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Showing 1 - 20 of 148 items
By Nikki Grimes. 2014
Award-winning poet Nikki Grimes presents a tender poetry collection where a young girl learns about her mother, the child of…
an Air Force serviceman.During a visit to her grandma's house, a young girl discovers a box of poems in the attic, poems written by her mother when she was growing up. Her mother's family often moved around the United States and the world because her mother's father was in the Air Force. Over the years, her mother used poetry to record everything she saw and did in the many places their family lived. Reading the poems and sharing those experiences through her mother's eyes, the young girl feels closer to her mother than ever before. To let her mother know this, she creates a gift: a book with her own poems and copies of her mother's. And when she returns her mother's poems to the box in the attic, she leaves her own poems too, for someone else to find, someday. Using free verse for the young girl's poems and tanka for her mother's, master poet Nikki Grimes creates a tender intergenerational story that speaks to every child's need to hold onto special memories of home, no matter where that place might be.By Carly Jayne Roach. 2024
My Baby is a heartwarming book that promotes early bonding between mother and baby, written by an author who gave…
birth during the COVID pandemic. With sweet and simple rhymes, the author conveys the love, kisses, and cuddles shared between mother and baby, as they embark on their journey of growth together. This book is a must-have for new mums, as it provides a beautiful and intimate way to connect with their babies during those early stages of life. With stunning illustrations that capture the tender moments between mother and child, readers will feel a deep sense of oneness with their little one. Whether you’re a new mum, or searching for the perfect baby shower gift, My Baby is a touching and meaningful addition to any family’s bookshelf. It’s a reminder that the love between a mother and baby is powerful and enduring, and something to be cherished for a lifetime.By Wali Shah, Eric Walters. 2024
Ali is an eighth-grade kid with a lot going on. Between the pressure from his immigrant parents to ace every…
class, his crush on Melissa, who lives in the rich area of town while he and his family live in a shabby apartment complex, and trying his best to fit in with his friends, he feels like he’s being pulled in too many different directions. But harder still, Ali is becoming increasingly aware of the racism around him. Comments from his friends about Pakistani food or his skin color are passed off as jokes, but he doesn’t find them funny. And when Ramadan starts, Ali doesn’t tell anyone he’s fasting because it just seems easier. Luckily he finds solace in putting his feelings into words—and poems. But his father is dead set against him using art as a distraction when he’s got schoolwork and a future career as a doctor to focus on. Ali’s world changes when he, his mom and his little brother are assaulted by some racist teens. Ali must come to terms with his roiling feelings about his place in the world, as a Pakistani immigrant, a Muslim and a teenager with his whole life ahead of him. With help from his grandfather, an inspiring teacher and his friend, Ali leans on his words for strength. And eventually he finds his true voice.By Ellen Hopkins. 2010
This gripping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Crank trilogy features a refreshed look and a trade paperback trim…
size.Hunter, Autumn, and Summer—three of Kristina Snow’s five children—live in different homes, with different guardians and different last names. They share only a predisposition for addiction and a host of troubled feelings toward the mother who barely knows them, a mother who has been riding with the monster, crank, for twenty years. Hunter is nineteen, angry, getting by in college with a job at a radio station, a girlfriend he loves in the only way he knows how, and the occasional party. He's struggling to understand why his mother left him, when he unexpectedly meets his rapist father, and things get even more complicated. Autumn lives with her single aunt and alcoholic grandfather. When her aunt gets married, and the only family she’s ever known crumbles, Autumn’s compulsive habits lead her to drink. And the consequences of her decisions suggest that there’s more of Kristina in her than she’d like to believe. Summer doesn’t know about Hunter, Autumn, or their two youngest brothers, Donald and David. To her, family is only abuse at the hands of her father’s girlfriends and a slew of foster parents. Doubt and loneliness overwhelm her, and she, too, teeters on the edge of her mother’s notorious legacy. As each searches for real love and true family, they find themselves pulled toward the one person who links them together—Kristina, Bree, mother, addict. But it is in each other, and in themselves, that they find the trust, the courage, the hope to break the cycle. Told in three voices and punctuated by news articles chronicling the family’s story, FALLOUT is the stunning conclusion to the trilogy begun by CRANK and GLASS, and a testament to the harsh reality that addiction is never just one person’s problem.By Ellen Hopkins. 2013
Pattyn&’s father is dead. Now she&’s on the run in this riveting companion to New York Times bestseller Burned, which…
Kirkus Reviews calls &“a strong, painful, and tender piece about wresting hope from the depths of despair.&”Pattyn Von Stratten’s father is dead, and Pattyn is on the run. After far too many years of abuse at the hands of her father, and after the tragic loss of her beloved Ethan and their unborn child, Pattyn is desperate for peace. Only her sister Jackie knows what happened that fatal night, but she is stuck at home with their mother, who clings to normalcy by allowing the truth to be covered up by their domineering community leaders. Her father might be finally gone, but without Pattyn, Jackie is desperately isolated.Alone and in disguise, Pattyn starts a new life as a migrant worker on a California ranch. But is it even possible to rebuild a life when everything you’ve known has burned to ash and lies seem far safer than the truth?Bestselling author Ellen Hopkins continues the riveting story of Pattyn Von Stratten she began in Burned to explore what it takes to rise from the ashes, put ghosts to rest, and step into a future.By Safia Elhillo. 2024
An unflinching, honest novel in verse about a teenager's journey into the slam poetry scene and the dangerous new relationship that could threaten…
all her dreams. From the award-winning poet and author of HOME IS NOT A COUNTRY.Bad girl. No matter how hard Samira tries, she can&’t shake her reputation. She&’s never gotten the benefit of the doubt—not from her mother or the aunties who watch her like a hawk.Samira is determined to have a perfect summer filled with fun parties, exploring DC, and growing as a poet—until a scandalous rumor has her grounded and unable to leave her house. When Samira turns to a poetry forum for solace, she catches the eye of an older, charismatic poet named Horus. For the first time, Samira feels wanted. But soon she&’s keeping a bigger secret than ever before—one that that could prove her reputation and jeopardize her place in her community.In this gripping coming-of-age novel from the critically acclaimed author Safia Elhillo, a young woman searches to find the balance between honoring her family, her artistry, and her authentic self.By Linnea Axelsson. 2024
The winner of Sweden&’s most prestigious literary award makes her American debut with an epic, multigenerational novel-in-verse about two Sámi…
families and their quest to stay together across a century of migration, violence, and colonial trauma.In Northern Sámi, the word Ædnan means the land, the earth, and my mother. These are all crucial forces within the lives of the Indigenous families that animate this groundbreaking book: an astonishing verse novel that chronicles a hundred years of change: a book that will one day stand alongside Halldór Laxness&’s Independent People and Sigrid Undset&’s Kristin Lavransdatter as an essential Scandinavian epic.The tale begins in the 1910s, as Ristin and her family migrate their herd of reindeer to summer grounds. Along the way, forced to separate due to the newly formed border between Sweden and Norway, Ristin loses one of her sons in the aftermath of an accident, a grief that will ripple across the rest of the book. In the wake of this tragedy, Ristin struggles to manage what&’s left of her family and her community.In the 1970s, Lise, as part of a new generation of Sámi grappling with questions of identity and inheritance, reflects on her traumatic childhood, when she was forced to leave her parents and was placed in a Nomad School to be stripped of the language of her ancestors. Finally, in the 2010s we meet Lise&’s daughter, Sandra, an embodiment of Indigenous resilience, an activist fighting for reparations in a highly publicized land rights trial, in a time when the Sámi language is all but lost.Weaving together the voices of half a dozen characters, from elders to young people unsure of their heritage, Axelsson has created a moving family saga around the consequences of colonial settlement. Ædnan is a powerful reminder of how durable language can be, even when it is borrowed, especially when it has to hold what no longer remains. &“I was the weight / in the stone you brought / back from the coast // to place on / my grave,&” one character says to another from beyond the grave. &“And I flew above / the boat calling / to you all: // There will be rain / there will be rain.&”By Laekan Kemp. 2023
Award-winning author Laekan Zea Kemp&’s heart-wrenching novel-in-verse follows two teens who must come together to heal the pain from their…
pasts, perfect for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo and Nicola Yoon. Danna Mendoza Villarreal&’s grandfather is slowly losing himself as his memories fade, and Danna&’s not sure her plan to help him remember through the foods he once reviewed will be enough to bring him back. Especially when her own love of food makes her complicated relationship with her mother even more difficult. Raúl Santos has been lost ever since his mother was wrongly incarcerated two years ago. Playing guitar for the elderly has been his only escape, to help them remember and him forget. But when his mom unexpectedly comes back into his life, what is he supposed to do when she isn&’t the same person who left? When Danna and Raúl meet, sparks fly immediately and they embark on a mission to heal her grandfather ... and themselves. Because healing is something best done together—even if it doesn&’t always look the way we want it to.By Eireann Corrigan. 2004
From the remarkable author of YOU REMIND ME OF YOU, a searing novel in poems about a family falling apart.It's…
about the aftermath. It's about what happens after a stranger breaks into a house and attacks a family. It's about the sisters who must barricade themselves behind a splintering door while tethered on the phone to 911. It's about the father who nearly dies. It's about the son who hides. And everything after. Told in alternating perspectives, this is a powerful, moving story about a family that has its facade shattered by a random act of violence -- and must deal with what is discovered underneath.By Jenna Hager, Barbara Bush. 2023
A joyful celebration of growing families by former first daughters and #1 New York Times bestselling authors Jenna Bush Hager…
and Barbara Pierce Bush. As two sisters watch their friends’ families grow, they wish on a star for a sibling of their own…and a younger brother and a baby cousin arrive! The new family members aren’t exactly what the sisters expected, but with time and patience, the group soon becomes fabulously four—and lets their imaginations soar! Together they can be anything, and no matter what, they will always remember that love comes first. Inspired by Jenna and Barbara’s own families, this companion title to the #1 New York Times bestseller Sisters First is a tender story about the way our hearts can always make room for more. Advisory: Bookshare has learned that this book offers only partial accessibility. We have kept it in the collection because it is useful for some of our members. Benetech is actively working on projects to improve accessibility issues such as these. New York Times BestsellerBy Sonya Sones. 2004
After her mother's death, fifteen-year-old Ruby leaves Boston and reluctantly moves to California where her father is a famous actor.…
Ruby has trouble adapting but gradually accepts the change while learning family secrets. Some strong language. For senior high readers. 2004By Walter Dean Myers. 2006
College-bound Harlem teen Damien falls in love with sixteen-year-old Junice. But when Junice's mother is sent to prison, Junice struggles…
to keep her younger sister with her. Meanwhile Damien fights with a rival who belittles their love. For senior high readers. 2006By Caroline Kennedy, Jon J. Muth. 2005
Treasury of Caroline Kennedy's best-loved childhood verses about animals, seasons, adventures, and bedtime. Features familiar classics by Shakespeare, Basho, Emily…
Dickinson, Robert Frost, and Ogden Nash as well as contemporary works by Nikki Giovanni, Jack Prelutsky, Naomi Shihab Nye, and Kennedy's mother, Jacqueline Bouvier, among many. For grades 4-7. 2005By Tracie Vaughn Zimmer. 2007
Josie, born with cerebral palsy, lives with her mother and grandmother, who both love gardening. When a lonely boy, Jordan,…
moves in nearby, he and Josie relate through their interest in nature, and Josie makes her first friend. For grades 4-7. Schneider Family Book Award. 2007By Nikki Tate. 2011
Tara's sister died a year ago, on the day that Tara didn't answer her phone when Hannah called. And Hannah…
stepped in front of a bus. Now Tara lives with the guilt of wondering if things would be different if she had been there when Hannah needed her most. Competing in slam poetry competitions is the only way Tara can keep her sister's memory alive and deal with all the unanswered questions. But at some point, Tara is going to have to let Hannah rest in peace, and she will need to find a way to move on.By Betsy Byars. 1988
Anna Bean goes to the roof in search of inspiration, and soon her family will follow her into a new…
world just a few floors above their homeThe Bean children are not allowed to play on the roof of their apartment building. One evening Anna Bean goes up to the roof—not to play, but to be alone so she can write a poem for school. Her poetry writing fever is contagious; one by one, the rest of the Bean family visits the roof to write amongst pigeons and tall buildings—all except George, who can&’t think of anything to write about. Beans on the Roof is a wonderful, inspiring story for young readers with a passion for creative writing. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Betsy Byars including rare images from the author&’s personal collection.Images from previously published versions of this content have been removed to avoid copyright infringement.By Robert Louis Stevenson. 2011
By Ellen Hopkins. 2012
Love—good and bad—forces three teens&’ worlds to tilt in a riveting novel from New York Times bestselling author Ellen Hopkins.Three…
teens, three stories—all interconnected through their parents&’ family relationships. As the adults pull away, caught up in their own dilemmas, the lives of the teens begin to tilt... Mikayla, almost eighteen, is over-the-top in love with Dylan, who loves her back. But what happens to that love when Mikayla gets pregnant the summer before their senior year—and decides to keep the baby? Shane turns sixteen that same summer and falls hard in love with his first boyfriend, Alex, who happens to be HIV positive. Shane has lived for four years with his little sister&’s impending death. Can he accept Alex&’s love, knowing that his life, too, will be shortened? Harley is fourteen—a good girl searching for new experiences, especially love from an older boy. She never expects to hurdle toward self-destructive extremes in order to define who she is and who she wants to be. Love, in all its forms, has crucial consequences in this standalone novel.By Misa Sugiura. 2017
When sixteen-year-old Sana Kiyohara moves from Wisconsin to California for her father's job, she suspects her dad is cheating on…
her traditional Japanese mother. However, Sana is keeping her own secrets and falls for a beautiful and smart classmate. Strong language. For senior high and older readers. 2017By Shari Green. 2017
A novel in verse. Sixth-grader Macy, who is deaf, expects disaster when she is sent to help elderly neighbor Iris…
pack for a move to an assisted-living home. To her surprise, Iris soon becomes a firm friend who helps Macy face her own major life changes. For grades 4-7. 2017