In his Apologetics class at Monsignor Bonner High School, Ed Stivender had a special reputation—he was the class clown. One day he pushed Father McGinnis just a little too far, and the teacher gave him a surprising punishment: Ed had to take part in a debate about The Existence of God. And even tougher, he had to argue the side against God’s existence.

The author grew up in the mountains of western North Carolina listening to stories that many kids in America had never heard before. He didn’t realize it at the time, but he was learning old tales that had traveled across the ocean with Scots‑Irish families long ago. In the 1950s, people in the Appalachian Mountains were still telling these stories, most of them about a clever, brave, and sometimes very lucky character named Jack. Versions of Jack appear in almost every culture, which makes him feel familiar no matter where you’re from.

Through a Ruby Window is a charming collection of fifteen stories that captures the magic of growing up on Martha's Vineyard.

Fielder's Choice by Rick Norman is a gripping historical fiction novel that follows Andrew Jackson Fielder from the baseball fields of Arkansas to a Japanese prisoner of war camp during World War II.

Discover a heartwarming collection of stories about growing up in the rural Midwest during the 1950s.

A long, twisty highway. Kids squabbling in the back seat. Parents trying every trick they know to keep the peace. It sounds like an ordinary family road trip—but Donald Davis turns it into an adventure no one forgets.

Beneath the Blazing Sun is a powerful collection of 18 stories that explores the African American experience from its roots in West Africa to the present day.

Barking At a Fox-fur Coat is a celebrated collection of seventeen vintage family stories and tall tales set in the mountains of North Carolina.

Jewish folklore is full of stories that have traveled across many lands and cultures. Over hundreds of years, these tales have carried the joys and challenges of being Jewish, showing both the struggles people faced and the strength they found along the way.

Anyone who has ever watched a great storyteller hold a whole room spellbound—without costumes, sets, or music—has probably wondered how they do it. This collection explains the secret: it all starts with a really good story. And the 40 storytellers in this book know exactly what that means. They’re some of the most beloved tellers in the country, each sharing a tale that’s been tested on even the squirmiest, most hard‑to‑please audiences.

The author grew up with two very different parents. His mom was an Irish Catholic who prayed every day that her only son would become a priest. His dad was a Navy man who liked to joke, “Son, never take a job where you have to wear a dress to work.” So Ed found a path right in the middle.

These Franco‑American tales are filled with brave princesses, clever underdogs, and mischievous tricksters. They come from a community sometimes described as “a quiet presence,” but their stories are anything but quiet. The authors share the lutin’s playful pranks on farmers, the Jack‑like adventures of Ti‑Jean, Pierre’s modern‑day chainsaw heroics, a princess who outsmarts a wicked witch, and family tales passed lovingly from one generation to the next.

More Laughter in Appalachia is the authors' fourth collection of funny tales from the Southern mountains, and it might be their silliest and most wide‑ranging book yet. It’s filled with jokes, short stories, poems, riddles, and even songs. You’ll also find some surprising treasures, like a funny old‑time sermon, a playful political speech from long ago, and even a comical arrest warrant that shows just how creative mountain humor can be.

This collection opens a window into the vibrant world of Mexican‑American traditions. Inside, readers will find lively proverbs, riddles, folktales, and songs; stories about heroes like Pancho Villa and spooky urban legends; and a look at everyday customs—from family shrines and farming rituals to charreadas, the exciting Mexican‑style rodeos. There are also children’s games, home remedies, favorite foods, crafts, clothing, and so much more.

The people of the Appalachian Mountains have a special kind of humor—dry, colorful, and full of down‑to‑earth charm. Sometimes they poke fun at their own everyday mix‑ups, and other times they tease the outside world and its fancy ways.

Italian Americans make up one of the largest cultural groups in the United States. You may have seen Italian-American characters in books or movies, but those stories don’t always show the real lives of the people who came here from Italy and built new communities. This book shares traditions and tales collected directly from Italian-American families living in both big cities and small towns.

Some stories are hard to tell because they talk about things that are sad, scary, or confusing. These kinds of stories can be tough for the person telling them and for the person listening. But when they’re shared with kindness and care, they can help people understand each other and even feel braver.

Even with all the things that can weigh on us—crime, pollution, illness, and everyday worries—people still find ways to make each other laugh. Listen on a street corner, in a café, or around a kitchen table anywhere in America, and you’ll hear someone sharing a joke or a funny story. That kind of hometown humor helps us get through tough times.

Set in familiar places like schools, farms, and campgrounds, these tales turn ordinary moments into chilling encounters with vengeful spirits and supernatural creatures.

This collection brings together 30 stories about wise judges, quick‑thinking lawyers, and crafty tricksters. The tales come from many corners of the world—ancient Greece, Morocco, Germany, China, Ireland, and even the early American colonies. Some are so old they were told long before the Bible was written. Instead of offering a single definition of justice, the author lets the stories speak for themselves. Each one invites readers to decide for themselves: “That’s not fair!” or “Fair is fair.”

Follow seventeen-year-old Aurora as she fights for survival in a drowning world, navigating a never-ending storm and the search for a mysterious sanctuary known only as "The Hill".

Katniss faces the consequences of winning the Hunger Games and enters a new, more dangerous iteration of the Games.

Pacific Rim meets Korean action dramas in this mind-blowing sci-fi novel set in New Seoul in the year 2199.