Two foster-system-weary siblings find an unlikely family as they hope for a permanent home.Ira and Zac, veterans of the foster system, are being uprooted again. This time their destination isSkilly House, a London-based home for children. There, Ira, eleven, and Zac, nine, befriend the staffand other kids, all the while hoping to find their own family to belong to.When they’re invited to spend a holiday with Martha, a retiree, the visit opens the children’s eyesto what life in a permanent home might be like. But a tragic accident soon tests Ira, Zac, and Martha.Can they truly come together as a family? This gentle story explores the love and complexities behindthe ties that bind.

THE SUMMER STORY OF THREE SISTERS, ONE RESTAURANT, AND A (POSSIBLE) GERMAN SPY World War II is coming in Europe. At least that’s what Frankie Baum heard on the radio. But from her small town in Maryland, in the wilting summer heat of 1939, the war is a world away. Besides, there are too many other things to think about: first that Frankie’s father up and bought a restaurant without telling anyone and now she has to help in the kitchen, peeling potatoes and washing dishes, when she’d rather be racing to Wexler’s Five and Dime on her skates. Plus her favorite sister, Joanie Baloney, is away for the summer and hasn’t been answering any of Frankie’s letters. But when some people in town start accusing her father of being a German spy, suddenly the war arrives at Frankie’s feet and she can think of nothing else. Could the rumors be true? Frankie must do some spying of her own to try to figure out her father’s secrets and clear his good name. What she discovers about him surprises everyone but is nothing compared to what she discovers about the world. In a heartfelt, charming, and insightful novel that is based on true events, Shawn K. Stout weaves a story about family secrets, intolerance, and coming of age that will keep readers guessing until the end. Praise for A Tiny Piece of Sky: “Through warm, funny characters, Shawn Stout builds a riveting bridge from the past that sheds light on today. Wholly memorable.”—Rita Williams-Garcia, Coretta Scott King Author Award winner for P.S. Be Eleven “Shawn Stout's Frankie Baum is that rare creation: a character so real, so true, we don't just feel we know her—we are her. Irrepressible Frankie meets issues like prejudice and loyalty head on, in a story both highly entertaining and deeply thought-provoking. She may be #3 in her family, but she'll be #1 in the hearts of all who read this book.”—Tricia Springstubb, author of What Happened on Fox Street “At turns hilarious, at turns heartbreaking, Shawn Stout’s story shows us the damage that a whisper campaign can do to a family and a community, and at the same time shows us, each of us, a way to find our hearts. Frankie Baum is a hero from a distant time and yet a hero for all times, the kind of hero who never gets old. I loved this book from the very beginning to the very end.”—Kathi Appelt, author of the National Book Award finalist & Newbery Honor book The Underneath "Stout uses an archly chummy direct address at several points, successfully and humorously breaking up tension in this cleareyed look at bad behavior by society....Successfully warmhearted and child-centered."—Kirkus Reviews "Through Frankie's thoughtful insights, Stout addresses injustices such as racism and xenophobia without turning didactic...the conclusion is a realistic mix of bittersweet and heartwarming."—Publishers Weekly "Fans of Augusta Scattergood’s Glory Be as well as those of Jeanne Birdsall’s Penderwicks series will enjoy this slice of history. A solid piece of historical fiction to add to middle grade collections."—School Library Journal "Tackling race, social justice, and even death, this well-paced novel will find the right audience among readers wanting fairness with their historical fiction."—BCCB "Young teens will enjoy Frankie’s spirit and humor while learning a little bit about people and prejudice along the way."—VOYA "In this coming-of-age story, Frankie sees people for who they really are, despite skin color or nationality. Readers who enjoy historical fiction will gravitate to this story."—School Library Connection

Singapore - a trading post where different lives jostle and mix. It is 1927, and three young people are starting to question whether this inbetween island can ever truly be their home. Mei Lan comes from a famous Chinese dynasty but yearns to free herself from its stifling traditions; ten-year-old Howard seethes at the indignities heaped on his fellow Eurasians by the colonial British; Raj, fresh off the boat from India, wants only to work hard and become a successful businessman. As the years pass, and the Second World War sweeps through the east, with the Japanese occupying Singapore, the three are thrown together in unexpected ways, and tested to breaking point. Richly evocative, A Different Sky paints a scintillating panorama of thirty tumultuous years in Singapore's history through the passions and struggles of characters the reader will find it hard to forget.

A boy shoulders great responsibility for his differently abled parents in this touching middle-grade story. AJ is a runner--and when he's running, he's fast, free, and flying. It was Grandad who taught him to run, and who did a lot more, besides. Grandad always made sure things were in order around AJ's house, because his parents could not. AJ's parents are different, and because they do not have the tools to cope with certain elements of everyday life, it was Grandad who reviewed the water bill, saw to it that the electricity meter had funds, and kept everything else shipshape. But now, with Grandad's sudden passing and Aunt Joan about to have a baby, AJ knows it's up to him to make sure Mum and Dad are okay and to keep the household going. It would be a hard job for any adult, but for a kid who's also starting middle-school and trying to impress the gruff track coach . . . is staying afloat even possible? Through its heartwarming and believable characters, Running on Empty sensitively explores the dynamics of a loving family finding its way forward, and the unexpected helping hands that pitch in along the way. A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year

“Characters as rich and indelible as the life they endure . . . A phenomenal read.” —Internationally Bestselling Author Davis Bunn Five a.m.: Amanda Mallorie wakes to the knowledge that her son Robbie is gone. And a new chapter of her own life must begin. She has spent four years as her son’s only support, desperately trying to understand the actions that landed him on death row and to change his fate. Now Amanda faces an even more difficult task—finding a way, and a reason, to move forward with her own life. Before the tragedy that unfolded in a South Dakota mall, Robbie was just like other people’s sons or daughters. Sometimes troubled, but sweet and full of goodness too. That’s the little boy Amanda remembers as she packs up his childhood treasures and progress reports, and discovers a class ring she’s never seen before. Who does it belong to and why did Robbie have it in his possession? So begins a journey that will remind her not only of who Robbie used to be, but of a time when she wasn’t afraid—to talk to strangers, to help those in need, to reach out. Robbie’s choices can never be unmade, but there may still be time for forgiveness and trust to grow again. For a future as wide as the sky.

Gypsum LaZelle had nearly given up. She’d already watched her two older siblings experience the transition—the sudden, debilitating process that turned them from ordinary children into mages, gifted spellcasters like their beautiful mother. Perhaps she was a late bloomer, she thought until her younger siblings came into their powers as well. Now, at twenty, Gypsum fears that she must accept her fate: a mundane life without magic. She can live with being ordinary, an outsider. After all, someone in the family had to take after her father…But one day, alone at home wither family away, Gypsum falls terribly ill. And when the symptoms pass, something has changed. Something she’s dreamed of for such a long time—and suddenly, isn’t ready for at all. “One of the most original and important writers of fantasy working in America today.”—The New York Review of Science Fiction

Iris's grandmother, Mimi, has started to put jam on her scrambled eggs and tie blue ribbons around her fingers to remind her of stuff. Her house, always full of things, is becoming harder and harder to navigate, and when Iris goes to stay, she feels as if a whole life is becoming muddled up. As her grandmother's memory fades, a mystery is uncovered. Who is Coral, and what happened to her? A moving exploration of memory and stories, told through the eyes of a grandchild losing a beloved grandparent to dementia. Beautifully, engagingly told, this is an ultimately hopeful book for our time.