Best Selling Books by Susin Nielsen

For fans of Wendelin van Draanen and Cynthia Lord, a touching and funny middle-grade story about family, friendship, and growing up when you''re one step away from homelessness. Twelve-and-three-quarter-year-old Felix Knutsson has a knack for trivia. His favorite game show is Who What Where When; he even named his gerbil after the host. Felix''s mom, Astrid, is loving but can''t seem to hold on to a job. So when they get evicted from their latest shabby apartment, they have to move into a van. Astrid swears him to secrecy; he can''t tell anyone about their living arrangement, not even Dylan and Winnie, his best friends at his new school. If he does, she warns him, he''ll be taken away from her and put in foster care. As their circumstances go from bad to worse, Felix gets a chance to audition for a junior edition of Who What Where When, and he''s determined to earn a spot on the show. Winning the cash prize could make everything okay again. But things don''t turn out the way he expects. . . . Susin Nielsen deftly combines humor, heartbreak, and hope in this moving story about people who slip through the cracks in society, and about the power of friendship and community to make all the difference.

*"This savvy, insightful take on the modern family makes for nearly nonstop laughs."—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Stewart, 13: Socially clueless genius. Ashley, 14: Popular with everyone but her teachers Ashley''s and Stewart''s worlds collide when Stewart and his dad move in with Ashley and her mom. The Brady Bunch it isn''t. Stewart is trying to be 89.9 percent happy about it--he''s always wanted a sister. But Ashley is 110 percent horrified. She already has to hide the real reason her dad moved out; “Spewart” could further threaten her position at the top of the social ladder. They''re complete opposites, but they have one thing in common: they—like everyone else—are made of molecules. In this hilarious and deeply moving story, award-winning author Susin Nielsen has created two narrators who will steal your heart and make you laugh out loud. Praise NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Nominated for the George Peach Book Award for Teen Readers Nominated to the Pacific Northwest Young Reader’s Choice Award Texas Lone Star Reading List "A laugh-out-loud story of two teens learning to adjust to unusual family life that neither expected...Everyone from teenagers to adults will enjoy this story of ups and downs, laughter and tears, and the healing power of love."--VOYA *"Drama, humour, poignancy, and suspense are rarely found in such perfect proportions..some truly funny writing...stellar, top notch stuff."—Quill & Quire, Starred What Other Authors Are Saying “Susin Nielsen is one of the best writers working today. In We Are All Made of Molecules, her astonishing ability to combine insight, tenderness, poignancy, and uproarious humor is in full flower. Susin Nielsen is a genius, and kids and adults alike will adore this book.” —Susan Juby, author of The Truth Commission “What a skilled, gifted writer Susin is!…There’s so much to love about this story . . . but what grabbed me the most is the humor.” —Christopher Paul Curtis, Newbery Medal–winning author of Bud, Not Buddy and The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963

From Governor General''s Literary Award--winning author Susin Nielsen comes a funny and heartfelt story about learning how to rise above your most embarrassing moment with humor, best friends and a killer triangle solo. We all have moments that define us. For the comically clueless Wilbur, his moment happened on the first day of middle school, when someone shared his private letter with the entire student body. It revealed some of Wilbur''s innermost embarrassing thoughts that no one else should ever know. Now it''s the start of ninth grade and Wilbur hasn''t been able to escape that major humiliation. His good friend Alex stuck by him, but Alex doesn''t have as much time since he started dating Fabrizio. Luckily, Wil can confide in his best friend: his elderly neighbor Sal. Also, Wil''s in the school band, where he plays the triangle. They''re doing an exchange program with students from Paris, and Wilbur''s billet, Charlie, a tall, chic young woman who plays the ukulele and burps with abandon, captures his heart. Charlie likes him, but only as a friend. So Alex, Fabrizio and Sal host a Queer Eye-style intervention to get Wil in shape and to build his confidence so he can impress Charlie when their band visits Paris, and just maybe replace humiliation with true romance in the City of Love.

Award-winning author Susin Nielsen has written a laugh-out-loud and heartrending novel for fans of Robyn Schneider’s Extraordinary Means and Cammie McGovern’s Say What You Will. Beware: Life ahead. Sixteen-year-old Petula de Wilde is anything but wild. A former crafting fiend with a happy life, Petula shut herself off from the world after a family tragedy. She sees danger in all the ordinary things, like crossing the street, a bug bite, or a germy handshake. She knows: life is out to get you. The worst part of her week is her comically lame mandatory art therapy class with a small group of fellow misfits. Then a new boy, Jacob, appears at school and in her therapy group. He seems so normal and confident, though he has a prosthetic arm; and soon he teams up with Petula on a hilarious project, gradually inspiring her to let go of some of her fears. But as the two grow closer, a hidden truth behind why he’s in the group threatens to derail them, unless Petula takes a huge risk. . . Praise: Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year “Nielsen writes with sensitivity, empathy, and humor.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred “Nielsen excels at depicting troubled, clever teenagers in familiar environments.” —School Library Journal, Starred “[An] empathic and deeply moving story, balanced by sharply funny narration and dialogue.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred “A poignant exploration into the nuances of healing.” —Quill and Quire, Starred

In this sweet and affirming picture book, two cats discover they don’t need to share a language to become friends. Leonard adores his human. “Stay! Let’s play!” he says when it’s time to leave for work. His human just hears “Meow.” Sometimes Leonard gets lonely. So does Mariposa, who is new in town. Maybe they could keep each other company? “Hello,” says Leonard. “Hola,” says Mariposa. While the friends don’t share a language, they do share adventures. And together they find a place where all cats—and their humans—are welcome.

Twelve-year-old Ambrose is a glass-half-full kind of guy. A self-described “friendless nerd,” he moves from place to place every couple of years with his overprotective mother, Irene. When some bullies at his new school almost kill him by slipping a peanut into his sandwich — even though they know he has a deathly allergy — Ambrose is philosophical. Irene, however, is not and decides that Ambrose will be home-schooled. Alone in the evenings when Irene goes to work, Ambrose pesters Cosmo, the twenty-five-year-old son of the Greek landlords who live upstairs. Cosmo has just been released from jail for breaking and entering to support a drug habit. Quite by accident, Ambrose discovers that they share a love of Scrabble and coerces Cosmo into taking him to the West Side Scrabble Club, where Cosmo falls for Amanda, the club director. Posing as Ambrose’s Big Brother to impress her, Cosmo is motivated to take Ambrose to the weekly meetings and to give him lessons in self-defense. Cosmo, Amanda, and Ambrose soon form an unlikely alliance and, for the first time in his life, Ambrose blossoms. The characters at the Scrabble Club come to embrace Ambrose for who he is and for their shared love of words. There’s only one problem: Irene has no idea what Ambrose is up to. In this brilliantly observed novel, author Susin Nielsen transports the reader to the world of competitive Scrabble as seen from the honest yet funny viewpoint of a boy who’s searching for acceptance and for a place to call home.

Thirteen-year-old wrestling fanatic Henry used to have a normal life. Now, his therapist wants him to keep a journal so he can express his feelings about what happened. Henry has moved with his dad to a new city, where nobody knows their name. He lives off a diet of pizza, whilst hiding from the comically overbearing neighbours and avoiding being an obvious target for bullies at his new school. But then he meets Farley and Alberta, social misfits who refuse to let him be alone. And bit by bit, the past begins to come out. Heartbreaking, surprising and laugh-out-loud funny, The Reluctant Journal of Henry K Larsen is about the things that remain after your life has fallen to pieces.

Violet''s TV-director dad has traded a job in Vancouver for one in Los Angeles, their run-down house for a sleek ranch-style home complete with a pool, and, worst of all, Violet''s mother for a trophy wife, a blonde actress named Jennica. Violet''s younger sister reacts by bed-wetting, and her mother ping-pongs from one loser to another, searching for love. As for Violet, she gets angry in ways that are by turns infuriating, shocking, and hilarious. When her mother takes up with the unfortunately named Dudley Wiener, Violet and her friend Phoebe decide that they need to take control. If Violet''s mom can''t pick a decent man herself, they will help her snag George Clooney. In Dear George Clooney, Please Marry My Mom, Susin Nielsen has created a truly original protagonist in Violet and a brilliant new novel that will delight readers into rooting for her, even when she''s at her worst.

What''s a pampered cat to do now that she has to compete for attention with an ill-mannered puppy? Award-winning author Susin Nielsen delights in this laugh-a-minute twist on the classic sibling rivalry story. Princess Puffybottom has the perfect life -- her subjects serve her delicious meals, clean up her "delicate matters" and wait on her hand and foot. Life is good . . . until Darryl arrives. Princess Puffybottom thinks he''s disgusting, horrid and a true animal. Though she tries everything in her power to banish him (including hypnosis, trickery and even sabotage), it looks like this puppy is here to stay. Can Princess P. and Darryl find a way to co-exist? A hilarious picture book from acclaimed author Susin Nielsen, with adorable illustrations by Olivia Chin Mueller, Princess Puffybottom . . . and Darryl is perfect for not only warring siblings, but also anyone who loves cute pets (and some toilet humor).

Snake had high hopes for grade nine but it isn''t turning out like he planned.

Fergus is Hank''s invisible dog, his best friend, and all he needs in the world, isn''t he?

Battered old stuffy meets grieving grandma.

Felix findet seine Mutter toll, auch wenn sie oft chaotisch ist. Als sie ihre Miete nicht mehr bezahlen können, wird ein alter VW-Bus ihr neues Zuhause. Doch damit fangen die Probleme erst an, und ein abenteuerliches Versteckspiel beginnt. Aber Felix hat einen Plan, wie er Geld beschaffen und alles wieder in Ordnung bringen kann ... Am meisten plagt es Felix, dass er seinen besten Freund Dylan immer wieder anlügen muss, um seine Situation zu vertuschen. Doch als irgendwann die Wahrheit ans Licht kommt, erfährt Felix, dass er sich auf seine Freunde verlassen kann. Spannend und voller Situationskomik erzählt Susin Nielsen von der brüchigen Sicherheit in unserer Gesellschaft und von Menschen, die das Herz auf dem rechten Fleck haben.

Selbstoptimierung für Anfänger Wilburs Lebensphilosophie lautet: Unsichtbar sein. Kopf runter. Mund zu. Einfach schauen, dass man den nächsten Schultag überlebt. Doch dann trifft Charlie ein, Wilburs Austauschschüler. Und entpuppt sich als Austauschschülerin. Und was für eine... Wilbur wird von gigantischen Gefühlen ergriffen. Aber wie wird man zu einem begehrten, coolen Typ, wenn man gerade eben noch völlig unsichtbar war? Einmal mehr beweist Susin Nielsen ihre außergewöhnliche Fähigkeit, »schwierige Zustände erträglicher zu machen« (Andrea Lüthi, NZZ am Sonntag), indem es ihr gelingt, elementare Themen mit einem begeisternden Humor zu verbinden.

Having just moved into a family shelter with her mother, seven-year-old Lily is filled with anxiety when faced with a show-and-tell presentation at her new school, but her incredible imagination and creativity save the day.

Es sollte ein Scherz sein, als einige Mitschüler Ambrosius eine Erdnuss in sein Pausenbrot schmuggeln. Ambrosius überlebt den allergischen Schock, bei seiner Mutter jedoch wirkt das Ereignis stärker nach: Ab sofort bekommt Ambrosius zu Hause Fernunterricht. Doch lange währt die traute Einsamkeit nicht. Von seiner Mutter in Sicherheit gewähnt, freundet sich Ambrosius mit Cosmo an - dessen Vergangenheit... na ja, nicht ganz lupenrein ist. Cosmo sorgt mit einigen Unternehmungen für Abwechslung im tristen Fernschulalltag, im Gegenzug hilft Ambrosius dem unsterblich verliebten Cosmo bei Komplikationen mit seinem Mädchen. Ambrosius'' Doppelleben klappt wie am Schnürchen - doch als ein früherer Kumpel von Cosmo auftaucht, ist die Katastrophe nicht mehr aufzuhalten... Ein weiteres Lesevergnügen von Susin Nielsen, gewohnt witzig, tiefgründig, lebensnah und voller Menschen, die man einfach gernhaben muss!

Felix Knutsson tiene doce años y tres cuartos, y disfruta mucho la trivia. Su programa de televisión favorito es Quién, Qué, Dónde, Cuándo; incluso le puso el nombre del anfitrión a su mascota. La mamá de Felix, Astrid, es amorosa, pero no puede conservar un trabajo. Así que, cuando los desalojan de su último departamento, tienen que irse a vivir a una combi. Astrid le hace jurar a Felix que no dirá nada. Si llega a hacerlo, le advierte, se lo llevarán a un hogar temporal. Las circunstancias de la pequeña familia van de mal en peor, pero Felix tiene la oportunidad de audicionar para una edición infantil de Quién, Qué, Dónde, Cuándo. Ganar el dinero del premio haría que todo regresara a la normalidad. Pero las expectativas muchas veces no coinciden con la realidad... A veces las circunstancias te obligan a mirar las cosas de manera diferente.

¿El vaso está medio lleno o medio vacío? Para Pétula De Wilde dieciséis años de vida han demostrado que el vaso está prácticamente vacío. Desde la accidental muerte de su hermana pequeña, Pétula ve el peligro en todas partes: ya sea al cruzar la calle, al estrechar la mano de alguien o al usar un elevador. Las estadísticas, y Pétula saben que los optimistas mueren primero, así que ha decidido no bajar la guardia, aun cuando esto signifique perder a su mejor amiga y vivir presa de la ansiedad y el remordimiento. Entonces aparece el Hombre Biónico en su grupo de arteterapia. Sorprendentemente alto y seguro de sí, Jacob es sobreviviente de un accidente en el cual perdió el brazo, y a pesar de eso, sigue sonriendo. Al principio su desmesurado optimismo aleja a Pétula, aunque no puede negar que hay bastante química entre ellos, y poco a poco sus barreras irán cayendo. Pero el amor --y el optimismo-- es ciego, y Pétula se dirige a toda velocidad hacia la zona de peligro. La tristeza y la culpa permean una vez más a esta empática y conmovedora historia de Nielsen, acompañada de un diálogo muy divertido..

In der neuen Schule, in der fremden Stadt, bei den neuen Nachbarn heißt Henrys (13) Devise: bloß nicht auffallen. Denn wehe, es kommt raus, was sein Bruder getan hat. Weil Henry, seit ES passiert ist, nur noch Robotersprache spricht, hockt er viel beim Seelendoc. Seine Gefühle jedoch, und nicht nur die, frisst er weiter in sich hinein. Als er Alberta trifft, die zwar auch nicht normal, aber ziemlich toll ist, fragt er sich, ob da mehr daraus werden könnte. Und ob das bedeutet, dass es für ihn tatsächlich ein Leben DANACH gibt.

A laugh-out-loud novel about the consequences of being pushed to the edge--and plummeting right over it Frances Partridge, fifty-five, is a beloved children''s author. Geraint Blevins, forty-one, is an auto mechanic and devoted family man. Parker Poplawski, twenty-three, is just starting her career as a wardrobe assistant on a hit TV show. What do these people have in common? Nothing, that''s what. Until each of them reaches a breaking point and snaps in spectacular fashion. They meet in a court-mandated anger management class: three very different people, forced to spend a lot of time together, who slowly end up bonding and helping one another in unexpected ways, whether it''s to move on or to exact revenge. Lighthearted, timely, and funny, Snap is Nielsen at the top of her storytelling game, delivering flawed but relatable characters whose heartaches, foibles, and choices will make you cringe as you laugh out loud.

L''histoire d''Ambrose Bukowski, douze ans, allergique aux cacahuètes (ce qui lui sera presque fatal !), qui vit seul avec sa mère, et dont la passion surprenante qu''il voue au Scrabble va lui permettre de changer de vie... A partir de 11 ans.

Le nouveau roman de Susin Nielsen, après Dear George Clooney, tu veux pas épouser ma mère ? Un texte d''une très grande sensibilité, qui aborde la question de la violence au collège.

Ambrose Bukowski, dodici anni, ha appena traslocato, per l''ennesima volta. Casa nuova, vita vecchia: sfigato per sua stessa serena ammissione, Ambrose è un disastro nel farsi degli amici. Ma ha anche lo sguardo acceso da un felice fatalismo, e dalla fiducia che tutto in qualche modo si aggiusterà. Peccato che il mondo giri sempre dalla parte sbagliata, e l''ottimismo inarrestabile di Ambrose debba fare i conti con le allergie alimentari, i bulli della scuola, ma soprattutto una mamma ultraprotettiva, preda di mille ansie (e di ogni contromisura, guinzaglio per bambini compreso). Per fortuna nell''universo di Ambrose gravitano gli Economopoulos, la pittoresca coppia greca che vive nell''appartamento sopra il suo, e il loro giovane figlio Cosmo, ex galeotto alle prese con una vita da ricostruire, proprio come Ambrose. Nessuno dei due ha fiducia in se stesso, nessuno dei due crede che riuscirà mai ad averne. Forse per questo allearsi per affrontare il mondo è la sola cosa da fare.

Un roman émouvant et drôle sur la précarité, l''entraide, la famille et la force de l''amitié. À partir de 11 ans.

La narratrice, Violette Gustafson, a des parents divorcés : son père s’est remarié avec une starlette de la télévision avec qui il a eu d’adorables jumelles, et sa mère se débrouille comme elle peut pour les élever, elle et sa petite soeur Rosie, dans leur maison qui tombe en ruine. Pire encore : depuis son divorce, leur mère a désespérément envie de refaire sa vie et ne sort qu’avec des losers ! Violette, n’en pouvant plus, décide de prendre les choses en main : elle va écrire à George Clooney et filer Dudley, illico surnommé la Saucisse, le dernier rendez-vous de sa mère... Un roman très contemporain, à l’humour dévastateur et au ton juste et tendre, sur les familles recomposées et les atermoiements de l’adolescence. A partir de 11 ans.

Depuis la tragédie qui a anéanti sa famille, Pétula, seize ans, a développé de nombreuses phobies ; et prétend qu''une prudence et une hygiène extrêmes lui permettront de parer à la moindre Catastrophe. Mais est-ce bien réaliste? ... Au lycée, contrainte et forcée, elle fait partie d''un atelier d''art-thérapie. Les adolescents "à problèmes" qui y assistent se supportent tout juste : Jusqu''à ce que Jacob, "l''homme bionique", fasse son apparition. Appareillé depuis qu''il a perdu son avant-bras, le jeune homme, grand cinéphile, est aussi moqueur qu''attentif aux autres. A ses côtés, Pétula se sent enfin revivre. Mais il se pourrait qu''il cache lui aussi un secret trop lourd à porter ...

When thirteen-year-old Henry and his family move to the city to leave behind a secret tragedy, Henry finds a journal is his best friend.

Shane is a loner at Degrassi. At home he and his parents don''t get along too well, especially since he started grade eight. Life gets better when Shane starts seeing Spike, and he becomes more popular at school. But the unthinkable happens--Spike gets pregnant. One little mistake, and it ruins his life. School is a drag, home is a drag, and Spike won''t talk to him anymore. Then Shane goes away to camp for the summer and, surprisingly, it''s great. But his new sense of independence backfires: before he knows it, he''s in trouble--disaster strikes again. Based on the groundbreaking "Degrassi Junior High" television series, this book offers a sensitive and engaging look at the challenges of teenage life.

Quelque chose me dit que Cecil n''est pas la crème de la crème des psychologues. Déjà, il est gratuit. Son bureau est minuscule et encombré, avec des meubles bas de gamme, abîmés et tâchés. Et puis, on dirait qu''il n''a pas pu se payer de vêtements neufs depuis 1969. Nous n''avons pas encore parlé de ça. Il essaie de m''y amener l''air de rien. Il me pose parfois des questions orientées. Mais quand il le fait, je prends ma voix de robot pour lui répondre. "Je-ne-sais-pas. De-quoi-vous-parlez, espèce-d''humanoïde". Alors, il bat en retraite. Après le terrible drame qui a frappé Henry et sa famille, et les conséquences qui en ont découlé, l''adolescent a déménagé à Vancouver avec son père. Les voici en tête à tête, dans cette ville où ils ne connaissent personne. Tout est à reconstruire : même la mère de Henry, victime d''une grave dépression, est restée à Port Salish... Bien qu''il déteste franchement l''idée d''écrire dans un journal, comme le lui a conseillé son thérapeute, tout comme il se refuse à se faire de nouveaux amis, le garçon finit par s''ouvrir, malgré lui... Au fil des jours, il trouve même du plaisir à coucher ses pensées sur le papier à reconstituer, entre gravité et humour, entre souvenirs terribles et lueurs d''espoir, les événements qui ont marqué sa vie pourtoujours. Un roman lumineux et inoubliable qui place le lecteur en empathie avec un héros boulversant. Ce livre a reçu le Governor General''s Literary Award, le plus prestigieux prix canadien anglais pour les romans adolescents.