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A kid who just wanted a cell phone ends up being responsible for saving the world from an alien invasion in this "humorous, fast-paced" (Kirkus Reviews) middle grade novel that's perfect for fans of Sal and Gabi Break the Universe and Gordon Korman.

Ten-year-old Matt really wants a phone, but his parents won't let him have one. When he finds one just lying on the sidewalk, he naturally picks it up and claims it for himself. But when Matt uses his new phone to take pictures, they show the crossing guard in front of his school as a monster. That can't be right...can it?

Matt soon learns that: a) his lunch lady is also a monster (actually, an alien); b) an invasion of Earth is due to take place within the next few days; and c) the lunch lady is having cold feet (well, tentacles) about the whole thing and wants his help. Matt and his friend Marcela join forces with her to save the planet.

Battles in their school cafeteria and high above the Earth's atmosphere place them in very close encounters with alien pets and the business end of a gigantic oven. As the danger mounts, Matt and Marcela must ask themselves what they're willing to risk to save their friends, their family, and their world.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
An ALA Rise: A Feminist Book Project List Selection

"Soaring and searing." --Elizabeth Acevedo, former Young People's Poet Laureate and New York Times bestselling author of Poet X

A promising young singer recovers from a traumatic experience by traveling to Venice and connecting with the work of a 17th-century female composer in this gorgeous and sensual novel in verse from the acclaimed author of Call Me Athena.

Introverted and homeschooled, vocal prodigy Luciana "Lula" Gabroni is ready to become the star she's trained all her life to be. After entering the New England Conservatory of Music, she is immediately chosen to join an elite ensemble of peers who will compete in a prestigious music festival in modern-day Venice, Italy.

Barbara Strozzi is a poor young woman living in 17th-century Venice who dreams of making her mark on the world through her gift of song. She is determined to fight against the prescribed path of an illegitimate servant girl, daring to envision a life filled with intellect, pleasure, and independence--even as the restrictions of her gender and status threaten to silence her forever.

When Lula comes across Barbara's bold and seductive music in the Conservatory library, she immediately feels a striking kinship with the mysterious female composer. After an incident at school sends Lula searching to reclaim her voice, she soon realizes she must connect with the ghosts of the past to find her heart's true song once again.

"[Makes] history personal in a way that middle grade readers will connect to and feel empowered by." --School Library Journal (starred review)

From TikTok star and creator of Fast Black History Taylor Cassidy comes a "lively...accessible and appealing" (Kirkus Reviews), lightly illustrated nonfiction debut that blends history and memoir in a joyful celebration of Black American historical figures.

Meet Taylor Cassidy, Black history enthusiast and creator of the viral TikTok series Fast Black History. In her debut book, Taylor takes readers on a journey through the Black history she wishes she was taught in school. With sparkling wit and humor--and lots of fun pop culture references--she paints a vibrant picture of twelve figures from Black history whose groundbreaking contributions shaped America as we know it today. Introducing icons from activists to literary giants, movie stars to Olympic gold medalists, fashion designers to astronauts, and more, this one-of-a-kind collection makes Black history relatable, relevant, and utterly irresistible.

Using Black history as inspiration, Taylor weaves together research and personal anecdotes that illuminate each trailblazer's impact on her own life--as well as sharing plenty of triumphant, funny, and embarrassing moments from her past. From navigating friend breakups and unrequited crushes to setting boundaries and fighting self-doubt, Taylor's been there...and she's learned some valuable life lessons along the way.

This book is a joyful celebration of Black historymakers, and you're invited to the party. Come on in and let these twelve true stories inspire you to make history of your own!

An Oxford University biologist reveals the fascinating history of antibiotics, how we burned through them, and what that means for our future health.

The discovery of antibiotics was one of humanity's greatest achievements. Since their advent less than a century ago, antibiotics have saved millions of lives, marking one of the greatest medical advances in our history. Much like oil in the previous century, they were not invented but discovered--the most effective antibiotics are found in nature, made by microbes. But just like oil, antibiotics came with a cost. That's because antibiotics aren't like other drugs: every time we use them, we increase the possibility of resistance to them and thus undermine their future effectiveness. And like fossil fuels, they won't last forever.

How did we get here? In order to understand the future of antibiotics, we need to understand their past. Dangerous Miracle tells the story of antibiotics, tracing the grand arc of their evolution over millions of years with a history of the past century. Antibiotic resistance shows how easily bacteria have been able to undo human progress. If we want antibiotics to have a future, we need to prepare to adapt accordingly. And fast.

Dangerous Miracle is a revelatory account of the miraculous history and uncertain future of antibiotics from a visionary and gifted biologist.

Three starred reviews!
An instant #1 New York Times bestseller!

"Beautiful to the eye and sure to delight younger horror enthusiasts" --Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

From the team behind the New York Times bestselling and Caldecott Medal-winning Creepy Carrots! and its sequels comes the first entry in a spin-off chapter book series in which Jasper Rabbit tells the story of a young marmot whose tonsils get the better of him.

Jasper the Rabbit is back! A little older and wiser, he collects creepy stories to share as cautionary tales. If you're ready for some chills and chuckles alike, tune in as Jasper weaves the yarn of Charlie Marmot and the particular pickle he found himself in.

See, Charlie here has a problem: his tonsils have become infected and have to come out. No biggie, right? But when he decides he wants to keep them in a jar for show and tell, things get creepy... First, strange slurping sounds in his room keep Charlie awake the night before his surgery. Then, he goes to the doctor only to be told his tonsils are already gone! Could it be they're out for revenge?

Join Jasper and Charlie in this first Creepy Tale chapter book and learn from Charlie's mistakes before it's too late!

A leading organizational theorist takes us deep into the realm of humanity's most powerful invisible force--social status--and how it shapes everything from who we trust and what we value to which ideas and innovations change the world and who gets credit for their success.

Why does an authentic Rembrandt fetch hundreds of millions while a nearly identical painting by his most talented disciple goes for a tiny fraction of that price? What makes a restaurant "hot," a neighborhood "up-and-coming," or a technology "the next big thing"? Why do people often choose the same seats in recurrent office meetings? Who is most likely to interrupt someone else mid-sentence? Why do big name lawyers earn so much? Why are health disparities so pronounced? And why, when someone gets a bit ahead in life, does the small advantage so often compound?

The answer to all these questions is social status--invisible hierarchies that influence every aspect of our lives, from our health to our personal relationships and careers to how we behave in social and work settings to the tastes and preferences we form. Without it, we'd be lost and paralyzed when faced with even the simplest decisions. But it comes at a steep cost: status works as a powerful amplifier, turning small initial advantages into insurmountable leads. Inequality is baked into its core.

Through compelling examples from business, economics, literature, art, fashion, and beyond, Anointed demonstrates how status cascades through society, creating winners and losers in ways that often have little to do with merit. And how new technology offers a glimpse of a more equitable future.

"Deliciously twisty....A heady mix of dark academia, spiraling stakes, and tangled loyalties." --Ruth Ware, New York Times bestselling author

A group of Harvard alums have played a secret game for decades but as the stakes rise, deadly consequences emerge from old lies. An unputdownable debut thriller for readers of the suspenseful novels of Julia Bartz and Katy Hays.

Harvard promised them everything.

At eighteen years old, six young women had ambitious futures ahead: bright careers, love affairs, an education that would open doors for the rest of their lives. Sara's college roommates were the family she never had: Bee the political hopeful, Dina the academic prodigy, Allie the family girl, Wesley the hard-partying heiress, and Claudine the Southern belle--the closest thing Sara had ever known to a sister. But their senior year, Claudine died, and everything changed.

Twenty years later, the five college roommates still indulge in a secret tradition they've kept alive since their campus days: the Circus, a harmless assassin-style game played across the private rooms and secret alleys of New York City. The game is the glue that keeps them close and a nod to the sixth roommate they lost too young, but this time around Sara keeps catching inexplicable glimpses of Claudine. She wants out of the Circus until she discovers a small fortune awaits the winner of this final round and agrees out of loyalty and desperation to play one last time. As the Circus unfolds, Sara suspects the others aren't playing by the rules. When the game heats up and the roommates start pointing fingers, she discovers that even her closest friends have been keeping secrets that now threaten to destroy them all.

Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl meets P-Valley in Nic Stone's adult thriller debut about two missing erotic dancers from Atlanta's most notorious gentlemen's club and the woman committed to finding them.

When Damaris "Charm" Wilburn, a new daytime dancer, is missing for her shift at Boom Town, former headliner Michah "Lyriq" Johanssen suspects something more than a "no call, no show." As Lyriq's former headline partner and lover--Felice "Lucky" Carothers--also vanished under similar circumstances, Lyriq decides she's going to find them.

Delving deeper into Charm and Lucky's disappearances, Lyriq uncovers a tangled web of deceit, privilege, and power. The line between friend and foe blurs, forcing Lyriq to confront the question: is finding these women worth the threat to her own life?

This tantalizing thriller will take you on a heart-pounding and page turning journey through the peaks and valleys of Atlanta's underworld.

How to Score in Hollywood reveals the secrets to a movie's success and profitability. Entertainment research expert Kevin Goetz shares how smart, data-driven decisions--from development to release--help filmmakers minimize risks and maximize returns.

How to Score in Hollywood reveals the secrets to a movie's success and profitability. Entertainment research expert Kevin Goetz, founder and CEO of Screen Engine, draws on almost four decades of experience to show how strategic decisions--from development to release--help minimize risks and maximize returns. Armed with audience insights and data-driven strategies, Goetz demonstrates how every film should make money when made and marketed for the right price.

Key insights include:

- Recognizing what constitutes a big idea and developing it thoughtfully to set the foundation for success.
- Identifying the reason why a movie should exist and what it uniquely brings to the marketplace that will inspire interest and excitement to see it.
- Crafting films with a specific audience in mind and aligning production and marketing budgets to fit the size of its potential.
- Understanding how digital entertainment has reshaped audience behavior and perceptions of what makes a movie "theater-worthy."
- Elevating both the concept and execution to ensure a film stands out in a crowded and competitive marketplace.
- Understand and embrace the challenges of genre-blending films, or "feathered fish," with a clear-eyed approach, tackling complexities head-on instead of avoiding them.
- Using test audience feedback to guide the film's development all the way through postproduction, identifying danger signs along the way, and increasing the chances of success.

And much more!

For industry executives, filmmakers, film students, and film enthusiasts, How to Score in Hollywood offers a unique behind-the-scenes look at the important processes that shape what consumers are offered to watch. From the initial greenlight to the final cut, Goetz explores the critical balance between creativity and commerce in filmmaking, highlighting the vital role of research at every stage to create films that resonate with audiences while also turning a profit.

Filled with entertaining personal experiences, industry stories, and actionable advice, Goetz illustrates how research, budget, and marketability influence a film's financial outcome. Whether discussing low-budget indie hits or big-budget blockbusters, How to Score in Hollywood is an invaluable resource for those seeking to understand the art, science, and business of how movies are made, marketed, and released.

*NATIONAL BESTSELLER*

Turn losing your job into an epic comeback with this unfiltered, comprehensive GPS guide to rebuilding your career on your terms.

So, you got fired, laid off, restructured, canned. Welcome to the club, baby! In today's seismically changing job market, getting fired doesn't automatically mean you failed; it's a rite of passage.

With their decades of experience in high-stakes leadership roles, Laura Brown and Kristina O'Neill know firsthand the challenges--and thrilling opportunities--that come with losing a job, no matter where you are in your career. They've been through the shock, grief, anger, and confusion, and they're here to help you navigate the experience. All the Cool Girls Get Fired is both a roadmap and a mindset shift--a pragmatic, empowering and humorous way to make lemonade from lemons.

With candor, humor, actionable advice, and exclusive "I've been there," interviews from inspirational women, All the Cool Girls Get Fired challenges outdated corner office perceptions of career success. From coping mechanisms and self-care practices to networking strategies and reinvention techniques, the book is a comprehensive GPS to navigate the path of career recovery and bounce back with more professional mojo than ever.