New Releases by Cylin Busby

An irresistible and engaging picture book perfect for story time, and for cat and bookstore lovers alike! The bookstore cat is an adorable . . . bossy . . . cuddly cat. He is everything from intelligent and loyal to naughty and vocal! But most of all, the bookstore cat is a well-loved (and well-read) kitty. Follow his funny antics from A to Z through a day in his bustling, book-filled shop. The Bookstore Cat is based on a Victorian parlor game, The Minister’s Cat, in which players try to think of adjectives to describe the cat in alphabetical order. Readers can extend the fun of the book by playing their own version of the game.

For fans of Katherine Applegate’s The One and Only Ivan comes the swashbuckling story of a little cat’s high seas adventures, now available as a Yearling paperback. Captain Natick does not want to take a kitten on board his ship as it sets sail, but his daughter convinces him that the scrawny yellow cat will bring him good luck. Onto the ship the kitten goes, and so begins the adventurous, cliff-hanging, lucky life of Jacob Tibbs, who must learn how to hunt rats, brave a mutiny, survive on a desert island, and, most importantly, navigate the tricky waters of shipboard life, no matter where the waves may take him. “Original, surprisingly intense. . . . A beautiful piece of writing.” —Holly Goldberg Sloan, New York Times bestselling author of Counting by 7s “Rarely does a book come along that I finish and think, ‘This is going to be a classic.’” —Jo Knowles, author of See You at Harry’s “Emotional resonance and chockablock seafaring adventures combined with coming-of-age themes take this over the top. . . . An outstanding choice.” —SLJ, starred review “Busby has created a story that will enthrall fans of animal fantasy.” —Booklist, starred review “In addition to giving Jacob an engaging narrative voice, Busby fills the novel with nautical lore and lingo, making Jacob’s journey one to savor.” —Publishers Weekly “An absorbing historical coming-of-age adventure.” —Kirkus Reviews

The Stranger Game is a dark, suspenseful, and twisty novel that is Gone Girl for teens. Perfect for fans of Lauren Oliver and E. Lockhart. When Nico Morris’s older sister mysteriously disappears, her parents, family, and friends are devastated. But Nico can never admit what she herself feels: relief at finally being free of Sarah’s daily cruelties. Then the best and worst thing happens: four years later, after dozens of false leads, Sarah is found. But this girl is much changed from the one Nico knew. She’s thin and drawn, when Sarah had been golden and athletic; timid and unsure, instead of brash and competitive; and strangest of all, sweet and kind, when she had once been mean and abusive. Sarah’s retrograde amnesia has caused her to forget almost everything about her life, from small things like the plots of her favorite books and her tennis game to the more critical—where she’s been the last four years and what happened at the park on the fateful day she vanished. Despite the happy ending, the dark details of that day continue to haunt Nico, and it becomes clear that more than one person knows the true story of what happened to Sarah. . . .

Last summer, you were just another camper at Camp Butterfield. But this year everything''s different because now you''re one of the counselors. There is so much to look forward to, like having your pick of the cabins, bonding with your young campers, not to mention a LOT of cute guys. But in between pairing up with your crush for lifeguard training, or flirting with another counselor on a white-water rafting trip, there are snakes to get rid of, poison ivy to avoid, and plenty of trails to follow-all leading to love...you hope! CYLIN BUSBY is the author of several fiction and nonfiction books for young readers. She is a former children''s book editor, as well as an editor at Teen magazine, and the author of numerous magazine articles and short stories. She lives in Los Angeles, California, with her husband and their son. www.cylinbusby.com

The junior homecoming dance is right around the corner. And there you are-without a date. Your best friend invites you to join the decorating committee; she swears the quiet guy in your English class is going to be there. Another friend is eager to hit the mall in search of the perfect dress. If the football players just happen to be hanging out in the food court, all the better! To decorate, or not to decorate? Vintage dress or just-arrived-instores chic? And at every turn of a page, there is the question of your date. Will you land the guy you want? Or will you go to the dance alone, if you go at all?

The big school field trip to Mount Frost is finally here! You and your best friend, Heather, can''t wait to hit the slopes, hang out in the lodge, and check out all the cute guys from the neighboring school . . . until the cool new girl, Molly, asks you to room with her. Which friend should you choose? And in between braving the Black Diamond run with an old crush and sipping a steamy cup of cocoa with a sweet younger guy, you''ve got snowball fights to win, a whole town to explore, and even-gulp!-karaoke night to attend. Will you ski your way to a sweetheart or be left out in the cold? It''s all up to you in the third installment of the series that lets YOU decide your dating fate.

West is a high school senior who has everything going for him until an accident leaves him paralyzed. Strapped down in his hospital bed, slipping in and out of consciousness, West is terrified and alone. Until he meets Olivia. She''s the girl next door-sort of. A patient in the room next to his, only Olivia can tell what West is thinking, and only Olivia seems to know that the terrible dreams he''s been having are not just a result of his medication. Yet as West comes to rely on Olivia-to love her, even-certain questions pull at him: Why has Olivia been in the hospital for so long? And what does it mean that she is at the center of his nightmares? But the biggest question of all comes when West begins to recover and learns that the mysterious girl he''s fallen in love with has a secret he could never have seen coming.

When Cylin Busby was nine years old, she was obsessed with Izod clothing, the Muppets, and a box turtle she kept in a shoebox. Then everything changed overnight. Her police officer father, John, was driving to his shift when someone leveled a shotgun at his window. The blasts that followed left John''s jaw on the passenger seat of his car-literally. While clinging to life, he managed to write down the name of the only person he thought could have pulled the trigger. The suspect? A local ex-con with rumored mob connections. The motive? Officer Busby was scheduled to testify against the suspect''s family in an upcoming trial. Overnight, the Busbys went from being the "family next door" to one under 24-hour armed guard, with police escorts to school, and no contact with friends. Worse, the shooter was still on the loose, and it seemed only a matter of time before he''d come after John-or someone else in the family-again. With few choices left to them, the Busby family went into hiding, severing all ties to the only life they had known.

A book about dream analysis helps teens and pre-teens find meaning in their dreams, which could lead to a better understanding of oneself and one''s desires.

Suggests activities, menus, and themes for slumber parties.

It''s the biggest beach party of the year, and guess who''s hosting? The Bratz girls, of course! This book has cool tips and party-planning know-how from the Bratz about throwing a beach bash, quizzes, fashion advice and more!

Explores what it can feel like when a boy ends a relationship and how to deal with those feelings, including suggestions from girls who have survived break-ups.

It looks like it''s going to be another normal day for Eric--until he gets out of bed. Everywhere he goes, someone has a stomach-churning, disgustingly gross story to tell him!