Ali Benjamin

"Life for Ethan and Zo used to be simple. Ethan co-founded a lucrative media start-up, and Zo was well on her way to becoming a successful filmmaker. Then they moved to a rural community for a little more tranquility--or so they thought. When newfound political activism transforms Zo into a barely recognizable ball of outrage and #MeToo allegations rock his old firm, Ethan finds himself a misfit in his own life. Enter a houseguest who is young, fun, and not at all concerned with the real world, and Ethan is abruptly forced to question everything: his past, his future, his marriage, and what he values most. Ambitious, startling, witty, and wise, Ali Benjamin's debut novel offers the shock of recognition as it deftly tackles some of the biggest issues of our time. Taking inspiration from a classic Edith Wharton tale about a small-town love triangle, The Smash-Up is a wholly contemporary exploration of how the things we fail to see can fracture a life, a family, a community, and a nation"--

The Smash-Up

Jay Asher

Paige Rawl

An astonishing memoir for the untold number of children whose lives have been touched by bullying. Positive is a must-read for teens, their parents, educators, and administrators—a brave, visceral work that will save lives and resonate deeply. Paige Rawl has been HIV positive since birth, but growing up, she never felt like her illness defined her. On an unremarkable day in middle school, she disclosed to a friend her HIV-positive status—and within hours the bullying began. From that moment forward, every day was like walking through a minefield. Paige was never sure when or from where the next text, taunt, or hateful message would come. Then one night, desperate for escape, fifteen-year-old Paige found herself in her bathroom staring at a bottle of sleeping pills. That could have been the end of her story. Instead, it was only the beginning. Paige's memoir calls for readers to choose action over complacency, compassion over cruelty—and above all, to be Positive. Includes twenty-five photos from Paige's personal collection throughout. Supports the Common Core State Standards

A Memoir

Positive

In this highly anticipated second novel by the author of the award-winning, bestselling The Thing About Jellyfish, being the new kid at school isn't easy, especially when you have to follow in the footsteps of a classroom prankster like Paulie Fink. When Caitlyn Breen enters the tiny Mitchell School in rural Mitchell, Vermont, she is a complete outsider: the seventh grade has just ten other kids, and they've known each other since kindergarten. Her classmates are in for a shock of their own: Paulie Fink--the class clown, oddball, troublemaker, and evil genius--is gone this year. As stories of Paulie's hijinks unfold, his legend builds, until they realize there's only one way to fill the Paulie-sized hole in their class. They'll find their next great Paulie Fink through a reality-show style competition, to be judged by the only objective person around: Caitlyn, who never even met Paulie Fink. Who was this kid, anyway--prankster, performance artist, philosopher, or fool? Caitlyn's quest to understand Paulie is about to teach her more about herself than she ever imagined. Told via multiple voices, interviews, and other documents, The Next Great Paulie Fink is a lighthearted yet surprisingly touching exploration of how we build up and tear down our own myths...about others, our communities, and ourselves.

The Next Great Paulie Fink

Now available in paperback, this stunning debut novel about grief and wonder was an instant New York Times bestseller and captured widespread critical acclaim, including selection as a 2015 National Book Award finalist! Oddlot Entertainment has acquired the screen rights to The Thing About Jellyfish, with Gigi Pritzker set to produce with Bruna Papandrea and Reese Witherspoon. Everyone says that it was an accident... that sometimes things "just happen". But Suzy won't believe it. Ever. After her best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy is convinced that the true cause of the tragedy was a rare jellyfish sting. Retreating into a silent world of imagination, she crafts a plan to prove her theory--even if it means traveling the globe, alone. Suzy's achingly heartfelt journey explores life, death, the astonishing wonder of the universe...and the potential for love and hope right next door. *"An uncommonly fine first novel." -- Booklist, starred review *"Has appeal well beyond a middle school audience." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review *"Reminiscent of works by Jennifer L. Holm and Sharon Creech... a shining example of the highs and lows of early adolescence." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

The Thing About Jellyfish

No Rasto das Medusas

Suzy en de kwallen

In this acclaimed novel by the author of the award-winning, bestselling The Thing About Jellyfish, being the new kid at school isn't easy, especially when you have to follow in the footsteps of a legendary classroom prankster. When Caitlyn Breen begins her disorienting new life at Mitchell School--where the students take care of real live goats and study long-dead philosophers, and where there are only ten other students in the entire seventh grade--it seems like nobody can stop talking about some kid named Paulie Fink. Depending on whom you ask, Paulie was either a hilarious class clown, a relentless troublemaker, a hapless klutz, or an evil genius. One thing's for sure, though: The kid was totally legendary. Now he's disappeared, and Caitlyn finds herself leading a reality-show-style competition to find the school's next great Paulie Fink. With each challenge, Caitlyn struggles to understand a person she never met...but it's what she discovers about herself that most surprises her. Told in multiple voices, interviews, and documents, this funny, thought-provoking novel from the bestselling author of The Thing About Jellyfish is a memorable exploration of what makes a hero--and if anyone, or anything, is truly what it seems.

Smart, sublime, and wickedly clever, The Smash-Up captures—then transcends—our current polarized moment “An exhilarating ride . . . hilarious . . . a modern and energetic story about a marriage on the skids.”—The New York Times Ethan has always been one of the good guys, and for years, nobody has appreciated this fact more than his wife, Zo. Until now. Jolted into activism by the 2016 election, Zo’s transformed their home into the headquarters for the local resistance, turning their comfortable decades-long marriage inside-out. Meanwhile, their boisterous daughter, Alex, grows wilder by the day. Ethan’s former business partner needs help saving the media company they’d co-founded. Financial disaster looms. Enter a breezy, blue-haired millennial making her way through the gig economy. Suddenly Ethan faces a choice unlike any he’s ever had to make. Unfolding over fivet urbulent days in 2018, The Smash-Up wrestles shrewdly with some of the biggest questions of our time: What, exactly, does it mean to be a good guy? What will it take for men to break the “bro code”? How does the world respond when a woman demands more? Can we ever understand another's experiences… and what are the consequences of failing to try? Moving, funny, and cathartic, this portrait of a marriage—and a nation—under strain is, ultimately, a magic trick of empathy, one that will make you laugh and squirm until its final, breathless pages.

A Novel

Beth Bader

If you’ve ever had to grapple with picky eaters who won’t touch anything but chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese, Beth Bader and Ali Benjamin have a solution. Their unique ideas will help you present fresh foods that appeal to kids, eliminate food waste, and help you quit worrying about what your children eat. A must-have for every family, The Cleaner Plate Club is an easy recipe for healthier kids and happier parents.

Raising Healthy Eaters One Meal at a Time

The Cleaner Plate Club

This stunning debut novel about grief and wonder was an instant New York Times bestseller and captured widespread critical acclaim, including selection as a 2015 National Book Award finalist! After her best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy is convinced that the true cause of the tragedy must have been a rare jellyfish sting--things don't just happen for no reason. Retreating into a silent world of imagination, she crafts a plan to prove her theory--even if it means traveling the globe, alone. Suzy's achingly heartfelt journey explores life, death, the astonishing wonder of the universe...and the potential for love and hope right next door. Oddlot Entertainment has acquired the screen rights to The Thing About Jellyfish, with Gigi Pritzker set to produce with Bruna Papandrea and Reese Witherspoon.

The Thing About Jellyfish - FREE PREVIEW EDITION (The First 11 Chapters)

Varm og rørende roman til mellemgruppen om gopler og stjernestøv, men også venskab, håb og tilgivelse. Nogle hjerter slår kun omkring 412 millioner gange. Hvilket kan lyde af ret meget. Men faktisk bliver det ikke engang til 12 år. Suzy Swanson (Zu) har altid vidst ting, som andre ikke ved. Hun kan redegøre for myrers søvnmønstre. Hun ved, at der er 150 millioner mennesker på verdensplan, der hvert år bliver forbrændt af gopler. Hun ved, at det gennemsnitlige skolebarn har omkring 20 milliarder af Shakespeares atomer i sig. Men hun kan ikke forstå, hvorfor Franny Jacksons liv skulle slutte så tidligt ... inden Zu fik undskyldt for det værste, hun nogensinde havde gjort mod sin bedste veninde. Zu og Stjernestøvet undersøger i øjenhøjde med den unge læser det skelsættende øjeblik, hvor vi for første gang indser, at ikke alle historier har en lykkelig slutning. Men at nye historier heldigvis venter på at udfolde sig - og at de nogle gange er lige uden for vores egen dør. Hvis bare vi tør åbne den. Romanen var blandt de nominerede til Goodreads' læserpris Bedste bog til mellemgruppen 2015 og er blandt de nominerede til den prestigefyldte UKLA Book Award 2016, hvor lærere og skolebibliotekarer shortlister årets bedste udgivelser. Bogen er foreløbigt solgt til udgivelse i 21 lande.

Ali Benjamin

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