Thirteen-year-old Jasper Robinson-Woods is not okay — his name is too long, he never sees his dad, he can't sleep, and his goldfish is dying. Things go from bad to worse when his mother announces her annoying boyfriend is moving in. When his mostly absent father arrives on the doorstep to take him on a road trip Jasper begrudgingly finds himself away with his father. In terrible timing, it is while he is away that his goldfish dies and Jasper is forced to face yet again one of his greatest fears, death. His nightmare even comes to visit Jasper in the night, coming to life and destroying the house they are staying in. Furious, his father takes him home, to the safety of his tree. But Jasper is mortified when the girl from school he likes comes over and he is too embarrassed to get down from the tree. Jasper lashes out at school and destroys a precious piece of art owned by his mother's boyfriend.

After being suspended from school, he finally realises things must change. He goes to see the school counsellor and starts understanding his nightmare, and what it truly represents. This is the story of a young man who learns that even when you hit rock bottom, you just don't know what, and who, is around the corner.

A wild night of partying and a run-in with one of the most notorious drug dealers in Gauteng turns Barries’ life upside down.

The police give him one simple choice – if he wants to stay out of jail, he has to spend the next six weeks on a farm, near a small coastal town in the Eastern Cape, right in the middle of nowhere. With his estranged father.

Slowly but surely, Barries comes to realise that the bottle of brandy stashed under the bed is not the only – or the darkest – secret his father is hiding.

Breath, a translation of the best-selling Asem, is a gripping novel for teens that doesn’t hesitate to tackle difficult themes.

Beloved author Gary D. Schmidt expertly blends comedy and tragedy in the story of Doug Swieteck, an unhappy "teenage thug" first introduced in The Wednesday Wars, who finds consolation and a sense of possibility in friendship and art.

At once heartbreaking and hopeful, this absorbing novel centers on Doug, 14, who has an abusive father, a bully for a brother, a bad reputation, and shameful secrets to keep. Teachers and police and his relatives think he's worthless, and he believes them, holding others at arm's length. Newly arrived in town, he starts out on the same path—antagonizing other kids, mouthing off to teachers, contemptuous of everything intimidating or unfamiliar. Who would have thought that the public library would turn out to be a refuge and an inspiration, that a snooty librarian might be a friend, or that snarky redheaded Lil would like him—really like him?

With more than his share of pain, including the return of his oldest brother from the Vietnam War, shattered and angry, will Doug find anything better than "okay for now"?

Award-winning author Jessica Young and New York Times bestselling illustrator Renee Kurilla crafted a heartwarming story about the first day of school, told from the perspective of three timely characters: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow.

Yesterday and Tomorrow do everything together. Now that the first day of school is here, Yesterday and Tomorrow are unsure about what the day will bring! Until sure enough they discover the power of living in the present with the help of their new friend, Today.

From the New York Times bestselling illustrator of Just Because, here is a gentle and uplifting picture book for anyone facing a new experience.

Barbara Dee explores the subject of #MeToo for the middle grade audience in this heart-wrenching—and ultimately uplifting—novel about experiencing harassment and unwanted attention from classmates.

For seventh-grader Mila, it starts with some boys giving her an unwanted hug on the school blacktop. A few days later, at recess, one of the boys (and fellow trumpet player) Callum tells Mila it’s his birthday, and asks her for a “birthday hug.” He’s just being friendly, isn’t he? And how can she say no? But Callum’s hug lasts a few seconds too long, and feels…weird. According to her friend, Zara, Mila is being immature and overreacting. Doesn’t she know what flirting looks like?

But the boys don’t leave Mila alone. On the bus. In the halls. During band practice—the one place Mila could always escape.

It doesn’t feel like flirting—so what is it? Thanks to a chance meeting, Mila begins to find solace in a new place: karate class. Slowly, with the help of a fellow classmate, Mila learns how to stand her ground and how to respect others—and herself.

From the author of Everything I Know About You, Halfway Normal, and Star-Crossed comes this timely story of a middle school girl standing up and finding her voice.

HBO's Emmy-winning Last Week Tonight with John Oliver presents a children's picture book about a Very Special boy bunny who falls in love with another boy bunny.

Meet Marlon Bundo, a lonely bunny who lives with his Grampa, Mike Pence - the Vice President of the United States. But on this Very Special Day, Marlon's life is about to change forever...

With its message of tolerance and advocacy, this charming children's book explores issues of same sex marriage and democracy. Sweet, funny, and beautifully illustrated, this book is dedicated to every bunny who has ever felt different.

100% of Last Week Tonight's proceeds will be donated to The Trevor Project and AIDS United.

"Breaking Stalin's Nose" is one of "Horn Book"'s Best Fiction Books of 2011 Sasha Zaichik has known the laws of the Soviet Young Pioneers since the age of six: "The Young Pioneer is devoted to Comrade Stalin, the Communist Party, and Communism.""A Young Pioneer is a reliable comrade and always acts according to conscience.""A Young Pioneer has a right to criticize shortcomings."But now that it is finally time to join the Young Pioneers, the day Sasha has awaited for so long, everything seems to go awry. He breaks a classmate's glasses with a snowball. He accidentally damages a bust of Stalin in the school hallway. And worst of all, his father, the best Communist he knows, was arrested just last night. Eugene Yelchin's moving story of a ten-year-old boy's world shattering is masterful in its simplicity, powerful in its message, and heartbreaking in its plausibility.

Singabukeka sehlukile mina nawe,
sizwakale sehlukile,
senze okwehlukile,
sidle ukudla okwehlukile,
futhi sihlale ezindaweni ezehlukene
kodwa uma ngibheka emehlweni akho, ngizibona mina uqobo.

Incwadi eduduzayo futhi ethinta imizwa emayelana nobungani kanye nobuntu ebukangaza kokubili okufanayo nokuwumehluko kithi.

Iyatholakala futhi ngesiNgisi nangesiBhunu.

Have you ever seen a bully in action and done nothing about it? The kids at Pete's new school get involved, instead of being bystanders. When Pete begins to behave badly, his classmates teach him about "The Promise." Will Pete decide to shed his bullying habits and make "The Promise"?

Welcome to the page-turning, twisty, gasp-inducing world of the Debutantes - an addictive YA mystery duology from the author of #1 bestselling, TikTok sensation INHERITANCE GAMES series.

Reluctant debutante Sawyer Taft joined Southern high society for one reason and one reason alone: to identify and locate her biological father. But the answers Sawyer found during her debutante year only left her with more questions and one potentially life-ruining secret.

When her cousin Lily ropes her into joining a mysterious and elite secret society called the White Gloves, Sawyer soon discovers that someone in the group's ranks may have the answers she's looking for. Things are looking up . . . until Sawyer and the White Gloves make a disturbing discovery near the family's summer home - and uncover a twisted secret, decades in the making.

Shocking twists, family secrets, a fish-out-of water protagonist and a page-turning mystery combine in Little White Lies and Deadly Little Scandals (The Debutantes Duology) - perfect for fans coming from THE INHERITANCE GAMES series looking for their next addictive read from the Master of YA Mysteries, Jennifer Lynn Barnes.

Grace Mendes a.k.a. Cinderhella is a fierce competitor in the PFF, a pillow fight federation that’s part roller derby, part professional wrestling. But in this fresh, coming-of-age YA graphic novel, Grace needs to learn to overcome her biggest enemy: herself. For fans of Check, Please and Bloom.

When college freshman Grace Mendes reluctantly attends her first pillow fight match, she falls in love with the surprisingly gritty sport.

Despite her usually shy, introverted, and reserved nature, Grace decides to try out for the Pillow Fight Federation (PFF), a locally famous league of fighters with larger-than-life personas like Pain Eyre, Miss Fortune, and champion Kat Atonic. They may battle with pillows, but there is nothing soft about these fighters. The first and only rule to pillow fighting is that the pillow needs to be the first point of contact; after that, everything else goes.

Grace struggles with deep-seated body image issues, so she is especially shocked when she makes the competitive league and is welcomed into the fold of close knit, confident fighters. As her first official fight performing as newly crafted alter-ego/ring persona Cinderhella looms on the horizon, the real battle taking place is between Grace and her growing insecurities. What if people laugh or make fun of her? Why did she think she could pillow fight in the first place when she doesn’t look like your “typical” athlete?

Turns out, no one is laughing when Cinderhella dominates her first match in the ring. And as her alter-ego rises through the ranks of the PFF, gaining traction and online fame (and online trolls), can Grace use the spotlight to become an icon for not just others, but most importantly, for herself?

Pillow Talk is an inclusive, high-octane, outrageously fun graphic novel that aims a punch at the impossibly high standards set for women in sports (and otherwise) and champions the power of finding a team that will, quite literally, fight for you. A knock-out!

Let Scholastic Bookshelf be your guide through the whole range of your child's experiences-laugh with them, learn with them, read with them
Eight classic, best-selling titles are available now

Category: Feelings
"Oh is Sophie ever angry now "
Everybody gets angry sometimes. For children, anger can be very upsetting. Parents, teachers, and children can talk about it. People do lots of different things when they get angry. In this Caldecott-honor book, kids will see what Sophie does when she gets angry. What do you do?
..".Bang's double-page illustrations, vibrating with saturated colors, that reveal the drama of the child's emotions."-SLJ, starred review
..".an elegant and thought-provoking book for...children learning how to deal with emotions." -NY Times Book Review

Translated as "The Ghost's Treasure", this is the story of Sgegede who, with the help of a witchdoctor, digs up his late grandfather's buried treasure of Kruger rands.

He underhandedly converts them to cash with the help of some clever IT friends, but his family's sudden wealth raises eyebrows in the community, and Sgedede is consumed by a guilty conscience. His luck runs out when it emerges his grandfather might be involved in the murder of his new girlfriend's father.

Meanwhile some old "friends" turn up, also in search of the coins...

Ever since Ellie wore a whale swimsuit and made a big splash at her fifth birthday party, she's been bullied about her weight. To cope, she tries to live by the Fat Girl Rules—like "no making waves," "avoid eating in public," and "don't move so fast that your body jiggles." And she's found her safe space—her swimming pool—where she feels weightless in a fat-obsessed world.

In the water, she can stretch herself out like a starfish and take up all the room she wants. It's also where she can get away from her pushy mom, who thinks criticizing Ellie's weight will motivate her to diet. Fortunately, Ellie has allies in her dad, her therapist, and her new neighbor, Catalina, who loves Ellie for who she is.

With this support buoying her, Ellie might finally be able to cast aside the Fat Girl Rules and starfish in real life--by unapologetically being her own fabulous self.

Let's get one thing straight: this is a love story.

Said Hossain hates Tiwa Olatunji. And Tiwa would happily never see Said again in her life. Growing up, the two were inseparable, but they have barely spoken since the incident many Eids ago and both of them would like to keep it that way. But when Said comes home for a funeral and the town's Islamic Centre burns down on the same day, they have to face each other again and sparks fly.

Both of them want to see the Islamic Centre rebuilt. For Tiwa, it represents the community that she loves and a way to keep her fractured family together. For Said, it's an opportunity to build his portfolio for his secret application to art school, where he hopes that he'll be able to pursue his dreams of becoming an artist, rather than a doctor.

Working with your sworn enemy is never easy, and this could be the hardest thing that Said and Tiwa have ever done. But in trying to save the Islamic Centre and Eid, could these enemies become something else...?

Life can change in an instant. When you're wrongfully accused of a crime. When a virus shuts everything down. When the girl you love moves on. Andre Jackson is determined to claim his identity. But returning from juvie doesn't feel like coming home. His Portland, Oregon neighbourhood is rapidly gentrifying, and COVID-19 shuts down school before he can return. And Andre's suspicions about his arrest for a crime he didn't commit even taint his friendships. It's as if his whoile life has been erased. The one thing Andre is counting on is his relationship with the Whitaker kids - especially his longtime crush, Sierra. But Sierra's brother, Eric, is missing and the facts don't add up as their adoptive parents fight to keep up the act that their racially diverse family is picture-perfect. If Andre can find Eric, he just might uncover the truth about his own arrest. But in a world where power is held by a few and Andre is nearly invisible, searching for the truth is a dangerous game. Critically acclaimed author Kim Johnson delivers another social justice thriller that shines a light on being young and black in America.

This special children's book contains ten caring stories with heart.

Each child in Miss Ansie's class at Hoephoepieland has their own story that takes place in challenging circumstances within a multicultural South African context. The situations range from trauma (a taxi accident, xenophobia, a house burning down and domestic violence), medical conditions (congenital heart defect, infectious lung disease and cerebral palsy) to different family structures (adoption and an absent father).

The author tackles weighty issues with compassion, sensitivity and a fine sense of humor. The book makes children aware of others' worlds and helps them develop their capacity for empathy. There is also background information on each story’s specific theme as well as questions to discuss.

This is a love song devoted to that special relationship between grandparents and grandchild. The kitchen window at Nanna and Poppy's house is, for one little girl, a magic gateway. Everything important happens near it, through it, or beyond it. Told in her voice, her story is both a voyage of discovery and a celebration of the commonplace wonders that define childhood, expressed as a joyful fusion of text with evocative and exuberant illustrations.The world for this little girl will soon grow larger and more complex, but never more enchanting or deeply felt.

Read the book behind the upcoming NETFLIX movie launching on 3rd March 2021, directed by and starring Amy Poehler.

When an unlikely teenager stands up to sexism in her high school she unwittingly starts a feminist revolution that shakes her whole town. It's time to fight like a girl! Perfect for fans of Holly Bourne.

Vivian Carter is fed up. Fed up with her high school teachers who think the football team can do no wrong. Fed up with sexist dress codes, hallway harassment and gross comments from guys during class. But most of all, Viv Carter is fed up with always following the rules.

Viv's mum was a tough-as-nails, punk rock Riot Grrrl in the '90s, and now Viv takes a page from her mother's past and creates Moxie, a feminist zine that she distributes anonymously to her classmates. She's just blowing off steam, but other girls respond and spread the Moxie message. As Viv forges friendships with other young women across the divides of cliques and popularity rankings, she realises that what she has started is nothing short of a girl revolution.

TIME TO FIGHT LIKE A GIRL

A page-turning read with a feminist message, for anyone who has ever had to deal with #everydaysexism

Three orphans are forced to enter a theater school by their grandmother, a famous actress. Unable to pay the tuition, they are given scholarships from the now-grown orphans from Ballet Shoes. Will they be able to live up to their patrons’ legacies? The children are ready to run away—until they discover their hidden talents. Originally published in 1945.

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.

Twelve-year-old Mira comes from a chaotic, artistic and outspoken family where it's not always easy to be heard. As her beloved Nana Josie's health declines, Mira begins to discover the secrets of those around her, and also starts to keep some of her own. She is drawn to mysterious Jide, a boy who is clearly hiding a troubled past and has grown hardened layers - like those of an artichoke - around his heart. As Mira is experiencing grief for the first time, she is also discovering the wondrous and often mystical world around her. An incredibly insightful, honest novel exploring the delicate balance, and often injustice, of life and death - but at its heart is a celebration of friendship, culture - and life. Winner of the 2011 Waterstone's Children's Book Prize.

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.

@VideoPrincess: I never meant to hurt anyone, including myself, the way I did…

Diana Murray’s life is #goals. Home might not be perfect but her Instagram can be. After only a few months on YouTube her subscriber count is soaring, she’s getting recognized in public and the absolutely gorgeous @ErichLang is sliding into her DMs. How can she be anything but #happy?

But while Diana and her friends are living it up with Cape Town’s favourite social media celebs she sees something she wishes she hadn’t, something that could get you #cancelled for good. Just as Diana tries to bring the shocking event out in the open, her phone is confiscated and she is sent to rehab for social media addiction while trolls are tearing her down online. Will Diana take responsibility for her actions and start the journey towards recovery and freedom, or will she remain a prisoner of the false security that social media brings?

Hashtag Happy is the fast-paced, honest and piercing Young Adult debut from South African YouTuber and social media marketer Theodora Lee.