Books with author Alexandra Bandon

"Be yourself. People may or may not like you, but it's important that you stay true to who you are." - Anonymous. "I remember my very first therapy session. It was supposed to help me cope with my parents’ divorce. It was “family” therapy because they felt it was best that we all discuss it together. I was told to read a story about another family that went through a divorce, and it just confused me even more. They told me “It’s not your fault, mommy and daddy love you” and blah, blah blah!""There was a time where I hated myself just because I was so obese. I felt un-pretty, not confident, a waste, and I can go on and on... I won’t lie, I still sometimes feel that way. I learned that me, Ali could NOT even get past my outer layer! How can I expect others in my life to get past my outer layer, if I couldn't? I had to find out by peeling back my own layers and finding out what makes me the woman I am. Spending countless hours, days, writing, reflecting, and digging deep into my past. Honesty is something I value, so in order to be honest with others, I had to be honest with myself."I always felt like an outsider in my own family. I’m tired of hiding behind the smiles, the “I’m okays”… the battle goes beyond the surface; it’s internal. This is my story, through the good, the bad and the ugly; I’m holding nothing back.

At 15, Lene is questioning everything. She is sick of the compulsory League of German Girls' meetings, and everyone being made to fight for a final victory that never seems to come. She is in love with Ludwig who lives upstairs and listens to enemy broadcasts. Like Lene, he rejects the war and the endless Nazi indoctrination. But he has caught the attention of his ruthless Hitler Youth squad leader, Kurt. Unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game of cat and mouse, Lene has to watch every step, every word to protect those she loves. When Ludwig is ordered to the Eastern Front, can Lene and Ludwig hold on to their promise to one another and resurface from the darkness of the abyss in post-war Berlin?

When nine-year-old Sarah Smith fetches potatoes from the shed, she hears an unusual noise and senses something is different. Somewhat apprehensive, she returns to the shed later and realizes it isn?t a what in the shed but a who. Sarah knows she should tell her parents, especially when she learns a group of men are searching for a missing soldier, instead she decides to leave some food for the stranger and finds her kindness returned in an unusual way.The Exchange, a picture book for children, shares a story about the Civil War, a war that divided communities and even families. In the midst of these tensions, Sarah must decide what to do when she discovers someone is hiding on her family?s farm.