"During Softrock Middle School's Fun-ger Games, Rob Burnside hopes that Katfish, a cross between Katniss and the Little Mermaid created in his closet, will help with game tips, advice about girls, and getting people to stop hating him."--Publisher.

Things are going pretty well for Rob Burnside until Pinocula--a cross between Pinocchio and a vampire--emerges from his closet, lying, joking, and doing his best to drive Rob crazy.

ONCE UPON A TIME, THERE WAS A PLANET FAR, FAR AWAY... The planet was called Kateraan. All of its inhabitants were cats- incredibly smart, genius cats! Kateraan was a world of vast scientific achievement. Everyone on this planet was a genius at something. Everyon, except for El Gato, so they thought. And the big discovery in the life of the average Kateraanian was that of determining what he/she was brilliant at. To ease each Kateraanian along the path to discovery of his or her brilliance, huge institutions of higher learning had been established. They contained their computer data banks vast storehouses of all the accumulated knowledge of hundreds of years brilliant work by Kateraanian scientists, historians, mathematicians, sociologists, etc. And, these institutions were staffed by a faculty of the most brilliant minds available to the Kateraanian populace, at large. To be a teacher in Kateraan was an honor bestowed only upon the best and the brightest of an already stellar pool of talent. It was the highest position anybody could achieve in society short of being a world leader. There is no such thing as dance music on planet Kateraan. The Kateraanians believe that any kind of music other than drone sounds or classical music is the work of the Devil, because it promotes hatred, violence, discrimination and domination. Thus, at times, life can be a bit boring, hearing the same old drone sounds and/or classical music over and over again. In brief, El Gato's goal is to prove the Kateraanian's that not all music can be healing voice of the universe. El Gato further believes that non-toxic music promotes self-respect, as well as respect for others. Moreover, good music promotes fun, togetherness and a sense of hope when things aren't going well. The bottom line according to El Gato, "Life ain't fun until the music plays."

“An unforgettable look at the peculiar horrors and humiliations involved in solitary confinement” from the prisoners who have survived it (New York Review of Books). On any given day, the United States holds more than eighty-thousand people in solitary confinement, a punishment that—beyond fifteen days—has been denounced as a form of cruel and degrading treatment by the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture. Now, in a book that will add a startling new dimension to the debates around human rights and prison reform, former and current prisoners describe the devastating effects of isolation on their minds and bodies, the solidarity expressed between individuals who live side by side for years without ever meeting one another face to face, the ever-present specters of madness and suicide, and the struggle to maintain hope and humanity. As Chelsea Manning wrote from her own solitary confinement cell, “The personal accounts by prisoners are some of the most disturbing that I have ever read.” These firsthand accounts are supplemented by the writing of noted experts, exploring the psychological, legal, ethical, and political dimensions of solitary confinement. “Do we really think it makes sense to lock so many people alone in tiny cells for twenty-three hours a day, for months, sometimes for years at a time? That is not going to make us safer. That’s not going to make us stronger.” —President Barack Obama “Elegant but harrowing.” —San Francisco Chronicle “A potent cry of anguish from men and women buried way down in the hole.” —Kirkus Reviews

Twelve-year-old Rob has stuffed his closet with old laboratory experiments, unread books, and more, and when a creature emerges from that chaos causing a great deal of trouble, Rob has to do such horrible things as visit a library and speak at a school assembly to set things right again.

Texas tradition mingles with an international melting pot of cuisines in Houston to create a foodie destination like no other. From Tex-Mex and barbecue to seasonal menus and high-profile eateries, the city’s culinary scene offers delicious dishes certain to please anyone’s palate. In Food Lovers’ Guide to Houston, seasoned food writer Kristin Finan shares the inside scoop on the best places to find, enjoy, and celebrate these culinary treasures. A bounty of mouthwatering delights awaits you in this engagingly written guide. With delectable recipes from the renowned kitchens of the city’s iconic eateries, diners, and elegant dining rooms, Food Lovers’ Guide to Houston is the ultimate resource for food lovers to use and savor. Inside You'll Find: • Favorite restaurants and landmark eateries • Specialty food stores and markets • Farmers’ markets and farm stands • Food festivals and culinary events • Recipes from top Houston chefs • The city’s best cafes, taverns, and wine bars • The metro area’s best craft breweries, wineries, and wine shops • Local food lore and kitchen wisdom

The latest creature to emerge from Rob's closet is a cross between Chewbacca from Star Wars and Harry Potter. Rob names him "Potterwookiee" ("Hairy" for short) and soon Rob finds himself treading water as he tries to figure out how to care for his mixed-up friend. Great laughs and great books help Rob along the way.

In this provocative essay collection, the author “leans into her roles as both victim and predator [with] prose that’s casual and cool and often funny” (The New York Times). In six wide-ranging essays, Kathleen Hale traces some of the most treacherous fault lines in modern America—from sexual assault to Internet trolling, from environmental illness to our own animal nature. From hunting wild hogs in Florida to a standoff with an anonymous blogger, Hale takes no prisoners and fears no subject. “First I Got Pregnant. Then I Decided to Kill the Mountain Lion” recounts the month Hale spent tracking a wild cat in the Hollywood Hills while pregnant. “Prey” tells the troubling story of her sexual assault as a freshman in college. Through these and other essays, Hale wields razor-sharp wit, deep empathy, and daring honesty, even in detailing some of the most difficult moments of her life.

Rob Burnside thinks he's getting the hang of things. It almost seems as if he has learned all he needed to from his unusual closet. Beardy, the doorknob, has it locked up and there are no signs nor sounds of the closet door opening again. But something has slipped from the closet unnoticed and that something is part Gollum, part Cat in the Hat. He's an intense creature with mad rhyming skills. And when Rob's family wins a trip to Colorado, something extra makes it into his luggage. Get ready for school fights, train rides, long mysterious hikes, and a creature unlike any of the others. What Rob will discover is epic.