"Growing up with a mother suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and a mostly absent father, Nikki Grimes found herself terrorized by babysitters, shunted from foster family to foster family, and preyed upon by those she trusted. At the age of six, she poured her pain onto a piece of paper late one night - and discovered the magic and impact of writing. For many years, Nikki's notebooks were her most enduing companions. In this accessible and inspiring...

A powerful and thought-provoking Civil Rights era memoir from one of America’s most celebrated poets.
 
Looking back on her childhood in the 1950s, Newbery Honor winner and National Book Award finalist Marilyn Nelson tells the story of her development as an artist and young woman through fifty eye-opening poems. Readers are given an intimate portrait of her growing self-awareness and artistic inspiration along with a larger view of...

"Introduces and defines essential elements of writing nonfiction accompanied by compelling writing prompts for practicing new skills. Real-life author bios and excerpts enhance skills and understanding"--

"The beloved New York Times bestselling author reflects on home, family, friendships and writing in this deeply personal collection of essays"-- ""Any story that starts will also end." As a writer, Ann Patchett knows what the outcome of her fiction will be. Life, however, often takes turns we do not see coming. Patchett ponders this truth in these wise essays that afford a fresh and intimate look into her mind and heart. At the center of These Precious...

When Violet decides to write a book, she insists that her twin brother help because he has good ideas, but Victor would rather count his pet worms.

Reclusive writer Parker Evans creates a new novel about the destructive rivalry between friends and its devastating repercussions, but when the husband of Parker's editor recognizes the story as his own, he sets out to silence Parker.

Brings surprising revelations as Carrie learns to navigate her way around Big Apple, going from being a country "sparrow" to the person she always wanted to be.

Celeste Bergstein moves to a small town in Montana to escape her past, only to become embroiled in her new home town's twisted secrets when the school's star athlete--who is also the subject of Celeste's writings--is found dead at the mouth of a cave.

"Don't take the title as a metaphor: it really is the worst book ever. Governor General Literary Award winning children's book author and illustrator Elise Gravel takes readers on an unexpected journey through the world's most boring book. The story's characters and omniscient readers alike quickly become annoyed by the author's bland imagination and rebel against her tired tropes and stale character choices, spouting sass in an attempt to get her...