From the author of Don't Let in the Cold, a new survival thriller with escalating stakes!

No slow burn here--this extreme homeward-bound tale thrills.--Kirkus Reviews

Some friends are like wildfires. They can turn against you in an instant.

Lily needs a ride--a fire warning in Oregon has cancelled her train home to California. Her ex-best friend, Natasha, has offered to pick Lily up on her way back from Portland, though they're barely on speaking terms. As it turns out, Natasha's also giving a ride to Elke Azizi, the girl Lily got expelled from their school four years ago. Elke hasn't forgotten, and neither has Natasha.

It's getting tense in the car, and it's not just about the past. There's smoke in the air, and with the wildfires nearby, staying on the road is becoming riskier by the hour. When Natasha and Elke decide to take a detour, Lily hopes it'll get them out of danger. She has no idea, though, what her former friends have planned for her.

But as night comes, the plans change again when it becomes all too clear that leaving the main road was a mistake. Now the three of them are trapped in the woods under a burning sky, with no easy way out. To survive, Lily must depend on Elke and Natasha--but after all that's happened, can she trust them with her life?

A claustrophobic, high-stakes thriller that will have you fearing what waits out in the cold.

It was supposed to be just one night in the cabin: one night for Lottie and her brand new stepsister, Jade, to try to get along. When a solar flare causes a massive blackout--no power or cell signal--Lottie knows they've got a long night ahead of them.

Then, in the dark, someone else shows up at the cabin--a stranger named Alex, claiming to be lost and needing shelter from the coming snowstorm. But later that night, Lottie spies him in the driveway talking to two mysterious men in a pickup truck, and she's sure he's lying about why he's here.

Before Lottie can find out more, a fire forces her, Jade, and Alex out into the blizzard, where they must rely on one another to get to safety--wherever that is. In the remote, freezing Tahoe wilderness, they have to survive more than just the elements. Soon it becomes clear that Alex's accomplices are hunting for all three of them, in a scheme that's gone too far and taken a chilling, deadly turn.

Perfect for readers who love:

• Mysteries for teens
• Snowy, atmospheric thrillers
• Fans of Natasha Preston, Natalie Richards, and Karen McManus

How do starlings get their speckles-- and why do they dance together in the sky? Star the starling wants to sing all by himself so that everyone will look at his beautiful feathers . . . but when a hawk comes hunting, Star discovers that there's more strength and power in community than in being alone.

• Explores the science behind starling murmurations in a kid-friendly way
• Encourages friendship and teamwork
• Includes endnotes with fun facts about starlings

How do starlings get their speckles-- and why do they dance together in the sky? Star the starling wants to sing all by himself so that everyone will look at his beautiful feathers . . . but when a hawk comes hunting, Star discovers that there's more strength and power in community than in being alone.

• Explores the science behind starling murmurations in a kid-friendly way
• Encourages friendship and teamwork
• Includes endnotes with fun facts about starlings

A series of haiku takes readers on a closeup, observational look at the amazing abundance of nature right outside our homes. Each stanza focuses on an aspect of the natural world or a creature going about their daily activities as the sun begins to rise. Alongside the haiku, informative text goes into depth about each subject--from how much honey a bee can make to the size of a hummingbird's egg. Instructions to help kids create their own haiku poems, a unique form of poetry from Japan, as well as a glossary add value for a STEAM and Core Curriculum book that can be enjoyed both in the classroom and at home.