Books with author MELODY CARLSON

With six teenage girls living under one roof, things are bound to get interesting. Mix six teenaged girls and one ’60s fashion icon (retired, of course) in an old Victorian-era boarding home. Add guys and dating, a little high-school angst, and huge personalities … and you’ve got the Carter House Girls.The Carter House experiences a shake-up when Taylor returns home after an unnerving disappearing act. But the largest issue may actually stem from the Homecoming Queen race, as DJ, Eliza, Taylor find themselves in a three-way competition that threatens to further divide the house. As the campaigns heat up, DJ begins to wonder if being nominated was actually a curse―and finds herself more worried about her friend Casey's strange behavior than the possibility of wearing a crown.

It's challenging enough to be a normal high school senior -- but Caitlin O'Conner has a host of new difficulties to deal with in the third book of Melody Carlson's widely popular and fascinating teen series. Time is critical to help the orphans in Mexico, missions-minded Caitlin believes, but Mom and Dad are set on her attending college. Meanwhile, her relationship with Josh takes on a serious tone via e-mail -- threatening her commitment to "kiss dating goodbye." When Beanie begins dating an African-American, Caitlin's concern over dating seems to be misread as racism. One thing is obvious: God is at work through this dynamic girl in very real but puzzling ways. A soul-stretching time of racial reconciliation at school and within her church helps her discover God's will as never before.

The Carter House girls are just getting to know one another when the subject of boys comes up. Rhiannon’s dating Bradford, the most popular jock in school, Eliza’s seeing Harry, and even DJ has dated Conner, although now he acts as if he doesn’t like her. Boys aren’t always easy to understand, but every girl in the house wants a boyfriend—and will do just about anything to get one. So when Taylor decides to put the moves on Bradford, Rhiannon is shocked and hurt. Mistakes are made and feelings battered … there is forgiveness for some and bitterness for others … but at the end of the day, the girls learn a valuable lesson about what it means to be a family.

All Elise wants is to have her first kiss before she turns sixteen. Is that so bad? But when a friend's poor advice and the powers of electronic technology combine, Elise heads down a dangerous road. She is accused of "sexting" and gets kicked out of school. But is she really the one to blame? This powerful and realistic story from beloved author Melody Carlson shows teen girls the impact of their choices when it comes to respecting themselves and their integrity. Honest and relevant, Never Been Kissed will make girls laugh, cry . . . and think.

Saturday, October 22 My life changed today. It’s as if I got up this morning as one person and will go to bed as someone else. Okay, maybe it’s not THAT drastic. But I’m so excited I’m not sure I’ll ever go to sleep tonight. Josh Miller asked me to marry him! First she “kissed dating goodbye.” Now, several years later, Caitlin O’Conner is getting married–to the guy she’s loved all along, Josh Miller! It’s her senior year of college, and she has seven months to plan her wedding...but according to Josh’s mom, that’s not enough time. Meanwhile, Caitlin’s roommate, Liz, has ditched her to move in with a boyfriend. Her new roommate and old friend, Jenny, is toying with anorexia again, and just when Caitlin needs her most, Beanie heads off to a New York City design school. On top of all this, an issue from Josh’ s past rocks Caitlin’s emotions. Can she handle it all? True to form, Caitlin is more concerned with following God than having the perfect wedding. But it is her big day. Can Caitlin have a lovely ceremony without spending a small fortune? Will she remember it’s the marriage–and not the wedding–that lasts forever? Story Behind the Book “My teenage years remain vivid in my mind. It was a turbulent time full of sharp contrasts– love and hate, pain and pleasure, trust and doubt. Then, just as I reached my peak of questioning, rebelling, and seeking, I found God. And I found Him in a really big way! My life turned completely around and has, thankfully, never turned back. Hopefully this story will touch and change hearts–speaking to teen girls right where they live, reminding readers that God is alive and well and ready to be intimately involved in their lives right now! Caitlin provides a very positive role model for girls. And her wedding is a great way to teach them about the things that really matter in life–their relationship with God and their willingness to be used by Him.”

It’s never too early to begin to hide God’s word in your baby’s heart. And there’s no better place to start than with Baby’s First Bible—a keepsake you and your child will treasure for years to come.Perfectly-sized for little hands and specially written for little hearts, Baby’s First Bible is perfect for naptime, bedtime, mealtime, and story time. Colorful, playful illustrations accompany each engaging bible story, and the rhyming text make this little gem of a Bible the one your son and daughter, and granddaughters and grandsons, will remember. Baby's First Bible:Includes both Old and New Testament Bible storiesIs perfect for small children ages 2-5 years-old, and from preschool, to kindergartenIs ideal for commemorating your little one’s birth, baptism, first birthday, or First CommunionsMakes an unforgettable gift for baby dedications, baby showers, Christenings, Easter baskets, and Christmas stockingsUses simpler words and shorter sentences making the text easy to read and understand

Aster Flynn is stuck. She has to spend all of her "free" time with her younger sister, Lily, who, though fifteen, is mentally handicapped. At age seventeen, Aster should be hanging out with friends, dating boys, and working at a fun job. But her dad's MIA, her mom is always at work, and her older sister Rose is too self-centered to give her any help. It's not that Aster doesn't love Lily--it's just that for once she'd like to be able to be a normal teenager.So when a cute popular guy seems to take an interest in her, Aster hatches a plan. Somehow she has to get her workaholic mom and deadbeat dad to be the parents Lily needs so that Aster can have a life of her own. But can she ever get her parents to start acting like adults? Is this new guy worth the trouble? And, most importantly, will Lily get hurt in the process? With its real-life characters and struggles, Just Another Girl will immediately draw teen girls in. Author Melody Carlson knows how to write to girls just where they are.

It's challenging enough to be a normal high school senior -- but Caitlin O'Conner has a host of new difficulties to deal with in the third book of Melody Carlson's widely popular and fascinating teen series. Time is critical to help the orphans in Mexico, missions-minded Caitlin believes, but Mom and Dad are set on her attending college. Meanwhile, her relationship with Josh takes on a serious tone via e-mail -- threatening her commitment to "kiss dating goodbye." When Beanie begins dating an African-American, Caitlin's concern over dating seems to be misread as racism. One thing is obvious: God is at work through this dynamic girl in very real but puzzling ways. A soul-stretching time of racial reconciliation at school and within her church helps her discover God's will as never before.

Bestselling author Melody Carlson (Gone Too Soon, Diary of a Teenage Girl) finishes her Girls of Harbor View series, which explores the ups and downs of a group of friends who are determined not to let their life in a rundown trailer park define them. In fact, these diverse and talented girls are determined to overcome any challenge they face. In this two-book bind-up containing Ski Trip and Secret Admirer, love is in the air, on the slopes and on the dance floor. Morgan, Amy, Carlie, and Emily—the Girls of Harbor View—are forced to navigate first crushes, growing up, and how to relate to each other as their relationships start to change.In Ski Trip, their hard-earned school trip takes a downturn when Amy and her friend Chelsea go completely boy crazy. Carlie would rather snowboard. But when she takes out her frustrations with her friends on the slopes, she ends up putting herself in a lot of danger. And in Secret Admirer, Amy finds herself pursued by a secret admirer. As the notes pile up, and the Valentine’s Day dance approaches, Amy is wrapped up in dreams of love—but she may have her heart on the wrong guy.Secret Admirer:centers on girls from a variety of multicultural backgrounds and experiencesrealistically explores situations and experiences girls eight to twelve face every day with heart and humor—including shifting friendships, first heartbreaks, and growing awareness of the world around usis part of the Faithgirlz line of books

Who Do You Ask When You Don’t Have the Answers? What’s a girl to do when caught between a rock and a hard place? The “hard place” is losing the use of her beloved car, and the “rock” is her immovable dad. In order to regain driving privileges, Kim Peterson’s dad talks her into writing an advice column for teens in his newspaper. Kim reluctantly agrees and writes under a pen name. But as she reads letters from peers and friends, she becomes keenly aware of two things: (1) Some kids have it way worse than her, and (2) she does not have all the answers! Who can she turn to? Thursday, September 1 I’ve been saving for my own car, but my parents decided that I can only get a car if I keep a clean driving record. That means absolutely NO tickets—period—nada. And the policeman said he’d clocked me going 72 in a 55 mile zone. Oops. When Kim Peterson gets a speeding ticket, her dad offers her a way to retain her driving privileges. If she’ll write the anonymous teen advice column for his newspaper, she can still get a car. So Kim becomes “Jamie” of “Just Ask Jamie.” No big deal, she thinks. She answers letters about stuff that’s everyday and stuff that’s not: parents, piercings, dating, drugs, depression, and people who are just users. Nothing Kim can’t handle. But when a classmate is killed, the letters turn to questions about life, death, and what it all means. And Kim starts to wonder if she really does have all the answers—and if not, where to find them. The Christian faith of her adoptive family? The Buddhism of her Korean heritage? Who can she turn to—to just ask? Story Behind the Book“My teenage years remain vivid in my mind. It was a turbulent time full of sharp contrasts—love and hate, pain and pleasure, trust and doubt. Then, just as I reached my peak of questioning, rebelling, and seeking, I found God. And I found Him in a really big way! My life turned completely around and has, thankfully, never turned back. Hopefully this story will touch and change hearts—speaking to teen girls right where they live, reminding readers that God is alive and well and ready to be intimately involved in their lives right now! ”

University life isn't what Caitlin expected. Her roommate Liz is hostile to her faith -- tormenting her with raunchy music and sleazy boyfriends. Worst of all, suddenly Caitlin doesn't understand herself anymore. Why has she regressed to being the shy, insecure girl she was in junior high? She doesn't even fit in with her new Christian fellowship group! Caitlin tries not to envy Josh and her friends at Christian colleges, but suddenly all she has are questions and few answers. In the story of Caitlin O'Conner's soul, this frustrating year is the most significant one yet, as the homesick freshman eventually remembers there is one companion she can always trust.

Saturday, October 22 My life changed today. It’s as if I got up this morning as one person and will go to bed as someone else. Okay, maybe it’s not THAT drastic. But I’m so excited I’m not sure I’ll ever go to sleep tonight. Josh Miller asked me to marry him! First she “kissed dating goodbye.” Now, several years later, Caitlin O’Conner is getting married–to the guy she’s loved all along, Josh Miller! It’s her senior year of college, and she has seven months to plan her wedding...but according to Josh’s mom, that’s not enough time. Meanwhile, Caitlin’s roommate, Liz, has ditched her to move in with a boyfriend. Her new roommate and old friend, Jenny, is toying with anorexia again, and just when Caitlin needs her most, Beanie heads off to a New York City design school. On top of all this, an issue from Josh’ s past rocks Caitlin’s emotions. Can she handle it all? True to form, Caitlin is more concerned with following God than having the perfect wedding. But it is her big day. Can Caitlin have a lovely ceremony without spending a small fortune? Will she remember it’s the marriage–and not the wedding–that lasts forever? Story Behind the Book “My teenage years remain vivid in my mind. It was a turbulent time full of sharp contrasts– love and hate, pain and pleasure, trust and doubt. Then, just as I reached my peak of questioning, rebelling, and seeking, I found God. And I found Him in a really big way! My life turned completely around and has, thankfully, never turned back. Hopefully this story will touch and change hearts–speaking to teen girls right where they live, reminding readers that God is alive and well and ready to be intimately involved in their lives right now! Caitlin provides a very positive role model for girls. And her wedding is a great way to teach them about the things that really matter in life–their relationship with God and their willingness to be used by Him.”