Paula Chase

When best friends Tai and Mila are reunited after a summer apart, their friendship threatens to combust from the pressure of secrets, middle school, and the looming dance auditions for a new talented-and-gifted program. Fans of Renée Watson’s Piecing Me Together will love this memorable story about a complex friendship between two very different African American girls—and the importance of speaking up. Jamila Phillips and Tai Johnson have been inseparable since they were toddlers, having grown up across the street from each other in Pirates Cove, a low-income housing project. As summer comes to an end, Tai can’t wait for Mila to return from spending a month with her aunt in the suburbs. But both girls are grappling with secrets, and when Mila returns she’s more focused on her upcoming dance auditions than hanging out with Tai. Paula Chase explores complex issues that affect many young teens, and So Done offers a powerful message about speaking up. Full of ballet, basketball, family, and daily life in Pirates Cove, this memorable novel is for fans of Ali Benjamin’s The Thing About Jellyfish and Jason Reynolds’s Ghost.

So Done

Turning Point

Told in two voices, thirteen-year-old best friends Simp and Rollie play on a basketball team in their housing project, but Rollie dreams of being a drummer and Simp, to impress the gang leader, Coach Tez.

Dough Boys

Mina Mooney must make some tough choices when her sociology class experiment to rid Del Rio Bay High of prejudice leads to conflict with her best friend Lizzie, who, after scoring a coveted invitation from the beautiful people, will stop at nothing to be popular. Original.

So Not the Drama

Dont Get It Twisted

Flipping the Script

Marigold Johnson is looking forward to a future full of family, friends, and fashion--but what will she do when it all explodes in her face? When she discovers that her entire life is a lie? Paula Chase, the author of So Done, Dough Boys, and Turning Point, explores betrayal, conformity, and forgiveness--and what it means to be family--in this stand-alone novel perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds, Rebecca Stead, and Renée Watson. Marigold Johnson can't wait to attend a special program at her family's business, Flexx Unlimited, for teens who love fashion. But Mari quickly realizes that she's out of place compared to the three other trainees--and one girl, Kara, seems to hate her on sight. As tension builds and the stakes at the program get higher, Mari uncovers exactly why Kara's been so spiteful. She also discovers some hard truths about herself and her family. Paula Chase explores complex themes centering on friendships, family, and what it means to conform to fit in. Keeping It Real is also a powerful exploration of what happens when parents pick and choose what they shield their children from. Timely and memorable, Paula Chase's character-driven story touches on creativity, art, fashion, and music. A great choice for the upper middle grade audience.

Keeping It Real

That's What's Up!

When Mina Mooney betrays the clique's year-long virginity pact, she fears that her best friend Lizzie will never forgive her, while Kelly is only too happy to take things slowly with Greg, and Jacinta has a pregnancy scare.

Who you wit'?

Mina must think fast to get her parents' approval to go to the biggest bash of the year with Craig Simpson, the hottest guy at Del Rio Bay High.

Do Not Get it Twisted

It's junior year at Del Rio Bay High, and from near and far, the guys are taking center stage. . . Now that Mina's boyfriend Brian is off to Duke University, life in Del Rio Bay is lonely. And Brian's busy schedule as a Duke baller isn't helping. As the season heats up and the phone calls get fewer, Mina's insecurity increases--and so does Brian's impatience with it. But he's not the only guy in the clique dealing with craziness. Michael's passion for fashion has led to a chance to attend a special creative arts program in D.C. He knows he should jump on it, but leaving home is harder than he thought. He turns to his dancer friend Rob for support, but Rob's presence around the clique triggers star athlete JZ's feelings of homophobia. As JZ's discomfort simmers, his feelings get the best of him when he finds himself seriously attracted to Jacinta--and discovers she's on a different page. With relationships in the balance and friendships at risk, Flipping the Script challenges the guys to step up when the stakes are high.

A Del Rio Bay Novel

Mina Mooney has a new worst enemy--her best friend. . . Summer is just around the corner, but things are already too hot to handle in Del Rio Bay. Mina's so sprung over Brian that she's having a hard time just thinking straight. So, she's not at all ready when her best friend Lizzie makes their clique swear to a year-long virginity pact. . . Now Mina and her crew are feeling way too much heat. Kelly is glad to take things slow with cute jock Greg--but ex-hustler Angel isn't about to let her go drama-free. For Jacinta, a missed period and Raheem planning "their" future together is promising nothing but trouble. And when Lizzie finds out Mina has "betrayed" the pact, it's a head-to-head, no-holds-barred showdown that could say hasta la vista to the clique for good. Fresh, funny, and always on-point, Who You Wit'? is all about choosing sides when things get all too real.

Who You Wit'?

Mina Mooney is about to discover that when you're at the top, the only place to go is down. . . It's springtime in Del Rio Bay, and everyone's heading to the O.C. to catch the varsity cheer squad compete at the Extreme Nationals. Everyone's pumped, especially Mina Mooney, because making the elite squad has finally gained her entrance into the Upper Circle. Mina's psyched for the big show--and some unsupervised cuddle time with Brian. Best of all, her number-one enemy, Jessica, has shocked everyone by calling a truce. But little does she know that Jessica's peace offer is nothing more than a disguise for what she really has in store for Mina. . . Spring break means all sorts of trouble for Mina's friends, too. Lizzie, whose focus has never strayed from the books, is boy crazy for the first time in her life. Kelly's decision to give ex-hustler Angel another chance just might backfire. And Jacinta is having a hard time breaking things off with Raheem--even when he does something utterly unforgivable. Fun, fast-paced, and impossible to put down, That's What's Up! proves that when it comes to popularity, you better watch your back.

Paula Chase

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