Jerry Spinelli–Newbery Medal winner, New York Times bestseller, and beloved author of anyone who has ever been in middle school–is back with the brand new middle grade novel Dead Wednesday, about a shy boy and a gone girl with an unlikely connection, written with Spinelli’s signature brilliance and heart. In celebration of Dead Wednesday‘s release, we’re reminiscing about all the Jerry Spinelli books we know and love, and all the audiobook narrators who have brought them to life.
On Dead Wednesday, every eighth grader is assigned the name of a teenager who died a preventable death. The kids don black shirts and for the whole day everyone in town pretends they’re invisible. Worm Tarnauer feels invisible every day, so he’s not expecting Dead Wednesday to feel that different. But what he definitely didn’t count on was playing dead bringing him back to life.
Now an original movie on Disney+! Stargirl arrives at Mica High in a burst of color and sound, captures Leo Borlock’s heart, and enchants her fellow students…until they turn on her. Stargirl is suddenly shunned for everything that makes her different, and Leo urges her to become the very thing that can destroy her: normal.
In the sequel to the beloved novel, Stargirl has moved and left everything behind: Arizona, Mica High, and Leo. In letters to Leo over the course of a year, Stargirl comes to find hope in new places: her wonderfully bizarre neighbors, mockingbirds, donut angels, moon flowers, and the Winter Solstice. But what’s life without Leo?
“Brilliant…As charming and unique as its sensitive, nonconformist heroine.” —School Library Journal
Cocky super-jock Crash Coogan got his nickname the day he used his football helmet to knock his cousin Bridget on her backside. And he has been running over people ever since. Through the eyes of Crash, listeners get a rare glimpse into the life of a bully in this unforgettable and beloved story about stereotypes and the surprises life can bring.
“…Spinelli packs a powerful moral wallop, leaving it to the pitch-perfect narration to drive home his point”–Publishers Weekly
An ALSC Notable Children’s Recording! He wasn’t born with the name Maniac Magee, but when his parents died and his life changed, so did his name. And Maniac Magee became a legend. Even today kids talk about how fast he could run. But the thing Maniac Magee is best known for is what he did for the kids from the East Side and those from the West Side.
“A superb rendering of an exceptional book!”–AudioFile, Earphones Award Winner
Cammie O’Reilly lives at the Hancock County Prison–not as a prisoner, she’s the warden’s daughter. But even though Cammie’s free to leave the prison, she’s still stuck. The thing Cammie most wants is a mom. A prison might not be the best place to search for a mother, but Cammie is determined and willing to work with what she’s got.
“Listeners will be captivated with the story’s historical details… and the intricacies of the prison life, as well as the overarching story of Cammie as she comes to understand herself.”–AudioFile
Welcome to Hokey Pokey. A place and a time, when childhood is at its best: games to play, bikes to ride, experiences to be had. There are no adults in Hokey Pokey, just kids, and the laws governing Hokey Pokey are simple and finite. But when Jack has his beloved bike stolen his entire world, and the world of Hokey Pokey, turns to chaos.
Jerry Spinelli takes us to one of the most devastating settings imaginable: Nazi-occupied Warsaw during World War II-and tells a tale of heartbreak, hope, and survival through the bright eyes of a young Holocaust orphan.
“Ron Rifkin uses a gentle, somber voice that fits the reflective recollection of the main character’s flashback into time. His nuances help readers laugh in all the right places, proving that even in the grayest landscape, hope and laughter can be found.”–AudioFile