**2020 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Gold Medal Winner, Teen Fiction**

Tess Goodwin’s life in rural Iowa is sheltered and uncomplicated. Although she chooses to spend most of her free time playing chess with her best friend Zander, the farm-boy from next door, her skills as a bovine midwife and tractor mechanic ensure that she fits in with the other kids at East Chester High. But when her veteran father reenlists in the Army, moving her family halfway across the country to North Carolina, Tess is forced out of her comfort zone into a world she knows nothing about.

Tess approaches the move as she would a new game of chess, plotting her course through the unfamiliar reality of her new life. While heeding Zander’s long-distance advice for making new friends and strategizing a means to endure her dad’s imminent deployment to the Middle East, she quickly discovers how ill-equipped she is to navigate the societal challenges she encounters and becomes convinced she’ll never fit in with the students at her new school.

When Leonetta Jackson is assigned as her mentor, she becomes Tess’s unexpected guide through the winding labyrinth of cultural disparities between them, sparking a tentative friendship and challenging Tess to confront her reluctant nature. As the pieces move across the board of her upended life, will Tess find the acceptance she so desperately desires?

A quick-reading fun new series that is perfect for the young reader!

A Literary Titan Book Award Winner! Global Book Awards Gold Medal Winner!

Get ready for the newest epic adventure series through time with “The Timeouts”!
On their first adventure together, a group of brave kids embark on a mission to find a powerful time crystal hidden on the Titanic.

With their time-traveling abilities, they journey back to the fateful night of the Titanic’s sinking, risking everything to uncover the crystal’s location before it’s lost forever. Along the way, they encounter dangerous obstacles and face unforeseen challenges, but with their determination and resourcefulness, they press on towards their goal.

The Timeouts is a fast-paced and exciting read that will captivate readers of all ages. Join this group of plucky kids as they race against time to save the future, all while discovering the secrets of the past.

Don’t miss out on this thrilling adventure!