“I’m dazed and confused, and messed up too, That’s all I know, it’s tough and it’s true."

You’re furious at the world. And your only weapon is a backpack full of words.

Gabriel is fifteen years old. Fifteen going on fifty, his mom used to tease. But after her death, he’s no longer sure where he is supposed to fit in. The psychologist wants Gabriel to talk about his feelings.

But how do you explain to her that it’s been easier to cope with anger than with tears these past few months?

How do you explain the fact that your so-called “mixed blood” makes you different than everyone else at school?

How do you explain that things between you and your dad have changed since he’s in a mental institution, learning to deal with his loss, while you have to find a way to go on with your life?

How do you explain the fact that, since the accident, you’ve tried cutting your wrists ... twice?

So, Gabriel loses himself in the world of performance poetry, where he learns to stick his hand deep inside his backpack of words and fling those words at an audience, like red-hot coals. Then he meets Sasha, who’s prettier than Snow White and knows a thing or two about poetry.

A truly South African story about a struggling father-and-son relationship and the healing power of words. Van der Vyver writes convincingly and engagingly about the world of performance poetry and Gabriel’s desperate attempts to make sense of life’s challenges after the death of his mom.

Hardloop. Dis al wat Spoekie ken. Van die aand dat Spoekie se pa hom en sy ma met 'n geweer in die straat afgejaag het, hardloop hy vir al die verkeerde redes. Vasgevang in 'n omgewing vol geweld en misdaad, sien Spoekie geen uitkomkans nie. Al wat hy doen is moeilikheid maak - en daarvan weghardloop. Tot die dag wat hy vir Coach ontmoet - Coach wat al Olimpiese medaljes gewen het en die natuurlike talent in Spoekie dadelik raaksien. Spoekie kan die beste atleet in die stad word. Maar gaan sy verlede hom inhaal, of gaan hy uiteindelik leer jy kan nie vir jouself weghardloop nie?

Hierdie boek deur die veelbekroonde Jason Reynolds is meesterlik deur André Trantraal in Kaapse Afrikaans vertaal vir 'n voorheen onontginde mark. Lesers sal hulself met hierdie karakters en konteks kan vereenselwig soos nog nooit tevore nie. Maar dis uiteindelik Spoekie self wat inderdaad by die leser bly spook - 'n karakter met so 'n komplekse en outentieke reis dat die leser vasgebind bly aan die verhaal lank nadat die boek klaar is.

Die boek takel die kwessie van kindermolestering en dien om kinders in te lig en te bemagtig. Die gevaartekens van molestering word uitgewys en riglyne gebied oor hoe om in so ’n situasie op te tree. Kevin is gek oor stories van die dapper prins van Arabia wat teen drake veg. Maar sy ouer sussie, Abby, glo nie meer in sprokies nie. Abby sê daar is ’n draak in hulle huis – een wat vir niks en niemand skrik nie. Maar wie kan dit wees? Gelukkig leer Kevin net wat om te doen om homself te beskerm. 

Sebastian of Basjan beskou homself as ’n ‘verloorder’ en die boelies in sy nuwe skool dink ook dat hy een is. Hy sukkel om by die stadslewe aan te pas nadat sy pa gesterf het. Hillbrow lyk skrikwekkend en vol misdaad ná ’n sorgvrye grootword op ’n plaas.

Sy voorkoms is ongewoon – blonde hare, blou oë, blas vel – en die boelies by sy nuwe skool gee hom die bynaam Blasjan. Hy pas nie by sy swart, wit of selfs bruin klasmaats in nie. Sy jong lewensverhaal volg ’n pad van verdrukking en beproewing en ’n stryd teen boelies en dwelmafhanklikes. Hy vind vertroosting in musiek deur kitaar te speel, ’n band te begin, en aan ’n talentkompetisie deel te neem. Hy ontdek selfs sy eerste liefde.

Uiteindelik styg Blasjan bo alles uit en hy word sterker, voel gelukkiger en kry heelwat meer selfvertroue.

Being yourself should never come at this price. Joseph is the son anyone would wish to have—anyone except his pastor father, that is. Joseph is gay, and where he comes from, his sexual orientation makes him a pariah. Tormented by the incorrigible denizens of his unprogressive Southern town, Joseph finds himself desperate for support from other members of the LGBT community. He turns to the internet with the hope of finding it, and, unexpectedly, Joseph finds more. Bruce. An unlikely virtual friendship between Joseph and Bruce grows into something more, leading to a seemingly fated meeting. Joseph’s future suddenly looks brighter than ever, but no one could’ve ever predicted what would transpire after the two finally meet.

Peet Rautenbach is Algoa Hoër se hoofseun: hoogs intelligent en met baie talent in musiek, kuns en redenaars. Daar word sewe A's van hom verwag. Daarby is Peet 'n toegewyde, voorbeeldige seun in die oë van sy pastoor-ouers. Maar Peet het 'n swakte: sy obsessie met die blonde onderwyseres Scarlett Rose Reynolds. Dit maak die deur oop vir talle aanslae op hom, en wat hom uiteindelik amper sy lewe kan kos.

Charlotte van Katwijk guards herself like a secret. Kids are cruel, and she knows if they find out she's adopted, she'll be a bully's easy target.

When they are fourteen, Charlotte's best friend's mom commits suicide. It triggers in Charlotte a sense of urgency to find her birth mother before it's too late, and the answers to her burning questions are taken to the grave. Seven years later, a tormented Charlotte comes face to face with her past. Will discovering more about her biological parents, and the circumstances surrounding her relinquishment, be enough to lay her demons to rest?

Umbilicus is a coming-of-age story set in Durban during the dying days of apartheid. The tumultuous zeitgeist of the era mirrors the inner turmoil of an angst-ridden adolescent as she grapples to form an identity and find her place in the world.

In this emotional sequel to Diary of a Teenage Girl, Caitlin O'Conner faces new trials as she grows in her faith and strives to maintain the recent commitments she's made to God. As a new believer, Caitlin begins her summer job and makes preparations for a Mexico mission trip with her church youth group. Torn between new spiritual directions and loyalty to Beanie, her best friend (now pregnant), Caitlin searches out her personal values on friendship, romance, dating, life goals, and key relationships with God and family. Tough choices threaten her progress, and her year climaxes in her realization that maturity sometimes means life-impacting decisions must be made ... by faith alone.

Hi, my name is Juliet Palante. I've been reading your book Raging Flower: Empowering Your Pussy by Empowering Your Mind. No lie, I started reading it so that I could make people uncomfortable on the subway.

But I'm writing to you now because this book of yours, this magical labia manifesto, has become my bible.

Juliet's head is spinning with questions.

Will her beautiful, chaotic Puerto Rican family still love her when they find out she's gay?
Will an internship with her favourite author help her understand what kind of feminist she wants to be?
And why won't her girlfriend return her calls?!

In a summer full of queer dance parties, a fling with a motorcycling librarian and intense explorations of sexuality and identity, Juliet's about to learn what it means to really come out - to the world, to her family, to herself.

Based on historical fact, it tells the poignant story of a little girl and her Ouma who experience removal from their suburb when it is proclaimed 'white' under apartheid's Group Areas Act.

Although narrated with the voice of innocence, this novella is hugely perceptive of injustice.

Partly inspired by her own experiences growing up in the fashion industry, former model Holly Smale's Geek Girl is a bestselling and award-winning series that will appeal to any child who is a proud geek that also appreciates the glitzier side of life.

Harriet Manners is the font of all knowledge when it comes to facts. She knows a cat has 32 muscles in each ear and that the average person laughs 15 times a day, but boys remain a mystery. When she's spotted by a top modelling agent, her world is turned upside down. She believes this could be the start of something special, but her eyes are opened by just how cruel the fashion industry can be... Will she be able to hold everything together and stay true to herself?

Funny, feisty, smart and sassy, this collection of books has a strong message at its heart and is very entertaining.

Titles in this collection:

Geek Girl
Harriet Manners knows that a cat has 32 muscles in each ear, a "jiffy" lasts 1/100th of a second, and the average person laughs 15 times per day. She knows that bats always turn left when exiting a cave and that peanuts are one of the ingredients of dynamite. But she doesn't know why nobody at school seems to like her. So when Harriet is spotted by a top model agent, she grabs the chance to reinvent herself. Even if it means stealing her best friend's dream, incurring the wrath of her arch enemy Alexa, and repeatedly humiliating herself in front of impossibly handsome model Nick. Even if it means lying to the people she loves. Veering from one couture disaster to the next with the help of her overly enthusiastic father and her uber-geeky stalker, Toby, Harriet begins to realise that the world of fashion doesn't seem to like her any more than the real world did. As her old life starts to fall apart, will Harriet be able to transform herself before she ruins everything?

Model Misfit
Harriet Manners knows a lot of facts. She knows that humans have 70,000 thoughts per day. She knows that Geek + Model = a whole new set of graffiti on your belongings. And that the average person eats a ton of food a year, though her pregnant stepmother is doing her best to beat this. But Harriet doesn't know where she's going to fit in once the new baby arrives. And with her summer plans ruined, modelling in Japan seems the perfect chance to get away. Can Harriet cope with the craziness of Tokyo, her competitive model flatmates and her errant grandmother's `chaperoning'. Or seeing gorgeous Nick everywhere she goes? Will geek girl find her place on the other side of the world?

Picture Perfect
Harriet Manners knows more facts than most. She knows that New York is the most populous city in the United States. She knows that its official motto is `Ever Upward'. She knows that one in thirty-eight people living in the US lives there. But she knows nothing whatsoever about modelling in the Big Apple and how her family will cope with life stateside. Or `becoming a brand' as the models in New York say. And even more importantly, what to do when the big romantic gestures aren't coming your way from your boyfriend... Does geek girl go too far this time?

All That Glitters
arriet Manners knows many things. She knows that toilet roll was invented by the Chinese in 600 AD. She knows that a comet's tail always points away from the sun. And she knows that the average healthy heart beats 70 times per minute. Even when it's broken. But she knows nothing about making new friends at Sixth Form. Or why even her old friends seem to be avoiding her. And she knows even less about being a glittering supermodel success. Which she now is - apparently. Has Harriet's time to shine like a star finally arrived, or is she about to crash and burn?

Head Over Heels
Harriet Manners knows almost every fact there is. She knows duck-billed platypuses don't have stomachs. She knows that fourteen squirrels were once detained as spies. She knows that both chess and snakes and ladders were invented in the same country. And for once, Harriet knows exactly how her life should go. She's got it ALL planned out. So her friends seem less than happy, Harriet is determined to Make Things Happen! If only everyone else would stick to the script... But is following the rules going to break hearts for GEEK GIRL?

Forever Geek
Harriet Manners knows almost every fact there is. Modelling isn't a sure-fire route to popularity. Neither is making endless lists.The people you love don't expect you to transform into someone else.Statistically you are more likely to not meet your Australian ex-boyfriend in Australia than bump into him there. So on the trip of a lifetime Down Under Harriet's to-do lists are gone and it's Nat's time to shine! Yet with nearly-not-quite-boyfriend Jasper back home, Harriet's completely unprepared to see supermodel ex Nick. Is the fashion world about to turn ugly for GEEK GIRL? It's time for Harriet to face the future. Time to work out where her heart lies. To learn how to let go...

This stylish, full-colour bande dessinée is a beautiful coming-of-age story focusing on themes of family, friendship, self-confidence and personal growth through the lens of music and dance. Emma and Capucine are sisters and best friends, who have worked their whole lives to attend the most prestigious ballet school in Paris. However, when Capucine passes the auditions and Emma doesn’t, their world collapses completely. Dealing with parental pressure, new friendships, and first loves, the two girls learn to follow their hearts – and that, sometimes, what you really want is something you never expected. Growing up and finding yourself isn’t so hard... when you can dance through it!

Here's the thing about being Inside. Ain't no one believes that they are.

Ele is kept captive in a small room by a man known as 'Him'. She has never been Outside but she knows it's there and she's determined to prove it.

When Ele eventually escapes, she is forced to question everything she has ever known.

An extraordinary and powerful debut in the style of ROOM by Emma Donoghue.

I love Mommy. Mommy loves me. I love Daddy. Daddy loves me. I love you. I love me. This delightful cloth book features the Taggies fleece blanket on the cover and eight colorful tags for babies to pull and rub. Each cloth spread includes an applique as well as a pastel illustration.

Discover a summer love story like no other: now a major motion picture starring Bella Thorne and Patrick Schwarzenegger, and perfect for fans of The Fault in our Stars and Everything, Everything.

Katie can't leave her house during the day: she has a rare disease that makes even the smallest amount of sunlight deadly.

But everything changes when one evening, singing her heart out on a deserted station platform, she meets Charlie.

Before the night is out, Katie is smitten. But she hasn't told Charlie her secret. She just wants to have her normal love story, before reality kicks in.

Lost in her night-time summer romance, Katie knows that love will light the way.

A heartbreaking tale of love, loss and one nearly perfect summer.

I don't entirely understand how anyone gets a boyfriend. Or a girlfriend. It just seems like the most impossible odds. A perfect alignment of feelings and circumstances . . .

Molly Peskin-Suso knows all about unrequited love. No matter how many times her twin sister, Cassie, tells her to woman up, Molly is always careful. Better to be careful than be hurt.

But when Cassie gets a new girlfriend who comes with a cute hipster-boy sidekick, everything changes. Will is funny, flirtatious and basically the perfect first boyfriend. There's only one problem: Molly's coworker, Reid, the awkward Tolkien superfan she could never fall for . . . right?

A heartwarming and hilarious story about growing up and learning to be comfortable in your own skin.

Twelve-year-old Al Schneider is too scared to talk about the two biggest things in her life: 1. Her stomach hurts all the time and she has no idea why. 2. She’s almost definitely 100% sure she likes girls. So she holds it in… until she can’t. After nearly having an accident of the lavatorial variety in gym class, Al finds herself getting a colonoscopy and an answer - she has Crohn’s disease. But rather than solving all her problems, Al's diagnosis just makes everything worse. It’s scary and embarrassing. And worst of all, everyone wants her to talk about it - her overprotective mum, her best friend, and most annoyingly her gastroenterologist, who keeps trying to get her to go to a support group for kids with similar chronic illnesses. But, who wants to talk about what you do in the bathroom? The Year My Life Went Down the Toilet is a wildly funny and honest story about finding community, telling the truth even when it’s hard, and the many indignities of school life.

Uthi ubuwazi ukuthi izinkinga eziningi ezikhungethe izwe zibangelwa wukungalaleli nokungabi nantshisekelo ngenqubekela phambili empilweni yakho? Uthi ubuwazi ukuthi ukungabi nambono nezifiso ezinkulu ngempilo yakho kungaholela ekucekeleni phansi kwekusasa lakho unomphela? Ungahlakanipha, uphile kahle, kodwa uma ungalaleli futhi kungekho nemigomo ekulawulayo, ungangena nenhlakanipho yakho ejele noma ethuneni kungafanele. UMugqa uhlakaniphile, uphila kahle, kodwa indlela aziphatha ngayo imfaka ezinkingeni ezinkulu. Uzithola esehlala emigwaqeni yedolobha nasemahlathini ngezizathu ezithile. Ake uphenqe la makhasi ale ncwadi uzifundele ukuthi lo mfana uhlangabezana naziphi izinkinga futhi uphuma kanjani kuzona.

UNtando ude wayibeka inqawa, kodwa ke zifundele mfundi uzivele. Kuluncuthu mazangwa!

Eli bali livulwa nje kubonakala ubuhlungu nonxunguphalo kuThandaza ogulelwa ngumyeni wakhe uNtando. Banonyana uMava osentolongweni, nentombi uSinomtha ohamba isikolo. USinomtha lo ukrelekrele kakhulu kwaye unesiphiwo sokucula nokudlala ikatala. Unomhlobokazi wakhe uGqiyazana ophuma kwikhaya elifumileyo njengokuba yena ehlala ematyotyombeni. UGqiyazana unekatala angakwaziyo ukuyisebenzisa. USinomtha uhlala eboleka le katala kaGqiyazana ze yena amenzele umsebenzi wesikolo njengokuba uGqiyazana ebengemhlanga kakhulu apha esikolweni

The author of The Big F is back with another snappy, utterly relatable contemporary novel about loving yourself and forging your own path.

Savannah is dreading being home alone with her overbearing mother after her big sister―and best friend―goes off to college. But if she can just get through senior year, she'll be able to escape to college, too. What she doesn't count on is that her mother's obsession with weight has only grown deeper since her appearance on an extreme weight-loss show, and now Savvy's mom is pressuring her even harder to be constantly mindful of what she eats.

Between her mom's diet-helicoptering, missing her sister, and worrying about her collegiate future, Savvy has enough to worry about. And then she meets George, the cute new kid at school who has insecurities of his own. As Savvy and George grow closer, they help each other discover how to live in the moment and enjoy the here and now before it disappears.

To Be Honest is another sharp, witty novel from Maggie Ann Martin, about a spunky heroine who is dealing with very real issues―body image, parental pressure, loneliness, first love, and finding your way―with heart and humor.

The saga of the Logan family--made famous in the Newbery Medal-winning Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry--concludes in a long-awaited and deeply fulfilling story.

In her tenth book, Mildred Taylor completes her sweeping saga about the Logan family of Mississippi, which is also the story of the civil rights movement in America of the 20th century. Cassie Logan, first met in Song of the Trees and Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, is a young woman now, searching for her place in the world, a journey that takes her from Toledo to California, to law school in Boston, and, ultimately, in the 60s, home to Mississippi to participate in voter registration. She is witness to the now-historic events of the century: the Great Migration north, the rise of the civil rights movement, preceded and precipitated by the racist society of America, and the often violent confrontations that brought about change. Rich, compelling storytelling is Ms. Taylor's hallmark, and she fulfills expectations as she brings to a close the stirring family story that has absorbed her for over forty years. It is a story she was born to tell.

FEATURED IN THE NEW YORK TIMES Part of the Ordinary Terrible Things series, the new and expanded edition of Death Is Stupid is an invaluable tool for discussing death, exploring grief, and honoring the life of our loved ones. When someone we love dies, adults often say things like, "She's in a better place now," or "I know how you feel." You do not, one little boy thinks after his grandma passes away. Caught in the swirl of anger, confusion, and fear that accompanies grief and mourning, he doesn't just think death is unfair—he thinks death is stupid. It takes him some time, but when he starts sharing cherished memories of his grandma and working in her garden, he starts to feel just a little bit better. Necessary, beautiful, and ultimately reassuring, Death Is Stupid helps make death a little less scary—for kids and adults. The Ordinary Terrible Things series shows children who navigate trouble with their senses on alert and their souls intact. In these stories of common childhood crises, help may come from family, counselors, teachers, or dreams—but crucially, it's the children themselves who find their way to cope and grow.

When Sophie receives a parcel from her best friend, Freya, she expects it to contain the reason why Freya left town so suddenly, without goodbyes and without explanation. Instead, she finds a letter addressed to Win, a girl Freya barely knew – or did she? As more letters arrive for more people on the periphery of Freya’s life, Sophie and Win begin to piece together who Freya was and why she left. Sometimes it’s not about who’s gone, but about who they leave behind…

Perfect for fans of Beautiful Broken Things and The Sun Is Also a Star.