In 1895 Michigan, Stan, eleven, will do almost anything to help his mother financially, even babysitting, but his long-lost father shows up and proves to be a big disappointment.

For history lovers and journal fans comes a “hilarious and heartbreaking . . . 99–100% fantastic” (A Fuse #8 Production, School Library Journal) story about a boy on a mission to find his long-lost father in the logging camps of Michigan. There are many things that 11-year-old Stanley Slater would like to have in life—most of all, a father. But what if Stan’s missing dad isn’t “dearly departed” after all? Armed with his stupendous scrapbook, full of black-and-white 19th-century advertisements and photos, Stan’s attempt to locate his long-lost hero/cowboy/outlaw dad is a near-death adventure fraught with pesky relatives, killer lumberjacks, and poisonous pies! His tale will leave readers in stitches, but not the kind that require medical attention. Praise for My Near-Death Adventures (99% True!) “A knee-slapper of a debut featuring a narrator who is rather less than 99 percent reliable but 100 percent engaging.” —Kirkus Reviews “[An] exuberant first novel.” —Publishers Weekly “Stan’s story is full of his hilarious misunderstandings and overactive imagination. Interspersed throughout are pictures and news clippings embellished with wisecrack remarks, speech bubbles, and the occasional mustache.” —Booklist

For history lovers and journal fans comes a “hilarious and heartbreaking . . . 99–100% fantastic” (A Fuse #8 Production, School Library Journal) story about a boy on a mission to find his long-lost father in the logging camps of Michigan. There are many things that 11-year-old Stanley Slater would like to have in life—most of all, a father. But what if Stan’s missing dad isn’t “dearly departed” after all? Armed with his stupendous scrapbook, full of black-and-white 19th-century advertisements and photos, Stan’s attempt to locate his long-lost hero/cowboy/outlaw dad is a near-death adventure fraught with pesky relatives, killer lumberjacks, and poisonous pies! His tale will leave readers in stitches, but not the kind that require medical attention. Praise for My Near-Death Adventures (99% True!) “A knee-slapper of a debut featuring a narrator who is rather less than 99 percent reliable but 100 percent engaging.” —Kirkus Reviews “[An] exuberant first novel.” —Publishers Weekly “Stan’s story is full of his hilarious misunderstandings and overactive imagination. Interspersed throughout are pictures and news clippings embellished with wisecrack remarks, speech bubbles, and the occasional mustache.” —Booklist

Funny Girl is a collection of uproarious stories, rollicking comics, rib-tickling wit, and more, from 25 of today’s funniest female writers for kids. What could be funnier than family? Read stories about Ursula Brown's grandmother driving her on a road trip to disaster, Lisa Brown's little brother getting a Tic-Tac stuck up his nose, and Carmen Agra Deedy's mom setting the bathtub on fire. What could be funnier than friends? Pretty much nothing, as Rita Williams-Garcia shows two besties hatching a bird-brained scheme to get on to a TV talk show, and Deborah Underwood introduces a dynamic dog-and-cat duo teaming up on a pet advice column. What could be funnier than YOU? Tell your future with Mad Libs, discover your Chinese Zodiac sign with Lenore Look, and learn the best tricks of the comedy trade from professional humorists like Adrianne Chalepah and Delaney Yeager. With clever contributions from award-winning and bestselling authors including Cece Bell, Sophie Blackall, Libba Bray, Shannon Hale, Lisa Graff, and Raina Telgemeier, this anthology of funny girls will make you laugh until you cry. Or cry until you laugh. Or maybe you won't cry at all. Either way, you'll definitely laugh. Funny Girl isn’t just an anthology: it’s a cause, a mission, a movement. Girls are funny. Now it’s time for the world to know it.

In the vein of Eat, Pray, Love, this powerful memoir chronicles a woman's search for meaning following a paradigm-shifting near-death experience Karen Henson Jones was on the conventional path to success in the corporate world when a sudden cardiac event at the age of 30 took her to the brink of death. During an otherworldly near-death experience, she was presented with a choice to leave her body or to return to Earth. When her request to live was granted, Karen was forced to come to terms with the life she had been living. With warmth, wonder, and wit, Heart of Miracles follows Karen on an inspirational journey through India, Italy, Bhutan, and the Holy Land of Israel in search of a more meaningful life. Exploring the power of meditation, Western medical science, the transformative doctrines of reincarnation, and the teachings of Jesus, Karen encourages us to embrace the full possibilities of our spiritual selves.

In 1895 Michigan, Stan, eleven, will do almost anything to help his mother financially, even babysitting, but his long-lost father shows up and proves to be a big disappointment.

Case studies of near-death experiences in children reveal the patients' ability to communicate with deceased relatives and friends, as well as their experiences while dead