In this Michael L. Printz Honor Book, the Newbery Honor-winning creator of the Joey Pigza books shares the true story of how he became a writer the hard way by learning a valuable lesson while he was in college.

"Fourteen-year-old Jack falls under the spell of a delinquent Florida neighbor and gets way more trouble than he bargained for"--

Following twenty years of close friendship with author Wilbert Smith, Vertus Hardiman reveals the truth about his horrifying experience hidden since age five. His life is a moving example of humility, success, and achievement while enduring long standing suffering. The story tells of Vertus Hardiman and nine other children, each attending the same elementary school in Lyles Station Indiana""who, in 1927, was severely irradiated during a medical experiment conducted at the local county hospital. The experiment was misrepresented as a newly developed cure for the scalp fungus known as ringworm. But in reality, the ringworm fungus was merely the lure used to gain access to children whose unsuspecting parents blindly signed permission slips for the treatment. Vertus was age five and the youngest. As remarkable and shocking as the story may appear, it is not an indictment on inhumane government-sanctioned medical experimentation. Rather, Hole in the Head: a Life Revealed reflects the incredible strength of one man who survived the harshest imaginable circumstances through the power of who and what he was determined to become. His simplicity and life philosophy always lifted the spirits of those he touched. Remarkably, not one person in Vertus's community was aware of his suffering because he always wore a wig or woolen beanie cap to hide his shame. He stated, "For over seventy-one years, only four individuals outside a few medical specialists have ever seen my condition. I hide it because I look like some monster." But in reality, Vertus was the kindest example of human love Wilbert had ever met""always choosing love over hate and success over excuses and failure. This incredible story inspires us to change our outlook on life, while teaching the true meaning of love, forgiveness, and acceptance. Journey with us through this rich and unforgettable story

Designed to inspire self-discovery, "There's a Hole in My Sidewalk" contains more than 100 touching poems that gently guide readers to a more authentic and fulfilling life.

Dead End in Norvelt is the winner of the 2012 Newbery Medal for the year's best contribution to children's literature and the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction! Melding the entirely true and the wildly fictional, Dead End in Norvelt is a novel about an incredible two months for a kid named Jack Gantos, whose plans for vacation excitement are shot down when he is "grounded for life" by his feuding parents, and whose nose spews bad blood at every little shock he gets. But plenty of excitement (and shocks) are coming Jack's way once his mom loans him out to help a fiesty old neighbor with a most unusual chore—typewriting obituaries filled with stories about the people who founded his utopian town. As one obituary leads to another, Jack is launced on a strange adventure involving molten wax, Eleanor Roosevelt, twisted promises, a homemade airplane, Girl Scout cookies, a man on a trike, a dancing plague, voices from the past, Hells Angels . . . and possibly murder. Endlessly surprising, this sly, sharp-edged narrative is the author at his very best, making readers laugh out loud at the most unexpected things in a dead-funny depiction of growing up in a slightly off-kilter place where the past is present, the present is confusing, and the future is completely up in the air.

In 1995 an American doctor made the amazing discovery that some people actually have holes in their head. And many can even hear their own eyes moving. Years later, the author found out that she was one of them. This is her remarkable true story. Embarking on a much-needed weekend of respite from the care of her disabled son, Philippa's life is turned upside down when the flight triggers a rare balance disorder. With symptoms as disturbing and wide-ranging as the sound of her eyes moving, her heartbeat pounding and pulse whooshing in her ear, brain fog and debilitating dizziness, can she adapt her well-honed research skills to medical sleuthing, and obtain a diagnosis within a health system that is letting her down at every turn? A HOLE IN MY LIFE chronicles an extraordinary series of medical challenges which are met with resilience, courage and determination. Destined to be a classic on the subject of dizziness, the book deftly guides the reader through fascinating and valuable information about all inner ear and balance disorders, information that has been authenticated by two specialists in this field. The author never loses sight of the humour in her unenviable situation and the sparkling narrative moves at a swift pace. It is a must-read for anyone who has ever been, or ever will be, a patient. "A compelling account of awe-inspiring resilience, courage and determination. The resulting story is full of important information, information offered in the words of a delightful and engaging individual." Harriet Spicer, business coach and founder member of Virago Press. If you like compelling prose and emotional true stories, don't miss this absorbing read. Follow the unexpected twists and turns in the riveting medical mystery, and buy A HOLE IN MY LIFE today. Latest estimates suggest that as many as one in a thousand people may be affected by this condition, and yet most people have never even heard of it.

In this Harlem story told in free verse, seventeen-year-old Damien takes a bold step to ensure that he and his new love will not be separated.