The Twerp

Fredrick Overall was one of those surprise babies, born to a 39 year old mom and 40 year old dad. He was a nuisance to his older siblings as well as his father, but dearly loved by his mom. Born into a family of strapping athletes, Frail Freddy as he became known, uses his brilliant but quirky mind to cope with his family and outwit a town filled with corrupt politicians. After tragedy strikes his family, he educates himself and builds a dynamic and very successful business. Fredricks humor and insight into human nature make him a formidable enemy to the power brokers in the town of Pressley, Texas

It's not like I meant for him to get hurt. . . . Julian Twerski isn't a bully. He's just made a big mistake. So when he returns to school after a weeklong suspension, his English teacher offers him a deal: if he keeps a journal and writes about the terrible incident that got him and his friends suspended, he can get out of writing a report on Shakespeare. Julian jumps at the chance. And so begins his account of life in sixth grade--blowing up homemade fireworks, writing a love letter for his best friend (with disastrous results), and worrying whether he's still the fastest kid in school. Lurking in the background, though, is the one story he can't bring himself to tell, the one story his teacher most wants to hear. Inspired by Mark Goldblatt's own childhood growing up in 1960s Queens, Twerp shines with humor and heart. This remarkably powerful story will have readers laughing and crying right along with these flawed but unforgettable characters. Praise for Twerp: A Bankstreet Best Book of the Year A Junior Library Guild Selection A Summer Top Ten Kids’ Indie Next List Pick A Sunshine State Award Finalist “Reminiscent of The Perks of Being a Wallflower. . . . You don’t have to be a twerp to read this book.” —New York Post “A vivid, absorbing story about one boy’s misadventure, heartache, and hope for himself.” —Rebecca Stead, Newbery Award-winning author of When You Reach Me “Mark Goldblatt is an amazingly wonderful writer.” —Chris Grabenstein, New York Times bestselling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library “[Fans of] Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid who have matured beyond the scope and gravity of that series will find a kindred spirit in Julian.” —School Library Journal “Reminiscent of movies like The Sandlot. . . . Well-written and funny.” —The Advocate “Alternately poignant and comical. . . . A thought-provoking exploration of bullying, personal integrity and self-acceptance.” —Kirkus Reviews “A timely book.” —New York Journal of Books “Elegant in its simplicity and accessibility.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books “An empathetic and authentic glimpse into the mind of a sixth-grade boy.” —The Florida Times-Union “Funny, poignant, and an effective commentary on bullying and its consequences.” —The Horn Book Magazine

The New York Post praised Twerp as “reminiscent of The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” Finding the Worm is a sequel that stands on its own—an unforgettable coming-of-age story about life, loss, and friendship. Perfect for fans of The Sandlot and readers who love books by Jennifer L. Holm, Andrew Clements, and Rebecca Stead. It’s not a test unless you can fail! Trouble always seems to find thirteen-year-old Julian Twerski. He’s being framed for something he didn’t do, has insulted the girl he likes, and is trying to help a friend with cancer. He has some tough choices ahead, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Sometimes life just isn’t fair. But fair or not, the real question is: Will Julian be able to fix things? Praise for Finding the Worm: “Movingly depicts a steadfast friendship. . . . Outstanding.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred “Mark Goldblatt writes with humor and heart—his words stick with you like a best friend.” —Chris Grabenstein, New York Times bestselling author “Difficult questions about life and death are explored, offering no easy answers. Fans of Twerp will delight in this new tale of friendship with a touch of baseball.” —Booklist “An excellent companion to Twerp, this novel also stands alone.” —School Library Journal

This book is a non-stop, fun, nostalgic trip back to the Dallas area in the days of the baby boomers' youth. Over 200 photos and visuals enliven the story which is told in a truly lighthearted and enjoyable "easy-read" way. Anyone who grew up in the era and the area will find hundreds of things they remember fondly - from the local TV shows, favorite hangouts, movie theaters, dances, shopping, burger joints, roller rinks, gymnasium sock hops, schools, the Fair, music, bands, sports, concerts, local radio and TV personalities to first-hand accounts of events like The 1964 Beatles concert and sneaking into drive in theaters. This 224 page book has been described as "A must read for baby-boomers who grew up the Dallas - Fort Worth area... " (Shari Goldstein Stern - The White Rock Lake Weekly). "Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear...." Take a fun rollercoaster ride through Dallas back in the day! Do you remember: The Studio Club, Icky Twerp, Mickey and Amanda, Sivil's, Kip's, KLIF vs KBOX, The Buckner Drive In, Charlie and Harrigan, Surfers A-Go-Go, The Lakewood Rats, The Lady of the Lake, The Ride-N-Laff, Six Flags, Charco's, The Prince of Hamburgers, Storybook Land, Kat's Karavan, The Big D Jamboree, or The Wilshire Theater? If not now, you will when you read "The Twerp Generation Growing Up In Dallas In The '50s and'60s".

Her life turned upside-down when a Japanese internment camp is opened in their small Colorado town, Rennie witnesses the way her community places suspicion on the newcomers when a young girl is murdered.

Eighty pieces of short fiction and nonfiction on manhood by some of the world's best writers. To help launch the literary nonprofit Narrative 4, Esquire asked eighty of the world's greatest writers to chip in with a story, all with the title, "How to Be a Man." The result is The Book of Men, an unflinching investigation into the essence of manhood.

Drooling fanatic, n. 1. One who drools in the presence of beloved rock stars. 2. Any of a genus of rock-and-roll wannabes/geeks who walk around with songs constantly ringing in their ears, own more than 3,000 albums, and fall in love with at least one record per week. With a life that’s spanned the phonographic era and the digital age, Steve Almond lives to Rawk. Like you, he’s secretly longed to live the life of a rock star, complete with insane talent, famous friends, and hotel rooms to be trashed. Also like you, he’s content (sort of) to live the life of a rabid fan, one who has converted his unrequited desires into a (sort of) noble obsession. Rock and Roll Will Save Your Life traces Almond’s passion from his earliest (and most wretched) rock criticism to his eventual discovery of a music-crazed soul mate and their subsequent production of two little superfans. Along the way, Almond reflects on the delusional power of songs, the awkward mating habits of drooling fanatics, and why Depression Songs actually make us feel so much better. The book also includes: • sometimes drunken interviews with America’s finest songwriters • a recap of the author’s terrifying visit to Graceland while stoned • a vigorous and credibility-shattering endorsement of Styx’s Paradise Theater • recommendations you will often choose to ignore • a reluctant exegesis of the Toto song “Africa” • obnoxious lists sure to piss off rock critics But wait, there’s more. Readers will also be able to listen to a special free mix designed by the author, available online at www.stevenalmond.com, for the express purpose of eliciting your drool. For those about to rock—we salute you!

Examining a series of El Niño-induced droughts and the famines that they spawned around the globe in the last third of the 19th century, Mike Davis discloses the intimate, baleful relationship between imperial arrogance and natural incident that combined to produce some of the worst tragedies in human history. Late Victorian Holocausts focuses on three zones of drought and subsequent famine: India, Northern China; and Northeastern Brazil. All were affected by the same global climatic factors that caused massive crop failures, and all experienced brutal famines that decimated local populations. But the effects of drought were magnified in each case because of singularly destructive policies promulgated by different ruling elites. Davis argues that the seeds of underdevelopment in what later became known as the Third World were sown in this era of High Imperialism, as the price for capitalist modernization was paid in the currency of millions of peasants' lives.

Seems like Richie’s entire goal in life is to make Trisha’s impossible. Especially when he takes to teasing her about her beloved ballet class. Trisha knows how much work it takes to be good at ballet—much more than the stupid hockey Richie plays! So she challenges Richie to perform in her ballet recital, and Richie agrees, under one condition: Trisha has to join his hockey team for the big game!