New Releases by Walter Dean Myers

You can call me Mouse, ''cause that''s my tag I''m into it all, everything''s my bag my ace is Styx, he''ll always do Add Bev and Sheri, and you got my crew ...and a crew it is! For fourteen-year-old Mouse, this summer is anything but boring. His father, who checked out from the family eight years ago, is now trying to make a comeback as a dad. Beverly, a new girl from California, seems to like locking lips with the Mouse--but she seems to like other guys, as well. Sheri is trying to persuade the gang to join a dance contest. And there''s a rumor that a lot of money--the loot from a ''30''s bank heist, to be exact--is hidden somewhere in an abandoned Harlem building, and you know the Mouse is determined to get a piece of that action. "It''s summer in Harlem, and The Mouse (as he calls himself) and his friends look beyond dance contests and basketball for diversion.The rumor of a huge cash stash in an abandoned building left by [a 1930s] gangster offers possibilities. . . . Tightly integrated subplots strengthen an already well-crafted novel. Myers deftly paints a humor-laced picture of Harlem in sparkling prose, with characters that have universal appeal." —BL. 1991 Best Books for Young Adults (ALA) Children''s Choices for 1991 (IRA/CBC) Children''s Books of 1990 (Library of Congress) 1991 Books for the Teen Age (NY Public Library) Parenting Honorable Mention, Reading Magic Award

Printz Award winner Walter Dean Myers deftly draws a compassionate portrait of a boy''s odyssey of self-discovery and the acceptance and empathy for others he learns along the way. David doesn''t know what to make of his father, Reuben. His older brother, Tyrone, says Reuben is crazy. But Tyrone is acting like someone David doesn''t know anymore. Then David meets Mr. Moses, a mysterious man who tells him that dreams might be the only things we have that are real. And it is Mr. Moses'' gift of dreams that gives David a new way to see inside his father''s heart. I wonder what kind of dreams Reuben has. When I thought about him dreaming, I thought of him having a storm in his head, with lightning and far-off thunder and the wind blowing big raindrops and a bigger storm coming just down the street, just around the corner, like a monster waiting for you. I thought Reuben dreamed of monsters that scared him. They scared me too.

As the Civil War rages, another battle breaks out behind the lines. During a long hot July in 1863, the worst race riots the United States has ever seen erupt in New York City. Earlier that year, desperate for more Union soldiers, President Abraham Lincoln instituted a draft—a draft that would allow the wealthy to escape serving in the army by paying a $300 waiver, more than a year''s income for the recent immigrant Irish. And on July 11, as the first drawing takes place in Lower Manhattan, the city of New York explodes in rage and fire. Stores are looted; buildings, including the Colored Foundling Home, are burned down; and black Americans are attacked, beaten, and murdered. The police cannot hold out against the rioters, and finally, battle-hardened soldiers are ordered back from the fields of Gettysburg to put down the insurrection, which they do—brutally. Fifteen-year-old Claire, the beloved daughter of a black father and Irish mother, finds herself torn between the two warring sides. Faced with the breakdown of the city—the home—she has loved, Claire must discover the strength and resilience to address the new world in which she finds herself, and to begin the hard journey of remaking herself and her identity. Addressing such issues as race, bigotry, and class head-on, Walter Dean Myers has written another stirring and exciting novel that will shake up assumptions, and lift the spirit.

In the groundbreaking tradition of his award-winning Monster and Bad Boy: A Memoir, Walter Dean Myers fashions a highly readable, powerful novel about the rules for success for young men, especially those navigating coming of age while Black. Share this book in the classroom, in a father-son reading group, or as a summer reading (or anytime) choice that''s likely to spark conversation and be a favorite. "When the proprietor of a Harlem barbershop takes over as the court-appointed mentor for two troubled teenagers, he conveys the message that the future is built not only on hard work but on sustaining dreams as well." (Smithsonian magazine). In his introduction to Handbook for Boys, Walter Dean Myers wrote: "I know as a troubled teenager I would have loved to have a neighborhood barbershop to sit in and a group of worldly and knowledgeable men to counsel me. Thinking about this was my motivation in writing this book, hoping it will be, in the least, a jumping-off point for many interesting conversations about success."

By the groundbreaking author of the award-winning Monster–a visionary who influenced and inspired a generation–this story take us back to the world of 145th Street: Short Stories to show how love can be found, and thrive, in the most unlikely places. Curtis finds love in Iraq as he struggles to stay alive in a war he doesn''t want to fight, and Letha discovers her own beauty in the love of her child. There is the "good daughter" who realizes that there''s only one way to help her brother and her family. Other stories center on the daily drama of the Curl-E-Que beauty shop, or capture the slapstick side of passion. AWARDS FOR WALTER DEAN MYERS: New York Times Bestselling Author 3-Time National Book Award Finalist Michael L. Printz Award 5 Coretta Scott King Awards 2 Newbery Honors National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature (2012-2013) Margaret A. Edwards Award for Lifetime Achievement Children’s Literature Legacy Award

An ALA Notable Children’s Book from the award-winning author of Monster in which “wit, sensitivity, and insight [are combined] to create this funny, fast-paced story about three orphaned children and the Elks, a Little League baseball team” (Publishers Weekly). T.J., his younger brother, Moondance, and Mop—Miss Olivia Parrish—grew up together in the same orphanage. Now T.J. and Moondance have been adopted, and Mop has to find a family before the orphanage closes and “leftover” kids are sent away. Mop hopes that if she can play catcher for the Elks, the Little League baseball team that her friends have joined, the coach will be so impressed that he and his wife will adopt her. It’s going to take a lot of teamwork for her, T.J, and little Moondance to make their dreams come true!

DARNELL ROCK IS not the kind of kid who volunteers to write for the newspaper—it sounds too much like homework. But this is Darnell’s last chance to pull himself together and make a positive contribution to his school. At first, Darnell would rather be hanging out with his sister and his friends. But soon he gets interested in the Oakdale Gazette. Much to his surprise, Darnell discovers that people pay attention to the words he writes. Before he knows it, Darnell changes from a kid who can’t do anything right to a person who can make a difference.

New Ebook Bonus Content: -Book Group Discussion Questions -Q&A with screenwriter John Ballard -Excerpt from Hoops -Excerpt from 145th Street -Excerpt from On a Clear Day When Lonnie Jackson leaves Harlem to take a basketball scholarship at a midwestern college, he knows he must keep his head straight and his record clean. That''s the only way he''ll have a chance of making it to the pros someday. But his street smarts haven''t prepared him for the pressures of tough classes, high-stakes college ball, and the temptation to fix games for local gamblers. Everyone plays by a whole new set of rules -- including Sherry, who''s determined to be a track star. Her independence attracts Lonnie, but their on-again, off-again relationship is driving him crazy. Lonnie has one year to learn how to make it as a "college man." It''s his outside shot at a bright future. Does he have what it takes?

Ida B. Wells was an extraordinary woman. Long before boycotts, sit-ins, and freedom rides, Ida B. Wells was hard at work to better the lives of African Americans. An activist, educator, writer, journalist, suffragette, and pioneering voice against the horror of lynching, she used fierce determination and the power of the pen to educate the world about the unequal treatment of blacks in the United States. Award-winning author Walter Dean Myers tells the story of this legendary figure, which blends harmoniously with the historically detailed watercolor paintings of illustrator Bonnie Christensen.

Drew Lawson knows basketball is taking him places. It has to, because his grades certainly aren''t. But lately his plan has run squarely into a pick. Coach''s new offense has made another player a star, and Drew won''t let anyone disrespect his game. Just as his team makes the playoffs, Drew must come up with something big to save his fading college prospects. It''s all up to Drew to find out just how deep his game really is.

A blues poem offers the history of the African American experience.

The story of the Harlem Hellfighters is not simply one of victory in a war. . . . It is the story of men who acted as men, and who gave a good account of themselves when so many people thought, even hoped, that they would fail. What defines a true hero? The "Harlem Hellfighters," the African American soldiers of the 369th Infantry Regiment of World War I, redefined heroism -- for America, and for the world. At a time of widespread bigotry and racism, these soldiers put their lives on the line in the name of democracy. The Harlem Hellfighters: When Pride Met Courage is a portrait of bravery and honor. With compelling narrative and never-before-published photographs, Michael L. Printz Award winner Walter Dean Myers and renowned filmmaker Bill Miles deftly portray the true story of these unsung American heroes.

Vietnam. A young American soldier waits for his enemy, rifle in hand, finger on the trigger. He is afraid to move and yet afraid not to move. Gunshots crackle in the still air. The soldier fires blindly into the distant trees at an unseen enemy. He crouches and waits -- heart pounding, tense and trembling, biting back tears. When will it all be over? Walter Dean Myers joined the army on his seventeeth birthday, at the onset of American involvement in Vietnam, but it was the death of his brother in 1968 that forever changed his mind about war. In a gripping and powerful story-poem, the award-winning author takes readers into the heart and mind of a young soldier in an alien land who comes face-to-face with the enemy. Strikingly illustrated with evocative and emotionally wrenching collages by Caldecott Honor artist Ann Grifalconi, this unforgettable portrait captures one American G.L''s haunting experience.

Walter Dean Myers presents a thrilling record of Antarctica and the expedition parties that have uncovered the frozen continent throughout history. Walter Dean Myers brings the dramatic race to the South Pole to life in Antarctica, tracking the explorers of the South Pole - including James Cook, Ernest Shackleton, and Richard Evelyn Bird - and the dangers they encountered there, as well as their contributions to science. The heroism and adventure - and sometimes the ultimate failure - of the expeditions are depicted in Myers''s powerful prose, and through the photos, maps, and illustrations that complement the text.

Cuando Jamal se convierte en el lider de los Escorpiones, una pandilla de Harlem en Nueva York, descubre que sus enemigos le tratarán con respeto si tiene una pistola -- hasta que sucede una tragedia.

Sixteen-year-old Crystal knows she''s blessed. She is drop-dead gorgeous and in the beginning stages of a glamorous career as a model in New York City. At first, modeling is exciting. But soon, her life becomes less and less about her, and more and more about her body. Crystal wonders if her new life is worth giving up everything -- her friends, her beliefs, and her self-respect.

Teenager Biddy Owens'' 1948 journal about working for the Birmingham Black Barons includes the games and the players, racism the team faces from New Orleans to Chicago, and his family''s resistance to his becoming a professional baseball player. Includes a historical note about the evolution of the Negro Leagues.

Myers pens this biography of an African princess saved from execution and taken to England where Queen Victoria oversaw her upbringing and where she lived for a time before marrying an African missionary.

A seventeen-year-old soldier from central Virginia records his experiences in a journal as his regiment takes part in the D-Day invasion of Normandy and subsequent battles to liberate France.

Clever Mr. Buzzard has no worries at all while everyone else works hard to find something to eat. His cruel pranks keep his belly full and a big buzzard smile on his face. But sly Mr. Monkey has his eye on Mr. Buzzard. He watched Mr. Buzzard cheat Mr. Hare, Mr. Antelope, and Mr. Crab. Now Mr. Monkey has a special trick in mind for the greedy bird.

Long ago, when the earth had not settled in its turning and the stars had not found their places in the night sky, there were three kingdoms. The first was the kingdom of the forest, ruled by the mighty Elephant. The second was the kingdom of the sea, ruled by the ferocious Shark. And the third was the kingdom of the air, ruled by the powerful Hawk. And then there were the People, who needed the forest and sea and air for survival. But they were small and weak--no match for the beast who dominated the kingdoms. Yet the People had a gift--the gift of storytelling. With powerful prose and bold illustrations, Walter Dean Myers and Ashley Bryan tell how the People used their gift to outwit the rulers of the three kingdoms, making this triumphant story one worth reading again and again.

Sixtee-year-old "Slam" Harris is counting on his noteworthy basketball talents to get him out of the inner city and give him a chance to succeed in life, but his coach sees things differently.

A collection of paintings by Jacob Lawrence chronicling the liberation of Haiti in 1804 under the leadership of General Toussaint L''Ouverture.

After T.J. and his younger brother are adopted, the biggest problems they face are winning an international baseball tournament, held in their New Jersey hometown, and helping a homeless teammate.

A photographic history that traces the lives of African-Americans over the course of 150 years, depicting the many roles they have taken and the victories they have achieved.

If it had been up to Jon, he never would have left Crystal City. But the Fen children had finally broken through the city walls. And the Okalian way would survive only if some of the Okalians survived. So Jon sets out into a strange new world. He''s been told to find the Ancient Land, where Okalian civilization began. But he hasn''t been told of the horrors he will have to face in the cold Wilderness in order to get there. Now he must face the fact that everything he''s been taught might be a lie -- a lie he must face for everything to survive.

Relates events in Martin Luther King, Jr.''s, childhood, which sowed the seeds for his activism for equal rights for people, regardless of their color.

Cindy''s friend, Karin, needs a break, so Cindy agrees to babysit one evening. However, when Karin decides she needs more time to figure out her life, Cindy and her friends must manage to take care of the baby.