Having just moved into a new house, Meg and Jack first shyly, then happily, get to know the children next door.

Jovian, a planet deep within the universe with an Earth-like atmosphere, is a world of genetically enhanced specimens. Lives are longer, knowledge is advanced, and everything is tuned for a greater sensory experience. Thirty-five light years away on Earth, Jack is a young man who has lived an ordinary New Zealand way of life, surfing the Internet on his computer and spending time with his new girlfriend Megan. Life has been uneventful, living with his aunt and uncle since the disappearance of his parents on their yacht in the Bermuda Triangle five years earlier. Suddenly Jack finds himself drawn into a world of virtual reality, interplanetary travel and Jovian scientists who express great interest in Jack. He is able to download scenes from his childhood and virtually revisit them, scenes which lead him to a new mission to discover the fate of his parents and Megan's strange connection to Jovian. Jack and Megan's lives are about to be radically changed. What does Jovian want with Jack's family, and should they trust this exciting but secretive new world?

Because children's literature explores serious issues using situations and language young students can readily understand, the authors of Sensitive Issues have selected current fiction and nonfiction elementary-level titles that can also be developed into units of study. They describe popular high-quality literature and stimulating activities to help young people deal with specific and important issues in their lives: divorce, substance abuse, death and dying, nontraditional home environments, child abuse, prejudice and cultural differences, moving, and disabilities.

Jack is raised on a farm and knew hard work. He gained the opportunity to get his own farm and marry his love. The wonderful life ended for Jack with the loss of his wife and child. He heads to Texas and there becomes involved with a Texas Ranger. He is encouraged to become a Ranger himself. Follow his trials and life as he faces danger daily as a Ranger.

Now a Disney Channel Original Movie, Megan Shull’s smart and funny twist on Freaky Friday is perfect for fans of Wendy Mass, Jerry Spinelli, and Jon Scieszka! This middle grade novel is an excellent choice for tween readers in grades 5 to 6, especially during homeschooling. It’s a fun way to keep your child entertained and engaged while not in the classroom. With one random wish, Jack and Ellie are living life in each other’s shoes. He’s her. And she’s him. ELLIE assumed popular guys didn’t worry about body image, being perfect, or talking to girls, but acting like you’re cool with everything is tougher than it looks. JACK thought girls had it easy—no fights with bullies, no demanding dads, no power plays—but facing mean girls at sleepovers and getting grilled about your period is way harder than taking a hit to the face at sports practice. Now they’re dealing with each other’s middle school dramas—locker room teasing, cliques, video game battles, bra shopping, and a slew of hilariously awkward moments—until they hopefully switch back! Told in both Jack’s and Ellie’s voices, The Swap offers a fresh and honest take on tween friendship, all while exploring more serious themes of family, loss, empathy, and what it really means to be yourself. And as Jon Scieszka says, it’s “seriously, truly, fearlessly funny!”

For fans of Beverly Lewis and Cindy Woodsmall, Rosalind Lauer’s moving Lancaster Crossroads novel A Simple Charity reminds us that the greatest gifts come from the heart—and that everyday miracles make love possible. OF ALL THE GIFTS THAT LAST, THE GREATEST IS CHARITY. Although she is still in her twenties, Fanny Lapp has known a lifetime of love and heartache. Twice widowed, she has a home to maintain, a renovation in the works, and a family to raise—all without a husband. Fortunately, in the Amish community, help is never far away. To ease Fanny’s burdens, the bishop sends Zed Miller to the Lapp house. Fanny is drawn to kind, handsome Zed, who suffers from sins of the past. But to everything there is a season, and Fanny cannot act on her feelings while mourning her husband. Newly returned to his Amish roots after many years in the outside world, Zed knows he must prove himself to earn acceptance from his community. Without a second thought, he picks up a hammer and sets to work helping Fanny fulfill her dream of turning an old carriage house into a women’s childbirth center. Soon Zed finds himself a part of Fanny’s daily chores, sharing her laughter and sorrow. Knowing that time flows like a river, running slow and steady, Zed plans to wait on his love. But when their secret is discovered, how deep will the disapproval of their community run? A reminder that the greatest gifts come from the heart, A Simple Charity shines like the sun with the blessings of everyday miracles. Praise for Rosalind Lauer and A Simple Charity “A story of love and faith, sorrow and sadness. Lauer’s writing is from the heart and paints a believable picture of Amish life.”—RT Book Reviews “Sure to appeal to fans of Beverly Lewis and Mindy Starns Clark.”—Library Journal, on A Simple Winter “[Lauer] definitely sets the bar high for Amish romance stories.”—Fresh Fiction, on A Simple Winter