Most Popular Books by Ali Benjamin

This stunning debut novel about grief and wonder was an instant New York Times bestseller and captured widespread critical acclaim, including selection as a 2015 National Book Award finalist! After her best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy is convinced that the true cause of the tragedy must have been a rare jellyfish sting--things don''t just happen for no reason. Retreating into a silent world of imagination, she crafts a plan to prove her theory--even if it means traveling the globe, alone. Suzy''s achingly heartfelt journey explores life, death, the astonishing wonder of the universe...and the potential for love and hope right next door. Oddlot Entertainment has acquired the screen rights to The Thing About Jellyfish, with Gigi Pritzker set to produce with Bruna Papandrea and Reese Witherspoon.

In this acclaimed novel by the author of the award-winning, bestselling The Thing About Jellyfish, being the new kid at school isn''t easy, especially when you have to follow in the footsteps of a legendary classroom prankster. When Caitlyn Breen begins her disorienting new life at Mitchell School--where the students take care of real live goats and study long-dead philosophers, and where there are only ten other students in the entire seventh grade--it seems like nobody can stop talking about some kid named Paulie Fink. Depending on whom you ask, Paulie was either a hilarious class clown, a relentless troublemaker, a hapless klutz, or an evil genius. One thing''s for sure, though: The kid was totally legendary. Now he''s disappeared, and Caitlyn finds herself leading a reality-show-style competition to find the school''s next great Paulie Fink. With each challenge, Caitlyn struggles to understand a person she never met...but it''s what she discovers about herself that most surprises her. Told in multiple voices, interviews, and documents,this funny, thought-provoking novel from the bestselling author of The Thing About Jellyfish is a memorable exploration of what makes a hero--and if anyone, or anything, is truly what it seems.

Smart, sublime, and wickedly clever, The Smash-Up captures—then transcends—our current polarized moment “An exhilarating ride . . . hilarious . . . a modern and energetic story about a marriage on the skids.”—The New York Times Ethan has always been one of the good guys, and for years, nobody has appreciated this fact more than his wife, Zo. Until now. Jolted into activism by the 2016 election, Zo’s transformed their home into the headquarters for the local resistance, turning their comfortable decades-long marriage inside-out. Meanwhile, their boisterous daughter, Alex, grows wilder by the day. Ethan’s former business partner needs help saving the media company they’d co-founded. Financial disaster looms. Enter a breezy, blue-haired millennial making her way through the gig economy. Suddenly Ethan faces a choice unlike any he’s ever had to make. Unfolding over fivet urbulent days in 2018, The Smash-Up wrestles shrewdly with some of the biggest questions of our time: What, exactly, does it mean to be a good guy? What will it take for men to break the “bro code”? How does the world respond when a woman demands more? Can we ever understand another''s experiences… and what are the consequences of failing to try? Moving, funny, and cathartic, this portrait of a marriage—and a nation—under strain is, ultimately, a magic trick of empathy, one that will make you laugh and squirm until its final, breathless pages.

If you’ve ever had to grapple with picky eaters who won’t touch anything but chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese, Beth Bader and Ali Benjamin have a solution. Their unique ideas will help you present fresh foods that appeal to kids, eliminate food waste, and help you quit worrying about what your children eat. A must-have for every family, The Cleaner Plate Club is an easy recipe for healthier kids and happier parents.

Paige Rawl was an ordinary girl. Cheerleader, soccer player, honor roll student. One of the good kids at her middle school. Then, on an unremarkable day, Paige disclosed the one thing that made her "different": her HIV-positive status. It didn''t matter that she was born with the disease or that her illness posed no danger to her classmates. Within hours, the bullying began. They called her PAIDS. Left cruel notes on her locker. Talked in whispers about her and mocked her openly. She turned to school administrators for help. Instead of assisting her, they ignored her urgent pleas . . . and told her to stop the drama. She had never felt more alone. One night, desperate for escape, Paige found herself in front of the medicine cabinet, staring at a bottle of sleeping pills. That could have been the end of her story. Instead, it was only the beginning. Finding comfort in steadfast friends and a community of other kids touched by HIV, Paige discovered the strength inside of her, and she embarked on a mission to change things for the bullied kids who would follow in her footsteps. In this astonishing memoir, Paige immerses the reader in her experience and tells a story that is both deeply personal and completely universal: a story of one girl overcoming relentless bullying by choosing to be Positive.

Tout le monde dit que c''est un accident... Tout le monde dit que ce sont des choses qui arrivent. Pourtant, si Suzy connaît bien les mystères de la nature - les fourmis ne dorment que huit minutes par jour et le réseau de vaisseaux sanguins d''un adulte fait près de 100 000 kilomètres -, elle ne comprend pas comment sa meilleure amie, Franny, a pu se noyer durant l''été. À la recherche d''une explication qu''elle veut scientifique, Suzy, 12 ans, découvre alors l''univers merveilleux des méduses. Convaincue que Franny a été piquée par l''une de ces créatures, elle est bien décidée à faire éclater la vérité ! Quitte à se rendre seule à l''autre bout de la planète...

Dieses preisgekrönte Debüt erforscht, was es heißt, am Leben zu sein. Dass Dinge einfach passieren, kann Suzy nicht akzeptieren. Sie macht sich über vieles Gedanken: den Schlafrhythmus von Schnecken, die jährliche Zahl der Quallenstiche oder wie alt man ist, wenn das Herz 412 Millionen Mal geschlagen hat – gerade mal 12 Jahre. In dem Alter ist Suzys Freundin Franny im Sommer ertrunken, obwohl sie eine gute Schwimmerin war. Suzy muss herausfinden, wie das geschehen konnte. Es ist ein weiter, erkenntnisreicher Weg in einer Welt voller Wunder, bis sie begreift, dass der einzige Trost manchmal ist, Dinge anzunehmen, die man nicht ändern kann. Eine ergreifende Geschichte der Selbstfindung und ein großer Blick auf unsere Existenz.

Alle in der Klasse vermissen Paulie Fink! Ali Benjamin über eine Suche, die Caitlyn zu sich selbst führt – ausgezeichnet mit dem Deutschen Jugendliteraturpreis 2022 Caitlyns neue Schule ist höchst sonderbar. Unterrichtet wird in einer alten Villa, der pflanzenüberwucherte Sportplatz wird von einer Horde Ziegen freigemümmelt, und keiner ihrer zehn Klassenkameraden kann aufhören, über einen Schüler namens Paulie Fink zu reden. Je nachdem, wen man fragt, war er ein urkomischer Klassenclown oder ein unerbittlicher Unruhestifter. Aber eines ist sicher: Der Junge war eine absolute Legende. Jetzt ist er verschwunden, und Caitlyn wird zur Jurorin in einem Wettbewerb gewählt, bei dem ein würdiger Paulie-Ersatz gefunden werden soll. Mit jeder neuen Challenge versucht Caitlyn die Person kennenzulernen, die sie nie getroffen hat. Doch am meisten überrascht sie das, was sie dabei über sich selbst herausfindet.

Suzy Swanson está quase certa do real motivo da morte de Franny Jackson. Todos dizem que não há como ter certeza, que algumas coisas simplesmente acontecem. Mas Suzy sabe que deve haver uma explicação — uma explicação científica — para que Franny tenha se afogado. Assombrada pela perda de sua ex-melhor amiga — e pelo momento final e terrível entre elas —, Suzy se refugia no mundo silencioso de sua imaginação. Convencida de que a morte de Franny foi causada pela ferroada de uma água-viva, ela cria um plano para provar a verdade, mesmo que isso signifique viajar ao outro lado do mundo... sozinha. Enquanto se prepara, Suzy descobre coisas surpreendentes sobre o universo — e encontra amor e esperança bem mais perto do que ela imaginava. Este romance dolorosamente sensível explora o momento crucial na vida de cada um de nós, quando percebemos pela primeira vez que nem todas as histórias têm final feliz... mas que novas aventuras estão esperando para florescer, às vezes bem à nossa frente.

Lo que sucedió con la medusa consigue lo más extraordinario de la literatura: ser a la vez simple y profunda

他是惡作劇天才、他讓每個人發笑、 他為什麼「了不起」？ 蘊含思辨力、成就動機、學習動機等議題， 探索歡樂與成長的最終祕密。 榮獲美國亞馬遜書店編輯嚴選年度好書、《出版人週刊》年度好書等超過十項選書大獎、《聽不見的聲音》作者驚人新作 獲獎殊榮 紐約公共圖書館年度最佳圖書 洛杉磯公共圖書館年度最佳圖書 《出版人週刊》年度最佳圖書 《柯克斯書評》年度最佳童書 美國《雙親雜誌》三十大最佳童書 《出版人週刊》春季最期待童書 亞馬遜網路書店當月選書 =內容簡介= 當凱琳突然跟著媽媽搬家轉學，脫離自己的好友圈已經夠難過了，沒想到新同學似乎一點也不歡迎她，只惦記著：為什麼波力還沒來？還要她這個最不熟悉的人主持「尋找波力接班人的比賽」！ 波力去了哪裡？被傳送到外太空、校長把他鎖在櫃子裡？……同學說，開學日那天，我們有點需要波力。 波力是誰？每個人說他是個傳奇、他很神、他是邪惡天才…… 波力在教室大吃美乃滋、在吊扇上放亮粉，把果蠅帶到全校飛得到處都是，還躲進校長辦公室；他經常闖禍害全班都遭殃，讓大家損失好幾次休息時間，但是同學還為了搶他的T恤大打出手！ 新來的凱琳正在困擾，離開舊學校的我，也會像波力如此讓同學想念嗎？在新學校的我，如何才能走進同學的圈子呢？在凱琳心中，這裡像鬼屋、同學忙著做稻草人想念波力，老師叫學生學著趕山羊，高年級學生還得當幼兒園孩子的保母……一點也不像「真正的學校」！但大家好像都充滿活力，為什麼？藉由不存在的同學，本書探討了打破界線、如何在變化來臨時勇敢面對、沒有規則等等議題，讀者將透過這部蘊含哲思、教育、學習理念等意義的作品，在歡樂與好奇之中，探索成為「了不起的波力」的最終祕密。 ＝本書特色＝ 1將希臘神話、柏拉圖洞穴寓言、莎士比亞等課程內容融入情節，並與生活關係密切，能寓教於樂，激起青少年學習興趣，成人亦在其中感受樂趣，重新定向自我。 2寫作形式多元，加入採訪紀錄、Email格式、實境秀等敘述概念，配合當今青年生活情境，同時富含情感，從轉學生的陌生感到拯救校園的團結一心，包括轉學、被排擠、霸凌、照顧他人……等議題， 篇幅易於明白了解。 3本書附有專文導讀、解說暨問題討論：由小兔子書坊店主黃淑貞導讀、哲學新媒體專欄作家邱獻儀解說。 ==專家暨媒體讚譽== 《了不起的波力》好評 而此書最令人印象深刻的是「沒有人可以強迫我忘記自己是誰」。故事最終的羊群混亂現象充盈在我們的生命之中，諸如凱琳的轉學、同儕磨合、家人逝去等。唯有每個人展現最勇敢、最完整的自己，混亂最終會結束，迎接而來的是不同於以往的生命樣貌。在情感關係被網路世界稀釋的世代裡，更可看見作者用心仿效故事的發展脈絡，創造人與人之間彼此互動的實體機會，例如從口耳傳說、寓言故事、訪談回顧、信件與書面資料等。最終，以詼諧趣味又饒富哲思方式終結了心魔，逐一輾碎微小自我的價值觀，重建更宏觀的世界觀。 《了不起的波力》始於一場不得不的個人競賽，終於歡樂獨特的團體競賽。而心境上的轉變，暗示著「改變」將會讓一切混沌終究回歸圓滿。同時此書以減緩孤單，自我接納與同心協力為鹽糖香料加以調味，精心烹煮了一道曖曖內含光的美味精神食糧，餵養了讀者的靈魂。希冀此書能使讀者以多元的角度理解每個人的洞穴，願意牽引他人掙脫枷鎖，走出洞穴，親眼目睹那耀眼的晨光，重新探索嶄新的世界。——黃淑貞（小兔子書坊店主） 認識自己之所以與認識世界密切相關，只因當我們真正的認識世界，我們才能確認我們所愛並非虛幻，進而清楚知曉哪些事物才能真正觸動我們靈魂，引起愛的欲望和行動。《了不起的波力》這個故事展現了凱琳如何在同學、老師等環繞著她的人事物中，讓她從原本的洞穴中走出，認識了真正的世界、認識了她自己，進而追求其所愛。我們也能預期，隨著年齡的增長、經驗的累積和思辨反省力的提昇，她將能夠真正活出自己來。——邱獻儀（哲學新媒體專欄作家） 作者班傑敏精巧織就的成長故事機智詼諧、真摯感人，相信能讓中學生深有共鳴和啟迪。故事中融入古希臘哲學寓言，引導讀者檢視想法成見，並對個人在社群中和世界上的定位提出問題。結論：這則現代版的學校故事從古老智慧汲取靈感，慧黠溫柔且引人入勝。——《學校圖書館期刊》 撫慰人心的溫暖故事......本書在逗笑讀者之餘引發讀者思考、提問和探索，也鼓勵讀者更努力去嘗試。——《柯克斯書評》星級評論 獨具創意、別出心裁的小說，以發人深省的觀點探討友誼、接受改變以及諸般說故事的技藝，帶給讀者豐富收穫，最後更巧妙安排了故事角色並不知情的圓滿結局。——《出版人週刊》星級評論 一部優美且具有強大力量的小說，講述身為中學生，如何敞開心胸接受很棒的自己。——Shelf Awareness網站星級評論 作者在故事中探究由小學升上中學時自我認同改變，以及隨之而來怪異混亂的情況，在玩鬧闖禍與內觀自省之間取得巧妙平衡。——《兒童圖書中心會刊》（BCCB） 本書引領讀者踏上發現自我的旅程。——《圖書館傳媒》雜誌（School Library Connection） 溫馨感人。——《書單》 充滿智慧，饒富趣味。——《華爾街日報》 中學學校故事的翹楚之作。——《水牛城新聞報》 故事發人深省，講述在陌生社群中找到自己的定位，才發現追求「正常」未必比較理想。——《丹佛郵報》 逗趣搞笑，引人發噱。——《號角》雜誌 你一定會愛上這個關於新同學、校園霸凌以及自我反省重新出發的故事。——美國親子網站「樂潑」（Romper） ＝前作《聽不見的聲音》好評＝ 蘇希即便切斷與外界的溝通、拒絕心理醫生的諮商、排斥父母的關懷，卻從無一刻放棄自救：她不斷透過與自我和與逝者對話以期釐清友誼變調的始末、持續埋首鑽研熱中 的科學主題，以期對人事對世界甚至對好友死因有更多理解……小說主角凡此種種舉措，皆是在抑鬱的心境中努力求生的表現。──劉鳳芯（中興大學外文系教授） 《聽不見的聲音》原本說的是青春期孩子理解失去、找尋自我的過程，但卻能讓所有讀者有機會一窺傷痛療癒的過程，並見證生命蛻變的本能。──羅怡君（親職溝通作家） 本書作者用了極細膩的動作刻畫，呈現兩人關係逐漸生變的過程……還有，作者以充滿想像力的畫面來解釋科學概念，這使我耳目一新。──黃怡芳（桃園市立建國國中教師） 班傑敏的小說讓人憶起珍妮佛．霍姆和莎朗．克里奇，是一部細膩刻畫少年時期酸甜苦辣的亮眼傑作。——《出版人週刊》重點書評 班傑敏在節奏和呈現的拿捏上表現極為出色，她巧妙揉合蘇希成長過程中的直覺經驗與真誠深刻的內心對白??本書文字優美、扣人心弦，將令讀者沉醉其中。——《學校圖書館期刊》 班傑敏的小說引人入勝，文筆清晰暢達且親切易讀，字裡行間蘊含的豐富可能性值得深入探討??第一人稱敘事風格獨具、令人著迷??以小說處女作而言可說是分外優秀。——《書評雜誌》 這本小說面面俱到：步調恰到好處，角色真摯動人，情節巧妙優美，文筆流暢出色。讀者在闔上書頁之後會發現，故事場景依然在腦海中縈繞不去。——《青少年倡導之聲》雙月刊（VOYA）星級評鑑 很多孩子讀完此書會發現，自己不僅獲益匪淺，而且深受感動。——《紐約時報》 面對曾經最要好的朋友驟然離世，少女蘇希．史萬森在緘默中努力想釐清內心的複雜情緒，她的掙扎將讓讀者忍不住為之揪心。——Shelf Awareness網站 ＝目錄＝ 導讀 當我們離開洞穴／黃淑貞 「誰是下一個了不起的波力．芬克」大賽正式紀錄 沒有波力的一天 沒有波力的一週 沒有波力的一個月 「誰是下一個了不起的波力．芬克」 了不起的波力．芬克本尊 解說暨問題討論／邱獻儀

Nadat haar voormalige beste vriendin verdrinkt, is Suzy Swanson ervan overtuigd dat dit komt dooreen zeldzame kwallenbeet. Dingen gebeuren immers heus niet zomaar. Teruggetrokken in haar eigen stille wereld, ontwikkelt ze een plan om haar theorie te bewijzen, zelfs als het betekent dat niemand haar gelooft en ze de wereld over moet reizen in haar eentje. Winnaar van de Gouden Lijst 2017 ''Suzy en de kwallen is helder en vloeiend geschreven, erg toegankelijk, maar toch ook vol met mogelijkheden voor discussie. Een ongewoon fijne eerste roman. Booklist Magazine ''Een boek dat je raakt.’ NRC

Een grappig, gelaagd en aansprekend schoolverhaal met bijzondere personages. Van de auteur van Suzy en de kwallen, winnaar van de Gouden Lijst 2017. Caitlyn Breen is een buitenbeentje op haar nieuwe school. In haar klas zitten maar tien andere kinderen en die kennen elkaar al jaren. Haar klasgenoten hebben geen aandacht voor haar, want die hebben een eigen probleem: Paulie Fink, grappenmaker, onruststoker en kwaadaardig genie, is opeens weg dit schooljaar. Er is maar één manier om het grote Paulie Fink-gat te vullen: de klas moet een nieuwe Paulie Fink vinden. Daarom organiseren de kinderen een wedstrijd, in de stijl van hun favoriete realityshow. De enige objectieveling die deze wedstrijd kan beoordelen is natuurlijk nieuwkomer Caitlyn – en dat terwijl ze Paulie Fink nooit ontmoet heeft! Wie was deze geheimzinnige jongen eigenlijk, een grappenmaker, kunstenaar, filosoof of idioot? Caitlyns zoektocht naar Paulie Fink leert haar onverwacht meer over zichzelf dan ze ooit had kunnen bedenken. Waar is Paulie Fink? is een verrassend ontroerende verkenning van hoe we onze eigen mythes opbouwen en afbreken over anderen en onszelf.

Varm og rørende roman til mellemgruppen om gopler og stjernestøv, men også venskab, håb og tilgivelse. Nogle hjerter slår kun omkring 412 millioner gange. Hvilket kan lyde af ret meget. Men faktisk bliver det ikke engang til 12 år. Suzy Swanson (Zu) har altid vidst ting, som andre ikke ved. Hun kan redegøre for myrers søvnmønstre. Hun ved, at der er 150 millioner mennesker på verdensplan, der hvert år bliver forbrændt af gopler. Hun ved, at det gennemsnitlige skolebarn har omkring 20 milliarder af Shakespeares atomer i sig. Men hun kan ikke forstå, hvorfor Franny Jacksons liv skulle slutte så tidligt ... inden Zu fik undskyldt for det værste, hun nogensinde havde gjort mod sin bedste veninde. Zu og Stjernestøvet undersøger i øjenhøjde med den unge læser det skelsættende øjeblik, hvor vi for første gang indser, at ikke alle historier har en lykkelig slutning. Men at nye historier heldigvis venter på at udfolde sig - og at de nogle gange er lige uden for vores egen dør. Hvis bare vi tør åbne den. Romanen var blandt de nominerede til Goodreads'' læserpris Bedste bog til mellemgruppen 2015 og er blandt de nominerede til den prestigefyldte UKLA Book Award 2016, hvor lærere og skolebibliotekarer shortlister årets bedste udgivelser. Bogen er foreløbigt solgt til udgivelse i 21 lande.

Zus bedste veninde, Franny, dør af uforklarlige årsager. Zu sætter sig for at finde en årsag, hun kan leve med

Twelve-year-old Suzy Swanson wades through her intense grief over the loss of her best friend by investigating the rare jellyfish she is convinced was responsible for her friend''s death.