Before Stinkville, Alice didn't think albinism-or the blindness that goes with it-was a big deal. Sure, she uses a magnifier to read books. And a cane keeps her from bruising her hips on tables. Putting on sunscreen and always wearing a hat are just part of life. But life has always been like this for Alice. Until Stinkville. For the first time in her life, Alice feels different-like she's at a disadvantage. Back in her old neighborhood in Seattle, everyone knew Alice, and Alice knew her way around. In Stinkville, Alice finds herself floundering-she can't even get to the library on her own. But when her parents start looking into schools for the blind, Alice takes a stand. She's going to show them-and herself-that blindness is just a part of who she is, not all that she can be. To prove it, Alice enters the Stinkville Success Stories essay contest. No one, not even her new friend Kerica, believes she can scout out her new town's stories and write the essay by herself. The funny thing is, as Alice confronts her own blindness, everyone else seems to see her for the first time. This is a stirring small-town story that explores many different issues-albinism, blindness, depression, dyslexia, growing old, and more-with a light touch and lots of heart. Beth Vrabel's characters are complicated and messy, but they come together in a story about the strength of community and friendship. This paperback edition includes a Q&A with the author and a sneak peek at the upcoming The Blind Guide to Normal.

In this "heartfelt, emotionally insightful" (Kirkus Reviews), and funny companion to the acclaimed To Tell You the Truth, Raymond has a life-changing summer when he's sent to Maine to stay with the grandparents he's never met. Raymond has always preferred to keep life simple and leave adventuring to other people. But then he's sent across the country, against his will, to spend the summer before fifth grade with grandparents who think he's "troubled" and needs to have playdates set up for him. Determined to show everyone how brave, confident, and untroubled he can be, Raymond hatches a three-step plan: 1) Learn to ride a bike. His mom never got around to teaching him before she left. 2) Learn how to swim. 3) Make friends. On his own. But can Raymond really change, or is this whole plan just a bunch of lies he's telling himself? With the help of his great-grandfather's old journal, a feral chicken, and a possibly imaginary new friend, Raymond might just overcome his fears and figure out who he really wants to be.

Richie "Ryder" Raymond has a gift. He can find the punchline in any situation, even in his limited vision and prosthetic eye. During the past year at Addison School for the Blind, Ryder's quick wit earned the respect and friendship of his classmates. Heading to mainstream, or "normal" school for eighth grade is going to be awesome. After all, what's not to like? At Addison, Ryder was everyone's favorite person. He could make anyone laugh, especially his best friend Alice. So long as he can be first to make all of the one-eyed jokes, Ryder is sure he'll fit in just as quick at Papuaville Middle School, home of the Fighting Guinea Pigs. But Alice warns him fitting in might not be as easy as he thinks. Turns out, Alice was right. In just the first hour of "normal" school, Ryder is attacked by General MacCathur II (aka, Gramps's cat), causes his bio teacher to pass out cold, makes an enemy out town hero Max, and falls for Jocelyn, the fierce girl next door who happens to be Max's girlfriend. On top of that, Ryder struggles to hold onto his dignity in the face of students' pity and Gramps's non-stop practical jokes. Ryder quickly sees the only thing worse than explaining a joke is being the punchline. But with help from his stuck-in-the-70s Gramps and encouragement from Alice, Ryder finds the strength to not only fight back, but to make peace. A Junior Library Guild Selection

Tag along with a rambunctious group of kid reporters as they fight for their right to run a newspaper in this exciting book from an award-winning author. The Cub Report is up and running and getting great response in the sleepy town of Bear Creek, Maine. But when Gordon snaps a photo of an escaped prisoner who is caught in a pigpen, things quickly take a turn for Nellie and her staff. While Nellie fights off jealousy at all the national media attention Gordon is receiving (even from Ellen!) for his amazing shot, the other Cubs are breaking away as parents start questioning the safety (and validity) of a kid-run independent newspaper. But when Gordon's mom and a reporter from another town's newspaper try to shut down The Cub Report for good, Nellie, Gordon, and the club must set aside their issues to save their right to report the news. Award-winning author Beth Vrabel tackles the topic of who should report the news while also focusing on themes of friendship, jealousy, and teamwork in the second book in The Newspaper Club series.

In this emotional and riveting middle grade novel that's The Misfits meets Hatchet, two unlikely friends fly off on an adventure they hope will set them free--only to learn the value of what they left behind. Gerty has a secret: She's building an airplane. She wants to join the Civil Air Patrol, where pilots as young as twelve help with disaster relief--but she knows her parents would be outraged. They're survivalists who raised her to be independent and only enrolled her in middle school to show her why they've decided to opt out of society. Still, Gerty is determined to protect her beloved Pando, a nearby ancient aspen forest. Hayes has some problems of his own, but they aren't the kind that can be hidden under a tarp. His mom is back from prison, but he's not sure he'll ever stop missing the mom she used to be. One thing is certain: He's never going to be like her. He follows the rules. But Gerty is the only person at school Hayes doesn't hate, so after she tells him about her hidden plane, he helps her finish it. When wildfires break out nearby, Gerty wants to fly to Pando and make sure it's safe--and Hayes is tempted by the chance to escape everything on the ground. But the duo will soon realize that they can't escape their roots--and that holding onto those connections might be the real key to survival.

Lucy is ready to be a superhero! Lucy loves her best friends--her pack of dorks. But this year, everyone in the pack has become a hero . . . except for her! Sam rescues twin toddlers about to get hit by a car. April helps bring about the downfall of a ring of bicycle thieves. Sheldon and Amanda launch a campaign to protect turtle eggs laid on the school playground. Even Lucy's new teacher asks the class about their bravest moments. But Lucy's not brave--she doesn't even like to go to the basement by herself! So Lucy decides she's going to do something heroic. She'll be a super dork! This might be her chance to find her awesome. Unfortunately, all her attempts to help save the day seem to go awry, and usually end up making the situation much worse. Is ordinary dorkdom her destiny--or can Lucy ever find a way to be a hero?

The Cub Report is up and running and getting great response in the sleepy town of Bear Creek, Maine. But when Gordon snaps a photo of an escaped prisoner who is caught in a pigpen, things quickly take a turn for Nellie and her staff. While Nellie fights off jealousy at all the national media attention Gordon is receiving (even from Ellen!) for his amazing shot, the other Cubs are breaking away as parents start questioning the safety (and validity) of a kid-run independent newspaper. But when Gordon's mom and a reporter from another town's newspaper try to shut down The Cub Report for good, Nellie, Gordon, and the club must set aside their issues to save their right to report the news. Award-winning author Beth Vrabel tackles the topic of who should report the news while also focusing on themes of friendship, jealousy, and teamwork in the second book in The Newspaper Club series.

Shortly after Nellie Murrow, named for one of the fiercest journalists who ever lived and daughter of two (former) newspaper reporters, move to sleepy Bear Creek, Maine, rumors of vandalism and attacks at the only park in town are keeping Nellie saddled to the house. Some townspeople say the attacks are gang recruitments. Others blame a vagrant spotted on the hiking trails around town. But when Nellie thinks like a reporter, none of those explanations make sense. Something is happening at the park, but what? All of the fake online news and rumors are clouding the real news. Nellie wants to break the story--and break free from the front yard-but she can't do it alone. She needs a whole club if she's going to start the town's first independent newspaper--The Cub Report. Creating a newspaper from scratch is going to be tough; but for Nellie, making friends is even harder.

The first eight years of Penelope McGee's education have been a curriculum in humiliation. From her kindergarten self-portrait as a bacon with bobbs, to fourth grade when she peed her pants in the library thanks to a stuck zipper to seventh grade where...well, she doesn't talk about seventh grade. Ever. After hearing the guidance counsellor lecturing them on how high school will be a clean slate for everyone, Pipi--fearing that her eight humiliations will follow her into the halls of Northbrook High School--decides to use her last year in middle school to right the wrongs of her early education and save other innocents from the same picked-on, laughed-at fate. Pipi McGee is seeking redemption, but she'll take revenge, too.

Twelve-year-old Caleb is shorter, frailer, and more protected than most kids his age. That's because he has cystic fibrosis, a diagnosis meaning lungs that fill with mucus and a shortened lifespan. Caleb tries not to let his disorder define him, but it can be hard with an overprotective mom and a perfect big brother. Then Caleb meets Kit-a vibrant, independent, and free girl-and his world changes instantly. Kit reads Caleb's palm and tells him they are destined to become friends. She calls birds down from the sky and turns every day into an adventure. Her magic is contagious, making Caleb question the rules and order in his life. But being Kit's friend means embracing deception and danger, and soon Caleb will have to decide if his friendship with Kit is really what's best for him-or her.

On the last day of middle school, five kids who couldn't be more different commit separate pranks, each sure they won't be caught and they can't get in trouble. They're wrong. As punishment, they each have to volunteer one beautiful summer day-the last one before school-at Northbrook Retirement and Assisted Living Home, where they'll push creamed carrots into toothless mouths, perform the world's most pathetic skit in front of residents who won't remember it anyway, hold gnarled hands of peach fuzzed old ladies who relentlessly push hard candies, and somehow forge a bond with each other that has nothing to do with what they've done and everything to do with who they're becoming. All the action takes place in the course of this one day, with each chapter one hour of that day, as the five kids reveal what they've done, why they did it, and what they're going to do now.

Twelve-year-old Caleb is shorter, frailer and more protected than most kids his age. That's because he has cystic fibrosis, a diagnosis meaning lungs that fill with mucus and a shortened lifespan. Caleb tries not to let his disorder define him but it can be hard with an overprotective mom and a perfect big brother. Then Caleb meets Kit - a vibrant, independent and free girl - and his world changes instantly. Kit reads Caleb's palm and tells him they are destined to become friends. She calls birds down from the sky and turns every day into an adventure. Her magic is contagious, making Caleb question the rules and order in his life. But being Kit's friend means embracing deception and danger and soon Caleb will have to decide if his friendship with Kit is really what's best for him - or her. This new paperback edition includes a Q&A with the author as well as a sneak peek at Beth Vrabel's next middle grad novel, The Humiliations of Pipi McGee.