Most Popular Books by Todd Strasser

This novel dramatizes an incident that took place in a California school in 1969. A teacher creates an experimental movement in his class to help students understand how people could have followed Hitler. The results are astounding. The highly disciplined group, modeled on the principles of the Hilter Youth, has its own salute, chants, and special ways of acting as a unit and sweeps beyond the class and throughout the school, evolving into a society willing to give up freedom for regimentation and blind obedience to their leader. All will learn a lesson that will never be forgotten.

In the Frederick Douglass Project where DeShawn lives, daily life is ruled by drugs and gang violence. Dropping out of school and joining a gang is the norm and every kid knows someone who''s died. Gunshots ring out on a regular basis. DeShawn is smart enough to know he should stay in school and keep away from the gangs. But while his friends have drug money to buy anything they want, DeShawn''s family can barely afford food for the month. How can he stick to his principles when his family is hungry? In this gritty novel about growing up in the inner-city projects, award-winning author Todd Strasser opens a window into the life of a teenager struggling with right and wrong under the ever-present shadow of gangs.

“[H]aunting and harrowing.” —Booklist (starred review) “Vivid, distressing, and all too real.” —Kirkus Reviews In this 20th anniversary edition of Todd Strasser’s gut-wrenching and critically acclaimed Give a Boy a Gun, two boys bring guns to school in search of revenge against their classmates. For as long as they can remember, Brendan and Gary have been mercilessly teased and harassed by the jocks who rule Middletown High. But not anymore. Stealing a small arsenal of guns from a neighbor, they take their classmates hostage at a school dance. In the panic of this desperate situation, it soon becomes clear that only one thing matters to Brendan and Gary: revenge. This special 20th anniversary edition includes updated backmatter and statistics on school shootings—a topic that is now more relevant than ever.

Kidnapped and sent to live in a disciplinary boot camp where he is physically and psychologically tortured on a daily basis, fifteen-year-old Garrett knows that he has been wrongly imprisoned and so feels there is no choice but to attempt a daring escape in order to save the life he has left in him.

Overweight high school senior Bo decides to change her image while working on the school play with a former star football player who is also struggling to find a new identity for himself.

All it takes is one second. One stupid move. One click of a cell phone. When Callie discovers Katherine sprawled on the ground, she bends down to help her. It''s only natural—the party''s been a bit wild. And it''s only natural for her to pull out the fake knife, irritated at one more example of Katherine''s callous disregard of other people''s feelings. But the knife is real . . . and bloody. And then Callie hears the click of one cell phone, followed by another, and another. In minutes, images of her holding the bloody knife have gone viral. Now wanted for murder, Callie is on the run from the police. All the evidence points to her guilt, but she''s determined to prove her innocence, which means . . . the real killer is still out there.

An offer she can''t refuse. Kate Blessing is not your typical high school junior. She''s a good student who''s into guys and the latest designer jeans...and she''s also part of the mob. Her father, Bobby Blessing, is the head of the family, and her mom, Amanda, is the brains behind the operation. Kate may not partake in the "family business," but she knows what goes down. She''s proud of her family -- and of course, there are plenty of perks: her indoor pool, Caribbean vacations, expensive haircuts... But when Amanda gets fed up with Bobby''s cheating and moves out, someone needs to make decisions, give orders, and keep things running. Kate has no choice but to step into her mother''s shoes and prop her dad up. Bobby may be the face of the mob, but it''s not long before the princess is running the show.

“Combines terrific suspense with thoughtful depth. . . . Riveting.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review) In the summer of 1962, the possibility of nuclear war is all anyone talks about. But Scott’s dad is the only one in the neighborhood who actually builds a bomb shelter. When the unthinkable happens, neighbors force their way into the shelter before Scott’s dad can shut the door. With not enough room, not enough food, and not enough air, life inside the shelter is filthy, physically draining, and emotionally fraught. But even worse is the question of what will — and won’t — remain when the door is opened again.

Her street name is Maybe She lives with a tribe of homeless teens -- runaways and throwaways, kids who have no place to go other than the cold city streets, and no family except for one another. Abused, abandoned, and forgotten, they struggle against the cold, hunger, and constant danger. With the frigid winds of January comes a new girl: Tears, a twelve-year-old whose mother doesn''t believe her stepfather abuses her. As the other kids start to disappear -- victims of violence, addiction, and exposure -- Maybe tries to help Tears get off the streets...if it''s not already too late. Todd Strasser, author of the powerful and disturbing Give a Boy a Gun, again focuses on an important social issue as he tells a thought-provoking, heart-wrenching story of young lives lost to the streets, and of a society that has forgotten how to care.

Something strange is happening in the parking lot of Time Zone High: The established cliques aren’t in their usual gathering places. Instead, everyone has joined in one large, frantically interacting mass. Why? Maybe it’s because the world may end tomorrow. Allegra Hanover is Time Zone High’s over-achieving valedictorian, so motorcycle-driving surfer bum Andros Bliss seems like the last person she would date. But when an asteroid is rumored to be hurtling toward Earth, the normal high school rules start to fade. Students and teachers are ditching class, and the lines between high school cliques are breaking down. Is the end of the world enough to make Allegra finally go for her secret crush?

From award-winning author Todd Strasser comes a gripping new novel that explores the struggles of war, the price paid by those who fight in them, and what it really means to be a hero. Jake Liddell is a hero. At least, that’s what everyone says he is. The military is even awarding him a Silver Star for his heroic achievements—a huge honor for the son of a military family. Now he’s home, recovering from an injury, but it seems the war has followed him back. He needs pills to get any sleep, a young woman is trying to persuade him into speaking out against military recruitment tactics, and his grandfather is already urging him back onto the battlefield. He doesn’t know what to do; nothing makes sense anymore. There is only one thing that Jake knows for certain: he is no hero.

Riding the hottest summer trend around, the bestselling author "shoots the tub" with a new action-packed series for the "bros" featuring buff guys, hot girls, and fast surfboards. Original.

Impact Zone: The most dangerous part of the wave You gotta beat it...or you''ll eat it. Ever since he went up against the locals and broke into the lineup, Kai has had his own crew. Spazzy is a summer kid with a lot of fancy gear. He looks like a total shubee. But on the board he''s good, really good -- despite everything going against him. The Spazz wants to be in the local competition, but he can''t do it without Kai. Kai knows there''s no way Spazzy can win against Lucas, the local hero. But Kai would never let a brah down....

IMAPCT ZONE The most dangerous part of the wave You gotta beat it...or you''ll eat it. The summer is hot, and so is action out on the line-up. There''s a big competition coming up, with some serious burrito money attached. All the brahs are in it for something. Lucas has his career and his reputation on the line. If Kai wins, he might be able to stay in Sun Haven and not have to hit the road again with his sketchy dad. For everyone it''s a chance to close out the summer as a champion. Stoked.

Kevin''s day has gotten off to a bad start, his family accidentally forgot him when they went to Paris for the holidays.

Rendered homeless by circumstances beyond his family''s control, Dan is forced to move to Tent City, where he begins fighting for better conditions only to be targeted by an adversary who wants to destroy the impoverished region.

A house at the beach. A bunch of hot strangers. A three-month party that''s Off The Hook. Seven randoms cram into a house down the shore, and they''ve all got agendas. Curt wants a gig. Polly wants a life. Owen''s jonesing for someone he can''t have. And everyone''s geared up for one wicked summer. Surfing all day, partying all night. Here''s the real question: If your boyfriend''s cheating but you''re too busy hooking up, does it really count? And if people aren''t who they say they are, does it really matter?

Have you ever seen a shape moving through the night? Do black cats always seem to cross your path? Would your heart race if a ghost sent you a text message? If so, then you might end up Too Afraid to Scream.

Rock musicians Gary, Susan, Oscar, and Karl are dealt a hard blow while pursuing their dream of stardom. Sequel to "Rock ''N'' Roll Nights."

I''ll begin with Lucy. She is definitely first on the list. You can''t believe how it feels to be in the cafeteria and turn around and there she is staring at me like I''m some disgusting bug or vermin. Does she really think I WANT to be this way? I hate you, Lucy. I really hate you. You are my #1 pick. I wish you were dead. The day after anonymous blogger Str-S-d wishes the popular girl would die, Lucy vanishes. The students of Soundview High are scared and worried. Especially frightened and wracked with guilt is Madison Archer, Lucy''s friend and the last person to see her the night she disappeared. As days pass with no sign of the missing girl, even the attention of Tyler, an attractive new student, is not enough to distract Madison from her growing sense of foreboding. When two more popular students disappear after their names are mentioned on Str-S-d''s blog, the residents of Soundview panic. Meanwhile, Madison receives anonymous notes warning that she could be next. Desperate to solve the mystery before anyone else disappears, Madison turns to Tyler, but can she trust him when it becomes clear that he knows more than he''s sharing? The clock is ticking. Madison must uncover the truth behind the mysterious disappearances . . . before her name appears in Str-S-d''s blog. In the spirit of stories like I Know What You Did Last Summer, Todd Strasser updates the teen thriller for the techno age with Wish You Were Dead.

Sixteen-year-old Jamie Gordon had a taste of praise and recognition at age fourteen when her unflattering photograph of an actress was published, but as she pursues her dream of being a celebrity photographer, she becomes immersed in the dark side of fame.

A house at the beach. A bunch of hot strangers. A three-month party that''s Off The Hook. Seven randoms cram into a house down the shore, and they''ve all got agendas. Curt wants a gig. Polly wants a life. Owen''s jonesing for someone he can''t have. And everyone''s geared up for one wicked summer. Surfing all day, partying all night. Here''s the real question: If your boyfriend''s cheating but you''re too busy hooking up, does it really count? And if people aren''t who they say they are, does it really matter?

In his unhappiness and loneliness, a high school student turns to alcohol.

Ever since Dad died, Kelly and her sister, Sasha, have wished they could have him back again. One day, to their amazement, he does return--as a ghost! He does Kelly''s homework, gets the new boy at school to sit next to her, and even helps in her soccer games. Kelly knows she should do these things for herself, but what''s a girl to do when her dad''s a ghost?

An FBI sting operation pits brother against brother in this carefully-researched novel by award-winning author Todd Strasser.

The cops cracked down on illegal races, and now the only street racing around is at the hottest casino on the strip. The casino owner is starting his own high-stakes, high-payoff drift team -- and there''s little he wouldn''t do to have Sin City''s best drifter. Kennin''s under pressure to quit the scene and get his life back on track. But when he''s offered five grand to fix his ride -- and the promise of enough cash to take care of his problems -- Kennin knows exactly what he has to do. No matter what the catch.

Collection of stories and poems portraying eight wicked villains from various Disney animated films.

A novelization of the upcoming feature film sequel takes readers once again into the lives of the creepy, kooky, mysterious, spooky, and altogether ooky Addams Family. Original. Movie tie-in.

A collection of eight scary stories for young readers.

When Brad asks someone else to the senior prom, Nicole resorts to a desperate measure--she decides to make her next-door neighbor over into a dream date.

Three teenagers find themselves adrift in the shark-infested waters off the Gulf of Mexico.

After Andy presses the wrong button on a weird machine and turns into a dog, his friend Jake tries to help him turn back into a human.

After Chris''s car plunges into the ravine, killing him and three of his friends, everyone blames Chris for drinking. But Matt thinks there is more to it. Something is fishy about the investigation, and Matt is determined to uncover the truth.

A collection of poems and stories from such Disney films as Sleeping Beauty, Aladdin, and The Lion King.

A middle school must-read that exposes the anti-Semitism in our country today! From the author of The Wave comes a poignant and timely novel about a group of seventh graders who are brought together—and then torn apart—by an afterschool club that plays a video game based on WW2. There''s a new afterschool club at Ironville Middle School. Ms. Peterson is starting a video game club where the students will playing The Good War, a new game based on World War II. They are divided into two teams: Axis and Allies, and they will be simulating a war they know nothing about yet. Only one team will win. But what starts out as friendly competition, takes an unexpected turn for the worst when an one player takes the game too far. Can an afterschool club change the way the students see eachother...and how they see the world? "By using a gaming lens to explore the students’ entrée to prejudice and radicalization, he succeeds in lending immediacy and accessibility to his cautionary tale."—Kirkus Reviews

Based on the Screenplay by Ian McEwan.

Left on their own for an afternoon, two bored and restless children find more excitement than they bargained for in a mysterious and mystical jungle adventure board game.