"Bestselling author Tony Abbott’s YA novel-in-verse is an unflinching and heartbreaking look at a boy’s junk-filled life, and the ways he finds redemption and hope, perfect for fans of The Crossover and Long Way Down.
Junk. That’s what the kids at school call Bobby Lang, mostly because his rundown house looks like a junkyard, but also because they want to put him down. Trying desperately to live under the radar at school—and at the home he shares with his angry, neglectful father—Bobby develops a sort of proud loneliness. The only buffer between him and the uncaring world is his love of the long, wooded trail between school and home.
Life grinds along quietly and hopelessly for Bobby until he meets Rachel. Rachel is an artist who sees him in a way no one ever has. Maybe it’s because she has her own kind of junk, and a parent who hates what Rachel is: gay. Together the two embark on journeys to clean up the messes that fill their lives, searching against all odds for hope and redemption.
Narrated in Bobby’s unique voice in arresting free verse, this novel will captivate readers right from its opening lines, urging them on page after page, all the way to its explosive conclusion."
"Perfect for fans of Gary D. Schmidt comes the companion to the modern classic Firegirl from acclaimed writer Tony Abbott.
Life hasn't been great for Jeff Hicks. After years at his beloved St. Catherine's, he's forced to spend eighth grade in the public middle school, which he hates. He's no longer speaking to his former best friend, Tom Bender, because of 'that burned girl' Jessica Feeney. But worst of all, his family is changing, and it's not for the better.
When his mom comes home announcing that she's lost her job, Jeff begins to worry about things far beyond his years: How will they pay the rent? Will his absentee dad step up and save the day? Is his mom drinking too much? And ultimately, where will they live?
The Great Jeff is a powerful look at the life of a troubled boy who finds his life spiraling out of control."
"Written by award-winning author Tony Abbott and perfect for fans of The Ethan I Was Before and The Thing About Jellyfish, this bittersweet middle grade novel follows the ghost of Denis Egan as he teams up with his living twin brother to solve the mystery of his death.
Denis Egan is dead.
He’s okay with that. It’s been five years since he died, and the place where souls go is actually pretty nice. Sure, there are some things about his life and how it ended he can’t quite recall, but that’s how it’s supposed to be. Remembering could prevent Denis from moving on to whatever’s next.
However, something is standing in his way. His twin brother Matt can’t let go of him, and as long as the living are holding on to his memory, Denis can’t rest in peace.
To uncover the truth about what happened that day five years before, Denis returns to his hometown and teams up with Matt. But visiting for too long has painful consequences for Denis, and Matt’s renewed interest in his brother’s passing is driving a wedge between his still-grieving parents.
Can the two boys solve the mystery of Denis’s death without breaking apart the family he’s left behind? "
"Filled with pulse-pounding action and cryptic codes, The Golden Vendetta is the third engrossing book in bestselling author Tony Abbott's cloak-and-dagger series for young readers. Fans of Rick Riordan and Ridley Pearson will love this adventurous series.
It's been two months since the Kaplan family hunted down the Serpens relic, but when the evil Galina Krause suddenly and violently reappears, Wade, Darrell, Lily, and Becca have no choice but to face her again. Now they must race to find an artifact said to be crafted by Leonardo da Vinci himself—perhaps the strangest Guardian of all. Along the way, they uncover another layer to Galina's sinister endgame . . . and there might not be enough time to stop it.
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts"
"RICK RIORDAN meets DAN BROWN in this epic historical adventure series packed full of puzzles, clues and edge-of-your-seat excitement!
The four friends are back and on another even more awesome adventure…"
"RICK RIORDAN meets DAN BROWN in this epic historical adventure series packed full of puzzles, clues and edge-of-your-seat excitement!
Legend has it that Copernicus found twelve powerful relics that could harness the cosmos and transport people through time when assembled in the shape of an astrolabe. Recognising the astrolabe’s terrible power, Copernicus hid the relics in far-flung corners of the globe and assigned loyal Guardians to pass down the duty of protecting the relics across the ages.
In the wrong hands, the astrolabe could control the world. That’s exactly what Galina Krauss and her powerful Teutonic Order plan to do once she collects all the pieces and reassembles them. She’s already infiltrated the Guardians and broken down their defences. Humankind won’t know what’s happened until it’s too late.
What Galina doesn’t know is that a letter, the Guardians’ last cry for help, has fallen into the hands of four young friends – Wade, Lily, Darrel and Becca. Four young friends who are about to find themselves caught up in a centuries-old battle to save fate itself…"
"In this compelling novel, Golden Kite Award-winning children's author Tony Abbott explores Jim Crow laws and family strife from multiple perspectives. During the summer of 1959, Bobby and his family are visiting Civil War battlefields. Tempers flare as an accident cuts their trip short and forces them to return home by bus. On their journey, they witness a black family getting denied bus seats. In brief flashes of insight, young Bobby begins to question his assumptions about race. 'Beautifully crafted and written.'-Publishers Weekly, starred review"
"Tony Abbott combines the best of the action, suspense, and humor that has made DROON a hit for almost a decade—and takes it to the next level in this spooky new middle grade series.
Could the road to the afterlife be a two-way street?
Derek's brother Ronny isn't himself.
No, really.
Ronny's body has been taken over by the long-dead soul of a man named Virgil Black. Lucky for him, Virgil is one of the good guys. Not all of them are.
In fact, a Legion of evil souls is staging a serious comeback. And they're staging it at Bayou Malpierre, the site of Derek's most horrible nightmare.
That nightmare is about to get even worse. . . ."
"Tony Abbott combines the best of the action, suspense, and humor that has made DROON a hit for almost a decade—and takes it to the next level in this spooky new middle grade series.
Could the road to the afterlife be a two-way street?
Derek Stone just turned fourteen. He's lived in the heart of New Orleans with his dad and older brother, Ronny, his whole life. He's a little overweight. He can't hear well out of his left ear.
Oh, and he's on the run from the dead.
Derek never imagined that the dead could be anything but dead. But there's no denying it. They're back—and they're after him.
He just doesn't know why.
And he doesn't have long to figure it out."
"She died today.
One phone call changes Jason’s summer vacation–and life!–forever. When Jason’s grandmother dies, he’s sent down to her home in Florida to help his father sort through her things. At first he gripes about spending the summer miles away from his best friend, doing chores, and sweating in the Florida heat, but he soon discovers a mystery surrounding his grandmother’s murky past.
An old, yellowed postcard . . . a creepy phone call with a raspy voice at the other end asking, “So how smart are you?” . . . an entourage of freakish funeral-goers . . . a bizarre magazine story–all contain clues that will send Jason on a thrilling journey to uncover family secrets."
"The Sleeping Giant of Goll
Lord Sparr has found a new weapon to use against the city of Droon. He's woken up a mean old giant that will now obey his every command! It's a good thing Eric, Julie, and Neal are around to help their friends try to stop Lard Sparr. It's a giant job, but somebody's got to do it."
"“There is . . . ,” Mrs. Tracy was saying quietly, “there is something you need
to know about Jessica. . . .”
From this moment on, life is never quite the same for Tom and his seventh-grade classmates. Despite Jessica’s shocking appearance and the fear she evokes in him and most of the class, Tom slowly develops a tentative friendship with Jessica that changes his life. Firegirl is a powerful story that will show listeners that even the smallest of gestures can have a profound impact on someone’s life.
“It’s a beautiful story, a sad story, brilliantly written, a story you’ll never forget.”
–Newbery Honor winner Patricia Reilly Giff"
