Showing results by publisher "Tantor Audio" in Literature & Fiction

With a mother struggling with anxiety, a father who recently moved out, and no siblings to commiserate with, socially awkward Violet Crane feels like she is starting middle school with less going for herself than your average kid. When the rambunctious Walker family moves in next door, Violet can't help but wish she could become a part of their household. Violet falls in love with all five Walker siblings and especially with Mrs. Walker, who is nothing like her own mother. Violet and Reggie, the black sheep of the family, find that they have an easy understanding of each other.

Hannah Steele loves living on Pelling, a tiny island near Seattle. She's always felt totally safe there. So when she's asked to babysit after school one day, it's no big deal. Zoe and Oscar are her next-door neighbors, and Hannah just took a babysitting class, which she's pretty sure makes her an expert. She isn't even worried that she left her inhaler at home. Then the shaking begins. The terrifying earthquake only lasts four minutes, but it changes everything.

A trip to Washington, DC, turns into a perilous scramble through dark alleys and secret passages as Jake, Lucy, and TJ race to find the lost letters of Mary Lincoln before they fall into the hands of the Order of the Dark Lantern. What makes these letters so valuable to the Lantern? And how did the White House fall under control of this dark and powerful group? Another fast-paced, adrenaline-pumping thriller with all of the action, humor, and historical trivia that make the Jake and the League Series such a riveting adventure.

Simone is still reeling from learning the truth about her mother, Maeve. But she knows she has to stop her before she finds what she's looking for and ends up hurting her friends in the process. When Simone stumbles across an old legend about a handful of folks with rare and powerful talents who fled to a secret island haven, she wonders if the soul summoner Maeve seeks could be there. So she and Sebastian set off to find it, hoping to get to there before Maeve does.

Magic Olive Poindexter has big shoes to fill. Her mother was a professional cheerleader, her father is a retired NBA legend, her big sister is the new face of the oh-so-glamorous Laker Girls, and her grandmother was the first black cheerleader ever on Valentine Middle School's HoneyBee cheer squad. Magic wants nothing more than to follow in their footsteps. But first, she has to survive Planet Pom Poms, the summer cheer camp where she'll audition for a spot on the HoneyBee squad.

Serafina has a secret dream. She wants to go to school and become a doctor with her best friend, Julie Marie. But in their rural village outside Port-au-Prince, Haiti, many obstacles stand in Serafina's way - little money, never-ending chores, and Manman's worries. More powerful even than all of these are the heavy rains and the shaking earth that test Serafina's resolve in ways she never dreamed. At once heartbreaking and hopeful, this exquisitely crafted story will leave a lasting impression on your heart.

Jade Sands has been Brynn Finley's best friend since they were wee mer-babies. But when Jade's mother thinks Brynn has stolen her cherished pearls, she forbids the two mermaids to see one another. Determined to get her best friend back, Brynn sets out to find Phaedra the sea witch and solve the mystery of the missing jewelry. On her quest, Brynn makes new friends, learns new mer-magic, and discovers what it really means to be a friend.

After a tough year, Lucy, Freddy, and Herb Peach are ready for vacation. Lucy wants to read all of the books on the summer reading list. Freddy wants to work on his art projects. Herb wants to swim every day. Then their dad makes a big announcement: One of the inventions their mom came up with before she passed away has sold, and now they're millionaires!

In the town of Howler's Hollow, conjuring magic is strictly off-limits. Only nothing makes Delpha McGill's skin crawl more than rules. So when she finds her family's secret book of hexes, she's itching to use it to banish her mama's money troubles. She just has to keep it quieter than a church mouse-not exactly Delpha's specialty.

In this powerful middle-grade novel from the acclaimed author of Things You Can't Say, a young girl navigates the social growing pains of middle school and struggles to find her place while her older brother fights to overcome opioid addiction. When Emma starts sixth grade, things finally begin to change. She may still be in the shadow of her older brother, Austin, the popular high school quarterback, but she's made artsy new friends who get her way more than her bookish best friend, Becca. But things are changing for Austin, too.

Mary O'Malley is tired of keeping secrets. Secrets like her older brother Jonny's drug use. Starting seventh grade is tough enough without the upheaval her brother is bringing to their family. It seems the only person who might understand is Griffen Connolly, whose older sister runs with Jonny in the wrong crowd. Mary thought Griff was too cool, too popular for her. But now he wants to hang out with her, and listen.

Anne's children were almost grown up, except for pretty, high-spirited Rilla. No one could resist her bright hazel eyes and dazzling smile. Rilla, almost fifteen, can't think any further ahead than going to her very first dance at the Four Winds lighthouse and getting her first kiss from handsome Kenneth Ford. But undreamed-of challenges await the irrepressible Rilla when the world of Ingleside becomes endangered by a far-off war.

Ally is finally outside the City walls, with her brother and her best friends. Luke is still inside the City walls, with no memory of the girl he once loved. Life in the Wilderness is dangerous, and Ally and her friends soon find out that they are not alone. Will Ally continue her journey to the Southern City, or will she risk it all to help the boy she loves?

Milo is trouble. He lives it, breathes it. He embraces anything that numbs and takes his mind somewhere else, a world where his mother is herself and not just a shell, and his brother didn't almost kill her, severing any relationship they had. But more importantly, Milo drowns out the guilt for leaving his mother and not being able to forgive his brother. He drowns his pride and moves on to another girl and another party, pretending that life isn't moving on around him and he's stuck in the same place. He's stuck in the past and doesn't know how to let go.

Avalon James and Atticus Brightwell have a secret - one that they aren't allowed to discuss with anyone. This secret is shared between two best friends. When you and your best friend turn 10 years old, magical things are said to happen. You both will receive some kind of magical power. It can be a power you can call on time and time again. Or it can be a power that comes once when you need it most. It's your Infinity Year, and the possibilities are endless.

At the start of 1991, 11-year-old Ali Fadhil was consumed by his love for soccer, video games, and American television shows. Then, on January 17, Iraq's dictator, Saddam Hussein, went to war with 34 nations led by the United States. Over the next 43 days, Ali and his family survived bombings, food shortages, and constant fear. Ali and his brothers played soccer on the abandoned streets of their Basra neighborhood, wondering when or if their medic father would return from the war front. Cinematic, accessible, and timely, this is the story of one ordinary kid's view of life during war.

Welcome to Nowhere, Arizona, the least livable town in the United States. For Gus, a bright 13-year-old with dreams of getting out and going to college, life there is made even worse by Bo Taylor, Nowhere's biggest, baddest bully. When Bo tries to force Gus to eat a dangerously spiny cactus, Rossi Scott, one of the best racers in Nowhere, comes to his rescue - but in return she has to give Bo her prized dirt bike.

In the final installment of Adam-Troy Castro's creepy Gustav Gloom series, the fate of the Dark Country rests on Gustav and Fernie's shoulders. After weeks of traveling on a quest to find their fathers, Fernie and Gustav finally come face-to-face with their nemesis - the evil Lord Obsidian. Filled with heroic action sequences, terrifying chills, and plenty of humor, this final book will keep fans on the edge of their seats.

Gustav and Fernie's adventures in the Dark Country continue as they search for their families. But as they get closer to discovering their families' fates, their mission is once again threatened by old foes - as well as some new, even more treacherous, ones. Will Gustav and Fernie be able to battle their way through and rescue their families before it's too late?

Baseball is in the Schneider family blood. Each member of this family, from family founder Felix Schneider in the 1800s to Snider Flint in the present day, has a strong tie to the game and to Brooklyn. Through the years, this family has dodged bullets on a battlefield, pitched perfect games, and dealt with the devastating loss of family and the Brooklyn Dodgers. Nine innings - nine generations. One game - one family. Through it all, one thing remains true: The bonds of family are as strong as a love of the game.