Most Popular Books by Janet Tashjian

Summer''s finally here, and Derek Fallon is looking forward to pelting the UPS truck with water balloons, climbing onto the garage roof, and conducting silly investigations. But when his parents decide to send him to Learning Camp, Derek''s dreams of fun come to an end. Ever since he''s been labeled a "reluctant reader," his mom has pushed him to read "real" books-something other than his beloved Calvin & Hobbes. As Derek forges unexpected friendships and uncovers a family secret involving himself (in diapers! no less), he realizes that adventures and surprises are around the corner, complete with curve balls. My Life as a Book is a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children''s Book of the Year.

In Book 7 of the Tashjians'' much-loved My Life series, the irrepressible Derek Fallon starts his own Youtube web series! But he soon realizes Youtube stardom is a lot of work. Illustrations.

The year is 1971 and the place is Laurel Canyon, California. Quinn, a fourteen-year-old music "encyclopedia," writes a music column—called "For What It''s Worth"—for his school paper. But Quinn''s world is about to change when he is faced with helping a war dodger and must make some tough decisions. When he starts receiving cryptic Ouija board messages from Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, and Jimi Hendrix (all members of the 27 Club), he knows he is in over his head. Fortunately for Quinn, his new girlfriend Caroline helps him get a grip and channel his inner self.

Derek Fallon discovers all the angst that comes with being twelve—he just wants to feel grown up, but life gets in the way with a series of mishaps that make him look like a baby. He passes out during a worm dissection in science class, falls flat on his face in gym class and gets a fat lip that causes him to lisp all day, and his plans for a monster-truck party turn into a bouncy house disaster. Why isn''t being in middle school as great as Derek imagined? Thankfully, with a little help from his friends—and, ironically, a Toys for Tots fundraiser—things seem like they could start shaping up at last. My Life as a Joke by Janet and Jake Tashjian is a Christy Ottaviano Book

Monica, a fourteen-year-old perfectionist and word game expert, tries to break free from all of the suffocating rules in her life by creating a game for living called Multiple Choice.

Twelve-year-old Derek wants to train his pet monkey to help Umberto, a new student who uses a wheelchair, but Umberto would rather steal Derek''s cartoon ideas.

Derek Fallon gets the opportunity of a lifetime—to be a stunt boy in a major movie featuring a pretty teen starlet. After accepting the job he learns that he is the star''s stunt double and must wear a wig! His friends are never going to let him live this down. If that weren''t his only problem, his parents are threatening to give away his pet monkey, and his best friend just posted an embarrassing video of him on Youtube. Can life get any worse? Still the irrepressible Derek takes it all in stride and even manages to save the day.

Computer-literate, twelve-year-old Tru keeps an electronic diary where she documents her desire to cure her handicapped twin brother and her plan to create a television show.

A hard-hitting novel that breaks open the gritty world of teen relationship abuse, by the author of The Gospel According to Larry "Unlike Abby, I hadn''t had a boyfriend since Peter last year, and even that was stretching the definition of boyfriend way past anything Webster would recognize. I had better luck holding the attention of a roomful of people in a comedy club than a guy-I couldn''t decide if that was good or just plain pathetic." Seventeen-year-old Becky Martin-smart, funny, ambitious-aspires to be a stand-up comic. While setting out to make her goal a reality, she meets Kip Costello, a rising star in the San Francisco comedy-club scene. And what could be better than an intense boyfriend who cares about every detail of her life? But Becky soon discovers a darker side to Kip, where emotional and physical abuse grow hand-in-hand. As the relationship goes from loving to controlling, Becky must find the courage to get help before it''s too late. In this powerful novel, Janet Tashjian tackles the difficult and complex subject of teen relationship abuse from the viewpoints of both the victim and the perpetrator, showing that there are no easy answers for either-but many brave survivors.

My Life as a Coder is the ninth book in Janet Tashjian''s much-loved, diary fiction My Life series starring reluctant reader Derek Fallon, featuring illustrations by Jake Tashjian. Derek Fallon receives an exciting new gift--a laptop! But there''s a catch: it has no Wi-Fi so he can''t use it for gaming. If he wants to play computer games, he''ll have to learn how to code them himself. Another unforgettable adventure awaits in Book 9 of the My Life series, this time involving tech and coding! Christy Ottaviano Books

Derek Fallon gets the chance of a lifetime when he is asked to test software for new video games, but he soon discovers that his dream job isn''t all it''s cracked up to be.

Jump into Book 3 of this magical middle grade adventure series with Sticker Girl Martina Rivera! A gumball machine robot. Two adorable (and creative) kittens. An unruly ant farm. These are just a few of the new stickers waiting to be peeled off of Martina Rivera’s new magical sticker sheet and SPRING TO LIFE. Student council is keeping Martina busy with a bake sale and cupcake-savvy Bev is excited to help out. The girls advertise their delicious creations and are thrilled to be invited to participate in a web show baking contest. Can Martina balance school and a ruthless cupcake competition, all while keeping her stickers in check? Or is this a recipe for disaster? Christy Ottaviano Books

After creating a controversial and hugely popular website, teenager Josh Swensen becomes trapped inside his brilliant creation and must find a way to remain anonymous. I am lying on my bed doing my homework in Greek and Latin roots for Advanced English. ''Ped'' for foot, ''homo'' for man, ''nym'' for name. I sit with the dictionary in front of me, coming up with as many words as I can to complete the assignment. Pedestrian, homicide, pseudonym . . . I have more than thirty of them. By accident -- that''s always how these life-changing things happen -- I connect two halves that don''t seem like a word until I look it up. ''Pseudo'', false; and ''cide,'' to kill = pseudocide. To pretend to kill (yourself). I stare at the word for a good long time. Homicide, suicide, genocide: these are words you can find in the newspaper every day. But pseudocide . . . now here was something different. My mind wanders from my homework to the blue cotton threads of my bedspread. Pseudocide. A way to start again as someone completely new, a way to burn the old self and try on a new one. Josh Swensen isn''t your average teenager - when he observes America, he sees a powerhouse of consumerism and waste. He''s even tried to do something about it, with his start-up controversial website. But when Josh rises to messiah status of the internet world, he discovers that greed and superficiality are not easily escaped. Trapped inside his own creation, Josh feels his only way out is to stage his death and be free of his internet alter-ego, "Larry." But this plan comes with danger, and soon Josh finds himself cut off from the world, with no one to turn to for help. In this suspenseful young adult novel, Janet Tashjian has written a probing tour-de-force.

Those were the magic words and Beth knew it. How many times had I uttered that phrase to Ms. Robinson in guidance, the standard answer for what I wanted to do with my life? CHANGE THE WORLD. Did I still have the strength and determination to get it together and try to make a difference? Was it my destiny, my vocation? Or was I just trying to impress a girl? As I looked at Beth, I wondered if the reason why even mattered. The indefatigable Larry is back, and this time he takes on the American political system After falling off the wagon and becoming what he so clearly and strongly resisted-a consumer-Josh Swensen (aka Larry) finds himself in a hyper-paranoid state of no return. That is, until he''s kidnapped and coaxed into resurfacing as his old persona. Before long, Larry is back on the scene with much more on his mind than a gospel Web site-this time Larry wants to affect change in government. What starts out as a campaign to get the younger population to vote turns into a run for the presidency. Can Larry really take on George Bush? In this very smart, very witty novel, Janet Tashjian brings the political world to the forefront and explores it from many different points of view.

Larry (otherwise known as Josh) is in the doldrums, but after meeting a spiritual guru at Walden Pond who convinces him to join his study group, he starts to question his grasp of reality.

Janet and Jake Tashjian’s My Life as a Billionaire is Book 10 in the much-loved, illustrated My Life series. Derek Fallon won the lottery and now gets to split over a billion dollars with a friend—the buying possibilities are endless—skateboards!, sneakers! video games!, a backyard skateboard park!!!—let the shopping begin. But Derek is soon challenged with new obstacles that he hadn’t thought of before. Having money to spend should make his life easier but it’s bringing with it lots of anxiety. It’s up to Derek to find a balance with his newfound wealth, and to consider the best ways to spend his money. Christy Ottaviano Books

Book 8 of the much-loved My Life series Derek Fallon loves making funny memes, but when he finds himself the joke of a viral meme, he realizes how easy it is to offend others using this platform. Derek decides to confront the creator of the hurtful meme, all during the backdrop of a fire evacuation that has put him in the same place as his meme bully. Here is another thoughtful, funny, and timely adventure in the life of the ever-loving, ever-mischievous Derek Fallon. Christy Ottaviano Books

A Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee • From the creators of the bestselling My Life series comes a fresh and funny story about Hannah Sharpe—an observant young sleuth on the autism spectrum who likes to solve mysteries by drawing cartoons of her cowboy alter ego, Dusty Pickle—in this colorfully illustrated adventure featuring full-color art on every page. Young cartoonist Hannah Sharpe has many strengths: she’s curious, creative, has an amazing memory, and most important—she notices things. When Doug Williams moves into her family’s Airbnb, Hannah can’t shake the feeling that he’s got something to hide. But his girlfriend, Remy Furtado, couldn’t be nicer or more helpful. As Hannah investigates, often with her sketchbook in hand, she makes a series of unsettling discoveries involving stolen packages, changed keypad codes, and hidden stacks of cash. Can Hannah crack the case and unfold the mystery on her own? Including full-color illustrations with panel art featuring Hannah and her cartoon alter ego, Dusty Pickle, here is a thoughtful and propulsive new book starring a neurodiverse protagonist. "Included are illustrations explaining how Hannah thinks and reacts, minicomics, and an author’s note explaining that her son, the illustrator of this novel, is on the autism spectrum.... This is an inclusive, fun addition to the middle-school mystery field." ―Booklist "Hannah is a lovable, relatable protagonist…. Her story provides some clever lessons on life’s grey areas, which are universally frustrating (even if they manifest differently for all of us)." —School Library Journal "Hannah Sharpe is courageous, smart, talented, and funny. " —Ethan Long, award-winning creator of The Death and Life of Benny Brooks

Derek Fallon becomes a ninja-in-training in Book 6 of the much-loved My Life series.