Books with author C. F. Payne

With the humor and poignancy of Joan Bauer and Lynda Mullaly Hunt, this story reminds readers that they have a right to a voice, that it's okay to say how you feel, and that some leftovers are absolutely delicious! Fizzy is a good Southern girl who just wants to be perfect. And win the Southern Living cook-off. The being perfect part is hard though, since her parents’ divorced and everything in her life has changed. Wary of her too-perfect stepmom and her mom’s neat-freak, dismissive boyfriend, she’s often angry or upset and feels like a guest in both homes. She tells herself to face facts: She’s a “leftover” kid from a marriage that her parents want to forget. But she has to keep all of that to herself, because a good Southern girl never yells, or throws fits, or says anything that might hurt other people’s feelings—instead she throws her shoulders back, says yes ma’am, and tries to do better. So Fizzy tries her best, but it’s hard to stay quiet when her family keeps getting more complicated. Fortunately, the Southern Living cook-off gives her a welcome distraction, as do her new friends Miyoko and Zach, who have parent issues of their own.

While Lula Bell Bonner tries desperately to fit in by not standing out, her wise and irrepressible Grandma Bernice says: Let your light shine! It's Grandma Bernice who provides the joy that balances Lula Bell’s difficult school life, but when this balance is upended, when Kali Keele turns up the heat on her cruel teasing, and when the talent show –that she should NEVER have signed up for-- is about to happen, how in the world can Lula Bell cope?This funny, heartfelt novel exploring friendship, family, and forgiveness, introduces an unforgettable hero, lost in the wilderness of 5th grade, searching for her own shining light.The author of Lula Bell has donated this book to the Worldreader program.

While Lula Bell Bonner tries desperately to fit in by not standing out, her wise and irrepressible Grandma Bernice says: Let your light shine! It's Grandma Bernice who provides the joy that balances Lula Bell’s difficult school life, but when this balance is upended, when Kali Keele turns up the heat on her cruel teasing, and when the talent show –that she should NEVER have signed up for-- is about to happen, how in the world can Lula Bell cope?This funny, heartfelt novel exploring friendship, family, and forgiveness, introduces an unforgettable hero, lost in the wilderness of 5th grade, searching for her own shining light.The author of Lula Bell has donated this book to the Worldreader program.

The hilarious, take-no-prisoners novel about a cynical, sex-obsessed teenager's pining love for an intelligent girl—the basis for the major motion picture starring Michael Cera.Youth in Revolt is the journals of Nick Twisp, California's most precocious diarist, whose ongoing struggles to make sense out of high school, deal with his divorced parents, and lose his virginity result in his transformation from an unassuming fourteen-year-old to a modern youth in open revolt. As his family splinters, worlds collide, and the police block all routes out of town, Nick must cope with economic deprivation, homelessness, the gulag of the public schools, a competitive type-A father, murderous canines, and an inconvenient hair trigger on his erectile response—all while vying ardently for the affections of the beauteous Sheeni Saunders, teenage goddess, and ultimate intellectual goad.

Jamie Jo's fear of bees has been not much more than an annoyance for the Morgan family -- that is until the summer their church explodes. While trying to make sense of this event, Jamie Jo deals with overcoming other struggles: she fears reaching out to a new girl in the neighborhood, she worries about taking on the responsibility of a puppy, and she doesn't know why her older brother's return to town has caused tension in the family. She has to deal with all of this without going outside (where the bees live) alone!Readers will be captivated by Jamie Jo's humor, wit, and small-town charm as she begins to see her world and her faith in a new way.

C. C. Payne intertwines heartache with humor and hope in a novel about navigating divorce and blended families, following your passion, and celebrating who you are. Fizzy is a good Southern girl who just wants to be perfect. And win the Southern Living cook-off. The being perfect part is hard though, since her parents’ divorced and everything in her life has changed. Wary of her too-perfect stepmom and her mom’s neat-freak, dismissive boyfriend, she’s often angry or upset and feels like a guest in both homes. She tells herself to face facts: She’s a “leftover” kid from a marriage that her parents want to forget. But she has to keep all of that to herself, because a good Southern girl never yells, or throws fits, or says anything that might hurt other people’s feelings—instead she throws her shoulders back, says yes ma’am, and tries to do better. So Fizzy tries her best, but it’s hard to stay quiet when her family keeps getting more complicated. Fortunately, the Southern Living cook-off gives her a welcome distraction, as do her new friends Miyoko and Zach, who have parent issues of their own. With the poignancy and humor of Joan Bauer and Lynda Mullaly Hunt, this poignant story reminds readers that they have a right to a voice, that it is okay to say how you feel, and that some leftovers are absolutely delicious!From the Hardcover edition.

Jamie Jo's fear of bees has been not much more than an annoyance for the Morgan family -- that is until the summer their church explodes. While trying to make sense of this event, Jamie Jo deals with overcoming other struggles: she fears reaching out to a new girl in the neighborhood, she worries about taking on the responsibility of a puppy, and she doesn't know why her older brother's return to town has caused tension in the family. She has to deal with all of this without going outside (where the bees live) alone!Readers will be captivated by Jamie Jo's humor, wit, and small-town charm as she begins to see her world and her faith in a new way.

The hilarious, take-no-prisoners novel about a cynical, sex-obsessed teenager's pining love for an intelligent girl—the basis for the major motion picture starring Michael Cera.Youth in Revolt is the journals of Nick Twisp, California's most precocious diarist, whose ongoing struggles to make sense out of high school, deal with his divorced parents, and lose his virginity result in his transformation from an unassuming fourteen-year-old to a modern youth in open revolt. As his family splinters, worlds collide, and the police block all routes out of town, Nick must cope with economic deprivation, homelessness, the gulag of the public schools, a competitive type-A father, murderous canines, and an inconvenient hair trigger on his erectile response—all while vying ardently for the affections of the beauteous Sheeni Saunders, teenage goddess, and ultimate intellectual goad.

"This may capture the experience of children of divorce better than any book out there and deserves readership beyond a middle-grade audience. A winner!"-San Francisco Book ReviewC. C. Payne intertwines heartache with humor and hope in a novel about navigating divorce and blended families, following your passion, and celebrating who you are. Fizzy is a good Southern girl who just wants to be perfect. And win the Southern Living cook-off. The being perfect part is hard though, since her parents' divorced and everything in her life has changed. Wary of her too-perfect stepmom and her mom's neat-freak, dismissive boyfriend, she's often angry or upset and feels like a guest in both homes. She tells herself to face facts: She's a "leftover" kid from a marriage that her parents want to forget. But she has to keep all of that to herself, because a good Southern girl never yells, or throws fits, or says anything that might hurt other people's feelings--instead she throws her shoulders back, says yes ma'am, and tries to do better. So Fizzy tries her best, but it's hard to stay quiet when her family keeps getting more complicated. Fortunately, the Southern Living cook-off gives her a welcome distraction, as do her new friends Miyoko and Zach, who have parent issues of their own. With the poignancy and humor of Joan Bauer and Lynda Mullaly Hunt, this poignant story reminds readers that they have a right to a voice, that it is okay to say how you feel, and that some leftovers are absolutely delicious!

While Lula Bell Bonner tries desperately to fit in by not standing out, her wise and irrepressible Grandma Bernice says: Let your light shine! It's Grandma Bernice who provides the joy that balances Lula Bell’s difficult school life, but when this balance is upended, when Kali Keele turns up the heat on her cruel teasing, and when the talent show –that she should NEVER have signed up for-- is about to happen, how in the world can Lula Bell cope?This funny, heartfelt novel exploring friendship, family, and forgiveness, introduces an unforgettable hero, lost in the wilderness of 5th grade, searching for her own shining light.The author of Lula Bell has donated this book to the Worldreader program

The hilarious, take-no-prisoners novel about a cynical, sex-obsessed teenager's pining love for an intelligent girl—the basis for the major motion picture starring Michael Cera.Youth in Revolt is the journals of Nick Twisp, California's most precocious diarist, whose ongoing struggles to make sense out of high school, deal with his divorced parents, and lose his virginity result in his transformation from an unassuming fourteen-year-old to a modern youth in open revolt. As his family splinters, worlds collide, and the police block all routes out of town, Nick must cope with economic deprivation, homelessness, the gulag of the public schools, a competitive type-A father, murderous canines, and an inconvenient hair trigger on his erectile response—all while vying ardently for the affections of the beauteous Sheeni Saunders, teenage goddess, and ultimate intellectual goad.