Books published by publisher Wendy Lamb Books

“Sometimes having company is not all it’s cracked up to be.” Fifteen-year-old Finn is a loner, living with his dad and his amazing dog, Dylan. This summer he’s hoping for a job where he doesn’t have to talk to anyone except his pal Matthew. Then Johanna moves in next door. She’s 10 years older, cool, funny, and she treats Finn as an equal. Dylan loves her, too. Johanna’s dealing with breast cancer, and Matthew and Finn learn to care for her, emotionally and physically. When she hires Finn to create a garden, his gardening ideas backfire comically. But Johanna and the garden help Finn discover his talents for connecting with people.

In the spirit of of Where the Red Fern Grows and Because of Winn Dixie, this is a contemporary classic in the making about a boy and his dog, and a choice that will test their loyalty and trust.Danny Mack is a rising rodeo star in rural Oregon. He lives on a ranch with his older brother, their dad, and his faithful border collie, Banjo.Late one night, Danny is awakened by gunshots. Banjo has been wounded. The neighbors claim he was going after their livestock, which gives them the right to shoot the dog or have him put down. Dad reluctantly agrees. They must obey the law. Danny knows Banjo is innocent, and comes up with a desperate plan to save him--but something goes terribly wrong.Days later, on a distant ranch, Meg Harris finds a frightened dog alone in the woods. Banjo. She takes him home and searches for the dog's owner, furious that he was abandoned. She's not going to give Banjo up easily.Told by Danny and by Meg, this fast-paced, heartrending novel explores the deep connection between humans and animals, and reminds readers that you can't judge an animal--or a person--before you know their story.

It's summertime, and thirteen-year-old Nina Ross is feeling kind of lost. Her beloved grandma died last year; her parents work all the time; her brother's busy; and her best friend is into clothes, makeup, and boys. While Nina doesn't know what "her thing" is yet, it's definitely not shopping and makeup. And it's not boys, either. Though . . . has Eli, the boy next door, always been so cute?This summer, Nina decides to change things. She hatches a plan. There are sixty-five days of summer. Every day, she'll anonymously do one small but remarkable good thing for someone in her neighborhood, and find out: does doing good actually make a difference? Along the way, she discovers that her neighborhood, and her family, are full of surprises and secrets.In this bighearted, sweetly romantic novel, things may not turn out exactly as Nina expects. They might be better.Praise:Finalist for the Golden Sower Award (Nebraska)Nominated for the Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice AwardsNominated for the Sunshine State Young Readers Award (Florida)

THE STORY IS all true and happened to me and is mine.Tony’s mom, Al, is a terrific single mother who works as a dancer at the Kitty Kat Club. Twelve-year-old Tony is a budding artist, inspired by backstage life at the club. When some of his drawings end up in an art show and catch the attention of the social services agency, Al and Tony find themselves in the middle of a legal wrangle and a media circus. Is Al a responsible mother? It’s the case of the stripper vs. the state, and Al isn’t giving Tony up without a fight.Once again Gary Paulsen proves why he’s one of America’s most-beloved writers. The Glass Café is a fresh and funny exploration of motherhood, art, and the wiles of storytelling—all told by Tony, in his own true voice.

A gorgeous, full-color oversized book about educating girls across the world inspired by the documentary that Entertainment Weekly says “every mother, sister, daughter, should see, as well as the men who love and support them.” This is the right book for the present moment and perfect for fans of inspirational nonfiction such as I Am Malala and anyone who believes that one girl can change the world.Worldwide, over 130 million girls are not in school.But one girl with courage is a revolution. Girl Rising, a global campaign for girls’ education, created a film that chronicled the stories of nine girls in the developing world, allowing viewers the opportunity to witness how education can break the cycle of poverty.Now, award-winning author Tanya Lee Stone deftly uses new research to illuminate the dramatic facts behind the film, focusing both on the girls captured on camera and many others. She examines barriers to education in depth—early child marriage and childbearing, slavery, sexual trafficking, gender discrimination, and poverty—and shows how removing these barriers means not only a better life for girls, but safer, healthier, and more prosperous communities. With full-color photos from the film, infographics, and a compelling narrative, Girl Rising will inspire readers of all ages to join together in a growing movement to help change the world.A Junior Library Guild Selection Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year “A moving account of hardships and triumphs that is bound to inspire future activists, this is a devastating but crucial read.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Additional Praise for the Film: “Delivers . . . tangible hope that the world can be healed in a better future.” —Meryl Streep“Girl Rising stands as a testament to the power of information.” —The Los Angeles Times

Award-winning author Susin Nielsen has written a laugh-out-loud and heartrending novel for fans of Robyn Schneider’s Extraordinary Means and Cammie McGovern’s Say What You Will. Beware: Life ahead. Sixteen-year-old Petula de Wilde is anything but wild. A former crafting fiend with a happy life, Petula shut herself off from the world after a family tragedy. She sees danger in all the ordinary things, like crossing the street, a bug bite, or a germy handshake. She knows: life is out to get you. The worst part of her week is her comically lame mandatory art therapy class with a small group of fellow misfits. Then a new boy, Jacob, appears at school and in her therapy group. He seems so normal and confident, though he has a prosthetic arm; and soon he teams up with Petula on a hilarious project, gradually inspiring her to let go of some of her fears. But as the two grow closer, a hidden truth behind why he’s in the group threatens to derail them, unless Petula takes a huge risk. . . Praise: Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year “Nielsen writes with sensitivity, empathy, and humor.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred “Nielsen excels at depicting troubled, clever teenagers in familiar environments.” —School Library Journal, Starred “[An] empathic and deeply moving story, balanced by sharply funny narration and dialogue.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred “A poignant exploration into the nuances of healing.” —Quill and Quire, Starred

Eddy Okubo lies about his age and joins the army in his hometown of Honolulu only weeks before the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor. Suddenly Americans see him as the enemy—even the U.S. Army doubts the loyalty of Japanese American soldiers.Then the army sends Eddy and a small band of Japanese American soldiers on a secret mission to a small island off the coast of Mississippi. Here they are given a special job, one that only they can do. Eddy’s going to help train attack dogs. He’s going to be the bait.

The hope of spring! The hope of a new life! Lena Graber is a relieved widow, not grieved. When her marriage ends, she relishes the peace, except when her mother-in-law torments her with debt. Fearful of losing her farm, Lena reaches out to Jacob King, who plows up the fields and plants winter wheat. Come spring, it should bring in a good profit.Jacob King has loved Lena since he was old enough to like girls. At twenty-seven he’s given up looking for a woman like Lena. Now that Lena is free to remarry, she considers Jacob’s proposal. But she needs time away and lives with her aunt and uncle in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania for the winter. But the Amish in Pennsylvania are vastly different than the strictest of strict Amish sect Lena is used to in New York. As Lena finds liberty in Pennsylvania to wear colors other than black and blue, be a passenger in a car, have trusted English friends, and other luxuries forbidden back home, will this divide her from Jacob? All winter, like the dead seeds of wheat grow and swell under the earth, so does Lena. As the desire to remarry grows, God is molding a man who will love her unconditionally…Best-selling author, Karen Anna Vogel, is known for her ‘redemptive novels.’ filled with hope. She’s been a trusted English friend to many Amish in New York and Pennsylvania over the past thirty years and strives to accurately portray their culture. To learn more about Amish life, you may want to grab her devotional, 31 Days to a Simple Life the Amish Way: Inspirational Secrets from Amish Friends.

Calvin Coconut needs to fix things with Stella—and fast!Stella from Texas is now officially a member of the Coconut household. As if getting a bossy babysitter isn’t bad enough for Calvin, Stella teases him mercilessly. What’s a nine-year-old boy to do? Calvin decides to “fix” her, and he dumps his neighbor’s cat Zippy on Stella’s bed, knowing she’s allergic. But when Stella breaks out in hives and misses her first big date, Calvin realizes his “zippy fix” went too far. He’s got to make it up to her, and decides to give her a birthday present. But he has no money. Along with the help of his loyal friends and little sister, Darci, Calvin works hard, and comes up with enough cash to give Stella the best birthday gift ever.Graham Salisbury’s voice perfectly captures the inner workings of Calvin’s mind, and Jacqueline Rogers’ delightful pictures add zest and humor to The Zippy Fix.

Samuel, 13, spends his days in the forest, hunting for food for his family. He has grown up on the frontier of a British colony, America. Far from any town, or news of the war against the King that American patriots have begun near Boston.But the war comes to them. British soldiers and Iroquois attack. Samuel’s parents are taken away, prisoners. Samuel follows, hiding, moving silently, determined to find a way to rescue them. Each day he confronts the enemy, and the tragedy and horror of this war. But he also discovers allies, men and women working secretly for the patriot cause. And he learns that he must go deep into enemy territory to find his parents: all the way to the British headquarters, New York City.

An instant New York Times bestseller, Liar & Spy is a story about games and friendship. Seventh-grader Georges moves into a Brooklyn apartment building and meets Safer, a twelve-year-old self-appointed spy. Georges becomes Safer's first spy recruit. His assignment? Tracking the mysterious Mr. X, who lives in the apartment upstairs. But as Safer becomes more demanding, Georges starts to wonder: How far is too far to go for your only friend? Like Stead's dazzling Newbery-winner When You Reach Me, Liar & Spy will keep readers guessing until the end. * A New York Times bestseller * A New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book of 2012 * Kirkus Reviews Best of Children's Books 2012 List * Publishers Weekly Best of Children's Fiction 2012 * School Library Journal Best of Children's Fiction 2012 List * The Horn Book's Best of 2012 List * The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 2012 Blue Ribbons List * Barnes & Noble Best Books of 2012 for Kids List * NPR Outstanding "Backseat" Reads for Ages 9-14, NPR's Backseat Book Club * Amazon's Top 5 "Best of the Year" (Middle Grade Books) * The Wall Street Journal's Best Children's Books of 2012 * The Chicago Public Library Best of the Best 2012 * A Junior Library Guild Selection

*"This savvy, insightful take on the modern family makes for nearly nonstop laughs."—Kirkus Reviews, StarredStewart, 13: Socially clueless genius. Ashley, 14: Popular with everyone but her teachers Ashley's and Stewart's worlds collide when Stewart and his dad move in with Ashley and her mom. The Brady Bunch it isn't. Stewart is trying to be 89.9 percent happy about it--he's always wanted a sister. But Ashley is 110 percent horrified. She already has to hide the real reason her dad moved out; “Spewart” could further threaten her position at the top of the social ladder. They're complete opposites, but they have one thing in common: they—like everyone else—are made of molecules. In this hilarious and deeply moving story, award-winning author Susin Nielsen has created two narrators who will steal your heart and make you laugh out loud. Praise NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Nominated for the George Peach Book Award for Teen ReadersNominated to the Pacific Northwest Young Reader’s Choice AwardTexas Lone Star Reading List"A laugh-out-loud story of two teens learning to adjust to unusual family life that neither expected...Everyone from teenagers to adults will enjoy this story of ups and downs, laughter and tears, and the healing power of love."--VOYA*"Drama, humour, poignancy, and suspense are rarely found in such perfect proportions..some truly funny writing...stellar, top notch stuff."—Quill & Quire, Starred What Other Authors Are Saying“Susin Nielsen is one of the best writers working today. In We Are All Made of Molecules, her astonishing ability to combine insight, tenderness, poignancy, and uproarious humor is in full flower. Susin Nielsen is a genius, and kids and adults alike will adore this book.” —Susan Juby, author of The Truth Commission “What a skilled, gifted writer Susin is!…There’s so much to love about this story . . . but what grabbed me the most is the humor.” —Christopher Paul Curtis, Newbery Medal–winning author of Bud, Not Buddy and The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963