Best of
Teachers

2015

An A From Miss Keller


Patricia Polacco - 2015
    Falker, The Art of Miss Chew, and Mr. Wayne’s Masterpiece, this book celebrates a teacher who inspired a young Patricia Polacco to become the writer and storyteller she is today. Trisha is nervous about being chosen for Miss Keller’s writing class. “Killer Keller” demands that her students dazzle her with their writing, and rumor has it that she has never given an A. The rumors turn out to be all too true—there’s just no pleasing Miss Keller. Then an unexpected loss leaves Trisha heartbroken. Thoughts of teachers and grades forgotten, she pours out her soul in a personal narrative. And when Miss Keller reads it, she tells Trisha, “You’ve given your words wings.”

A Clueless Woman


T.B. Markinson - 2015
    Although an expert in the Hitler Youth, she’s a novice in love. Her former lesbian lover is blackmailing her, and not even those closest to Lizzie know the full story of their abusive relationship. When visiting high school English teacher Sarah crosses Lizzie’s path at the campus, their attraction is instant, but not without complications. As they start to spend more time together, suspicions arise from both women in this sexy piece of LGBT fiction. Plenty of good-natured teasing takes place between lovers as well as between PhD students in this lesbian contemporary romance. No relationship path ever runs smoothly, and oftentimes, those who can’t keep their mouth shut hasten necessary confrontation. Lizzie finds herself buried in a mess of lies in this romantic comedy. The harder she tries to keep Sarah and the rest of her friends from finding out the truth about her first girlfriend, the more endearingly clueless she becomes.

Last Chance Rodeo


Kari Lynn Dell - 2015
    Now that his beloved horse has been found on the Blackfeet Reservation, he can finally get his life back together again.It should be the happiest day of his life, but the troubled teen who's riding Muddy now has had more than his fair share of hard knocks, and his custodial aunt Mary Steele will do whatever it takes to make sure losing this horse isn't the blow that levels him. David finds himself drawn to both woman and boy, and is soon faced with a soul-wrenching dilemma. Claim his horse and claw his way back into the spotlight or lose everything he ever thought he wanted... and gain everything he never thought he'd need?

For the Love of Ash


Taylor Lavati - 2015
    After her parent’s death, she’s left to raise Asher, her nine-year-old brother. Luke Wilson has done everything his parents have ever asked of him. A new teacher, Luke constantly questions where his life is headed. When Luke and Maggie meet, neither is in the market for a relationship. But sometimes life has other plans. Both navigate new waters as they try to decide where their priorities should lie, while also seizing what they want. In this heartbreakingly real tale of love, Maggie and Luke discover what being a family truly means.

How to Write Your Best Story Ever!


Christopher Edge - 2015
    For children aged 13 and under, this book is written in a fun, engaging, and inspirational style that will help all readers to see themselves as writers and help them to achieve their creative writing goals. It is ideal for home and schools, primary and lower secondary. The book is authoritative, linked to curriculum requirements, but not intimidating. From how to write for your audience or for a specific purpose, how to overcome writer's block and how to write in different genres, to what words to use to best effect, this book gives children the tools they need to make writing an enjoyable experience. It is filled with tips on how to use wonderful and weird words, invent new words, and write powerful sentences using metaphors, similes, and idioms. Children will soon be creating stories that will stay with their writers and readers forever.

Wildest Dream


R.C. Boldt - 2015
    The only time he’s let himself get attached to anyone has been with his military “brothers”. He’s convinced he doesn’t know how to love and certainly doesn’t “do” relationships. He’s spent fourteen years in the Navy and now he gets to live out his other dream: teaching. Her thirtieth birthday fast approaching, science teacher, Raine Thompson feels as if her time to find “the one” is running out. She knows life is short, especially after dealing with breast cancer two years ago, and wants to experience her own happily ever after. But is it in the cards for her? Finally acting on the simmering attraction they have long ignored, Raine and Mac decide to have a fling and they discover what it’s like to have someone who knows you inside out also be the one who makes your body come alive. But it was only temporary…

Fashion Academy


Sheryl Berk - 2015
    (Their motto, "We are SEW FAB"). But when her daring fashion and stellar grades turn the Fab A-listers green with envy, Mickey discovers that standing out doesn't always make it easy to fit in. So when friendly classmate JC comes up with a plan to help Mickey fit in, she decides to take the ultimate fashion risk-ditch her personal style for good.One mega makeover later, pink-haired Mickey Williams mysteriously disappears, and the trendy, blonde "Kenzie Wills" shows up on the FAB scene, blending with the other students in a way Mickey never could. But when Mickey starts to lose herself to "Kenzie," she's not sure that fitting in is worth cutting herself down to size...

Wishing on Baby Dust


Lydia Winters - 2015
    No one knows that better than Megan. After six years of insanity-inducing hormone drugs and desperate prayers, all she has to show for her efforts are enough negative pregnancy tests to fill a bassinet. All around her women are accidentally getting pregnant—like her star piano student—while Megan remains hopelessly barren. Megan’s never felt so alone. But she’s not the only one struggling.Christina has just entered the world of infertility, made worse by the fact her husband isn’t ready to be a father. Their marriage, already hanging in the balance, is being torn apart. Then there’s Kyra, the mother of a precocious three-year-old. She’s shocked to be struggling with secondary infertility. A baby is priceless, but sometimes Kyra feels like she’s being forced to choose which commandment to keep: stay out of debt, or multiply and replenish the earth. When Megan and Christina are assigned as Kyra’s visiting teachers, they all realize that what you see isn’t necessarily what’s beneath the surface. Some secrets aren’t worth the cost of keeping them.

Freedom's School


Lesa Cline-Ransome - 2015
    Lizzie can't wait. The scraps of learning she has picked up here and there have just made her hungry for more.The walk to school is long. Some days it's rainy, or windy, or freezing cold. Sometimes there are dangers lurking along the way, like angry white folks with rocks, or mysterious men on horseback. The schoolhouse is still unpainted, and its very plain, but Lizzie has never seen a prettier sight. Except for maybe the teacher, Mizz Howard, who has brown skin, just like her. They've finally made it to Freedom's School. But will it be strong enough to stand forever?Praise for Light in the Darkness"In this tale, [Cline-Ransome] makes the point that learning was not just a dream of a few famous and accomplished men and women, but one that belonged to ordinary folk willing to risk their lives. Ransome's full-page watercolor paintings-in beautiful shades of blue for the night and yellow for the day-are a window, albeit somewhat gentle, into a slave's life for younger readers. A compelling story about those willing to risk "[a] lash for each letter." -Kirkus Reviews"Told from the perspective of Rosa, a girl who makes the dangerous nighttime journey to the lessons with her mother, the story effectively conveys the urgent dedication of the characters to their surreptitious schooling and their belief in the power of literacy...Solid text and soft, skillful illustrations combine for a poignant tribute to the power of education and the human spirit."-School Library Journal

Piano Lessons


Harper Bliss - 2015
    After Ruby's lack of focus makes for another dismal lesson, Jill invites her reluctant student into the home she shares with her partner Charlotte for an afternoon of extreme relaxation, and getting over her ex.Piano Lessons is a lesbian erotic romance novelette of 12,600 words.

Finding My Way


Mavis Applewater - 2015
    Dr. Stephanie Grant has carefully planned out her life. After accepting a position at Prower University she quickly learns that life doesn't follow a plan. After meeting Allison Kendell she begins to question if she has ever been happy. Suddenly her well planned life is spiraling out of control.

Bhimrao Ambedkar: The Boy Who Asked Why


Sowmya Rajendran - 2015
    They catapult him into a lifetime of struggle for equality. They shape the remarkable ideas that are the cornerstone of the Indian Constitution, which he drafted as India’s first Law Minister.The Boy Who Asked Why follows the life of an extraordinary man, ‘Babasaheb’ Bhimrao Ambedkar, who energised the struggle against caste prejudice. His fiery speeches and writings urged Dalits to protest against the inhumanity they suffered, and continue to suffer. This straightforward telling, visualised with quirky imagination, brings to children a man whose story will raise their awareness of discrimination — leading them, perhaps, to ask their own whys.

Resurrecting Phoenix


Isabel Lucero - 2015
    Not every love story is a fairytale, but sometimes broken souls can come together and find a way to be whole again.There’s no right way to deal with grief. The death of my husband happened on our three year anniversary. A year later, I’m still struggling to deal with the tragedy that is my life.I drink. A lot. It’s my coping mechanism. I do it to pass time and to forget, but the problem is, it doesn’t work. All drinking ever did was make me lose my job, push my friends away, and become a recluse.Things begin to change when Evan Tyler comes to town and moves in a few houses down. He doesn’t know anything about who I used to be or my previous public meltdowns. Maybe that’s why it’s easier to be around him than people I’ve known my whole life. He barges into my life and forces me out of the house and teaches me to look at life a little differently.The only problem is that I vowed not to ask him any questions about his life, in the hope that he wouldn’t ask about mine. I didn’t want to dive into the dirty details, but there’s something about him I probably should’ve known before I started falling for him. Something that risks sending me into a tailspin. But like the Phoenix I'm named after, I hope to rise from the ashes.

Class Dismissed


Allan Woodrow - 2015
    Bryce has ever taught. And she would know -- she's been teaching forever. They are so terrible that when a science experiment goes disastrously wrong (again), Ms. Bryce has had it and quits in the middle of the lesson. But through a mix-up, the school office never finds out. Which means ... Class 507 is teacher-free! The class figures if they don't tell anyone, it'll be one big holiday. Kyle and his friends can play games all day. Samantha decides she'll read magazines and give everyone (much needed) fashion advice. Adam can doodle everywhere without getting in trouble. Eric will be able to write stories with no one bothering him. And Maggie ... well, as the smartest kid in the class she has an ambitious plan for this epic opportunity. But can Class 507 keep the principal, the rest of the students, and their parents from finding out ... or will the greatest school year ever turn into the worst disaster in school history?

The Unexpected Series: Unexpected / Undone / Undeniable


Amy Marie - 2015
    Strong language and explicit sexual scenes**** Unexpected: At twenty-seven Erin Decker has the perfect life; a thriving career, a dream home she shares with her best friend Noelle, and a secure relationship with Robert, her handsome and faithful boyfriend. Or so she thinks. When her visions of a marriage proposal are met with the ultimate betrayal, Erin finds herself in the arms of sexy and strong-willed distraction, Walker Prescott. Her summer becomes life changing as she realizes Walker has left her with a tiny piece of himself and no way to find him…until he suddenly shows up and turns her world upside down. Can she let go of her past to make way for a future she never saw coming? Can Walker be exactly what Erin needs? Will he give her the perfect life she so desperately craves in the most unexpected way? Get all three books in the Unexpected Series in one Undone: Trent Decker’s life was turned upside down when Alex, his longtime girlfriend, abandoned him and their newborn son. Trying to put order back in his chaotic life, he never expects to fall for his sister’s best friend, Noelle. When another man seems to be stealing her heart, the years of holding his feelings for her inside come out. He lays it all on the line, hoping she chooses him. Noelle’s indecisiveness and an unanticipated visit from his past, causes him to take a step back and focus on making things right for his son, but can he stay away? Noelle Grant prides herself on her life being in perfect order: a great job, great friends and the occasional fling to satisfy her needs. When her latest conquest, Jace, crashes into her life, she believes he may be the one to keep for more than just a night or two. That is until Trent, her best friend’s sexy, little brother, makes his feelings known and turns her structured world inside out. Exploring her feelings for both men adds complications and when Trent starts to pull away she believes Jace is what she needs. But is he what she wants? Will Noelle stay with the safer choice or will she risk everything for the one who makes her come completely undone? Undeniable: Three months to fall in love. Three sentences to destroy it all. Seven years ago, free-spirited Hadley’s heart was shattered when her secret high school love, Ryder Blake, betrayed her with just a few short words. Now, in her twenties and committed to Braden, her boyfriend of two years, she is unknowingly still picking up the pieces, and beginning to realize her life is far from the one she always dreamed of having. When sexy and all grown up Ryder walks back into her life, memories of their summer spent together causes her to want the old Hadley back. The Hadley that took risks and made her own rules, the Hadley that only Ryder Blake has ever dared to bring out. Ryder has had his fair share of women since high school, but none have compared to the girl who stole his heart and disappeared with it. When his life starts to fall into place Hadley’s sudden reappearance and disgust towards him fuels his drive to win her back and never let her run again…even if she has a boyfriend, and even if he has to handcuff her to his bed. He will pursue. She’ll push him away. Sparks will fly. Tempers will flare. An undeniable chemistry will light it all on fire.

Foremothers of the Women's Spirituality Movement: Elders and Visionaries


Miriam Robbins Dexter - 2015
    Besides fighting for legal issues such as equal pay in the marketplace and the right to have a credit card or keep one's own name, feminists demanded women's health and reproductive rights, marriage reform, and sexual freedom. Radical women began to question the very concept of God as male, with "man in his image," and from this revolutionary brew, the Women's Spirituality movement was born. Just as foam-born Aphrodite arose from the sea, the revolutionary Goddess movement arose to inspire women around the country and the world to begin researching ancient worldwide Goddess-based cultures and to create spontaneous circles of women's ritual and Goddess worship. Some called themselves witches, leaving the church or temple to start covens or churches of their own; others worked within mainstream religious frameworks to bring the "feminine" into what had earlier been male-only priesthoods and doctrines. This seeming explosion of creative religious expression on the part of contemporary Western women is the thematic focus of this book; the 33 chapters are the individual stories of the movement's founders in their own words. This is an important book for Women's Studies and the study of Women's Spirituality.

Twist My Charm: The Popularity Spell


Toni Gallagher - 2015
    *from Publisher's Weekly*An 11-year-old girl receives a voodoo doll that’s meant to be used for good, but she figures out a loophole for making bad things happen to others in order to increase her popularity.

Of Wilderness and Wolves


Paul L. Errington - 2015
    Errington begins this lost classic. Now in print for the first time, the book celebrates a key predator: the wolf. One of the most influential biologists of the twentieth century, Errington melds his expertise in wildlife biology with his love for natural beauty to create a visionary and often moving re-examination of humanity’s relationship with these magnificent and frequently maligned animals. Tracing his own relationship with wolves from his rural South Dakota upbringing through his formative years as a professional trapper to his landmark work as an internationally renowned wildlife biologist, Errington delves into our irrational fear of wolves. He forthrightly criticizes what he views as humanity’s prejudice against an animal that continues to serve as the very emblem of the wilderness we claim to love, but that too often falls prey to our greed and ignorance. A friend of Aldo Leopold, Errington was an important figure in the conservation efforts in the first half of the twentieth century. During his lifetime, wolves were considered vicious, wantonly destructive predators; by the mid-1900s, they had been almost completely eliminated from the lower forty-eight states. Their reintroduction to their historical range today remains controversial. Lyrical yet unsentimental, Of Wilderness and Wolves provides a strong and still-timely dose of ecological realism for the abusive mismanagement of our natural resources. It is a testament to our shortsightedness and to Errington’s vision that this book, its publication so long delayed, still speaks directly to our environmental crises.

The Stage Lives of Animals: Zooesis and Performance


Una Chaudhuri - 2015
    In this stunning collection of essays, Una Chaudhuri engages with the alternative modes of thinking, feeling, and making art offered by animals and animality, bringing insights from theatre practice and theory to animal studies as well as exploring what animal studies can bring to the study of theatre and performance.As our planet lives through what scientists call "the sixth extinction," and we become ever more aware of our relationships to other species, Chaudhuri takes a highly original look at the "animal imagination" of well-known plays, performances and creative projects, including works by:Caryl Churchill Rachel Rosenthal Marina Zurkow Edward Albee Tennesee Williams Eugene IonescoCovering over a decade of explorations, a wide range of writers, and many urgent topics, this volume demonstrates that an interspecies imagination deeply structures modern western drama.

The Best Lesson Series: Literature: 15 Master Teachers Share What Works (Volume #1)


Brian Sztabnik - 2015
    The Best Lesson Series: Literature offers 15 remarkable lessons from master teachers that will innovative ideas that will increase student engagement, boost their appreciation of literature, and transform your classroom into a place of discovery and deep critical thinking.Our Best Ideas Become Your Best Lessons:15 Master Teachers -- Veteran instructors, inspirational teacher-authors, and national award winners share their favorite literature plans.Step-by-Step Instructions -- We are not fans of jargon. Each teacher guide you through their plan with clarity while offering options for differentiation. Each lesson is easy to understand and easy to implement.Handouts Included -- Each chapter includes links to free literature, online articles, and expertly crafted handouts that are ready to go."The Best Lesson Series is a breath of fresh air and a long overdue resource for educators. Brian Sztabnik assembles a superstar lineup of master teachers, who ease readers into each lesson with a friendly backdrop--the Story Behind the Lesson--followed by a simple overview, goals, why the lesson is memorable, and more. If you're tired of last year's instruction, The Best Lesson Series: Literature is a book that is right on time."-- Mark Barnes, author of Assessment 3.0 and creator of the Hack Learning Series"All teachers want to expand their craft, but trying something new is risky. That's what makes the lessons in this volume pure gold: They have stood the test of time in classrooms of seasoned professionals. This book somehow manages to be both practical, with strategies teachers can apply immediately in their own work, and fascinating, letting us inside the minds of educators as they think deeply about how best to shape learning experiences for their students. English teachers will return to this one again and again."- Jennifer Gonzalez, NBCT in English Language Arts and Editor-in-Chief of Cult of Pedagogy

Lessons in Humility


playout - 2015
    Go figure, it happens to be the same year Draco takes over the role of Potions Master. Neither man is happy about this turn of events. Will they be able to set aside their differences and learn a thing or two about trust and humility on the way? (Spoiler Alert: Yes. Very much so.)Words:86092 complete

Rabbis, Sorcerers, Kings, and Priests: The Culture of the Talmud in Ancient Iran


Jason Sion Mokhtarian - 2015
    What impact did the Persian Zoroastrian Empire, as both a real historical force and an imaginary interlocutor, have on rabbinic identity and authority as expressed in the Talmud? Drawing from the field of comparative religion, Jason Sion Mokhtarian addresses this question by bringing into mutual fruition Talmudic studies and ancient Iranology, two historically distinct disciplines. Whereas most research on the Talmud assumes that the rabbis were an insular group isolated from the cultural horizon outside their academies, this book contextualizes the rabbis and the Talmud within a broader sociocultural orbit by drawing from a wide range of sources from Sasanian Iran, including Middle Persian Zoroastrian literature, archaeological data such as seals and inscriptions, and the Aramaic magical bowl spells. Mokhtarian also includes a detailed examination of the Talmud’s dozens of texts that portray three Persian “others”: the Persians, the Sasanian kings, and the Zoroastrian priests. This book skillfully engages and demonstrates the rich penetration of Persian imperial society and culture on the Jews of late antique Iran.

Courage in Love


K. Sterling - 2015
    Still coping with a tough breakup and adjusting to his new life, Parker decided to throw caution to the wind and give Grindr a try. Expecting a relaxing evening drinking with friends, Ross Kingston is horrified when he discovers he’s been put on Grindr and is moments away from his first hookup. No one could have imagined what would happen next… Parker let his fingernails drag down Ross’ thigh. Ross shifted in his seat and Parker heard a very weak groan rattle in Ross’ throat. He swallowed loudly before he took a long sip of beer. “If you keep that up, I’m going to have to find an excuse to carry this table out of the restaurant when we leave.” Ross murmured. Parker wasn’t sure what had gotten into him but his hand glided slowly back up Ross’ thigh. Ross’ eyes got wider, the closer Parker’s hand got to his erection and they looked like they might fall out of his head when Parker wrapped his hand around the bulge in Ross’ trousers. “Please don’t make me have to orchestrate an accident to cover a stain on the front of my pants.” He whispered and Parker felt his own getting tighter. “I’m sure it would take a lot more than this.” Parker said under his breath as his hand slid up and down Ross’ length. Ross swallowed and shook his head. “With you? Not really.” He admitted and Parker stifled a shiver of excitement. “If you don’t behave, we won’t make it through dinner.” Ross warned. “You know, you didn’t have to take me out. I would have given it up.” Parker teased and Ross narrowed his eyes at him. “I’m hoping you’re not just pretty and easy.” He murmured. Parker’s jaw fell and Ross laughed as he leaned close. His lips brushed against Parker’s ear and he suddenly felt overdressed as heat swept through him. “I like that you’re easy but I want to learn more about you. And your voice makes my cock hurt.” Ross’ eyes were dark and deep when they found Parker’s. “Talk to me, Parker. You could tell me just about anything and I won’t be able to stop thinking about getting you naked."

Teasing Isn't Funny: Emotional Bullying


Melissa Higgins - 2015
    The constant teasing makes Kelly the cat feel sad. Young readers watch Kelly struggle with the teasing and learn safe ways to make it stop. Sensitive illustrations of gender-neutral animal characters help all children relate to the issue of emotional bullying.