Twerp

It's not like I meant for him to get hurt. . . . Julian Twerski isn't a bully. He's just made a big mistake. So when he returns to school after a weeklong suspension, his English teacher offers him a deal: if he keeps a journal and writes about the terrible incident that got him and his friends suspended, he can get out of writing a report on Shakespeare. Julian jumps at the chance. And so begins his account of life in sixth grade--blowing up homemade fireworks, writing a love letter for his best friend (with disastrous results), and worrying whether he's still the fastest kid in school. Lurking in the background, though, is the one story he can't bring himself to tell, the one story his teacher most wants to hear. Inspired by Mark Goldblatt's own childhood growing up in 1960s Queens, Twerp shines with humor and heart. This remarkably powerful story will have readers laughing and crying right along with these flawed but unforgettable characters. Praise for Twerp: A Bankstreet Best Book of the Year A Junior Library Guild Selection A Summer Top Ten Kids’ Indie Next List Pick A Sunshine State Award Finalist “Reminiscent of The Perks of Being a Wallflower. . . . You don’t have to be a twerp to read this book.” —New York Post “A vivid, absorbing story about one boy’s misadventure, heartache, and hope for himself.” —Rebecca Stead, Newbery Award-winning author of When You Reach Me “Mark Goldblatt is an amazingly wonderful writer.” —Chris Grabenstein, New York Times bestselling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library “[Fans of] Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid who have matured beyond the scope and gravity of that series will find a kindred spirit in Julian.” —School Library Journal “Reminiscent of movies like The Sandlot. . . . Well-written and funny.” —The Advocate “Alternately poignant and comical. . . . A thought-provoking exploration of bullying, personal integrity and self-acceptance.” —Kirkus Reviews “A timely book.” —New York Journal of Books “Elegant in its simplicity and accessibility.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books “An empathetic and authentic glimpse into the mind of a sixth-grade boy.” —The Florida Times-Union “Funny, poignant, and an effective commentary on bullying and its consequences.” —The Horn Book Magazine

The New York Post praised Twerp as “reminiscent of The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” Finding the Worm is a sequel that stands on its own—an unforgettable coming-of-age story about life, loss, and friendship. Perfect for fans of The Sandlot and readers who love books by Jennifer L. Holm, Andrew Clements, and Rebecca Stead. It’s not a test unless you can fail! Trouble always seems to find thirteen-year-old Julian Twerski. He’s being framed for something he didn’t do, has insulted the girl he likes, and is trying to help a friend with cancer. He has some tough choices ahead, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Sometimes life just isn’t fair. But fair or not, the real question is: Will Julian be able to fix things? Praise for Finding the Worm: “Movingly depicts a steadfast friendship. . . . Outstanding.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred “Mark Goldblatt writes with humor and heart—his words stick with you like a best friend.” —Chris Grabenstein, New York Times bestselling author “Difficult questions about life and death are explored, offering no easy answers. Fans of Twerp will delight in this new tale of friendship with a touch of baseball.” —Booklist “An excellent companion to Twerp, this novel also stands alone.” —School Library Journal

Fredrick Overall was one of those surprise babies, born to a 39 year old mom and 40 year old dad. He was a nuisance to his older siblings as well as his father, but dearly loved by his mom. Born into a family of strapping athletes, Frail Freddy as he became known, uses his brilliant but quirky mind to cope with his family and outwit a town filled with corrupt politicians. After tragedy strikes his family, he educates himself and builds a dynamic and very successful business. Fredricks humor and insight into human nature make him a formidable enemy to the power brokers in the town of Pressley, Texas

"Like A Wrinkle in Time (Miranda's favorite book), When You Reach Me far surpasses the usual whodunit or sci-fi adventure to become an incandescent exploration of 'life, death, and the beauty of it all.'" —The Washington Post This Newbery Medal winner that has been called "smart and mesmerizing," (The New York Times) and "superb" (The Wall Street Journal) will appeal to readers of all types, especially those who are looking for a thought-provoking mystery with a mind-blowing twist. Shortly after a fall-out with her best friend, sixth grader Miranda starts receiving mysterious notes, and she doesn’t know what to do. The notes tell her that she must write a letter—a true story, and that she can’t share her mission with anyone. It would be easy to ignore the strange messages, except that whoever is leaving them has an uncanny ability to predict the future. If that is the case, then Miranda has a big problem—because the notes tell her that someone is going to die, and she might be too late to stop it. Winner of the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award for Fiction A New York Times Bestseller and Notable Book Five Starred Reviews A Junior Library Guild Selection "Absorbing." —People "Readers ... are likely to find themselves chewing over the details of this superb and intricate tale long afterward." —The Wall Street Journal "Lovely and almost impossibly clever." —The Philadelphia Inquirer "It's easy to imagine readers studying Miranda's story as many times as she's read L'Engle's, and spending hours pondering the provocative questions it raises." —Publishers Weekly, Starred review

This book is a non-stop, fun, nostalgic trip back to the Dallas area in the days of the baby boomers' youth. Over 200 photos and visuals enliven the story which is told in a truly lighthearted and enjoyable "easy-read" way. Anyone who grew up in the era and the area will find hundreds of things they remember fondly - from the local TV shows, favorite hangouts, movie theaters, dances, shopping, burger joints, roller rinks, gymnasium sock hops, schools, the Fair, music, bands, sports, concerts, local radio and TV personalities to first-hand accounts of events like The 1964 Beatles concert and sneaking into drive in theaters. This 224 page book has been described as "A must read for baby-boomers who grew up the Dallas - Fort Worth area... " (Shari Goldstein Stern - The White Rock Lake Weekly). "Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear...." Take a fun rollercoaster ride through Dallas back in the day! Do you remember: The Studio Club, Icky Twerp, Mickey and Amanda, Sivil's, Kip's, KLIF vs KBOX, The Buckner Drive In, Charlie and Harrigan, Surfers A-Go-Go, The Lakewood Rats, The Lady of the Lake, The Ride-N-Laff, Six Flags, Charco's, The Prince of Hamburgers, Storybook Land, Kat's Karavan, The Big D Jamboree, or The Wilshire Theater? If not now, you will when you read "The Twerp Generation Growing Up In Dallas In The '50s and'60s".

A New York Times bestseller! “Smart and funny…warm and rewarding.” —Booklist (starred review) “A compelling and quirky tale of love and negotiating early adulthood in New York City.” —School Library Journal From the New York Times bestselling author of Emergency Contact, which Rainbow Rowell called “smart and funny,” comes a “captivating” (The New York Times) romance about how social media influences relationships every day. On paper, college dropout Pablo Rind doesn’t have a whole lot going for him. His graveyard shift at a twenty-four-hour deli in Brooklyn is a struggle. Plus, he’s up to his eyeballs in credit card debt. Never mind the state of his student loans. Pop juggernaut Leanna Smart has enough social media followers to populate whole continents. The brand is unstoppable. She graduated from child stardom to become an international icon, and her adult life is a queasy blur of private planes, step-and-repeats, aspirational hotel rooms, and strangers screaming for her just to notice them. When Leanna and Pablo meet at 5:00 a.m. at the bodega in the dead of winter it’s absurd to think they’d be A Thing. But as they discover who they are, who they want to be, and how to defy the deafening expectations of everyone else, Lee and Pab turn to each other. Which, of course, is when things get properly complicated.

This is a book written for straight teenagers on the subject of homosexualitypresented in a sympathetic and straightforward way.