Benny Proctor is eager to make a good impression this last week of junior high. His sleek new Oakley’s should do the trick.This short story (~2,800 words) is about the terrors of growing up, and the bittersweet taste of love requited a little too late.EXCERPTBenny had never asked a girl out. He got by on his good looks. Throughout much of his junior high career, his classmates had called him "Vinnie," based upon the best friend from the TV show, ...

EXCERPTWhen Benny came back downstairs, Dena was gone. He peered out toward the pool area to see if she was talking to her parents, but saw nobody at the table where they had been. He walked out to the pool area, cupping his sketchbook under his wrist as if hiding it. Most the people in the party were crowded around the pool, cheering loudly. As Benny worked his way through the crowd, he bumped his head on more than one of the "cornhead" foam hats partygoers were w...

Benny’s nice enough, he just wants something else. What, he doesn’t seem to know. With each encounter, he feels more lonely and alienated. His night with Maggie is no exception.Set in 1996, Omaha, Nebraska, this 90s midwest nostalgia coming-of-age short story (~2,500 words) is about yearning for a destiny that, try as you might, you can’t even picture.EXCERPTThey continued like this for some time. Not saying anything, Maggie looking out the window, a...

A lovely celebration of father–son bonds and the importance of family, wrapped up in a wonderful extraordinary story that is sure to appeal to young superhero fans!Stanley is a normal little boy, whose dad just happens to be the greatest superhero on the planet. Six days a week, Dad saves the world from disasters, aliens, and bad guys. Friday is his day off and he always spends it with Stan. But one Friday, Dad and Stan meet a series of people desperately in need of Dad's help. Soo...

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The late, beloved Rachel Held Evans answers many children's first question about God in this gorgeous picture book, fully realized by her friend Matthew Paul Turner, the bestselling author of When God Made You.Children who are introduced to God, through attending church or having loved ones who speak about God, often have a lot of questions, including this ever-popular one: What is God like? The late Rachel Held Evan...

A CALDECOTT HONOR BOOK • This heartwarming classic beautifully conveys life’s everyday pleasures. This Read & Listen edition includes optional audio narration read by Jake Gyllenhaal!As Sal brushes her teeth she noticed something strange. One of her teeth is loose! Her first loose tooth! When the tooth falls out she’ll be able to put it under her pillow and make a wish. But while Sal digs for clams with her Dad, her loose tooth becomes a lost toot...

From New York Times bestselling and Newbery Honor–winning author Shannon Hale and award-winning illustrator Tracy Subisak, comes a zany picture book that pokes fun at overly gendered notions of "boy books" and "girl books" and celebrates the pleasure of a good book.Stanley’s thrilled for bookmobile day—until the old man at the window refuses to lend him the story he wants, all because it features a girl. “Girl books” are only for girls, the book man insist...

This Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor Book and ALA-ALSC Notable Children's Book provides a riveting brick-by-brick account of how one of the most amazing accomplishments in American architecture came to be. It’s 1930 and times are tough for Pop and his son. But look! On the corner of 34th Street and 5th Avenue, a building straight and simple as a pencil is being built in record time. Hundreds of men are leveling, shoveling, hauling. They’re hoisting 60,000 tons of steal, stacking 10 m...

FromFrom Mrs. Thompson, the teacher, to Frederick, the clazz guinea pig, everything about second grade seems good to Carolyn. But when the clazz starts practicing the slants and curves of cursive writing, she finds it difficult and her happiness evaporates. Detailing her frustrations and contrasting her struggles with a clazzmate’s easy success, this picture book reflects experiences familiar to many young students. Carolyn’s sympathetic teacher puts things in perspective, telling ...

Words of wisdom, compassion, and hope are paired with stunning watercolor paintings in this companion to New York Times bestseller Old Turtle.Why are we here? What is the purpose of life? How do we find happiness? Once again, Old Turtle's wise answers offer readers of all ages inspiration, solace, and the most important gift of all -- hope. Timed to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the publication of the national bestseller Old Turtle, this companion p...

Everywhere you go you see vanity plates. The best of them are those that make you think and then reward you with a good laugh. Now there is a book that captures all the fun and excitement of vanity plates from across North America.Inside The Way Cool License Plate Book you'll find plates that show how their owners feel about the cars they drive (or wish they drove!), the work they do, the sports they play and the dreams they have.This book is the perfect co...

A Step 3 beginning-reader biography of Civil War nurse and founder of the American Red Cross Clara Barton!Meet a woman who outgrew her girhood shyness to became a fearless "Angel of the Battlefield"! This Step 3 biography follows Clara as she helps her brother recover from a terrible injury, overcomes her timidity and works as a teacher, and finally fights her way to the front lines of the Civil War, where she helps soldiers wounded in battle. Clara's story is a te...