New Releases by Rachel Vail

"A sea anemone in the ocean confidently sets itself some personal boundaries"--

Friendship, cliques, and middle school drama with a heavy dose of heart--perfect for fans of Rebecca Stead! Niki Ames can''t wait to start eighth grade, that all-important year before high school. She and her best friend, Ava, have shared so many plans for the coming year. But then the unthinkable happens: at gym class pair-up, Ava chooses someone else to be her partner. Niki is devastated. It''s clear that Ava wants to be part of the popular group, leaving Niki behind. Niki has to decide who her real friends should be, where her real interests lie. Meanwhile, life at home is complicated. Niki''s nine-year-old brother Danny continues to act out more and more publicly. Their mother refuses to admit that Danny is somewhere on the autism spectrum, but it''s clear he needs help. Niki doesn''t want to be like her brother, to be labeled as different. She just wants to be popular! Is she a bad sister and a bad best friend?

A sweet and touching exploration of the scariness of BIG feelings and overcoming the pressures to do everything just right, in this companion title to bestselling picture book Sometimes I''m Bombaloo. Katie Honors is a really nice kid. But there''s one little secret that sometimes makes her feel not-so-nice deep inside: her little brother, Chuck. Katie loves her brother and works hard to be the perfect big sister but it can be hard. Chuck can sometimes be just so icky and messy. Sometimes it makes Katie secretly wish she had a trampoline or a treehouse or a giraffe instead of a brother. When all these emotions bubble up to the surface, Katie can no longer grumblesquinch them down. She explodes, but she also learns an important lesson: that there''s room for ALL of her feelings, even the scary ones. Sometimes I Grumblesquinch masterfully explores the pressure children often feel to be perfect all the time and helps them realize that it''s okay to share frustrating, and at times, not-so-nice thoughts and seek comfort from adults to help them manage those feelings. This story explores key social emotional skills that kids need to navigate complicated feelings, and will live alongside bestsellers like When Sophie Gets Really Really Angry and How Do Dinosaurs Say I''m Mad. Once again, Rachel Vail taps into universal childhood experiences that are often left unexplored, and does so with sensitivity, humor, and respect for the wide range of emotions kids face today.

Doodlebug Elizabeth is the fourth title in Rachel Vail''s A Is for Elizabeth chapter book series--featuring illustrations by Paige Keiser. Class 2B is getting pets! What pets will they be? Elizabeth does not like surprises, but she does like pets. And she loves butterflies! Even when they are baby butterflies and just look like smudges. (But, honestly, less.) When Elizabeth gives her teacher a great idea with her doodles, every kid in 2B gets to choose one animal each to learn about! Elizabeth ends up with...JELLYFISH. She does not feel a little disappointed with her choice. Elizabeth has never felt a little ANYTHING in her entire life. While the smudges grow into butterflies, Elizabeth is growing too – discovering that she can use her love of doodling to help deal with all her big feelings. Even her feelings about goodbyes, and surprises...and jellyfish!

Big Mouth Elizabeth is the second in a new chapter book series spinning off of the Justin Case books, starring Justin''s little sister, Elizabeth. Second-grader Elizabeth longs to be a member of the Big Mouth Club, which is made up of kids who have lost at least one baby tooth. Elizabeth is WAY behind on losing her baby teeth, and so is Cali, a quiet girl who is also left out of the Big Mouth Club. Elizabeth thinks Cali is so much more babyish than she is—in fact, Elizabeth SHOULD be in the Big Mouth Club because she''s NOT babyish. But when she understands how bad it feels to be left out, Elizabeth''s attitude shifts. Here is a story about fitting in in unexpected ways. With copious line art by Paige Keiser, this second book in Rachel Vail''s Elizabeth series is sure to delight fans of Judy Moody, Junie B. Jones, and Clementine.

The first in a new chapter book series spinning off of the Justin Case books, starring Justin''s little sister, Elizabeth. Elizabeth is in second grade. Class 2B! It''s great! Friends, recess, homework! Even a big project: Make a poster of your name. Yayyy! Hang on. The name Elizabeth has a bajillion letters in it! The name Anna has only four letters. Plus, Anna''s first letter is A, which is also the first letter of Alphabetical Order. But Anna can''t always be first! That''s not fair! In A is for Elizabeth, Elizabeth makes more than a poster. She also makes some important choices—about fairness, rules, speaking up, and glue. But the most important thing she makes is...a friend! With copious line art by Paige Keiser, this first book in a new series—spun off from Rachel Vail''s beloved Justin Case series—is sure to delight fans of Judy Moody, Junie B. Jones, and Clementine.

Gracie has never felt like this before. One day, she suddenly can’t breathe, can’t walk, can’t anything—and the reason is standing right there in front of her, all tall and weirdly good-looking: A.J. But it turns out A.J. likes not Gracie but Gracie’s beautiful best friend, Sienna. Obviously Gracie is happy for Sienna. Super happy! She helps Sienna compose the best texts, responding to A.J.’s surprisingly funny and appealing texts, just as if she were Sienna. Because Gracie is fine. Always! She’s had lots of practice being the sidekick, second-best. It’s all good. Well, almost all. She’s trying. Funny and tender, Well, That Was Awkward goes deep into the heart of middle school, and finds that even with all the heartbreak, there can be explosions of hope and moments of perfect happiness.

A tender story that explores BIG feelings and includes a wise take on tantrums and learning how to feel like yourself again! Katie Honors is a really good kid -- most of the time. But sometimes... well, sometimes, say when her little brother knocks down her beautiful castle after she told him not to touch it and she knows she''ll never be able to make it look that good again... sometimes Katie gets so mad she''s BOMBALOO, she''s just not herself. Sometimes she uses her feet and her fists instead of words. Being Bombaloo is scary. But a little time-out and a lot of love and understanding from Mom calms Bombaloo down and help Katie feel like Katie again! This is a warm book about losing your temper and how to feel like yourself again. With Yumi Heo''s bright illustrations and Rachel Vail''s sweet text, this title is the perfect read aloud for librarians, teachers, and parents.

In middle school, nothing is more important than friendship. When Truly is invited to sit at the Popular Table with the group she has dreamed of joining, she can hardly believe her luck. Everyone seems so nice, so kind to one another. But all is not as it seems with her new friends, and soon she''s caught in a maelstrom of lies, misunderstandings, accusations and counter-accusations, all happening very publicly in the relentless, hyperconnected social media world from which there is no escape. Six eighth-graders, four girls and two boys, struggle to understand and process their fractured glimples into one another''s lives as they find new ways to disconnect, but also to connect, in Rachel Vail''s richest and most searching book.

Zoe isn''t like her three best friends. She enjoys playing sports outside, doesn''t really care about clothes, and is a little self conscious of her body. So when her best friend Tommy admits he likes her, Zoe is caught off guard and tells him to ask C

Justin is going to start fourth grade—but first, he has to survive the summer. He "gets" to go to camp every day on a bus. He "gets" to experience all sorts of new things: Bugs. Mess hall food. Flip-flops (they hurt the space between his toes and they''re hard to walk in). And (gulp!) swimming. Justin''s little sister, Elizabeth, seems to deal with camp just fine. So do his friends. Justin is trying very hard not to be a worried kid anymore, especially when it comes to making friends at camp, including a new kid who is kind of . . . rough. After all, Justin is going to be in fourth grade. It''s time to be brave. Right?

Justin Case made it through third grade and summer camp in the previous two books. Now he''s in fourth grade, and there''s even more to worry about: friends, bullies, grades, tests—and did we say bullies? Once again, Rachel Vail and Matthew Cordell bring to life all the worries and triumphs of elementary school life, in diary form. Fans will relate to Justin and his adventures.

Kiss Me Again, the sequel to Rachel Vail''s beloved contemporary teen romance If We Kiss, follows Charlie (Charlotte) Collins as she struggles with her feelings for her longtime crush Kevin Lazarus after their parents marry and he becomes her stepbrother. It was complicated enough when their parents were only dating and Kevin was going out with Charlie''s best friend, Tess. Now, living under one roof, Charlie and Kevin are crossing paths and crossing lines, sneaking around at night and then sitting down to breakfast together as a family. It feels so crazy—exciting, confusing, impossible, and romantic. It can''t last, not like this, but if anybody discovers their secret, everything could explode. . . . Praised for her wit and realism, award-winning author Rachel Vail delivers a poignant tale of first love and powerful kisses, at long last answering the question of what happens when a crush so off-limits it has to be fantasy suddenly becomes very real.

When Katie''s best friend Jennifer plays with Roy at recess instead of with her, Katie is surprised and angry.

Josie is independent and fierce. She may flirt with boys or kiss them, but it doesn''t mean anything, not even with Michael, who''s more like a friend-with-benefits. So how can she explain what happens when Carson Gold goes after her? Carson Gold, the hottest senior, the one everyone secretly watches. . . . Maybe it''s the same thing that causes all the girls to stare as he walks by. Or maybe it''s something between them, something just he and Josie share. Could you resist? It''s too much, when love finds you and pulls you under. It''s too much, even for Josie.

Charlie Collins has never been kissed. She’s never been in love, either. Charlie’s beautiful best friend, Tess, has kissed three boys and has loved each one of them. Then Charlie unexpectedly finds herself falling for Kevin, and she’s in a mess of trouble right away. For one thing, Tess is in love with Kevin. Even worse, his father seems to be dating Charlie’s mom, who suddenly can’t stop smiling. With no one to confide in, Charlie has to figure this one out for herself. But even as she tries to pull away from Kevin, she can’t stop wondering, What would happen if we kiss?

Most piglets want to be pigs when they grow up. Not Liam. He wants to be a bunny. Even if it takes a lot of practice to learn how to hop...and to eat salad. Even if no one believes that a piggy can be a bunny. With a lot of determination, and a little help from his grandma, Liam is determined to make his dream come true. For children who put on a cape or a tutu, who dream of being someone or something different, Piggy Bunny offers a reassuring and fun opportunity to believe in themselves.

Everything is going to be fine . . . . Quinn Avery can handle change. It''s just paint, right? Bright, blinding white paint covering her once dazzling red bedroom walls. Quinn knows she shouldn''t be angry at her mom—she''s doing what she must to sell the house—but still, Quinn is beyond mad, and she doesn''t know what to do about it. Until now, Quinn was doing a pretty good job at pretending to be her old self—calm and brilliant Avery daughter, responsible big sister to Allison and Phoebe, piano virtuoso, girl who makes everyone proud—but without the sanctuary of her room, a new, wild Quinn is emerging. Lying, sneaking out, partying, Quinn is practically asking to get caught. When Quinn adds kissing the wrong boys—including her sister''s boyfriend and her own piano teacher—to her list of crimes, has she gone too far to save herself? Brilliant, the final book in Rachel Vail''s critically acclaimed sisterhood series, which includes Lucky and Gorgeous, follows Quinn through a summer of change as she discovers that while letting go is never easy, hanging on can be even harder. Witty and poignant, Brilliant is the perfect ending to this addictive trilogy of interconnected sister stories.

It''s the start of the school year, and nothing feels right to Justin. He didn''t get the teacher he wanted, he''s not in the same class as his best friend, and his little sister, Elizabeth, is starting kindergarten at his school. Elizabeth doesn''t seem nervous at all. Justin is very nervous about third grade. And to top it off, he''s lost his favorite stuffed animal, but he can''t tell anyone, because technically he''s too old to still have stuffed animals. Right? Here is third grade in all its complicated glory—the friendships, the fears, and the advanced math. Acclaimed author Rachel Vail captures third grade with a perfect pitch, and Matthew Cordell''s line art is both humorous and touching. As Justin bravely tries to step out of his shell, he will step into readers'' hearts. Justin Case is a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children''s Book of the Year.

She''s looking good . . . but Allison Avery can''t believe it. Growing up with beautiful, blond sisters, Allison has always been the dark-haired, "interesting-looking" Avery. So when the devil shows up and offers to make her gorgeous, Allison jumps at the chance to finally get noticed. But there''s one tiny catch, and it''s not her soul: The devil wants her cell phone. Though her deal with the devil seems like a good idea at the time, Allison soon realizes that being gorgeous isn''t as easy as it looks. Are her new friends and boyfriend for real, or do they just like her pretty face? Allison can''t trust anyone anymore, and her possessed phone and her family''s financial crisis aren''t making things any easier. Plus, when she finds out that she might be America''s next teen model, all hell breaks loose. Allison may be losing control, but how far is she willing to go to stay gorgeous forever? Following the critically acclaimed Lucky, Rachel Vail continues her poignant sisterhood trilogy with the rebellious middle Avery sister, Allison. Fiery, sarcastic, and just plain fun, gorgeous captures the heartbreak and hilarity in one girl''s attempt to have it all.

It''s all good . . . and lucky Phoebe Avery plans to celebrate by throwing an end-of-the-year bash with her four closest friends. Everything will be perfect—from the guest list to the fashion photographer to the engraved invitations. The only thing left to do is find the perfect dress . . . until Phoebe goes from having it all to hiding all she''s lost. Phoebe''s older sisters warn her to keep the family''s crisis totally secret. Unfortunately, her alpha-girl best friend looks increasingly suspicious, and Phoebe''s crush starts sending seriously mixed signals. Phoebe tries hard to keep smiling, but when her mother is humiliated in Neiman Marcus while buying Phoebe that perfect dress and her father decides to cancel her party, she panics. How far will she go to keep up her image as a lucky girl? With lucky, Rachel Vail begins a powerful sisterhood trilogy, comprised of one book for each of the three fascinating Avery sisters, with all their secrets laid bare during the year that completely changes their lives. Phoebe is the youngest; her story combines first love and flip-flops, friendship and sisterhood, humor and tears. Breezy, witty, and poignant, lucky is Rachel Vail at her breathtaking best.

Edward and Meg are like night and day. How could such different people be twins? Well, they are, but they don''t have to like it -- or each other. For seventh grade, brainy Meg is attending ultra-competitive Fischer, while freewheeling Edward goes to an alternative school downtown. But it''s just when they''re finally out of each other''s shadows that the trouble begins. Meg''s aspirations for popularity and a boyfriend combine with Edward''s devious planning and lack of singing ability to set off a showdown the likes of which twindom has never before seen. Why is this final showdown so much fun? Could it be that Meg and Edward are more alike than they thought?

Vail''s most lauded book to date, "Do-Over" is the story of 13-year-old Whitman, who has to deal with the anger he feels towards his father when his parents separate, his own interest in several girls, and the heady feeling of acting in his first play.

The appearance of a new girl in her community changes the relationship between 14-year-old Molly and her best friend Vicky, and complicates Molly''s attempt to pinpoint her own identity.

T is having trouble learning to read. But when his teacher shows him a special trick, he finds that reading is F-U-N. Full color.

T is frustrated when he first tries to read, but when his teacher shows him some simple rules, he finds out that reading can be fun.

When T Rex and his mother wrap the presents they just bought and find they are out of tape, they come up with some creative solutions.

When T Rex and his mother have a difficult morning rushing out in a rainstorm, they return home and T finally gets his waffle breakfast.

What kind of shoes can a Tyrannosaurus Rex wear? Lots! Just ask Mama Rex and T. They are off to the store to buy a new pair of shoes for T. But there are so many to choose from. There are snow boot, sneakers, sandals and more. What are the right shoes for T. Find out in this funny story.

During her summer at Camp Nashaquitsa, eleven-year-old Abby tries to reinvent herself, while worrying about her mother, missing her dead father, and getting to know her equally self-conscious bunkmates.