Introduces readers to prison workers as they share stories, debate the role of corrections in American racial politics and social justice, and talk about the important function of humor in their jobs.

Angie Kent won hearts and friends when she partnered with best friend Yvie Jones to commentate from the couch as we watched them watching TV on GOGGLEBOX. Then Angie proved a stalwart on the 2019 season of I'M A CELEBRITY ... GET ME OUT OF HERE! And THEN she became the unforgettable 2019 Bachelorette. It's clear Australia can't get enough of Angie - and now she gives us some of her quirky, funny, warm-hearted wisdom on life, love and everything in between, in the form of a book. With no holds barred - just as you'd expect - Angie talks about her challenges with mental health and body image; her family and friends; what has and hasn't worked in her relationships, and what she has learned - the hard way - about life. There are plenty of laughs, and some tears, and always plenty of heart. Angie's is the voice of your imaginary best friend - the one who always has your back, and who knows just what to say because she's been there before.

Angie Kent won hearts and friends when she partnered with best friend Yvie Jones to commentate from the couch as we watched them watching TV on Gogglebox. Then Angie proved a stalwart on the 2019 season of I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here! And THEN she became the new Bachelorette. It's clear Australia can't get enough of Angie - and now she's going to give us some of her quirky, funny, warm-hearted wisdom on life, love and everything in between, in the form of a book. With no holds barred - just as you'd expect - Angie talks about her challenges with mental health and body image; her family and friends; what has and hasn't worked in her relationships, and what she has learned - the hard way - about life. There are plenty of laughs, and some tears, and always plenty of heart. Angie's is the voice of your imaginary best friend - the one who always has your back, and who knows just what to say because she's been there before.

A tragicomic story of bad dates, bad news, bad performances, and one girl's determination to find the funny in high school from the author of Denton Little's Deathdate. Winnie Friedman has been waiting for the world to catch on to what she already knows: she's hilarious. It might be a long wait, though. After bombing a stand-up set at her own bat mitzvah, Winnie has kept her jokes to herself. Well, to herself and her dad, a former comedian and her inspiration. Then, on the second day of tenth grade, the funniest guy in school actually laughs at a comment she makes in the lunch line and asks her to join the improv troupe. Maybe he's even . . . flirting? Just when Winnie's ready to say yes to comedy again, her father reveals that he's been diagnosed with ALS. That is . . . not funny. Her dad's still making jokes, though, which feels like a good thing. And Winnie's prepared to be his straight man if that's what he wants. But is it what he needs? Caught up in a spiral of epically bad dates, bad news, and bad performances, Winnie's struggling to see the humor in it all. But finding a way to laugh is exactly what will see her through. **A Junior Library Guild Selection**

A celebrated writer pens an irresistible, candid, and eloquent account of her pursuit of worldly pleasure, spiritual devotion, and what she really wanted out of life.

Do you believe that joy is a choice? Dawn Barton does. She's an upbeat Southerner with good hair and a successful business background, but she's had more heartache than most of us can imagine. Laughing Through the Ugly Cry is a collection of honest and sometimes raw stories. Dawn throws an arm around readers as she brings them along on her journey through the loss of a child, divorce, cancer, rape, the death of her only sibling, her husband's substance abuse, and finding her way back to Jesus in the middle of it all. Dawn shares her personal story to show readers how to find happiness and purpose even in the darkest of days. By laughing through the ugly cry, you will discover how to: Shut down negative feelings causing you to feel inadequate Identify the pros despite how challenging the cons may seem Embrace joy wherever you can find it Learn how to be honest with yourself and process grief in a healthy way Dawn writes, "If more women were open about just how difficult our lives feel and how hard we are on ourselves, I think we'd learn to relax a little and give ourselves the grace God gives us every day." Laughing Through the Ugly Cry is great for: Women of any age seeking comfort, encouragement, and inspiration Book clubs and girls' nights--Dawn poses thoughtful group questions to support meaningful conversations about growth and joy

The poetry of Nikki Giovanni has spurred movements, turned hearts and informed generations. She’s been hailed as a firebrand, a radical, a courageous activist who has spoken out on the sensitive issues that touch our national consciousness, including race and gender, social justice, protest, violence in the home and in the streets, and why black lives matter. One of America’s most celebrated poets looks inward in this powerful collection, a rumination on her life and the people who have shaped her. As energetic and relevant as ever, Nikki now offers us an intimate, affecting, and illuminating look at her personal history and the mysteries of her own heart. In A Good Cry, she takes us into her confidence, describing the joy and peril of aging and recalling the violence that permeated her parents’ marriage and her early life. She pays homage to the people who have given her life meaning and joy: her grandparents, who took her in and saved her life; the poets and thinkers who have influenced her; and the students who have surrounded her. Nikki also celebrates her good friend, Maya Angelou, and the many years of friendship, poetry, and kitchen-table laughter they shared before Angelou’s death in 2014.