This touching, hilarious tragi-comedy by award-winning author Susin Nielsen proves: Life is out to get you. But so is love. A quirky alternative to the "sick lit" genre for YA readers.      Petula's funny, and a crafting genius, but no social star at high school, and it doesn't help that she's isolated herself after her adored toddler sister died. Petula feels responsible for this death, though her parents say it was a tragic accident. No one's fault. Now, Petula sees danger everywhere: every activity and every bite of food could kill you. Then a new boy, Jacob, joins Petula's group in the school's lame art therapy program; he has a prosthetic arm and darkness behind his sunny surface. Petula and Jacob become friends, then, something more. But a secret behind why he's in the group could derail them.      A heartbreaking yet humorous first YA from award-winning author Susin Nielsen, Optimists Die First continues Susin's tradition of creating memorable characters and genre-bending narratives.

A magical coming-of-age story about a boy spending his first weekend without his parents . . . and the lion who comes to babysit him. Get ready to fall in love with this instant classic. 'Beautiful, adventurous, powerful' Phil Earle Oscar is a little terrified to find that a lion is going to be looking after him for the weekend. But when the lion lets him eat as many biscuits as he wants, and reads him his favourite story ten times, Oscar realises he might be on to something good. Soon, Oscar discovers that the lion can change into different animals and the pair find themselves having all kinds of adventures! But before the lion has to go, might he have one more amazing transformation up his sleeve? Oscar's Lion is an astonishing and deeply personal book from one of our greatest storytellers.

A charming and sensitively written story about learning to cope with anxiety and grief featuring the beautiful illustrations of award-winning artist Hellen Kellock.

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 conveys the boy's acceptance of the loss of his beloved pet. Richly colored illustrations by Mari Kanstad Johnsen have a simultaneously retro and contemporary feel, perfectly highlighting the joy and love at the heart of this boy-dog relationship. This book is an excellent choice for any children --- or adults --- dealing with or talking about loss, or for lessons about the life cycle of living things.

Sophie is finally getting used to having just her dad around after her mother's death, but when Sarah and her dog Billy come along, everything changes.

See below for English description. La série de livres documentaires illustrés Enfants du monde aide les enfants à comprendre les grandes questions et les crises qui dominent l'actualité d'une manière sensible et appropriée à leur âge. Grâce à des comparaisons pertinentes, à un texte soigneusement étudié et à des illustrations frappantes, les enfants peuvent découvrir et comprendre pourquoi les gens n'ont pas tous la même culture, quelles sont les différentes coutumes et traditions, et pourquoi il est important de comprendre les gens d'autres cultures. Lorsque les problèmes ne peuvent être décrits avec des mots, les illustrations saisissantes et sensibles de Hanane Kai aident les enfants à visualiser ces problèmes à l'aide d'images adaptées à leur âge. The Enfants du monde picture book series helps children make sense of the larger issues and crises that dominate the news in a sensitive and appropriate manner. With relatable comparisons, carefully researched text and striking illustrations, children can begin to understand why people have different cultures, what are customs and traditions and why understanding people from other cultures is important. Where issues aren't appropriate to describe in words, Hanane Kai's striking and sensitive illustrations help children visualize the issues with images that are suited to their age. Original title : Children In Our World: Death and Grief

When the tsunami destroyed Makio's village, Makio lost his father . . . and his voice. The entire village is silenced by grief, and the young child's anger at the ocean grows. Then one day his neighbor, Mr. Hirota, begins a mysterious project-building a phone booth in his garden. At first Makio is puzzled; the phone isn't connected to anything. It just sits there, unable to ring. But as more and more villagers are drawn to the phone booth, its purpose becomes clear to Makio: the disconnected phone is connecting people to their lost loved ones. Makio calls to the sea to return what it has taken from him and ultimately finds his voice and solace in a phone that carries words on the wind. The Phone Booth in Mr. Hirota's Garden is inspired by the true story of the wind phone in Otsuchi, Japan, which was created by artist Itaru Sasaki. He built the phone booth so he could speak to his cousin who had passed, saying, "My thoughts couldn't be relayed over a regular phone line, I wanted them to be carried on the wind." The Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in 2011 destroyed the town of Otsuchi, claiming 10 percent of the population. Residents of Otsuchi and pilgrims from other affected communities have been traveling to the wind phone since the tsunami.

This riveting novel will dazzle you with its suspense and twists -- and most of all its deep emotional truths. -- Harlan Coben, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Home Emily Lonergan's best friend died last year. And Emily hasn't stopped grieving. Lizzie Porter was lively, loud, and fun -- Emily's better half. Emily can't accept that she's gone. When Lizzie's parents and her sister come back to town to visit, Emily's heartened to see them. The Porters understand her pain. They miss Lizzie desperately, too. Desperately enough to do something crazy. Something unthinkable. Suddenly, Emily's life is hurtling toward a very dark place -- and she's not sure she'll ever be able to return to what she once knew was real. From New York Times bestselling author Luanne Rice comes a breathless, unputdownable story of suspense, secrets -- and the strength that love gives us to survive even the most shocking of circumstances.

When Hattie and Presley meet, it's basically love at first sight. Head-spinning, can't-stop-thinking-about-each-other feelings. Their instant connection seems, at first, implausible. It starts to seem impossible when they realize everything they have in common: both are grieving, living in worlds haunted by ghosts; both have a difficult relationship with one of their parents; and both were forced to give up on their Olympic dreams. Hattie and Presley find comfort in each other, but like the wildfires that surround their California town, the trauma that haunts their pasts can't be held off for long. Can they help each other move through it without breaking apart?

A heartfelt, beautifully written novel of love, loss, and math—perfect for fans of Rebecca Stead and Sharon M. Draper. Ever since twelve-year-old Charlie Price's mom died, he feels like his world has been split into two parts. Before included stargazing and Mathletes and Saturday scavenger hunts with his family. After means a dad who's completely checked out, comically bad dinners, and grief group that's anything but helpful. It seems like losing Mom meant losing everything else he loved, too. Just when Charlie thinks things can't get any worse, his sister, Imogen, starts acting erratically—missing school and making up lies about their mother. But everything changes when one day he follows her down a secret passageway in the middle of her bedroom and sees for himself. Imogen has found a parallel world where Mom is alive! There's hot cocoa and Scrabble and scavenger hunts again and everything is perfect . . . at first. But something doesn't feel right. Whenever Charlie returns to the real world, things are different, and not in a good way. And Imogen wants to spend more and more time on the other side. It's almost as if she wants to leave the real world for good. If Charlie doesn't uncover the truth, he could lose himself, the true memory of their mother, and Imogen . . . forever.

In this harrowing thriller from bestselling author Christopher Pike, a teen girl must solve the mystery of her own murder before the killer strikes again. After a night spent out with friends, Shari Cooper wakes up in her bed not sure how she got home. And things only get stranger when her family acts like she’s not even there. Nothing Shari says gets a response and nothing she does can get someone to even glance at her. Then the hospital calls. Shari’s mom starts to cry. The blood drains from her dad’s face. And still no one will tell her what’s wrong. But when they arrive at the hospital, Shari follows her family to the morgue and sees herself lying there on a cold slab. She’s dead. The police rule her death a suicide, but Shari knows she was murdered—and if the cops won’t find her killer, she will. To investigate, Shari spies on her friends and even enters their dreams. There, she comes face to face with a nightmare from beyond the grave…the Shadow. The Shadow is even more horrible than death itself, but Shari must face it to uncover the truth about her death and prevent her murderer from killing again.

Alice keeps a perfectly round skipping stone in her pocket to remember her grandfather by. Alice brings the stone to school for Show and Share, but when her classmate asks to see it again at recess, Alice discovers that the stone is gone! Her friends search high and low and can't find the stone--but their friendship gives Alice an idea of another way that she can remember.

Ojibwe sophomore Tre Brun from Red Lake Nation Reservation in Minnesota recently lost Jaxon, his high school basketball star brother, in a car accident. All Tre wants to do these days is read graphic novels, hang out with his friends, get new girl Khiana to like him back, and play basketball. With dreams of making it in the NBA and one day becoming the subject of best friend Wes’ first documentary, Tre hopes to make varsity this school year and help his brother’s old team, the Warriors, finally make it to states. Basketball is taken seriously on the reservation, and Tre must learn to have faith in himself-- regardless of whether or not he plays perfectly.

A heartfelt story of a father and a son, of grief and reconnection--and an albatross who needs to find her way home. Javier has a secret. On one of his father's fishing trips, still hurting from the loss of his mother, he finds an albatross caught on the hooks--alive, if only barely. Against the orders of his father, who has been distant and disparaging, Javier smuggles the bird to safety and begins nursing it back to health. Every day the albatross accepts a little more food, but she shows no sign of wanting to use her wings. And if Javier's new friend refuses to fly, how will she ever find her way home? From award-winning author Nicola Davies, with dramatic watercolors by Salvatore Rubbino evoking the setting of Chiloé Archipelago, off the coast of Chile, comes a stirring tale of loss, loneliness, and the power of empathy.