Showing results by publisher "-emdashery books-" in Coming of Age

What if the world you thought you knew was only the world they wanted you to see? Life is hard for a high school teenager with no friends, sibling issues, and an absentee guardian, but Sarah pins her hopes on an upcoming trip to bring her closer to her sister. Instead of finding restoration, she stumbles upon a darkness that most of the world doesn’t even see. A darkness bent on consuming The Light and destroying humanity.

Meet Penrod Schofield—eleven years old, endlessly curious, and a magnet for scrapes. Set in a Midwestern town at the turn of the twentieth century, Penrod follows a boy whose imagination routinely collides with adult rules: backyard “shows” that spiral into chaos, school pageants gone spectacularly wrong, neighborhood rivalries, and the fierce loyalty between a boy and his dog, Duke. Booth Tarkington’s classic is laugh-out-loud funny and surprisingly tender, a snapshot of American childhood that still feels true.

From the author of Pest—a Washington Post Noteworthy Book—comes a hilarious new novel that showcases the author’s talents at their best. Fifteen-year-old Caitlin Davies’s life is challenging enough. She’s short. She’s scrawny. She prefers Evernote to SnapChat. She’s two years younger than everyone else in her grade. And now her parents are taking the family to the British Virgin Islands (BVI)—for a year—to live on a derelict sailboat, bought sight-unseen from navigationally-impaired cigar smugglers.

When Astrid is attacked by a creep calling himself a Slayer, it seems like a cruel prank the universe is pulling on her already crappy life. Then Kaden, the most infuriating, stunning boy she’s ever met, arrives and tells her she’s a dragon-kin like him—part dragon, part human. Then Astrid actually shifts into a dragon.

Dolly was thirteen years old when her family moved from Seattle to Orange County, California. Lost between two cultures, she did not feel Vietnamese or American. In her search to find a community of her own, Dolly lost her identity, her voice, and her independence. It was through the experience of first love, the discovery of new wave music, the appreciation of traditional foods, and the survival of tough love that she understood identity was rooted in self-love and self-acceptance.

Zoe Brown is a thoughtful teenager burdened by anxiety and the daily pressures of fitting in. Battling feelings of isolation, she hides her struggles behind a mask, yearning for acceptance in a world that seems to overlook her. Through her humour and resilience, Zoe’s story shines a light on the hidden challenges faced by many young people today. Ellen Maclaren’s reality is harsher—a chaotic and abusive home where she fights to protect her baby sister. Forced to grow up too fast, Ellen’s tale is one of courage and survival, where love is her driving force amidst unthinkable adversity.

When Queen Yes disappears overnight, twelve-year-old Jasmina must confront a mysterious disaster sweeping the land. Fear spreads, zealots declare it divine punishment, and the royal court turns on Jasmina—accusing her of causing the calamity. Imprisoned in an ancient castle and cut off from all who might help, she struggles to survive as the kingdom fractures. Her fury deepens the chaos—shattering glass across the realm. When the royal doctor induces permanent sleep, it seems all hope is lost.

Victor Vollmer isn't a paperboy anymore. He's a copyboy now, but his duties at the newspaper get interrupted by a last request from Mr. Spiro, the old man who became Victor's mentor and helped him take on his stutter in the beloved novel Paperboy, a Newbery Honor Book. Victor takes off on a journey that sends him hundreds of miles from home toward the teeth of a gathering storm. Confronted by an unfamiliar and threatening world, he meets a girl who is strong, smart, and bold like no one he's known before, and together they venture to the place where river meets sea.

Mark Reilly and his family move to a quiet town on the Connecticut shoreline, where he quickly becomes the target of relentless bullying. Seeking strength and self-respect, Mark turns to boxing. As he rises through the ranks, he's pulled into a toxic relationship that threatens to derail everything. When he hits rock bottom, Mark must dig deep to find the strength to stand up one more time — and prove to himself that he's more than just a fighter: he's a survivor.

Es ist ein ganz normaler Sommer. Die Ferien haben gerade erst begonnen. Alina lädt ihre besten Freundinnen zu sich ein, Abkühlen im Pool und Übernachtungsparty... aber es kommt alles anders als geplant. Zufällig finden die Mädchen ein Portal. Doch was ist dahinter? Etwas Gutes oder doch etwas Böses...

The Girl from My Last Class is a tender coming-of-age story about a quiet boy who meets a new classmate one September morning—and spends the next several years learning how a brief friendship can echo for a lifetime. When Emily Carter moves away, Daniel thinks the story is over. Instead, her laughter, small kindnesses, and simple courage become the compass he carries through secondary school and beyond. Told with luminous simplicity and heartfelt warmth, this short novel captures first crushes, last days of childhood, and the way memory can turn ordinary moments into something eternal.

Liv, a 12-year-old foster kid, musical marvel, and con artist, combines her talent with street smarts to land herself a spot on America’s number one reality TV show, "The Talent." Propelled through the competition by instinct, cunning, and talent, Liv may have met her match with Donny Wonder, the show's cutthroat producer. Donny uncovers Liv’s deception but worries exposing her may damage or even cancel the show. With the show’s future in the balance, Liv and Donny must decide if they will be true to the music, their friendship, or their own self-interests.

Malya steht komplett im Schatten ihrer älteren Geschwister, den erfolgreichen Zwillingen June und Levi. Da sie lieber zu einem guten Roman greift, als über den Sportplatz zu rennen, kann sie es ihren Eltern nie recht machen. Im Internat hofft sie, endlich aus dem Fokus ihrer Eltern zu kommen, doch ausgerechnet dort machen Amy und ihre Clique ihr das Leben zur Hölle. Malya sucht sich ein Ventil, das schnell in einem lebensgefährlichen Teufelskreis endet. Plötzlich ist es Mobberin Amy, die sich ihr anschließt.

Лёне по прозвищу Леннон девятнадцать лет — идеальное время, чтобы отправиться в безумное путешествие с любимой девушкой. Приключения Леннона начинаются с провала экзамена на инязе и новости о смерти отца. Считая себя неудачником, Леннон решает свести счеты с жизнью. Но случайно найденные детские рисунки, на которых изображены киты, и странная записка меняют его планы. А еще Леннон влюбился. Дерзкая Лана зовет его поучаствовать в запрещенных мотогонках на мифическом острове: она будет фотографировать, а Леннон — писать репортаж.

In the sun-soaked deserts of 1990s Arizona, a mixed-race kid navigates the challenges of identity and belonging. Roadrunner is a powerful coming-of-age story that captures the essence of youth, resilience, and self-discovery. Through the vibrant culture of skateboarding and the rhythm of hip-hop, our protagonist learns to embrace his unique heritage. As he battles personal demons and societal expectations, he finds solace in friendship and creativity. But the journey takes a dark turn with the shocking murder of Scott Norberg in a county jail cell, challenging everything he believes.

When a San Francisco treasure hunt ropes two ex-besties back together, they’ll end up digging into their own complicated, buried feelings in this queer YA rom com! Cam was the one who discovered the hunt. He brought it to Ivy like an offering, took her hand as they combed through San Francisco...

Twelve-year-old Neon Blue Greene is queen of the cafeteria, co-captain of the cheerleading squad, and has the most amazing dog any seventh grader could ask for. Her only complaint in life is that her parents named her after the color of a sports energy drink—until the morning she overhears them whispering and learns that she has twenty-eight days left to live. Neon needs a miracle, but how can she get one in only twenty-eight days? Then it hits her. She'll do a good deed every day.

When 16-year-old busboy Jack sees his dreams of becoming a dockporter crash and burn, he ends up taking a job as the youngest guide at Fort Mackinac. But this isn't just any guide gig. Jack finds himself in a ragtag team of misfits who turn the fort into their own Monty Python's Flying Circus. Their plan? It's bold, half-baked, and just might save the fort—or make them the laughingstock of history. They’re on a mission to uncover buried secrets, stop the Pizza King in 22 minutes or less, invade Beaver Island, uncover the truth behind “One-Shot” Shively, and most importantly, not get fired.

Grand Jeté, Arabesque and Pirouette in one volume!

When Will Daring discovers a hidden world shaped by ancient powers and shadowed conspiracies, he must find the courage to confront his fears and uncover the truth behind his family’s past. Drawn into a struggle between light and darkness, his choices may determine whether hope endures or the world falls to eternal night.