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The sniper’s bullet nearly killed him. But Alex Rider managed to survive . . . just in time for more trouble to come his way.

When kidnappers attempt to snatch a fellow patient from the exclusive hospital where Alex is recovering, he knows he has to stop him. But the boy he saves is no ordinary boy. He is the son of Nikolai Drevin, one of the richest men in the world. The eccentric billionaire has been targeted by Force Three, a group of eco-terrorists who claim his project Ark Angel—the first luxury hotel in outer space—is a danger to the environment.

Soon Alex discovers that Force Three will stop at nothing to destroy Ark Angel, even if it means sending four hundred tons of molten glass and steel hurtling down to Earth and killing millions . . . unless Alex can stop them.

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Meet Resilience, a Mars rover determined to live up to his name.

Res was built to explore Mars. He was not built to have human emotions. But as he learns new things from the NASA scientists who assemble him, he begins to develop human-like feelings. Maybe there's a problem with his programming....

Human emotions or not, launch day comes, and Res blasts off to Mars, accompanied by a friendly drone helicopter named Fly. But Res quickly discovers that Mars is a dangerous place filled with dust storms and giant cliffs. As he navigates Mars's difficult landscape, Res is tested in ways that go beyond space exploration.

As millions of people back on Earth follow his progress, will Res have the determination, courage—and resilience—to succeed... and survive?

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Minni lives in the poorest part of Mumbai, where access to water is limited to a few hours a day and the communal taps have long lines. Lately, though, even that access is threatened by severe water shortages and thieves who are stealing this precious commodity—an act that Minni accidentally witnesses one night.

Meanwhile, in the high-rise building where she just started to work, she discovers that water streams out of every faucet and there’s even a rooftop swimming pool. What Minni also discovers there is one of the water mafia bosses. Now she must decide whether to expose him and risk her job and maybe her life.

How did something as simple as access to water get so complicated?

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Morgan and Eli, two Indigenous children forced away from their families and communities, are brought together in a foster home in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They each feel disconnected, from their culture and each other, and struggle to fit in at school and at their new home -- until they find a secret place, walled off in an unfinished attic bedroom.

A portal opens to another reality, Askí, bringing them onto frozen, barren grounds, where they meet Ochek (Fisher). The only hunter supporting his starving community, Misewa, Ochek welcomes the human children, teaching them traditional ways to survive. But as the need for food becomes desperate, they embark on a dangerous mission.

Accompanied by Arik, a sassy Squirrel they catch stealing from the trapline, they try to save Misewa before the icy grip of winter freezes everything -- including them.

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Summer's finally here, and Derek Fallon is looking forward to pelting the UPS truck with water balloons, climbing onto the garage roof, and conducting silly investigations. But when his parents decide to send him to Learning Camp, Derek's dreams of fun come to an end. Ever since he's been labeled a "reluctant reader," his mom has pushed him to read "real" books-something other than his beloved Calvin & Hobbes.

As Derek forges unexpected friendships and uncovers a family secret involving himself (in diapers! no less), he realizes that adventures and surprises are around the corner, complete with curve balls.

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It's Amanda's 11th birthday and she is super excited -- after all, 11 is so different from 10. But from the start, everything goes wrong. The worst part of it all is that she and her best friend, Leo, with whom she's shared every birthday, are on the outs and this will be the first birthday they haven't shared together. When Amanda turns in for the night, glad to have her birthday behind her, she wakes up happy for a new day. Or is it? Her birthday seems to be repeating iself. What is going on?! And how can she fix it? Only time, friendship, and a little luck will tell. . .

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12 year old Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt Fitzroy has got a murder on his hands and trouble on his tail. Henry, the hippopotamus at the brand-new nationally known FunJungle, has gone belly up. Even though it's claimed he died of natural causes, Teddy smells something fishy and it sure ain't the polar bear's lunch. Dealing with the zoo's top brass proves to be nothing but a waste of time. They want to see any trace of Henry's death disappear like yesterday's paper. So Teddy sets out to find the truth.

With the help of Summer McCraken, a fiesty girl with secrets of her own, the two narrow down their prime suspects. Is it Martin Del Gato, FunJungle's head of operations who dislikes kids and hates animals even more? Or J.J McCraken, the owner of FunJungle and Summer's father, who has more concern for the dough he's raking in than the animals in the zoo?

As their investigation goes on, Teddy gets squeezed on all sides to quit asking questions—or Henry won't be the only one to turn up dead. The deeper Teddy and Summer get, the more the danger mounts—because when it comes to hippo homicide, the truth can't be kept in a cage!

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GENRE: Realistic Fiction (Graphic Novel)

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GENRE: Realistic Fiction (Graphic Novel)

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In his daydreams, Jensen is the biggest hero that ever was, saving the world and his friends on a daily basis. But his middle school reality is VERY different - math is hard, getting along with friends is hard...Even finding a partner for the class project is a big problem when you always get picked last. And the pressure's on even more once the school newspaper's dynamic duo, Jenny and Akilah, draw Jensen into the whirlwind of school news, social experiment projects, and behind-the-scenes club drama.

Jensen's always played the middle school game one level at a time, but suddenly, someone's cranked up the difficulty setting. Will those daring daydreams of his finally work in his favor, or will he have to find real solutions to his real life problems?

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YRCA 2023 Nominee

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Even though she only left Mumbai a few months ago, Shivani isn't feeling like such an outsider anymore. She likes her new school. She finally has a best friend. But when her mother volunteers for the school's annual fundraiser, Shivani is sure she will completely embarrass her. Especially if she cooks one of the "stinky" dishes that Shivani loves but is too ashamed to eat in front of her friends.

On the day of the fair, the moment Shivani walks into the gym she knows her worst fears have come true: the unmistakable scent of Indian spices is in the air. But then she sees that dozens of people are lined up at her mom's stall. It's the most popular one!

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When people look at George, they think they see a boy. But she knows she's not a boy. She knows she's a girl.

George thinks she'll have to keep this a secret forever. Then her teacher announces that their class play is going to be Charlotte's Web. George really, really, REALLY wants to play Charlotte. But the teacher says she can't even try out for the part . . . because she's a boy.

With the help of her best friend, Kelly, George comes up with a plan. Not just so she can be Charlotte -- but so everyone can know who she is, once and for all.

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YRCA 2025 Nominee

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The Barren Grounds by David A. Robertson Book Trailer

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YRCA 2012 Winner

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11 Birthdays By: Wendy Mass Book Trailer

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EMBRACE THE CHICKEN Excerpt  for World Read Aloud Day 2019

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Edit Oct. 28 2021: Hurray! My publisher, Scholastic, is officially changing the title to Melissa! Read more about the change in this Publisher's Weekly article as well as my thoughts at the On Our Minds Scholastic blog. And download a new printable cover here or fill out this form for a sticker. You can also still, of course, engage in #SharpieActivism and fix your own cover.

I made a mistake when I named my first published middle grade novel. A big mistake. I used a name for my main character that she doesn't like for herself (i.e. George, the title of the book) instead of her actual name. My main character's name is Melissa, and I apologize to her, to the larger trans community, and to all of my readers for the error. I'm sorry.

She is not real, so I can't hurt her feelings, but the title of my book makes it seem as though it is ever okay to use an old name for a person when they have provided you with a different name that works better for them. I want to be clear - it isn't.

I know. The cover is beautiful. Iconic, even. But here's the thing: so many transgender people have been told that we are beautiful/handsome as a reason not to transition, myself included. We are told that we will mar something special, as though looking pleasant to others is more important than being ourselves. As if it's not more important than seeing who's really there, scars and all.

Within the story, I think the disconnect between the name George and the pronoun she is a valuable literary technique and reflects the tension many trans people feel, especially before coming out to others. There's a purpose to it, though it's still a questionable choice for an omniscient narrator. But on the cover? It is an unequivocal error. Using a person's name is a basic form of respect, and I failed my main character.

There are literally tens of thousands of people who have heard of my book but haven't read it, and for whom George is the only name they have for Melissa. People who have gotten yet another cue, this time from a nonbinary writer who advocates for LGBTQIAP+ youth of all places, that a trans girl "starts out as a boy".

And yes, I know, there are a few women named George and Georgie out there, (looking at you, Charlotte Ritchie's character in Feel Good). But the quirkiness of the name for women works precisely because the name is coded male, and for Melissa, the name is a reminder of all of that coding. Hearing yourself called by the wrong name can feel invalidating. Hearing yourself called by a name associated with a painfully ill-fitting identity that has been thrust upon you? Yuck.

So, how did I make such a giant, bumbling error? Well, here's the explanation. Not as an excuse, but for transparency and to give a little insight on how swiftly culture is shifting with respect to trans youth. As I was writing, I jokingly called my manuscript Girl George. You see, there was a flamboyant singer from the 80s named Boy George, and my title was a play on that. But not only is that not actually very funny, it also doesn't fit my kid/pre-teen demographic.

When I sold the book, my publisher advised that we take the word girl off the cover. And while many of the details of that time are lost to a flurry of excitement and disbelief, I remember that moment, and how the idea raised the hairs on my feminist neck. You're going to do what to the word girl? But then my editor pointed out that the word girl was a barrier to access because there would be some people who wouldn't give the book to a boy if it had the word girl on it. Note that the concern wasn't just that boys would self-censor, but that adult gatekeepers wouldn't give boys a chance to make that decision in the first place. Aha, I thought, s neaky feminism. My favorite!

I didn't really think about it much after that. I was still pretty stunned that my book was going to be published at all, and didn't quite understand where my creative rights as an author ended and the sales goals of the publisher began. To be honest, I still don't, but then, I didn't even know to push. I was too swept up in being surprised and grateful to recognize my responsibility.

It's also worth mentioning the rapid shift in much of culture with respect to trans people, especially trans/gender non-conforming youth. I started writing Melissa's Story in 2003, back when the idea that a trans kid would be listened to and allowed to be themselves was mostly an impossible dream for most of us. The concept of "deadnaming", or calling a trans person by the name assigned at birth against their wishes, didn't really come into existence until 2012. (Note that this term is itself questionable, since the idea of calling someone's former name/identity "dead" isn't actually all that great for all of us.) I made endless changes to the book to reflect changes in culture, but like missing the forest for the trees, I didn't see the damage inherent in the title, whether or not "girl" was included.

I wish I had realized to speak up then, and I wish I could change it now. But it's not mine to change anymore. Yes, publishers correct mistakes in new printings of books all the time. But when the mistake is the title, it's harder to get the change made, especially if the book is successful.

So what do I do now? What do we do now? Well, maybe we'll hit a cultural tipping point where the social outdatedness of calling a trans girl by her name assigned at birth makes the need for the change obvious. I'm not actually that hopeful of that, but also, I never expected to see gender-neutral bathrooms in elementary schools, and yet, here we are.

Which leads me to the tweet I made last week:

Yes, the cover is beautiful. Part of trans justice is to accept that your sense of "beauty" doesn't matter if someone need to change their appearance to be themself. The picture is of me at a recent, outdoor event changing the cover of someone's book before signing it. The text r eads: "Just a reminder that you officially have my permission to correct your copy of Melissa's Story. #SharpieActivism "

And that's where I'm at now. I can't change the system, but I can change my actions. I can't change every cover, but I can change mine. And you can change yours too. (Note: I can only endorse fixing copies you own.)

So maybe part of the process of reading Melissa's Story (for now, at least) is to get to the end and fix the title yourself. Call it interactive reading. Heck, when you give Melissa's Story as a gift, include a permanent marker.

So fix your copy! Do it up! Creativity is queer! Share a photo of your cover on twitter with the hashtag #SharpieActivism. Other social media too, I guess, but I'm not on those. 🙂 Or email me at alex@alexgino.com with a photo and name you'd like me to use to share yours and I'll post it here. [Note: the gallery is now closed to new entries.]

P.S. Librarian-type folks? The OCLC master has been edited so if you re-download, Melissa's Story should appear as an alternative title.
READER FIXES!!
Thanks to all for your support. This gallery will no longer be updated, now that the title change is official!

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Edit Oct. 28 2021: Hurray! My publisher, Scholastic, is officially changing the title to Melissa! Read more about the change in this Publisher's Weekly article as well as my thoughts at the On Our Minds Scholastic blog. And download a new printable cover here or fill out this form for a sticker.

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BIOGRAPHY

DAVID A. ROBERTSON (he, him, his) is the 2021 recipient of the Writers' Union of Canada Freedom to Read Award. He is the author of numerous books for young readers including When We Were Alone, which won the 2017 Governor General's Literary Award, the McNally Robinson Best Book for Young People Award, and was a finalist for the TD Canadian Children's Literature Award. His acclaimed YA series, The Reckoner, has won the McNally Robinson Best Book for Young People Award, the Michael Van Rooy Award for Genre Fiction, and the Indigenous Writer of the Year Award at the High Plains Book Awards. The Barren Grounds, the first book in the middle-grade The Misewa Saga series, received a starred review from Kirkus, was a Kirkus and Quill & Quire best middle-grade book of 2020, was a USBBY and Texas Lone Star selection, was shortlisted for the Ontario Library Association's Silver Birch Award, and is a finalist for the 2020 Governor General's Literary Award. His memoir, Back Water: Family, Legacy, and Blood Memory, was a Globe and Mail and Quill & Quire book of the year in 2020, and won the Alexander Kennedy Isbister Award for Non-Fiction as well as the Carol Shields Winnipeg Book Award at the 2020 Manitoba Book Awards. His second picture book, On The Trapline, illustrated by Julie Flett, has received starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews and Publisher's Weekly. Dave is also the writer and host of the podcast Kíwew, winner of the 2021 RTDNA Praire Region Award for Best Podcast. He is a member of Norway House Cree Nation and currently lives in Winnipeg.

WORKS

Dave's Books, Podcast, and Selected Anthology Contributions

Book List:

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Podcast:

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"Memories are footprints in the sand. They're defined one moment, but gone the next."

From 'Black Water: Family, Legacy, and Blood Memory'

RECENT PRESS

DAVID A. ROBERTSON WINS THE 2021 FREEDOM TO READ AWARD

Robertson is a Swampy Cree author and graphic novelist based in Winnipeg. He has published more than 20 books across a variety of genres including novels, children's books and memoir. He also hosts the CBC Manitoba podcast Kiwew. The award is given in recognition of work that is passionately supportive of the freedom to read.

WINNIPEGGER'S BOOK DRAWING FROM CREE SKY LORE NOMINATED FOR GOVERNOR GENERAL'S AWARD

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BIOGRAPHY DAVID A. ROBERTSON (he, him, his) is the 2021 recipient of the Writers' Union of Canada Freedom to Read Award. He is the author of numerous books for young readers including When We Were Alone, which won the 2017 Governor General's Literary Award, the McNally Robinson Best Book for Young People Award, and was a finalist for the TD Canadian Children's Literature Award.

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By Nawal Qarooni A Rover’s Story, Jasmine Warga’s newest novel, is about a Mars rover named Resilience (Res). It follows Res from his creation in the NASA lab to his dangerous mission to Mars. The …

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Today we're pleased to welcome Varsha Bajaj to the WNDB blog to discuss middle grade novel Thirst, out since July 19, 2022! The riveting story of a heroic girl who fights for her belief that water should be for everyone. Minni lives in the poorest part of Mumbai, where access to water is limited to a few hours a day and the communal taps have long lines. Lately, though, even that access is threatened by severe water shortages and thieves who are stealing this precious commodity-an act that Minni accidentally witnesses one night. Meanwhile, in the high-rise building where she just started to work, she discovers that water streams out of every faucet and there's even a rooftop swimming pool. What Minni also discovers there is one of the water mafia bosses. Now she must decide whether to expose him and risk her job and maybe her life. How did something as simple as access to water get so complicated? Can you tell us about what inspired this book and the research process that went into portraying these circumstances and characters as accurately as possible?
Many decades ago, I worked in a community health center in a neighborhood that was very similar to Minni's. Water scarcity was an issue then, and it's possibly worse now. When I learned that 700 million plus people around the world didn't have access to clean drinking water, I was shocked. I knew that this story needed to be told.
What was your process for outlining and writing Thirst?
In January 2020, I returned to Mumbai to visit my father, and to revisit the neighborhoods where I'd worked, and talk to people from all walks of life. I returned with a wealth of stories. I explored the water crisis and the work being done by dedicated organizations like water.org.
Why did you choose to write this as a middle grade story as opposed to young adult, adult or a children's book?
At some point, I forced myself to emerge from the research rabbit hole and started to focus on discovering my characters and their story.
Going off of the last question, middle grade has changed a lot in the last few years to incorporate more diverse stories and tackle more complex real-world issues. Do you believe because of the world we live in right now it's important to educate young readers on these types of issues?
I brainstormed, scribbling on a yellow legal pad for weeks or it could have been months, until Minni emerged. I outlined using the three-act structure; it works for me. My outlines though, as always, changed and evolved in the process of writing.
Minni is very brave, determined, and resilient despite her circumstances. Why was she the perfect protagonist for this story and what do you hope readers learn from her?
I've had the opportunity to interact with thousands of middle schoolers who'd read Count Me In in their classroom, and sometimes across the school. I enjoyed speaking to middle school children. They were delightful, sincere, committed to the words on the page and thoughtful. These kids owned the characters as if they were real. It's what I did and continue to do as a reader. I knew I had found my audience. Middle grade is my sweet spot.
There were a lot of impactful scenes in Thirst but one of the scenes that was very heartwarming was when Minni hugged her mom for the first time near the end. Can you tell me what it was like writing that scene and how you wanted to portray family in this book? I believe reading a fictional story about real events has the power to resonate more than reading about real events through articles or history books. Did you write Thirst What was the most difficult chapter/scene for you to write? Which chapter/scene was the most enjoyable? with the intention that it would be able to be taught in schools and impact young readers?
I think middle schoolers are watching and learning whether we educate them or not. They have access to information that we didn't when we were their age. I think more than tutor, we need to have conversations, communicate, learn what they are thinking and feeling and process together.
Do you have any advice for aspiring writers? Especially in regard to writing about issues close to them?
I want them to empathize and care about Minni and her family and struggles. I want readers to keep dreaming and trying even when their own lives get tough. My protagonists' can-do spirit is inspired by all the real-life Minnis in the world. Some of my readers might even be inspired to help by raising funds for organizations like water.org. and others.
Who first made you want to write? Who do you get inspiration from?
Minni's innocence and happiness at the beginning of the story comes from the love and protection of her family. Her resilience and bravery also come partly from her family. Writing that scene when Minni hugs Ma, felt like a reward for writing all the difficult, heart wrenching scenes I'd written through the story.
What are some books/movies/tv shows you've been loving lately?
I wrote Thirst because I felt compelled to shine a light on water inequity and how it impacts the lives of millions of kids and families. I hoped it would be published and find the right editor and home. Nancy Paulsen books was the perfect home. The School and Library team at Penguin inspire me to work harder. They're dedicated to getting books into the hands of readers and educators.

I love this question. I'm going to try and answer it without revealing spoilers. I cried when I wrote the scene when Minni's mother imparts life lessons and prepares her for her job.

The scenes when Minni's brother teases her and calls her Minni meow made me smile. Also, Minni's walk to school with Faiza was fun to write.

Write from your heart, especially during that first draft. Don't be afraid to show that you care. Be vulnerable on the page, so your characters can be too. And most importantly, read, read, read.

Always a voracious reader, I first started writing when my own kids were little. I wrote partly for me, but also partly because I realized that my Indian American kids needed to see themselves in books. Back in the early 2000s there weren't many diverse books, and I am eternally grateful for the work done by WNDB.

I get inspiration from my lived experiences and from the world around me. There's so much I care about, and so little time.

I'm reading The Last Queen by Chitra Divakaruni. Before that I read Hummingbird by my friend, Natalie Llyod. My TBR pile is high and always growing.

I binged watched and laughed through Season 3 of Never Have I Ever. Devi Vishwakumar is such a funny and flawed character. Only Murders in the Building season 2 just ended and I'm already waiting for Season 3. The last movie I watched in the theater was a feel-good treat, Mrs. Harris goes to Paris.

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Varsha Bajaj is the New York Times bestselling author of the middle grade novels, Thirst, Count Me In, and Abby Spencer goes to Bollywood, which was shortlisted for the Cybils Award and included in the Spirit of Texas Reading program. She also wrote the picture books The Home Builders (a Dolly Parton Imagination library selection) and This is Our Baby, born Today (a Bank Street Best Book). She grew up in Mumbai, India, and when she came to the United States to obtain her master's degree, her adjustment to the country was aided by her awareness of the culture through books. She lives in Houston, Texas.

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Danielle Wilkinson is a 20-something aspiring author from Atlanta who has always loved the feeling of getting lost in a good story. In 2021, her blog Danielle The Writer was selected as The Write Life's 100 Best Websites For Writers. She also started her first business the same year, where she teaches new and aspiring authors how to dominate on Instagram so they can grow a community of loyal fans. When she's not working or writing, you can find her reading with a cup of tea, listening to podcasts, trying to take the perfect photo for her Instagram, or fangirling over K-Pop videos.

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Today we're pleased to welcome Varsha Bajaj to the WNDB blog to discuss middle grade novel Thirst, out since July 19, 2022! The riveting story of a heroic girl who fights for her belief that water should be for everyone.