stringfellow’s spellbinding middle grade debut tells of a grieving girl and a vengeful mermaid and will enchant readers who loved Kacen Callender’s Hurricane Child or Christian McKay Heidicker’s Scary Stories for Young Foxes.Trade Review“Imbued with a magic that felt as real as the concrete and beloved world in which it is set, this story moves with a plot that is both surefooted and wild, both inexorable and surprising, both cerebral and emotional. I loved it so much.” — Kelly Barnhill, author of the Newbery-winning novel The Girl Who Drank the Moon “Captivating and creative, magical and moving, this enchanting tale about grief and abiding love will hold you spellbound. What a joy and honor to welcome this brilliant new voice, as beautiful as the ocean and as bright as a mermaid’s tears.” — Padma Venkatraman, Walter Award winning author of The Bridge Home "Stringfellow weaves an enchanting tale of loss, longing, and discovery infused with Caribbean folklore. Readers will be captivated by Kela’s story and become invested in her journey as she tries to deal with the grief of losing her mother as well as regret for her past actions." — Kirkus Reviews "Kela’s primary narration allows for a harmonious blend of contemporary island life and Afro-Caribbean lore, while chapters focusing on Ophidia draw on elements of Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid.” The third-person narration of the interspersed sections echoes a rhythmic traditional call-and-response that links the teller and the listener." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books "Stringfellow’s middle-grade debut is a wondrous and original story that incorporates Caribbean culture and folklore. Told in alternating points of views between Kela and Ophidia, the novel leads us through a story about family that spans hundreds of years and will captivate readers until the end." — Booklist "A unique blend of Caribbean folklore and realistic grief with a vindictive mermaid twist. Hand to fans of mermaid tales, general fantasy lovers, and readers ­seeking a rare gem in the genre." — School Library Journal "The story is imbued with magic, but Stringfellow’s powerful writing makes the fantastical feel like reality. Through narrative perspectives centering both Kela and Ophidia, the author recalls the call-and-response structure prevalent in Black storytelling traditions. Fans of Baptiste’s The Jumbies and Rhodes’s Bayou Magic will enjoy spending time with Kela as she navigates a journey filled with grief, love, loss, and discovery." — Horn Book Magazine "Stringfellow brings a fantastical approach to one character’s processing of grief as, with the support of secondary characters, Kela begins to truly navigate her pain while unearthing the stories and lore that are her heritage." — Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“GET EVEN expertly mixes suspense and snark, proving once again that Gretchen McNeil is a master of the teen thriller.” -- Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan, founders of Go Fug Yourself“Don’t get mad, get reading this wild ride filled with twists and turns, revenge and romance, suspense and Shakespeare. I can’t wait to see what Gretchen McNeil comes up with next.” -- Elizabeth Eulberg, author of Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality“A revenge story with murder, mayhem, and Gretchen McNeil’s signature snark? Yes please! Gretchen proves once and for all that revenge is a dish best served deadly. Readers will be immediately sucked into the dangerously intriguing world of DGM and by the end they’ll be dying for the sequel.” -- Jessica Brody, bestselling author of The Unremembered Trilogy and The Karma Club“GET EVEN is an edge-of-your-seat, sink-your-teeth-into-it mystery -- filled with vivid, intriguing characters, set against the ruthless landscape of a modern high school. I’m dying for the next book!” -- Katie Alender, author of the Bad Girls Don't Die series“This suspenseful whodunit…is sure to appeal to a broad audience and engage reluctant readers.” -- Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)“A compelling contemporary thriller” -- Kirkus Reviews“If you’re a Pretty Little Liars fan, it’s safe to say you’ll love Get Even” -- Bustle.com“Will engage readers.” -- Romantic Times“Ever-enjoyable…McNeil has a screenwriter’s instincts.” -- Booklist“The suspense that McNeil (Ten) builds should keep readers curious to discover what happens next.” -- Publishers WeeklyPraise for 3:59: “This book is scientifically action-packed, complete with monsters and drama. Teens who are fans of the ever-popular Dr. Who television series will love this book.”—VOYA -- Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)Praise for 3:59: “McNeil’s movie-quick setup speed and humorously inventive language...make her a very welcoming author who succeeds at injecting fresh verve into some stalwart sci-fi concepts.” -- BooklistPraise for TEN: “A breathless read.” -- Kirkus ReviewsPraise for TEN: “In the esteemed tradition of teen horror fiction, TEN hits all the high notes: a stormy night, illicit liaisons, cut phone lines, suspicious disappearances, double-crosses, secret histories, and plenty of twists.” -- BooklistPraise for TEN: “Agatha Christie meets Gossip Girl in McNeil’s throwback to old-school thrillers.” -- Publishers WeeklyPraise for TEN: “A quick-paced thriller full of half-facts and red herrings that take readers through the twists and turns of a deadly weekend.” -- School Library JournalPraise for TEN: “Gretchen McNeil’s TEN is my new number one! I jumped at every creaking floorboard in my house and on the page. This is sure to be a teen thriller classic!” -- Nancy Holder, Bram Stoker Award winning author of THE SCREAMING SEASONPraise for TEN: “TEN is a real page turner! Gretchen McNeil knows how to plot a thriller: Her setup is flawless and the suspense kept me on the edge of my seat.” -- Christopher Pike, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the THIRST series and REMEMBER MEPraise for POSSESS: “A fantastic YA debut …. the humor and occasional twists will keep fans of the genre hooked and wanting to finish this book in one sitting.” -- School Library JournalPraise for POSSESS: “McNeil strikes a fine balance between outright scares and sarcastic humor…[a] light, entertaining read.” -- ALA BooklistPraise for POSSESS: “With demons, secrets, and a butt-kicking heroine, POSSESS is a whole lotta dark and twisted fun!” -- Kimberly Derting, author of the Body Finder seriesPraise for POSSESS: “A dark, unique, and intelligent novel with frightening twists around every corner that left me breathless.” -- Courtney Allison Moulton, author of ANGELFIRE

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Book Synopsis?I am obsessed with this story!??Erin Entrada Kelly, author of the Newbery Honor Book We Dream of Space ?Boldly tells readers to take a closer look at the stories they?re told?not to mention at the wolves that might be lurking in the shadows. A clear-eyed, big-hearted fable of compassion, friendship, and love.??Anne Ursu, author of The Real Boy?A lyrical tale of loss and survival, tradition and belief, in which tension and secrets build like a towering wave.??Diane Magras, author of The Mad Wolf?s Daughter?A fable as polished and timeless as a fine wooden toy.??Catherine Gilbert Murdock, author of the Newbery Honor Book The Book of BoyShunned by his fearful village, a twelve-year-old apprentice embarks on a surprising quest to clear his name, with a mythic?and dangerous?wolf following closely at his heels. Jessica Vitalis?s debut is a gorgeous, voice-driven literary fantasy about family, fate, and long-held traditions. The Wolf?s Curse will engross readers of The Girl Who Drank the Moon and A Wish in the Dark. Gauge?s life has been cursed since the day he cried Wolf and was accused of witchcraft. The Great White Wolf brings only death, Gauge?s superstitious village believes. If Gauge can see the Wolf, then he must be in league with it.So instead of playing with friends in the streets or becoming his grandpapa?s partner in the carpentry shop, Gauge must hide and pretend he doesn?t exist. But then the Wolf comes for his grandpapa. And for the first time, Gauge is left all alone, with a bounty on his head and the Wolf at his heels.A young feather collector named Roux offers Gauge assistance, and he is eager for the help. But soon the two?both recently orphaned?are questioning everything they have ever believed about their village, about the Wolf, and about death itself. Narrated by the sly, crafty Wolf, Jessica Vitalis?s debut novel is a vivid and literary tale about family, friendship, belonging, and grief. The Wolf?s Curse will captivate readers of Laurel Snyder?s Orphan Island and Molly Knox Ostertag?s The Witch Boy.

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Book SynopsisAn inventive and fantastical reimagining of Anne of Green Gables with magic and witches! that explores found family, loss, and the power of a girl's imagination, from the acclaimed author of The Language of Ghosts and The School Between Winter and Fairyland. Perfect for readers who loved The Girl Who Drank the Moon and Serafina and the Black Cloak.A magical, witchy, and thoroughly successful homage to a classic. Kirkus Reviews (starred review)Grace has never been good at anything except magic not that anyone believes her.While other children are adopted from the orphanage, nobody wants Grace. So she decides to make a home for herself by running away and offering herself as an apprentice to the witch in the nearby woods. After all, who better to teach Grace to use her magic? Surely the witch can't be that bad.But the witch is that bad she steals souls for spells and gobbles up hearts. So Grace offers a deal: If she can learn all 1001/2 spells in the witch's grimoire, the witch will make Grace her apprentice. But if Grace fails, the witch can take her magic. The witch agrees, and soon an unexpected bond develops between them.But the spells are much harder than Grace expected, and when a monster from the witch's past threatens the home Grace has built, she may have to sacrifice more than her magic to save it.

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Book SynopsisFrom the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of Once and for AllThe world is a terrible place not to have a best friend. Scarlett was always the strong one. Halley was always content to follow in her wake. Then Scarlett’s boyfriend died, and Scarlett learned that she was pregnant. Now Halley has to find the strength to take the lead and help Scarlett get through it. Because true friendship is a promise you keep forever. * “Dessen has written a powerful, polished story.”—School Library Journal, starred review Sarah Dessen is the winner of the Margaret A. Edwards Award for her contributions to YA literature, as well as the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award. Books by Sarah Dessen:That SummerSomeone Like YouKeeping the MoonDreamlandThis LullabyThe Truth About Forever <

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Book SynopsisA moving story of love and loss from National Book Award winner , Jacqueline Woodson. Great for fans of Angie Thomas and Nic Stone.You are so light you move with the wind and the snow. . . . And it lifts you up-over a world of sadness and anger and fear. Over a world of first kisses and hands touching and someone you're falling in love with. She's there now. Right there. . . .Miah and Ellie were in love. Even though Miah was black and Ellie was white, they made sense together. Then Miah was killed. This was the ending.And it was the beginning of grief for the many people who loved Miah. Now his mother has stopped trying, his friends are lost and Ellie doesn't know how to move on. And there is Miah, watching all of this--unable to let go.How do we go on after losing someone we love? This is the question the living and the dead are asking.With the help of each other, the living will come together. Miah will sit beside them. They will feel Mia

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Book SynopsisThe newest heartwrenchingly powerful novel from the bestelling author of IF I STAY.   When her best friend Meg drinks a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is understandably shocked and devastated. She and Meg shared everything—so how was there no warning? But when Cody travels to Meg’s college town to pack up the belongings left behind, she discovers that there’s a lot that Meg never told her. About her old roommates, the sort of people Cody never would have met in her dead-end small town in Washington. About Ben McAllister, the boy with a guitar and a sneer, and some secrets of his own. And about an encrypted computer file that Cody can’t open—until she does, and suddenly everything Cody thought she knew about her best friend’s death gets thrown into question.   I Was Here is Gayle Forman at her finest, a taut, emotional, and ultimately redemptive story about redefining the

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Book SynopsisFrom the #1 bestselling author of Heat, Travel Team and Fantasy League comes a story of heroes, family, the thrills of skateboarding, and football.When the Brighton Bears suit up on game day, 12-year-old Tommy Gallagher is the toughest kid on the football field. And the bravest. After all, his father Patrick is a Boston firefighter--one of Boston's bravest. Tommy's dad taught him everything he knows about football--and life. Yet even Tommy isn't strong enough for what happens when the sirens ring and, for the first time, they're racing away from the fire. First man in; last man out had always been his dad's motto . . . yet he never said anything about leaving in an ambulance. Now Tommy's biggest battle has nothing to do with football. And the kid who always had such respect for risk on the gridiron finds himself drawn to it off the field.Set in New England, home of the Patriots' football dynasty,

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Book SynopsisThis treasure of a book, for people of all faiths, is a starting point for parents who must talk about the difficult topic of death with their children.What should parents say when a loved one dies? Heaven is a difficult subject that always comes up at tough times, and Maria Shriver has written a very special book precisely for these stressful moments. What''s Heaven? is the story of Kate, a little girl whose great-grandma has just died. She seeks answers, and her mother helps her learn about Heaven. The many questions in this book are real, coming from Shriver''s own children, nieces, and nephews when her grandmother Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy passed away. With 900,000 copies of the book now in print, the loving, confident, and ultimately uplifting answers Shriver provides are helping readers'' families come together, feel closer to one another, and experience peace during the times when they need it most.

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Book SynopsisHope in the Valley, from National Book Award Nominee Mitali Perkins, is a middle-grade novel exploring grief, friendship, family, and growing up in a community facing a housing crisis.Twelve-year-old Indian-American Pandita Paul doesn''t like change. She''s not ready to start middle school and leave the comforts of childhood behind. Most of all, Pandita doesn''t want to feel like she''s leaving her mother, who died a few years ago, behind. After a falling out with her best friend, Pandita is planning to spend most of her summer break reading and writing in her favorite secret space: the abandoned but majestic mansion across the street.But then the unthinkable happens. The town announces that the old home will be bulldozed in favor of newmaybe affordablehousing. With her family on opposing sides of the issue, Pandita must find her voiceand the strength to move onin order to give her community hope.

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Book SynopsisFrom Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli comes the story of a girl searching for happiness inside the walls of a prison. And don't miss the author's highly anticipated new novel, Dead Wednesday! Cammie O'Reilly lives at the Hancock County Prison--not as a prisoner, she's the warden's daughter. She spends the mornings hanging out with shoplifters and reformed arsonists in the women's excercise yard, which gives Cammie a certain cache with her school friends. But even though Cammie's free to leave the prison, she's still stuck. And sad, and really mad. Her mother died saving her from harm when she was just a baby. You wouldn't think you could miss something you never had, but on the eve of her thirteenth birthday, the thing Cammie most wants is a mom. A prison might not be the best place to search for a mother, but Cammie is determined and she's willing to work with what she's got.A tapestry of grief and redemption, woven by a master storyteller ...

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Book SynopsisIn a voice that resonates with insight and humor, New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Leitich Smith tells the story of a teenage girl who must face down her grief and reclaim her place in the world with the help of her intertribal community. It''s been six months since Cassidy Rain Berghoff’s best friend, Galen, died, and up until now she has succeeded in shutting herself off from the world. But when controversy arises around Aunt Georgia’s Indian Camp in their mostly white midwestern community, Rain decides to face the outside world again, with a new job photographing the campers for her town’s newspaper.Soon, Rain has to decide how involved she wants to become in Indian Camp. Does she want to keep a professional distance from her fellow Native teens? And, though she is still grieving, will she be able to embrace new friends and new beginnings? In partnership with We Ne

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Book SynopsisSpending the summers on her family''s private island off the coast of Massachusetts with her cousins and a special boy named Gat, teenaged Cadence struggles to remember what happened during her fifteenth summer.

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Book SynopsisTwo sisters take off on a wild road trip in this poignant tale for fans of Counting by 7s and Fish in a TreeAfter Mama Lacy’s death, Fella was forced to move in with her grandmother, Mrs. Madison. The move brought Fella all sorts of comforts she wasn't used to at home, but it also meant saying goodbye to her sister Zoey (a.k.a. Zany) and her other mother, Mama Shannon. Though Mama Shannon fought hard to keep Fella, it was no use. The marriage act is still a few years away and the courts thought Fella would be better off with a blood relation. Already heartbroken, Fella soon finds herself alone in Mrs. Madison's house, grieving both the death of her mother and the loss of her entire family.      Then one night, Zany shows up at Mrs. Madison’s house determined to fulfill Mama Lacy’s dying wish: to have her ashes spread over the lawn of the last place they were all happy as a family. Of course, this means steaTrade ReviewPraise for Ashes to Asheville:A School Library Journal Best Book of 2017A 2018 ALSC Children’s Notable2018 Rainbow List BookA 2019 Intermediate Sequoya Master List Pick★ “Dooley’s portrait of two sisters still struggling with grief and huge life changes makes for a powerful, absorbing read. . . . A tender, touching, and timely read.”—Booklist, starred review★ “Dooley (Free Verse) skillfully balances the troubling story of a family torn apart with Fella’s lively, humorous narrative . . . in this moving, entertaining, and thought-provoking tale.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review ★ “Poignantly told with verve and a splash of humor, this novel explores sensitive topics with care and belongs in all middle grade collections.”—School Library Journal, starred review “Dooley packs plenty of emotion into this eventful road trip . . . Breathless and engaging, Fella's distinctive voice is convincingly childlike.”—Kirkus Reviews “A warm tale of family possibilities after bereavement.”—BCCB “Some books can sweep you away in the first sentence.”—NPR “In her exquisite, poignant novel, Sarah Dooley (Free Verse; Body of Water) explores the strange places grief takes people.”—Shelf Awareness“[A] believable, touching story of loss and healing.”—VOYA Praise for Free Verse: ★ “Dooley subtly exposes readers to poetic forms that invite engagement, understanding, and expression, while Sasha and her extended family are depicted with a sweetness reminiscent of Cynthia Rylant—a southern soulfulness that is warm even as it reveals the downtrodden struggles of a mining community.”—Booklist, starred review ★ “The changes in [Sasha’s] life, the anguish she feels, and her journey forward are expertly portrayed through Dooley’s use of first-person narration, which is sensitive and gentle without being soft or sentimental. The poetry is wonderful and feels authentic to Sasha’s years…”—School Library Journal, starred review ★ “In this gripping story, Dooley balances a clear-eyed depiction of families wrestling with addiction, financial stress, and trauma with the astonishing resilience of children and the human capacity for love.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review “Sarah Dooley mixes poetry and prose to powerful, poignant effect in her novel Free Verse... This story brims with hard-won insight into the travails and small joys of life.”—The Washington Post “Sasha is a natural with words. They bubble out of her, spilling emotions onto paper that she couldn’t otherwise articulate. And as she experiments with different forms, Sasha discovers poetry’s double blessing: The structure stabilizes her, while the creativity sets her free.”—The Christian Science Monitor “The story mounts a quiet defense of the nobility of broken people… who hold on when all seems lost and sacrifice much out of love for their children. Sasha’s quietly moving poems… trace the evolution of her appreciation for what she has and her understanding that one must find one’s own way to wholeness after loss.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books “Dooley cleverly weaves into her novel different verse forms… giving her protagonist poet… the courage to stay put long enough to let the strength of her emotions settle inside. Dooley winningly combines engaging plot twists and rich character development with the introspective and thematic power of poetry: not to be missed.”—Kirkus Reviews “Dooley shows readers the richness of small-town life… Tween fans of realistic fiction will find depth in this novel.”—VOYA “Sasha lives in a tough coal mining world, and the hurts of her losses are deep. But her ability to see the beautiful and the lovely and the goodness of the world around her is equally deep, and her skill in expressing that depth is one of the things that will save her. This novel is a triumph of art over loss, a story that will make you believe in the capacities of poetry.”—Gary Schmidt, author of Newbery Honor-winning The Wednesday Wars “Free Verse is exactly the sort of thing that we wish we saw more of in young people’s literature, and Sarah Dooley is exactly the sort of author who needs and deserves this fellowship. It is a startling book, surprising at every turn, and its exploration of poverty, trauma, and loss deserves to be read by as wide an audience as possible.”—Daniel Handler, Lyn Miller-Lachmann, Neal Shusterman, and Susanna Reich, judges for the 2012 PEN/Phyllis Naylor fellowship

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewPraise for We Are OkayOne of TIME MAGAZINE’s 100 Best YA Books of All Time"A brief but powerfully affecting meditation on loneliness and grief." —TIME“A meditation on surviving grief, We Are Okay is short, poetic and gorgeously written…. The power in this little book is in seeing Marin come out on the other side of loss, able to appreciate a beautiful yellow-glazed pottery bowl and other people’s kindnesses, and to understand that she might one day have a girlfriend and a future. The world LaCour creates is fragile but profoundly humane.” —The New York Times Book Review“A beautiful, devastating piece of art. . . .The title hints at a happy ending, but the journey toward it passes through some of the darkest corners of the heart. Be prepared to be gutted—and grateful. We Are Okay is an extraordinary work by an author who keeps redefining and elevating her genre." —Bookpage“Nina LaCour treats her emotions so beautifully and with such empathy. Of course, we'd expect nothing less from the stunning LaCour.” —Bustle★ “Exquisite.” —Kirkus, starred review★ “LaCour paints a captivating depiction of loss, bewilderment, and emotional paralysis . . . raw and beautiful.” —Booklist, starred review★ “Beautifully crafted . . . . A quietly moving, potent novel.” —School Library Journal, starred review★ “A moving portrait of a girl struggling to rebound after everything she’s known has been thrown into disarray.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review★"Bittersweet and hopeful . . . poetic and skillfully crafted." —Shelf Awareness, starred review“So lonely and beautiful that I could hardly breathe. This is a perfect book.” —Stephanie Perkins, bestselling author of Anna and the French Kiss“As beautiful as the best memories, as sad as the best songs, as hopeful as your best dreams.”—Siobhan Vivian, bestselling author of The Last Boy and Girl in the World“You can feel every peak and valley of Marin’s emotional journey on your skin, in your gut. Beautifully written, heartfelt, and deeply real.” —Adi Alsaid, author of Never Always Sometimes and Let’s Get LostMORE PRAISE FOR NINA LACOURHold Still:YALSA Best Books for Young Adults (2010); 2010 William C. Morris Honor Book ★ “LaCour makes an impressive debut with an emotionally charged young adult novel about friendship and loss.” — Publishers Weekly“LaCour strikes a new path through a familiar story, leading readers with her confident writing and savvy sense of prose.” — Kirkus “The book is written with honesty, revealing one's pain after the loss of a loved one.” — SLJThe Disenchantments:YALSA Best Books for Young Adults (2013); Kirkus Best Teen Book of 2012; A Publishers Weekly Best Summer Book ★ "This is about the inside and outside of characters, the past and future of their lives--and it is astonishing." —Booklist "Quietly compelling . . . well rendered, bittersweet and hopeful." —Los Angeles Times ★ "A rich tapestry that will make readers confident that they are in the hands of a master storyteller. . . . . Hauntingly beautiful." —Kirkus★ "LaCour skillfully draws connections between art and life as she delves into the heart of her characters." —Publishers Weekly★"Bittersweet and hopeful . . . poetic and skillfully crafted." —Shelf Awareness ★ "LaCour's writing style is laid-back, low key, and totally on point." —VOYAEverything Leads to You:★ "Underneath the privilege surges real pain, longing, and feeling in a way that makes it easy to imagine this novel as a film." — Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisThe award-winning, genre-defining debut from John Green, the #1 international bestselling author of Turtles All the Way Down and The Fault in Our StarsWinner of the Michael L. Printz Award • A Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist • A New York Times Bestseller • A USA Today Bestseller • NPR’s Top Ten Best-Ever Teen Novels • TIME magazine’s 100 Best Young Adult Novels of All Time • A PBS Great American Read Selection • Millions of copies sold! First drink. First prank. First friend. First love.Last words.  Miles Halter is fascinated by famous last words—and tired of his safe life at home. He leaves for boarding school to seek what the dying poet François Rabelais called “The Great Perhaps.” Much awai

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Book SynopsisFriendship and magical realism sparkle on the page in this heartwarming, delightfully eccentric illustrated middle-grade gem from an extraordinary new literary voice. Perfect for fans of A Snicker of Magic and The Penderwicks.Alberto lives alone in the town of Allora, where fish fly out of the sea and the houses shine like jewels. He is a coffin maker and widower, spending his quiet days creating the final resting places of Allora's people.Then one afternoon a magical bird flutters into his garden, and Alberto, lonely inside, welcomes it into his home. And when a kindhearted boy named Tito follows the bird into Alberto's kitchen, a door in the old man's heart cracks open. Tito is lonely too--but he's also scared and searching for a place to hide. Fleeing from danger, he just wants to feel safe for once in his life. Can the boy and the old man learn the power of friendship and escape the shadows of their pasts?With a tender bond that calls to mind The Girl Who Drank the Moon, charming characters reminiscent of The Penderwicks, and the whimsy of A Snicker of Magic, this is a novel to curl up with, an extraordinary work of magical realism that makes the world feel like a warmer and happier place. Complete with dazzling interior illustrations, a gem from start to finish.Praise for The Boy, the Bird & the Coffin Maker:A beautifully written debut about recovering from grief and finding hope through an unlikely friendship. The writing itself is a gorgeous lyrical prose laced with magical realism, like a Gabriel García Márquez story for young readers. --BookTrust★ Woods has penned a gentle fable, one rich in hope that promotes the strength of kindness. Her magical realism nods to the like of Isabel Allende and Gabriel García Márquez, perfectly tailoring the genre for a middle-grade audience. Anuska Allepuz's whimsical illustrations add to the magical feel. Sweet, earnest and not to be missed. --Shelf Awareness, STARRED REVIEW★ Elegantly told from start to finish and enhanced by Allepuz's evocative images and decorations, debut author Woods has created a fairy tale that will linger with readers. --Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW★ This uplifting book will enthrallreaders, enveloping them in its gentle charm. --Booklist, STARRED REVIEWAwash in magical realism, this is a gentle tale of two hearts, broken by a sometimes harsh world, who find solace, comfort, healing and safety in a new family. . . . A warm-hearted, beautifully told tale. --School Library ConnectionA lyrical and melancholy tale [filled with] atmospheric writing. --School Library JournalA quietly triumphant tale. --Kirkus ReviewsA gently compelling hybrid of intrigue and enchantment . . . filled with the redeeming magic of love and life. --VOYA

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“I haven’t been so dazzled by a YA in ages. . . . Biz’s voice is wild and rollicking, lyrical and hilarious, utterly authentic . . . There isn’t a false note.” —Jandy Nelson, author of I’ll Give You the Sun (via School Library Journal)"[How It Feels to Float] explores intergenerational mental illness in a way that is nothing short of exquisite." —PopSugar"A profoundly moving story about grief, loss, and love that will take your breath away. Helena Fox is a writer to be reckoned with." —Kathleen Glasgow, author of Girl in Pieces"If you've read Anna Borges's story for The Outline "I Am Not Always Very Attached To Being Alive," you are perhaps already acquainted with the idea of "treading to stay afloat" when living with mental illness. In How It Feels To Float, author Helena Fox tells the story of a young woman floating through life, struggling to hide her dark thoughts and a past marked by intergenerational mental illness. —Bustle“How It Feels to Float is technically a YA novel, but I'm not talking Twilight YA. I'm talking give-this-to-all-your-twenty-something-friends-immediately YA. This book will relate to anyone that's lived through the confusing mind-f*ck that is being a high school girl. More than that, it tackles mental health, depression, sexual identity, and anxiety with beauty and empathy as protagonist Biz comes to terms with the death of her father amid a devastating social fall-out.” —Cosmopolitan.com"Beautifully written, Biz's story (of dark thoughts, grief and questioning her sexuality) is subtly revealed and immensely satisfying as she slowly unravels and puts herself together again." —Girls' Life"Teens who don’t want to be labeled, who don’t conform to checklists of attributes or fall into tidy boxes, will relate hard to this book about a girl who wants, very badly at times, to float away, but who ultimately finds herself . . . Full of life, resplendent with sensory details, lush descriptions, clever and witty narration, and a beating heart that will make yours swell with feeling.” —B&N Teen Blog★ “Lyrical and profoundly affecting, providing a nuanced account of the hereditary effects of trauma. Haunting.” —Kirkus (starred review)★ "Biz is smart, funny, and self-deprecating . . . [How It Feels to Float is] a masterful portrayal of mental illness that illuminates the complex interplay between emotional trauma and the mind’s subsequent recoil. And the writing is just beautiful." —Booklist (starred review)★ “Exquisite . . . Through lyrical first-person narration, Fox empathically conveys the hereditary nature of Biz’s illness, its disorienting manifestations, and the limitations and power of love to heal.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)★ “Fox writes with superb understanding and tenderness . . . The poignant depiction of depression is leavened by secondary characters who love Biz, ranging from Jasper’s photographer grandmother to Jasper himself and even to Biz’s doomed dad, who may have lost to his demons but who has a larky beauty that lights up the pages. . . . Ambiguity enhances the beautiful, unsteady shimmer of Biz’s story.” —BCCB (starred review)★ “This is a frank story of mental illness, loss, and sexual identity, and Fox responsibly concludes her story with information and support services for readers facing similar issues. How It Feels to Float is a beautifully crafted story of finding hope and love when both appear to be gone forever.” —BookPage (starred review)“A YA The Bell Jar with a ghostly twist, [and an] honest, nuanced portrayal of grief and life with mental illness. . . . A mesmerizing and timely debut.” —Bustle"Beautifully written and deeply moving . . . Just as much a story of hope and the power of love and friendship." —Common Sense Media“This book will explode you into atoms, put you back together, and return the new shape of you to earth. Alive with sensation and rich in thought and feeling, How it Feels to Float intensively explores what it’s like to be here now.” —Margo Lanagan, author of Tender Morsels"Impossibly beautiful, life-affirming, profound. This is not a book; it is a work of art." —Kerry Kletter, author of The First Time She Drowned “Every now and then you pick up a novel and you know you’ve found something wonderful—a glorious voice, a character you adore. Helena Fox’s novel delivers. It is exquisite. Read it.” —Cath Crowley, author of Words in Deep Blue"It is a testament to Helena Fox’s immense skill as a writer that all the disparate elements come together seamlessly in an intense, intimate portrait of a teenage girl. Like Biz in the darkroom, the author dodges and burns, keeping her characters moving, exposing them to the light." —The Saturday Paper"A perfect, surreal exploration of mental illness and grief. Fox’s writing is poetry, bringing the reader to the brink of Biz’s madness and back again as she finds new ways to make meaning, and new people to make it with. . . . How It Feels to Float is a visceral reading experience that captures the way in which many teens struggle with mental illness. It is a lesson in acceptance and understanding, and readers will be deeply moved." —Books+Publishing

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of the critically acclaimed novel When Life Gives You Mangos comes a captivating journey of love, loss, and letters. Named a best book of the year by Waterstones!  When Brie was younger, her mama used to surprise her with treasure hunts around their island town. After she died three years ago, these became Brie’s favorite memories.Now, on her twelfth birthday, her mama has another surprise: a series of letters leading Brie on one last treasure hunt.The first letter guides Brie to a special place.The next urges her to unlock a secret.And the last letter will change life as she knows it.In this poignant coming-of-age story of new memories, surprises, and moments of healing, Kereen Getten beautifully captures the edge of adolescence, when everything is thrilling, amazing, and terrifying in a way it will never be again. ★ This delightful coming-of-age story details a transfo

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Book SynopsisA spellbinding tale of magical realism and superb, twisty retelling of The Secret Garden, where twelve-year-old Lottie’s colorful world turns suddenly gray when an unexpected accident claims her parents, and she is uprooted from her home to live with an eccentric uncle she never knew she had—on the border that separates the living and the dead.Lottie lives in Vivelle—the heart of a vibrant city where life exists in brilliant technicolor and nearly everyone has magic. And Lottie is no exception; she can paint pictures to life in every shade and hue imaginable. But at the sudden loss of her parents, all the color is stripped from Lottie’s heart and the world around her. Taken in by her reclusive, eccentric uncle, Lottie moves into Forsaken, his vast manor located in the gray wasteland between the Land of the Living and Ever After, the land of the dead.The discovery of a locked-up garden, a wise cardinal, a hidden boy, and a family who

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Book SynopsisTan burbujeante como una copa de champán, la novela más reciente de la exitosa escritora Sarah Dessen es romántica, divertida y llena de puro placer!Louna ha pasado sus años de escuela secundaria trabajando en el exitoso negocio de planificación de bodas de su madre. Ha visto todo tipo de bodas: grandes y lujosas, pequeñas e íntimas, en el campo o en la playa. Ella se ha enfrentado a todas las crisis que pueden afectar a una boda, así como a las damas de honor que le roban el protagonismo a las novias, los novios controladores, madres de novias mandonas e incluso la ocasional novia que se escapa sin casarse. Su visión del amor, que no es algo eterno, se ha visto influenciada también por el cinismo de su madre, quedisfruta apostando por cuánto durará cada matrimonio. Y la propia experiencia de Louna la ha hecho desconfiar del amor: su feliz primer amor, visto ahora desde flashbacks

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Book SynopsisIn this searing indictment of the juvenile justice system, one teen in detention weighs what she is willing to endure for forgiveness.All it took was one night and one bad decision for fifteen-year-old Violetta Chen-Samuels’ life to go off the rails. After driving drunk and causing the accident that kills her little sister, Violetta is incarcerated. Under the juvenile justice system, her fate lies in the hands of those she’s wronged—her family. With their forgiveness, she could go home. But without it? Well . . .Denied their forgiveness, Violetta is now left with two options, neither good—remain in juvenile detention for an uncertain sentence or participate in the Trials. The Trials are no easy feat, but if she succeeds, she could regain both her freedom and what she wants most of all: her family’s love. In her quest to prove her remorse, Violetta is forced to confront not only her family’s grief, but her own&mda

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Book SynopsisA beautiful and uplifting novel in verse about family, friendship, journeys that take us far from home and back again, renewed and more courageous from the three-time Coretta Scott King Honor winner of The Skin I'm In!James Henry used to be brave. He hasn't been the same since that fateful night at the lighthouse when his ma went searching for Dog. Now months later, he feels as small as the space between the numbers on a watch, nervous day and night, barely able to go outside. Even words have a hard time leaving his mouth. The only person he speaks to is Hattie, his courageous twin sister, who fiercely protects him, especially from bullies.James Henry wants nothing more than to be brave again. However, finding his voice will mean confronting the truth about what happened at the lighthouse-a step James Henry isn't sure he can take. Until a blue moon is forecast, and as Gran has said, everything is possible under a rare blue moon . . .* An evoca

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Book SynopsisOne teen's summer job scaring tourists with ghost stories takes a terrifying turn when he accidentally summons the spirit of a dead girl—and she has demands. . . . The award-winning author of Airborn delivers a roller-coaster ride of a story about the wakeful and wicked dead.Rebecca Strand was just sixteen when she and her father fell to their deaths from the top of the Gibraltar Point Lighthouse in 1839. Just how they fell—or were they pushed?—remains a mystery. And their ghosts haunt the lighthouse to this day. . . . Gabe tells this story every day when he gives the ghost tour on Toronto Island. He tries to make it scary enough to satisfy the tourists, but he doesn’t actually believe in ghosts—until he finds himself face to face with Rebecca Strand. The true story of her death is far more terrifying than any ghost tale Gabe has told. Rebecca reveals that her father was a member of t

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