Serena

Penned by an award-winning writer, this Gothic tale of greed, corruption, and revenge is set against the backdrop of the 1930s wilderness and America's burgeoning environmental movement.

A riveting, revealing portrait of tennis champion and global icon Serena Williams that combines biography, cultural criticism, and sports writing to offer “a deep, satisfying meditation” (The New York Times) on the most consequential athlete of her time. There has never been an athlete like Serena Williams. She has dominated women’s tennis for two decades, changed the way the game is played, and—by inspiring Naomi Osaka, Coco Gauff, and others—changed, too, the racial makeup of the pro game. But Williams’s influence has not been confined to the tennis court. As a powerful Black woman who struggled to achieve and sustain success, she has emerged as a cultural icon, figuring in conversations about body image, working mothers, and more. Seeing Serena chronicles Williams’s return to tennis after giving birth to her daughter—from her controversial 2018 US Open final against Naomi Osaka through a 2020 season that unfolded against a backdrop of a pandemic and protests over the killing of Black men and women by the police. Gerald Marzorati, who writes about tennis for The New Yorker, travels to Wimbledon and to Compton, California, where Serena and her sister Venus learned to play. He talks with former women’s tennis greats, sports and cultural commentators—and Serena herself. He observes Williams from courtside, on the red carpet, in fashion magazines, on social media. He sees her and writes about her prismatically—reflecting on her many, many facets. The result is an “enlightening…keen analysis” (The Washington Post) and energetic narrative that illuminates Serena’s singular status as the greatest women’s tennis player of all time and a Black woman with a global presence like no other.

Celebrated picture book biographer Jeanette Winter shares the story of champion tennis players—and sisters—Venus and Serena Williams. Before they were famous tennis stars, Venus and Serena Williams were sisters with big dreams growing up in Compton, California. In the early mornings, they head to the tennis courts, clean up debris, and practice. They compete in their first tournament and they both win. From there, the girls’ trophy collection grows and grows. Despite adversity and health challenges, the sisters become two of the greatest tennis players of all time. This inspiring story of sisterhood, hard work, and determination is perfect for budding athletes or any young reader with a big dream.

One of the biggest stars in tennis, Serena Williams has captured every major title. Her 2009 Australia Open championship earned her the #1 world ranking for the third time in her illustrious career - and marked only the latest exclamation point on a life well and purposefully lived. As a young girl, Serena began training with an adult-sized racquet that was almost as big as her. Rather than dropping the racquet, Serena saw it as a challenge to overcome-and she has confronted every obstacle on her path to success with the same unflagging spirit. From growing up in the tough, hardscrabble neighborhood of Compton, California, to being trained by her father on public tennis courts littered with broken glass and drug paraphernalia, to becoming the top women's player in the world, Serena has proven to be an inspiration to her legions of fans both young and old. Her accomplishments have not been without struggle: being derailed by injury, devastated by the tragic shooting of her older sister, and criticized for her unorthodox approach to tennis. Yet somehow, Serena always manages to prevail. Both on the court and off, she's applied the strength and determination that helped her to become a champion to successful pursuits in philanthropy, fashion, television and film. In this compelling and poignant memoir, Serena takes an empowering look at her extraordinary life and what is still to come.

Award-winning author Tanita S. Davis delivers a heartwarming and humorous middle grade tale about a young Black girl who finds her own voice through vlogging and learns to speak out. Perfect for fans for Sharon M. Draper and Lisa Greenwald. JC shines like a 4th of July sparkler. She has the best ideas, the biggest, funniest laugh, and the party starts when she arrives. Serena St. John is proud to be known as her best friend. Everything changes when JC returns from the hospital with a new kidney—and a new best friend. Out of the spotlight of JC’s friendship, suddenly things aren’t quite so sparkly in Serena’s world. Lonely Serena works on perfecting her vlogs, hoping to earn a shot at becoming a classroom reporter. If she can be smart and funny on video, why can’t she manage that in real life? If only she could always pause, edit, or delete conversations. It would be so much easier to say the right thing at the right time . . . instead of not saying what she should, or, even worse, blurting out a secret that wasn’t hers to share. Life doesn’t have a pause button—but as Serena discovers her voice through vlogging, she learns that she’s not just there to reflect JC’s light—she’s fully capable of shining on her own.

Serena Williams is one of the biggest names in sports, but she grew up the littlest of five girls in her family. While sharing a room and playing tennis with her older sisters, Serena had to figure out how to be her own person—on and off the court. This empowering biography showcases the rise of the youngest Williams sister and how her family played a part in her path to becoming the strong woman and star athlete she is today. Bold, colorful illustrations highlight the tight sisterhood and tennis action of Serena’s childhood and teenage years. This true story about a tennis icon will inspire littlest siblings everywhere to forge their own path and leave their mark.

"A tale brimming over with secrets, betrayals and redemption. Burdick keeps readers riveted." -RT Book Reviews (4 Stars HOT) "Moving, surprising, and thought-provoking." -The Emerald City Book Review "Burdick brings the sights and sounds of the Paris of the Impressionists to life." -Historical Novel Society “A provocative tale of family secrets, betrayal, and the renewal of self-discovery.” -Heather Webb, author of Rodin's Lover "Girl in the Afternoon is a love story, a mystery, a tragedy, and a moving study of the human capacity to contain both reckless error and surprising redemption.” -Carrie Brown, author of The Stargazer's Sister Born into a wealthy Parisian family at the center of Belle Epoque society, 18-year-old Aimée Savaray dreams of becoming a respected painter in the male-dominated art world; and secretly, she also dreams of being loved by Henri, the boy her parents took in as a child and raised alongside her. But when Henri inexplicably disappears, in the midst of the Franco-Prussian war, the Savarays’ privileged lives begin to unravel. Heartbroken, Aimée tries to find him, but Henri doesn’t want to be found—and only one member of the family knows why. As Aimée seeks refuge in the art world, mentored by the Impressionist Édouard Manet, she unwittingly finds her way back to Henri. With so many years gone by and secrets buried, their eventual reunion unmasks the lies that once held the family together, but now threaten to tear them apart. A rich and opulent saga, Girl in the Afternoon brings the Impressionists to life in this portrait of scandal, fortune, and unrequited love.

DIVTheir love ended in tragedy years ago. Now, with a little magic, can it be revived?/divDIV An extraordinary meeting at a pond on a hot summer night brought Serena and Justin together. She was a long-time resident of Salem, he a professor from New York researching witchcraft. Despite having just met, they made love under a witch’s moon as if they had known each other their whole lives. There was something familiar about him, as if she had spent her entire life waiting for him./divDIV /divDIVLove has not always been kind to Serena’s family. Could her ancestors be trying to rewrite their own tragic stories by giving these modern-day lovers the happy ending they never had?/divDIV /divDIVThis ebook features an illustrated biography of Heather Graham including rare photos from the author’s personal collection./div

RISKED: Serena McClain’s father has been kidnapped by the mob, and she’s determined to rescue him. Except her only attempt fails when her PI is gunned down, and she barely escapes amidst a hail of bullets, thanks to FBI Agent Mark Riley. Forced to take her and her son into protective custody because of her meddling, Mark is not happy. He’s more than a glorified babysitter. Still, he can’t help being drawn to the feisty blonde and her cute kid. They’re evoking feelings in him he’d rather ignore. Even though agents promise to make finding her father a priority, Serena doesn’t quite trust them, especially Mark, yet the more time they spend together, the deeper their connection grows. Will they find her father alive, and is real love worth the risk of Serena’s Web?

A tragedy took her voice. He’s heartbroken and damaged. Can his wounds be healed in time to break her silence? Alex Randall is desperate for a fresh start. To escape the painful memories of two lost loves, he runs away to a new town in the Oklahoma territory. But farm life is a challenge. To help with the daily tasks, he hires a seasoned farmhand from up north, but when the young man arrives, he brings with him his beautiful and mute sister. Serena Belle is a haunted young woman who lost her voice two months’ prior. The only man she allows close to her is her brother, but even he doesn’t know exactly what happened on the tragic night that took her voice. Alex is kind to Serena, but he’s guarded. His brokenness didn’t take his voice, but his scars run deep. Serena should know. She has similar wounds buried in her heart. There’s a reason why some things are better kept secret. As Serena’s stay turns from days into months, Alex’s affection for the silent young woman grows fonder. He’s reluctant to embrace his feelings, yet inexplicably drawn to her. As the mystery of why Serena suddenly went silent unfolds, Alex fears he’ll lose more than his heart. He could lose everything he holds dear. Can Alex and Serena mend their broken pieces in time, or will Serena lose more than her voice when all is finally revealed? Read Serena’s Silence for a passionate frenemy-to-lovers romance now! Publisher's Note: The series is connected through characters, but each book in the series can be read as a stand-alone.