Books by Julie Gonzalez
Imaginary Enemy
★ “Entrancing.”—Publishers Weekly, Starred
Jane White goes by the pen name Gabriel when she writes letters to Bubba, her imaginary enemy. She’s been writing to Bubba (short for Beelzebub) since second grade, blaming him every time something in her life goes wrong. It’s never her fault! She doesn’t want to admit that her impetuous behavior and smart-mouthed comments often land her in trouble. And now that she’s a teenager, Jane’s slacker ways exude an I-don’tcare attitude. But Jane does care. She cares about fitting in at school; she cares that Sharp deMichael and his brothers next door think of her as normal and start excluding her from their offbeat plans; and she definitely cares the day she receives a letter from Bubba. How can an imaginary enemy write back?
★ “Readers will get a kick out of Jane’ fumblings and successes, both imaginary and real.”—Publishers Weekly, Starred
“The rich details and large cast of characters simultaneously give Jane’s perspective on events and allow glimpses between the lines. Gonzalez shows how a myriad of plot lines click together in a satisfying and deceptively lowkey resolution.”—Kirkus Reviews
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Wings
by Sneed B. Collard III, Aprilynne Pike, Julie Gonzalez, Shinsuke Tanaka
Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful—too beautiful for words.
Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings.
In this extraordinary tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever.
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Wings
by Sneed B. Collard III, Aprilynne Pike, Julie Gonzalez, Shinsuke Tanaka
Ben Delaney has a steadfast belief: Someday he will fly. He’ll sprout wings and really begin his life. But in all of his 17 years, there’s been no sign of any wings. Ben blames Gravity, his sworn enemy, for keeping him down. Yet if there’s one thing Ben isn’t, it’s a ground-dweller. He can feel his wings wanting out, just biding their time. But when will they be ready to emerge? And when will his older brother, parents, and friends accept his inevitable destiny? For flying is what Ben was born to do . . . and no one can persuade him otherwise.
From the Hardcover edition.
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Wings
by Sneed B. Collard III, Aprilynne Pike, Julie Gonzalez, Shinsuke Tanaka
Take flight!
Simple text explains the versatility of bird, insect, and mammal wings. Detailed paragraphs spotlight particular animals and discuss how the animals' wings help them to survive. Intricate, cut-paper illustrations capture the delicate beauty of each type of wing.
Includes a glossary and additional resouces.
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Wings
by Sneed B. Collard III, Aprilynne Pike, Julie Gonzalez, Shinsuke Tanaka
On a road by the sea a farmer finds an adorable, abandoned puppy. But this is no ordinary pooch . . . this pup has wings! The dog soon becomes a beloved member of the farmer’s family, and they discover the charms — and sometimes comical consequences — of life with a flying dog. But not everyone is charmed: in his youthful exuberance, the puppy wreaks havoc in the village. Will the free-spirited dog’s wings be clipped? Will he be grounded forever? Shinsuke Tanaka’s intricate pencil drawings, filled with action and emotion, carry the reader along on a buoyant and joyous adventure, a soaring flight of fancy to delight young and old alike.
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Ricochet
Product Description
A bully.
A gun.
A dare.
A friendship ripped apart.
An instant in which Connor Kaeden's life changes forever. . . .
From the Hardcover edition.
Review
“A thoughtful exploration of a teen who never expected to grow up so quickly in such a tragic way.”
—The Bulletin
About the Author
Julie Gonzalez’s previous novels for young adults are
Imaginary Enemy and
Wings. She lives in Pensacola, Florida.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
GONE
James kicked off his flip-flops and dug his toes into the grass. "So, Connor, what was it like?"
"What was what like?" We sat side by side on an overgrown soccer field. The sun was warm on my bare arms and legs.
"That night. Must've been pretty trippy, huh?
Pretty wild?"
I laced my fingers together. "I dunno."
"Course you do. It had to've been an incredible rush in spite of the outcome."
I gazed at the goal box across the field, plucking idly at the grass with my left hand.
He nudged me with his elbow. "Speak."
"Ryan said it was like walking on fire. Almost like being God."
"Was it?"
I paused, thinking, remembering. "No. It was sickening. I demeaned myself. I lost something I'll never get back."
"What?"
"I dunno exactly. Something without a name."
"Do you want it back--whatever it was?"
Again I hesitated. James and I seldom shared our most private selves. "Yes, I do."
I SPY
I watched my family from the other side of the glass. Because of the darkness outside and the bright lights within, they were unaware that I observed them. My father was helping Kathleen with her homework. When he gets involved, he always ends up straying off course and teaching stuff that has nothing to do with the assignment. It looked as though he was explaining cell division that night. I could see the drawing on the table.
My father is a chemist with the county's water department. His job is to maintain water quality in the local reservoirs. Occasionally he has to close one if the contaminant level is too high. A typical scientist, he breaks everything down into the most basic elements. He probably dreams in molecular structure.
Kathleen appeared to be listening to Dad, but I'd seen that look in her eyes often enough to know that her mind was elsewhere. I remember the day she was born. I was seven, and I'd spent the previous few months placing my hands on my mother's belly to feel the baby kick and roll. Kathleen's a dreamy little eight-year-old--always off on some adventure in her imagination. She picks out the quiet shadows in the boldest landscape; hears the delicate grace notes in the wildest concerto.
Trent sat on the floor putting new bearings in his skateboard wheels. He held a screwdriver in his hand and had the cordless phone tucked under his chin. I knew by the expression on his face he was bored. Trent's in ninth grade--just over a year younger than I am. He probably knows more about me than anyone else. We've shared a room and clothes and toys since we were babies.
My older brother, James, who'll graduate from high school in May, stood at the counter eating a grilled cheese sandwich before dashing off to his job at the DramaRama movie theater. As usual, his energy level was so high it was nearly visible.
My mother was chopping vegetables at the counter. A skillet of olive oil, onions, and peppers sizzled on the stove. She was deep in thought, her eyes distant.
Mom teaches English composition at the local community college. She's a fanatic about proper grammar. When she watches the news, she corrects every minor infraction by the newscasters. When a commercial uses an incorrect tense or subject-verb agreement, she totally flips, saying if the advertisers can't get it right how can we expect to have an articulate society. Sometimes we use double negatives just to see her reaction. What really drives her nuts is something James started: saying wit for with.
One night when we were eating dinner, Mom
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