“A MUST read for ALL educators!” -Public School Teacher“This book has ignited a new passion for reading for our students and teachers!” -Instructional Coach"I can't ♥♥♥♥♥ this enough!!!" -Middle School Counselor"Excellent storytelling, compelling characters. These books will change how you look at your students..." -Public School Educator"If you want a perspective of trauma from the lens of the child, this is it." -Community Services Provider"This book is required reading for all of our teachers." -Superintendent of Schools"I usually skip my district's book studies, but not this one. I couldn't put it down." -Long-Time Teacher"I recommend this book everywhere I go!" -Becky Haas, World-Renowned Trauma-Informed Care Trainer Walk a mile in the shoes of an at-risk child with this book written by a middle school administrator serving a high-needs population. A stunningly written fictional tale based on the real-life experiences of real students, Ugly Me is an entertaining, touching, raw look at life through the eyes of one of our nation’s many suffering children. It’s a must-read for all middle and high school students, educators, parents, and social workers.Get it today. Read more

The New York Times bestselling true story of an all-American girl, a boy from Zimbabwe, and the letter that changed both of their lives forever. It started as an assignment. Caitlin had never even heard of Zimbabwe when everyone in her class was told to write a letter to an unknown student somewhere in a distant place. Excited for the first time about homework, she went home that night and wrote about her favorite color and what sports she played, and asked her mystery pen-pal about life in Zimbabwe. Martin had never heard of Pennsylvania when he read Caitlin’s letter. He was lucky to even receive a pen-pal letter—his class only received ten letters for fifty kids! But as the top student, he got the first one. He wrote Caitlin back, talking about his siblings and soccer and saying he hoped she wrote again. These letters were the beginning of a correspondence that spanned six years and changed two lives. In this compelling dual memoir, Caitlin and Martin recount how they became best friends—and better people—through their inspiring long-distance exchange. Read more

With the rising sun comes a new day.Lexi along with Galen, Rafferty, Maverick and Ranger have survived the Blood Moon. Lexi has discovered her new powers and with them comes a great deal of responsibility.With the help from her father, Tobias and all the Wolf Packs can Lexi help heal the curse that has been placed on the Shifters. Or does her power only go so far. Read more

** WANTED, Book 1 of The Chase Ryder Series - Gold Medal Winner of a Readers' Favorite Book Award ** The most heart-warming books you will read all year! Contains all THREE books in the trilogy for a limited-time price! What would you do if you found an exceptionally intelligent dog only to discover he had valuable information inside his head that could change mankind forever? The first time I saw him, I had no idea he had recently escaped from a mysterious lab. That he had been created there. I’d been living on the streets, which was tough, but preferable to home. Then one day, I stumbled upon this mangy dog being attacked. I saved him, but then he saved me, and I realized that Muttface wasn’t a normal dog. He was crazy intelligent. I’m talking Mensa levels. It wasn’t only his cleverness that I fell for, however. Bandit happened to be one of the sweetest, purest souls that ever walked the earth. Also, who knew that a dog could have such a goofy sense of humor?When we sought help from a grieving veterinarian named Sully, his clinic was attacked and destroyed by mercenaries. So now here we are, the three of us. On the run across the country against a powerful enemy. Who are they and what do they want with us? Through the danger, terror, and pain, one thing was becoming clear to me: I have finally found the family I always wanted and I will do anything to keep them safe...Even if it means risking my own life.From the gritty streets of New York to the open plains of the Arizona desert, join Chase, Bandit and Sully as they flee across America in their desperate fight to keep their small unit together. Having never known the love of a parent, Chase unexpectedly finds a father in Sully, while the smart-talking, occasionally annoying but always endearing teenager manages to worm her way into Sully’s heart, healing the hole that was created when he lost his wife to cancer a year ago. Then there’s Bandit himself, a supernaturally smart dog, considered a scientific breakthrough by others, but a beloved member of this unlikely family who just wants to be able to live his life with Chase and Sully, outside of a cage.But the world has other plans for them.Each time they think they are safe, a new enemy rears its ugly head until they are forced from hiding, having to concoct a plan so audacious that it will either keep them safe forever, or end up killing them all…The award-winning creator & screenwriter of ground-breaking BBC television show Spirit Warriors starring Jessica Henwick (The Matrix 4, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Game of Thrones) brings you an action-packed thrill-ride in the series readers unanimously raved about, describing it as a "Must-Read" and "Unputdownable". With over 300 FIVE-STAR reviews across the series, if you're a fan of & Marvel movie Logan, James Patterson's Maximum Ride series and stories about dogs (and people) in desperate need of family and love, you will love The Chase Ryder Series. "If you loved Dean Koontz's Watchers, you're going to love this book." - Kindle CustomerThis edition contains all three books of the series:Wanted, Book 1Haunted, Book 2Hunted, Book 3 Read more

A New York Public Library Best Book of 2021The companion to Rex Ogle’s award-winning Free Lunch is a searing account of adolescence in a household torn by domestic violence.Punching Bag is the compelling true story of a high school career defined by poverty and punctuated by outbreaks of domestic abuse. Rex Ogle, who brilliantly mapped his experience of hunger in Free Lunch, here describes his struggle to survive; reflects on his complex, often paradoxical relationship with his passionate, fierce mother; and charts the trajectory of his stepdad’s anger. Hovering over Rex’s story is the talismanic presence of his unborn baby sister.Through it all, Rex threads moments of grace and humor that act as beacons of light in the darkness. Compulsively readable, beautifully crafted, and authentically told, Punching Bag is a remarkable memoir about one teenager’s cycle of violence, blame, and attempts to forgive his parents―and himself. Read more

A New York Public Library Best Book of 2021The companion to Rex Ogle’s award-winning Free Lunch is a searing account of adolescence in a household torn by domestic violence.Punching Bag is the compelling true story of a high school career defined by poverty and punctuated by outbreaks of domestic abuse. Rex Ogle, who brilliantly mapped his experience of hunger in Free Lunch, here describes his struggle to survive; reflects on his complex, often paradoxical relationship with his passionate, fierce mother; and charts the trajectory of his stepdad’s anger. Hovering over Rex’s story is the talismanic presence of his unborn baby sister.Through it all, Rex threads moments of grace and humor that act as beacons of light in the darkness. Compulsively readable, beautifully crafted, and authentically told, Punching Bag is a remarkable memoir about one teenager’s cycle of violence, blame, and attempts to forgive his parents―and himself. Read more

You can move past toxic stress, let go of fear and anger, and build resilience! This workbook will show you how. Do you often feel sad, anxious, angry, or upset and don’t really know why? Do you no longer enjoy the things you used to enjoy, or feel like the world is a bad place? If you’ve experienced extreme stress or trauma—such as abuse, neglect, a family member's illness, or living through a natural disaster—you may need help healing and moving forward in your life. It’s important to know that you are not alone, and there is nothing to be ashamed of. Most importantly, there are ways to feel better.Written by an expert in teen mental health, this healing workbook offers powerful skills to help you overcome the effects of toxic stress, trauma, and adversity using mindfulness, neuroplasticity, and emotion regulation. You’ll learn all about how your mind and body respond to stress, how to identify triggers, and how to ground and calm yourself in the moment when your emotions feel too big to handle.If you’re struggling with the effects of stress or trauma, you should know that you can move forward in your life with confidence, self-compassion, and resilience. This workbook will help you, every step of the way. Read more

"Sunshine, you're my baby and I'm your only mother. You must mind the one taking care of you, but she's not your mama." Ashley Rhodes-Courter spent nine years of her life in fourteen different foster homes, living by those words. As her mother spirals out of control, Ashley is left clinging to an unpredictable, dissolving relationship, all the while getting pulled deeper and deeper into the foster care system. Painful memories of being taken away from her home quickly become consumed by real-life horrors, where Ashley is juggled between caseworkers, shuffled from school to school, and forced to endure manipulative,humiliating treatment from a very abusive foster family. In this inspiring, unforgettable memoir, Ashley finds the courage to succeed - and in doing so, discovers the power of her own voice. Read more

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Lutie McBride and his granddaughter, Buddie, (and their small town of Whistler, Indiana) come to life in this captivating mystery for kids. Novelist Ann Cavera brilliantly weaves a stolen vase, Abraham Lincoln, secret caves, a teenage crush, mandolins and banjos, and much more together, resulting in a multi-faceted story that kids will love. Cavera doesn't shy away from the grim reality of poverty and loss, and—as honest and broken as some of her characters are—readers are left with a sense of hope as well as a reminder of the value of regarding others with respect and love.—Jennifer Grant, award-winning author of many books for adults and for children, including Finding Calm in Nature. Read more

A Finalist for the 2023 YALSA Excellence in Young Adult Nonfiction Award. Rex Ogle’s companion to Free Lunch and Punching Bag weaves humor, heartbreak, and hope into life-affirming poems that honor his grandmother’s legacy.In his award-winning memoir Free Lunch, Rex Ogle’s abuela features as a source of love and support. In this companion-in-verse, Rex captures and celebrates the powerful presence a woman he could always count on―to give him warm hugs and ear kisses, to teach him precious words in Spanish, to bring him to the library where he could take out as many books as he wanted, and to offer safety when darkness closed in. Throughout a coming of age marked by violence and dysfunction, Abuela’s red-brick house in Abilene, Texas, offered Rex the possibility of home, and Abuela herself the possibility for a better life.Abuela, Don’t Forget Me is a lyrical portrait of the transformative and towering woman who believed in Rex even when he didn’t yet know how to believe in himself. Read more

"I was cognizant of the limited life of my lies."Vivian, nicknamed Country Club Girl by her Beachside Middle School friends, seemed to have it all: a wealthy surgeon father, a beautiful mother, and a mansion in the prestigious gated community of Royal Palm Estates. What her friends did not know was that after a tragic incident, her father was sued and lost his medical license, and the lavish remodel on their mansion came to a screeching halt. Now living for almost three years in a gutted-out shell of a home, Vivian’s parents’ marriage has unraveled, and the story begins with her mother leaving a note for Vivian that she has left. Later, on that same fateful day, her father—not knowing about her mother’s departure-- leaves his own note explaining that he has left. With both parents gone, Vivian must take care of herself. She quickly realizes that the bills have gone unpaid as the water, electricity, and phone are turned off. With just $187.23 in her nightstand drawer, can Vivian survive without anyone knowing her circumstances until a parent returns—if they ever do? She thinks she can until an army of roaches reveal a trail of truth. Read more

This final, essential chapter in Rex Ogle’s memoir trilogy recounts being forced from his home and living on the streets after his father discovered he was gay.When Rex was outed the summer after he graduated high school, his father gave him a choice: he could stay at home, find a girlfriend, and attend church twice a week, or he could be gay—and leave. Rex left, driving toward the only other gay man he knew and a toxic relationship that would ultimately leave him homeless and desperate on the streets of New Orleans.Here, Rex tells the story of his coming out and his father’s rejection of his identity, navigating abuse and survival on the streets. Road Home is a devastating and incandescent reflection on Rex’s hunger—for food, for love, and for a place to call home—completing the trilogy of memoirs that began with the award-winning Free Lunch. Read more

Every Falling Star, the first book to portray contemporary North Korea to a young audience, is the intense memoir of a North Korean boy named Sungju who is forced at age twelve to live on the streets and fend for himself. To survive, Sungju creates a gang and lives by thieving, fighting, begging, and stealing rides on cargo trains. Sungju richly re-creates his scabrous story, depicting what it was like for a boy alone to create a new family with his gang, his “brothers”; to be hungry and to fear arrest, imprisonment, and even execution. This riveting memoir allows young readers to learn about other cultures where freedoms they take for granted do not exist. Read more

When Margo's parents kick her out, she has nowhere to go. She ends up on the streets, trying to figure out how to survive. Where will she stay? Will she finish high school? Most importantly, will she figure out how to live her life authentically?Throwaway is a fictional story written in verse. Read more

To be Blessed is the ultimate reward. Or so they’re told.JUNIPER struggles to survive in the Fray, a neon-lit city trapped in poverty. Her plan is simple: earn enough from her thieving to buy her way out with her only friends, Mino and Ida.But when Mino is Blessed and taken to the New Realm station, Juniper’s world is thrown into chaos.She knows better than to trust the shiny advertisements for the New Realm—Mino is in grave danger, and she’ll do anything to rescue him. Fortunately, a stranded pilot appears in the Fray at just the right time.ASTOR, a privileged but kind young pilot from Lumina City, is mysteriously exiled to the Fray. With Juniper’s help, he might just have a chance of returning to his old life.Together, they strike a deal. Sneak into Lumina, steal a ship, and fly to the New Realm station.But Lumina harbors dangerous secrets. Secrets from Juniper’s past that she can’t hide. When distrust spreads, can Juniper and Astor work together to save Mino before time runs out?Neurahack is the first installment of Project Juniper, a thrilling YA/NA cyberpunk series written by Eris Goode. If you like Amie Kaufman’s Illuminae, Marissa Meyer’s Cinder, or Marie Lu’s Legend, explore this new series about friendship, integrity, and unlikely heroes. Reading order for Project Juniper :Prequel 1: Neuracode: Part IPrequel 2: Neuracode Part IIBook 1: NeurahackBook 2: Neurabreak (Spring 2024)Book 3: Neuravoid (Summer 2024) Read more

They want a war, they’ll get it! It’s bad enough that they’re interrupting my classes at Titania Academy. This semester, classes include Concealment and Heredity, and I'll learn about my true Fae Folk form. And Advanced Glamour, and Herbology. And Flying! I’m supposed to be kissing Chance – yes, he’s my boyfriend now! – under the moonlight. But noooooooooooo. Instead, I have to FIGHT because this “Faction” as they now call themselves, has decided to DECLARE WAR? A faerie war? What does that even mean? Well, I’m from New York, and I know how to survive. I don’t want to fight, but since they insist... They’ve already kidnapped my uncle, The Oak King. I’m sure they’re going to use his power to try to take back the Elfen Lands and to take over the entire Faerie realm. And I’m just as sure they want to kill my father, The Holly King. And probably everyone else I care about, too. Do you think I’m going to let that happen? I don’t THINK SO. I may be just 15, but they have no idea who they’re messing with. Elemental magic scared them enough to try to kidnap me. Imagine how scary it will be for them when I unleash it on their treasonous.... Control yourself, Holly. Save your anger for them. You’re gonna need it. Because this is war. Yeah, it’s ON! Read more

Emma is ready to make a fresh start with a new school year. With her mother getting more difficult and her father dragging Ethan to court for child support, things are about to get messy! The hot new teacher gives Emma something to dream about when a new student from California enters the picture and steals her heart. Emma can't figure out if her new boyfriend can handle the news that she has a baby, or if Ethan is serious about wanting her back. Book 2 sees Emma finding exactly who Mr. Right really is! Read more

— Archie —I was born into an easy life, and I like it that way.Easy money.Easy sex.Easy … every-damn-thing.But that luxury came with a price, and it’s almost time to pay it.It’s senior year, my last one of freedom before I inherit the family empire and watch my dad gleefully sail into retirement on the tails of his sixth—seventh?—divorce from my mother.I’m the golden boy of Arlean University, the first-line running back with so many touchdowns they call me Bring-It-Home Blakely. Men want to be me. Women want to be beneath me.I do what I want. When I want. To whomever I want.I am revered. Adored. Utterly untouchable.Or so I thought.A red-headed transfer student with a know-it-all complex and Satan’s temper threatens to ruin my birthright.She saw something she shouldn’t have and stuck her nose where it didn’t belong.Then, she smiled at me when my father introduced her as his fiancé.Game on, future Mrs. Blakely.— Layne —I have fought for everything I’ve ever had.Food, shelter, safety, life.Twenty-one years ago, I was born in the wrong place at the wrong time to the wrong woman.I learned to survive on my own and to do whatever it takes—beg, borrow, and steal—to stay alive.Every night for as long as I can remember, I have dreamed of vengeance, and no one, especially the god of my new college, will stand in my way.I don’t believe in gods anyway.I don’t believe in forgiveness either.I believe in blood for blood and pain for pain, and I will make it rain down from my hands in a thunderstorm.I’ll destroy anyone who stands between me and what’s mine, and I won’t shed a tear while I do.There is no quid pro quo in my world. It’s take it or leave it, all or nothing.Get out of my way, golden boy, or I'll tarnish your gilded armor black before this is over.Author's Note: Brutal Hearts is a dark enemies-to-lovers, college romance. It features mature themes including an explosive heat level, bullying, and, like my other novels, struggles with mental illness. Please read the content/trigger warnings carefully before reading, available either through the Look-Inside feature or on my website (linked on my Amazon author page). Read more