“The story of an entire generation growing up too quickly…impossible to put down until the dramatic and realistic conclusion.” — Library Journal, starred review “A brilliant portrait of a small town teenage girl, whose secret affair…feels utterly true…a fresh and indelible book.” — Joan Silber It's 1960 in the Panhandle town of Charnelle, Texas—a year and a half since sixteen-year-old Laura Tate's mother boarded a bus and mysteriously disappeared. Assuming responsibility for the Tate household, Laura cares for her father and three brothers and outwardly maintains a sense of calm. But her balance is upset and the repercussions of her family's struggles are revealed when a chance encounter with a married man leads Laura into a complicated relationship for which she is unprepared. As Kennedy battles Nixon for the White House, Laura must navigate complex emotional terrain and choose whether she, too, will flee Charnelle. A heartfelt portrait of a young woman's reckoning with the paradoxes of love—eloquent, tender, and heart-wrenching—K. L. Cook's unforgettable debut novel marks the arrival of a significant new voice in American fiction.

An inspiring and poetic story about reading, libraries, and overcoming shyness to find community. I gather the books in my arms, and give them a hug. "Welcome back," I whisper. Nicky is a shy girl who feels most at home in the safe space of her school library, but the library closes for a week and Nicky is forced to face her social anxiety. When she meets a group of unique, diverse, inspiring women at her mother's diner—members of a women's motorcycle club—Nicky realizes that being different doesn’t have to mean being alone, and that there’s a place for everyone. Book lovers of all ages will find inspiration in this beautiful love letter to reading—and how words help us find empathy and connections with the world around us.

"A girl dreams of a rocket ship, and her mother encourages her to follow her big, bright, bold dream"--

Celebrate the heart connection between adopted children and the forever families who welcome them with kindness, care, and unconditional love in this powerful picture book from the author of Honey Baby Sugar Child. Carol Olivia Clementine lives with Mama Rose. Mama Rose is everything—tender and sweet. She is also as stern and demanding as any good parent should be. In the midst of their happy home, Carol misses her mother and father. She longs to be with them. But until that time comes around, she learns to surrender to the love that is present. Mama Rose becomes her “home.” And Carol Olivia Clementine concludes that she loves Miss Rose, “just like a mama.” This sweet read-aloud is, on the surface, all about the everyday home life a caregiver creates for a young child: she teachers Clementine how to ride a bike, clean her room, tell time. A deeper look reveals the patience, intention, and care little ones receives in the arms of a mother whose blood is not her blood, but whose bond is so deep—and so unconditional—that it creates the most perfect condition for a child to feel safe, successful, and deeply loved.

Jodie Patterson, activist and Chair of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation Board, shares her transgender son's experience in this important picture book about identity and acceptance. Penelope knows that he's a boy. (And a ninja.) The problem is getting everyone else to realize it. In this exuberant companion to Jodie Patterson's adult memoir, The Bold World, Patterson shares her son Penelope's frustrations and triumphs on his journey to share himself with the world. Penelope's experiences show children that it always makes you stronger when you are true to yourself and who you really are.

Peter Terry Returns A knock at her door. A bloody axe. A murder weapon in her own living room. The elusive white man with the slash on his back is out hunting again, chasing souls. Peter Terry is haunting minds, invading dreams, and wrecking lives. As Dylan Foster searches for answers, she stumbles upon a dark cult of angel worship. Harking back to the days of Noah, it’s now blinding and intoxicating young people, leading them to their deaths. In this battle for souls, everything’s up for grabs, leaving Dylan grasping for strength as the battle rages around her. When at last she discovers the truth, it is far from the truth she expected. “What does Peter Terry want with my son?” “The same thing he wants with all of us. Peter Terry is a hunter,” I said. “He’s hunting souls.” Dylan Foster, a psychology professor at Southern Methodist University, is preparing for a Saturday night date when she hears something at her front door. She opens the door--and a bloody ax falls into her entryway, bringing a young woman’s murder, quite literally, into Dylan's living room. Caught up in a desperate search for answers, Dylan must use her psychologist’s mind and acute spiritual radar to unearth the connections between the murdered girl; the accused murderer and convicted rapist Gordon Pryne; and Peter Terry, the elusive white man with the slash on his back. Peter Terry is hunting again, chasing souls, haunting minds, invading dreams, and wrecking lives. As Dylan draws closer to the answer she seeks, she stumbles upon a discovery that draws her ever deeper into danger. But Dylan cannot find the truth—not until she realizes nothing is as it seems in the fight for the human soul… “The master of supernatural mystery, Melanie Wells delivers big time in The Soul Hunter. A dash of romance and a generous serving of humor, seasoned with grace, makes this a thriller not to be missed.” Kathryn Mackel, author of The Hidden “Part mystery thriller, part comedy of manners, part novel of moral scrutiny, The Soul Hunter showcases Wells’ gift for spinning an intricate tale filled with an edgy mix of humor, suspense, and spiritual intrigue. I swallowed the novel in one deliciously terrified gulp.” K. L. Cook, author of Last Call and The Girl from Charnelle Story Behind the Book “These themes—the reality of spiritual warfare, the faithfulness of God, the significance of seemingly mundane events, the importance of individual faithfulness—have always fascinated me. And Peter Terry is such a compelling character. Writing this book was almost like showing up to see what he would do next! The dimensions of the individual being seemed to spin out, creating fascinating characters and a storyline that wove itself in complicated and unexpected ways.” —Melanie Wells