This book, I pray, expresses that the suffering a child endures because of a traumatic childhood does not have to be the determining factor in deciding the outcome of our lives. The kind of life trauma a child or anyone goes through should not, in any way, determine their ability to overcome these traumas and have a productive adult life. It is my belief that with a great Creator, God, and his divine intervention in our lives, we, as his children, will be carried through life’s traumatic experiences. It is my belief that I and all of humankind were created for a great purpose. The writing of this book, or its purpose, is not to gather sympathy, but the opposite, to explain that an individual does not have to allow their childhood or economic environment to set the standard for the rest of their lives. In my childhood, I attempted to subconsciously close myself off, mentally or emotionally, from what was occurring. This denial allowed me a way of surviving through early life. I called out to God, the great Creator, for help and guidance many times. Without the help and the great love of God, these traumas would probably have killed me from the shock. From an early age and throughout my adult life, I’ve had to find ways to deal with my traumatic past. With God and a drifter named Mr. Gabe who showed up at all the right times like a guardian angel who seemed to know a lot about the same God my grandmother talked about, I did survive throughout these traumas and have lived a relatively good life and achieved challenges that could only have been possible with God’s love.

A bracing amalgamation of devastating humor and brilliant cultural observation, in which Gabe Hudson fearlessly explores the darker implications of American military power. "Weird, wonderful, and worrisome.” —The Washington Post Book World “Dear Mr. President is a war book like no other. It’s as if Salvador Dali had rewritten All Quiet on the Western Front.” —USA Today Everybody’s Gulf War Syndrome is a little bit different. Or so believes Larry, who returns home from Desert Storm to find his hair gone and his bones rapidly disintegrating. Then there’s Lance Corporal James Laverne of the US Marines, who grows a third ear in Kuwait. And in the audaciously comic novella “Notes from a Bunker Along Highway 8,” a Green Beret deserts his team after seeing a vision of George Washington, only to find a new calling—administering aid to wounded Iraqi civilians; he’s hindered only by the furtive nature of his mission and an unruly band of chimpanzees.

One night, when Ethan reaches under his bed for a toy truck, he finds this note instead: "Monsters! Meet here for final test." Ethan is sure his parents are trying to trick him into staying under the covers, until he sees five colorful sets of eyes blinking at him from beneath the bed. Soon, a colorful parade of quirky, squeaky little monsters compete to become Ethan's monster. But only the little green monster, Gabe, has the perfect blend of stomach-rumbling and snorting needed to get Ethan into bed and keep him there so he falls asleep—which as everyone knows, is the real reason for monsters under beds. With its perfect balance of giggles and shivers, this silly-spooky prequel to the award-winning I Need My Monster and Hey, That's MY Monster! will keep young readers entertained.

A TODAY Show Summer Pick “Hilarious. . . . Gork is less Game of Thrones and more The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” —Rolling Stone Gork is the nerdiest dragon at WarWings Military Academy. He has a giant heart and tiny horns. His nickname is Weak Sauce. Today before his high school graduation, he must ask a female dragon to be his queen. The result is a rollicking quest for true love on the most madcap day ever known to a high school senior – dragon or otherwise. Along the way, Gork gets help from his best friend Fribby, a fierce female robot dragon who is brilliant, snarky, and totally obsessed with death; and Athenos II, his sentient spaceship who carries a shocking secret from his childhood. Ultimately, Gork will have to lock horns with his evil grandfather, Dr. Terrible. Can a quest for true love make a hero out of a dragon?

"Gabe & His Green Thumb is an exciting story about a boy who rediscovers the power of growing food. Gabe's life changes forever one day while working in garden. This magical book features rich illustrations and an amazing story about Gabe's journey from being a shy kid to an overnight celebrity for growing championship sized vegetables"--Amazon.com.

El Diablo is in the details in this Latinx pirate fantasy starring a transmasculine nonbinary teen with a mission of revenge, redemption, and revolution--now in paperback! On Mar León de la Rosa's sixteenth birthday, el Diablo comes calling. Mar is a transmasculine nonbinary teen pirate hiding a magical ability to manipulate fire and ice. But their magic isn't enough to reverse a wicked bargain made by their father, and now el Diablo has come to collect his payment: the soul of Mar's father and the entire crew of their ship. When Mar is miraculously rescued by the sole remaining pirate crew in the Caribbean, el Diablo returns to give them a choice: give up their soul to save their father by the harvest moon, or never see him again. The task is impossible--Mar refuses to make a bargain, and there's no way their magic is a match for el Diablo. Then Mar finds the most unlikely allies: Bas, an infuriatingly arrogant and handsome pirate--and the captain's son; and Dami, a gender-fluid demonio whose motives are never quite clear. For the first time in their life, Mar may have the courage to use their magic. It could be their only redemption--or it could mean certain death.

Three boys. Two murders. One terrible choice. I survived my father, but I can't survive without my boy. I've lost one person to the fae; I won't lose another. No matter what the cost, no matter what I have to do, I'll get Gabe back. And then I'll prove his innocence. Darwin Dùbhghlas, I'm coming for you. Meet the bad girl of Bevington ... Publisher's Note: Gabe's Girl is a college-aged, MMFM, whychoose romance. Book 2 ends on a cliffhanger. This book is intended for mature readers only.

Gabriel King was a born chicken. He’s afraid of spiders, corpses, loose cows, and just about everything related to the fifth grade. Gabe’s best friend, Frita Wilson, thinks Gabe needs some liberating from his fears. Frita knows something about being brave— she’s the only black kid in school in a town with an active Ku Klux Klan. Together Gabe and Frita are going to spend the summer of 1976 facing down the fears on Gabe’s list. But it turns out that Frita has her own list, and while she’s helping Gabe confront his fears, she’s avoiding the thing that scares her the most.

Shannon was delighted to get the teaching job. What she wasn’t thrilled about were the troublemaking individuals who made it their mission to disrupt the class. Coach “Brock” Andrews was well liked but had a reputation as a no nonsense sort of fellow. The he notices Shannon dealing with the bad apples in her class he had to do something. The two develop a plan that will help restore order in her classroom, but as the plan unfolds, the two teachers also find themselves in an awkward situation. Will the shining white knight sweep Shannon off her feet, or will this go down in the history books as another fable?

Town favorite Gabe isn’t exactly thrilled when college student Elizabeth accosts him for an interview about his “heroic deeds” after she reads about one of them in the local newspaper. But her stunning red hair catches Gabe’s interest, and how he longs to see her pale skin flushed from his touch! So he proposes a tantalizing deal: he’ll answer one question… for each kiss she gives him!