school

Mr. Daisy: A Low Fantasy Slice of Life

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Previously Published as Mr. Daisy by M. Vattic

Short Synopsis

A 7’3″ substitute teacher with a talking flower growing out of his head comes to a small city to teach. The kindhearted giant changes the lives of those around him, and at the same time, he inadvertently learns from these new people to love himself and accept the accidental death of his younger sister.

Full Synopsis

Quincy Daisy is impossibly strong, incredibly large, and a seasoned substitute teacher. His closest friend is a cosmic entity that takes the form of a flower on his head. Together, they travel the world, teaching others to love themselves and one another.

He has arrived at Blue Diamond Elementary in the East Coast city of Almond Bay, where he will teach for an entire school year. In this city, he will be challenged by an odd assortment of colorful characters, including a trio of kindergarten students who aim to scare him away, a clumsy co-teacher who will unravel his emotions, and even a biker gang who seeks to take him down.

A whole year may be impossible, however. The longer he stays in one place, the worse his nightmares become. The death of his sister has hung over his neck like a guillotine since childhood. Because of this, he never has a home. If he wants to be free and truly happy, the teacher must become a student of those around him.

Meanwhile, Kari Hayes is a kindergartener with boundless energy known for pulling pranks and getting into mischief with her two closest friends. Her creativity is infinite, and her teachers are her greatest victims.

Life isn’t easy at home. Since her parents’ death, her brother, Kaleb, has been raising her independently. He works hard to make ends meet and to keep the two of them together. But it isn’t enough. With his inexperience and her headstrong attitude, they will be challenged by life and each other.

Meet M. Vattic

A Minnesotan from the Sticks, M. Vattic’s writing is influenced by his experience of growing up with a family of mental illnesses. After breaking away from alcoholism, he committed to his childhood dream and wrote a book. He prefers odd and unique characters in tongue-in-cheek situations that were molded by heavy life moments.

The Swish

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“Properly interesting – a teen novel about creativity, confidence and upcycling clothes. About time!” – Dawn French Screw waiting for life to hand me a fairytale… I’m gonna earn it! Kat is broke. Bullied by ‘mean girls’, blanked by her cool boy crush, and trapped between her warring parents, she has one escape: to sew. From scraps and cast-offs, she creates gorgeous designs she models for her mates down their dingy backstreet. But when her parents can’t afford the heating bills, dare Kat sew her own gown for the Winter Wonderland Ball? Or will the haters rip her to shreds? The Swish is a funny, honest story of one girl’s attempt to transform herself through hard work, creative cheek and the flash of a needle. Turning rags to (kinda!) riches, can ‘alley Kat’ storm the catwalk – and rock the ball? Free to download from Friday the 28th of July until midnight on the 1st of August 2023!

Meet Tash Bell

With a career presenting for TV and writing for the national press (tashbell.org), Tash Bell relishes the chance to create buzz for an issue she cares about. Her previous writing has garnered acclaim (‘Impossible to read without laughing out loud’, Tony Parsons. ‘Cheeky, sassy and very readable’, Lorraine Kelly). Sustainable fashion is a hot topic for today’s media. But while celebs trips over themselves to appear ethical on the red carpet, Tash wants to inspire teenagers to do it for themselves. At a time when we’re all learning to do more with less, she hopes Kat’s funny, feel-good story will empower readers: work hard, and you can be your own label (whatever that looks like). Tash plans to put a healthy chunk of book revenue towards funding her fashion upcycling workshops for cash-pressed kids and young carers, and has already started work on the sequel. She wants The Swish to inspire teenagers take fashion back into their hands – where it belongs!
Website : https://www.theswish.co.uk/

The Teachers: A Year Inside America’s Most Vulnerable, Important Profession

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A riveting, must-read, year-in-the-life account of three teachers, combined with reporting that reveals what’s really going on behind school doors, by New York Times bestselling author and education expert Alexandra Robbins.
 
Alexandra Robbins goes behind the scenes to tell the true, sometimes shocking, always inspirational stories of three teachers as they navigate a year in the classroom. She follows Penny, a southern middle school math teacher who grappled with a toxic staff clique at the big school in a small town; Miguel, a special ed teacher in the western United States who fought for his students both as an educator and as an activist; and Rebecca, an East Coast elementary school teacher who struggled to schedule and define a life outside of school. Robbins also interviewed hundreds of other teachers nationwide who share their secrets, dramas, and joys.
 
Interspersed among the teachers’ stories—a seeming scandal, a fourth-grade whodunit, and teacher confessions—are hard-hitting essays featuring cutting-edge reporting on the biggest issues facing teachers today, such as school violence; outrageous parent behavior; inadequate support, staffing, and resources coupled with unrealistic mounting demands; the “myth” of teacher burnout; the COVID-19 pandemic; and ways all of us can help the professionals who are central both to the lives of our children and the heart of our communities.

Meet Alexandra Robbins

Alexandra Robbins is the author of five New York Times bestsellers and a Goodreads Nonfiction Book of the Year,