Which book would appeal to you?
Read short summaries here
Nearly 2,000 words—including the ones you meant to look up but didn’t… things you didn’t know the names for… interesting concepts and unusual practices… and much more.
Read More
You think you know your father—but what if he kept secrets until the day he died?
Read More
Angus Truax loathes his life so much that he decides to end it. More Fool than Hamlet, this unlikely hero jokes his way to the grave. Before he can make his exit, though, an unlucky soul comes knocking at his door, pleading for help. Angus discovers, to his astonishment, that his story isn’t over yet.
“…a seesaw of tender moments, total screw-ups, and a suspense that becomes unbearable… Laser… mounts a steamroller of a novel.”—Kirkus Reviews
Read More
On the morning of the SAT, Will Westfield disappears. His parents search for him frantically—but the only way to understand Will’s disappearance is to retrace the events that led to this disastrous moment.
Read More
A white man and a black woman discover the depth of their differences and an unexpected bond in this urban drama.
“…brutally honest about the difficulty of bridging the racial gap and the assumptions that even well-meaning blacks and whites make about one another.”— Library Journal
Read More
An adulterous affair turns a long friendship into a whirl of unexpected confessions, resentments, and broken hearts.
“…this deceptively simple first novel… with sharp observations and crisp dialogue… rings true about the strains of friendship.”— Publishers Weekly
Read More
For Younger Readers
Jenny Fox goes to South America to build a school in her grandfather’s country—but her summer adventure turns into much more than community service when she falls in love with the charismatic leader of the project.
“Michael Laser tackles some big issues—war, peace, love, infatuation, and cultural awareness, among others. An extremely compelling read; highly recommended.”—Janice Eidus, author of The War of the Rosens and The Last Jewish Virgin
Read More
Would you cheat to get better grades? Would you cheat if a beautiful member of the opposite sex asked you to? Temptation comes in many forms, and Karl Petrofsky, gawky genius, finds it harder and harder to resist.
“Laser’s breezy prose and humorous dialogue balance his serious message about the perils of cheating and will hold the attention of reluctant readers.”— Booklist
Read More
When his sixth grade class gets caught up in a feud with another class, Marc Chaikin’s life gets turned upside down. At the same time, he competes with a more popular boy for Lily Wu, the object of his all-consuming crush, and has to deal with the end of his parents’ marriage.
“…a series of poetically crystallized moments as a boy on the brink of manhood becomes initiated into the larger world outside classroom 6-321.”— Publishers Weekly
Read More
As the rain falls on the city, the town and the forest, it inspires delight, creativity and memories in the children and adults who experience it: a gentle, poetic evocation of the rain’s beauty.
“With a style almost as peaceful and steadily rhythmic as the autumn shower he lauds, Laser conveys an infectious exultation in a sudden rainfall.”— Publishers Weekly
Read More
We asked teachers around the country to assign the title topic to their students, and received bagloads of charming, hilarious, poignant and wise advice.
Read More
For College Instructors
Anyone who has taught freshman composition knows how hard it is to improve the writing of students who arrive at college with weak sentence skills. The College Writing Clinic offers effective strategies that will help you achieve this important but elusive goal.
“Many students attending college today are not especially strong writers. They often experience difficulty crafting sentences that adequately capture their intentions in an effective and correct manner. If this description fits one or more of your students, The College Writing Clinic is the book for you. It provides useful ideas and effective practices for mastering the basic craft of sentence writing.” —Steve Graham, Arizona State University – Co-author, Handbook of Writing Research and Best Practices in Writing Instruction
Read More