NOVALEE AND THE SPIDER SECRET

Novalee starts the fourth grade determined to not just make friends but to change herself from boring Nova into super Nova. Her mom finds her grandfather's violin, and Nova decides to take lessons. It seems to work as Nova finds acceptance for her growing skill. But her world soon tumbles out of control when her violin teacher does something that threatens her universe: he kisses her. She makes an unlikely friendship with a fellow outcast, Toby, who helps her find the courage, voice, and persistence to confront the spider secret.

Praise For NOVALEE

Lovely…such a different, profound story. Nova is so charming and has her young-person quirks, but is also so real and sweet and (at times, understandably) sad. You can really feel her sense of yearning. ~Samantha Mabry, Tigers, Not Daughters and All the Wind in the World (Longlisted for the National Book Award)

“Read Novalee and the Spider Secret. The narrative is easily accessible to all ages and provides an engaging story with takeaways for everyone. If you like the way Perks of Being a Wallflower plays out, Nova’s story will similarly enrapture you. Stephens manages to capture the balance between a story its young audience can digest, while also presenting timely commentary on heavy issues. Nova’s spider secret is universal, a web of silence our society has been stuck in for far too long; stuck in the web, children and adults aren’t so different. The book empowers and enlightens, and Nova’s narrative voice makes it all a poignant experience.” GLASSWORKS

Pierre François

Ten-year-old Pierre François--otherwise known as Pierre the Fantastic Flying Fish and Pierre the Genius Brain--is an expert at signing his school papers with original names. He's also good at extolling the greatness of France, using weird words like "extolling," dissecting owl vomit, and avoiding The Stinky Chair in math class. What he's not good at is a foolproof bladder. Accidents happen, although this is Top Secret information. So when it's time for the entire fifth grade to go to Adventure Camp, a two-night trip in the wilderness, Pierre would rather complain about the fifth grade meanies, dream of mastering the spelling bee with Jedi skills, and devise ways to meet the fascinating new girl in school. But Adventure Camp is coming for him, along with a wet and icy cold front. Can Pierre muster all his courage and wit to survive nature's onslaught of ice, rain, and other liquid fiascos?

Praise For Pierre François

“A winning protagonist and a charming setting.” ~ KIRKUS Reviews

“Pierre Francois navigates the wacky wilds of 5th grade with inventiveness and flair. Funny, smart, and heartwarming, Pierre is an endearing character whose honest awareness of his strengths and challenges will have young readers cheering him on.” ~Kevin Emerson, Last Day on Mars

“Pierre Francois: Fifth Grade Mishaps is the charming tale of a French/American boy trying to navigate the baffling social currents of fifth grade.  Boys and girls alike will be able to relate to Pierre’s humorous misadventures at school, and they will be rooting for him to triumph over the challenges he faces in spending two nights away at Adventure Camp.” ~Polly Holyoke, author of Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee The Neptune Project and The Neptune Challenge

“Overall, the lively writing, childish preoccupation with body smells and fluids, good-natured cast of characters, and whimsical drawings combine to create an entertaining story with the underlying theme of inclusivity.” ~ Carol Michaels for IndieReader

Song of the Orange moons

A mosaic of stories that follow the intertwined lives of three girls coming of age. Two young girls from Jewish and Christian families and their elderly widow next door try to find happiness in a seemingly cruel world. In spite of their different cultural and economic backgrounds, Rebecka, Helen, and Adelle all share the delicate and self-conscious journey to womanhood. In their search for they find lasting strength in the power of their friendships.

Praise For SONG OF THE ORANGE MOONS

“The mark of a well-written book is layers: “It sounded good, but there was a threat behind her words.” To be clear, after a quotation such as that, Song of the Orange Moons is not a thriller—except in the way that all coming-of-age stories are scary and exhilarating—but there is an intensity behind each of author Lori Ann Stephens’s carefully chosen words that makes this short yet still sprawling history of three females so enjoyable to read.” ~ RAIN TAXI

““Just as one music note depends on another to form a beautiful song, so do the characters in Song of the Orange Moons. The melodically written novel is a mosaic of stories about three women searching for the meaning of life-Is it everlasting love? Is it religion? Is it family? A story about every woman's longing-and her desire to belong-Rebecka, Helen, and Adelle find strength in the power of their friendship.” ~ PLANO MAGAZINE

“Stephens's small-scale debut captures several facets of adolescence from three overlapping perspectives. Rebecka, a passionate girl struggling to escape her parents' poor marriage, relays an impressionistic story of alienation. Helen, her misfit best friend, desperately seeks to connect with others—literally, by secretly touching them; and Adelle, an older, neighboring widow, watches over Rebecka and Helen and shares memories of her own brutal childhood. Alternating among these three voices, which eventually become entwined, Stephens creates a strictly personal portrait of longing and discovery.… Small, acute observations (a professor with "walnuts for knuckles") and intimate encounters are Stephens's strengths, and readers will appreciate the rare friendships that bring comfort after hardship. (Nov.) ~ PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

“Nuanced and lovely, written in the pitch-perfect voice of a narrator aching for a self, Song of the Orange Moons is an enchanting debut novel from an exciting new writer.” ~ Robert Olen Butler, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain