Books published by publisher Lume Books

Young Otis is forced to question his origin and allegiances, given that his mom, a yellow chicken, is part of the Nuh-Uhs, and his dad, a blue flower, stems from the Yes-Chums. Struggling to find answers, Otis runs away, only to encounter more colors (and cultures) than he could ever imagine, including a giant portrait full of possibilities. Otis Grows is a picture book, rooted in the challenges of family conflict, but appealing to any child--or adult--who knows that growing up can be tough, that there is "the odor of growing older," but that ultimately, love and wonder will win.

Two girls who grow up to become women. Two friends who become something worse than enemies. In this brilliantly imagined novel, Toni Morrison tells the story of Nel Wright and Sula Peace, who meet as children in the small town of Medallion, Ohio. Their devotion is fierce enough to withstand bullies and the burden of a dreadful secret. It endures even after Nel has grown up to be a pillar of the black community and Sula has become a pariah. But their friendship ends in an unforgivable betrayal-or does it end? Terrifying, comic, ribald and tragic, Sula is a work that overflows with life.

Still reeling from a devastating tragedy, Kit Garrett struggles to adjust to his fancy new prep school. When his estranged older sister Ivy starts undergoing a frightening physical transformation, Kit embarks upon a quest to save her. He follows Ivy into a cave near his school and finds himself stranded twenty years in the future, after a mysterious catastrophe has obliterated almost all traces of human life. Accompanied by his nemesis Ashley, the star of the school’s lacrosse team, Kit makes his way across a destroyed land in search of his sister. Defenseless and in way over their heads, Kit and Ashley face off against a succession of dangerous and bizarre creatures: vicious imps with a taste for human flesh, telepathic cockroaches, and a gorgeous but lethal glass dragon. While Ivy struggles to come to terms with her ghastly birthright, Kit unearths the long-buried secrets of his own dark past. Kit’s mission becomes clear: rescue Ivy, find a way back to his own time… and save the world, if he can.

Linda Lehmann Masek is celebrating the publication of her 11th book since her writing career took off in 1992 with the publication of the first Mag-ni-fi-cat story (reprinted here). A lover of all animal life, Linda and her three cats spend happy hours looking out of the bay window in their home watching geese, deer and squirrels visiting. Her kitties are a constant inspiration for the author.

Luminis Books presents this heart-warming tale of family, friendship, and finding one's place in the world. Matthew knows that this summer is going to be the worst ever. His best friend Kyle is gone, his younger brother Mark has surpassed him in size and athletic ability, and his mother is pregnant for the fifth time. The eldest home-schooled son of a preacher, Matthew plans to bury himself in books about the speed of light and Einstein's Theory of Relativity to see if he can prove his own theory about the dilation of time. Instead, he befriends Dinah, a homeless teenager seeking refuge at the library. Although from very different backgrounds, Matthew and Dinah come to realize that they have a great deal in common--their love for music, and for cans of olives and potato chips found in a supermarket dumpster that are just past the sell-by date . . . and maybe even for each other. Matthew struggles with his feelings for his own family as he helps Dinah avoid Child Welfare. And in the process, Dinah helps him discover that even the smallest acts of kindness can make a very big difference. YOUNG ADULT / LITERARY FICTION / CHRISTIAN / COMING-OF-AGE / CHILD WELFARE / POVERTY / SMART KIDS / GOOD ROLEMODELS

This latest book from the pen of Linda Lehmann Masek is all about cats by way of two novellas and a delightfully illustrated poem called Cat and Catarina. Following on the success of MAG-NI-FI-CAT and the Christmas Tree Mystery, Linda gives us MAG-NI-FI-CAT and the Halloween Mystery as Magdelena takes on The Case of the Missing Diamonds. After all she tells her human mistress, “I come from a long line of detectives.”

In this tender ode to growth and development, Mama Deer muses over experiences her child may realize. With a nod to both career exploration and the pursuit of adventure, this book reflects on the importance of curiosity--and the inevitable friendships that accompany any journey.Perfect fodder for dreams at bedtime, or to gift as encouragement for the child who has grown, this quiet reflection rekindles wonder, invokes progress, and reminds us all to grow love, as we do what we do.

Young Otis is forced to question his origin and allegiances, given that his mom, a yellow chicken, is part of the Nuh-Uhs, and his dad, a blue flower, stems from the Yes-Chums. Struggling to find answers, Otis runs away, only to encounter more colors (and cultures) than he could ever imagine, including a giant portrait full of possibilities. Otis Grows is a picture book, rooted in the challenges of family conflict, but appealing to any child--or adult--who knows that growing up can be tough, that there is "the odor of growing older," but that ultimately, love and wonder will win.

This world is far, far from all there is. Ethan Weiss knows that. At the age of ten, Ethan enjoys imagining the endless possibilities of infinite parallel universes--worlds with one moon or maybe three moons instead of two, or worlds where dinosaurs survived the Great Plague of the Middle Ages and continue to roam the land. Even worlds where his father is still alive. Ethan lives on Jane Street with his mother and grandfather in a neighborhood called West Bohemia. In Ethan's world, people fondly recall the first woman president, Eleanor Roosevelt. Peafowl roam everywhere, causing a nuisance. Marvelous winged flying machines called pterosoars dock at the mast of the Empire State Building. And a rare and wondrous yellow-naped Amazon parrot named Churchill squawks an ominous phrase: “Enslave the city! Enslave the city!” Where did Churchill learn this, and what exactly does it mean? As darkness approaches and evil spreads through the streets, Ethan finds himself smack in the middle of a war nobody saw coming, and the liberation of his city ultimately rests with him. While history unfolds around him, Ethan slowly comes to terms with the death of his father. The journey he takes proves greater than his personal grief as he learns that, like all fatherless boys, he can grow beyond his own heartbreaking loss.

Young Otis is forced to question his origin and allegiances, given that his mom, a yellow chicken, is part of the Nuh-Uhs, and his dad, a blue flower, stems from the Yes-Chums. Struggling to find answers, Otis runs away, only to encounter more colors (and cultures) than he could ever imagine, including a giant portrait full of possibilities. Otis Grows is a picture book, rooted in the challenges of family conflict, but appealing to any child--or adult--who knows that growing up can be tough, that there is "the odor of growing older," but that ultimately, love and wonder will win.