Clarion Books

by Firoozeh Dumas

Zomorod (Cindy) Yousefzadeh is the new kid on the block...for the fourth time.

California’s Newport Beach is her family’s latest perch, and she’s determined to shuck her brainy loner persona and start afresh with a new Brady Bunch name—Cindy.

It’s the late 1970s, and fitting in becomes more difficult as Iran makes U.S. headlines with protests, revolution, and finally the taking of American hostages. Even puka shell necklaces, pool parties, and flying fish can't distract Cindy from the anti-Iran sentiments that creep way too close to home.

A poignant yet lighthearted middle grade debut from the author of the bestselling Funny in Farsi.

Softcover, 384 pages.

Clarion Books

Printed in the United States.

Critical Praise

"This book is a sheer delight—rambunctious and rich. . . . Firoozeh Dumas writes with the perfect light touch that makes us wonder once again: Who is running the big world and why not this person, please?"  — Naomi Shihab Nye, novelist and poet

"[A]n honest, witty, and moving portrayal of what it means to be an Iranian immigrant in the late 1970s, during the Iran hostage crisis. — Scholastic Teacher Magazine

• California Library Association’s John and Patricia Beatty Award Winner
• Florida Sunshine State Young Readers Award (Grades 6–8)
• New York Historical Society’s New Americans Book Prize Winner
• Middle East Book Award for Youth Literature, Honorable Mention
• Booklist 50 Best Middle Grade Novels of the 21st Century
• Kirkus Reviews Best Books
• Bank Street Children’s Best Books of the Year
• Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies (NCSS/CBC)

The Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award–winning middle grade bestseller! Basketball and heartache share the court in this slam-dunk novel in verse.

"With a bolt of lightning on my kicks . . .The court is SIZZLING. My sweat is DRIZZLING. Stop all that quivering. Cuz tonight I’m delivering," announces dreadlocked, 12-year old Josh Bell. He and his twin brother Jordan are awesome on the court.

But Josh has more than basketball in his blood. He's got mad beats, too, that tell his family's story in verse, in this fast and furious middle grade novel of family and brotherhood from Kwame Alexander. Josh and Jordan must come to grips with growing up on and off the court to realize breaking the rules comes at a terrible price, as their story's heart-stopping climax proves a game-changer for the entire family.

Recommended by the publisher for ages 8-12 years.  Recommended by Nest for ages 10 and up through to adult.  This is an incredible read that stays with you long after.

Softcover, 256 pages.

Clarion Books.

Kwame Alexander’s New York Times bestseller and Newbery Medal–winning The Crossover is vividly brought to life as a graphic novel with stunning illustrations by star talent Dawud Anyabwile.

New York Times Bestseller · Newbery Medal Winner · Coretta Scott King Honor Award · 2015 YALSA Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults · 2015 YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers · Publishers Weekly Best Book · School Library Journal Best Book · Kirkus Best Book

“A beautifully measured novel of life and line.” —New York Times Book Review

The Crossover is now a graphic novel!

“With a bolt of lightning on my kicks . . . The court is SIZZLING. My sweat is DRIZZLING. Stop all that quivering. ’Cuz tonight I’m delivering,” raps twelve-year-old Josh Bell. Thanks to their dad, he and his twin brother, Jordan, are kings on the court. But Josh has more than basketball in his blood—he’s got mad beats, too, which help him find his rhythm when it’s all on the line.

See the Bell family in a whole new light through Dawud Anyabwile’s dynamic illustrations as the brothers’ winning season unfolds, and the world as they know it begins to change.

Recommended by the publisher for ages 8-12 years.  Recommended by Nest for ages 10 and up through to adult.  This is an incredible read that stays with you long after.

Softcover, 224 pages.

Clarion Books.

by Sarah Everett

Publishers Weekly Best Book

Governor General’s Literary Award

School Library Journal Best Book

Texas Lone Star Reading List

Michigan Association of State Librarians List

About the Book

A heart-wrenching middle grade debut about Kemi, an aspiring scientist who loves statistics and facts, as she navigates grief and loss at a moment when life as she knows it changes forever.

Eleven-year-old Kemi Carter loves scientific facts, specifically probability. It's how she understands the world and her place in it. Kemi knows her odds of being born were 1 in 5.5 trillion, and that the odds of her having the best family ever were even lower. Yet somehow, Kemi lucked out.

But everything Kemi thought she knew changes when she sees an asteroid hover in the sky, casting a purple haze over her world. Amplus-68 has an 84.7% chance of colliding with earth in four days, and with that collision, Kemi's life as she knows it will end.

But over the course of the four days, even facts don't feel true to Kemi anymore. The new town she moved to that was supposed to be “better for her family" isn't very welcoming. And Amplus-68 is taking over her life, but others are still going to school and eating at their favorite diner like nothing has changed. Is Kemi the only one who feels like the world is ending?

With the days numbered, Kemi decides to put together a time capsule that will capture her family's truth: how creative her mother is, how inquisitive her little sister can be, and how much Kemi's whole world revolves around her father. But no time capsule can change the truth behind all of it, that Kemi must face the most inevitable and hardest part of life: saying goodbye.

Hardcover, 336 pages.

Harper Collins.

 

Critical Praise

“Kemi’s astute voice resonates with a deep love and loyalty for her family, rendering her insistence in honoring them and subsequent narrative reveals as heartrending, hopeful, and palpably felt." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“This realistically drawn, gut-wrenching novel will stick with readers long after they’ve finished reading. A powerful exploration of grief.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Thought-provoking and utterly unique, this is an impactful book that deserves a place in all middle grade classrooms and libraries.” — School Library Journal (starred review)

“One of the best books I have read this year (maybe ever).” — Colby Sharp, Nerdy Book Club

"My heart hurt as I raced through the last chapters of this unique book that shines a light on family, friends, grief and love." — Lisa Yee, author of Maizy Chen's Last Chance

“An empathetic, unflinching portrayal of childhood bereavement, this gut-punch of a story brings familiar themes from Everett’s YA works to a younger readership." — Booklist

"Sarah Everett writes with captivating grace, even as she navigates difficult topics and probabilities. This book is a love letter to big-hearted, curious-minded kids everywhere. An instant classic.” — Christine Day, award winning author of I Can Make This Promise

Hardcover, 336 pages.

Clarion Books.