Child Esteem

Zach is 18. He is bright and articulate. He's also an alcoholic and in rehab instead of high school, but he doesn't remember how he got there. He's not sure he wants to remember. Something bad must have happened. Something really, really bad. Remembering sucks and being alive—well, what's up with that?

Grandmagreat’s Storytime, a delightful heart-warming collection of true stories, captivates listeners with hope and inspiration. It’s Mr. Rodgers meets Brené Brown. Funny and thought-provoking real-life tales enthrall children of all ages. Grandmagreat (aka Sharon Barber) shares poignant personal memories with her delightful honesty and vulnerability. Troubles become triumphs, folly becomes wisdom, and hysterical situations reveal the importance of human connection in this collection of gems.

After scoring big on national TV in the semifinals contest, everyone back home is jumping on the Jamie Grimm bandwagon, and all the attention might be going to his head. Not only are his friendships starting to suffer, but the pressure of coming up with his best material ever for the ultimate standup act to snag the final win in Hollywood is pushing Jamie to the brink. Suddenly, life isn't looking very funny anymore. Can Jamie take the grand prize without pushing away his fans, friends, and family?

When Molly shows up on Castle Hangnail's doorstep to fill the vacancy for a wicked witch, the castle's minions are understandably dubious. After all, she is 12 years old, barely five feet tall, and quite polite. (The minions are used to tall, demanding evil sorceresses with razor-sharp cheekbones.) But the castle desperately needs a master, or else the Board of Magic will decommission it, leaving all the minions without the home they love.

Ray has trouble at home, and he has trouble at school - until he’s permanently excluded and ends up sleeping on the floor of a record shop. What happens to a boy like Ray? If he’s lucky, maybe he gets a chance to shine. The story of three boys who aren’t easy. They don’t fit in. They seem to attract trouble. But they know what they want, and they’ve got the talent to back it up.

Holly, a grey squirrel, and her animal friends have accepted that they will never be wizards’ familiars. Though they are each magical, their powers are so offbeat—Holly herself can conjure pastries (and only pastries)—that no professional magic-worker would choose any of them as a companion for noble quests. So instead of going on adventures, they languish at the Shelter for Rejected Familiars, where they are known as “shelterlings.”

Marisol Rainey's mother was born in the Philippines. Marisol's father works and lives part-time on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. And Marisol, who has a big imagination and likes to name inanimate objects, has a tree in her backyard she calls Peppina . . . but she's way too scared to climb it. This all makes Marisol the only girl in her small Louisiana town with a mother who was born elsewhere and a father who lives elsewhere (most of the time)—the only girl who's fearful of adventure and fun.

To solve the mystery of the disappearing stones, Conn goes back to his beginnings - gutterboy, chimney sweep, mudlark, and, yes, thief. It's the only way he can clear his name and find the culprit. But turning back is not easy, and old enemies don't disappear. Can Conn pull himself out of the gutter one more time?

Marc shouldn’t have a single complaint as he finishes seventh grade. He’s done really well in his classes, his friends Kenny and Nathan have joined him at jiu-jitsu, and most important, he’s been staying on the Warrior Kid path. There’s just one problem and that problem is named Danny Rhinehart. It seems like every thing Marc does, Danny does better. Danny runs faster, can do more pull-ups, has jiu-jitsu moves that Marc can’t solve, and is even awesome in school. On top of all that, Danny is too nice—he smiles at everything and it drives Marc up a wall. Marc doesn’t know what to do.

Despite Jessica's shocking appearance and the fear she evokes in him and most of the seventh-grade class, Tom slowly develops a tentative friendship with Jessica that changes his life. Firegirl is a powerful story that will show listeners that even the smallest of gestures can have a profound impact on someone's life.

It might seem like everyone else has all the answers. Like how to manage stress and anxiety, how to do well in school, manage money, organize, use social skills, and become responsible and independent. But, did you know, a lot of that stuff is SO EASY once you know how?! And even better than just knowing, I’ll give you the low-down on how to do stuff that even most adults don’t know about!

Michael Prasad knows he shouldn’t go out on the Mars surface alone. It’s dangerous. His parents have forbidden it. And the anxiety he feels almost every time he puts on a spacesuit makes it nearly impossible for him to leave the safety of the colony. But when his best friend, Lilith, suggests they sneak out one night, he can’t resist the chance to prove everyone - including himself - wrong.

Boy has always been relegated to the outskirts of his small village. With a large hump on his back, a mysterious past, and a tendency to talk to animals, he is often mocked and abused by the other young people in his town. Until the arrival of a shadowy pilgrim named Secondus. Impressed with Boy's climbing and jumping abilities, Secondus engages Boy as his servant, pulling him into an expedition across Europe to gather the seven precious relics of Saint Peter.

Award-winning novelist for young adults, Cynthia Voigt creates this moving tale of a youngster discovering genuine family love. If Jeff is perfect, maybe his father won't leave like his mother. Narrator Jeff Woodman holds listeners spellbound as he narrates the teenage boy's poignant struggles to accept himself before he can really know others.

We are all here for a purpose. We are more than enough. We just need to believe it. This is a gorgeous, lyrical ode to loving who you are, respecting others, and being kind to one another, from Empire actor and activist Grace Byers. Perfect for mothers and daughters, baby showers, and graduation.

'Twas the day before Christmas and Santa was ill. In the cold winter wind he had caught a bad chill. Will Christmas be canceled? Will it come to that? "Never!" cried Santa, "Let's call Pete the Cat!"

"McDonald has a wonderful sense of how eight-year-olds think and behave, and the irrepressible Judy is completely believable.” ( Booklist); >“Established fans and new readers will enjoy this adventure. Amusing black-and-white watercolors capture the humor and the girl’s inimitable spirit. Prediction: another winner starring Judy Moody.” ( School Library Journal); “Judy Moody Predicts the Future is the famously temperamental third-grader’s fourth adventure.... Here Judy, equipped with a mood ring, convinces herself and her classmates...."

Freddie Bonbon is the most amazing baker in town, and somebody loves his cakes so much they've stolen them! Who could have done such a thing? And when superstar cat Cookie goes missing too, it looks as though the town has a mystery on its hands...could Freddie's little dog, Flapjack, be the one to solve it? Freddie is a likable and positive character who promotes the idea that you don't need superpowers or magic to succeed - you just need to try hard and do your best.

You are a very lucky girl to have so many people love and support you. Your relationship with your parents and family can give you confidence and help you spread your wings through the world. The connection you have with your loved ones will inspire you to do many things you may not have tried before. You are a loved and wonderful girl.

Hello, little dreamer! What's the most incredible dream you've ever had? Was it about becoming a superhero, who could save the world from danger? Maybe you've dreamed about being a wizard, who could create anything he wanted with just a flick of his wand? It is wonderful to have such magical dreams while you sleep!