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

Book SynopsisFor fans of John Green and Emily X.R. Pan, The Half-Orphan''s Handbook by Joan F. Smith is a coming-of-age story and an empathetic, authentic exploration of grief with a sharp sense of humor and a big heart.It's been three months since Lila lost her father to suicide. Since then, she's learned to protect herself from pain by following two unbreakable rules: 1. The only people who can truly hurt you are the ones you love. Therefore, love no one. 2. Stay away from liars. Liars are the worst.But when Lila's mother sends her to a summer-long grief camp, it's suddenly harder for Lila to follow these rules. Potential new friends and an unexpected crush threaten to drag her back into life for the first time since her dad's death.On top of everything, there's more about what happened that Lila doesn't know, and facing the truth about her family will be the hardest part of learning how a broken heart can love again.An Imprint B

Read more less

Book SynopsisEven though her family moved across the country for a fresh start after her little brother's death, eleven-year-old Zinnia Helinski still feels like she's stuck waiting for her new life to begin. Then she spots her new neighbor, Kris, climbing down the fire escape of their apartment building. He's wearing a black eye mask! And Spandex leggings. . . . And a blue body suit?Soon Zinnia finds herself in a secret club for kids who want to be heroes. The Reality Shifters don't have superpowers, but they do have the power to make positive change in their neighborhoods. And a change is just what Zinnia is looking for!At first, she feels invincible. Zinnia finally has friends and is on the kind of real-life adventures her little brother, Wally, would have loved. But when her teammates lose sight of their goals, Zinnia must find the balance between bravery and recklessness, and learn to be a hero without her cape.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA young child learns that even superheroes hurt too in this heartrending story about loss and love, written by debut author Kevin Johnson and illustrated by #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator Kitt Thomas.When a child loses the person in his life that he loves more than anything, he uses his cape as protection from his grief. On the day of the funeral, he uses it to block out the pictures and stories people share, refusing to acknowledge the memories that keep bubbling up. He won''t think about them. He doesn''t want to. He avoids the memories, until he no longer can. He remembers then. Their laugh, their smile, the moment they gave him the cape. The cape transforms, becoming a source of comfort and strength as the child navigates the sadness and joy that these memories bring up. In Cape, Kevin Johnson has crafted an achingly beautiful and honest story about processing and redefining grief after the loss of a loved one. With evocat

Read more less

Book SynopsisA vibrant and emotional novel from debut author Dan Clay about a boy who turns toward love, self-expression, and drag when the unthinkable happens, perfect for fans of Jandy Nelson and Julie Murphy.If only Mark Davis hadn't put on a dress for the talent show. It was a jokeother guys did it toobut when his boyfriend saw Mark in that dress, everything changed.And now, fresh on the heels of high school heartbreak, Mark has given up on love. Maybe some people are just too much for this worldtoo weird, too wild, too feminine, too everything. Thankfully, his older brother Eric always knows what to say to keep Mark from spinning into self-loathing. Be yourself! Your full sequin-y self.But Mark starts to notice signs that his perfect older brother has problems of his own.When the source of Mark's strength suddenly becomes the source of his greatest pain, the path back to happiness seems impossible. Searching for a way out, Mark slips into a dress to ju

Read more less

Book SynopsisPacked with voice, Shannon C.F. Rogers'' I''d Rather Burn than Bloom is a powerful YA novel about a Filipina-American teen who tries to figure out who she really is in the wake of her mother''s death.Some girls call their mother their best friend. Marisol Martin? She could never relate. She and her mom were forever locked in an argument with no beginning and no end. Clothes, church, boys, no matter the topic, Marisol always felt like there was an unbridgeable gap between them that they were perpetually shouting across, one that she longed to close. But when her mother dies suddenly, Marisol is left with no one to fight against, haunted by all the things that she both said and didn't say. Her dad seems completely lost, and worse, baffled by Marisol''s attempts to connect with her mother''s memory through her Filipino culture. Her brother Bernie is retreating further and further into himself. And when Marisol sleeps with her best friend''s boyfr

Read more less

Book SynopsisStonewall Book AwardsMike Morgan & Larry Romans Children's & Young Adult Literature Honor BookFrom the author of the critically acclaimed novel For Black Girls Like Me and the Schneider Family Book Award Winner Forever Is Now, comes a coming-of-age story surrounding the losses that threaten to break us and the friendships that make us whole again. Thirteen-year-old Andi feels stranded after the loss of her mother, the artist who swept color onto Andi's blank canvas. When she is accepted to a music camp, Andi finds herself struggling to play her trumpet like she used to before her whole world changed. Meanwhile, Zora, a returning camper, is exhausted trying to please her parents, who are determined to make her a flute prodigy, even though she secretly has a dancer's heart.At Harmony Music Camp, Zora and Andi are the only two Black girls in a sea of mostly white faces. In kayaks and creaky cabins, the two begin to connect, unraveling

Read more less

Book SynopsisHaunting, intimate, and beautifully told: a magical debut novel from a writer to watch. Emily M. Danforth, national bestselling and award-winning author of The Miseducation of Cameron PostA spellbinding young adult fantasy debut following three best friends who turn to magic when they''re haunted by a friend''s death...and perhaps her spirit, combining the atmospheric thrills of The Hazel Wood with the nuanced realism of Erika L. Sanchez.For best friends Miliani, Inez, Natalie and Jasmine, Providence, Rhode Island has a magic of its own. From the bodegas and late-night food trucks on Broad Street to The Hill that watches over the city, every corner of Providence glows with memories of them practicing spells, mixing up potions and doing séances with the help of the magic Miliani's Filipino grandfather taught her.But when Jasmine is killed by a drunk driver, the world they have always known is left haunted by grief...and Jasmine''s lingerin

Read more less

Book SynopsisFamily, grief, ghosts, and a mystery: this clever and compelling young adult novel heralds a masterful new voice from Zimbabwe.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFamily, grief, ghosts, and a mystery: this clever and compelling young adult novel heralds a masterful new voice from Zimbabwe.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAfter her grandmother dies, a girl travels to different gardens to scatter her ashes, learning about life and love along the way. From Love Letters advice columnist and podcast host Meredith Goldstein, this emotionally resonant novel with a touch of humor is perfect for fans of Robin Benway and Jenna Evans Welch. When Lori’s Dorothy Parker–loving grandmother dies, Lori’s world is turned upside down. Grandma Sheryl was everything to Lori—and not just because Sheryl raised Lori when Lori’s mom got a job out of town. Now Lori’s mom is insisting on moving her away from her beloved Boston right before senior year. Desperate to stay for as long as possible, Lori insists on honoring her grandmother’s last request before she moves: to scatter Sheryl’s ashes near things that grow. Along with her uncle Seth and Chris, best friend and love-of-her-life crush, Lori sets off on a road trip to visit her gran

Read more less

Book SynopsisA sweetly charming love story that leaves the reader with a lasting sense of hope. Nicola Yoon, #1New York Timesbestselling author ofEverything, EverythingandThe Sun Is Also a StarThe perfect novel to snuggle up with. Emily Henry, New York Times bestselling author of Beach Read A heartwarming and thoughtful enemies-to-lovers rom-com about two teensone trying to save his family's failingpinball arcade, the other working for her tech genius dad who wants to take it overwho get trapped togetherin asnowstorm. Adam Stillwater is in over his head. But the pinball arcade is the only piece of his dad that Adam has left, and he's determined to protect it from Philadelphia's newest tech mogul, who wants to turn it into another one of his cold, lifeless gaming cafés. Whitney Mitchell doesn't know how she got here. Her parents split up. Her boyfriend dumped her. And now she's spending her senior year running social media for her dad's chain of super successful gaming caféswhich mostly consistsTrade Review"You Can Go Your Own Way is both a sweetly charming love story and a moving exploration of navigating your way through grief. It’s a tricky balance, but Eric Smith’s writing deftly finds its way straight to the emotional core of his characters and leaves the reader with a lasting sense of hope."—Nicola Yoon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Everything, Everything and The Sun Is Also a Star"Eric Smith’s You Can Go Your Own Way is a big-hearted charmer of a book! Brimming with wintry coziness, heady nostalgia, and wholly loveable characters, this is a story that’s as much about finding yourself as it is about finding love. The perfect novel to snuggle up with."—Emily Henry, New York Times bestselling author of Beach Read "If Fleetwood Mac's Rumours and 10 Things I Hate About You had a baby, you'd get You Can Go Your Own Way, the nerdy, pinball-filled, snowed-in-and-there's-only-one-blanket rom-com of my dreams."—Sam Maggs, author of The Unstoppable Wasp: Built on Hope."Eric Smith’s You Can Go Your Own Way is a love letter to Philly and pinball machines. It examines grief and the cost of hanging on as Adam Stillwater grapples with the loss of his father and his complicated crush on childhood ex-friend, Whitney. If you love second chances and the hate-to-love trope, you’ll adore this book."—Roselle Lim, author of Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck and Fortune"You Can Go Your Own Way hits like the perfect mug of hot cocoa: it’s warm and sweet and leaves you wanting second helpings. Someone please lock Eric Smith in a room and don’t let him out until he’s written ten more rom coms. I want them all!"—Lauren Morrill, author of It's Kind of a Cheesy Love Story"A bighearted, moving, delightfully quirky story about the ways that life can be surprising, and the people you thought you knew more surprising still. A warm hug of a book."—Kelly Loy Gilbert, author of Picture Us In the Light"The story is colored by wonderfully specific details around pinball and horticulture—which will thrill fans of those niches—but it's anchored by a satisfying enemies-to-lovers romance that will please any fan of the genre."—Booklist"A sweet romance with a quirky premise."—SLJ"Readers will appreciate the sweet and satisfying romance, but what will ultimately resonate are Smith’s well-rounded characters who are dealing with grief, loss, and letting go. Snappy dialogue, second chances, and heartfelt relationships."—Kirkus Reviews"It’s a pleasure to see the two leads work through the past to build a future."—Publishers Weekly

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe extraordinary -- and extraordinarily powerful -- follow-up to Hey, Kiddo.When Jarrett J. Krosoczka was in high school, he was part of a program that sent students to be counselors at a camp for seriously ill kids and their families. Going into it, Jarrett was worried: Wouldn''t it be depressing, to be around kids facing such a serious struggle? Wouldn''t it be grim?But instead of the shadow of death, Jarrett found something else at Camp Sunshine: the hope and determination that gets people through the most troubled of times. Not only was he subject to some of the usual rituals that come with being a camp counselor (wilderness challenges, spooky campfire stories, an extremely stinky mascot costume), but he also got a chance to meet some extraordinary kids facing extraordinary circumstances. He learned about the captivity of illness, for sure but he also learned about the freedom a safe space can bring.Now, in his follow-up to the National

Read more less

Book SynopsisMiddle school is hard?add a deadly embarrassing family and a huge secret, and it''s nearly impossible.An Addams-esque family faces a perilous plot in this energetic, ghostly middle grade mystery.Molly Dade has big problems. She?s got an important violin audition coming up, she?s been paired with her nemesis for a group project, and she?s struggling to hide a life-or-death secret from…well, from everyone. It wasn?t long ago that the Dades were just a regular Maine family living in their reportedly haunted house in the local cemetery. But then Molly?s mom and twin brother Marty were killed in a freak accident. And Molly, her older brother Timothy, and her father became the town?s newest bereaved family.Except Mom and Marty are still very much present. No one knows why, but Mom is now a ghost and Marty is a poltergeist. Oh, and there?s also Molly?s younger sister Dyandra, who is a zombie.Keeping all this supernatural stuff a secret from everyone is hard work, especially when the dead (undead?) members of the family still want to participate in things like the Parent Teacher Association meetings or come to the (very public, very potentially embarrassing) school concert.When Dad?s new cemetery assistant seems to know the Dade family secret, Molly and Marty worry about the future of their family. And when Marty begins to regain his memories of the explosion that killed him and Mom, the twins realize that the situation might be even more grave than they thought. Someone might be after the Dade family?but who? And why?

Read more less

Book SynopsisLife surprises all of us sometimes with the sudden and unexpected absence of a loved one, and this can be especially hard for young children to process. This beautiful picture book tells the story of a little boy whose cat called Koozy has disappeared. He feels sadness and pain at her absence and tries to understand why his beloved friend is no longer around. Where could she have gone? And how will he be able to come to terms with her loss?

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisWINNER OF AN ABA AWARD. Innocent by day, killer by night: a dark, twisting thriller about a teen assassin’s attempt to live a normal life. Don't miss the second book in the trilogy, The Hummingbird Killer, out now.  'An electrifying debut!’ Chelsea Pitcher, author of This Lie Will Kill You Trained and traumatised by a secret assassin programme for minors, Isabel Ryans wants nothing more than to be a normal civilian. After running away from home, she has a new name, a new life and a new friend, Emma, and for the first time, things are looking up. But old habits die hard, and it’s not long until she blows her cover, drawing the attention of the guilds – the two rival organisations who control the city of Espera. An unaffiliated killer like Isabel is either a potential asset . . . or a threat to be eliminated. Will the blood on her hands cost her everything?

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin delivers a gripping romance about two teens: a certified genius living with a diagnosed mental illness and a politician's son who is running from his own addiction and grief. Don't miss this gut punch of a novel about mental illness, loss, and discovering you are worthy of love. The next read for fans of Angie Thomas, Danielle Jawando and Jason ReynoldsScars exist to remind us of what we’ve survived . . .   Since Shelbi enrolled at Windward Academy as a senior and won’t be there very long, she hasn’t bothered making friends. What her classmates don’t know about her can’t be used to hurt her – you know, like it did at her last school.  Andy Criddle is not okay. At all. He’s had far too much to drink. Again. Which is bad. And things are about to ge

Read more less

Book SynopsisCombining the warmth and heart of Ross Welford’s The 1,000 Year Old Boy with the epic adventure and inseparable friendship of Frank Cottrell Boyce’s Cosmic comes an otherworldly new middle grade adventure from the award-winning Benjamin Dean. Twelve-year-old Zed has always been fascinated by the Demons that fall from the sky. His whole life his dad has worked as a Hunter, tasked with eliminating Demons once and for all, and Zed hopes to one day follow in his footsteps.   But then one night Spark appears and disrupts everything Zed thought he knew. Because this Demon is nothing like the myths – he’s a frightened boy, no older than Zed, who wants to go back home.   Can Zed stand up for what’s right, even if it means going against his own family?Praise for Benjamin Dean: ‘Warm-hearted and cheering, with a dash of sparkle’ – Guardian

Read more less

Book SynopsisFans of Thirteen Reasons Why, Running with Scissors, and Girl, Interrupted will be entranced by this remarkable true story of teenage despair and recovery.“[The Burn Journals] describes a particular kind of youthful male desolation better than it has ever been described before, by anyone.”  —Andrew Solomon, author of The Noonday DemonIn 1991, fourteen-year-old Brent Runyon came home from school, doused his bathrobe in gasoline, put it on, and lit a match.He suffered third-degree burns over 85% of his body and spent the next year recovering in hospitals and rehab facilities. During that year of physical recovery, Runyon began to question what he’d done, undertaking the complicated journey from near-death back to high school, and from suicide back to the emotional mainstream of life.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA magical middle grade book about family, friendship and finding out who you are, full of emotion and a secret fantasy world to discover. Perfect for 10 year olds and fans of Jacqueline Wilson, Ross Welford, Kiran Millwood-Hargrave and The House with Chicken Legs. From a rising star of children''s books.This place is magic but it''s not the sort of magic that comes from wands and spells Can piecing together the past help you change the present?Safiya and her mum have never seen eye to eye. Her mum doesn't understand Safiya's love of gaming and Safiya doesn''t think they have anything in common. As Safiya struggles to fit in at school she wonders if her mum wishes she was more like her confident best friend Elle. But then her mum falls into a coma and, when Safiya waits by her bedside, she finds herself in a strange and magical world that looks a bit like one of her games. And there's a rebellious teenage girl, with a secret, who looks suspiciously familiar ''Bushby''s debut is poignanTrade ReviewBushby's debut is poignant and atmospheric', Imogen Russell-Williams, Guardian 'A gorgeous story of family and growing up', Cathy Cassidy 'Moving and heartfelt', Anna James, author of Pages and Co

Read more less

Book SynopsisOne day, Jimmy goes to the cinema and loses track of time. When heleaves, it's dark - then the sirens start. It's a bombing raid!When he finally gets home, he discovers there's no home to go to. It's been bombed out and his family are nowhere to be found. Howwill Jimmy survive alone on the dangerous streets of London?

Read more less

Book SynopsisA beautiful and heartfelt picture book to help children celebrate the memories left behind when a loved one dies.Fox has lived a long and happy life in the forest, but now he is tired. He lies down in his favourite clearing, and falls asleep for ever. Before long, Fox''s friends begin to gather in the clearing. One by one, they tell stories of the special moments that they shared with Fox. And so, as they share their memories, a tree begins to grow, becoming bigger and stronger with each memory, sheltering and protecting all the animals in the forest, just as Fox did when he was alive. This gentle story about the loss of a loved one is perfect for sharing and will bring comfort to both children and parents.

Read more less

Book SynopsisBased on the viral, heart-melting song ''Dinosaurs in Love'', comes a sweet and deceptively simple story about love, longing, and loss by three-year-old Fenn Rosenthal.Dinosaurs eating peopleDinosaurs in loveDinosaurs having a partyThey eat fruit and cucumberWhen singer-songwriter Tom Rosenthal and his daughter Fenn posted their original song, ''Dinosaurs in Love'', it became an instant classic. Just as Fenn''s dinosaurs fell in love, so did the world.Now readers of all ages can enjoy Fenn''s heartfelt, poignant lyrics again and again in this irresistible, sing-aloud picture book, featuring charming illustrations from Hannah Jacobs (animator of the viral music video).Check out the original song here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujby_E-5obQPraise for the ''Dinosaurs in Love'' song:''[This song is] breaking everyone''s hearts.'' Buzzfeed News''A

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn extraordinarily rich debut novel, set in India in 1947 at the time of Partition, touching on the importance of tolerance, love and family. The main character is Bilal, a boy determined to protect his dying father from the news of Partition - news that he knows will break his father''s heart. With great spirit and determination, and with the help of his good friends, Bilal persuades others to collude with him in this deception, even printing false pages of the local newspaper to hide the ravages of unrest from his father. All that Bilal wants is for his father to die in peace. But that means Bilal has a very complicated relationship with the truth...Trade Review‘Another memorable debut novel . . . Beautifully told this debut is set in 1940's India at the time of the Partition, with themes of tolerance that still resonate today' * The Bookseller *‘A challenging but extremely rewarding book dealing with big themes of truth, prejudice, and friendship, but also the simple love of a boy for his father. The Indian setting conjures up a society on the brink of change, rich in period detail and geographical beauty, and the characters are attractive and vividly drawn. A fascinating introduction to a vital moment in history. Though beware - the ending will make you cry' * Daily Mail *‘This is a refreshing first novel, simply and expertly told. A great debut' * Ink Pellet *‘Irfan Master has created a richly detailed portrait of India in 1947 and peopled it with a collection of well realised characters, each of them almost strong enough to merit a novel in their own right' * Guardian *

Read more less

Book Synopsis''The playful, obstinate and courageously humorous tone of Zephaniah''s writing shines through ... hilarious and later heartbreaking'' GuardianA teacher is dead, murdered by two of his students in front of the whole school.Right in front of Jackson Jones.But Mr Joseph was a good man people liked him, respected him. How could those boys stab him and jog away like nothing had happened?Unable to process what he has seen, Jackson begins his own investigation: everyone knows who did it, but as Jackson uncovers more about the boys, he becomes convinced that people need to understand why. Brilliantly written and with a real ear for dialogue, fans of Angie Thomas and Malorie Blackman will love Benjamin Zephaniah''s novels for young adult readers: Refugee BoyFaceGangsta RapTeacher''s DeadTrade ReviewBenjamin Zephaniah rides straight through everybody's taboos, everybody's prejudices, everybody's niceties and gets straight to the heart of the matter … Strong, honest, democratic, accessible to all, Teacher's Dead comes highly recommended * The Bookbag's Jill Murphy on TEACHER'S DEAD *A brilliant first novel * Guardian on FACE *A lively and positive account of a boy who is badly scarred in a joyriding crash, and how he comes to terms with it ... incredibly well told * Irish Times on FACE *An impressive debut, carefully researched ... Zephaniah writes wonderfully natural dialogue with the same ease as he spins out rhyming couplets * Herald on FACE *The playful, obstinate and courageously humorous tone of Zephaniah's writing shines through ... hilarious and later heartbreaking * Alfred Hickling, Guardian on REFUGEE BOY *Sweet, funny, highly inventive * Yorkshire Post on REFUGEE BOY *Humour and innocence are both to the fore as is a sweetness of tone ... more street than poetic, and personal yet universal, Refugee Boy is well told by impassioned writer * York Press on REFUGEE BOY *The authority with which the story is written leaves the reader no choice but to be drawn in – and indeed educated – into the world of gangsta rap, with all the appropriate vocabulary. Not for a long time have I read a book with such a 'pick me up again' factor * Independent on Sunday on GANGSTA RAP *A fairytale of hip-hop success ... teens will enjoy the thrilling music fantasy, while many will identify with the smart, talented boys who grow up quickly and rescue themselves * Booklist on GANGSTA RAP *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review**STARRED REVIEW** "Spot art depicts a charmingly appealing Shovel and a racially diverse human cast. . .A witty, heartfelt, and sophisticated story about the consequences of grief." * Kirkus Reviews ***STARRED REVIEW** "With Shovel as narrator, familiar middle grade topics (death of a parent, friends-turned-enemies, bullying), become completely unique and fresh. Tender, laced with sly humor, and full of complex emotion, this novel explores the line between unpredictable reality and controlled imagination." * School Library Journal *This is a delicate, accessible story about a grief so sharp that it bleeds joy from reality. . .Shovel’s second-person narration has a subtle complexity depending on readerly interpretation of him as either a coping mechanism or a true element of fantasy, but in the end he’s an effective model for youngsters with friends in pain. * The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books *Bacon tells a familiar story of deep loss and friendship that combines gentle humor and ardent wistfulness, making the themes of trauma suppression and the reluctance to move on feel both personal and universal. * Publishers Weekly *This touching book will help children understand the many changes that come with growing up. Wu's illustrations help bring Shovel and his imaginary world to life. * Booklist *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review“A hauntingly moving examination of grief, friendship, and identity, reminiscent of my favorite classics. Robin Gow has a magic with words, stirring and shining a light on the deepest of emotions, leaving behind goosebumps (and tears) for Noah’s story. This book is a gift.” * Kacen Callender, author of the National Book Award winner King and the Dragonflies *“Dear Mothman gives us all the chance to step out of the shadows—when we’re ready. Gow has crafted a story full of secrets, sadness, and the gentle thrill of knowing who you are.” * Niki Smith, author of The Golden Hour *“This tender story explores the emotional journey of navigating loss and feelings of being different. It illuminates the power of friendship, imagination, and compassion to make a person feel celebrated for exactly who they are. An important heart-book that will make young readers feel seen and understood.” * Donna Gephart, author of Lily and Dunkin and Abby, Tried and True ****STARRED REVIEW*** “At times thrilling and always moving, Gow's middle-grade debut is unquestionably a must-have for all collections.” * Booklist ****STARRED REVIEW*** “A ­triumphant coming-of-age story about gender identity, strength, and friendship, as well as the different ways that people ­discover who they are.” * School Library Journal *Gow captures the complexity of emotions that arise amid grief and self-discovery. . .Poignant and sincere. * Kirkus Reviews *“Gow beautifully blends verse with epistolary storytelling in this touching novel of a trans kid trying to search for answers about identity and belonging.” * The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books *“Noah’s journey through grief and coming out to the world is authentically messy and joyful.” * The Horn Book Magazine *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA heart-pounding, ghostly dystopian thriller rom the author of the acclaimed Generation Dead trilogy (Simon & Schuster).

Read more less