New Releases by Adi Alsaid

A girl fights to free her sister from a curse while a beautiful mountain is at risk of being turned into a theme park in this giggle-worthy yet heartfelt middle grade adventure set in the world of The Bravest Warrior in Nefaria. Having grown up in Nefaria, a land where evil schemes abound, Candelabra is thrilled to take a school trip to Joviala, a land that’s prone to natural disasters but has virtually no evil in it. All her life, she’s dreamt of a place where everyone is caring and happy and without malicious intent, and now it’s coming true for her. But Jovialan Schmebecca isn’t so sure her country’s reputation is earned. A company has just been approved to move her beloved mountain to install a theme park, and that sounds pretty evil to her. She enlists the help of veteran evil-scheme-thwarters Candelabra and Bobert, and together, they work to uncover the possible evil scheme—but when a twist pits their goals against each other, the fight against evil becomes a lot more complicated.

A globetrotting novel that takes a determined teen from Japan to Australia and to Argentina and Mexico on a quest to prove that humanity is more good than bad from the author of Let’s Get Lost and Before Takeoff. Isabel is having an existential crisis. She’s three years into high school, and everything she’s learned has only shaken her faith in humanity. Late one night, she finds herself drawn to a niche corner of the internet—a forum whose members believe firmly in one thing: that there are indeed people out in the world quietly performing impossible acts of heroism. You might even call them supers. No, not in the comic book sense—these are real people, just like each of us, but who happen to have a power or two. If Isabel can find them, she reasons, she might be able to prove to herself that humanity is more good than bad. So, the day she turns 18, she sets off on a journey that will take her from Japan to Australia, and from Argentina to Mexico, with many stops along the way. She longs to prove one—just one—super exists to restore her hope for the future. Will she find what she’s looking for? And how will she know when—if—she does?

Phineas and Ferb meets the Despicable Me series in this “fanciful, humorous, and original” (Kirkus Reviews) middle grade debut from acclaimed author Adi Alsaid about a wannabe hero who lives in a goofily evil kingdom where nefarious schemes abound. Welcome to Nefaria, where nearly every day the kingdom faces another evil scheme. Most are harmless, though, so the citizens of Nefaria simply learn to live with the latest hijinks and go on with their lives. This includes Bobert Bougainvillea, who is much more concerned with the fact that he seems to be invisible. From the teachers in his school to his classmates, almost no one notices Bobert, no matter how visible he tries to be. Then everything changes when Bobert follows his classmates to a cursed gumball machine. Before he knows it, Bobert is sucked into one of Nefaria’s most villainous evil schemes, a plot that has been a long time in the making—too long, in the evil wizard Matt’s opinion. And retreating into invisibility this time won’t do, not when Bobert is the only one with the drive, knowledge, and—if his newfound courage doesn’t fail him—bravery to foil Matt’s plan.

The Sun Is Also a Star meets Jumanji when two teens meet and fall in love during a layover-gone-wrong at the Atlanta airport in this thrilling new novel from the author of Let''s Get Lost! James and Michelle find themselves in the Atlanta airport on a layover. They couldn''t be more different, but seemingly interminable delays draw them both to a mysterious flashing green light--and each other. Where James is passive, Michelle is anything but. And she quickly discovers that the flashing green light is actually... a button. Which she presses. Which may or may not unwittingly break the rules of the universe--at least as those rules apply to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta. Before they can figure up from down, strange, impossible things start happening: snowstorms form inside the B terminal; jungles sprout up in the C terminal; and earthquakes split the ground apart in between. And no matter how hard they try, it seems no one can find a way in or out of the airport. James and Michelle team up to find their families and either escape the airport, or put an end to its chaos--before it''s too late.

This exceptional and powerful anthology explores the joys, heartbreaks and triumphs of immigration, with stories by critically acclaimed and bestselling YA authors who are shaped by the journeys they and their families have taken from home—and to find home. WELCOME From some of the most exciting bestselling and up-and-coming YA authors writing today…journey from Ecuador to New York City and Argentina to Utah…from Australia to Harlem and India to New Jersey…from Fiji, America, Mexico and more… Come On In. With characters who face random traffic stops, TSA detention, customs anxiety, and the daunting and inspiring journey to new lands…who camp with their extended families, dance at weddings, keep diaries, teach ESL…who give up their rooms for displaced family, decide their own answer to the question “where are you from?” and so much more… Come On In illuminates fifteen of the myriad facets of the immigrant experience, from authors who have been shaped by the journeys they and their families have taken from home—and to find home.

From Adi Alsaid, the acclaimed author of Let’s Get Lost, Never Sometimes Always, and North of Happy Every year, lock-in night changes lives. This year, it might just change the world. Central International School’s annual lock-in is legendary — and for six students, this year’s lock-in is the answer to their dreams. The chance to finally win the contest. Kiss the guy. Make a friend. Become the star of a story that will be passed down from student to student for years to come. But then a group of students, led by Marisa Cuevas, stage an eco-protest and chain themselves to the doors, vowing to keep everyone trapped inside until their list of demands is met. While some students rally to the cause, others are devastated as they watch their plans fall apart. And Marisa, once so certain of her goals, must now decide just how far she’ll go to attain them. “Engrossing.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“A briliant multicultual collection that reminds readers that stories about food are rarely just about the food alone.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) A stunning collection of short stories about the intersection of family, culture, and food in the lives in teens, from bestselling and critically acclaimed authors, including Sandhya Menon, Anna-Marie McLemore, and Rin Chupeco. A shy teenager attempts to express how she really feels through the pastries she makes at her family’s pasteleria. A tourist from Montenegro desperately seeks a magic soup dumpling that can cure his fear of death. An aspiring chef realizes that butter and soul are the key ingredients to win a cooking competition that could win him the money to save his mother’s life. Welcome to Hungry Hearts Row, where the answers to most of life’s hard questions are kneaded, rolled, baked. Where a typical greeting is, “Have you had anything to eat?” Where magic and food and love are sometimes one in the same. Told in interconnected short stories, Hungry Hearts explores the many meanings food can take on beyond mere nourishment. It can symbolize love and despair, family and culture, belonging and home.

From Adi Alsaid, the acclaimed author of Let’s Get Lost, North of Happy, and We Didn’t Ask for This A story about being in love with love. Dumped by her boyfriend the summer after senior year, popular love-and-dating columnist Lu Charles can’t seem to write another word. Devastated, she spends her time wondering if everything she used to believe about love was a lie. But when Lu overhears another college-bound couple breaking up—before deciding to stay together for one final summer—she is inspired. Could Cal and Iris be the key to solving her writers block? Lu starts chronicling the couple’s final weeks around New York City, ignoring her friends, her family, even her looming column deadlines as she becomes Cal and Iris’s unofficial third wheel. With her NYU scholarship hanging in the balance, will Lu be able to discover the truth about love that she’s been looking for? Or will she learn a much greater lesson?

Dive into these three magnificent coming-of-age stories about love, loss, and adventure by Adi Alsaid! LET’S GET LOST Four teens across the country have only one thing in common: a girl named Leila. She crashes into their lives in her absurdly red car at the moment they need someone the most. Hudson, Bree, Elliot and Sonia find a friend in Leila. And when Leila leaves them, their lives are forever changed. But it is during Leila’s own 4,268-mile journey that she discovers the most important truth—sometimes, what you need most is right where you started. NEVER ALWAYS SOMETIMES Best friends Dave and Julia were determined to never be cliché high school kids. They even wrote their own Never List of everything they vowed they’d never, ever do in high school. But Dave has a secret: he’s broken rule #8: never pine silently after someone for the entirety of high school. It’s either that or break rule #10: never date your best friend. So when Julia impetuously suggests they do every Never on the list, Dave is happy to play along. It starts as a joke, but then a funny thing happens: Dave and Julia discover that by skipping the clichés, they’ve actually been missing out on high school. And maybe even on love. NORTH OF HAPPY Carlos Portillo has always led a privileged and sheltered life. He lives in Mexico City with his wealthy family and attends an elite international school. Always a rule follower, Carlos is happy to tread the well-worn path in front of him. He has always loved food and cooking, but his parents see it as just a hobby. When his older brother, Felix—who has dropped out of college to live a life of travel—is tragically killed, Carlos begins hearing his brother’s voice, pushing him to rebel against his father’s plan for him. Worrying about his mental health but knowing Felix is right, Carlos runs away to the United States and manages to secure a job with his favorite celebrity chef. As he works to improve his skills in the kitchen and pursue his dream, he begins to fall for his boss’s daughter. Finally living for himself, Carlos must decide what’s most important to him and where his true path really lies. Titles originally published in 2014, 2015, and 2017.

Carlos Portillo siempre ha llevado una vida privilegiada y protegida. Ciudadano dual de México y los Estados Unidos, vive en la Ciudad de México con su familia, donde asiste a una escuela internacional de élite. Siempre ha sido obediente a las normas y un orgullo para sus padres: Carlos está más que feliz de seguir la senda conocida. Siempre ha amado la comida y especialmente cocinar, pero sus padres ven esto como un hobby. Cuando su hermano mayor, Félix -que abandonó la universidad para vivir una vida de viajero- es trágicamente asesinado, Carlos comienza a escuchar la voz de su hermano, aconsejándolo y presionándolo para que se rebele contra el plan de su padre. Preocupado por su salud mental, pero sabiendo que la voz es correcta, Carlos huye a los Estados Unidos y logra asegurarse un trabajo con su chef famoso favorito. Mientras trabaja para mejorar sus habilidades en la cocina y perseguir su sueño, comienza a enamorarse de la hija de su jefe, un hecho que podría terminar su carrera antes de que comience. Finalmente, viviendo para sí mismo, Carlos debe decidir qué es lo más importante para él y dónde está realmente su verdadero camino.

From Adi Alsaid, the acclaimed author of Let’s Get Lost, Never Always Sometimes, and We Didn’t Ask for This What do you do when you want to run away — but you end up finding yourself? A dual citizen of Mexico and the United States, Carlos Portillo is happy to follow the well-worn path to a future of comfort and ease in Mexico City that’s been planned for him since birth. But when his older brother Felix—who defied their parents to live a life of adventure—is tragically killed, Carlos is determined to live out his own dreams for the both of them. He escapes to San Juan Island off the coast of Washington state and gets a job with a celebrity chef he’s admired from afar for years. But while things are coming together for him in the kitchen, a forbidden romance with his boss’s daughter could end his career before it even begins. Finally living for himself, Carlos learns that reality doesn’t come with a road map to an easy life — but does finding your true path mean following your head? Or your heart? “An exceptional tale of grief, ambition, love, and maturity.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review A YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adult nominee A Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year A TAYSHAS Reading List Book

During her cross-country adventures following the tragic death of her family, Leila touches the lives of four strangers -- Hudson, a love-seeking mechanic; Bree, a dramatic petty thief; Elliot, a disappointed planner; and Sonia, a broken-hearted teen. While forever changing the lives of these four, Leila also discovers an important truth about herself.

Dave et Julia sont meilleurs amis depuis toujours. Et depuis toujours, Dave est secrètement amoureux de Julia. La veille de leur entrée au lycée, ils se font une promesse : ne pas succomber aux clichés de l’adolescence et du premier-amour-pour-toujours. Ils ont élaboré une liste de choses à éviter pour ne pas faire comme tout le monde et entrer dans le moule : ne pas aller aux fêtes, ne pas se teindre les cheveux, ne pas sortir avec un prof, ne pas sortir avec son meilleur ami... Dix points que Dave et Julia parviennent à respecter tout au long du lycée. Lorsque l’heure du départ à l’université approche, ils décident de renverser la tendance et de réaliser tout ce qu’ils se sont interdits jusque-là. Tout se passe comme ils le souhaitent jusqu’à ce que Dave se mette à sortir avec une autre fille. Julia réalise alors qu’elle est jalouse. Dave est fou de joie d’avoir enfin ce qu’il a tant espéré. Lui et Julia s’embrassent et passent la nuit ensemble. Sur le coup, tout semble parfait, mais très vite Dave comprend que c’est en fait Gretchen qu’il aime...

Cuatro adolescentes de las cuatro puntas de los Estados Unidos tienen una cosa en común: una chica llamada Leila. Aterriza en sus vidas con su ridículo coche rojo justo en el momento en que más la necesitan.Por ejemplo, Hudson, un chico que trabaja en...

Porque às vezes é preciso se perder para poder se encontrar Quatro jovens ao redor do país têm apenas uma coisa em comum: uma garota chamada Leila. Ela entra na vida de cada um com seu carro absurdamente vermelho no momento em que eles mais precisam de alguém. Entre eles está Hudson, mecânico em uma cidadezinha, que está disposto a jogar fora seus sonhos de amor verdadeiro. E Bree, uma garota que fugiu de casa e festeja todas as terças-feiras — além de algumas transgressões ao longo do caminho. Elliot acredita em finais felizes... até sua vida sair totalmente do script. Enquanto isso, Sonia pensa que, quando perdeu o namorado, também perdeu a capacidade de amar. Hudson, Bree, Elliot e Sonia encontram uma amiga em Leila. E, quando ela vai embora, a vida de cada um deles está transformada para sempre. Mas é durante sua própria jornada de quase sete mil quilômetros através do país que Leila descobre a verdade mais importante: às vezes, aquilo de que você mais precisa está exatamente no ponto onde começou. E talvez a única maneira de encontrar o que você está procurando seja se perder ao longo do caminho.

Never date your best friend Always be original Sometimes rules are meant to be broken Best friends Dave and Julia were determined to never be cliché high school kids—the ones who sit at the same lunch table every day, dissecting the drama from homeroom and plotting their campaigns for prom king and queen. They even wrote their own Never List of everything they vowed they''d never, ever do in high school. Some of the rules have been easy to follow, like #5, never die your hair a color of the rainbow, or #7, never hook up with a teacher. But Dave has a secret: he''s broken rule #8, never pine silently after someone for the entirety of high school. It''s either that or break rule #10, never date your best friend. Dave has loved Julia for as long as he can remember. Julia is beautiful, wild and impetuous. So when she suggests they do every Never on the list, Dave is happy to play along. He even dyes his hair an unfortunate shade of green. It starts as a joke, but then a funny thing happens: Dave and Julia discover that by skipping the clichés, they''ve actually been missing out on high school. And maybe even on love. Check out Adi Alsaid''s bestselling novel Let''s Get Lost. Five strangers. Countless adventures. One epic way to get lost.

« Une histoire douloureusement belle... Dans la veine de La Face cachée de Margo de John Green, le premier roman d’Adi Alsaid est un bijou de la littérature young adult contemporaine. » — SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL « Captivant, mystérieux, amusant et profond... Aux lecteurs de John Green et d’autres auteurs réalistes pour jeunes adultes, je recommande vivement ce nouveau roman merveilleux. » — FRESH FICTION « Suivez Leila – une héroïne à la fois gentille, généreuse, versatile et espiègle – dans sa quête pleine d’action vers la découverte de soi. Ce roman-qui-fait-du-bien vous raconte quatre histoires d’amour pour le prix d’une. » — WENDY WUNDER, auteur de La Fille qui ne croyais pas aux miracles « Les personnages sont caractérisés de façon particulièrement authentique et colorée. Ce premier roman est un road-trip divertissant et romantique. — KIRKUS REVIEWS « La quête de Leila pour trouver les aurores boréales entraîne les lecteurs dans un voyage captivant, au cours duquel les histoires de quatre étrangers entrent en collision dans un seul et même récit initiatique fascinant. » — YABOOKSCENTRAL.COM « Hypnotisant. Une histoire sur l’amour, la perte, l’ambition et la recherche du vrai sens de l’existence. Chaque étape de l’itinéraire de Leila rappelle volontairement au lecteur de toujours profiter de la vie. — GLITTER MAGAZINE Partir avec pour unique bagage une destination. Faire des rencontres, croire au hasard. Et mieux revenir au point de départ ! Leila, 17 ans, passe l’été toute seule sur la route, dans sa vieille voiture, avec en ligne de mire l’Alaska et ses aurores boréales. Chemin faisant, elle rencontre par hasard Hudson, Bree, Elliot et Sonia. Grâce à eux et aux moments forts vécus ensemble, le regard que Leila porte sur la vie changera à jamais.

Five strangers. Countless adventures. One epic way to get lost. Four teens across the country have only one thing in common: a girl named Leila. She crashes into their lives in her absurdly red car at the moment they need someone the most. Hudson, Bree, Elliot and Sonia find a friend in Leila. And when Leila leaves them, their lives are forever changed. But it is during Leila''s own 4,268-mile journey that she discovers the most important truth--sometimes, what you need most is right where you started. And maybe the only way to find what you''re looking for is to get lost along the way.