Fat Girl Fairy Boy is a darkly humorous tale of family, friendship, and personal discovery. Frie, an embittered aging actress, and her fearful, gay makeup artist named Robin, survive a plane crash in the jungles of Central America and are held hostage by El Salvadoran guerrillas. Their usually self-absorbed lives take a backseat to the events of their capture as a bizarre set of circumstances unfold and kindle courage, compassion and forgiveness they never thought possible. Written in masterful prose, and filled with rich characters, Fat Girl Fairy Boy is pure adventure and will entertain you every step of the way. Author McConkie mixes irony, humor, and pathos while weaving a multifaceted storyline into an adventure that doesn't let go.

A Topsy-Turvy Christmas by Elizabeth F. Guptill is a heartwarming and whimsical tale of a magical Christmas adventure, where everything is turned upside down. The story follows a group of children as they navigate this topsy-turvy world, encountering delightful surprises and unexpected challenges along the way. This charming and imaginative tale is sure to become a holiday favorite for young readers.

Whether embodied in literature, theater, or film, an enduring theme of many artistic works has been the protagonist’s search for identity. Such quests are typically psychological or spiritual journeys and depicted on the screen in a variety of manifestations—endeavors embarked upon to address an emotional trauma or to overcome an obstacle in the hero’s life. Using Jean Cocteau’s La Belle et La Bête as a leitmotif, these pursuits are discussed by author Maria Garcia as encounters with the “Beast.” At the end of their quests, heroes are reborn into their new identities, while the Beast disappears, transforms, or dies. In Cinematic Quests for Identity: The Hero’s Encounter with the Beast, Garcia examines the cinematic conventions of the male and female search for individuation across several genres. After discussing La Belle et La Bête, the author looks at a number of films including three iconic male journeys—The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Searchers, and The Deer Hunter. Additional chapters focus on The Silence of the Lambs, Bringing Up Baby, The Lady Eve, The Secret of Roan Inish, The Natural, and Moneyball. The book concludes with a consideration of the three fairy tale films by Catherine Breillat—Fat Girl, Bluebeard, and The Sleeping Beauty—and the female characters in several Robert Bresson films, including The Trial of Joan of Arc. Providing a unique and original perspective on films throughout the world, this provocative book draws upon Jungian thought, as well as several literary traditions including fairy tales, epic poetry, and Greek and Celtic mythology. Aimed at scholars of film and film theory, Cinematic Quests for Identity will also appeal to movie fans interested in a deeper understanding of films that explore a character’s struggle to live a conscious life.

“A savvy, smart, and funny book about embracing your body and taking control of your destiny.” —Kathleen Glasgow, author of the New York Times bestselling novel Girl in Pieces “Bold, unique, and completely original…A debut both spirited and inventive, much like its indomitable heroine.” —Laurie Elizabeth Flynn, author of Firsts From debut author Kelly DeVos comes an unforgettable story about fierce fashion, pursuing your dreams, and loving yourself at any size. FAT Cookie Vonn’s dreams include getting out of Phoenix and becoming the next great fashion designer. But in the world of fashion, being fat is a cardinal sin. It doesn’t help that she’s constantly compared to her supermodel mother—and named after a dessert. Cookie scores a trip to New York to pitch her design portfolio, but her plans are put on standby when she’s declared too fat to fly. When she finally arrives, she finds she’s been replaced by her ultrathin rival. Cookie vows to lose weight, get out of the friend zone with her crush, and put her dreams back on track. SKINNY Cookie expected sunshine and rainbows, but nothing about her new life is turning out like she planned. When the fashion designer of the moment offers her what she’s always wanted—an opportunity to live and study in New York—she finds herself in a world full of people more interested in putting women down than dressing them up. Her designs make waves, but her real dream of creating great clothes for people of all sizes seems to grow more distant by the day. Will she realize that she’s always had the power to make her own dreams come true? “A realistic portrayal of the frustrations of weight loss and size acceptance…sex, body positivity, and ambition. VERDICT A strong choice for most YA shelves.” —School Library Journal “Packed with smart zingers about what it feels like to be fat and have a body that people criticize…Also a fairytale romp through the New York City fashion world.” —Carolyn Mackler, B&N Teen Blog