Showing results by narrator "and Soneela Nankani" in All Categories

In the past, being a “difficult bitch” was bad. Girls weren’t supposed to call people out for their BS, stand up for themselves, or do their own thing. This book embraces the insult with irreverent humor, encouraging listeners to be themselves no matter what, including an exploration of the ways this phrase can be interpreted differently among people of different backgrounds.

For most kids, catching fireflies is a fun summer activity. For twelve-year-old Serwa Boateng, it's a matter of life and death. That's because Serwa knows that some fireflies are really adze, shapeshifting vampires from the forests of Southeastern Ghana. Adze prey on the blood of innocents, possessing their minds and turning them into hulking monsters, and for generations, slayers like Serwa and her parents have protected an unknowing public from their threats. 

Seventeen-year-old Alexandria White only wants to go home, a wish that would be easier to pull off if home weren't thousands of years in the future and halfway across the world. Since her twin sister, Portia, touched an artifact during their history class, she's been stuck in ancient Egypt, surrounded by the unknown. Alex has been hiding in plain sight and putting her skills to use as a royal tutor in the Nile Delta, an area on the brink of war. When tensions rise, everything Alex left behind—the magic that is her birthright, the danger of the Scorpions—is arriving at her door.

Former means once-upon-a-time. Nina tried as hard as she could to keep track of everything, but somehow she still forgot about her school project. And her friend Jay is mad at her. With little sister Kavita’s birthday party right around the corner, and her longtime friendship with Jay on the rocks, there’s a lot going on.

Maya dreams of working in magazines. But as the daughter of garlic farmers, her path is set: it’s off to Cow Camp instead. But when she ends up in the New York City area and realizes her cousin's girlfriend works at Maya's favorite magazine—Fierce—an opportunity falls in her lap to intern. It's her dream job, and she can't pass it up, even if means disappointing her family and lying to her parents. The only problem? Maya hasn't accepted an internship. She's accepted a full-time job, as a staff writer, and everyone at Fierce thinks she's 26.

It’s a classic story: girl meets boy, girl falls for boy, boy finally notices girl when he sees her in a homemade costume. At least, that’s what Sonia Patil is hoping for when she plans to meet her crush at the local comic-con in cosplay.

HOW DO I LOVE YOU? The comparisons are endless! I love you like pizza loves cheese,
like a sailor loves a breeze, and like a lemon loves a squeeze. And that’s just the beginning. From the bestselling creators of Me Without You comes an irresistible, heartfelt, and humorous ode to love that will delight kids and adults alike.

Jaxon could never have imagined the adventure that would start with an old witch called Ma and three baby dragons shipped to Brooklyn. Ever since he returned the dragons to the magical realm of Palmara, Jax has searched for a way for humans and magical creatures to live in harmony. But despite his efforts, an ancient monster has been released. The Scourge has defeated the powerful Guardian of Palmara and set its sights on the human realm.

Angels, monsters, and bees. Birdwatchers, emperors, and prison wardens. These and more populate the twenty-two new and old stories from award-winning author E. Lily Yu, collected for the first time here in her debut short story collection. From her early innovative work that won her the Astounding Award for Best New Writer, such as "The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees," to recent short fiction such as "Small Monsters," E. Lily Yu's writing has continued to garner award nominations and recognition from the literary community for its faceted beauty, cutting edge, and uplifting heart.

Law student Anita Virani hasn’t seen her ex-husband since the ink dried on their divorce papers. Now she’s agreed to pretend she’s still married to Nikhil until his sister’s wedding celebrations are over—because her former mother-in-law neglected to tell her family of their split! The closeness they share during the marriage act gives Anita new insight into the man she once loved so deeply. And reignites Nikhil’s feelings for her…

When Nina Soni hears that her grandmother and cousin are going to visit from India, she can’t wait to be the perfect hostess. She’s got all sorts of lists and plans and she’s prepared to be very mature; she’ll even move into Kavita’s room and let Dadi and Montu have hers. It will be fun to introduce Dadi and Montu to her life and friends, and Nina is determined to control every detail to ensure a successful visit. Not surprisingly, things don’t go exactly as she planned. 

You might be the kind of person who stands up to online trolls. Or who marches to protest injustice. Perhaps you are #DisabledAndCute and dancing around your living room, alive and proud. Or perhaps you are the trans mentor that you wish you had when you were younger. Maybe you call out false allies or stand up to loved ones. Maybe you speak your truth and drop the mic, or maybe you take it with you when you leave. This anthology features fictional stories—in poems, prose, and art—that reflect a slice of the varied and limitless ways that listeners like you resist every day.

At eight, Nira had only one over-powering wish—to pee standing up like a boy. In fact, to be a boy. Join Nira as she steps into her brother’s clothes and becomes the self-appointed Al Caponesque gang leader of the neighborhood boys. Her oddball yet madly loving family shapes her personality, and a poignant relationship with her brother’s best friend shapes her life. She uses uninhibited candor to detail her coming-of-age journey from Calcutta to London, from tomboy to reluctant woman-in-progress … always trying to fit in, but always failing. 

Halloween brings out Nina Soni's competitive spirit. Her friend Jay has a great costume planned, so—of course—Nina has to come up with an even better idea. A bunch of old boxes in the basement inspires her to create an impressively scary haunted house, for which she can charge admission. So what could possibly go wrong for the Halloween Queen?

In Shajarpur, everyone is always happy. The weather is always perfect. But newcomer Savi, a lonely teenager, doesn’t know what happiness means anymore. If she were to make a list of things that were the absolute worst, moving to Shajarpur would be right on top. Well, right after missing her father, who just died of a heart attack. As Savi grapples with loss in a strange new town, she discovers something startling. Not only can she communicate with her father’s plants—all forty-two of them—she can talk to the giant ficus tree behind her school.

A long weekend with lots of snow sounds like a recipe for super-special fun to Nina, especially with new friends Priya and Nayan visiting. They’ve just moved to Wisconsin from Florida, so Nina is prepared to introduce them to lots of winter activities: snowball fights, snow angels—and maybe even a snow fort! And then Nina notices a strange car at her neighbors’ house while they’re out of town. Clearly, it’s time to be a Snow Spy and identify MP (Mystery Person).

It’s Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day, and Nina, Kavita, and Jay are all going to create gardens with Mom, a landscape architect. Naturally that’s not enough for Nina, who quickly develops big ideas for an impressive business selling the vegetables she plans to grow. But her plans don’t include managing the problems that inevitably arise, including rabbits, slugs, mosquitos, and more.

Nina Soni is a problem solver—and her latest problem is her little sister Kavita, who is a real embarrassment. Not only does Kavita sing too much, she often gets the lyrics wrong or, even worse, makes up ridiculous songs. What Nina needs is a project—a plan to fix her sister. But one project isn’t really enough, especially during a long rainy school break. Nina is restless. A pile of dirt in the neighbor’s yard is a temptation she can’t resist—a project for Nina, a distraction for Kavita, and something to do to pass the time. 

It’s been six months since the zombie plague was unleased on humanity. Now Europe is overrun with bloodthirsty corpses, and victims continue to be claimed by the horde en masse. For the dwindling number of uninfected, life is a constant struggle as everyone confronts what they’re willing to do to stay alive.

Roshan Chaya is out for justice. Abandoned by her parents at birth and adopted by the kingdom of Jwala's most notorious bandit before his brutal murder, she is now leader of the Shadow Clan, a gang of farmers-turned-bandits impoverished by the provincial governor’s atrocities and corruption. Roshan’s goal: to avenge her adoptive father and earn back rights and dignity for her people.