Books in Laurel-Leaf Books series

When Lonnie Jackson leaves Harlem for a basketball scholarship to a midwestern college, he know he must keep his head straight and his record clean. That's the only way he'll have a chance of making it to the pros someday. But his street smarts haven't prepared him for the pressures of tough classes, high-stakes college ball, and the temptation to fix games for local gamblers. Everyone plays by a whole new set of rules -- including Sherry, who's determined to be a track star. Her independence attracts Lonnie, but their on-again, off-again relationship is driving him crazy. Lonnie has one year to learn how to make it as a " college man." It's his outside shot at a bright future. Does he have what it takes?

Paul Kagomi is a child guerrilla, orphaned by war in Africa and schooled in bloodshed, who places his trust in his AK, his gun. He can't remember his village, destroyed long ago, or his family. He has only Michael, his "uncle," leader of their commando unit, who trained him to fight as a fierce, proud warrior.With the promise of peace, Michael becomes a member of the government in the capital, and Paul buries the AK and is sent to school. But the peace does not last, and Paul and his friend Jilli set out to find his faithful gun again.They may be children, but they are warriors too.

They steal a Bible from a cheap motel, find an old army tent, and start raking in the money hand over fist. Steven's father is tired of being poor, so he decides to be a preacher. At first Steven is embarrassed by the way his father lies so easily about God. But he learns to love the buckets of money and learns to play his part in the hustle. They set up shop on the outskirts of dusty Texas towns and start to work their way through the South, saving souls. Along the way, they find out whether they can save their own.

Two of Joan Lowery Nixon's Edgar Award winners in one volume!The Other Side of Dark: Stacy wakes up in a room that’s not hers, in a body she doesn’t recognize, to discover she’s been in a coma for four years. Her mother is dead–murdered–and Stacy, recovering from a gunshot wound, is the only eyewitness. But the killer is not about to let her reveal his identity. . . .“A top-rate thriller. . . . Nixon has written another compelling page-turner.” –BooklistThe Name of the Game Was Murder:Samantha is shocked when she meets her great-uncle, the famous novelist Augustus Trevor. He’s a mean-spirited man who has just invited–blackmailed–a group of celebrities to come to his island mansion and participate in a “game.” But when Augustus is found murdered, it’s up to Samantha to join the game–and win.“An entertaining read. . . . The clues–and the way Sam, with lots of serendipity, puzzles through them–are clever indeed.”–Kirkus ReviewsFrom the Paperback edition.

Thirteen-year-old Margaret "Mac" Whitford's life is spinning out of control. Her parents are getting divorced, and Mac is caught in the middle of their bitter custody battle. Mac feels like the trophy in a championship prizefight. Her mother and father are so busy talking to judges and lawyers and therapists, they forget about the one person who really matters--Mac.Enter Henrietta Porter LePage Middleton, Mac's seventy-something court-appointed guardian. Henrietta wears a red beret and rides a double bicycle in the wrong direction down one-way streets. Henrietta works at the museum and enjoys art and books and music. When Mac's with Henrietta, she feels like her old self again. And with Henrietta in her corner, Mac knows she'll find the courage to stand up for herself and fight for what's right--for everyone.

When 17-year-old April Hunter first sees Fernando, it is easy to dismiss him as just another of her father's indigent Latin American patients.Yet, despite her feelings, April can't keep herself from thinking about Fernando. How did he get the horrendous scar on his neck? What is his birthplace, El Paraiso, El Salvador, like? As curiosity turns to fascination and fascination to love, April learns the horrifying and mind-boggling story of Fernando's life. But when she hears a different story from the Immigration and Naturalization Service, she has to wonder whom to trust.