Mix Books

Manny /ma·ne/ n A male nanny or babysitter, known to be handsome, fabulous, and a lover of eighties music. "Be interesting." That's what the manny tells Keats Dalinger the first time he packs Keats's school lunch, but for Keats that's not always the easiest thing to do. Even though he's the only boy at home, it always feels like no one ever remembers him. His sisters are everywhere! Lulu is the smart one, India is the creative one, and Belly...well, Belly is the naked one. And the baby. School isn't much better. There, he's the shortest kid in the entire class. But now the manny is the Dalinger's new babysitter, and things are starting to look up. It seems as though the manny always knows the right thing to do. Not everyone likes the manny as much as Keats does, however. Lulu finds the manny embarrassing, and she's started to make a list of all the crazy things that he does, such as serenading the kids with "La Cucaracha" from the front yard or wearing underwear on his head or meeting the school bus with Belly, dressed as limo drivers. Keats is worried. What if Lulu's "Manny Files" makes his parents fire the manny? Who will teach him how to be interesting then?

Twelve-year-old Cassie has a lot to cope with when her father moves "out of the picture." Her mom's constantly working overtime, her teenage sister's going AWOL, and her little brother seriously needs attention. It's up to Cassie to prevent total chaos at home -- or so she thinks. She can't control everything, though. At school Cassie's two "best" friends are turning nasty, and a cute boy is sending mixed signals. And then there's Mr. Mullaney -- the weirdest, hardest English teacher in the seventh grade -- who hates everything she does. Since Mr. Mullaney isn't even reading her brilliant work, Cassie starts submitting journal entries like "A Virtual Tour of My Insanely Messy Desk." But her sassy humor isn't winning her any friends or helping her ailing grades. What's a girl to do when life gets totally insane? Barbara Dee has created a witty, poignant portrait of an intense, honest, feisty girl who is ferociously funny and only too human.

Mom says karma always comes around to get you, and I guess it's true. Because last summer I was a total liar, and now, right in the middle of Mr. Pritchard's third-period math class, my whole world is about to come crashing down. That's because while Devon was living with her grandmother for the summer, she told her "summer friend," Lexi, that she was really popular back home and dating Jared Bentley, only the most popular guy at school. Harmless lies, right? Wrong. Not when Lexi is standing at the front of Devon's class, having just moved to Devon's town. Uh-oh. Devon knows there's only one way to handle this -- she'll just have to become popular! But how is Devon supposed to accomplish that when she's never even talked to Jared, much less dated him?! And it seems the more Devon tries to keep up her "image," the more things go wrong. Her family thinks she's nuts, her best friend won't speak to her, and, as if it's not all complicated enough, Jared starts crushing on Lexi and Devon starts crushing on Jared's best friend, Luke. It all has Devon wondering -- who is the real Devon Delaney?

It all started three days after I officially became a woman -- the message of mass destruction arrived. It was February 14, to be exact. Happy Valentine's Day. Sara Thurman has never considered herself part of the popular crowd - she's got her best friend Arlene and that seems like enough. But when Sara's mom sends a special Valentine's Day delivery (PERIOD FLOWERS!) to her class, all of a sudden Sara is very famous - only for a horribly embarrassing reason! It seems everyone at Bowie Junior High knows something about Sara that she'd rather keep to herself and the harder Sara tries to blend in the more she ends up sticking out. Not only that, but it suddenly seems that Arlene doesn't have time for her anymore, and she has an unbearable crush on Jason who doesn't have any idea who she is (until now, that is). Worst of all, nothing's felt the same since Sara's dad left home. It all has Sara wondering if things will ever return to normal -- especially if she can't even remember what normal feels like. Sara can't figure out why it seems that everyone else has it easier than she does - would things be better if she were popular? Sara decides that if she can't beat 'em then she'll join 'em -- and she hatches a top secret mission to become....Class Favorite.

I look at the clock: 4:23 a.m. In approximately three hours I have to wake up again to go to school, and I haven't even gone to sleep yet. How can I possibly care about pop quizzes, bad hair days, and beauty makeovers now that I've found a major clue to the true identity of my missing father? IDENTIFYING DATA Subject: Portia Avatar -- Girl Psychoanalytic Detective Background material: Twelve years old. Lives with earth mom, Indigo, and gray-and-white cat (who thinks he's a dog) named Frederick. To date, Portia does not know the whereabouts of her mysterious father, Patch. Recent developments: An earthquake shakes up Portia's sleepy hometown of Palmville, California. A photograph of Patch is uncovered. Portia's life, as she knows it, is about to change forever.

I put my fingers up to my throat and touched the pointy Star of David, my grandmother's necklace, a delicate chain made up of countless tiny links. If I wear this, will people think I am Jewish? Is that what I want to be? Seventh-grader Caroline Weeks has a Jewish mom and a non-Jewish dad. When Caroline's nana dies around the same time that Caroline's best friend, Rachel, is having her bat mitzvah, Caroline starts to become more interested in her Jewish identity.

Thirteen-year-old Karlene Bridges is the best speller in her family, her hometown, and maybe even all of Shirley County, South Carolina. The trouble is, every time she makes it to the final round of a spelling bee, she chokes. But when Mrs. Harrison, the new Latin teacher, offers to coach her, Karlene's spelling jinx miraculously disappears. The year 1969 is turning out to be her best ever, especially since she develops a surprising crush on her best friend, Billy Ray. But as soon as Karlene aims to compete in the National Spelling Bee in Washington, D. C., her father's drinking begins to spell trouble. How is a girl supposed to hold her family together, savor her first kiss, and become the best speller in America before the end of eighth grade? Debut novelist Karon Luddy spells out adolescence with unwavering faith and sass in a novel about big dreams and the people who make them happen.

There's nothing ordinary about Lucia Latham - she gets straight A's, she's been middle school Class President for two years running and she's a great boxer - nothing is more fun than a good old sparring match with best friend Cooper, especially since she usually wins. In short, there are few things Lucia tackles that don't turn out exactly how she wants them. So at the beginning of her 8th grade year, Lucia has no reason to believe that things won't continue being easy - until she sticks her foot in her mouth in a HUGE way. Then it seems her carefully constructed world is crashing down around her. Can she regain her super star status or will she be forced to lower her expectations?

Just when Portia thinks life will never change in her small town, a mysterious new girl named Misty Longfellow enters the halls of Palmville Middle School. When Misty approaches Portia for help, Portia embarks on a new case that seriously tests her friendship skills. She suddenly finds herself unexpectedly making a new friend while trying hard to hold on to an old one.

Zoe Bennett feels lost at her fancy private school. She's not the star drama queen like her sister, or a brainiac math genius like her brother. Luckily her best friend, Dara, is just as content as Zoe is to stay in the shadows -- or is she? When Dara gets a part in the school musical, Zoe feels abandoned. What's worse, Zoe's practically being stalked by the weird new kid, Lucas. Then Lucas accidentally drops his notebook and Zoe finds it's written in symbols and numbers -- it's complete gibberish. Yet she sees her name in there, plain as day. Now Lucas is telling her she's a natural code-reading genius -- or some kind of mental freak. As Zoe's daydreaming lands her in trouble at school, anonymous notes start to appear in students' lockers, and Zoe is the number one suspect. Solving word puzzles may come easily to her, but now there's more at stake -- will Zoe be able to solve her way out of this? With plenty of wit and insight, Barbara Dee has created this fresh, funny story of a girl who discovers that fitting in sometimes means standing out.

When Ernestine Smith moved to California, she reinvented herself as Taffeta— so successfully that she’s now the leader of the most popular clique at La Cambria Middle School. That is, until she’s caught cheating off brilliant but geeky Winslow Fromes and her teacher gives her the option of a fresh start. What Taffeta doesn’t realize is that Mr. Dribble can magically turn her back into Ernestine. The only way to become Taffeta again is to dance with Winslow at the Winterfest dance, but even Winslow wants nothing to do with a loser like Ernestine. Unexpected story twists and an accessible, cinematic style make H. B. Homzie’s first tween novel a perfect M!X book.

Devon gets caught in another gigantic lie when she tries to hide her insecurity from her boyfriend in this laugh-out-loud sequel to Devon Delaney Should Totally Know Better . Devon Delaney cannot believe she’s lying again. But the thing is, she can’t help it! Her new boyfriend, Luke, is talking to his (gorgeous) ex-girlfriend, Bailey Barelli, every single day in mock trial. They get along great for people who are broken up, but Devon is certainly not jealous—or worried that Luke still likes Bailey as much as Bailey seems to still like him. To prove how cool she is with everything, Devon invents an ex-boyfriend of her own: Greg. So, everything’s great because both she and Luke have exes they’re completely normal about, and Devon isn’t being clingy over her first boyfriend. What could go wrong? Devon really should’ve remembered how quickly lies spiral out of her control. Can Devon come clean in time to keep the guy—or will she lose everything over another lie?

In This Is Me From Now On , Evie’s new friend Francesca thinks life is dull unless you go after and say whatever you want. Evie can’t always tell if she’s horrified or fascinated by everything Francesca convinces her to do, but she ultimately comes to understand friendship on a whole new level.

Marina is mean. Sachi is nice. Marina is Barney’s. Sachi is Burlington Coat Factory. It’s bad enough they’re forced to coexist in their middle-school’s high-profile video elective—but now they’re being forced to work together on the big semester project. Marina’s objective? Out her wannabe BFF as a fashion victim to the entire middle school. Sachi’s objective? Prove that she’s not just the smiley class pencil-lender and broaden her classmates’ cultural horizons. Work together in harmony? Yeah, that would be a "no." How can Sachi film something meaningful, and Marina, something fabulous, if they’re yoked to each other?

Twelve-year-old Alexis "Alex" Evins is a loner, a tomboy and a first-class prankster, following in the not-so-glorious footsteps of her older twin brothers, Parker and Nick. When the Evins siblings play a prank that goes just a tad too far (resulting in setting a neighbor's sofa--and hair--on fire), their dad decides it's time for some tough love. He signs them up for an after-school program called Champs!, which guarantees that it will turn any kid into a well-rounded success. Alex, Parker and Nick all must pass the course together, or else it's off to St. Ignacius private school (aka St. Ignasty). At Champs!, Alex encounters more than a few nemeses, including the Champs! coach, Sharon Success, mom of Alex's classmate, the totally perfect and totally annoying Emily Gold, and the ultra-competitive Chloe Stroupe. After weeks of intense classes, the Evins sibilings are soon faced with the Champs! Championship, a test of teamwork, leadership, and responsibility. Alex and her brothers are determined to win. But when an earlier misstep threatens all their hard work, Alex finds herself scrambling to make things right. Can the "evil Evins" actually pass this course in one piece? Or are they destined for an epic fail?

Every tween girl knows what it's like to have a mom who can be a little embarrasing at times. But for Marigold, it goes way beyond embarrassing. Marigold's single mom is a performance artist, meaning she stages dramatic, wacky performances to express her personal beliefs. Things like wrapping herself in saran wrap for a piece on plastic surgery, or inviting people over in the middle of the night to videotape her sleeping. In fact, Marigold's mom's performances caused such a ruckus in their last town that the two of them, along with Marigold's little sister, have just had to move. Now Marigold's starting a new school, missing her best friend like crazy, and trying to fit in all over again in the shadow of a mom who's famous for all the wrong reasons. As if that's not bad enough, Marigold's mom takes on a new job--teaching drama at Marigold's school! Now all the kids know instantly just how weird her mom is, and Marigold's worried she'll never be able to have a friendship that can survive her mother.

Brooke and Madeline have been best friends since they first met. And now they're going to be best friends in high school, then go to the same college where they'll be roommates, date—and marry—boys who are also best friends. Finally they'll live next door to each other and go on family vacations together. Nothing could possibly change that, right? Well not so fast. A new school year brings new challenges, and suddenly Brooke and Madeline’s friendship isn’t looking so solid. When the cracks in the relationship become chasms, is there anything worth salvaging at all? Taylor Morris has written a laugh out loud funny, touching, novel about what happens when "Best Friends Forever" becomes "Best Friends No More."

Magical realism and a modern Cinderella story makes for a fun and relatable M!X read. Sixth grade is not going well for Calliope Meadow Anderson. Callie’s hair is frizzy, her best friend, Ellen, is acting weird, and to top things off, she has to get glasses. And her new specs aren’t even cute, trendy glasses—more like hideously large and geeky. But Callie soon discovers that her glasses have a special, magical perk: When she wears them, she can read people’s thoughts. Crazy glasses aside, Callie has more drama to face when she’s cast as the lead in the school play—and instead opts to be an understudy, giving the role of Cinderella to Ellen. Can Callie’s magic glasses help her see her way to leading lady, or is she destined to stay in the background forever?

A lead role means lots of drama in this sparkling story of one tween’s efforts to shine in the spotlight. Sunny Kim is done with one-line roles at Carnegie Arts Academy—she’s ready for the lead. But even after a summer of studying with an acting coach, Sunny doesn’t snag the role of Mary Poppins in her school’s upcoming production. Unfortunately, her entire family mistakenly thinks otherwise, including her former-actress mother. Desperate for a solution, Sunny convinces her theater adviser to let her produce a one-woman show. But when the rest of her friends find out—the friends that never seem to make the playbill either—they all want to join in. Before long, Sunny is knee-deep in curtains, catfights, and chorus lines as her one-woman work turns into a staging of the hit musical Wicked . And when a terrible misunderstanding pits the entire cast against Sunny, can the show—and Sunny’s future acting career—be saved in time for opening night?

In middle school, popularity is power—and in this modern spin on a Robin Hood tale, Coco Sherwood is bringing justice to the social scene. At Briar Green Middle School, you are either a Somebody, a Sorta-body, or a Nobody. Twelve-year-old Coco Sherwood falls directly in the Nobody category—the kids who are considered the misfits and outcasts of the school. It’s not fair. It’s not right. And it’s time to even the score. With clever planning and sneaky tactics, Coco becomes the Robin Hood of Briar Green. Girls who never thought they had a chance to be noticed are now making cheer squad and turning into beauty queens. But when Coco takes on the ultimate challenge—taking down Popular Girl #1 Dijon Randle—her dream of equality on the middle-school social ladder may turn into a nightmare. Can Coco and the rest of the Nobodies triumph in a world where popularity is power? Or will the Somebodies win—again?

Popularity has its pitfalls, and Polly is discovering them firsthand in this middle-grade M!X novel. Polly Pierce likes being the second-most popular girl at Winston Academy, right after her BFF, Kelsy. Popularity comes with special privileges, like a seat at the best table in the cafeteria and a coveted spot on the planning committee for the school’s big talent show competition, Groove It Up! And since all Polly has to do is agree with whatever Kelsy says, being popular is easy—even if kids do call her “Plastic Polly” behind her back. But when a freak accident takes Kelsy out of the picture, Polly is suddenly in charge of the Groove It Up! committee. She’s not prepared for her new status—and neither is anyone else. Backstabbing friends, an intimidating crush, and diva demands from an injured Kelsy all threaten to derail Polly’s plans. Can she prove to everyone—and herself—that she has a personality of her own?

Can a middle school gossip queen change her ways, or will she lose her BFF for good? Find out in this M!X original novel. Maddie Evans prides herself on being the gossip queen of Troy Middle School. She is the first person her classmates go to when they need the latest news on the ins-and-outs of TMS—and Maddie never disappoints. Her best friend since birth, Vi, isn’t crazy about Maddie’s penchant for passing on rumors, but it’s never been an issue in their friendship. Until the day Maddie lets slip who Vi is crushing on—in front of her crush. Vi is furious, and she confronts Maddie with an ultimatum: no gossip for 30 days, or twelve years of sisterhood goes down the drain. Maddie agrees, but only a week into the challenge, she gets one of the juiciest pieces of gossip EVER—something that could affect the future of the school. Will she be able to keep her mouth shut and tame her ways? Or will she be left standing alone with no one to hear her stories?

In this M!X original, Izzy is used to being queen bee--but will she ditch her mean girl status for a chance at true friendship? Isabella Caravelli is dreading summer. She doesn't want to spend a month at a lakeside resort with her parents and the families of her dad's coworkers, especially when she discovers that two of the kids go to her school. She thinks Bailey and Ava are beyond weird--and they're not exactly thrilled to see Izzy, either. Izzy has been their tormentor, the leader of the pack of girls who made their first year of middle school so unpleasant. Once Izzy discovers that the other kids have been spending their summers together for years and she's the outsider, she realizes she's going to have to change her bossy, stubborn ways if she wants to fit in. Bailey and Ava turn out to be kind and welcoming, and Izzy actually wishes she were more like them. Back home, Izzy knows that things are probably going to be different. Ava and Bailey were great summer friends--but are they really forever friends? Can Izzy prove that she really does have the potential to be a true friend? Or is she stuck playing the mean girl forever?

When a young witch goes off to boarding school, she discovers powers that leave her with a challenging choice. Eleven-year-old Hallie is more thrilled than you might think to be shipping off to boarding school. After seeing how horrible “normal” kids can be—kids like her former BFF, Kendall Scott—Hallie figures The Dowling Academy School of Witchcraft will be a welcome fresh start. Plus, it’s a chance to make her dad proud that she’s continuing family traditions and becoming the best kind of witch, just like her legendary great-great-grandmother. But when Hallie arrives at Dowling, she’s dismayed to discover her roommate will be none other than awful Kendall. And when Hallie’s witching talents take a turn for the dark side, she must determine whether it’s abilities or choices that distinguish the good from the wicked.

Chloe loves working as a junior concierge at an exclusive NYC hotel—but when three royal kids come to stay, her hospitality is put to the ultimate test! Chloe Turner has pretty much the BEST life. She gets to live in the super fancy Hotel St. Michele. New York City is her hometown. And her dad, Mitchell Turner, concierge extraordinaire, is teaching her all the secrets of the business so she can follow in his footsteps. After helping him out with a particularly difficult kid client, Chloe is appointed the official junior concierge, tending to the hotel’s smallest, though sometimes most demanding, guests. Her new position comes with tons of perks like cupcake parties, backstage passes to concerts, and even private fittings with the hippest clothing designers. But Chloe hasn’t faced her toughest challenge yet. When three young royals (including a real-life PRINCE!) come to stay, Chloe’s determined to prove once and for all just how good she is at her job. Except the trip is a total disaster—especially when the youngest royal disappears. Now it’s up to Chloe to save the day. Can she find the missing princess before it becomes international news?

In Finley’s middle school, kissing frogs might lead to princes—if there were any frogs! Categorizing classmates leads to a battle of the sexes in this M!X novel from the author of Just Another Day in My Insanely Real Life . According to Finley and her BFF, Maya, middle school boys can be put into three separate categories: tadpoles, croakers, and frogs. Per their official Life Cycle of Amphibian Boys, while tadpoles are totally not developed yet (read: boys who still love fart jokes and can’t have a normal conversation with girls without making fun of them), a frog is the top of the boy food chain—evolved and mature. Sadly, not many boys have reached that elusive frog status at Staunton Middle School. Finley thought she had everyone pegged, until Zachary Mattison enters the picture. After suddenly leaving the year before, Zachary’s surprise reappearance at SMS forces Finley to see him in a new light. And when the official life cycle list falls into the wrong hands, it causes a battle between the boys and girls that turns into an all-out war—one that Finley isn’t sure anyone can really win...

A girl’s well-intentioned Valentine’s Day meddling entangles her in a love triangle with her best friend and a girl with a crush on him in this tween romance perfect for fans of Courtesy of Cupid . This year, Mia is selling and delivering roses and chocolate for the Valentine’s Day fundraiser, and just like the year before, the same few popular girls are slated to receive bouquets of deliveries from their best friends. To shake things up a bit, Mia delivers an extra twenty-five roses from made-up “secret admirers” to overlooked girls who she thinks could use a confidence boost. But Mia’s meddling might have done more harm than good—especially when she realizes that one of her rose deliveries has inspired Sun Patterson to get a makeover and pursue Alex, Mia’s best friend who she might feel more than friendly toward. As the messy consequences of the extra roses unfold, Mia finds herself torn between her newfound goal to help others find their perfect match, the heavy weight of her secret actions, the friendships she is struggling to find time for, and some seriously confusing feelings for Alex. Maybe this matchmaker stuff is more complicated than it seems. Formerly published as 25 Roses .

Figure skating is Kaitlin’s passion, but she lands on thin ice after a meltdown in this funny, touching story. Because when you fall down, you have to pick yourself up—even if it’s in front of judges and a crowd. Kaitlin has always dreamed of being a champion figure skater, and she’s given up a lot to pursue her passion. But after she has a totally uncharacteristic tantrum at a major competition, she’s dropped by both her coach and her prestigious skating club. When no other club will have her, she’s forced to join the ridiculed and run-down Fallton Club, jokingly referred to as the “Fall Down Club.” At first Kaitlin thinks this is a complete disaster, but after meeting some of the other skaters—including a boy who happens to have the most perfect hair she’s ever seen—she realizes it might not actually be so bad. Yet learning a whole new program right before regionals is a huge challenge, and when she realizes that all the other area skaters target Fallton for pranks, she begins to wonder if joining the Fall Down Club has any upside.

In Hallie’s second year at a boarding school for witches, she hones her ability to control other people—but can she control her heart? This magical M!X novel is a companion to The XYZs of Being Wicked . Now that Hallie is in her second year at Dowling Academy, she can finally move to where all of the Crafters live—which means good-bye to her arch-nemesis roommate Kendall, and hello to her best friend, Ivy. But not all change is so welcome: her newfound powers require more of her attention, and even though she wants nothing to with the black magic that allows her to control the thoughts and actions of others, she’s not sure how much choice she really has. Hallie finds a very cute distraction from her moral dilemma: Cody Rae, a fellow Dowling student who is like royalty at the school, and comes from a lineage of very powerful witches. Even though she hears he is planning to ask her to the biggest social event of the year—the Summer Solstice Dance—Hallie has her doubts about Cody. But soon she will discover they have more in common than she ever imagined…

Four best friends start a party-planning business in this fresh, funny tween novel from the authors of At Your Service and Breaking the Ice . Twelve-year-old Sadie loves helping her mom with her wedding planning business, and with Sadie’s mad organizational skills, she’s a natural! That’s why it’s so devastating when her mother “fires” her after a Little Mermaid –themed wedding goes awry. Enter Sadie’s best friends: sporty Vi, ace student Lauren, and boy-crazy Becca. The girls decide that in order to get Sadie’s mom to reconsider, they have to make her see how amazing Sadie is at party planning. Except no one’s gonna hire a twelve-year-old to plan a wedding. A birthday party, though? Definite possibility. Before long, RSVP—your one-stop shop for the most creative parties in town—is born. Of course, Sadie can’t wait to prove herself to her mom, but the other girls also have their reasons for enlisting: Vi has her eye on the perfect gift for her hardworking dad, and Becca’s all aflush at the thought of connecting with Ryan, the new Irish cutie in town. And though Lauren thinks she’s too busy with summer studies to “officially” join, she’s willing to help out in any way she can. But in this particular party-planning business, nothing goes according to plan! Sadie’s mom is a perpetual no-show, Vi’s archrival is dead set on ruining her summer, Becca can’t seem to get Ryan to glance in her direction, and Lauren keeps choosing studying over her friends. Is the girls’ friendship strong enough to survive a business? Or does RSVP spell the end of these BFFs?

A girl and her friends enact a scheme to get her first kiss over with before she has to lock lips on stage for the school play in this charming middle grade rom-com in the spirit of Meg Cabot—now with a fresh new look! Prince Charming wakes Snow White with a kiss. My world came crashing down with two words. A kiss?! Grace Shaw just scored the coveted lead in her school play, Snow White, alongside James Lowe—her hot, popular Prince Charming. There’s just one problem: they kiss at the end. And Grace has never been kissed before. Which means that Grace’s role sounds more like her worst nightmare than a dream come true. So, Grace’s two best friends propose Operation Pucker Up—a plan for Grace to score a kiss before opening night so she doesn’t make a fool of herself in front of an audience. As if Grace isn’t having a hard enough time, her estranged father suddenly reappears after leaving six months earlier. Her mom and sister welcome Dad back with open arms, but Grace can’t simply forgive and forget. With opening night fast approaching, Operation Pucker Up reaching ridiculous levels, and family drama teeming behind the scenes, Grace is beginning to think all this love stuff is way too complicated. Will she find a way to have her happily ever after—and seal it with a kiss—both onstage and off?

What’s worse than your little sister being smarter than you? Her being more popular, too. But sibling rivalry might just become sibling camaraderie when cliques get out of control in this fresh and fun M!X novel. Sammi Tremayne’s life isn’t perfect, but she’s got it on an even keel. She isn’t ultra-popular, but she isn’t at the bottom of the middle school social ladder, either. However, when it’s decided that her brilliant little sister, Jorgianna, should skip not one, but two grades and join Sammi in eighth grade, Sammi’s world is turned upside down. For someone who has always felt in the shadow of her little sister, this is Sammi’s ultimate nightmare. To make matters even worse, Jorgianna is taken in by the most popular clique in school almost the minute she arrives—a clique that Sammi has been trying desperately to join. Everything, it seems, is going right for Jorgianna and wrong for Sammi. But there’s more to each sister’s story than the other realizes. And when the popular girls start to show their true colors to Jorgianna, can these siblings finally put aside their differences and show the queen bees who’s boss?

When Ruby flees Hollywood to escape the fame of her parents, she tells a lie that could ruin the life she loves at her new boarding school in this M!X novel about courage, families, and finding your own spotlight. Ruby Miller has it made. As the only child of model-turned-TV-host Celestine Cruz and pro-baseball star Zack Miller, she has everything a twelve-year-old girl could want. Well, except for real friends. After a disastrous birthday party where she discovers her supposed BFFs are only friends with her because her parents are uber-famous, she finds a place as far from fake and phony Hollywood as she can get: a boarding school in Camden, Maine. In her desperation to distance herself from her star-studded parents and the paparazzi who trail them, Ruby tells her new friends that she’s an orphan. She feels awful about lying, but once she starts, it’s hard to come clean. Plus, now that nobody’s comparing her to her perfect parents, Ruby can finally let her own talents as a dress designer take center stage. When Ruby finds herself connecting with a cute boy who really did lose his parents, she’s torn between who she is and who she’s pretending to be. And with Parents’ Weekend approaching, she must find a way to keep her secret—without losing her new best friend, the trust of her first crush, and the chance to shine as the designer of her very own fashion show.

A snowboarding prodigy tries to reclaim her standing as the “Golden Girl” at her elite winter sports academy in this brand-new M!X novel. Lexi Miller—a.k.a. “Golden Girl”—is the snowboard cross queen. As the most promising student at her elite Vermont ski and snowboard school, Mountain Academy, Lexi is a shoo-in for the Olympic-level trial team. That is, until a freak fall during a snowboard-cross competition crushes her dreams and puts her future at stake. A year later, Lexi’s back at school, physically healed, but still mentally scarred. Every time she straps on her snowboard, severe panic attacks set in. To make matters worse, her best friend has turned her back on her, her archenemy on and off the slopes is determined to make her life miserable, and everyone is treating her like an outcast. The only person who seems to understand is Logan Conrad, a “staff rat” whose mother works on the mountain. Lexi finds herself drawn into his world just off the mountain, and discovers she has a knack for singing—something her new friends encourage. But Lexi’s dad—who also happens to be her coach and lead instructor at school—has different ideas about his daughter’s new friends and talent. Will Lexi ever be able to figure out what exactly happened on the mountain a year ago while trying to balance her own dreams with the dreams her father has for her?

Four best friends learn that running a party-planning business isn’t the good time they thought it would be in this fresh and funny tween novel from the authors of At Your Service and Breaking the Ice . Summer may have come and gone, but for the girls of RSVP, things are just heating up! They put together some of the best parties in town over the summer, and now the tween party-planners have been hired to plan a big-time wedding. Only problem? The Bridezilla’s demands are increasingly loony, and Sadie, Lauren, Becca, and Vi need to figure out how to handle her without going crazy themselves. But with school back in session and less time on their hands, managing the bride isn’t so easy! Lauren is having an especially hard time with the balancing act, and when her grades start to suffer, she’s seeing red. Vi’s dad has also started his new job as janitor at their middle school and really, could there be anything more mortifying than that? According to Becca—yes. Because she’s just learned that she needs braces…and she isn’t happy about it. And Sadie’s already-strained relationship with her mom has not been helped by RSVP’s raiding of Mom’s VIP bride. But when a hurricane threatens Sandpiper Beach and the first-ever RSVP wedding, all four girls must gain a new perspective fast…before this first walk down the aisle becomes their last.

A tween social media queen is forced to give up her phone and learn that there’s more to life than likes in this M!X novel from the author of The Hot List . Karma Cooper is a seventh grader with thousands of followers on SnappyPic. Before Karma became a social media celebrity, she wasn’t part of the in-crowd at Merton Middle School. But thanks to one serendipitous photo, Karma has become a very popular poster on SnappyPic. Besides keeping up with all of her followers, like most kids at MMS, her smartphone—a bejeweled pink number Karma nicknamed Floyd—is like a body part she could never live without. But after breaking some basic phone rules, Karma’s cruel, cruel parents take Floyd away, and for Karma, her world comes to a screeching halt. Can Karma—who can text, post photos, play soccer, and chew gum all at the same time—learn to go cold turkey and live her life fully unplugged?

Ella and Skyler have been best friends since kindergarten--so close that people smoosh their names together like they're the same person: EllaandSkyler. SkylerandElla. But Ella notices the little ways she and Skyler have been slowly drifting apart. And she's determined to fix things with a fun project she's sure will bring them closer together--The BFF Bucket List. Skyler is totally on board. The girls must complete each task on the list together: things like facing their fears, hosting a fancy dinner party, and the biggest of them all--speaking actual words to their respective crushes before the end of summer. But as new friends, epic opportunities, and super-cute boys enter the picture, the challenges on the list aren't the only ones they face. And with each girl hiding a big secret that could threaten their entire friendship, will the list--and their BFF status--go bust?

A tween jewelry designer finds herself competing for an online fashion blog spot in this funny and sparkly M!X novel. Twelve-year-old Tess loves fashion, but she has a soft spot for accessories. In fact, Tess runs her own consulting firm for the kids at her school. If you need the finishing touch for middle school dances, special occasions like a thirteenth birthday or bat/bar mitzvah, Tess can make it happen. She loves reading The Miscellaneous Moxie , THE online fashion blog that’s as crazy about accessories as Tess is. So when the blog opens up a contest, calling all of their faithful readers to enter to win a chance at designing an accessory of their very own, Tess jumps at the chance to create something that will wow the judges. But things get more complicated when her former BFF turned frenemy, Kayte (who added the y to be “unique”), a self-proclaimed fashion plate, tries to encroach on Tess’s turf—and submits her own entries for the blog contest. In the midst of the Bling War, Tess discovers that a precious locket from her beloved grandmother, Mimi, is missing. Can Tess solve the mystery behind the missing necklace and get crowned the Bling Queen, too?

When twelve-year-old Poppy moves to the country, she discovers a secret stash of letters that give her a unique connection to her late mother in this M!X novel about friendship, first crushes, and family drama. City girl Poppy has always wanted a best friend, but never felt enough of a connection with anyone to gain BFF status. Even without a BFF, Poppy is horrified when her father decides to move her and her older brother out to the family farm. Away from her beloved city and away from memories of her late mom—a fresh start for everyone. And after a weird first week at her new school, Poppy is convinced she is destined for a boring year—until she finds a stack of letters from 1985 hidden in the barn of the old farmhouse that they move into. Even better? Those letters are addressed to Poppy…from her mom. Poppy doesn’t know what supernatural event brought these letters to her, but she doesn’t care. All she knows is that she finally has the connection she yearns for. Plus, her mom seems to understand everything that Poppy is going through: not quite fitting in, the desire to put down roots, and the heartbreak of losing a loved one. Has Poppy discovered the friend—and acceptance—she’s always wanted?

A country music hopeful puts her Nashville dreams on hold when she moves into an RV to travel across the country with her family in this charming M!X novel from the author of Breaking the Ice . When twelve-year-old Maya’s parents sell their house and move the family into the world’s ugliest RV to travel the country, Maya’s only goal is to get back home—and fast. No way is she going to miss the chance to audition for Dueling Duets , the singing competition show that’s going to surely propel her—and her cowboy-hatted crush—to country stardom. Operation Maya Goes Home, or OMGH, turns out to be more complicated than she had expected, so Maya sets out on a secret one-day, one-hundred-mile bike ride through Yellowstone National Park with her know-it-all little sister, a cute nature boy, and blue-haired, earbud-addicted Shiver (a.k.a. the most annoying girl ever). Somewhere between the worst muscle ache she’s ever experienced and losing half of their group to a flat tire, Maya starts wondering if maybe, just maybe, it’s possible to find home in the last place you expected.

Twelve-year-old Kat woos the boy next door on behalf of her best friend, and in the process realizes that true beauty—and true confidence—comes from the inside in this hilarious M!X novel from the author of Small Medium at Large . Kat is already so over seventh grade. It doesn’t help that her best friend and cousin, Olivia, grew a foot over the summer and won a spot on the school’s dance team, shooting her up on the popularity scale. In the jungle that is middle school, Olivia is a gazelle. Braces-wearing, manga-loving, uncoordinated Kat is a warthog. Plus, Tyler, Kat’s next-door neighbor and buddy since birth, morphed into a really cute boy over the summer. Suddenly the person Kat’s used to playing Xbox with is causing her stomach to do cartwheels. When Olivia confesses that she has a crush on Tyler and wants to ask him to the Fall Ball dance, Kat knows there’s going to be a problem: Tyler thinks Olivia is just another ditsy girl who only cares about lip gloss and boy bands. But since Kat’s one of Tyler’s oldest friends, Olivia’s sure she’ll know how to get his attention. Trying to be a good friend and squash her own feelings, Kat makes it her mission to get the two of them together. From writing “Tyler cheat sheets” listing his favorite things, to feeding Olivia lines through her headphones during Tyler-focused study sessions, Kat devises schemes by which Tyler will fall for Olivia. And to her delight—or maybe horror—her plan begins to work. Now that Olivia’s caught Tyler’s attention, Kat has to wonder if she’s fooled Tyler into falling for the wrong girl. But what boy would ever choose a warthog over a gazelle?

Formerly titled Colonial Madness , a mother-daughter duo take part in a bizarre family challenge in hopes of winning a fortune in this “light, fun read” ( Booklist ) that’s Gilmore Girls meets The Westing Game ! Tori Porter is best friends with her mom, and most of the time it’s awesome. Not many girls have a mom who’d take them to a graveyard for hide-and-seek or fill the bathtub with ice cream for the world’s biggest sundae. But as much as Tori loves having fun, she sometimes wishes her mom would act a little more her age. Like now. Thanks to her mom’s poor financial planning, they are in danger of losing their business and their home. But an unusual opportunity arises in the form of a bizarre contest run by an eccentric relative: Whoever can survive two weeks in the Archibald Family’s colonial manor will inherit the property. The catch? Contestants have to live as in colonial times: no modern conveniences, no outside help, and daily tests of their abilities to survive challenges of the time period. Tori thinks it’s the perfect answer to their debt problems, but she and her mom aren’t the only ones interested. The other family members seem to be much more prepared for the two weeks on the manor—and it doesn’t help that Mom doesn’t seem to be taking the contest seriously. Do they stand a chance?

Miss Congeniality meets She’s the Man in this hilarious M!X novel about a girl torn between competing in a beauty pageant and playing on the boy’s baseball team. Gabby’s summer vacation isn’t shaping up to be that great. Her dad was just deployed overseas, and Gabby is staying at her grandmother’s house with her mom and baby sister until he returns. The one bright spot is that Gaby plans to sign up for the local softball league—her greatest love and a passion she shares with her Dad who was a pitcher in college. But when Gabby goes to sign up for the summer league, she discovers that there wasn’t enough interest to justify a girl’s team this year. And to top it off, a horrible miscommunication ends with Gabby signed up to participate in the Miss Popcorn Festival—the annual pageant that Gabby’s mom dominated when she was younger. Besides not having any interest in the pageant life, Gabby made a promise to her dad that she would play softball for the summer. Since her pitching skills rival any boy her age, Gabby creates a master plan: disguise herself as a boy and sign up for the boy’s baseball team instead—and try to win the pageant to make Mom happy. Can Gabby juggle perfecting her pageant walk and perfecting her fastball? Or will this plan strike out?

A tween is forced to use her photography skills to track down a missing classmate during a class trip in New York City in this M!X novel from the author of The Bling Queen . After years of suffering through the most boring spring vacations ever, Avalon Kelly is ready for a week of adventure. On a hash-tagged whim, she entered the PhotoReady app’s spring break getaway contest to NYC—and won! But right away, this trip of a lifetime isn’t turning out as planned. Avalon’s best friend isn’t one of the PhotoReady winners, which means that not only will Avalon have to venture to the Big Apple by herself, but she’ll be assigned a stranger as a roommate. The perky and talkative Sofia seems pleasant enough, but snooty Kensington—who was placed in Room 609 at the last moment due to a mix-up—is a whole other story. Just when Avalon is about ready to abandon the trip entirely, one of the fellow contest winners, the cute and mysterious Tate, disappears from the group, and the Room 609 girls must band together, using the clues within their photographs, if they have any hope of tracking him down. Will the hunt for Tate and the view of New York City through her camera lens be enough to convince Avalon to stick it out for the full week?

Twelve-year-old Kestrel must battle evil twin sisters and overcome her own worst fear to prevent the foreclosure of her grandmother’s beloved lodge in this fresh, funny M!X novel. Kestrel and her family are headed out to Vancouver, BC, to help out her grandmother at her beautiful ski lodge. It’s been in the family for generations, but the business is in trouble—and there are lots of people looking to take over the property. Kestrel is determined to help her family retain their precious business—one that her grandfather built literally from the ground up. But two evil twins—who happen to be the daughters of a property developer determined to drive the lodge out of business—prove to be her nemeses in every way possible. Can Kestrel help save the lodge and beat the twins at their own game?

It’s an all-out boys vs. girls summer camp prank war in this hilarious M!X novel from the author of The Classy Crooks Club ! Izzy Cervantes and her best friend, Mackenzie, have spent summers together at Camp Sweetwater since they were eight. So when their parents decide to ship them off to Camp Foxtail instead, the girls find themselves completely out of their element—and worse yet, in different cabins! Izzy feels like an outsider in Willow Lodge. But when she hears about the time-honored prank war between the Willows and the Wolverines, the rival boy cabin, she sees a chance to make her mark. Convinced the girls will never accept her as one of them unless she has roots at Camp Foxtail, she boasts that her older brother is the most respected prankster in the camp’s history and would be happy to help them win the war. In reality, Izzy doesn’t even have an older brother, but the Willows embrace her as their new secret weapon, and Mackenzie agrees to help her hatch a series of epic stunts. As the hijinks escalate, so does Izzy’s popularity. But she becomes so focused on impressing her new friends that she starts neglecting Mackenzie, putting her friendship and her secret prank-master identity in serious jeopardy. Can Izzy keep the truth under wraps and win her best friend back, or will she end up on the wrong side of her allies as well as her enemies?

Four soon-to-be-stepsisters must learn to work together as they try to make their parents’ wedding day a day to remember in this witty M!X novel in the tradition of Bridesmaids . When Avery was two, her parents divorced, and it’s just been Avery and her mom ever since—the Two Musketeers. Until Avery opens her email—on a non-holiday and not her birthday—and receives a bombshell announcement from her father. Not only is he moving back to the New York area, he is remarrying—and his soon-to-be wife has three daughters. Avery’s future stepsisters. Holy. Moly. Avery’s father is determined to make them all one happy family, so he and his fiancée ask the girls to be the bridesmaids in the upcoming wedding. And they want the girls to help with the something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. Meaning that Avery and the girls—who clearly want nothing to do with her—are going to be forced to spend time together. It’s one (hilarious) disaster after another as Avery tries to help and get to know her future stepsisters—who are all dealing with their own issues with the wedding. From spilling a chocolate-y drink on a very expensive dress when they go dress shopping, to turning her future step-mother’s hair bright blue days before the wedding. Can they all manage to make the wedding a day to remember—or will it be memorable for all the wrong reasons?

Twelve-year-old Hailey and her friends form a unique babysitter’s club in order to raise money to see their favorite YouTube star at a local ComicCon in this hilarious M!X novel. Twelve-year-old Hailey and her BFFs are all big fans of Collin Prince, a YouTube star, and swoon-worthy crush. So when the opportunity to meet him at a local Comic-Con comes up, the girls jump at the chance. The problem? The convention isn’t cheap—and the girls don’t have the money to go. But Hailey isn’t ready to give up just yet. In addition to meeting Collin at the convention, there is a young writer’s competition that she is determined to enter—and win. The girls dream up Princesses and Pirates, Inc., a babysitting service where the girls will dress up in costume to entertain their charges. Of course, they aren’t as prepared as they thought they would be to deal with bratty kids, scheming older siblings (who are less than thrilled that their own babysitting jobs have dried up), and trying to balance their new “jobs” with school. And more responsibilities means less time for Hailey to work on her contest entry. Will their plan to make it to Comic-Con pay off…or could their business end up as shipwrecked as the pirates they portray?

Love Actually meets Adventures in Babysitting in this “fun, fresh” ( Kirkus Reviews ) novel written by seven authors about seven classmates who are preparing for a crazy night at their middle school dance. Lynnfield Middle School is prepped and ready for a dance to remember, including an awesome performance from Heart Grenade, the all-girl band who recently won a Battle of the Bands contest. Seven classmates—Carmen, Genevieve, Tess, Ryan, Ellie, Ashlyn, and Jade—intend to make the most of the night…or at least the five of them who are able to attend do. The other two would sacrifice almost anything to be there. One thing’s for sure—this entire crew is in for one epic night! Gail Nall, Dee Romito, Rachele Alpine, Ronni Arno, Alison Cherry, Stephanie Faris, and Jen Malone have created a charming, hilarious, and relatable novel that’s perfect for anyone who can’t wait to dance the night away.

After living a jet-setting lifestyle thanks to her dad's job, twelve-year-old Kenzie decides it's time for her to plant roots in this heartwarming M!X novel. Kenzie Rhines doesn't have a home--she has too many. Her dad's job keeps them flying around the country, which means "home" is whatever fancy hotel they're currently staying in and "school" takes place 30,000 feet in the air. And since it's just the two of them, she has no choice but to be his travel partner. Kenzie loves the constant adventures, but she wouldn't mind planting her feet in one place for longer than two seconds, having her own bed, and maybe even finding a best friend she can talk to. When Kenzie's dad surprises her with the news that they'll be in Las Vegas for an extended business trip, she's thrilled he wants to enroll her in a local middle school while they're there. And even though it's the longest she's been in one place in years, Kenzie knows it's only a matter of time before she's on the move yet again. So, for the first time in her life, she decides to take some risks: why not let the cutest boy in school know she's got a bit of a crush on him, give it a shot and audition for the school musical-- The Wizard of Oz (her all-time favorite movie), and run for VP of her class? Thanks to her plan, Kenzie discovers a courage she didn't know she had--and finally feels like she belongs somewhere. But when things start to get complicated, Kenzie discovers that she'll have to face the consequences of everything she's done since her arrival--and that maybe home isn't necessarily a place on a map, but where your heart is.