New Releases by Carol Gorman

At his new school, Jerry Flack is determined to stop being a dork and start being a cool guy—but does this science nerd really have what it takes to be popular? Jerry Flack is starting middle school in a new town where no one knows him and he can be anybody he wants. Jerry has a plan: He is finally going to be cool. But that turns out to be easier said than done. As his lies begin to pile up, Jerry knows he’s going to slip up soon, and everyone will see him for who he really is. Can Jerry keep the act going? Or is it possible that a dork can actually be . . . well, cool?

An International Reading Association Children’s Choice: When high school student Holly Baldwin is murdered, her friends decide to consult a Ouija board—with disastrous consequences When her classmates throw a party soon after the brutal murder of their friend Holly, Jessica can’t believe they could be so insensitive. But the festivities turn dark when several girls sitting at a Ouija board receive a frightening message about Holly’s death—and a warning. Nothing can prepare Jessica for the horror that follows.

When the boy Amy is babysitting swears he witnessed a kidnapping, Amy isn’t sure whether she should believe his crazy story Thirteen-year-old Amy Whipple is forced to babysit the son of her dad’s most important client, and she is prepared for a boring weekend with a boring eight-year-old. On a trip to the park, Malcolm runs ahead, and when Amy catches up with him, he swears he has just seen the kidnapping of Jennifer Smith from his class. Malcolm is famous for making up stories, and Amy doesn’t believe him . . . until they find the ransom note. In this wild, hilarious adventure, it’s up to Amy and Malcolm to rescue Jennifer—even though she’s a total jerk!

After witnessing a murder, Julia is forced to keep quiet—until she receives a message from the dead boy and realizes she’s in even more danger than she suspected Julia reluctantly joins her cousin Nikki and her friends for a night of partying. Climbing into the hills, they spot Heath, a strange guy from school, and they chase him into a dilapidated cabin. Julia watches, horrified, as Nikki’s friends set fire to the old building and wait for Heath to run out in terror. He never appears, and the cabin burns to the ground. Julia knows she must go to the police. But Nikki and her friends threaten to kill Julia if she tells anybody what happened. But then Julia receives the note that changes everything: “You tried to kill me. For that you will die.”

Lizard Flanagan is stunned when she is chosen as a model for the local fashion show—this tomboy in a dress has her work cut out for her When Lizard Flanagan finds out about a trip to Wrigley Field to see the Chicago Cubs play—for only fifty dollars—she is thrilled. It’s her big chance to see her favorite team in action! But how is she supposed to come up with fifty dollars before the trip? Lizard couldn’t care less about the local teen fashion show at the mall, and when she is unexpectedly chosen to be one of the models, she’s horrified. Parading around in a dress in front of other people is just not something she’s willing to do. Lizard is determined to quit the fashion show . . . until she learns that the winner will receive a prize of one hundred dollars, which would be more than enough to go see the Cubs. In this fun sequel to The Miraculous Makeover of Lizard Flanagan, Lizard has to face her fears and show the fashion world that a tomboy can rock the catwalk too.

An International Reading Association Young Adult Choice: When a night in a graveyard with her friends turns fatal, Kelly knows it’s up to her to find the killer—before the killer finds her New to town, Kelly reluctantly agrees when her friends challenge her to spend the night in a graveyard with them. But she can’t shake the feeling that someone is watching them through the mist. Her friends laugh off her suspicions—until she stumbles on a body covered in blood. As she begins to piece together the puzzle, Kelly realizes that the murderer may have killed before. Can Kelly and her new friend Miles solve the case before the killer strikes again?

When his uncle invents a time machine that can summon people from the past, T.J. has his hands full with a seventeenth-century pirate T.J. O’Brien witnesses a break-in behind the library. But when he sees the burglar—a real, live pirate—he realizes he can’t go to the police. They’d never believe him! He decides to talk it over with his eccentric uncle Ainsley. But when he arrives at Ainsley’s house, he finds the pirate sitting on the floor, eating a chicken leg and watching TV. His uncle’s new invention, a time machine, brought Captain Billy here from his life on the high seas. Billy has been getting into terrible trouble, picking pockets and burglarizing businesses, and the police are sure to catch up with him eventually. T.J. and Uncle Ainsley can’t send the captain back to 1690 because the time machine is broken. And their biggest problem? Captain Billy has discovered game shows and Big Macs—he doesn’t want to go home!

In her first year of middle school, tomboy Lizard Flanagan feels left out—her friends are growing up, but all Lizard wants is to stay the same Twelve-year-old Lizard Flanagan can’t believe it when her best friend, Mary Ann, wears a skirt on their first day of middle school. What happened to shorts and dirty sneakers? Suddenly Mary Ann is starting to look and talk like those girly girls she and Lizard always made fun of in elementary school. What’s worse, all the sixth-grade girls are acting like they’ve caught some kind of terrible disease that makes them blush and giggle whenever a boy is around—and the boys are just as bad. All Lizard wants to do is throw around a football and hang out with her buddies, but something terrible has happened: They’ve all started “the Change,” and they’ve left her behind! Lizard finds herself lost in a strange new world of tights, makeup, and middle school dances. Does maturity mean totally changing who she is? How can she grow up and still be herself?

Mick Sullivan likes reading thrillers, daydreaming about Tabitha Slater, and teasing his archenemy, Boot Quinn. Boot Quinn likes playing his guitar, daydreaming about Tabitha Slater, and punching his adversary, Mick Sullivan. The two eighth graders are rivals in every way, and with two fights in the first week of school, they''ve set the stage for a yearlong showdown. That is, until a new principal arrives on the scene and forces Mick and Boot to spend an hour and a half each day playing games together. Two enemies, one small room, and no adult supervision—battle lines are bound to be crossed. As the wins and losses are tallied, the boys find themselves fighting for their classmates'' attention, a cute girl''s affection, and their own fathers'' respect. But how far are they willing to go to win? And who are they really fighting? There''s only one way to find out. Game on.

Gorman and Findley pen the moving story of an unlikely friendship between a young white boy and a black baseball player set against the dramatic backdrop of turbulent race relations in 1950s America.

Jerry Flack, recently-elected sixth-grade president, organizes an Elizabethan festival at school but accepts a challenge from a bully that may mean he will once again be considered a "dork."

Jerry Flack can''t forget that last year he was a dork. But this year, he''s at a new school in a new town, and things seem to have got better. So much better that he''s even considering running for class president in this year''s student elections, but he has a tricky opponent.

When Janet runs a lawn mower over the Bugman''s tombstone by accident, insects start to attack her wherever she goes. Perhaps the Bugman is getting revenge from the grave.

Samantha and Abby start a "good" rumor and discover that they need Jesus'' forgiveness when the rumor becomes very damaging.

Justin has a hard time following in the footsteps of his athletic, smart, handsome brother, until an accident helps Justin and his family understand that each individual is precious in God''s eyes.

When Adam''s mom wins the lottery, Adam and his friend Ross discover they must forgive those who are jealous of them, just as Jesus forgave the people who hurt him.

When Tess and Ben fail in their attempts to get even with school bully Brad, Mrs. Pilkington suggests praying for him.

The Tree House Kids are devastated to hear that their friend Kara has leukemia, and they become angry with God.

The papers of Carol Gorman consist of drafts, galley, and page proofs of her books and novels.