Todd Strasser Books

In the Frederick Douglass Project where DeShawn lives, daily life is ruled by drugs and gang violence. Dropping out of school and joining a gang is the norm and every kid knows someone who's died. Gunshots ring out on a regular basis. DeShawn is smart enough to know he should stay in school and keep away from the gangs. But while his friends have drug money to buy anything they want, DeShawn's family can barely afford food for the month. How can he stick to his principles when his family is hungry? In this gritty novel about growing up in the inner-city projects, award-winning author Todd Strasser opens a window into the life of a teenager struggling with right and wrong under the ever-present shadow of gangs.

Her street name is Maybe. She lives with a tribe of homeless teens -- runaways and throwaways, kids who have no place to go other than the cold city streets, and no family except for one another. Abused, abandoned, and forgotten, they struggle against the cold, hunger, and constant danger. With the frigid winds of January comes a new girl: Tears, a twelve-year-old whose mother doesn't believe Tears's stepfather abuses her. As the other kids start to disappear -- victims of violence, addiction, and exposure -- Maybe tries to help Tears get off the streets...if it's not already too late.

The Tardy Boys show up at school on a warm winter morning to get ready for hockey practice, discover that the rink has been taken over by penguins and realize that it is up to them to keep the creatures from becoming extinct.

[ Penguin Readers Level 2 ]

The adventures of Peter Pan, the boy who would not grow up.

A futuristic reimagining of "Moby Dick" finds young Ishmael awakening aboard a ship on an unpolluted faraway planet where he harvests resources for a depleted Earth before witnessing his captain's growing obsession with a great sea creature.

“[H]aunting and harrowing.” —Booklist (starred review) “Vivid, distressing, and all too real.” —Kirkus Reviews In this 20th anniversary edition of Todd Strasser’s gut-wrenching and critically acclaimed Give a Boy a Gun, two boys bring guns to school in search of revenge against their classmates. For as long as they can remember, Brendan and Gary have been mercilessly teased and harassed by the jocks who rule Middletown High. But not anymore. Stealing a small arsenal of guns from a neighbor, they take their classmates hostage at a school dance. In the panic of this desperate situation, it soon becomes clear that only one thing matters to Brendan and Gary: revenge. This special 20th anniversary edition includes updated backmatter and statistics on school shootings—a topic that is now more relevant than ever.

Jake Sherman has switched bodies - again. And this time with an alien. A funny-looking alien. From a planet where aliens sit around and watching TV and eating junk food all day long. Sounds good to Jake but the alien has run off with Jake's body. Does Jake really want to be a couch potato ... forever?

Struggling with family turmoil, Kate Blessing faces escalating tensions as her parents' relationship deteriorates and internal conflicts arise within their ranks. Set in the backdrop of a crime family, this second installment of the Mob Princess trilogy delves into Kate's challenges and the complexities of loyalty and power. As threats emerge from within, she must navigate her tumultuous environment while grappling with her identity and the expectations placed upon her.

The narrative centers on themes of trust and betrayal, weaving a tense atmosphere where characters must navigate danger and deception. As secrets unravel, the protagonist finds themselves in increasingly perilous situations, forcing them to confront their own vulnerabilities and the motives of those around them. The story explores the impact of past actions on present relationships, leading to unexpected twists that keep readers on the edge of their seats.