The Quartzsite Trip


William Hogan - 1980
    Cooper led thirty-six high school seniors on a spring vacation jaunt from Los Angeles to the desert near Quartzsite, Arizona. No student could earn the privilege of going on the Quartzsite Trip; it was given, and P.J. Cooper gave it. No activities were planned; they happened, and P.J. Cooper made them happen. What few rules there were were also P.J.'s and he enforced them with a whim of iron. In William Hogan's utterly delightful novel, the Quartzsite Trip turns out to be an utterly memorable experience.Here, the lion lies down with the lamb, the merciful find mercy, and the meek inherit the earth. Here, the tables are turned, and as they turn we meet a riotous and endearing cast of characters -- among them Deeter Moss, secret cowboy and closet Dodgers expert, who never talked to anybody before he went on the Quartzsite Trip; Margaret Ball, whose moonlit face displayed what pimples hid; Mary Allbright, who had a very secret fear and who, on the Quartzsite Trip, came up with a very secret plan to resolve it; and P.J. Cooper himself, the best teacher anyone ever had, who gave extra credit for Winnie the Pooh and The Catcher in the Rye and who discovered, in 1962, that the Great Equalizer makes rules too.[From the book jacket]

Wonder Boy


Bain Taylor - 2016
    It is his one great escape from a world that doesn't always look kindly on gay teenagers; a world that can oftentimes be downright dangerous. But as he enters into high school, he quickly learns that trying to fly quietly under the gay radar, and having unbridled speed out on the running track, make for a conflicted pairing. The super jocks of the school take notice of Devon's amazing talent, and dub him a 'phenom'. He is immediately adopted into a popular circle of some of the hottest athletes he'd ever laid eyes on - the kind of guys that could snap him like a twig for staring at their ripped bodies for a second too long - guys that should be avoided at all costs. And yet, the kind of guys that love you like a brother when you win races for the team. *This Novella is intended for a mature audience.

The Matrix: The Shooting Script


Lana Wachowski - 2001
    Includes detailed scene notes by Paul Oosterhouse, assistant to the Wachowskis throughout the making of the movie.

A Monster Calls: The Art and Vision Behind the Film


Desirée de Fez - 2016
    A. Bayona (The Impossible), based on the acclaimed novel by Patrick Ness.A Monster Calls tells the story of Conor O’Malley (Lewis MacDougall), a young boy whose world has been turned upside down by his mother’s (Felicity Jones) terminal illness. Conor’s life is thrown further into disarray when he is visited by a gigantic monster, formed from the bark of a tree in a nearby churchyard. The monster vows to tell Conor three stories over several visits and demands that Conor must then tell his own story. As his mother’s health worsens and Conor struggles to deal with everyday life and the visits of the monster, he must confront his worst fears to survive. Also featuring the voice of Liam Neeson as the monster, plus an exceptional performance by Sigourney Weaver as Conor’s grandmother, A Monster Calls is an emotionally gripping tale delivered with style and panache by director J. A. Bayona, whose next film is the much-anticipated Jurassic World 2. This book tells the full story of the creation of A Monster Calls through revealing interviews with the cast and crew—including Bayona, MacDougall, Jones, Neeson, and Weaver—and stunning behind-the-scenes visuals, such as concept art and on-set stills. The Art of A Monster Calls also delves into the electrifying special effects that bring the titular behemoth to life and the creation of the unique animated segments that accompany the monster’s stories in the film. The ultimate companion to one of the most exceptional films of 2016, The Art of A Monster Calls is a must-have for film fans.

Say No More


N. Gemini Sasson - 2014
     When five-year old Hunter McHugh witnesses the farming accident that takes the life of his father, Cam, he stops talking -- to everyone except his Australian Shepherd, Halo. Unable to cope, Hunter runs away and gets lost in the Kentucky wilderness. It's up to Halo to find him. Just as she's about to give up, Halo gets help from an unlikely source -- Cam's ghost. Halo is no ordinary dog. Not only can she see ghosts, she can talk to them, too. If only she could tell Hunter that death doesn't mean an end to being around the ones we love, maybe she could help him find his voice again. Unfortunately, she may never have the chance. Dognapped by the man who threatens to destroy the only family she has ever known, Halo must escape and find her way home -- hundreds of miles away. Say No More is a heartfelt story of love, hope, and the enduring bond between a boy afraid to speak and a dog that can't.

Keep the Change


Nirupama Subramanian - 2010
    Damayanthi, along with the bunch of unsuitable prospective husbands her Amma throws at her, a dead-end job as an accountant in a decrepit firm, the oppressiveness of Chennai. When she finally jettisons her job and some of her inhibitions to join a bank in Mumbai, Amma's parting words are: 'Be good. Don't do anything silly.' Translation: 'Stay away from sex and alcohol! ' Soon Damayanthi is negotiating competitive corporate corridors and big-city life. Aided by dubious words of wisdom from the cherub-faced Jimmy, she must impress the intellectual C.G., who has a low opinion of her; battle Sonya Sood, flatmate and size-zero sophisticate, for the TV remote; choose between resisting or giving in to temptation in the form of the seductive Rahul; deal with the moral dilemma of 'stealing' a million-dollar idea for her project. Can a good girl have a really good time? Can the conservative, curd-rice-eating Damayanthi become a cool, corporate babe? Keep the Change is a rollicking, wickedly witty story of every girl's journey to fulfill her dreams and find her own place in the world.

Stranger Than Fiction: The Shooting Script


Zach Helm - 2006
    Starring WillFerrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, Queen Latifah,and Emma Thompson, Stranger Than Fiction is a heartfelt film,perhaps a comedy, perhaps a tragedy, about love and literatureand death and taxes.

The Spaceship Next Door


Gene Doucette - 2015
    It never opened its doors, and for all that time, the townspeople have wondered why the ship landed there, and what—or who—could be inside. Then one day a government operative—posing as a journalist—arrives in town, asking questions. He discovers sixteen-year-old Annie Collins, one of the ship’s closest neighbors and a local fixture known throughout the town, who has some of the answers. As a matter of fact, Annie Collins might be the most important person on the planet. She just doesn’t know it.

Dear Evan Hansen


Steven Levenson - 2017
    Evan is shy, lonely, and bullied for it―teeming with the irrepressible emotions all too familiar with anyone who's ever been a teenager. After a tragedy strikes, Evan's life suddenly gets turned around, but is it ultimately for the better?

The Distance from Here: A Play


Neil LaBute - 2003
    This intense look at the dark side of American suburbia is a dark and provocative new play by award-winning playwright, screenwriter, and director LaBute.

50 Cups of Coffee: The Woes and Throes of Finding Mr Right


Khushnuma Daruwala - 2017
    When a 30-something woman signs up on a dating website for people looking to get married, she realizes just how delightful, vexing, amusing and befuddling trying to find the perfect husband can be. Based on real experiences, this book is not a guide to dating, but rather a delightful collection of episodes about meeting potential partners, epiphanies about them and soul-searching questions that will make you see relationships without the rose-tinted glasses. Especially pertinent to this age of online dating, this delicious-as-a-cappuccino book is for all those in love, looking for love or in between. With advice as sage (gained the hard way) as that in He's Just Not That Into You and scenarios as funny and outrageous as those in Sex and the City, 50 Cups of Coffee is a hilarious, honest and witty book, perfect to curl up with when a suitable beau or bae is not available.

Growing in Love


Paige Powers - 2014
    Breakups, makeups, drama in the halls, it’s all in a school day’s work. Jack is your all-American teenager experiencing the usual woes of his generation. Crazy parties, locker scenes, immaturity, and if that wasn’t enough, he’s got serious girl problems. It just so happens that Jack’s friend, Lidia, is having her own dating issues and the two of them come up with a plan to get back at their exes. Pretend to be boyfriend and girlfriend and flaunt their incredible happiness to make their past loves jealous. The plan is brilliant and they put on the performance of their young lives. They have high hopes the ruse will be successful and they’ll be back with their original partners before too long. Things are going good for the new, happy couple. But over the course of the faux relationship, they discover each other's true personas and are drawn together despite the false pretenses. Their affection toward one another becomes something neither one expected; genuine. Growing in Love is a tender, coming-of-age story about forgiveness, loss of innocence; self-discovery; relationships of all kinds–including abusive–and teenage love and romance.

William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Mean Girls


Ian Doescher - 2019
    Bitter rivalries. Jealousy. Betrayals. Star-crossed lovers. When you consider all these plot points, it's pretty surprising William Shakespeare didn't write Mean Girls. But now fans can treat themselves to the epic drama--and heroic hilarity--of the classic teen comedy rendered with the wit, flair, and iambic pentameter of the Bard. Our heroine Cady disguises herself to infiltrate the conniving Plastics, falls for off-limits Aaron, struggles with her allegiance to newfound friends Damian and Janis, and stirs up age-old vendettas among the factions of her high school. Best-selling author Ian Doescher brings his signature Shakespearean wordsmithing to this cult classic beloved by generations of teen girls and other fans. Now, on the 15th anniversary of its release, Mean Girls is a recognized cultural phenomenon, and it's more than ready for an Elizabethan makeover.

Bright Star


Erin Swan - 2019
    Beneath the surface, a tyrant is rising to power. A traumatic experience in Andra's childhood has left her mute and subdued, a servant in the Chief Judge’s manor. But when an assassination team, led by the secretive and alluring Kael, infiltrates the manor and makes a quick escape, she takes her chance and flees with them.Andra is thrust into the ranks of a secret rebellion—a group of outcasts and believers seeking to overthrow the Chief Judge and replace the corrupt government with new members, ones who will restore and preserve the land they love. Now, the girl who was once an outcast must somehow become the leader Paerolia needs. But she is stronger than she believes—and with the help of a fiercely loyal dragon, she may just be the one to lead them all to victory.

Inga


Poile Sengupta - 2014
    Radiance upon radiance of laughter,chime upon bell chime of light sparkled and shone everywhere. It was as if the sky showered tiny star grains that scattered, glinting, on the hay heap we were cocooned in, they sparkled on the leaves of the jack fruit tree above and dusted my arms with gold. Who could resist such a dance of light? I couldnt, I never could. Almost never. Rapa is born into a Tamil Brahmin family, full of dark secrets. She is brought up in Delhi where an English education introduces her to literature that is both fascinating and foreign. Her summer holidays are spent in the confines of the family home in Kerala, where she has for companion her cousin Inga. But as the two girls grow up, their lives change through a tortuous, pain-filled process. Forty years after her death, Rapas husband has her notes published, the story of her struggles against her family, her marriage and her final encounter with Inga.A tragic tale of yearning and hope, of derision and rage, of miracles and dreams, of commitment and utter rejection.