An award-winning novel about growing up and making choices

Viginia Euwer Wolff's groundbreaking novel, written in free verse, tells the story of fourteen-year-old LaVaughn, who is determined to go to college--she just needs the money to get there. When she answers a babysitting ad, LaVaughn meets Jolly, a seventeen-year-old single mother with two kids by different fathers. As she helps Jolly make lemonade out of the lemons her life has given her, LaVaughn learns some lessons outside the classroom.

A neglected girl's chaotic coming-of-age becomes a trending new hashtag in a novel about growing up and getting away by an award-winning author.

Underprivileged and keenly self-aware, SoCal fourteen-year-old Layla Bailey isn't used to being noticed. Except by mean girls who tweet about her ragged appearance. All she wants to do is indulge in her love of science, protect her vulnerable younger brother, and steer clear of her unstable mother.

Then a school competition calls for a biome. Layla chooses her own home, a hostile ecosystem of indoor fungi and secret shame. With a borrowed video camera, she captures it all. The mushrooms growing in her brother's dresser. The black mold blooming up the apartment walls. The unmentionable things living in the dead fridge. All the inevitable exotic toxins that are Layla's life. Then the video goes viral.

When Child Protective Services comes to call, Layla loses her family and her home. Defiant, she must face her bullies and friends alike, on her own. Unafraid at last of being seen, Layla accepts the mortifying reality of visibility. Now she has to figure out how to stay whole and stand behind the truth she has shown the world.

2021 Red Maple Award -- Shortlisted

As far-fetched as her father's plan sounds, sticking to it is easy for Harbour -- until it isn't.

Fourteen-year-old Harbour is living in a tent in a Toronto ravine with her dog, a two-month supply of canned tuna, and an unconventional reading list. She's not homeless, she tells herself. She's merely waiting for her home -- a thirty-six-foot sailboat -- to arrive with her father at the helm. Why should she worry when the clouds give her signs that assure her that she's safe and protected?

When her credit card gets declined, phone contact from her father stops, and summer slips into a frosty fall, Harbour is forced to face reality and accept the help of a homeless teen named Lise to survive on the streets. Lise shows Harbour how to panhandle and navigate the shelter system while trying to unravel Harbour's mysterious past. But if Harbour tells her anything, the consequences could be catastrophic.

Sixteen-year-old Reece is an expert at keeping secrets. She has to be, since her father abducted her ten years ago. For as long as she can remember, she's been on the run, sneaking food out of the dumpster and sleeping in the woods. Every time she moves, the same rules apply-- cut your hair, change your name, and, above all, don't let anybody get too close. Reece has no choice except to obey Dad's orders. When Reece meets her first real friend, a boy named Shawn, she begins to realize that everyone else has secrets too. And the deadliest secret of all is the one her father has kept from her all these years.

Perry Fletcher is a straight-A student in high school with a chance for a track scholarship. But he wrecks his knee chasing a thief who steals a package off his porch. What does Perry learn about life when the thief turns out to be one of his classmates? Lexile measure HL400L.

At Finding Forward Books, we publish easy-to-read novels with positive life lessons for teens. They have realistic stories about young people overcoming challenges. Our mission is to help teens achieve success and find their way forward through life.

The books are for all students, including English learners and those with learning disabilities. They are printed in Open Dyslexic, a font to accommodate individuals with dyslexia. They have been praised in Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly BookLife Reviews, Foreword Clarion Reviews, and BlueInk Reviews.

Super-Readable Rollercoasters: Super authors, super accessible, simply super-readable fiction

When his mum is sent back to prison, Al knows exactly who's to blame. Mr Brayker from downstairs has been making trouble for Al's mum ever since they moved in. Al is determined to get his revenge with a plan that involves the only two creatures he can rely on: his pet rats, Venom and Vulture. But things don't turn out exactly as he'd imagined ...

Teenage Steven and his father, Corey, take to the road with a Bible, an old army tent, and less than the best of intentions. Tired of being poor, Steven's father is certain that preaching the Word of the Lord is the easy way to fame and fortune. But just when they've got their act down pat and the money is rolling in, Steven and Corey begin to realize that what they'd originally thought of as aharmless lieis all about avarice and power and, ultimately, guilt.

In a gripping thriller with a hint of Oliver Twist, a street kid and his dog are chasing an unlikely fortune -- and dodging the thugs who would steal it.

Twelve-year-old Bully has lost his mum and his old life. Living rough on the streets of London with his dog, Jack, he can't imagine a future. But one day he finds, tucked inside his most cherished possession--the last birthday card his mother ever gave him--a lottery ticket he bought her. And it's a winner. A big winner. Suddenly there's hope, if only he can get to his prize on time But just as Bully's prospects open up, peril closes in. Now ruthless gangsters are in hot pursuit, and everyone wants a piece of him. Whom can he trust to help him retrieve what's his? And even if Bully does claim all that money, will he really be winning what he needs most? Michael Byrne's thrill-packed debut delivers the emotionally charged story of a boy whose luck has changed for the better, if only he can survive long enough to claim it.

Sixteen-year-old Mattie Rollins has it all figured out. She'll ace her advanced high school courses, earn a college scholarship, and create a new life for herself and her family. There's no time for distractions--no friends, no fun, and especially no boys.

But Mattie's brilliant plan crumbles after first becoming homeless, forcing her family to live in the confines of their beat-up station wagon, Ruby, and then the mysterious disappearance of her mother. With life against her at every turn and fewer options every day, Mattie and her kid sister must learn how to live--not just survive--in their uncertain circumstances while racing to discover the truth behind their mother's disappearance. Mattie will have to find the strength to keep searching for her mother and to keep her dreams alive before they both slip away forever.

Scruffy, the True Tale of An Orphan Doggie is a gripping and heartwarming story narrated by a courageous little dog. Her family in rural Colombia is displaced by war and forced to flee from the homestead where they have lived for generations.

As they slowly make their way to the city in search of sustenance the family suffers further downturns and are forced to sell their remaining possessions, including Jacobo the burro, Scruffy's dear friend. When her last protector, little Marta, takes ill and is rushed to a poor people's hospital, Scruffy is lost in the big city

In search of things gone, Scruffy endures adversity on the street until she is almost ready to give up. But in this depth of despair she finds hope, help, and love, and she learns that her sad past actually has built the road to a redemptive future.

Age never matters, these things are about bravery and heart.

Thirteen-year-old Condi Bloom's dream is to learn to surf, but her laid-back beach town isn't what it used to be. Big resort owners are taking over the cove. Worse, someone's harassing the Beachlings, the mysterious old women living in the cliffs off Windy Hollow, a lonely tower of rock that people say is haunted. When a new surfer boy named Trustin shows up in town and invites Condi to a forbidden surfing spot, she's swept into an extraordinary underwater adventure, where a surprising encounter with Koan, the Riddlemaster of the Sea, changes her life. Along with Trustin, his quirky twin and a mystical aquamarine surfboard, Condi learns the untold stories of the Beachlings, uncovering the timeless secrets of Windy Hollow.

Ebbing and flowing between reality and magic, times past and present, The Aquamarine Surfboard by Kellye Abernathy is a riveting beach tale about opening up to mystery, building community when and where you can - and discovering the ocean is filled with magic-the really BIG kind-the kind that changes the world.

Survive! That is all that Lilly must do. Spring Break leaves Lilly with no place to sleep and no place to shower. She does not feel safe at home-never has. But telling her friends is not an option. She doesn't want judgment or pity-she will not feel ashamed of her circumstances or her choices! Surviving hour by hour is nothing new to Lilly. When she finally thinks she has it figured out, her plans fall apart. Torn between relying only on herself or daring to trust others, Lilly begins to lean into those who offer her a lifeline. But how long will it last?

Lilly is the sixth book in the Young Adult series The Way I See It. Each novel is written from the point of view of a different teen with his/her own take on the challenges they encounter at Hancock High. Differences between the teens is not limited to their diverse racial backgrounds, but dives into clashing mindsets that many teens encounter in society today. Poverty, prejudice, sexual harassment, academic and social struggles, perfectionism, drug use, homelessness and racial tensions are woven throughout the series, providing a platform for discussion and a source of hope.

The Way I See It series can be read in order or as standalone titles. Its complex, relevant themes encourage deep engagement and meaningful discussions. Free downloadable reading guides, including extended vocabulary and discussion questions, are available for all books at myeasyreadbooks.com, aiding book clubs and discussion groups.

An unforgettable knockout of a read!

Christina Zambrano is a straight-A student, a model of success at Brickman High School. But at home, life is far from perfect. Her mother, Elisa Zambrano, was once a fierce boxing champion known as Manos femeninas de piedra-The Female Hands of Stone. Now, she's more interested in partying than in reliving her glory days.

As Christina juggles her hidden struggles, she dreams of a future far from her chaotic home. But when her mom gets a shot at redemption in the boxing ring, their lives are thrown back into the spotlight. Can Elisa prove she still has the heart of a champion? And will Christina find the courage to fight for her own dreams?

My Mom, The Champion is a heart-pounding story of family, resilience, and the fight for a better life. This emotional rollercoaster will remind you that true strength isn't just about winning in the ring-it's about never giving up, even when life delivers its hardest punches.

New research has demonstrated that a simple text manipulation can reduce the phenomenon known as migration (letters or words seeming to move) and lead to improved comprehension when reading narrative text for students with delayed-visual-disengagement dyslexia. In the research, when students read aloud from this adjusted text, compared to normal text, they made fewer mispronunciations, fewer omissions, fewer substitutions, and fewer migrations and thus scored higher on standardised tests of comprehension. Crossbridge Books is the first publisher to publish books using this adjusted text.

Timothy Brum (Dyslexia-friendly edition) is published in this format. The content is suitable for young adult aged 14 upwards who struggle to read conventional text. Although fiction, the story is based on true accounts from children who have lived on the streets of English cities in this century. Timothy's parents lost him in the city of Birmingham when he was just three years old. He was then lost in the computer system for tracking children who have been found. The care system then lost him again when he ran away from the children's home. He was found by a homeless man living on the streets of London. His parents never gave up believing that one day they would find him.

The narrative is uniquely written from the perspective of each of the characters as the tale unfolds.

Age never matters, these things are about bravery and heart.

Thirteen-year-old Condi Bloom's dream is to learn to surf, but her laid-back beach town isn't what it used to be. Big resort owners are taking over the cove. Worse, someone's harassing the Beachlings, the mysterious old women living in the cliffs off Windy Hollow, a lonely tower of rock that people say is haunted. When a new surfer boy named Trustin shows up in town and invites Condi to a forbidden surfing spot, she's swept into an extraordinary underwater adventure, where a surprising encounter with Koan, the Riddlemaster of the Sea, changes her life. Along with Trustin, his quirky twin and a mystical aquamarine surfboard, Condi learns the untold stories of the Beachlings, uncovering the timeless secrets of Windy Hollow.

Ebbing and flowing between reality and magic, times past and present, The Aquamarine Surfboard by Kellye Abernathy is a riveting beach tale about opening up to mystery, building community when and where you can - and discovering the ocean is filled with magic-the really BIG kind-the kind that changes the world.

From atop a towering redwood tree, seventeen-year-old Jesse can see beyond the difficult reality of his life on the ground. Homeless, Jesse camps in the forest with his drug-addicted mom and little sister. Diligent about showering, doing laundry, and school work, Jesse is determined to keep his circumstances a secret. But one girl cares enough to find out the truth.

Honored by Kirkus Reviews as one of The Best Indie Books of 2020.

Davenport is an accomplished stylist with a keen ear for nuanced dialogue; he also has a knack for making serious political points with a light touch that makes them broadly accessible. . . A thoughtful and compelling account of the responsibilities that come with privilege.
--Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

There are only two rules at Miss Oliver's School for Girls that lead to automatic expulsion: stealing, and permitting a male who is not a family member into a dormitory. The head of school's daughter has broken both.

Trouble approaches on a warm September day when Sylvia Perrine Bickham, the head of school's daughter, gives money to a homeless man on the street. Through some prying, she and her friends learn he is a veteran of the Iraq War and probably suffering from post-traumatic stress, so they sneak food and clothing to his lean-to at odd hours of the day and agree to tell no one--not the teachers, and especially not Sylvia's mother, Rachel. But talk of things gone missing from the school is getting louder, and Rachel knows something is up. More importantly, winter is coming and Sylvia worries the man will freeze if he stays outside. Have they done all they can for him? Have they done enough? What is enough.

Vivid, riveting, and utterly engrossing, The Encampment is the third installment of the Miss Oliver's School for Girls series.

2020 Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers--YALSA/ALAAn empathetic tale that treats homelessness with respect and makes it visible.--Kirkus ReviewsSeventeen-year-old Abby Lunde and her family are living on the streets. They had a normal life back in Omaha but, thanks to her mother's awful mistake, they had to leave behind what little they had for a new start in Rochester. Abby tries to be an average teenager--fitting in at school, dreaming of a boyfriend, college and a career in music. But Minnesota winters are unforgiving, and so are many teenagers.Her stepdad promises to put a roof over their heads, but times are tough for everyone and Abby is doing everything she can to keep her shameful secret from her new friends. The divide between rich and poor in high school is painfully obvious, and the stress of never knowing where they're sleeping or where they'll find their next meal is taking its toll on the whole family.As secrets are exposed and the hope for a home fades, Abby knows she must trust those around her to help. But will her new friends let her down like the ones back home, or will they rise to the challenge to help them find a normal life?We, her readers, are drawn in from the first page. This lovely book has tremendous heart.--Brandon Hobson, author of Where the Dead Sit Talking

Mathieu lives in the street by choice, eschewing drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol. His main companion is his dog Sam, a pitbull, who he says has helped keep him alive. When Sam disappears, Mathieu's frantic search to find her brings him into confrontation with the secrets of his own past and the pain and grief that drove him onto the street. The novel is a monologue from Mathieu's point of view, a sort of confessional in which Mathieu opens up to the reader. In flashbacks to his past, we discover the tragedies of his life and the people he has lost. In this book about survivors, Bienvenu takes a tender look at the underside of our cities, and the people that get left behind.