I can't wait for things to go back to normal, and for the list of things currently worrying Franny Petroski to shrink down to a normal sizeFranny never lets anyone know how often she thinks of the charismatic, troubled mom who left her years ago, any more than she talks about the unaccountable things Mom did while she was still in the picture. Life with Nana is safe and secure, and Franny’s innovative art projects fill in any lonesome times.But when Nana has an accident and...

The phrase “answering the call” can be interpreted in many different ways—answering the call of duty, answering the call on a phone, or answering the call that comes with the responsibility of being a parent or, in this case, a father. As a father, I never wanted to experience the emotions of shock, confusion, and grief that cascaded into total devastation. But that’s exactly what happened the day I answered that call.When life ends prematurely, we must choose how to respond. All t...

Eleven-year-old Rigel Harman loves her life in off-the-grid Alaska. She hunts rabbits, takes correspondence classes through the mail, and plays dominoes with her family in their two-room cabin. She doesn't mind not having electricity or running water—instead, she's got tall trees, fresh streams, and endless sky.But then her parents divorce, and Rigel and her sisters have to move with their mom to the Connecticut suburbs to live with a grandmother they've never met. Rigel hates it i...

Cathy Carr’s Lost Kites and Other Treasures is a moving and heartfelt middle-grade novel about mental illness, the transformative power of art, and the ever-changing complications and joys of family life."Sincere and funny . . . leaves readers with a sense of hope." –Sara Zarr**, author of A Song Called Home"Will be treasured by readers everywhere**." –Megan E. Freeman, award-winni...