*Sunday, September 5:Afternoon, my cribSpirit Level:Cheered OutOK, so this was supposed to be the first day of my new, totally fantastic life as a Port Angeles School Titan Cheerleader. BUT instead, it’s the day that I, Madison Jane Hays, got rejected from the Titans and forced to join the dreaded, B-Squad Grizzly Bears. That’s right. My name was sandwiched in between Jared “Jazzhands” Handler and “Toxic” Tabitha Sue Stevens. ...

January 4My teeny, weenie hotel roomHoliday Spirit Level:Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard PlaceA spur-of-the-moment invite had me flying on New Year’s Day with my dad and his girlfriend, Beth, to New York City! I was super excited to focus on fashion, not to mention have a real vacation. BUT that’s not possible, since, you know, DRAMA follows me everywhere. Aside from scoping out a MAJOR Katie Parker lookalike here in the Big Apple, it see...

Maddy’s cheerleading squad is almost ready for big competition—but first she must figure out if her new friend is really a frenemy.The Grizzlies are finally facing their first competition—Get Up and Cheer! Maddy is super excited for the competition, and the Grizzles have been training hard and look better than ever. But life’s not all pom-poms and sunshine for Maddy. For one thing, she’s got to figure out why she’s suddenly Public Enemy #1, according to mean girl C...

*Thursday, November 25:Evening, my cribSpirit Level:Cold and stuffedOkay, just when I thought things were totally perfect and Bevan and I were going to live happily ever after together (or, like, go to the movies), I remembered the Katie Parker factor!! AND Katie has been giving me the super cold shoulder, and I mean F-R-E-E-Z-I-N-G cold!! She must know. As if things aren’t weird enough, Mom wants the Grizzlies to go to the st...

It's tryouts, take two in this new addition to a series full of fun, drama, and lots and lots of CHEER!It's springtime in Port Angeles, and that can only mean one thing: Titan Cheerleading Tryouts, take two! Will Maddy take the plunge again? Or is she just another spring chicken, like the rest of the Titan’s rejects from the fall? And if she does try out, will the Grizzlies understand—or hate her for leaving them behind after all they’ve been through? On top of try...

Affection turns to obsession—and love means both devastation and redemption—in this gripping novel from the author of I Heart You, You Haunt Me.Rae’s always dreamed of dating a guy like Nathan. He’s nothing like her abusive stepfather—in other words, he’s sweet. But the closer they get, the more Nathan wants of her time, of her love, of her…and the less she wants to give.As Rae’s affection for Nathan turns to fear, she leans on her friend ...

An inspiring young adult memoir detailing the true story of the tumultuous nine years the author spent in the foster care system, and how she triumphed over painful memories and real-life horrors to ultimately find her own voice.“Sunshine, you’re my baby and I’m your only mother. You must mind the one taking care of you, but she’s not your mama.” Ashley Rhodes-Courter spent nine years of her life in fourteen different foster homes, living by those words. As her mot...

Tommi, Kate, and Zara are well established in the world of elite horse showing. But being a pro in your sport doesn't mean you're a pro in your social life.Tommi, the billionaire heiress, is training a young horse to prove to her father that she can make horses a real career. But when her new beau, Alex, convinces her to skip a horse show in order to party in the Hamptons, the results could be disastrous. Meanwhile, Zara, the celebutante wild child is finally taking her riding seri...

Despite all attempts to avoid reading and extra work, Charlie Joe Jackson finds himself in a terrible dream he can't wake up from: Camp Rituhbukkee (pronounced "read-a-bookie")—a place filled with grammar workshops, Read-a-Ramas, and kids who actually like reading. But Charlie Joe is determined to convince the entire camp to hate reading and writing—one genius at a time.Tommy Greenwald's Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Summer Vacation is another fun installment in the life o...

A National Book Award Finalist for Young People’s LiteratureNominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American ReadGhost wants to be the fastest sprinter on his elite middle school track team, but his past is slowing him down in this first electrifying novel of the acclaimed Trackseries from Coretta Scott King - John Steptoe Award–winning author Jason Reynolds.Ghost. Lu. Patina. Sunny. Four kids from...

A young girl who loves Double Dutch is caught in the crossfire of the secrets she, her best friend, and the school bullies are keeping in this emotional middle grade novel.Delia loves Double Dutch more than just about anything, and she’s really good at it—so good she and her teammates have a shot at winning the World Double Dutch Championships. Delia would die if she couldn’t jump—but she’s hiding something could keep her off the team next year.Delia’s frie...

With 101 stories geared just for middle schoolers, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Teens Talk Middle School offers great support and inspiration for ages eleven to fourteen.Middle school is a tough time. And this “support group in a book” is specifically geared to those younger teens -- the ones still worrying about puberty, cliques, discovering the opposite sex, and figuring out who they are. Stories cover regrets, lessons learned, love and “like,” popularity,...