Two-time Newbery Medal winner Gary Schmidt talks about the frequently comic mishaps and adventures of a 12-year-old Long Island boy in the Vietnam era. Actor Khris Lewin performs an excerpt from the book. Co-presented with Bank Street Bookstore.Thalia Kids' Book Club events are lively talks between children's book authors and their fans (ages 9-12), plus one event for teens. Each event includes a creative writing project, a free-wheeling discussion with the audience, and a book sig...

This fast-paced thriller from the award-winning author follows a teenager caught up in political intrigue."You're my first boy, Cooper, my first boy," grandfather says just before he dies. All alone in the world, without even a dog, the only thing that keeps Cooper going is running the dairy farm.Suddenly, black sedans are swarming all around Cooper's small New Hampshire town, driven by mysterious men in dark suits. Cooper's barn is burned to the ground, an...

A testament to the power of stories, and how they may bring hope even in times of darkness."Everyone gathers around, and from her lips to their ears the stories go, and for a little while the camp disappears, and for a little while they are all free."As night falls, the women gather their children to listen to Mara tell her stories. They are stories of light and hope and freedom, stories of despair and stories of miracles, stories of expected pain and stories of unex...

A Charming tale to remind us all that our kindness works miracles.When the sun sets and stars fill the sky, the square in the little town grows quiet and still. The cool air of distant hills mingles with the sweet scent of baking bread. The moon rises and glows softly. Its the sort of place where miracles could happen.  David and Jacob live in the same little, ordinary town, but its almost as if theyre from different worlds. David is so poor he can barely feed his family. Jaco...

From award-winning author Gary D. Schmidt, a warm and witty novel in the tradition of The Wednesday Wars, in which a seventh grader has to figure out how to fulfill a seemingly impossible school assignment—and learns about friendship, community, and himself along the way.Herc Beal knows who he's named after—a mythical hero—but he's no superhero. He's the smallest kid in his class. So when his homeroom teacher at his new middle school gives him the assignment of duplicating the myth...

A 2005 Newbery Honor BookIt only takes a few hours for Turner Buckminster to start hating Phippsburg, Maine. No one in town will let him forget that he's a minister's son, even if he doesn't act like one. But then he meets Lizzie Bright Griffin, a smart and sassy girl from a poor nearby island community founded by former slaves. Despite his father's-and the town's-disapproval of their friendship, Turner spends time with Lizzie, and it opens up a whole new world to him, filled with ...

Percy Jackson meets The Labors of Hercules Beal in this hilarious, page-turning fantasy adventure with a heart of gold from two award-winning authors.Simon expected more from life than being orphaned in ancient Greece and stuck in the Underworld for eternity. Determined not to forget who he is, he commits himself to escaping Hades. Along the way, he faces the monster Cerberus, befriends the tormented Sisyphus, and becomes Persephone’s favo...

In this Newbery Honor–winning novel, Gary D. Schmidt tells the witty and compelling story of a teenage boy who feels that fate has it in for him, during the school year 1968-69.Seventh grader Holling Hoodhood isn't happy. He is sure his new teacher, Mrs. Baker, hates his guts. Holling's domineering father is obsessed with his business image and disregards his family. Throughout the school year, Holling strives to get a handle on the Shakespeare plays Mrs. Baker ass...

Newbery Honor winner and National Book Award finalist Gary D. Schmidt's best-selling books have won widespread acclaim while racking up numerous honors. In What Came from the Stars, Tommy is coping with the loss of his mother when he finds a mysterious necklace in his lunchbox. Little does he know that he's now in possession of a planet from across the cosmos - and that he will soon be targeted by the planet's enemies.

Publishers Weekly Best BookGolden Sower Award (Nebraska)Maryland Black-Eyed Susan AwardIn this riveting novel, two boys discover the true meaning of family and the sacrifices it requires.Two-time Newbery Honor winner Gary D. Schmidt delivers the shattering story of Joseph, a father at thirteen, who has never seen his daughter, Jupiter.After spending time in ...

In these hilarious stories by some of the top authors of middle grade fiction today, each young character is coping with a minor superpower—while also discovering their power to change themselves and their community, find their voice, and celebrate what makes them unique.Everyone knows that superheroes are supposed to have awesome powers like strength or invisibility or flight. But what happens when you’re a mostly regular kid . . . who’s just a little bit super?In these hi...

A tender father-and-son story about the passage of time, the change of seasons, and the excitement of reaching a goal.Eager for maple syrup, Ethan can’t wait till sugaring time rolls around. And he can’t wait till his loose tooth falls out. But his father keeps telling him it’s not time yet, and no matter how hard he tries, he can’t make time pass more quickly. The closeness of father and son is evident throughout as they wait and then celebrate the end of waiting....