Spanning a period of thirty years, a collection of eighteen short stories includes "Silence of the Llano,' "In search of Epifano," and "Children of the Desert."

THE MAN WHO THOUGHT HE COULD FLY is a wildly entertaining and deeply thought-provoking collection of short stories filled with drama, intrigue, suspense, and allegory, all cleverly delivered in the familiar Twilight Zone-style of storytelling that J.L. Pattison's fans have come to expect. Entertaining enough to provide the casual reader with a mental escape, but deep enough to provide the critical thinker with morsels of thought candy, The Man Who Thought He Could Fly features the following 12 tales of suspense: KILLING TIME The marching of time has always weighed heavy on the mind of Solomon Grover--but after his arrest for vandalizing a century-old city clock, he'll discover that time is no longer his greatest concern. THE DRAGON KEEPER When the last dragon on earth is trapped in a cave, an old man proposes a way for his village to make money off the dragon, but it requires keeping the beast alive. The village jumps at the opportunity to become rich but the old man has ulterior motives that the village won't discover till it's too late. MAJORITY RULES To prevent continued attacks from a pack of wild dogs who roam the countryside, a farm's ruling class of sheep passes a new law that promises to keep all the animals safe--but their good intentions come with unforeseen consequences. THE WEIGHT OF CHAINS A farmer tending to his property draws the attention of a passing stranger who carries with him a big book--and some unsettling news. COLLISION The lives of four vastly different people intersect in the span of a few minutes as each one sees the other through a different set of eyes. THEY CAME UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR Everything changed the night the invaders arrived--including one man's reason for living. THE GREAT DIVORCE Breakups are never easy, but this one is exceptionally brutal. THE DREAMS OF EVIL MEN Harold Crawford is searching for an answer to why he's been plagued with vividly realistic nightmares. Today he will get that answer, but it won't be what he expected. THE MAN WHO THOUGHT HE COULD FLY Believing he can fly, a young man is encouraged by a crowd of onlookers to step from the ledge of a building. But there is one dissenting voice in the crowd who's courageous enough to tell the truth. REVOLUTION IN THE PARK An ordinary-looking man on a park bench draws the attention of the world because of his remarkably unusual behavior. A BEAUTIFUL DAY While his country is at war, a man awakens from a week-long, near-death illness to discover the world outside his apartment is about to get much worse. HALL OF ROOMS Murphy McAllister's Marvelously Magnificent Hall of Rooms offers customers a way to confront their past hurts, but Murphy's latest client learns that some hurts are better left in the past.

Whether it is basketball dreams, family fiascos, first crushes, or new neighborhoods, this bold short story collection—written by some of the best children’s authors including Kwame Alexander, Meg Medina, Jacqueline Woodson, and many more and published in partnership with We Need Diverse Books—celebrates the uniqueness and universality in all of us. "Will resonate with any kid who's ever felt different—which is to say, every kid." —Time Great stories take flight in this adventurous middle-grade anthology crafted by ten of the most recognizable and diverse authors writing today. Newbery Medalist Kwame Alexander delivers a story in-verse about a boy who just might have magical powers; National Book Award winner Jacqueline Woodson spins a tale of friendship against all odds; and Meg Medina uses wet paint to color in one girl’s world with a short story that inspired her Newbery award-winner Merci Suárez Changes Gear. Plus, seven more bold voices that bring this collection to new heights with tales that challenge, inspire, and celebrate the unique talents within us all. AUTHORS INCLUDE: Kwame Alexander, Kelly J. Baptist, Soman Chainani, Matt de la Peña, Tim Federle, Grace Lin, Meg Medina, Walter Dean Myers, Tim Tingle, Jacqueline Woodson “There’s plenty of magic in this collection to go around.” —Booklist, Starred “A natural for middle school classrooms and libraries.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred “Inclusive, authentic, and eminently readable.” —School Library Journal, Starred “Thought provoking and wide-ranging . . . should not be missed.”—Publishers Weekly, Starred “Read more books by these authors.” —The Bulletin, Starred

St. Joseph of Copertino began having mystical visions at the age of seven, but it was not until he began practicing his faith as a Franciscan priest that he realized the full potential of his mind’s power over his body—he was able to levitate. Throughout his priesthood St. Joseph became famous for frequent levitations that were observed on hundreds of occasions and by thousands of witnesses, including many skeptics. Michael Grosso delves into the biography of the saint to explore the many strange phenomena that surrounded his life and develops potential physical explanations for some of the most astounding manifestations of his religious ecstasy. Grosso draws upon contemporary explorations into cognition, the relationship between the human mind and body, and the scientifically recorded effects of meditation and other transcendent practices to reveal the implications of St. Joseph’s experiences and abilities.

Combining tales from African folklore with fascinating facts about animals native to Africa's grasslands and rainforests. Supplementing each story is a table of statistics about the tale's leading animal. A map of the African continent shows where the animals live and migrate. Handsomely illustrated.

You just can't keep a good girl down . . . unless you use the proper methods. Piper McCloud can fly. Just like that. Easy as pie. Sure, she hasn't mastered reverse propulsion and her turns are kind of sloppy, but she's real good at loop-the-loops. Problem is, the good folk of Lowland County are afraid of Piper. And her ma's at her wit's end. So it seems only fitting that she leave her parents' farm to attend a top-secret, maximum-security school for kids with exceptional abilities. School is great at first with a bunch of new friends whose skills range from super-strength to super-genius. (Plus all the homemade apple pie she can eat!) But Piper is special, even among the special. And there are consequences. Consequences too dire to talk about. Too crazy to consider. And too dangerous to ignore. At turns exhilarating and terrifying, Victoria Forester's debut novel has been praised by Stephenie Meyer, author of the Twilight saga, as "the oddest/sweetest mix of Little House on the Prairie and X-Men...Prepare to have your heart warmed." The Girl Who Could Fly is an unforgettable story of defiance and courage about an irrepressible heroine who can, who will, who must . . . fly. This title has Common Core connections. Praise for Victoria Forester and The Girl Who Could Fly: "It's the oddest/sweetest mix of Little House on the Prairie and X-Men. I was smiling the whole time (except for the part where I cried). I gave it to my mom, and I'm reading it to my kids—it's absolutely multigenerational. Prepare to have your heart warmed." Stephenie Meyer, author of the Twilight saga "In this terrific debut novel, readers meet Piper McCloud, the late-in-life daughter of farmers...The story soars, just like Piper, with enough loop-de-loops to keep kids uncertain about what will come next....Best of all are the book's strong, lightly wrapped messages about friendship and authenticity and the difference between doing well and doing good."--Booklist, Starred Review "Forester's disparate settings (down-home farm and futuristic ice-bunker institute) are unified by the rock-solid point of view and unpretentious diction... any child who has felt different will take strength from Piper's fight to be herself against the tide of family, church, and society."--The Horn Book Review The Girl Who Could Fly is a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

"A thoroughly enjoyable story of heroism and true friendship" (Publishers Weekly, starred review), this Sunday Times top ten bestseller is the true account of a German shepherd who was adopted by the Royal Air Force during World War II, flying countless combat missions and surviving everything from crash-landings to parachute bailouts--ultimately saving the life of his owner and dearest friend. In the winter of 1939 in the cold snow of no-man's-land, two loners met and began an extraordinary journey that would turn them into lifelong friends. One was an orphaned puppy, abandoned by his owners as they fled Nazi forces. The other was a different kind of lost soul--a Czech airman bound for the Royal Air Force and the country that he would come to call home. Airman Robert Bozdech stumbled across the tiny German shepherd--whom he named Ant--after being shot down on a daring mission over enemy lines. Unable to desert the puppy, Robert hid Ant inside his jacket as he escaped. In the months that followed, the pair would save each other's lives countless times as they flew together with RAF Bomber Command. Finally grounded after being injured on a flight mission, Ant refused to abandon his duty, waiting patiently beside the runway for his master's return from every sortie, and refusing food and sleep until they were reunited. By the end of the war, Robert and Ant had become true war heroes, and Ant was justly awarded the Dickin Medal, the "Animal VC." With beautiful vintage black-and-white photos of Robert and Ant, The Dog Who Could Fly is a deeply moving story of loyalty in the face of adversity and the unshakable bond between a man and his best friend.