Synopses & Reviews
Eighth grade is set to be a good year for Diggy Lawson: He’s chosen a great calf to compete at the Minnesota State Fair, he’ll see a lot of July, the girl he secretly likes at 4-H, and he and his dad Pop have big plans for April Fool’s Day. But everything changes when classmate Wayne Graf’s mother dies, which brings to light the secret that Pop is Wayne’s father, too. Suddenly, Diggy has a half brother, who moves in and messes up his life. Wayne threatens Diggy’s chances at the State Fair, horns in on his girl, and rattles his easy relationship with Pop.
What started out great quickly turns into the worst year ever, filled with jealousy, fighting, and several incidents involving cow poop. But as the boys care for their steers, pull pranks, and watch too many B movies, they learn what it means to be brothers and change their concept of family as they slowly steer toward a new kind of normal.
Praise for Steering Toward Normal
"First-time author Petruck’s account of country life is never dull as she depicts the strong work ethic of cattlemen and women, along with the universal conflicts between siblings."
--Publishers Weekly
"The plot is full of pranks and humorous situations but at its heart, it is a story about navigating the complicated and sometimes unexpected dynamics that come with being part of a family. Petruck captures the setting of rural Minnesota well, creating a small town where it seems like nearly everyone is related or at the very least always knows everyone else’s business."
--VOYA Magazine
"In Petruck’s capable hands, raising a steer—caring for it, loving it, and eventually letting it go—becomes a keen metaphor for the loss of a loved one. Diggy is a perceptive narrator, but not unusually so for his age, and it’s reassuring to see him sort out his tangled feelings."
--Booklist
Review
"Finally, a football book a girl can love. . . . With humor, sports action and intelligence abundant, this tale has something for everyone." --Publishers Weekly, starred
Review
"This extremely likable narrator invites readers into her confidence and then rewards them with an engrossing tale of love, family, and football." --Horn Book
Review
"In her debut novel, Murdock skillfully captures the messiness that comes with learning to open up to others and deal with life and love. "
Review
"Finally, a football book a girl can love. . . . With humor, sports action and intelligence abundant, this tale has something for everyone." —
Publishers Weekly, starred
"A fresh teen voice, great football action and cows--this novel rocks." —Kirkus Reviews, starred
"This extremely likable narrator invites readers into her confidence and then rewards them with an engrossing tale of love, family, and football." —Horn Book
"In her debut novel, Murdock skillfully captures the messiness that comes with learning to open up to others and deal with life and love." —Columbus Dispatch
Review
"[A] highly readable novel with interesting characters and a valuable theme of learning to express emotions and reach out..." KLIATT 7/1/07
KLIATT
Review
Praise for Love and Other Foreign Words:
"Im about to GUSH, absolutely GUSH, about Love and Other Foreign Words. . . . Its beautifully written, and it touches the heart of the high school (and lets be honest, adult) life experience: figuring out where you belong and what that means about who you are. . . . A standout . . . I loved every single moment, and I cant recommend [it] enough!”—Lisa Parkin for the Huffington Posts “Top 12 Young Adult Books of 2014”
“Cracklingly smart . . . With impeccable clarity—and hilarity . . . This clever read will satisfy fans of Rainbow Rowell, John Green, and Stephanie Perkins.” —Booklist
“Impossibly winning.” —The Wall Street Journal
«“McCahans sharp-witted first-person narrative will keep readers laughing." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Josies a rarity in teen literature, a genuine original. . . . Trying to control what cant be controlled, wanting and fearing love, shes one of us. Lively characters and a satisfying plot foil reader expectations in the best possible way.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Readers in the mood for serious laughs need look no further . . . [Josie Sheridans] analytical, overthinking narration and knack for delivering truly lacerating quips . . . will have readers sticking by her side.” —Publishers Weekly, Best Summer Books 2014
“A true-blue lovable weirdo, [Josie is] the type of character I really enjoy seeing . . . [She is] authentically herself, even when being herself gets in her into trouble.” —HelloGiggles
Review
STARRED REVIEW
"Petruck expertly manifests the gruff ways that teenage guys—especially brothers—express vulnerability coated with a veneer of hobbies and practical joking, and she slowly draws her characters together over steer grooming and model rockets...It’s the warm but difficult relationship between Diggy and Wayne that makes this one a purple ribbon."
Synopsis
When you dont talk, theres a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said.Harsh words indeed, from Brian Nelson of all people. But, D. J. cant help admitting, maybe hes right.
When you dont talk, theres a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said.
Stuff like why her best friend, Amber, isnt so friendly anymore. Or why her little brother, Curtis, never opens his mouth. Why her mom has two jobs and a big secret. Why her college-football-star brothers wont even call home. Why her dad would go ballistic if she tried out for the high school football team herself. And why Brian is so, so out of her league.
When you dont talk, theres a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said.
Welcome to the summer that fifteen-year-old D. J. Schwenk of Red Bend, Wisconsin, learns to talk, and ends up having an awful lot of stuff to say.
Synopsis
Perfect for fans of John Green and Rainbow Rowell, Love and Other Foreign Words is equal parts comedy and coming of age--a whip-smart, big-hearted, laugh-out-loud love story about sisters, friends, and what it means to love at all. Can anyone be truly herself--or truly in love--in a language that's not her own?
Sixteen-year-old Josie lives her life in translation. She speaks High School, College, Friends, Boyfriends, Break-ups, and even the language of Beautiful Girls. But none of these is her native tongue--the only people who speak that are her best friend Stu and her sister Kate. So when Kate gets engaged to an epically insufferable guy, how can Josie see it as anything but the mistake of a lifetime? Kate is determined to bend Josie to her will for the wedding; Josie is determined to break Kate and her fiancé up. As battles are waged over secrets and semantics, Josie is forced to examine her feelings for the boyfriend who says he loves her, the sister she loves but doesn't always like, and the best friend who hasn't said a word--at least not in a language Josie understands.
About the Author
Catherine Murdock grew up on a small farm in Connecticut and now lives in suburban Philadelphia with her husband, two brilliant unicycling children, several cats, and a one-acre yard that she is slowly transforming into a wee, but flourishing ecosystem. She is the author of several books, including the popular Dairy Queen series starring lovable heroine D. J. Schwenk, Princess Ben, and Wisdom's Kiss.