Books with author Steven Layne

When teaching reading, American classrooms often focus exclusively on skills instruction. But how can you teach the “how” without the “why?” In his new book, Igniting a Passion for Reading, Steve Layne shows teachers how to develop readers who are not only motivated to read great books, but also love reading in its own right. Packed with practical ways to engage and inspire readers from kindergarten through high school, this book is a “must-have” on every teacher’s professional book shelf.Well-known for his children’s books, young adult novels, and keynote speeches across the nation and around the world, Steve, aka Dr. Read, offers teachers everywhere a plan for engaging even the most reluctant reader. From read-alouds to creating reading lounges to author visits and so much more, this book will help schools create a vibrant reading culture. The book also includes reminiscences from many of today’s well-known children’s and young adult authors—Mem Fox, Sharon Draper, Steven Kellogg, Candace Fleming, Eric Rohman, Neal Shusterman, and Joan Bauer—about the teacher who ignited their passion for reading.Written with humor, grace, and poignancy, Igniting a Passion for Reading will have a profound effect on the teaching of reading in our nation’s schools.

Something wicked this way comes; in this case it’s high schooler Jack Barrett’s father, whose inherent drive for perfection has spiraled into a raging obsession ever since he began working for the mysterious Eden Corporation. When his father forcibly relocates the family to Paradise, a village that is literally owned by Eden’s enigmatic CEO, Jack uncovers a sinister plot that threatens the lives of everyone he loves. Delving even further into the secrets of the village, he soon learns just how high the price for perfection can be . . . and to what lengths some people are willing to go to obtain it.

A student's mysterious transformation becomes the center of a deadly conspiracy. The sequel to This Side of Paradise, this thriller offers even more twists and surprises! When former wallflower Chase Maxfield starts the new semester as a hunky high schooler, Jack suspects there is something sinister behind his transformation. Jack's fear increases as strange things occur and lives are jeopardized. He must risk his life to discover the truth before it's too late.

The highly anticipated sequel to This Side of Paradise—which Kirkus heralds as “an entertaining, suspenseful thriller”—Paradise Lost delivers the same chilling scenarios and head-scratching secrets that fans expect from author Steven L. Layne. Meet Chase Maxfield. After a summer break, the former wallflower returns to school with a new found confidence to match his sudden, yet classic, good looks. His popularity even pulls the attention away from golden boy Troy Barrett. But not everyone is enamored with the overnight class favorite. Troy’s brother, Jack, suspects something sinister is behind Chase’s unexpected transformation, and his skepticism only grows as other eerie events occur.

Dirk and his friends have spent their entire lives in hiding because of their racial identities. Now they must make a dangerous journey into the past with the hope of restoring the world's natural timeline and dissolving their engineered society. Each of them has special powers-Nicci, the African Traveler, manipulates time; Mateo, the Hispanic Metamorph, alters his shape; Keiko, the Asian Empath, heals with her hands; and Dirk, the Caucasian Psyche, invades others' minds-that they will use to conquer The Merger.

In this cautionary tale, the themes of loyalty, leadership, and identity are all called into question as Dirk and his friends struggle to conquer The Merger. When they take a dangerous journey into the past with the hope of restoring the world’s natural timeline, each of them must struggle with their own inadequacies and deal with all-too-human failings, despite their special powers. Mergers’ riveting plot and supernatural characters will keep teens engaged while reminding them of each individual’s potential to change the world.

The highly anticipated sequel to This Side of Paradise-which Kirkus heralds as an "an entertaining, suspenseful thriller"-Paradise Lost delivers the same chilling scenarios and head-scratching secrets that fans expect from author Steven L. Layne. After a summer break, former wallflower Chase Maxfield returns to school with a new found confidence to match his sudden, yet classic, good looks. But Jack Barrett suspects something sinister is behind Chase's unexpected transformation, and his skepticism only grows as other eerie events occur. When Jack's grandmother is mysteriously poisoned, his brother disappears, and his girlfriend soon develops an interest in someone else, Jack becomes even more determined to discover the truth. Packed with action and off-the-wall incidents, this fast-paced novel invites readers on an adventure that builds momentum until the very last page.