Difficult Parents

The Valorim are about to fall to a dark lord when they send a necklace containing their planet across the cosmos, hurtling past a trillion stars...all the way into the lunchbox of Tommy Pepper, sixth grader, of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Mourning his late mother, Tommy doesn't notice much about the chain he found, but soon he is drawing the twin suns and humming the music of a hanorah. As Tommy absorbs the art and language of the Valorim, their enemies target him.

Willful and high-spirited, exerting his independence at every turn, 10-year-old Robert "Robbie" Burns Hewitt plans to live life to the fullest - because the world is going to end at the turn of the century anyway! The year 1900 is fast approaching. Robbie decides that living by The Ten Commandments, which have been drilled into his head by his preacher father, is not meant for him - since he "ain’t got the knack for holiness." On his quest to be his own person, he stirs up trouble daily.

Meet 11-year-old Dara Palmer. She loves dancing and dreams of being a world-famous actress, which means she has to get the main part in the school play. When she doesn't get any part at all, Dara begins to wonder whether it's because of her looks rather than her acting skills. But Dara has big ideas and is determined not to let prejudice stop her from being in the spotlight.

Gemma and Alice were born on the same day and have been devoted best friends ever since. Despite Gemma's larger-than-life personality and Alice's quieter, calmer character, the two are inseparable – until Alice has to move house, all the way to Scotland. Gemma is utterly distraught, particularly at the thought that Alice might find a new best friend. Is there anything Gem's brothers, or perhaps her Grand dad, can do to help?

It isn't easy being able to read minds - guys' minds, especially. Gusty Peterson, the hottest bimboy in school, is always thinking I'm sick, as in totally gross to look at. Not that it matters, since I don't have a crush on him or anything. And Mallory, my first real friend since forever, has disturbing, romantic ideas about me bouncing in his brain. Even worse, scrawny Jacob has bizarre fantasies about decorating my ginormous gazungas with mascarpone cheese.

Dilly's mom, Elspeth Dillon Howell, died when Dilly was just six. She left her daughter an Adirondack farmhouse and a letter for when Dilly was "older". Now that Dilly's old enough, the letter's missing. As Dilly searches for it in the house's many hiding places, she makes a few discoveries about the mom she never really knew. Surprisingly, Elspeth's long-ago life looks a lot like Dilly's today.

It's 1986, and 15-year-old Erin is none too pleased by her widowed father's announcement that he's getting married. When she discovers her late mother's diary, she learns that she wanted to be a writer just like Erin does. So she runs away from home on a Greyhound bus, determined to track down Harper Lee - the author of both her and her mother's favorite book. What unfolds is a poignant quest of self-discovery and the making of a strong young woman.

Sixteen-year-old Jude has to get out of tiny Churchtown. She has to escape her outcast status at the Royal Duchy School and her pathetic dad, who hasn’t gotten past her mum’s death. The only bright light is drama, her way out, if only she can get into the Lab in London. It takes a lot of nerve to apply to such a prestigious program, and Jude’s not sure she can do it. Then Jude’s childhood best friend, Stella, returns. Stella, sexy and bold, and 10 times cooler than Jude. With Stella by her side, Jude knows she’s capable of anything. But Stella’s influence extends well beyond the theater.

Mallory Estate is the last place 12-year-old Piper Peavey wants to spend her summer vacation. The grounds are always cold, the garden out back is dead, a mysterious group of children call the property home, and there’s a rumor that Melena M. Mallory - the owner of the estate and Piper’s wealthy grandmother - is a witch. But when Piper’s father falls ill, Mallory Estate is exactly where she finds herself. The grand house and its garden hold many secrets - some of which may even save her father.

Written by a popular middle-grade author, this heartfelt and important treatment of anxiety and depression centers on a 10-year-old boy who begins to handle his grief after his mother disappears by creating a fantasy narrative of where she’s gone, with the help of a kindly neighbor who survived separation from her father during World War II.

This debut novel is a poignant exploration of grief, change, and hope, perfect for fans of Lisa Graff and Lindsey Stoddard. After Kitty’s mother dies on an inappropriately sunny Tuesday, all Kitty wants is for her life to go back to “normal” - whatever that will mean without her mum. Instead, her dad announces that he, Kitty, and her sister are moving from their home in London to New York City, and Kitty will need to say goodbye to the places and people that help keep her mother’s memory alive.

Everyday, Ryan Turner must face the reality that everyone knows what he did. It’s in they way they speak to him. It’s in the way they look at him. Ryan’s only solace comes from the local waterfall, where the violent crashing of the water clears his mind of everything. But then one day, a girl named Nicki Thornton throws herself into his solitary world. Nicki is direct about his past and determined to crash through the wall of glass that Ryan has put between himself and others. She seeks answers to questions that she knows only Ryan can understand.

Dealing with a narcissistic individual is something that only those who’s been there really know...Their personality can be really overwhelming and it might seem impossible to change the outcome of the relationship because despite you trying your best, nothing seems to change, and the same situations happen, again and again, leading to arguments, and leaving you with a sense of powerlessness. By listening to this collection of books you will have the power to heal your life and your relationship with the narcissistic person.

One in five parents, caregivers, and educators often struggle with how to support their teenager in developing emotional intelligence. But this does not have to be you, because this guide lays out everything you need to know in an accessible and empathetic way.

Jolly is 17. She can't really spell. She doesn't have much of a job. And she has two little kids from two different, absent fathers. Jolly knows she can't cope with Jilly and Jeremy all by herself. So she posts a notice on the school ­bulletin board: BABYSITTER NEEDED BAD. No one replies but Verna LaVaughn, who's only 14. How much help can she be? For a while, Jolly, Jilly, Jeremy, and LaVaughn are an extraordinary family. Then LaVaughn takes the first steps toward building her own future, and Jolly begins the long, slow process of turning the lemons of her life into lemonade.

Marcy's life is a mess. Her parents don't understand her, she feels like a fat blimp with no friends, and her favorite teacher just got fired. Ms. Finney wasn't like the other teachers, and she was helping Marcy feel good about being herself. Now that she's gone, Marcy doesn't know what to do. She's always thought things would be better if she could just lose weight, but the loss of Ms. Finney sparks something inside her.

A man's encounter with his mother's first love redefines his past and changes the course of his future. This story is an excerpt from the full collection, While I'm Still Myself, available everywhere books are sold.

When 12-year-old Linc Crenshaw decides he wants to go to public school, his professor mom isn't so happy with the idea. He's convinced it will be the ticket to a new social life. Instead, it's a disaster when his mom shows up at their field trip to the local cemetery to lecture them on gravestones, and Linc sees her through his fellow-students' eyes.

A thoughtful interpretation of the loss of a father from a child's perspective. Jar Of Love encourages your little one to let positive feelings and memories guide their way through their grief after losing their daddy.

Life in Oakroy, Pennsylvania is about as far and away from Pittsburgh and Philadelphia as a cactus is the ocean. But when you're the single daughter to Malcolm O'Malley, a large man who's about as stuck in the 1980s as a hand is stuck in a peanut butter jar, things aren't always easy. Rachel's 15 going on 16, and with her mother passed away at age six, she's going to have to deal with her father's conservative politics, his new dates, his Catholic faith, and his very vocal politics. Is Rachel going to make it out of high school without tearing her hair out? Find out and see!