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Jack’s mom is gone, leaving him all alone on a campsite in Maine. Can he find his way back to Boston before the authorities realize what happened? (Ages 10-14) Ever since Jack can remember, his mom has been unpredictable, sometimes loving and fun, other times caught in a whirlwind of energy and "spinning" wildly until it’s over. But Jack never thought his mom would take off during the night and leave him at a campground in Acadia National Park, with no way to reach her and barely enough money for food. Any other kid would report his mom gone, but Jack knows by now that he needs to figure things out for himself - starting with how to get from the backwoods of Maine to his home in Boston before DSS catches on. With nothing but a small toy elephant to keep him company, Jack begins the long journey south, a journey that will test his wits and his loyalties - and his trust that he may be part of a larger herd after all.
When forced to choose between staying with her guardian and being with her big brother, Ari chose her big brother. There’s just one problem—Gage doesn’t actually have a place to live. When Ari’s mother died four years ago, she had two final wishes: that Ari and her older brother, Gage, would stay together always, and that Ari would go to Carter, the middle school for gifted students. So when nineteen-year-old Gage decides he can no longer live with their bossy guardian, Janna, Ari knows she has to go with him. But it’s been two months, and Gage still hasn’t found them an apartment. He and Ari have been “couch surfing,” staying with Gage’s friend in a tiny apartment, crashing with Gage’s girlfriend and two roommates, and if necessary, sneaking into a juvenile shelter to escape the cold Maine nights. But all of this jumping around makes it hard for Ari to keep up with her schoolwork, never mind her friendships, and getting into Carter starts to seem impossible. Will Ari be forced to break one of her promises to Mama? Told in an open, authentic voice, this nuanced story of hiding in plain sight may have readers thinking about homelessness in a whole new way.
Disregarding the false notion that writing instruction in the primary grades needs to be mostly teacher directed, Jennifer Jacobson shows teachers how to develop a primary writer' s workshop that helps nurture independent, engaged writers. No More I' m Done! demonstrates how to create a more productive, engaging, and rewarding writer' s workshop. Jennifer guides teachers from creating a supportive classroom environment through establishing effective routines; shows teachers how to set up a writer' s workshop; and provides an entire year of developmentally appropriate mini-lessons that build confidence and, ultimately, independence.
When Peyton comes across the victim of a hit-and-run, she knows it’s destiny. But what exactly does fate have in store for her and the boy in the coma? Since her parents divorced, twelve-year-old Peyton has known that to achieve happier outcomes in her life, she’s got to focus on eliminating her flaws—and on making sure her first boyfriend is truly right for her. Guided by her collection of inspirational quotes and her growing list of ideal boyfriend traits, Peyton is convinced that this summer will be the perfect summer, complete with the perfect boyfriend! But when she discovers a boy lying unconscious in the middle of the road, the victim of a hit-and-run, her perfect summer takes a...
Jojo’s ready for her first night all alone in her very own room, but a menagerie of animals have other ideas in this charming and fun picture book. Jojo can’t wait to spend the night in her very own bed in her very own room. She doesn’t care what her big sister Margaret says, she’s NOT afraid and she WON’T be back to the bedroom they used to share. There’s just one problem though—there are intruders in her new room! A lion, a bear, and a very persistent tiger seem to think this is THEIR room, not Jojo’s. Is Margaret right? Is Jojo not quite ready to spend the night on her own? Or can Jojo find a way to show that trespassing tiger just who’s boss in HER room?
Nola wants nothing more than a summer on her own—and a job at an upscale Maine coast resort sounds ideal. She’ll have plenty of beach time between waitressing, some freedom from stresses back home, and the chance to make new friends. Enter Carly, the perfect pal: full of jokes, ideas, energy—and experienced at being away from her mysterious family. But Carly turns out to be much more complicated than the standard summer buddy—her borderline personality can turn on Nola in a flash, and even love becomes a rivalry. As the girls’ instant friendship unhinges by subtle, increasingly powerful turns, the commonplace becomes dramatic—and the outcome unforgettable.
When the carnival comes to town, Etta finds an ingenious way to overcome her fear of heights.
With insight and humor, Jennifer Richard Jacobson explores a common childhood anxiety and finds a quiet way to boost self-esteem, aided by Abby Carter’s expressive illustrations. Andy Shane did not want to be in school. He did not want to be at morning meeting. He did not want to sit up straight on the rug. Andy Shane would much rather be home catching bugs with Granny Webb than sitting in class with the likes of know-it-all Dolores Starbuckle. Any minute, Dolores is likely to shout out, 'Ms. Janice, someone's not sitting properly!" or "Ms. Janice, someone's misusing the math materials!" (meaning him, of course). At rhyme time, the words bug and rug get stuck in Andy's throat while Dolores yells out of turn, "Hullabaloo and Kalamazoo!" "I hate school," he blurts out at the end of the day to Granny Webb, who is sympathetic but firm. But when Granny makes a surprise visit to school with a monarch caterpillar, everyone is mesmerized and Andy remembers how much he knows about insects himself. Even Dolores Starbuckle can’t help but be impressed!
When a family buys a house in a struggling town for just one dollar, they’re hoping to start over — but have they traded one set of problems for another? Twelve-year-old Lowen Grover, a budding comic-book artist, is still reeling from the shooting death of his friend Abe when he stumbles across an article about a former mill town giving away homes for just one dollar. It not only seems like the perfect escape from Flintlock and all of the awful memories associated with the city, but an opportunity for his mum to run her very own business. Fortunately, his family is willing to give it a try. But is the Dollar Program too good to be true? The homes are in horrible shape, and the locals are less than welcoming. Will Millville and the dollar house be the answer to the Grovers’ troubles? Or will they find they’ve traded one set of problems for another? From the author of Small as an Elephant and Paper Things comes a heart-tugging novel about guilt and grief, family and friendship, and, above all, community.
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