Chasing Normal

High school sophomore Annie Smith is just hoping to live a normal life after she moves from Arkansas to the quiet little town of Reston, Texas. But it does not take long for her new friends to figure

Bestselling and award-winning artist Patrick McDonnell uses the ABC's to tell a hilarious, high-energy alphabetical adventure.It starts with an ALLIGATOR and a BEAR chasing a CAT. When a DRAGON (and a

It’s off to the races in the explosive eighth book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series—featuring bonus material exclusive to this print edition.As chaos and mass panic spread outside the dungeon in the wake of Faction Wars, Carl and Donut find themselves on the tenth floor, where they’re forced to compete in a surprisingly normal set of tasks. Well, normal for the dungeon.Races. Get from point A to point B, and don’t come in last. After each race, they pick an upgrade for their vehicle and the track gets more challenging. It all seems a littletoonormal, a littletoosimple.Ignore those strange glitches that are occurring with increasing frequency. Don’t listen to those whispers about what’s happening on the mysterious eleventh floor, something the system AI callsA Parade of Horribles. Nobody, not even the showrunners, knows what that means. Just that the AI has ominously dubbed it “a coming-out party for the ages.”Everything is fine, Crawler. I repeat, everything is fine.Carl hates that i

A charming story where Morris the cat discovers the magic of reading.Morris the cat knows that no one can resist a good story, not even a mouse. Tired of chasing mice all day long, he comes up with a clever plan to make the mice come to him. All he needs is the perfect story to lure them in. But Morris can’t seem to find the right one. He either puts the mice to sleep, collapses in a fit of giggles, or ruins his appetite. Ultimately, in the search for the perfect story, Morris’s attitude toward mice changes. He learns that reading has power. Just like magic.

Books eight through ten in the New York Times bestselling Spy School series by Stuart Gibbs are now available together in a collectible hardcover boxed set!With SPYDER defeated, Ben Ripley is looking forward to his life getting back to normal, or as normal as possible when you’re a superspy in training, but his next mission isn’t too far behind…With bombs going off in the CIA conference room, his nemesis, Murray Hill, boarding the world’s biggest cruise ship in Central America, and someone putting a price on Ben’s head and accusing him of being at the center of a conspiracy on the internet, Ben is faced with his greatest challenges yet.This action-packed hardcover boxed set includes:Spy School RevolutionSpy School at SeaSpy School Project X

In this award-winning book inspired by true events, 7th grade turns out to be anything but normal when teachers announce the students' bloodless revolution succeeded and they are now in charge. After

Paws is tired. He just wants to rest. And to dream about the days when he used to chase rabbits. He still walks with Edward to the park twice a day, but only because Edward needs the fresh air. Until one day, Paws decides he doesn't want to go for another walk. He just wants to lie in Edward's bed. ?Paws has walked and walked. His paws are heavy. Paws doesn't have to walk anymore. Paws doesn't have to do anything anymore.? And Paws falls asleep one last time, leaving Edward to dream of the days when Paws used to chase rabbits. Espen Dekko's gently heartbreaking and heart-lifting story hits the perfect note as it explores death in an accessible, child-friendly, and nonfrightening way. By writing from the dog's perspective, Dekko makes it easier for children to understand and accept Paws's decline and death. Beginning with Paws dreaming of chasing rabbits and ending with Edward dreaming of Paws chasing rabbits, the story has a circular structure that is satisfying and reassuring, as it c

A sweetly offbeat adoption storyBoris is a normal kid: he goes to school and rides his bike and climbs trees, just like all the other children. It doesn't matter that he has scales and gills, or that

Introducing HILO—a funny, action-packed, full-color new middle-grade graphic novel series thatBone creator Jeff Smith calls “delightful.” D.J. and his friend Gina are totally normal kids. But that was

The trusted, New York Times best-selling author of It's Perfectly Normal presents a charming and reassuring picture book series for preschoolers.Young children are curious about almost everything. Asking questions is one of many ways they learn about themselves and the world around them. Now, this unique series for our youngest children provides easy-to-understand facts and answers to their delightful, thoughtful, and often nonstop questions. Launching the series is WHO HAS WHAT?, a simple story following Nellie and Gus on a family outing to the beach. Humorous illustrations, conversations between the siblings, and a clear text all reassure young kids that whether they have a girl's body or a boy's, their bodies are perfectly normal, healthy, and wonderful. Authoring the series is Robie H. Harris, whose nonfiction books are known as the source for addressing kids' questions about themselves, their families, and their friends. Nadine Bernard Westcott's accurate and entertaining illustra

My life had always been blissfully, wonderfully normal. But it only took one moment to change everything. Suddenly, my sister, Georgia, and I were orphans. We put our lives into storage and moved to

Eula is the only square cat in town. Everything that normal cats do is hard for her -- she can't get her square paw into mouseholes, she can't wear her favorite circle skirt, and all of her friends ar

Harry Potter is an ordinary boy who lives in a cupboard under the stairs at his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon's house, which he thinks is normal for someone like him who's parents have been killed in

Are you ready?Are you steady?FETCH! A girl on a beach throws a ball for one eager little dog. Suddenly one dog becomes two--three--TEN leaping, bounding doggies, hot on its trail! The chase is on: who will be the lucky pup to fetch the bright red prize?The race leads them down the beach, through the city, into the museum; high up over the city balanced on an iron girder; through the park down the river, until: what's that rumbling sound? Oh dear! But not even a thundering waterfall will stop these determined dogs from chasing down that ball...An utter joy from beginning to end, this book combines the charm--and an adorable canine crew--of Hairy Maclary with the infectious rhythm and energy of We're Going on a Bear Hunt.

An “inspiring” (Kirkus, starred review), “heartfelt” (The Horn Book, starred review) coming-of-age novel about a girl finding her way to activism in the early years of the AIDS pandemic, from award-winning author Ami Polonsky.Iris tries to act normal at school, going through the motions and joking around with her friends. But nothing is normal, and sometimes it feels like she’ll never laugh again. How can she, when her dad is dying of a virus that’s off-limits to talk about? When she knows that soon all she’ll have left of her kind, loving dad are memories, photos, and a binder full of the poems they used to exchange?In a sea of rage and grief, Iris resolves to speak out against the rampant fear, misinformation, and prejudice surrounding AIDS—and find the pieces of Dad that she never knew before. Along the way, Iris might just find new sides to herself.Critically-acclaimed author Ami Polonsky has crafted a lyrical, tender, earth-shattering novel that will stay with you long after you’v

Celebrate the holidays with twelve adorable cats--and one kitten--with this festive feline take on the classic carol The Twelve Days of Christmas! On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave me cats: FOUR on the gifts, THREE dressed up, TWO batting bows, and a kitten under the tree. From chasing ribbons and shredding paper to cuddling by the fire and climbing the Christmas tree (uh-oh), the sweet and mischievous kitties teach readers of all ages to enjoy the holiday season in true feline fashion. With festive illustrations and irresistible text that invites readers to read--or sing!--aloud, this charming Christmas picture book is guaranteed to delight all. CHRISTMAS IS BETTER WITH CATS: No furry companion celebrates Christmas better than the universally beloved cat! With amusing, relatable antics that will have cat people chuckling in recognition, this book's cast of kitties bring good cheer to the most wonderful time of the year. A TRULY SPECIAL GIFT: From charming illustrations

In this delightful follow-up to How to Light Your Dragon, readers see how fun life with a pet dragon can be. In five short, amusing stories full of colourful illustrations, the child and dragon playact as firefighters, doctors, and even Christmas trees! But living with a dragon is anything but normal; when they get tired and need to nap, dragons snore and little sparks come out of their nose that attract fireflies. Pure magic and wonder!

The brilliant story of two dachshunds and their escapades by Ian Falconer, the bestselling creator of the Olivia series! One day, home alone, dachshund brothers Perry and Augie look longingly out the window, desperate to be outside. Working together, the clever dogs finally manage to open the back door and soon they're diving into the swimming pool, digging an enormous hole in the lawn, and causing all kinds of chaos. Will all return to normal before their owners come home? Written with humour and brilliantly illustrated by Ian Falconer, bestselling creator of the Olivia series, these delightful dogs are sure to become a firm favourite in every home!

A spirited girl visits her cousins in the country for a chance to break free from the clamor and crowd of life in the city.Frances is a city kid, but it's hard for her to fit in. City walls aren't for climbing, city rooms aren't for running, city shops and city yards are too crowded, and there are so many rules that Frances can't seem to follow. She takes a trip to visit her cousins in the country, where she finds cats for chasing, roads for racing down, ladders for leaping, and fields full of animals. When it's time to go home, it's not easy to leave her cousins, but she invites them to visit and see the sights and sounds, lights, thumps, beeps and shines of the city where she returns to her loving mom and sisters. Liz Garton Scanlon is author of the Caldecott Honor book All the World, illustrated by Marla Frazee, and many other books including Bob, Not Bob, illustrated by Matt Cordell, and Another Way to Climb A Tree, illustrated by Hadley Hooper, With Frances in the Country, she def

The perfect way for kids to explore the wide range of emotions they feel every day--complete from A to Z with bright, bold illustrations From anxious to zany, kids experience a wide range of emotions, but they don't often have the language to explain how they're feeling. ABC of Feelings explains that it's perfectly okay--and normal --to feel many different things, and gives both kids and parents the tools they need to make the abstract nature of feelings and emotions easier to discuss and understand.

Discover Benedict drinking hot chocolate in Paris, France; Mitko chasing the school bus in Sofia, Bulgaria; and Khanh having a little nap in Hanoi, Vietnam! Clotilde Perrin takes readers eastward from the Greenwich meridian, from day to night, with each page portraying one of (the original) 24 time zones. Strong back matter empowers readers to learn about the history of timekeeping and time zones, and to explore where each of the characters lives on the world map. A distinctive educational tool, this picture book''s warm, unique illustrations also make it a joy to read aloud and admire."A very fine working of story, information, art and culture."--Kirkus Reviews"Exceptionally creative, thought-provoking, and educational."--Books to Borrow.. Books to Buy"Kids will marvel at this book."--KidLit Reviews"Perrin imagines children at the same moment in each respective time zone, drawing their lives together in one great symphonic chord."--Publishers Weekly"Readers will take from this book...

如果有一天變成熊，你會做什麼？在本書中，「我」一早醒來，吃早餐、騎摩托車，還順手拯救被熱氣球帶走的好朋友——這些都是再正常不過的「熊日常」。當然，不可能站在全班面前做一份無聊又詳盡的熊類報告吧？Corey R. Tabor 以第一人稱視角巧妙鋪陳，讓讀者彷彿成了那隻熊，畫面邊緣還能看見熊的手腳晃動，幽默感十足。故事在出其不意的轉折中揭露真正的說話者，也溫柔回應孩子對上台報告的緊張。曾獲 Caldecott Honor 與三座 Geisel Award 的作者，再次帶來兼具創意與笑點的圖畫書。Assignment: Imagine yourself as a bear for the day. What would you do? Caldecott Honor and three-time Geisel Award–winning author and illustrator Corey R. Tabor offers an inspiring—and surprising—answer in this funny picture book for fans of Mo Willems, David Shannon, and Peter Brown.If you were a bear for a day, what would you do? Probably wake up, eat breakfast, go for a motorcycle ride, and rescue your best friend from a rogue hot air balloon. . . . You know, normal bear stuff!You certainly wouldn’t stand in front of the whole class and give a boring, detailed, and informational report about bears.Dynamically illustrated from the bear’s perspective, the Caldecott Honor and three-time Geisel Award–winning Corey R. Tabor delivers an innovati

From the "Mo Willems of Sweden," award-winning author/illustrator Emma Adbage captures a funny and true-to-life story about a little boy who hurts himself at school and is suddenly thrust into the spotlightAwarded Best Swedish Picture Book of 2022A standout picture book in translation for 2025For readers of The Day You Begin and A Letter to Amy, The Wound similarly captures the humor and emotional growth that comes during common childhood experiences and their impact on a boy's sense of identity, belonging, and self-acceptance.Feel the rush of the game as you dash around the ping-pong table, laughter and shouts filling the air. Your heart races. Then, a sudden stumble sends you tumbling down, and the world pauses—a sharp pain, a bloody knee. For a moment, for a week, you're the center of attention. You bask in a warm glow of sympathy and curiosity from your peers. But as days pass and the wound heals, the whispers fade and the crowd shrinks.But what happens when life returns to normal?

Though all our brains look the same, every brain works differently. This Is My Brain! shows readers that understanding how different brains feel and learn can help us connect with others . . . and keep our own brains happy! Through humorous, engaging text and brightly colored art, readers are introduced to the fundamentals of how our brains work, how our unique neurology influences how we think and act, and how the world is a better place when we understand each other’s brains and use them collectively.BRAINS ARE COOL: Whether it’s a fascination with the way brains look or how they work, kids enjoy learning about the human body, specifically the brain!UNDERSTANDING NEURODIVERSITY: Neurodiversity is something we are hearing more and more about. Parents and teachers are realizing the importance of helping kids understand that thinking differently is normal and that it is important for each of us to embrace our own brain’s uniqueness as well as value alternative ways of thinking by others

本書透過深度訪談與作者親身經歷，描寫第二代移民同志男性在洛杉磯成長的種種掙扎。他們在父母的期待與社會的沉默中摸索自我，常在家庭中避談性傾向，在學校與社區中感受孤立。書中呈現的不只是出櫃的過程，更細緻描寫他們如何建立自己的社群、尋找情感支撐。Ocampo從自己作為菲裔美籍同志的視角出發，與他人經歷交織出一段段複雜卻真實的生命故事。這是一本關於身份認同、文化衝突與情感連結的作品，讓人看見「成為自己」背後那條不易的路。The stories of second-generation immigrant gay men coming of age in Los Angeles Growing up in the shadow of Hollywood, the gay sons of immigrants featured in Brown and Gay in LA could not have felt further removed from a world where queerness was accepted and celebrated. Instead, the men profiled here maneuver through family and friendship circles where masculinity dominates, gay sexuality is unspoken, and heterosexuality is strictly enforced. For these men, the path to sexual freedom often involves chasing the dreams while resisting the expectations of their immigrant parents--and finding community in each other. Ocampo also details his own story of reconciling his queer Filipino American identity and those of men like him. He shows what it was like for these young men to grow up

THE PHENOMENAL KOREAN BESTSELLERTRANSLATED BY INTERNATIONAL BOOKER SHORTLISTEE ANTON HURPSYCHIATRIST: So how can I help you? ME: I don't know, I'm - what's the word - depressed? Do I have to go into detail? Baek Sehee is a successful young social media director at a publishing house when she begins seeing a psychiatrist about her - what to call it? - depression? She feels persistently low, anxious, endlessly self-doubting, but also highly judgemental of others. She hides her feelings well at work and with friends; adept at performing the calmness, even ease, her lifestyle demands. The effort is exhausting, overwhelming, and keeps her from forming deep relationships.This can't be normal. But if she's so hopeless, why can she always summon a desire for her favourite street food, the hot, spicy rice cake, tteokbokki? Is this just what life is like? Recording her dialogues with her psychiatrist over a 12-week period, Baek begins to disentangle the feedback loops, knee-jerk reactions and ha

A bullied 12-year-old boy must find a new normal after his mother has a stroke and his life is turned upside down.William Wyatt Orser, a socially awkward middle schooler, is a wordsmith who, much to his annoyance, acquired the ironically ungrammatical nickname of "Worser so long ago that few people at school know to call him anything else.Worser grew up with his mom, a professor of rhetoric and an introvert just like him, in a comfortable routine that involved reading aloud in the evenings, criticizing the grammar of others, ignoring the shabby mess of their house, and suffering the bare minimum of social interactions with others. But recently all that has changed. His mom had a stroke that left her nonverbal, and his Aunt Iris has moved in with her cats, art projects, loud music, and even louder clothes. Home for Worser is no longer a refuge from the unsympathetic world at school that it has been all his life.Feeling lost, lonely, and overwhelmed, Worser searches for a new sanctuary a

“A perceptive and practical book about why our calendars so rarely reflect our priorities and what we can do to regain control.”—ADAM GRANT“Carey’s book will help you reorganize your life. And then you can share a copy with someone you care about.”—SETH GODINYou deserve to stop living at an unsustainable pace.An influential podcaster and thought leader shows you how.Overwhelmed. Overcommitted. Overworked. That’s the false script an inordinate number of people adopt to be successful. Does this sound familiar:● Slammed is normal.● Distractions are everywhere.● Life gets reduced to going through the motions.Tired of living that way?At Your Bestgives you the strategies you need to win at work and at home by living in a way today that will help you thrive tomorrow.Influential podcast host and thought leader Carey Nieuwhof understands the challenges of constant pressure. After a season of burnout almost took him out, he discovered how to get time, energy, and priorities working in his favor.

A daring criminal is making waves in the Big Forest! It’s up to Agent Moose and Owlfred to save the day in this third hilarious graphic novel chapter book from the author of My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish. Agent Moose and not-quite-so-special Agent Owlfred are back and better than ever!9781250222213 Agent Moose (精裝本)(graphic novel)A moose secret agent and his owl sidekick solve woodland mysteries in this hilarious new graphic novel chapter book series from the author of My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish. Meet Anonymoose─the best (worst) secret agent in the Big Forest. Along with Owlfred, his slightly more intelligent sidekick, this giant master of disguise has dedicated himself to solving all of Woodland HQ's mysteries!But this mystery is even more important than normal. Anonymoose's rival, Camo Cameleon, is being given a trophy for being the first agent to solve 100 cases─an honor that Anonymoose just barely missed out on!─and Anonymoose is sure that something fishy is going on.The cl

莫內喜歡畫光，特別是清晨河面的光。他不跟從傳統的畫法，而是用自己的方式，捕捉眼前轉變的景色。一開始沒有人懂他的畫，但他不氣餒，持續創作，最後讓大家看見畫裡的光和感覺。這本繪本帶我們認識這位愛畫光的畫家，也鼓勵我們用自己的眼睛看世界。A new picture book about the iconic artist Claude Monet, from the Caldecott-Award winning team that created The Noisy Paint Box.Claude Monet is one of the world's most beloved artists--and he became famous during his own lifetime. He rejected a traditional life laid out clean and smooth before him. Instead he chose a life of art. But not just any art: a new way of seeing that came to be called impressionism.Monet loved to paint what he saw around him, particularly the Seine River. He was initially rejected for using bright colors, tangled brushstrokes--condemned for his impressions. But soon art dealers and collectors were lining up each morning to see as Monet saw. Monet, however, waited only for the light. The changing light...each morning he had a dozen canvases on hand to paint a dozen different moments. His brush moved back and forth, chasing sunlight--putting in the

In this coming-of-age romance perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Sarah Dessen, scandal and romance collide when an ambitious teen returns to her hometown only to have her plans interrupted after fallin

Praised by R.J. Palacio as “wondrous”—this moving memoir follows a teenage boy with TC syndrome and his exceptional family from diagnosis at birth to now.“This touching memoir is a must-read for anyon

From the bestselling author of Twenty Boy Summer, a talented singer loses her ability to speak after a tragic accident, leading her to a postcard-perfect seaside town to find romance.The youngest of s

Public perceptions of political ethics are at the heart of current political debate. Drawing on original data, this book is the first general account of popular understandings of political ethics in contemporary British politics. It offers new insights into how citizens understand political ethics and integrity and how they form judgments of their leaders. By locating these insights against the backdrop of contemporary British political ethics, the book shows how current institutional preoccupations with standards of conduct all too often miss the mark. While the use of official resources is the primary focus of much regulation, politicians' consistency, frankness and sincerity, which citizens tend to see in terms of right and wrong, are treated as 'normal politics'. The authors suggest that new approaches may need to be adopted if public confidence in politicians' integrity is to be restored.

LAST LIGHT: A Beacon Falls Novel, Featuring Lucy GuardinoLucy Guardino has always seen herself as a normal Pittsburgh soccer mom who happened to have a job chasing the worst of the worst for the FBI.