Books with author Max Reynolds

At the age of twelve, Cassie is old enough to babysit. But when the father of two children for whom she babysits fondles her, Cassie is too confused and embarrassed to know what to do. She becomes more and more frightened as he continues to aggressively molest her. At last, she tells her teenage cousin, Lisa, and together they try to find ways to cope. Lisa realizes the escalating situation is more than the two of them can handle on their own and she breaks her vow of silence. The story explores the conflicting emotions of a young adolescent and the concern of parents who must protect their daughter's privacy and her well-being. In spite of the horrors of molestation, this is ultimately a story of healing and hope.Reynolds competently presents the many complex motivations of all participants… As Young Adult readers easily relate to Cassie’s story, they will effortlessly learn from her experience. – Wilson Library Bulletin Wonderful novel for every church, every junior high and high school library, and every English class… important literature for all teenagers. Highly recommended. – National Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy, Parenting and Prevention An ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers

The year is some indeterminate time in the future; Micky Grant and Anna Enesco are involved in special studies for people who have shown extraordinary ESP talent. Their progress is as frightening as it is incredible.But when our government sends them on missions that become increasingly dangerous and difficult, are their lives the price of their special pre-knowledge?

Just when thirteen-year-old Rafe Ryder thinks his year can't get any stranger, he is proven wrong. After he and his classmates have averted a plot to destroy the elite angelic training ground known as Mystfira, as well as the very heavens themselves, Rafe is left to grapple with his newfound identity and figure out a way to get himself and the other Ryder-Knight students home to Earth. But when his friends start disappearing one by one, Rafe must take action. Are his friends alive? Have they fallen victim to the treacherous world of Mystfira, or to a more nefarious plot conjured by the dark spirits in Baeldavar? Along with a crotchety leprechaun named Seamus, Rafe and his two remaining friends must reckon with Time itself to solve the mystery before their classmates are lost forever.

In the summer of 1795, a teenager was exploring a tiny island in Nova Scotia's Mahone Bay when he came across a curious depression in the ground. Driven by visions of lost pirate treasure, he later returned to the spot with shovels, pickaxes, and two friends. The trio began to dig, and in so doing launched what would become one of the most famous treasure hunts of all time. For over 200 years, the baffling mysteries of the Oak Island treasure have captured countless imaginations they have also been the cause of bitter rivalries, dashed hopes, and tragic deaths.

A group of twelve boys named East reside in a Florida Everglades reform camp. A cruel leader and an electrified, orange fog force field hold them captive. The fog shifts with the arrival of a brazen woman, Breeze Morgan.In 2042, Breeze lands at Maverly Wilderness Camp to pay back a debt. During pre-job shadowing a boy busts her nose and Breeze humiliates the program director. Somehow, she's still offered the job and she accepts. Breeze soon discovers the camp's cruel and hope-stealing culture. She considers leaving, but the dozen delinquents steal her heart.Despite their dark past and dreary future, most of the East boys still have a shred of hope. Breeze awakens that hope possibly costing her much more than the debt she already owes.

Strange things happen when the place you call “home” is no longer your address.Twelve-year-old Rafe Ryder’s year couldn’t get worse. His parents have shipped him off to live with his grandmother and he doesn’t know if he’ll ever see his sick father again. Arriving in Maine, Rafe plots his return to England, but the possibility of a homecoming slips further from his grasp when an adventure in a corn maze at his new school goes wrong, and he and twelve of his schoolmates are mysteriously transported to Mystfira—a realm of angels, leprechauns, gargoyles and fairies—and home to an elite angelic training school. Forced to co-exist with student angels and surrounded by more danger than he ever could have imagined, Rafe searches for a way home only to stumble upon a scheme to destroy the heavens. Can he find a way to save himself and his friends…or will they be lost forever?

At 15, Lauren Riley promised herself that she would not mess up her life and would stay away from drugs and sex. But two years later, her boyfriend Tyler is pressuring her to forget that promise. Both her parents are lost to her through long-time drug addiction, but through her writing, Lauren tries to deal with her problems and discovers a deeper strength. Based on the reality of everyday high school life, and critiqued by high school students as it was written, this book accurately portrays and confronts the issues of drugs, race, sex, first love, and finding self-expression.Having been born drug addicted, to an addict mother, 17-year-old Lauren is determined not to repeat her mother's mistakes. She has promised herself to say no to drugs and sex, but is finding the latter a challenge, as she faces increasing pressure from her longtime boyfriend, Tyler. The resentment she still harbors for her deceased mother and the reappearance of her long-absent father further complicate her life and negatively affect her schoolwork and relationships. Lauren's journey to self-discovery and self-love is filled with pitfalls and also surprising rewards. The seventh title in the series is characteristically informative and insightful, exploring difficult teen issues with honesty and a multifaceted perspective. Reynolds' treatment of youth and their challenges, from sexual abstinence to mixed-race parentage, is compassionate, never condescending; the dialogue, situations, emotions, and behavior of the well-defined teen characters ring true. An engaging, thought-provoking read, recommended for reluctant readers. —Booklist

When their mother is called to Iraq with her National Guard Unit, 17-year-old Mario Barajas and his 10-year-old brother, Eddie, move in with their Aunt Carmen. Eddie, hungry for the love of a father, happily soaks up the attention their aunt's boyfriend, Denton, freely gives. Mario is caught up with a girlfriend who is his first love, with high school soccer, and with work. He barely notices as his little brother becomes more and more withdrawn. Then, returning home earlier than expected one evening, he walks in on the terrible secret. Mario must take desperate measures to protect Eddie. This is a gripping tale of trust, betrayal, and secrets that should never be kept. Above all, this is the story of the bond of love between two brothers.The suspense builds as Mario must take big risks and suffer personal losses to keep his brother safe. Written with a keen understanding of teens and a remarkable awareness of sexual abuse dynamics, this wise novel is an important addition for any collection serving teens. - School Library Journal All teens can find something to identify with or learn from in this cathartic and ultimately hopeful tale of recovery from sexual abuse. - Booklist

In the summer of 1795, a teenager was exploring a tiny island in Nova Scotia's Mahone Bay when he came across a curious depression in the ground. Driven by visions of lost pirate treasure, he later returned to the spot with shovels, pickaxes, and two friends. The trio began to dig, and in so doing launched what would become one of the most famous treasure hunts of all time. For over 200 years, the baffling mysteries of the Oak Island treasure have captured countless imaginations they have also been the cause of bitter rivalries, dashed hopes, and tragic deaths.

Six short stories about teens in crisis are presented with alternate male and female narrators. Story lines include such young adult concerns as teen pregnancy, abortion, abusive partners, racism, failing at school, a fatal auto accident after a party where alcohol was served, and coping with family obligations to care for an aging relative.Reynolds's young people struggle against seemingly insurmountable odds but do eventually succeed in improving their lives. They're not too good to be true, though–they seem like real kids. The language here is a little raw, but the situations will be familiar to far too many teens: school failure, pregnancy and abortion, racism, a fatal car accident, an aging relative, violence and abuse by a lover. Reynolds sets this collection of six stories in Hamilton High, a fictional, urban, ethnically mixed secondary school somewhere in Southern California, but the stories are universal. Some characters have parents who can provide emotional guidance, but others are stumbling through life without support. YAs will look forward to the next installment in the series. – School Library Journal This latest addition to Reynolds' Hamilton High series presents six stories about teens in crisis. Teen pregnancy, the topic of the two previous books, is an issue in only one of the stories, in which Christina from Too Soon for Jeff discovers she is pregnant again and this time chooses abortion. Other crises revolve around an abusive partner, racism, failing at school, the death of a friend in an auto accident after a party at which alcohol is served, and coping with family obligations to care for an aging relative. All the young people are believable, likable, and appropriately thoughtful, given the situations they face. All the stories are interesting and well paced, and each has a slightly different style, which avoids repetition in theme and tone. Young adults will certainly identify with the characters and their problems, and it is particularly useful to have these issues addressed in short story form with alternate male and female narrators, thereby making it easy to recommend just one story to draw in reluctant readers. Once they get started, they probably won't stop at one. – Booklist Real-life crises of teens are themes of six stories in a collection which ranges from stories of abuse to dilemmas of single parenting. This is a hard-hitting collection which provides fine insights into how crises are resolved. – Midwest Book Review

A broke gamer. A deadly online world. Can Dahlia level up fast enough to keep the debt collectors at bay?Dahlia has to pay off her dead father’s bills or risk her life in the lithium mines. Which... no thank you. Besides, the world is run by tech, and this gamer girl is determined to explore the virtual world her father was so obsessed with and get rich while she’s at it. So, she sells everything and rents a premium VR pod to play Eternal Online. Enter the toughest realm available? Check.Discover the fastest way to loot without dying?… in progress. But when Dahlia finds an epic quest chain that others have overlooked, she thinks she’s struck gold. What she doesn’t expect is to make friends with two deadly warriors and one powerful creature, or find a world boss gunning for them all. Experience the start of an Epic LitRPG adventure perfect for fans of Travis Bagwell, Carrie Summers, Outspan Foster.Also available on Audible, narrated by Andrea Parsneau (The Wandering Inn, Swing Shift).