Juvenile Fiction

"A beautiful and moving story of courage and love."—Ray Bradbury

Praise for The Great Death:

"An amazing story."—Frank McCourt

"Gripping and poignant. . . . An unforgettable survival tale."—Horn Book

"A beautiful, poignant story."—Elie Wiesel, Nobel Prize winner

"Graphically illustrates the effects of a plague on isolated peoples."—School Library Journal

"An engaging tale of survival."—Kirkus Reviews

Praise for The Trap:

"An unforgettable story. Brilliant!"—Ray Bradbury

"A gripping example of talented storytelling. Unforgettable."—Tony Hillerman

Praise for The Edge of Nowhere:

"More psychological depth than Robinson Crusoe."—Frank McCourt

Praise for Alaskan:

"Smelcer is Alaska's modern-day Jack London."—W.P. Kinsella

"A celebration of the diversity of cultures. Undeniably important!"—James Michener

"An indispensible contribution to Alaskan literature."—JD Salinger

"This writer speaks from the land, and for the land, and the people who belong to it."—Ursula K. Le Guin

Deneena Yazzie's love of the woods and trail come from her grandfather, who teaches her their all-but-vanished Native Alaskan language. While her peers lose hope, trapped between the old and the modern cultures, and turn to destructive behaviors, Denny and her mysterious lead dog, a blue-eyed wolf, train for the Great Race—giving her town a new pride and hope.

John Smelcer is poetry editor of Rosebud and the author of more than forty books. He is an Alaskan Native of the Ahtna tribe, and the last surviving reader and writer of Ahtna. John holds degrees in archeology, linguistics, literature, and education, and formerly chaired the Alaska Native Studies program and the University of Alaska (Anchorage).

“Exciting—edge of your seat—nail-biting—page turning . . . one of the funniest books ever written. Ignoring, perhaps redefining, logic, B.B. Wurge has fashioned an unbelievable story that ultimately makes perfect sense. Wurge has a voice that is unique and fresh among writers of children’s literature.”—Catherine Safer, author of Bishop’s Road and What If Your Mom Made Raisin Buns?

“The charm and humor of The Princess Bride and the intelligence of A Series of Unfortunate Events.”—Steven V. Monte, author of Selected Poetry of Victor Hugo

In this vivid and complex child’s-eye view of the world, we meet nine-year-old Billy, who lives in a row house in New York City with his very odd grandmother. When their house is invaded by mysterious “birdfrogs” who leave three-footed prints but are never seen, Billy’s grandmother takes drastic action. 

Their adventures lead them deep under the streets of New York, past woolly mammoth fossils to a shaft where the birdfrogs—and other creatures—lie in wait. 

Off beat humor, crazy villains, and the final triumph of family loyalty combine to delight anyone with an imagination.

B.B. Wurge lives in an elevator in Manhattan. He turned to writing after leaving his first career as an entertainer in a primate house. He says, “I’ve been told the world is crazy, more now than ever. That may be true, but children should know they can navigate successfully through our crazy world if they stick to fundamental principles: loyalty to family and friends, compassion, and an open imagination.”

"When Louis was home in Queens, neighborhood kids would gather around as he brought them into jazz. His music still vibrantly lives around the world, and his spirit of humaneness lives in Travels with Louis by Mick Carlon, teacher of jazz to the young of all ages."—Nat Hentoff

"Thanks to his friendship with the great Louis Armstrong, twelve-year old Fred sees his world expand from ice cream and baseball in Queens to jazz at the Village Vanguard, a civil rights sit-in in Nashville, and ecstatic concerts in London and Paris. A wonderful story, which rings true on many levels."—Michael Cogswell, director, Louis Armstrong House Museum

"Carlon is driven by a love divided evenly between the subject and the act of writing itself."—Brian Morton, author of The Penguin Guide to Jazz

Praise for Mick Carlon's Riding on Duke's Train:

"In schools where students are lucky enough to experience classroom jazz studies, this title, combining rich musical history and a 'you are there' approach, is a natural."—Kirkus Reviews

"Enthralling. . . . An adventure story with a smart, historical framework."—ForeWord, Recommended Books for Kids

"A ripping good yarn."—Brian Morton

Queens, 1959. Twelve-year-old Fred loves reading, baseball, and playing trumpet with his neighbor, Louis Armstrong. Fred accompanies Louis to Nashville, where he encounters a Civil Rights lunch counter strike, and to London and Paris. Characters include Langston Hughes, Dizzy Gillespie, and Duke Ellington. Says jazz photographer Jack Bradley, "Reading this book is like visiting my friend again. This is the way he was, folks."

"A fun read! Murphy sure knows how to weave a story. He had me from page one. Whether you're a young reader or an adult, you'll want to join the journey. And don't forget to admire the view: Adam Taylor's illustrations are as vivid and evocative as the writing."—Lisa Mullins, PRI’s The World

“A captivating, fresh addition to a long list of Christmas titles. Murphy is one of those rare adults who is strongly in tune with his eight-year-old self, able to capture the excitement, adventure, and feelings of childhood, and the magic of Christmas. His tale of twists and turns, actions and dilemmas is told as if he actually lived it. . . . Perhaps he did!”—Martha Zschock, author of Journey Around Cape Cod

“A sweet, imaginative story about something that writers, budding writers and educators can relate to: writer’s block.”—Emily Chetkowski, author of Pumpkin Smile

Praise for the Belltown Mystery series:

“Murphy is a Robert Ludlum for the 10-14 year old set, but with more likeable characters and more fun amidst the terror. —Dan Scully, Boston Magazine

“A novel that middle school readers will devour.”—ForeWord Magazine

When eight-year-old Ryder asks Santa to help his uncle Ted overcome writer’s block and create another amazing story, he cannot know that they’ll both be getting the best present ever. But is it real, or just a wonderful Christmas dream?

T.M. Murphy, featured in the new book 101 Highly Successful Novelists, is the author of the Belltown Mystery series, listed as a Favorite New Series by BookSense Children’s 76. Murphy spends his days touring schools, motivating kids to write, and teaching young writers during the summer at The Writers’ Shack in his hometown.

Adam Taylor's diversified illustration and animation talent has appeared in television, film, publishing and the Internet, with projects for MGM Studios, Disney, Virgin Records, CBS, National Geographic Kids, VH-1 and MTV. Productions include Pink Panther, Baby Pink Panther & Pals, Stargate Infinity, Bulletproof Monk, and the "Pink Panther's Penthouse Party" music video featuring Henry Mancini's Grammy-Award-winning "Pink Panther" theme. Adam, a Massachusetts native, now lives in Los Angeles.

"Smelcer clearly knows his way around Alaskan mountains."—David Roberts, author of The Mountain of My Fear

Praise for Edge of Nowhere:

"A survival story, but one with a strong heart."—ForeWord Reviews

"A thought-provoking and moving coming-of-age story."—Publishers Weekly

"Another gripping literary triumph for Smelcer."—Midwest Book Review

Praise for Lone Wolves:

"A beautiful and moving story of courage and love."—Ray Bradbury

"An engaging tale of survival, love, and courage."—School Library Journal

"[Smelcer] promises to further solidify his status as 'Alaska's modern day Jack London.'"—Suzanne Steinert, Mushing

"Powerful, eloquent, and fascinating, showcasing a vanishing way of life in rich detail."—Kirkus

"Combines good old-fashioned adventure . . . with heart-tugging moments of clarity and poignancy that recall Julie of the Wolves."—Booklist

"A compassionate and inspiring tale . . . highlights the importance of family, community, and heritage."—Midwest Book Review

Brothers Sebastian and James Savage decide to climb one of the highest Alaskan mountains to prove themselves to their father. Inspired by true events, Savage Mountain is not a story of father-son reconciliation, but a touching story of two brothers who test their limits and learn that no matter how different they might be, the strongest bond of all is brotherhood.

John Smelcer is poetry editor of Rosebud and the author of more than forty books. He is an Alaskan native of the Ahtna tribe, and a skilled mountaineer. He divides his time between Talkeetna, Alaska, and Kirksville, Missouri, where he teaches in the department of communications studies at Truman State University.

“What child hasn’t wondered what it would be like to magically transform into a favorite animal? Squiggle, another great read from Wurge, takes us on such an adventure and will encourage children to use their imaginations, while teaching valuable life lessons.”—Jo Gilmour, teacher and children’s book reviewer, Brooklyn Elementary School, Wisconsin

Praise for Billy and the Birdfrogs:

“Billy survives by the sheer weight of its own insane internal logic. . . . There’s definitely an element of Dahl’s fondness for weirdness in this pup. . . . For those funny-book junkies out there, Billy fulfills a need. Downright weird, and that’s a-okay with me, it’s worth a gander.”—School Library Journal

“Mystery, suspense, and conflict build a plot of nonstop adventure. . . . Superb character development . . . clever illustrations, delightful humor, a marvelous story . . . with an appeal for all ages. Entertaining, downright funny, and highly imaginative. A great read.”—Midwest Book Review

When her soul becomes lodged in a stuffed-toy monkey, nine-year-old Lobelia embarks on an outrageous series of New York and Paris adventures, helped by an odd but kindly scientist, before becoming a girl again and being reunited with her family at the top of the Eiffel Tower.

B.B. Wurge began writing children’s books after leaving his first career as an orangutan in a primate house. He says, “I’ve been told the world is crazy. That may be true, but children can navigate successfully through our crazy world if they stick to fundamental principles: loyalty to family and friends, compassion, and an open imagination.” Wurge lives in an elevator in Manhattan.