Showing results by narrator "Ron Butler" in All Categories

An expansive, moving poetry anthology, representing 20 years of poetry from students and alumni of Chicago's Oak Park River Forest High School Spoken Word Club. "Poets I know sometimes joke that the poetry club at Oak Park River Forest High School is the best MFA program in the Chicagoland area...

The dragons may be out of the bag, but Jaxon is ready to hatch some magic of his own in this third book in the critically acclaimed series. Ever since the baby dragons were returned to the magical realm, things have been off. The New York summer has been unusually cold. A strange sleeping...

"Pepper comes through again with this clever tale of how cyber sabotage of elections, coupled with highly concentrated ownership of traditional media operations, can undermine American democracy."--President Bill Clinton A twisty, one-step-ahead-of-the-headlines political thriller featuring a...

The novel centers on Dickie Cornish, a Black streetwise survivor living in a homeless camp near DC's Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Framed for the murder of two of his closest friends and facing life in prison, Dickie crosses paths with wealthy ex-Homeland Security Secretary, Jamie Bracht. Bracht offers him a chance at a new life if Dickie can navigate an underground world to uncover a prize Bracht will stop at nothing to acquire.

“Thompson-Hernández's portrayal of Compton's black cowboys broadens our perception of Compton's young black residents, and connects the Compton Cowboys to the historical legacy of African Americans in the west. An eye-opening, moving book.”— Margot Lee Shetterly, New York Times...

A short story magazine that assembles a thrilling new mix of stories from genres including horror, science-fiction, comedy, and suspense. Buried at the heart of every story in the magazine is a unique artifact, an object that has inspired our storytellers to create a big idea, an irresistible question, a new immersive world, or a sense of wonder. Unearth your next great story with Assemble Artifacts.

New York Times bestselling author Brenda Jackson delivers an uplifting story about a woman who experienced a disappointing marriage and doesn’t want to risk heartbreak again. When a casual relationship turns serious, she wonders if love is truly worth a second chance...

Two years ago, Zara Miller found herself heartbroken and stranded in a New Orleans hotel bar with an attractive stranger called ‘Saint.’ They shared a no-strings one-night stand, and contact info wasn’t exchanged – but Zara hasn’t been able to stop thinking about him since. Though Saint and Zara both grew up in Catalina Cove, they'd never crossed paths. Now all of a sudden they can’t seem to avoid each other. Despite an enduring attraction, Zara and Saint decide to keep their spicy secret in the past. They don’t need everybody knowing – especially since they’ve both been burned before.

Sam Windsor’s parents and younger siblings, Grayson and Addie, are his whole world, so when his parents announce they’re separating, Sam is devastated. He’d do anything to make his parents change their minds and keep the family together. When a stranger offers a flute made of bone that supposedly grants the player’s wish, Sam doesn’t really believe it will work but figures he has nothing to lose. Surprisingly, the wish on the skeleton flute comes true. The next day, his parents are happily in love, with no plans for his dad to leave. 

Dr. Blob may not be a doctor but he is a dog with a very important job...it might even include saving a life or two. An uplifting tale of hope, healing, and the power of family to overcome grief. Dr. Blob has the best life a dog could ask for. He eats and he sleeps and he plays. He loves his...

When seasoned big-game hunter Sanger Rainsford is cast overboard on his way to the Amazon, he washes ashore on the foreboding Ship-Trap Island. There, he encounters General Zaroff, a refined aristocrat with a dark obsession. What follows is a deadly game of wits and endurance, as Rainsford becomes prey in a twisted contest where survival is the only victory. Originally published in 1924, The Most Dangerous Game remains a chilling exploration of morality, violence, and the thin line between hunter and hunted.

When a lion cub is mysteriously stolen from the Houston Zoo, the police are too busy to help. Fifteen-year-old Alexandria Christina Maxwell, who everyone calls AC, is determined to solve the mystery. After all, her father is the renowned private investigator Alex Maxwell, and her mother is the famed investigative reporter Christy Madaris Maxwell. That means solving mysteries is in her blood.

Caught in their last moment of decadent obliviousness, the characters in At Danceteria are so blinded by the strobe lights they can't see what's waiting in the shadows. While fictional, each of the collection's seven stories, set at the dawn of the AIDS crisis, takes as their inspiration a real event.

A global epidemic of anxiety, depression, and suicide is here. New and stronger drugs can’t cure it. The root cause is spiritual starvation—and those who are starving don’t even know it.

Emmett's put the events at the mutagen warehouse behind him. He's finished his degree, moved in with a new roommate, got new cybernetics, and things with Clara have never been better. He's even got allies and the makings of his own superhero team. It's a good thing too, because Belport won't stay peaceful for long. There's a new supervillain gang in the city and they've claimed responsibility for a gruesome string of murders. The Freakshow—they're powerful, coordinated, and ruthless. And they'll test Belport's newest group of heroes like never before.

World-renowned musician Dylan Emanuel never forgot his summer fling with Charm Outlaw. Nor the pain of her sudden silence and her father’s threats to stay away. So when he unexpectedly crosses paths with Charm, Dylan decides on a little seductive payback. But sun-soaked days melt into fiery nights, leaving Dylan caught by his own trap. When he learns what happened that summer, will he trade revenge for a second chance?

The fan-favorite pint-sized unicorn makes a wish to be big in this modern fairy tale from the Caldecott-Honor winning creator of Have You Ever Seen a Flower?. Once upon a time, there was a teeny-weeny unicorn that wished to be big. But he never saw a shooting star, and a ladybug never landed on...

Meet this pint-sized unicorn in this funny, modern fairy tale about perception and self-confidence from a Caldecott-Honor winning creator. Once upon a time, in a land where horses were mythical beasts, there lived a unicorn—a Teeny-Weeny Unicorn. He lived with his family in a palace—one that...

James Brooks, the Chief of Staff to the President, is hoping for some downtime to rekindle his connection with his wife, Ashley, amidst the challenges of raising their young children. However, his plans quickly go awry when he takes over parenting duties for their mischievous two-year-old daughter, Avery. What starts as a simple task soon spirals into a series of humorous and heartwarming moments that define the chaos of family life during the holiday season.

Janey's family is about to set sail for the adventure of a lifetime! The only problem? Janey must leave her school, her life, her best friend, the entire country behind for new adventures—coral reefs, colorful markets, and new cultures. Life at sea is exhilarating, but there's a major downside: when you're raising anchor every few days with sights on a new harbor, it's almost impossible to make new friends.