In his extravagantly intimate autobiographical novel, Lander Duncan reconstructs the heart shattering images and remembrances of the dark, violent, and incoherent first two decades of his life. PROMISES Seduced by CJ, a sleek-framed Tuskegee cadet, the mixed-race diabolically beautiful Abigail, who is the fifteen-year-old daughter of the dean of faculty, sets this novel in motion when she becomes pregnant. With a reluctant agreement from her father, Abigail marries CJ and defiantly departs for his family farm in the Arkansas Delta. CJ reports for active duty to a segregated Ft. Huachuca in Arizona. As a powerful chronicle of a time, the novel's sobering historical backdrop is dramatically revealed through Abigail's culture collisions and misadventures intersecting with the harsh, alienating, and unpredictable Delta life and the racial indignities and clashes that CJ confronts while commanding a combat anti-demolition company in Europe. SECRETS After returning home a war hero, humiliation and bitterness eat away at CJ who must take a demeaning job as a railroad Red Cap to support his family. CJ's offer of a steadying hand to a white woman who stumbles as she gets off a train turns into an incident that produces a night of horror. The lives and fate of the Duncan family are forever changed. Exiled to a small, racially divided Pennsylvania town, Abigail, emotionally damaged by the ordeal, compels Lander and his brothers to promise never to reveal anything about their frightening past. Abigail's habit of hiding things—even losses, disappointments, humiliations, and racial identity—becomes a great burden that keeps her sons' lives in upheaval. CONFESSIONS Abandoned by his mother and estranged for more than a decade from his family, Lander is summoned home for the last few days of Abigail's life. Past informs present, and present recasts past; the brothers exchange stories that trace the vast emotional terrain of havoc their mother so thoughtlessly wrecked, the sense of confusion that shifted beneath their feet, the doors of self-perception that slammed in their face. They want desperately to love Abigail in all her flawed, outrageous humanity and find an opportunity to forgive the felonies she committed against them. A memorable cast emerges in poignant and too few moments of triumph. Sifting through Abigail's possessions, an undated letter is discovered that produces a damning and destructive secret.

This beautifully illustrated children's book sensitively broaches the subject of keeping children safe from inappropriate touch. It is an invaluable tool for caregivers and educators to broach the subject of safe and unsafe touch in an age-appropriate way. The discussion questions support both reader and child when discussing the story. Ages 3-12

This exciting graphic novel presents a series of puzzling mystical Jewish stories weaving together a daring adventure tale, following siblings Rose and Ben as they search for their missing grandparents, aided only by a mysterious book, a lantern, and their wits. Anticipating danger, the kids' grandmother, Bubbe, appears to the twins in a cloud of flour and tells them to find a package that contains a book. The midrash stories they find—about the flying Ziz, the giant Og, the gatekeeper at a maze, and a treasure-seeker who lives in a mushroom hut—provide insights into defeating the creepy sorceress scheming to take the book. As the mystery deepens, the siblings must follow the Lamplighter's wise advice, slip past a guard into a maze, reunite with their grandparents, and learn why they have inherited the responsibility to protect the book—and the Jewish people.

Uncomfortable Secrets is the first published book of the Prevent series. It offers a valuable tool to protect your child from sexual abuse by teaching them to: . Say no to inappropriate physical contact.. Distinguish secrets that can be kept from those that cause emotional pain.. Recognize a trustworthy person who will listen and believe them.

Hailed as “a breakneck, jam-packed roller coaster of an adventure” by J. K. Rowling, this New York Times bestseller is the first installment in the explosive tween fantasy series by famed Hollywood director Chris Columbus (of Harry Potter fame) and bestselling author Ned Vizzini (It’s Kind of a Funny Story). Siblings Brendan, Eleanor, and Cordelia Walker once had everything they could ever want. But everything changed when Dr. Walker lost his job. Now the family must relocate to an old Victorian house, formerly the home of occult novelist Denver Kristoff—a house that simultaneously feels creepy and too good to be true. By the time the Walkers realize that one of their neighbors has sinister plans for them, they’re banished to a primeval forest way off the grid. Bloodthirsty medieval warriors patrol the woods around them, supernatural pirates roam the neighboring seas, and a power-hungry queen rules the land. To survive, the siblings will have to be braver than they ever thought possible—and to fight against their darkest impulses. The key may lie in their own connection to the secret Kristoff legacy. But as they unravel that legacy, they’ll discover that it’s not just their family that’s in danger . . . it’s the entire world.

Aimed at helping children understand which secrets should be shared with an adult and which can be kept, this book teaches that while it can be fun to keep exciting surprises, any secrets that cause children anxiety or worry should be shared right away--even if they've been told to keep silent. This is a useful tool for sexual abuse prevention.

New York Times bestselling author Margaret Peterson Haddix takes readers on a thrilling adventure filled with mysteries and plot twists aplenty in this absorbing series about family and friendships. Perfect for fans of A Wrinkle in Time and The City of Ember! What makes you you? The Greystone kids thought they knew. Chess has always been the protector over his younger siblings, Emma loves math, and Finn does what Finn does best—acting silly and being adored. They’ve been a happy family, just the three of them and their mom. But everything changes when reports of three kidnapped children reach the Greystone kids, and they’re shocked by the startling similarities between themselves and these complete strangers. The other kids share their same first and middle names. They’re the same ages. They even have identical birthdays. Who, exactly, are these strangers? Before Chess, Emma, and Finn can question their mom about it, she takes off on a sudden work trip and leaves them in the care of Ms. Morales and her daughter, Natalie. But puzzling clues left behind lead to complex codes, hidden rooms, and a dangerous secret that will turn their world upside down. Praise for The Strangers: "A secret-stacked, thrilling series opener about perception, personal memories, and the idiosyncrasies that form individual identities." (Publishers Weekly, starred review) * Winter 2018–2019 Kids' Indie Next List Pick * Indie Bestseller * Time for Kids Book Club: Top 10 Summer Reads * PW Best Books 2019 * Texas Bluebonnet Award List 2020-2021 * 2020 LITA Excellence in Children’s and Young Adult Science Fiction Notable Book: The Eleanor Cameron Notable Middle Grade Books List *

While trying to convince the FBI that giant ants are kidnapping and enslaving the citizens of Cincinnatti, twins Wally and Cheyenne Shluffmuffin, with the help of their vampire father, escape the clutches of the enormous ghouls who want to adopt--and eat--them.

In the dazzling conclusion to the Greystone Secrets series from New York Times bestselling author Margaret Peterson Haddix, the Greystones and their doubles, the Gustanos, must team up to save the alternate world—before both worlds are lost. All secrets are revealed in this page-turning, suspenseful story that shows the importance of teamwork, telling your story, and taking action when it matters most. As book three of the Greystone Secrets series opens, the Greystone kids have their mother back from the evil alternate world, and so does their friend Natalie. But no one believes the danger is past. Then mysterious coins begin falling from unexpected places. They are inscribed with codes that look just like what the Greystones’ father was working on before he died. And with the right touch, those symbols transform into words: PLEASE LISTEN. And FIND US, SEE US, HELP US. . . . The coins are messengers, telling the Greystones and their allies that their friends in the alternate world are under attack—and that the cruel, mind-controlling forces are now invading the better world, too. After another spinning, sliding journey across worlds, the Greystone kids must solve mysteries that have haunted them since the beginning: what happened when the Gustanos were kidnapped, what created the alternate world, and how a group of mismatched kids can triumph once and for all against an evil force that seems to have total control.

A girl and boy discover a hidden world right before their very eyes. On board pages.