Bobby Griffith was an all-American boy... and he was gay. Faced with an irresolvable conflict—for both his family and his religion taught him that being gay was "wrong"—Bobby chose to take his own life.

Prayers for Bobby is the story of the emotional journey that led Bobby to this tragic conclusion. But it is also the story of Bobby's mother, a fearful churchgoer who first prayed that her son would be "healed," then anguished over his suicide, and ultimately transformed herself into a national crusader for gay and lesbian youth.

As told through Bobby's poignant journal entries and his mother's reminiscences, Prayers for Bobby is at once a moving personal story, a true profile in courage, and a call to arms to parents everywhere.

Includes three of the best-loved classics in children's literature:

Charlotte's Web is a Newbery Award-winning story of one fine swine and a spider named Charlotte who changed his life forever.

The Trumpet of the Swan is the joyous tale of Louis, a trumpeter swan in search of his voice.

Stuart Little is the story of a most unusual mouse that sets out on the adventure of a lifetime.

The Deep End of the Ocean is a powerful story that imagines every mother's worst nightmare—the disappearance of a child. This nationwide bestseller and critical success was the first title chosen for Oprah's Book Club.

The novel is both highly suspenseful and deeply moving, exploring a family's struggle to endure even against extraordinary odds. It is filled with compassion, humor, and brilliant observations about the texture of real life.

Here is a story of rare power, one that will touch readers' hearts and make them celebrate the emotions that make us all one.

The Giant's House is an unusual love story about a little librarian on Cape Cod and the tallest boy in the world. This magical first novel from Elizabeth McCracken captures the essence of unexpected connections and the beauty of peculiar relationships.

Set in the year 1950, in a quaint town on Cape Cod, twenty-six-year-old librarian Peggy Cort feels like love and life have stood her up. That is, until the day James Carlson Sweatt—the "over tall" eleven-year-old boy who's the talk of the town—walks into her library and changes her life forever.

Two misfits whose lonely paths cross at the circulation desk, Peggy and James are odd candidates for friendship. Yet, they soon find their lives entwined in ways neither could have predicted. In James, Peggy discovers the one person who's ever truly understood her, and as he grows—six foot five at age twelve, then seven feet, then eight—so does her heart and their singular romance.

The Giant's House is a tender and quirky novel about learning to welcome unexpected miracles and the strength of choosing love in a world that offers no promises or guarantees.

At an astonishingly young age, Edwidge Danticat has become one of our most celebrated new writers. She is an artist who evokes the wonder, terror, and heartache of her native Haiti—and the enduring strength of Haiti's women—with a vibrant imagery and narrative grace that bear witness to her people's suffering and courage.

When Haitians tell a story, they say "Krik?" and the eager listeners answer "Krak!" In Krik? Krak!, Danticat establishes herself as the latest heir to that narrative tradition with nine stories that encompass both the cruelties and the high ideals of Haitian life.

They tell of women who continue loving behind prison walls and in the face of unfathomable loss; of a people who resist the brutality of their rulers through the powers of imagination. The result is a collection that outrages, saddens, and transports the reader with its sheer beauty.

Betsy returns from Europe to marry Joe Willard—and soon learns that beloved friend Tacy is expecting a baby! It's wartime in America, but Betsy, Joe, and their wonderful circle of friends brave their hardships together.

Enter the world of Mitford, and you won't want to leave. It's easy to feel at home in Mitford. In these high, green hills, the air is pure, the village is charming, and the people are generally lovable.

Yet, Father Tim, the bachelor rector, wants something more. Enter a dog the size of a sofa who moves in and won't go away. Add an attractive neighbor who begins wearing a path through the hedge. Now, stir in a lovable but unloved boy, a mystifying jewel theft, and a secret that's sixty years old.

Suddenly, Father Tim gets more than he bargained for. And readers get a rich comedy about ordinary people and their ordinary lives.

The Rapture of Canaan takes you on a journey into the lives of the members of the Church of Fire and Brimstone and God's Almighty Baptizing Wind. Here, the community spends their days and nights in the service of the Lord, eagerly awaiting the Rapture—the moment before the Second Coming of Christ when the saved will ascend to heaven, leaving the damned to face a thousand years of tribulation on earth.

Grandpa Herman, the founder of Fire and Brimstone, paints a terrifying picture of the tribulation: "We'd run out of food. Big bugs would chase us, stinging us with their tails. We'd turn on the faucet to find blood instead of water. Evil multitudes would come, severing our limbs, and we wouldn't die." Yet, he offers hope: "You can go straight to Heaven with all of God's special children if you'll only open your hearts to Jesus."

Ninah Huff, a 15-year-old girl, bears the weight of this damnation on her mind. To distract herself from sinful thoughts about her prayer partner, James, Ninah places pecan shells in her shoes and nettles in her bed. Despite her efforts, Ninah and James are drawn to each other, leading to tragic and transformative consequences for their community.

The Rapture of Canaan is a tale of miracles and transformations, where even the most stringent beliefs are challenged by the complexities of human emotions and the mysterious ways of the divine.

Annie Trimble lives in a solitary world that no one enters or understands. As delicate and beautiful as the tender blossoms of the Oregon spring, she is shunned by a town that misinterprets her affliction. But cruelty cannot destroy the love Annie holds in her heart.

Alex Montgomery is horrified to learn his wild younger brother forced himself on a helpless girl. Tormented by guilt, Alex agrees to marry her and raise the baby she carries as his own. But he never dreams he will grow to cherish his lovely, mute, and misjudged Annie; her childlike innocence, her womanly charms, and the wondrous way she views her world.

He becomes determined to break through the wall of silence surrounding her; to heal... and to be healed by Annie's sweet song of love.

Follow Your Heart is an international bestseller with tremendous word-of-mouth appeal. This bittersweet, heartwarming novel spans generations and teaches the universal truths about life, love, and what lies within each of us.

Originally published in Italy, it begins in late autumn 1992 as an elderly Italian woman, prompted by the knowledge of her encroaching death, sits down to write a letter to her granddaughter, now grown and living in far-off America. Through these moving reflections, one life is laid bare—joys, sorrows, regrets, and all.

Through the eyes of a woman nearing the end of her days, we come to understand what life experience has taught her: that no matter what the stakes, we must look within ourselves and gather the courage to follow our hearts.

Harvesting the Heart is a deeply moving novel by Jodi Picoult, exploring the intricate dynamics of motherhood and self-discovery. Paige has only a few vivid memories of her mother, who abandoned her at the tender age of five. Now, having left her father behind in Chicago to pursue dreams of art school and marriage to an ambitious young doctor, she finds herself with a child of her own.

Her mother's absence and the shameful memories of her past force Paige to doubt her own abilities to bring joy and meaning into her child's life, gifts her own mother never gave. Harvesting the Heart is crafted with astonishing clarity and evocative detail, convincingly depicting emotional pain, love, and vulnerability.

This absorbing novel is peopled by richly drawn characters and explores the profound theme of motherhood with power and depth. Jodi Picoult masterfully delves into the fragile ground of ambivalent motherhood, creating a story that belongs to the lucky reader.

Rooted in a scrupulously accurate reading of scripture, Joshua is a profoundly moving, deeply inspiring book that no reader will ever forget.

Sometimes it happens. After two thousand years, the human race may be given a second chance. When Joshua moves to a small cabin on the edge of town, the local people are mystified by his presence. A quiet and simple man, Joshua appears to seek nothing for himself. He supports himself by working as a carpenter. He charges very little for his services, yet his craftsmanship is exquisite.

The statue of Moses that he carves for the local synagogue prompts amazement as well as consternation. What are the townsfolk to make of this enigmatic stranger? Some people report having seen him carry a huge cherry log on his shoulders effortlessly. Still others talk about the child in a poor part of town who was dreadfully ill but, after Joshua’s visit, recovered completely.

Despite his benevolence and selfless work in the community, some remain suspicious. Finally, in an effort to address the community’s doubts, Joshua is confronted by the local church leaders.

To know things, for us to know things, is bad for them. We get to wanting and when we get to wanting it's bad for them. They think we want what they got. That's why they don't want us reading. - Nightjohn

I didn't know what letters was, not what they meant, but I thought it might be something I wanted to know. To learn. - Sarny

Sarny, a female slave at the Waller plantation, first sees Nightjohn when he is brought there with a rope around his neck, his body covered in scars. He had escaped north to freedom, but he came back—came back to teach reading. Knowing that the penalty for reading is dismemberment, Nightjohn still returned to slavery to teach others how to read. And twelve-year-old Sarny is willing to take the risk to learn.

Set in the 1850s, Gary Paulsen's groundbreaking novel is unlike anything else the award-winning author has written. It is a meticulously researched, historically accurate, and artistically crafted portrayal of a grim time in our nation's past, brought to light through the personal history of two unforgettable characters.

More than a hundred years ago, Oscar Wilde created this moving story for his children. Now shimmering illustrations, as bejeweled and golden as the Prince himself, give glowing life to the many dimensions of his tale.

His story of friendship, love, and a willingness to part with one's own riches may be more important today than ever before. This enchanting story tells the tale of a majestic golden statue, once a prince, who befriends a compassionate swallow. Together, they embark on a poignant journey of selflessness, sacrifice, and love for humanity.

Wilde's eloquent prose and vivid imagination transport readers to a world where kindness and empathy triumph over materialism and indifference. The Happy Prince is a literary gem that continues to inspire readers of all ages, reminding us of the enduring power of compassion and the beauty that lies within the human heart.

El caballero de la armadura oxidada trata de una fantasía adulta que simboliza nuestra ascensión por la montaña de la vida. Nos sentimos reflejados en el viaje del caballero, que está plagado de esperanzas y desesperanzas, de ilusiones y desilusiones, de risas y lágrimas.

Las profundas enseñanzas contenidas en la historia son impartidas con un toque de humor muy sutil. El caballero de la armadura oxidada es mucho más que un libro: es una experiencia que expande nuestra mente, que nos llega al corazón y alimenta nuestra alma.

El libro nos enseña, de una forma muy amena, que debemos liberarnos de las barreras que nos impiden conocernos y amarnos a nosotros mismos para poder ser capaces de dar y recibir amor.

When Lady Johanna learned she was a widow, she vowed she would never marry again. Only sixteen, already she possessed a strength of will that impressed all who looked past her golden-haired beauty. Yet when King John demanded that she remarry—and selected a bridegroom for her—it seemed she must acquiesce, until her beloved foster brother suggested she wed his friend, the handsome Scottish warrior Gabriel MacBain.

At first, Johanna was shy, but as Gabriel tenderly revealed the splendid pleasures they would share, she came to suspect that she was falling in love with her gruff new husband. And it was soon apparent to the entire Highlands clan that their brusque, gallant laird had surrendered his heart completely.

But now a desperate royal intrigue threatened to tear her from his side—and to destroy the man whose love meant more to her than she had ever dreamed!

Second Nature tells the story of a suburban woman, Robin Moore, who discovers her own free spirit through a stranger she brings home to her perfectly ordered neighborhood. As Robin impulsively draws this beautiful, uncivilized man into her world—meanwhile coping with divorce and a troubled teenage son—she begins to question her wisdom and doubt her own heart. Ultimately, she changes her ideas about love and humanity.

This narrative is a dark, romantic meditation on what it means to be human, penned by the bestselling author of The Rules of Magic. Join Robin on a journey of self-discovery as she navigates through life's complexities and transforms her understanding of love and community.

Chicken Soup for the Soul is a heartwarming collection of tales that will inspire you to live your dreams. This book brings together the very best of collected stories and favorite tales that have touched the hearts of people everywhere.

Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen share their wit and wisdom, offering hope and empowerment to buoy you through life's dark moments. These stories demonstrate the best qualities we share as human beings: compassion, grace, forgiveness, generosity, and faith.

Discover how your life could be turned around too with this inspirational collection that has touched the lives of millions of people worldwide.

Mother and adopted daughter, Taylor and Turtle Greer, are back in this spellbinding sequel about family, heartbreak, and love.

Six-year-old Turtle Greer witnesses a freak accident at the Hoover Dam during a tour of the Grand Canyon with her guardian, Taylor. Her insistence on what she has seen, and her mother's belief in her, lead to a man's dramatic rescue.

The mother and adopted daughter duo soon become nationwide heroes - even landing themselves a guest appearance on the Oprah Winfrey show. But Turtle's moment of celebrity draws her into a conflict of historic proportions stemming right back to her Cherokee roots.

The crisis quickly envelops not only Turtle and her guardian, but everyone else who touches their lives in a complex web connecting their future with their past. Embark on an unforgettable road trip from rural Kentucky and the urban Southwest to Heaven, Oklahoma, and the Cherokee Nation, testing the boundaries of family and the many separate truths about the ties that bind.

It's almost Christmas, and Cecilia lies sick in bed as her family bustles around her to make her last Christmas as special as possible. Cecilia has cancer. An angel steps through her window.

So begins a spirited and engaging series of conversations between Cecelia and her angel. As the sick girl thinks about her life and prepares for her death, she changes subtly, in herself and in her relationships with her family.

Jostein Gaarder is a profoundly optimistic writer, who writes about death with wisdom, compassion, and an enquiring mind. Through a Glass, Darkly will not only bring comfort to the bereaved; it will move and amaze everyone who reads it.

The Famished Road is a modern classic that reveals the tension between the land of the living, with its violence and political struggles, and the temptations of the carefree kingdom of the spirits. In the decade since it won the Booker Prize, Ben Okri's Famished Road has become a classic. Like Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children or Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude, it combines brilliant narrative technique with a fresh vision to create an essential work of world literature.

The narrator, Azaro, is an abiku, a spirit child, who in the Yoruba tradition of Nigeria exists between life and death. The life he foresees for himself and the tale he tells is full of sadness and tragedy, but inexplicably he is born with a smile on his face. Nearly called back to the land of the dead, he is resurrected. But in their efforts to save their child, Azaro's loving parents are made destitute.

The tension between the land of the living and the temptations of the carefree kingdom of the spirits propels this latter-day Lazarus's story.

In the heart of the bayou, Ruby Landry lives a simple, happy life. But innocence can't last forever...

The only family Ruby Landry has ever known are her loving guardian, Grandmère Catherine, a Cajun spiritual healer, and her drunken, outcast Grandpère Jack. Although thinking about her dead mother and mysterious father sometimes makes her feel as mournful as the wind sighing through the Spanish moss, Ruby is grateful for all she has. Her life is filled with hope and promise...especially when her attraction for handsome Paul Tate blossoms into a mysterious, wonderful love.

But Paul's wealthy parents forbid him to associate with a poor Landry, and Grandmère urges her to follow her dream of becoming a great painter, foreseeing a time when Ruby will be surrounded with riches in the dazzling city of New Orleans! Yet she cannot know how close that uncertain future looms...

In a faded photograph, Ruby glimpses for the first time the image of her father — and learns of a shameful deception and a shocking scheme of blackmail that now must come to light. Stunned by these revelations, she is devastated when Grandmère dies, leaving her to seek out her father in his vast New Orleans mansion. There, in a house of lies, madness, and cruel torment, Ruby clings to her memories of Paul to keep her heart alive. For only their love can save her now.

This is the moving and powerful account of two remarkable boys struggling to survive in Chicago's Henry Horner Homes, a public housing complex disfigured by crime and neglect.

Alex Kotlowitz provides a meticulous portrait of urban poverty, showing the heroism required to survive, let alone escape.

No Greater Love is a compelling and deeply moving novel that explores the themes of tragedy, loss, and the strength of the human spirit. In the wake of the disastrous sinking of the Titanic, twenty-year-old Edwina Winfield is thrust into a role of immense responsibility. With her parents and beloved fiancé lost to the sea, Edwina becomes both mother and father to her five younger siblings.

Determined never to marry, Edwina takes the helm of the family newspaper, guiding her family through the trials of life. Her journey is filled with challenges, from her brother Phillip's tragic fate during World War I to her siblings' adventures in Hollywood and beyond.

As Edwina tends to the youngest, Fannie and Teddy, she must also navigate the turbulent waters of her own heart, coming to terms with her loss and learning to let love in once more.

This novel, with its unforgettable climax, questions a woman's choices and the price she must pay for making them, ultimately offering hope and inspiration.

In 1965, the happy Bedloe family is living an ideal, apple-pie existence in Baltimore. Then, in the blink of an eye, a single tragic event occurs that will transform their lives forever—particularly that of seventeen-year-old Ian Bedloe, the youngest son, who blames himself for the sudden "accidental" death of his older brother.

Depressed and depleted, Ian is almost crushed under the weight of an unbearable, secret guilt. Then one crisp January evening, he catches sight of a window with glowing yellow neon, the CHURCH OF THE SECOND CHANCE. He enters and soon discovers that forgiveness must be earned, through a bit of sacrifice and a lot of love.

A moving story of love, grief, and coming to terms with death, this is the story of the elderly Sam Peek, who is mourning the death of his beloved wife when a mysterious white dog appears.

Seen only by Sam, the White Dog becomes a part of Sam's journey through grief. Though it's unclear if the White Dog is real or a phantom, the creature eases Sam's grief, brings him closer to his family, and helps him reconcile with his own mortality.

Author Terry Kay brings North-East Georgia to life through his elegant prose, and the thought-provoking themes of family, love, and loss will make readers come back to this touching story over and over.

Krishna, an English teacher in the town of Malgudi, is constantly nagged by the feeling that he's doing the wrong work. Despite this, he is delighted by his domestic life, where his wife and young daughter wait for him outside the house every afternoon.

Devastated by the death of his wife, Krishna comes to realize what he truly wants to do. He makes a decision that will change his life forever.

Love in a Stranger's Eyes...

Elly:
In town, they called her "Crazy Widow Dinsmore." But Elly was no stranger to their ridicule—she had been an outsider all her life, growing up in a boarded-up old house under the strict eye of her eccentric grandparents. Now she was all alone, with two little boys to raise, and a third child on the way.

Will:
He drifted into Whitney, Georgia, one lazy afternoon in the summer of 1941, hoping to put his lonely past behind him. He yearned for the tenderness he had never known, the home he'd never had. All he needed was for someone to give him a chance.

Then he saw her classified ad: WANTED—A husband. When he stepped across Elly Dinsmore's cluttered yard, Will Parker knew he had come home at last...

Writing with all the passion of Love Story and the power of The Class, Erich Segal sweeps us into the lives of the Harvard Medical School's class of 1962. His stunning novel reveals the making of doctors—what makes them tick, scheme, hurt . . . and love.

From the crucible of med school’s merciless training through the demanding hours of internship and residency to the triumphs—and sometimes tragedies—beyond, Doctors brings to vivid life the men and women who seek to heal but who must first walk through fire.

At the novel’s heart is the unforgettable relationship of Barney Livingston and Laura Castellano, childhood friends who separately find unsettling celebrity and unsatisfying love—until their friendship ripens into passion. Yet even their devotion to each other, even their medical gifts may not be enough to save the one life they treasure above all others.

Doctors is a vibrant portrait that culminates in a murder, a trial . . . and a miracle.

For as long as she could remember, Jane Stuart and her mother lived with her grandmother in a dreary mansion in Toronto. Jane always believed her father was dead until she accidentally learned he was alive and well and living on Prince Edward Island.

When Jane spends the summer at his cottage on Lantern Hill, doing all the wonderful things Grandmother deems unladylike, she dares to dream that there could be such a house back in Toronto... a house where she, Mother, and Father could live together without Grandmother directing their lives — a house that could be called home.

Tracks takes readers to North Dakota at a time when Indian tribes were struggling to keep what little remained of their land. This captivating tale is set in the early 1900s, a period of passion and deep unrest.

Over the course of ten crucial years, as tribal land and trust between people erode ceaselessly, men and women are pushed to the brink of their endurance. Yet, their pride and humor prohibit surrender, creating a story filled with vigor, clarity, and indomitable vitality.

The reader will experience both shock and pleasure in encountering a group of characters that are compelling and rich in their stories, capturing the essence of cultural struggles and the fight to preserve a way of life.

Laddie: A True Blue Story is a charming fictionalization of the author's own childhood, Gene Stratton-Porter. This delightful novel is set in the idyllic countryside, capturing the spirit of rural life and the bond between a young boy and his loyal dog.

The story is narrated through the eyes of a young girl, recounting the adventures and experiences shared with her faithful canine companion, Laddie. As the narrative unfolds, readers are drawn into a world of innocence and simplicity, enriched by themes of friendship, family, and the natural beauty of the American Midwest.

Gene Stratton-Porter’s keen observations and deep affection for nature and animals shine through, making this book a touching and nostalgic read. The novel's exploration of loyalty, courage, and the joys of childhood resonates with readers of all ages.

For those seeking a comforting and uplifting read, Laddie: A True Blue Story is a cherished classic that beautifully illustrates the enduring bond between a child and their pet. Its timeless themes and engaging storytelling make it a must-have for fans of classic literature and animal lovers alike.

The Prince of the Forest

Bambi's life in the woods begins happily. There are forest animals to play with -- Friend Hare, the chattery squirrel, the noisy screech owl, and Bambi's twin cousins, frail Gobo and beautiful Faline.

But winter comes, and Bambi learns that the woods hold danger -- and things he doesn't understand. The first snowfall makes food hard to find. Bambi's father, a handsome stag, roams the forest, but leaves Bambi and his mother alone.

Then there is Man. He comes to the forest with weapons that can wound an animal. He does terrible things to Gobo, to Bambi's mother, and even to Bambi. But He can't keep Bambi from growing into a handsome stag himself, and becoming...the Prince of the Forest.

The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne is an unflinching and deeply sympathetic portrait of a woman destroyed by self and circumstance. First published in 1955, it marked Brian Moore as a major figure in English literature and established him as an astute chronicler of the human soul.

Judith Hearne is an unmarried woman of a certain age who has come down in society. She has few skills and is full of the prejudices and pieties of her genteel Belfast upbringing. But Judith has a secret life. And she is just one heartbreak away from revealing it to the world.

The Course of Love is a playful, wise, and profoundly moving novel from the internationally bestselling author Alain de Botton. This story tracks the beautifully complicated arc of a romantic partnership.

We all know the headiness and excitement of the early days of love. But what comes after? In Edinburgh, a couple, Rabih and Kirsten, fall in love. They get married, they have children—but no long-term relationship is as simple as "happily ever after." The Course of Love explores what happens after the birth of love, what it takes to maintain love, and what happens to our original ideals under the pressures of an average existence.

Experience, along with Rabih and Kirsten, the first flush of infatuation, the effortlessness of falling into romantic love, and the course of life thereafter. Interwoven with their story and its challenges is an overlay of philosophy—an annotation and a guide to what we are reading. This is a romantic novel in the true sense, one interested in exploring how love can survive and thrive in the long term.

The result is a sensory experience—fictional, philosophical, psychological—that urges us to identify deeply with these characters and to reflect on our own experiences in love. Fresh, visceral, and utterly compelling, The Course of Love is a provocative and life-affirming novel for everyone who believes in love.

London is poised on the brink of World War II. Timid, scrawny Willie Beech -- the abused child of a single mother -- is evacuated to the English countryside. At first, he is terrified of everything, of the country sounds and sights, even of Mr. Tom, the gruff, kindly old man who has taken him in. But gradually Willie forgets the hate and despair of his past. He learns to love a world he never knew existed, a world of friendship and affection in which harsh words and daily beatings have no place.

Then a telegram comes. Willie must return to his mother in London. When weeks pass by with no word from Willie, Mr. Tom sets out for London to look for the young boy he has come to love as a son.

John Merrick had lived for more than twenty years imprisoned in a body that condemned him to a miserable life in the workhouse and to humiliation as a circus sideshow freak. But beneath that tragic exterior, within that enormous and deformed head, thrived the soul of a poet, the heart of a dreamer, the longings of a man.

Merrick was doomed to suffer forever—until the kind Dr. Treves gave him the first real home in the London Hospital, and the town's most beautiful and esteemed actress made possible Merrick's cherished dream of human contact—and love.

The City of Joy is an inspiring tale of transformation and hope. Set in the impoverished sector of Calcutta, this story follows an American doctor who undergoes a spiritual rebirth amidst the challenging yet vibrant surroundings.

Amidst the harrowing conditions, you will meet living saints and heroes who have dedicated their lives to helping the poor. Their stories are filled with tragedy, yet their faith, generosity, and boundless love provide a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. This book will not only move you but may also bless you and possibly change your life.

The heartbreaking, iconic true story of an abandoned little boy’s horrific journey through the American foster care system. On a misty evening in Brooklyn, Jennings Michael Burch’s mother, too sick to care for him, left her eight-year-old son at an orphanage with the words, “I’ll be right back.” She wasn’t. Shuttled through a bleak series of foster homes, orphanages, and institutions, Jennings never remained in any of them long enough to make a friend. Instead, he clung to a tattered stuffed animal named Doggie, his sole source of comfort in a frightening world.

Here, in his own words, Jennings Michael Burch reveals the abuse and neglect he experienced during his lost childhood. But while his experiences are both shocking and devastating, his story is ultimately one of hope—the triumphant tale of a forgotten child who somehow found the courage to reach out for love, and found it waiting for him.

Tragedy brought them together, but love bound them into a family. Clark and Marty Davis, the pioneer couple thrown together after the death of their first spouses, now preside over a growing number of youngsters in their prairie home.

Together they face the joys and trials of life on a homesteader's farm. Will they be able to find a suitable teacher for the long-awaited new school? Is the "very learned" Eastern preacher going to be able to communicate with the simple people of the West?

And how do Clark and Marty guide their lovely daughter, now grown to womanhood, in her choice of a partner?

Anne is the mother of five, with never a dull moment in her lively home. And now, with a new baby on the way and insufferable Aunt Mary Maria visiting—and wearing out her welcome—Anne's life is full to bursting.

Still, Mrs. Doctor can't think of any place she'd rather be than her own beloved Ingleside. Until the day she begins to worry that her adored Gilbert doesn't love her anymore. How could that be? She may be a little older, but she's still the same irrepressible, irreplaceable redhead—the wonderful Anne of Green Gables, all grown up. She's ready to make her cherished husband fall in love with her all over again!

Anne Shirley has left Redmond College behind to begin a new job and a new chapter of her life away from Green Gables. Now she faces a new challenge: the Pringles. They're known as the royal family of Summerside—and they quickly let Anne know she is not the person they had wanted as principal of Summerside High School.

But as she settles into the cozy tower room at Windy Poplars, Anne finds she has great allies in the widows Aunt Kate and Aunt Chatty—and in their irrepressible housekeeper, Rebecca Dew. As Anne learns Summerside's strangest secrets, winning the support of the prickly Pringles becomes only the first of her delicious triumphs.

Terms of Endearment is an Oscar-winning story of a memorable mother and her feisty daughter. Together, they find the courage and humor to live through life's hazards and love each other as never before.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Lonesome Dove created two characters who won the hearts of readers and moviegoers everywhere—Aurora Greenway and her daughter Emma.

Aurora is the kind of woman who makes the world turn around her, including her string of devoted suitors. Widowed, Aurora has an infant daughter, Emma, whom she is at first overprotective of. As Emma grows up, their relationship is full of tension and disagreement—not least over Emma's choice of husband, whom Aurora disapproves of. Then, with the devastating discovery that Emma has cancer, Aurora slowly learns to adapt and compromise.

This book is a confession, a document, and a record of people's memory. More than 200 women share their stories, describing how young girls, who dreamed of becoming brides, became soldiers in 1941. Over 500,000 Soviet women participated alongside men in the Second World War, the most terrible conflict of the 20th century.

Women not only rescued and bandaged the wounded but also fired sniper rifles, blew up bridges, went on reconnaissance missions, and killed... They killed the enemy who, with unprecedented cruelty, attacked their land, homes, and children.

Soviet writer of Belarus, Svetlana Alexievich, spent four years working on this book, visiting over 100 cities, towns, settlements, and villages to record the stories and reminiscences of women war veterans.

The most important aspect of the book is not merely the front-line episodes but the heart-rending experiences of women during the war. Through their testimony, the past makes an impassioned appeal to the present, denouncing yesterday's and today's fascism.

Emily knows she's going to be a great writer. She also knows that she and her childhood sweetheart, Teddy Kent, will conquer the world together.

But when Teddy leaves home to pursue his goal to become an artist at the School of Design in Montreal, Emily's world collapses. With Teddy gone, Emily agrees to marry a man she doesn't love... as she tries to banish all thoughts of Teddy.

In her heart, Emily must search for what being a writer really means....

A Masterful Spiritual Classic

Once upon a time, the residents of the town of Mansoul were tricked into defying their ruler, Shaddai. Their new ruler, Diabolus, brought them great harm. When Shaddai sends Prince Emmanuel, his son, to rescue them, a great battle is fought. Who will emerge victorious—Diabolus or Emmanuel? And what can the inhabitants of Mansoul do to resist the attacks of the evil one?

From the author of The Pilgrim’s Progress comes a powerful allegory about the battle being fought for man’s heart, mind, and spirit. Your soul is under attack from the forces of evil. Through this compelling read, you will learn how to build up your defenses, flood your moat, and prepare for victory in the war against Satan and the forces of darkness!

Set in the Ardennes Forest on Christmas Eve 1944, Sergeant Will Knott and five other GIs are ordered close to the German lines to establish an observation post in an abandoned chateau. Here, they play at being soldiers in what seems to be complete isolation.

That is, until the Germans begin revealing their whereabouts and leaving signs of their presence: a scarecrow, equipment the squad had dropped on a retreat from a reconnaissance mission and, strangest of all, a small fir tree hung with fruit, candles, and cardboard stars.

Suddenly, Knott and the others must unravel these mysteries, learning as they do about themselves, about one another, and about the "enemy," until A Midnight Clear reaches its unexpected climax, one of the most shattering in the literature of war.

Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant is a profound and moving exploration of family dynamics. Pearl Tull may be dying, but the memories of her life are vivid and binding. Abandoned by her salesman husband, she is left to raise her three children alone: Cody, a flawed devil; Ezra, a flawed saint; and Jenny, errant and passionate.

As Pearl lies encased in her pride and solitude, the past is unlocked, revealing secrets that have kept the family together despite everything. Now, gathered during a time of loss, they will reluctantly unlock the shared secrets of their past and discover if what binds them together is stronger than what tears them apart.

This story is a heartfelt journey through the Tull family's memories, some painful, yet holding them together despite their differences. Ezra, who stayed at home to look after his mother, runs a restaurant where he cooks what other people are homesick for, stubbornly yearning for the perfect family he never had.

Through every family run memories which bind it together - despite everything. The Tulls of Baltimore are no exception. This novel is a tapestry of emotional journeys, family secrets, and nostalgic tales that will remind you why "to read a novel by Anne Tyler is to fall in love."