Child Marriage

Sharp, irreverent and very funny women's fiction for women who won't put up with being told to step aside! Isn't it about time we talked about you? Tessa, Sandra and Harriet have been best friends through first crushes, careers, marriage and the trials of motherhood. After 20 years of taking care of everyone else's every needs, they've found themselves hitting the big 5-0 and suddenly asking themselves, 'What about me?' Sandra has a sordid secret, and Harriet is landed with her ailing mother-in-law.

High-school junior Jordan MacKenzie’s life was pretty typical: fractured family, new boyfriends, dead-end job. She’d been living with her father (the predictable optometrist) since her mother (the hippie holdover) had become too embarrassing to be around. Jordan felt that she finally had as normal a life as she could. Then came Gayle D’Angelo. Jordan knew her father was dating Gayle and that Gayle was married.

How can I hold myself together, when everything around me is falling apart? Neena's always been a good girl - great grades, parent-approved friends and absolutely no boyfriends. But ever since her brother Akash left her, she's been slowly falling apart - and uncovering a new version of herself who is altogether more dangerous. As her wild behaviour spirals more and more out of control, Neena's grip on her sanity begins to weaken too.

In Journey Together, best-selling author Dr. David Hawkins gives you a road map to a romance that endures. A licensed clinical psychologist and marriage counselor with more than 40 years of experience, he's seen firsthand that a healthy, happy marriage can stand the test of time - but it requires intentional pursuit and a receptive, ready heart.

The inner child is the part of you that holds your memories, that feels your feelings, that, without your awareness may be calling the shots in your decision-making. Working with this part of yourself is a way of examining the source of your choices and evaluating whether they are coming from outdated, unexamined beliefs that are not delivering the best quality of life for you. By using this model, you may be able to sort out confusing and conflicting behaviors and make conscious choices that will improve your emotional, physical, mental, and relationship health.

A look at how commercialization has transformed youth sports from fun into a heavily commercialized and profitable venture. Examining the youth sports economy from many sides - the major corporations, the small entrepreneurs, the coaches, the parents, and, of course, the kids - Hyman probes the reasons for rapid changes in what gets bought and sold in this lucrative marketplace. He reveals the effects on kids and profiles the individuals and communities bucking this destructive trend of commercialization.

Seth Baumgartner just had the worst day of his life. His girlfriend dumped him (at Applebee’s), he spied his father on a date with a woman who is not his mother (also at Applebee’s!), and he lost his fourth job of the year. It’s like every relationship he cares about is imploding, and he can’t figure out what’s going on. To find answers, Seth decides to start an anonymous podcast called The Love Manifesto.

Josh is still flying high from his team's tournament win at Coopers­town when his parents start talking about a divorce. Now his dad is challenging him to play the best of the best at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. But does he just want to get Josh out of the way? Two things are sure: His father's new girlfriend, Diane, is looking to change things, and Josh is determined to get her and her terrible son out of his life.

Sixth grade is hard enough for Lucy B. Parker, but it gets so much worse when her mom announces that shes going to marry Laurel Moses' dad. Yes, that Laurel Moses - the TV-movie-music star who makes Hannah Montana look like some random kid from the sticks. Suddenly, Lucy's life is turned upside down and sideways. All Lucy wants to do is get through the day without totally embarrassing herself too much, but thats hard to do when youre the less-pretty, less-talented, not-quite sister of a mega superstar.

After nearly a year of crazy, things have finally settled down for Lucy B. Parker. But then Lucy's mom and soon-to-be stepdad announce that they're finally getting married - in a month - and Lucy's life turns upside down. Wedding planning is hard enough, but when a reality TV crew ends up following the family around while it's happening, the results are disastrous. Can Lucy save her mom's wedding - and the family? Or will everything fall apart?

Low-wage workers make up the largest group of employed parents in the United States, yet scant attention has been given to their experiences as new mothers and fathers. Work Matters brings the unique stories of these diverse individuals to light. Drawing on years of research and more than fifteen hundred family interviews, Maureen Perry-Jenkins describes how new parents cope with the demands of infant care while holding down low-wage, full-time jobs, and she considers how managing all of these responsibilities have long-term implications for child development.

Benny's life is slowly unraveling. His parents are newly divorced, his mom chooses to move away, and Benny and his brother and sister are left with their chain-smoking dad, who has just been diagnosed with lung cancer. Benny is lonely, anxious, and very angry. He can't sleep at night and spends his days trying to survive fifth grade.

New Mark Twain! This previously unpublished Twain piece was written 125 years ago, composed in 1876 as a "blind novelette" that Twain planned to launch as a competition for other great writers of the day. The competition never took place, and the story was thought by many to have been lost. This rediscovered gem, with a new introduction and afterword by Roy Blount, Jr., and brilliantly read by Blount and Garrison Keillor, allows us, once again, to celebrate the literary genius of Mark Twain.

Middle school is always hard, but when you’re known as the Roadkill Kid, well, it’s even harder. Jack’s mom collects roadkill—it’s her job, and she’s very good at it. Ever since Jack’s mom and dad got divorced, Jack has stepped into the role of Mom’s co-scientist. One day while tending to the roadkill garden, Jack believes he spots a cougar in the wilderness beyond his backyard. A cougar in Tennessee? They’re supposed to be extinct. So, when Jack has to choose an animal to research for his Earth Science class, he picks cougar.

Joe and Claire can see why Mum chucked Dad out. He looks a mess, he can’t cook, and he’s useless around the house - something must be done. They are the only ones who can transform him, and impress Mum into taking him back. Disaster strikes, however, when Mum starts seeing slimy and creepy Roger.... A funny, realistic novel about two children who are trying to get their parents back together, from best-selling author Pete Johnson.

A delightfully entertaining story of family and culture from acclaimed author Julia Alvarez. Moving to Vermont after his parents split, Miguel has plenty to worry about! Tía Lola, his quirky, carismática, and maybe magical aunt makes his life even more unpredictable when she arrives from the Dominican Republic to help out his Mami. Like her stories for adults, Julia Alvarez’s first middle-grade audiobook sparkles with magic as it illuminates a child’s experiences living in two cultures.

Octavia has big questions on her mind: Why do bad things happen, like Hurricane Katrina and 9/11? What is the meaning of life? Is there a God? Octavia’s father is convinced that art and Henry David Thoreau hold the key to life. Her mother, Ray, though, has always been seeking greater meaning - up until now. Octavia’s problem is not only that her parents have different answers to the big questions but that their answers are threatening to tear her family apart.

When Pinky discovers that Rex is away for the day, his disappointment quickly turns to loneliness. None of the usual things seem any fun without Rex. Realizing how much he misses her, Pinky comes up with a solution to ensure that they will never be apart again. It is a wedding to remember. Rex, the bride, looks beautiful in a long white sheet. Pinky, the groom, is dapper wearing his best pink tie. And they are to be married by Pretzel, Pinky’s stuffed pig. They’ve even written their own vows—in the form of a knock-knock joke. Wait a minute! Does this mean they’ll have to kiss?

Our kids are experiencing an unprecedented sense of isolation, interacting virtually in a world that seems ever more fearful with each news cycle. They absorb and internalize the stress and anxiety they see on their parents' faces and on the phone, laptop, tablet, and TV screens that are ever before their eyes. Not surprisingly, their mental and physical health are suffering. As parents, we want to know how we can help. Practical and encouraging, Raising Healthy Teenagers helps you understand the mental, physical, and social toll the past couple years have taken on your kids.

Panchtantra are the stories that were told to young princes in ancient times in India to make them wiser. Literally meaning five sections, the wisdom they impart today is as relevant as it was years ago. The stories are short and have animal characters which appeal to children.