Best Selling Books by Melody Carlson

With absent parents, overdue rent, and no one to turn to, Adele is forced into the hard, cold world of homelessness. While striving to maintain the pretense of a “normal” life, Adele attempts to finish high school, all the while concealing her secret. But is she strong enough to keep up the act? Forgotten will propel teen readers into a world where promises are broken, life is not fair, and challenges seem unbearable, while still offering assurance that solid faith, loyal friends, and a persistent spirit will prevail.

When Wendy Harper inherits her family''s beachside cottage in Seaside, Maine, she sees it as a way to finally pay off the debts that have mounted since her husband died. But before it can be sold, the neglected property must be renovated. She and her 12-year-old son Jackson move in--temporarily, she reminds him--in order to do the work themselves, even though Christmas is coming. The charming town, along with local craftsman Caleb Colton, pulls on both Wendy and Jackson, who even registers himself for school in a bid to get his mom to move them there permanently. Wendy knows that the most responsible thing to do is to sell the cottage and return to Ohio, but the lure of the sea is hard to resist. Join award-winning author Melody Carlson for a Christmas story that will warm your heart and have you dreaming of your own enchanted seaside holiday.

Back in fifth grade, Micah Knight got an Amish pen pal, and over the years, they''ve exchanged many letters--and many secrets. At age seventeen, Micah finally has the chance to meet her pen pal face-to-face. The only problem is that because of confusion about her name when the pen pals were assigned, her pen pal was a boy, Zack Miller. And all this time, Micah''s never told Zack that she''s actually a girl! While she wants nothing more than to experience life on Zack''s Amish farm, she''s afraid he''ll hate her for deceiving him all these years. But she makes up her mind to face the music--and that''s where the fun really begins. Bestselling author Melody Carlson brings young adults another fascinating tale of worlds colliding, secrets being revealed, and friendships forming. Teens will love this story of miscommunication and mishaps along the way to the truth.

Targeted by a killer and suspected of murder, a journalist finds refuge in the arms of a local fire chief in this inspirational romantic thriller. When her friend is murdered, journalist Mallory Myers knows the killer is coming for her next. The problem is no one believes her—in fact, she’s considered a suspect. Her news anchor ex-boyfriend has everyone fooled, but Mallory knows the dark truth behind his slick exterior. With no one to trust, Mallory flees to her hometown, where she finds refuge and help from an unexpected source. Fire chief Logan McDaniel is the only one in town willing to believe her. As the murderer toys with her, setting fires and terrorizing her, Logan and Mallory become closer. He vows to protect her and find a way to break the killer’s airtight alibi if it’s the last thing he does.

Who Do You Ask When You Don’t Have the Answers? What’s a girl to do when caught between a rock and a hard place? The “hard place” is losing the use of her beloved car, and the “rock” is her immovable dad. In order to regain driving privileges, Kim Peterson’s dad talks her into writing an advice column for teens in his newspaper. Kim reluctantly agrees and writes under a pen name. But as she reads letters from peers and friends, she becomes keenly aware of two things: (1) Some kids have it way worse than her, and (2) she does not have all the answers! Who can she turn to? Thursday, September 1 I’ve been saving for my own car, but my parents decided that I can only get a car if I keep a clean driving record. That means absolutely NO tickets—period—nada. And the policeman said he’d clocked me going 72 in a 55 mile zone. Oops. When Kim Peterson gets a speeding ticket, her dad offers her a way to retain her driving privileges. If she’ll write the anonymous teen advice column for his newspaper, she can still get a car. So Kim becomes “Jamie” of “Just Ask Jamie.” No big deal, she thinks. She answers letters about stuff that’s everyday and stuff that’s not: parents, piercings, dating, drugs, depression, and people who are just users. Nothing Kim can’t handle. But when a classmate is killed, the letters turn to questions about life, death, and what it all means. And Kim starts to wonder if she really does have all the answers—and if not, where to find them. The Christian faith of her adoptive family? The Buddhism of her Korean heritage? Who can she turn to—to just ask? Story Behind the Book “My teenage years remain vivid in my mind. It was a turbulent time full of sharp contrasts—love and hate, pain and pleasure, trust and doubt. Then, just as I reached my peak of questioning, rebelling, and seeking, I found God. And I found Him in a really big way! My life turned completely around and has, thankfully, never turned back. Hopefully this story will touch and change hearts—speaking to teen girls right where they live, reminding readers that God is alive and well and ready to be intimately involved in their lives right now! ”

When Madison McDowell returns from several years teaching overseas, she has high hopes of picking up where she left off at her family''s Christmas tree farm in Oregon. But between damage from a recent wildfire and the neglect due to her sister Addie''s unwillingness to invest, the farm is in sad shape. In fact, Addie is intent on selling the property. And to top it off, her former high school flame, the now-widowed Gavin Thompson, has plans to break Madison''s heart again by turning his neighboring property into a dusty, noisy dirt bike track for his daughter. With the odds stacked against her, Madison decides there''s only one thing to do: double down on her dreams. It will take a ton of hard work--and some help from an unlikely ally--to save the farm she so dearly loves. But it may take a miracle to restore her relationship with her sister. Bestselling and award-winning author Melody Carlson charms and delights with this uplifting Christmas story full of old memories and new beginnings.

"Maggie Carpenter and her son, Spencer, are finally beginning to feel settled in their new community. Then one day Spencer discovers a runaway girl. Leah has been looking for her biological father and has come to a dead-end in Pine Mountain. In the middle of a medical crisis in Maggie''s family, staggering news about Leah''s father comes to light. Is reconciliation possible? Will Leah find the sanctuary she is looking for? And what does the future hold for Spencer and Maggie?"--

Written by bestselling author melody carlson. Meet Morgan, Amy, Carlie, and Emily. They all live in the trailer park at 622 Harbor View in tiny Boscoe Bay, Oregon. Proximity made them friends, but a desire to make the world a better place—and a willingness to work at it—keeps them together. In the first book of this new series, Project: Girl Power,bullies knock Emily from her bike on her way home from school, so the girls start walking together because there’s safety in numbers. With help from other people in the park, they set out to beautify Harbor View. In book two, Project: Mystery Bus, the girls begin summer by working to clean and restore their bus to use as a clubhouse. And thus begins the Rainbow Club. In book three, Project: Rescue Chelsea, Carlie makes a new friend. Chelsea Landers lives in a mansion and isn’t always very kind. Carlie would like a best friend, but will Chelsea fit in with her other friends? In book four, Project: Take Charge, the girls decide to take action when they find out their town’s only city park has been vandalized and may soon be turned into a parking lot. MELODY CARLSON In sixth grade, Melody Carlson helped start a school newspaper called The BuccaNews (her school’s mascot was a Buccaneer—argh!). As editor of this paper, she wrote most of the material herself, creating goofy phony bylines to hide the fact that the school newspaper was mostly a one-“man” show. She lives in Sisters, OR. Visit her at www.MelodyCarlson.com

Ginny Masters manages a popular boutique hotel in Seattle and manages it with aplomb. But the daily challenges and irritations of a fast-paced job and a demanding boss are starting to get to her. Jacqueline Potter manages her grandfather''s fishing lodge in Idaho because it was the only job she could find after graduating with her hospitality degree. She''s grateful for the work but longs for a more sophisticated and cosmopolitan life she''s just not going to find in this backwoods town. The solution to both their problems seems obvious. Just for the summer, they''ll swap jobs and lifestyles. But they never anticipated swapping love interests . . . In this fabulous new twist on an age-old fable, award-winning and bestselling author Melody Carlson introduces you to two career-focused women who are about to discover that there''s more to finding happiness than just switching up the scenery.

Sixteen-year-old Shannon McNamara has exciting plans for the summer, and she can''t wait to get to them. Unbeknownst to her, however, her widowed and ailing mother has plans of her own--to relocate them both to the heart of Amish country in Ohio where she has relatives who can look after her. Shannon quickly learns that living a "simple" life is actually a lot of hard work. But when a hot young Amish guy named Ezra enters the picture, she''s ready to get an Amish makeover and even consider making it a permanent change. But does Ezra share her attraction? Will Shannon really make the jump into this new way of life? And will it be for the right reasons? Teen favorite Melody Carlson brings fans another sweet story of worlds--and families--colliding, exploring themes important to teen girls through an engaging tale.

It''s challenging enough to be a normal high school senior -- but Caitlin O''Conner has a host of new difficulties to deal with in the third book of Melody Carlson''s widely popular and fascinating teen series. Time is critical to help the orphans in Mexico, missions-minded Caitlin believes, but Mom and Dad are set on her attending college. Meanwhile, her relationship with Josh takes on a serious tone via e-mail -- threatening her commitment to "kiss dating goodbye." When Beanie begins dating an African-American, Caitlin''s concern over dating seems to be misread as racism. One thing is obvious: God is at work through this dynamic girl in very real but puzzling ways. A soul-stretching time of racial reconciliation at school and within her church helps her discover God''s will as never before.

When the fun-loving and spontaneous artist Willow West meets buttoned-up, retired English teacher George Emerson, it''s not exactly love at first sight. Though she does find the obsessive-compulsive man intriguing. Making it her mission to get him to loosen up and embrace life, she embarks on what seems like a lost cause--and finds herself falling for him in the process. A confirmed bachelor, George vacillates between irritation and attraction whenever Willow is around--which to him seems like all too often. He''s not interested in expanding his horizons or making new friends; it just hurts too much when you lose them. But as the summer progresses, George feels his defenses crumbling. The question is, will his change of heart be too late for Willow? With her signature heart and touches of humor, fan favorite Melody Carlson pens a story of two delightfully eccentric characters who get a second chance at life and love.

If Morgan thought her life was tough before—what with a drug-addicted, klepto brother and a cradle-robbing mother—it just got worse: Her friend Jason took his own life. Morgan copes—or tries to—by attempting to piece together vague clues that might explain Jason’s suicide. Making matters worse, she can’t help but feel responsible somehow. Sometimes she thinks maybe Jason had the right idea all along. This fourth book in the TrueColors teen fiction series deals with the important topics of grief, suicide, self-worth, identity, and handling tragedy.

All Emma Daley wants this holiday season is a white Christmas. But the young teacher and struggling musician sure can''t find that in sunny Arizona. Luckily, there''s someone living in a perfect mountain home in the Colorado Rockies looking to make a vacation trade this year. West Prescott is an in-demand songwriter and talented musician who put his own singing career on hold to write songs for celebrity acts to perform. When his mother convinces him to do a vacation trade for Christmas, he never imagined one of the houseguests would be so sweet--or so strikingly pretty. Naturally, he decides to stick around, and, to get better acquainted, he poses as the house''s caretaker. But when Emma''s friend Gillian discovers his true identity and sets her sights on him, things get . . . messy. Fan favorite Melody Carlson is back with another delightful Christmas tale to warm your heart on those cold winter evenings.

Emma Burcelli has suffered over a decade of dating disasters. But she concludes that love is officially dead when her grandfather Poppi suddenly passes, leaving her grandmother Nona devastated. To help out, Emma works in the family bookstore, which Nona insists must be decked out in sweetheart décor as Poppi would have done for Valentine''s Day. Although she feels like a V-Day Scrooge, Emma quickly learns to enjoy the task with the help of a handsome family friend, Lane Forester, who shows her that hanging hearts is much more fun when done to the tune of Dean Martin. As Emma and Lane share time and memories of Poppi, she reconsiders the notion that romance is alive. Just as Emma''s heart begins to lift, however, she learns her sister has already staked a claim on Lane. Emma''s mother and sister insist Lane only sees her as a future sister-in-law, but she can''t help wondering if it could be something more.

In this emotional sequel to Diary of a Teenage Girl, Caitlin O''Conner faces new trials as she grows in her faith and strives to maintain the recent commitments she''s made to God. As a new believer, Caitlin begins her summer job and makes preparations for a Mexico mission trip with her church youth group. Torn between new spiritual directions and loyalty to Beanie, her best friend (now pregnant), Caitlin searches out her personal values on friendship, romance, dating, life goals, and key relationships with God and family. Tough choices threaten her progress, and her year climaxes in her realization that maturity sometimes means life-impacting decisions must be made ... by faith alone.

Celebrate your little one’s birth, baptism, dedication, or just say “I love you” with this adorable book of blessings featuring 41 delightful rhyming poems. Baby’s First Book of Blessings lets tiny ones know God’s blessings are all around them. From "Comfy Laps" to "Furry Friends," and "My Front Porch" to "Bathtub Bubbles," these charming rhymes will fill the hearts of little girls and boys with happiness: I count my eyes, One and two. God blesses me When I see you! Baby’s First Book of Blessings: Is a charming padded book of poems by bestselling author Melody Carlson Is a sweet reminder of God''s love for little ones ages 0-4 Makes the perfect gift for baby showers, baptisms, dedications, christenings, and birthdays for boys and girls Perfect companion product to Baby’s First Bible and Baby’s First Book of Prayers

Kendra, the most popular girl in school, decides to make Reagan part of her elite crew. But Reagan finds that acceptance has a steep price, as her new friends make life miserable for anyone who gets in their way. And after a tragic accident and party gone too far, can Reagan make the right choices? The twelfth book in the TrueColors fiction series, Harsh Pink goes deeper into important teen issues such as peer pressure, relationships, identity, and values.

In the fictional Diary of a Teenage Girl, sixteen-year-old Caitlin O''Conner reveals the inner workings of a girl caught between childhood and womanhood ... an empty life without Christ and a meaningful one with Him. Through Caitlin''s candid journal entries we see her grapple with such universal teen issues as peer pressure, loyalty, conflict with parents, the longing for a boyfriend, and her own spirituality. Readers will laugh and cry with Caitlin as she struggles toward self-discovery and understanding God''s plan for her life. And they''ll be deeply moved by her surprising commitment regarding dating.

As straight-A student GraceAnn enters her senior year, the stakes feel higher, the stress is mounting, and after bad breakup with her boyfriend, her grades begin to slip. And grades that are less than perfect just aren’t acceptable. GraceAnn knows that other kids cheat. After all, their cheating has made her life harder. But wasn’t it her turn to get a break? If she could get away with it—and no one got hurt—could she break the rules, just this one time? As GraceAnn’s world slips sideways, she finds herself caught in a twisted trap. Will her one bad choice cost her everything?

When her mom died, DJ had to move in with her grandmother, internationally famous ’60s fashion model Katherine Carter. Now Mrs. Carter’s opened a boarding home for young ladies, and DJ—who would rather wear her basketball team uniform than haute couture—is just sure they’ll all be unbearable fashion snobs. One by one, the girls arrive and begin to figure out how to fit into this new family, getting to know each other and forming friendships. Sure, there’s an aspiring diva or two, but before long, the Carter House girls are dating, fighting, laughing, shopping, sharing clothes, purses, shoes … and their deepest secrets. DJ may not turn into the perfect little lady her grandmother has in mind, but one thing’s for certain—with all these new “sisters,” her life will never be the same!

Chloe Miller and her fellow band members must sort out their lives as they become a hit in the local community. Accustomed only to being scorned and marginalized, Chloe suddenly has to decide who her real friends are, and who''s just along for the ride. Now her generosity gets her in more trouble than ever. And all too soon after a talent scout from Nashville discovers the trio, their explosive musical ministry begins to encounter conflicts with family and school. Exhilarated yet frustrated, Chloe puts her dream in God''s hand and prays for Him to work out the details.

The Ski Trip Is the Least of Their Worries Follow Morgan, Amy, Carlie, and Emily as they navigate grown up issues while trying to still have fun and friends just like any other kids. Raising Faith: Morgan trusts God to provide her with ski trip funds and works hard to earn the needed money. But when everything blocks her efforts, from her school activities to her grandmother’s life-threatening heart attack, it’s a test of faith against the odds. Run Away: As the ski trip nears, Emily’s mom flees her abusive ex-husband and whisks Emily away to somewhere unknown. The girls fear for their friend as Emily struggles with hard lessons in forgiveness.

Once again, I have kept the demons at bay. As a wife and mother, Ruth knows her prayers are crucial to her family’s spiritual welfare. She stands between her precious children and the evil one, doing battle in prayer. She can’t afford to be careless. Thankfully, she has powerful allies: Pastor Glenn, New Life Christian School where her daughters Mary and Sarah attend, and the inner circle at Arbor Drive Fellowship. They all reinforce her careful nurturance of her children. If only her husband, Rick, understood that. He’s exasperated about the money Ruth keeps spending for the church and school. Doesn’t he see that these are their best defenses in shielding their children from the dangers of the world? But the forces that threaten Ruth’s faith, her family–her very life–are not the ones she expects. Ruth doesn’t realize that her heartfelt desire to obey God is mingled with dangerous currents of OCD–Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Her own strategies for protecting her family may be the very thing that tears them apart.

Sixteen-year-old Haley’s life is about to change. With divorced parents, she’s allowed to choose who to live with. Tired of Mom’s restrictions (like no dating), she picks laid-back Dad, although that means she’ll have to go to a new school. But even that situation starts to look up when hottie Harris Stephens flirts with her. And when he asks her out, Haley ecstatically accepts. Chalking up a mysterious warning about Harris to jealousy, Haley continues seeing him. But infatuation turns to devastation when Harris does something totally unexpected. Humiliation and peer pressure keep Haley from disclosing what happened, and with no one to talk to, her torturous secret is overwhelming.

A young boy makes a paper heart to give to the one he loves the most, and although he sees many people he loves during the day, he still has it when he says his prayers at night.

Maggie blames her mom for the family’s disintegration: “She’s driven him away with her constant nagging and complaining and arguing. Honestly, who could stand to live with that woman?” she vents to her friend Claire. However, there’s more to the story, and Maggie desperately wants to know the truth—something nobody seems willing to tell her. The eighth book in the TrueColors teen fiction series, Bitter Rose takes an honest look at divorce, forgiveness, and relationships.

One in a series of three books from award-winning children''s author Melody Carlson, presents children with typical situations they may face every day but shows how the child should conduct themselves by illustrating what Jesus would have said or done.

Kim’s World Turns Upside Down When Kim’s mom is diagnosed with cancer, Natalie steps in, as true friends will do, to round up hundreds of people to pray for Mrs. Peterson’s healing. Her health begins to improve, and Kim’s love life begins to flourish…but with a non-Christian. Natalie warns Kim to break off the relationship, but is that just because she’s jealous? Or is God trying to speak to Kim through Natalie’s counsel? When her mom’s health suddenly declines again, Kim blames herself. Maybe she never should have become involved with Matthew, especially as she’s tempted to give in to his pressure to have sex. Kim’s faith is hanging in the balance. She wants to believe that prayer will prevail, but the obstacles seem so big… Thursday, December 29 My dad and I are both feeling a little torn about Mom right now. On one hand, we all act like everything is just peachy, perfectly normal. But at the same time, it’s like we’re walking on eggshells too. Like we’re all thinking the same thing–is this our last Christmas all together? Kim Peterson’s mom has stage four ovarian cancer, and Kim’s done enough research online to know the odds are dismal. But Kim and her best friend, Natalie McCabe, and a lot of other people are praying that God will heal her mom. Kim’s mom makes her promise that she’ll continue with life as normal: Nat, youth group, violin, her Just Ask Jamie newspaper column, even hanging out with Matthew. But how can life be normal with cancer hanging over your head like a dark cloud? And then she’s getting flak from Natalie because Matthew’s not a Christian, and Nat’s afraid he’ll drag Kim down. But Nat’s dating life isn’t exactly smooth sailing, either. Both girls are praying a lot–and waiting to find out what’s meant to be. Reader’s guide included Story Behind the Book “My teenage years remain vivid in my mind. It was a turbulent time, full of sharp contrasts–love and hate, pain and pleasure, trust and doubt. Then, just as I reached my peak of questioning, rebelling, and seeking, I found God. And I found Him in a really big way! My life turned completely around and has, thankfully, never turned back. Hopefully this story will touch and change hearts–speaking to teen girls right where they live, reminding readers that God is alive and well and ready to be intimately involved in their lives right now!” –Melody Carlson

Her beloved husband and hjer only child are gone. Will her heart ever know light and love again?

Heather’s curiosity in Wicca brings new confidence and reassurance, but alienates her from others. Even so, this enchanting path seems harmless, even helpful. But when terrifying things begin to happen that Heather can’t explain, it becomes clear that she has less control over her world than ever before. The eleventh book in the TrueColors teen fiction series, this book discusses spiritual warfare, tragedy, anger, and more.

By walking you through a simple yet effective approach to explaining the gospel to others, this study will help you become a fruitful member of God''s family. With its biblical and practical approach to discipleship, this workbook will yield long-term, life-changing results, such as: * Openly identifying with Christ * Effectively meditating on Scripture passages * Renewing your concern for non-Christian friends * Building a growing camaraderie within your study group Recently updated, The 2:7 Series focuses on a more relational and personal relationship with God.

One in a series of three books from award-winning children''s author Melody Carlson, presents children with typical situations they may face every day but shows how the child should conduct themselves by illustrating what Jesus would have said or done.

What are the treasures in Benjamin''s Box? Come along with Benjamin and see. Like all boys and girls, Benjamin is very, very curious. When Jesus comes to Jerusalem, Benjamin decides to follow him and find out who he really is. At first, Benjamin thinks Jesus is a teacher, then a king. At last, he learns the good news---news that every child (and grown-up!) will want to share. Can be used in conjunction with Resurrection Eggs from Family Life!

Wrapping up her popular "Whispering Pines" series, award-winning author Melody Carlson presents this delightful, stand-alone romance. Maggie and her son have settled in Pine Mountain where she has found love again. Yet trouble lurks as she plans her wedding. As she and Jed are enjoying their deepening love, Amber returns to Pine Mountain and proves to be more of a distraction for Jed than Maggie wants.

As weeds take over Fruitville, three villagers insist that they are pretty flowers, while the others remind them that the Gardener wants them to get rid of the bad things in their lives in this story based on Jesus'' parable of the wheat and the tares.