For Ages
8 to 12

A quirky, empowering story about a boy recovering from a bear attack with the help of his friends and, maybe, some magic. For fans of Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones and The Canning Season by Polly Horvath.

Newt Gomez has a thing with bears. Having survived a bear attack last year, he now finds an unusual bear statue. Newt's best friend thinks the statue grants wishes. But even as more people…

An Excerpt fromThe Water Bears

Chapter 1
I turned thirteen the day after a storm came in with a king tide.
High tides climb up part of the shore, but a king tide can make the whole beach disappear. It squeezed Murphy Island until seawater rose and salted the trees. The smell of waves pushed through the woods, through the cracks around my bedroom window, and washed away the dregs of a bad dream.
People notice details when they hope a day might be special. It could be a surprise-­visitor day, a hey-­I’m-­starting-­to-­grow-­a-­mustache day, or a blow-­out-­the-­candles-­on-­your-­favorite-­cake day.
I found my mom on the computer in my brother Carlos’s old room. I stood in the doorway behind the desk, where she couldn’t see my leg. I am an expert at keeping furniture between us, especially when it’s hot enough for shorts. Even with the desk and me standing with my good leg in front of the bad one, Mom was careful not to look down. She hugged me and sang “Happy Birthday” like an opera singer. I clapped for the effort.
“Where are Dad and…

Under the Cover