Stuff Happens is an important new series for boys about everyday challenges. Created by Susannah McFarlane, the series editor, the series is written by established authors Tony Wilson, Andrew Daddo, Philip Gwynne, Will Kostakis, Scot Gardner, Justin D'Ath, James Roy, Pat Flynn and Alex McDiarmid. Each book features a different character and follows them as they overcome a particular everyday challenge. Aimed at boys aged between 7 and 11, the Stuff Happens series explores those everyday struggles in life that boys can sometimes be reluctant to express: quarrels with mates, a bad day at school, fear of disappointing mum and dad, rejection and not fitting in. Stuff Happens. Real-life stories for boys. Suitable for beginner and newly confident readers. Stuff happens sometimes. Everyday stuff. At school, at home, with sport, with mates. For Jack it happened when a game at recess went wrong. Jack is one of the sporty boys, and is always after a new game to play, particularly if he can invent one that allows him to tackle without getting caught. He and his friends invent You Play, You Pay, and things don't end well. When Jack, in pain and keen not to get in trouble, says it was Fadi's fault, he almost immediately regrets it, but can't take it back. Things go from bad to worse as Fadi gets into more trouble and Jack feels more and more guilty. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/special-features/books-for-boys-series-stuff-happens-helps-show-boys-how-to-deal-with-their-emotions/story-fni3wj64-1227246165147 http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/booksandartsdaily/stuff-happens3a-books-for-boys/5649918 Praise for Stuff Happens 'Stories about boys, aimed at boys and containing real-life stories of their school and home life are rare. Even rarer are those that have readily identifiable characters and situations, and engage, amuse and inform. But here they are.' 'An exciting new series written specifically for boys aged from seven to eleven . . . great additions for school libraries and for engaging reluctant boy readers. Outstanding!' Read Plus 'The fantastic Stuff Happens series.' reviewZOO 'I love a book that talks in a kid's voice. It makes us feel important and special. The thing I like the most about these books are that they tell different perspectives of everyday things in life.' Mr 10 – Readingtree.com.au 'The awareness of the emotional life of boys is slowly being recognised as a critical factor into the development of boys to be strong and courageous sensitive men. Stuff Happens explores feelings and emotions in an entertaining and humorous way, allowing boys to understand that it is OK to express emotion. This can only be positive! I highly recommend and love the books!' Deborah Jepsen, Educational and Developmental Psychologist – Melbourne Child Psychology / School Psychology Services 'As a mum to two boys aged 8 and 10, I was thrilled to find a book series that provided very real 'boy dilemmas' and connected feelings and behaviours, which can be really confusing for boys. What was even more exciting was how much the boys ate it up. My eldest read the first book in one sitting and I was back at the bookshop the next day to buy the entire series! My youngest loved being read to and was so engaged and interested in all the characters and their issues. Can't wait for the next instalment.' Marita Evans – Mum to Rupert, 10, and Henry, 8 'I liked Jack because I loved the big game Jack played 'You Pay You Play'. I would play that game. Oh and then he got in big trouble by the principal. In the end Jack told the truth about the game and Jack and his friend still got to play with the Vipers. I learned it is best to tell the truth and things might work out. (Can the next book be Henry please) Henry, aged 8

Who is Dobbin Feldman and why is he saying those awful things about me? In this fictional yet semi-autobiographical novella the author tries to explore the existential experience of being born Jewish into a particularly strange set of familial circumstances that encapsulates the Boomer generations struggle to make sense of the Helter Skelter world bequeathed to them by their fathers and mothers.

STUFF HAPPENS is a contemporary reflected reality fiction series for young boys. Each book tells the story of an incident of emotional importance to one of the boys in a fictional primary school class. The stories, written by some of Australia's finest male writers, make an important contribution to the emotional literacy of Australian boys.

Jack is at the top of his game. He's a senior running back on the football team, dominating every opponent in his way. To everyone else, Jack is totally in control. In reality, he struggles with an eating disorder that controls every aspect of his daily life. When Jack starts using steroids, he feels invincible, but will the steroids help him win the big game, or will he lose everything he's ever worked for?

"First published in Great Britain by MIRA/Harlequin, HarperCollins UK"--Title page verso.

Author Jack Livingston Describes the Book"Clearing out the high school with a smoke bomb prank in our senior year, raising a family of pigs in a village yard, saving a drowning man in Singapore, and overcoming the trauma of a childhood abduction are part of my friend, Chris Kelley's past. I knew little about them. To me, Chris was the guy who was always up for doing two fun things in one day (sometimes three). When Chris was diagnosed with Pick's disease (a rare type of dementia) in his mid-fifties, it signaled the end to what we had taken for granted. It changed our friendship. No longer would I follow him on epic adventures he planned. These days, I take him for hikes, hold both sides of our conversations, and help him across a two-foot stream. But because I didn't want to forget the times we'd had together, I started to write, and as a result found out there was more to my friend. In A Lot Like Fun -- Only Different I share incredible stories of our improbable friendship where Chris met life head on while I asked, "Are you sure we want to do this?" It contains dozens of stories and photos from our past that contrast 'current day' Chris, diminished by Pick's, with the Chris I knew so well. No longer are we barreling down the 219 to ski or mountain bike the Bent Rim Trail, and celebrating with a 'couple tree' beers. We aren't breaking trails with our snowshoes in the Adirondack High Peaks or cruising through Appalachia on the way to a 24-hour mountain bike race. We still get together every week. And I look forward to those times. It's fun -- only different. Chris greets me with a smile and a hearty laugh. He doesn't speak, but I know if he could, he'd tell me, 'Thanks for coming out, Jack. Today was great.' And then it breaks my heart when he stands next to my car, wanting to ride home with me and I have to tell him, 'Chris, you're riding with your brother. I'll see you next week, okay buddy.' And I hear his words of the past. 'Good deal.'"

Jack Strong just wants to be a regular kid. But his parents have overscheduled his week with every extracurricular activity under the sun: tennis, baseball, cello, karate, tutoring, and Chinese language lessons—all on top of regular homework. His parents want him to be "well-rounded" and prepared for those crucial college applications. Jack's just about had enough. And so, in Jack Strong Takes a Stand by Tommy Greenwald, he stages a sit-in on his couch and refuses to get up until his parents let him quit some of the extracurriculars. As Jack's protest gains momentum, he attracts a local television host who is interested in doing a segment about him. Tensions rise as counter-protesters camp out across the street from Jack and his couch. Jack's enjoying this newfound attention, but he's worried that this sit-in may have gone too far.