Books with author Paul Many

Don't break the prime directive―never look back.Talk about marching to the beat of a different drummer. Nick has been out of step ever since his older brother was killed twelve years ago in a car crash. Since then his conversations with his parents usually take place via their answering machine, his sense of humor gets him detentions, and the fire he causes earns him a one-way ticket to military school. Firmly believing there was never any trouble he couldn't walk away from, he treks miles across the state to visit his fugitive aunt―maybe the only person alive who can hear his inner drummer. She's found a home at a commune full of ex-hippies and lost souls, where, not surprisingly, Nick fits right in. But before he can get too comfortable, Nick gets involved with a girl, Diana, who has far more serious problems than he's ever faced. Not only must he try to save Diana from her dark past and convince his parents he can be trusted, but most important, he has to convince himself not to walk away the next time trouble comes along.

Introducing a new author to Knopf Paperbacks in a hilarious, fast-paced story of a tortured summer romance--from the guy's point of view. "In this debut novel, Many adroitly captures the nuances and ironies of teenage ups and downs with irreverent humor and contemporary dialogue. The book is well crafted and nicely layered with metaphors...Many is an author to watch."--School Library Journal. "Laugh-out-loud funny, Many's story is the archetypal YA first-person narrative of the sensitive, bumbling teenager trying to figure out the `rules': about dating, and girls, and driving, and where he's going. It will move teens and engender wry recognition."--Booklist

Sixteen-year-old Neal Thackery is trying really hard to follow the logical (but boring) path laid out for him by his mother, his longtime girlfriend, Emily, his guidance counselor, his boss. . . He punches the time clock and does his best to follow directions, but even those who want him to pursue a program of school, job, marriage, and home ownership seem to agree―he may just be too much of a klutz to pull it off. As if Neal doesn't have enough problems, he must turn something in for his documentary film class, and so far all he has are his wild imagination and some strange, dreamlike images of his dead father. But as Neal works on the film, and works through some tough breaks, his past and future begin to make more sense―to him and to everyone. Paul Many's rare combination of irreverent humor and razor-sharp insight into the daily ups and downs of teenage life gives My Life, Take Two a clarity and honesty that readers will recognize and connect with.

Sixteen-year-old Neal Thackery is trying really hard to follow the logical (but boring) path laid out for him by his mother, his longtime girlfriend, Emily, his guidance counselor, his boss. . . He punches the time clock and does his best to follow directions, but even those who want him to pursue a program of school, job, marriage, and home ownership seem to agree—he may just be too much of a klutz to pull it off. As if Neal doesn't have enough problems, he must turn something in for his documentary film class, and so far all he has are his wild imagination and some strange, dreamlike images of his dead father. But as Neal works on the film, and works through some tough breaks, his past and future begin to make more sense—to him and to everyone. Paul Many's rare combination of irreverent humor and razor-sharp insight into the daily ups and downs of teenage life gives My Life, Take Two a clarity and honesty that readers will recognize and connect with.

Troubled Kate is hostile to the idea of moving to the country, suspecting that the family are only moving because of her problems at school. But everything goes wrong from the moment they move into the old farmhouse out in the middle of nowhere - Mum and Dad arguing so much that Mum moves back to London, school just as much of a problem as ever and she still can't read properly... Then Kate discovers a reason to try again: the abandoned garden behind their new home...

'They're not going to like me whatever I do . . .'Rain has always lived on the road with her artist mum, Max, in their colourful old bus. She's never been that bothered about fitting in, or about finding the dad she's never known. All that changes when their bus breaks down, they put down roots for the first time - and Rain gets to go to school at last! But Rain hadn't reckoned on having to deal with the way kids at school treat anyone who is different. Will her friendship with fellow outsider Daniel be enough to help her stick at it?

'WHO WANTS TO WATCH OTHER PEOPLE SCORE ALL THE GOALS?'Chris is a goalscorer - but his life is a mess. He's falling out with everyone: his dad, his teachers, even his best mate. The only thing that akes him feel good is banging the ball into the back of the net. He certainly doesn't want to play in defence - even if his school team does need defenders.Ian Rawson is Chris's new neighbour. An ex-Premier League defender, he's absolute magic on the pitch, in total control of the game . . . When Chris sees Ian play, he starts to wonder. Has he got it all wrong about defenders? And if he changes his mind, will there still be a place for him in the team?

This marvelous book about elephants covers a wide range of topics. Chapter 1 tells the heart rending story of a family of elephants from the baby elephant protected by its mother to the grandmother elephant who is coming to the end of her life. Packed with facts and illustrations (did you know that elephants get through six sets of teeth in their lifetime, and that each tooth is the size of a brick?!) this is a wonderful introduction to the animal world for young readers.For real elephant enthusiasts this book also suggests websites and places to visit to find out even more!

This marvelous book about dinosaurs covers a wide range of topics, from a day in the life of a brachiosaurus 200 million years ago to the dinosaur detectives who are making new and exciting discoveries about dinosaurs today. Packed with facts and illustrations, (did you know that some dinosaurs ate other reptiles - even other dinosaurs?!) this is a wonderful introduction to the animal world for young readers.For real dinosaur enthusiasts this book also suggests websites and places to visit to find out even more!