A.J. and the gang from My Weird School star in this series of after-school, holiday-themed chapter books featuring brand-new hilarious stories and thirty-two pages of games, puzzles, and more.It's Christmas, and you know what that means! Santa Claus is coming to town! Or at least to the local mall. But what happens when kid rapper Cray-Z gives a Christmas concert at the same mall and all his fans go bananasOne thing's for sure—if A.J. and his friends from Ella Mentry School want to save the day, they will need a Christmas miracle.Bestselling author Dan Gutman brings his wacky, kid-friendly sense of humor to this all-new series of holiday adventures. With My Weird School trivia and Christmas-themed facts and puzzles, this is one weird Christmas special you don't want to miss!

The Snake delves deeper into New York Times bestselling author Michael Grant's world of harsh justice. Fans of Stephen King will be mesmerized by this chilling yet deeply thought-provoking horror story.The Messenger and Mara witness a crime. Someone is dead. Someone has to pay. But when they travel back through space and time to uncover the truth, they come to learn that two people had wicked intentions. They had seen an act of revenge. In a twisted web of lust and vengeance, only Mara, as Messenger's apprentice, can decide who will play a game for redemption.Two wrongs don't make a right. . . . Only one will pay the ultimate price.

Fans of Newbery Medal winner Sharon Creech's Ruby Holler will love her latest tween novel about finding family when you least expect it.When a young couple finds a boy asleep on their porch, their lives take a surprising turn. Unable to speak, the boy Jacob can't explain his history. All John and Marta know is that they have been chosen to care for him.And, as their connection and friendship with Jacob grow, they embrace his exuberant spirit and talents. The three of them blossom into an unlikely family and begin to see the world in brand-new ways.The Boy on the Porch is a singular story about opening your heart and discovering home in unexpected places.

I was "the bride who knew nothing" . . .And now I love sharing the joy of kosher cooking with people like me: Busy parents who want to make real food for real families in a snap, and people who want to entertain without slaving in the kitchen, knowing their dishes will always elicit oohs and aahs. Our Sabbath and holiday meals are warm, fun, and flowing with food, family, and tons of guests. Do the math: two weekly Shabbos meals + 26 holiday banquets = 130 feasts per year, not to mention feeding my hungry family every other day of the week. That plus a full-time job should qualify me as some kind of expert in fast, fresh family dinners!Here in Joy of Kosher I share more than 100 of my absolute best recipes and give each a creative twist: Dress It Up—add some bling for your party table—or Dress It Down and lure your picky eaters to meals they'll beg for again and again. That's more than 200 recipes!A few of my faves:Crystal Clear Chicken Soup with Julienned Vegetables and Angel Hair (Dress It Down: Chicken Noodle Alphabet Soup) Garlic Honey Brisket (Dress It Down: Honey Brisket Pita Pockets) Miso-Glazed Salmon (Dress It Up: Avocado-Stuffed Miso-Glazed Salmon) Butternut Squash Mac 'n' Cheese (Dress It Down: Mac 'n' Cheese Muffin Cups) Gooey Chocolate Cherry Cake (Dress It Up: Red Wine Chocolate Cherry Heart Cake)And talk about challah! I give you ten yummy variations, including Sun-Dried Tomato, Garlic, and Herb Braided Challah; Blueberry Apple Challah Rolls; Sea-Salted Soft Challah Pretzel Rolls; and Gooey Pecan Challah Sticky Buns. All that, plus gorgeous photos, wine pairings, time-savers, and my guide to sane, no-jitters holiday menus. I hope you love this book as much as I loved writing it for you!

Monitor your Docker containers and their apps using various native and third-party tools with the help of this exclusive guide!About This Book Get the only book that covers multiple methods to monitoring Docker Containers -your one-stop solution to all your Docker monitoring needs Learn how to implement third-party tools such as Datalog, cAdvisor, and more with this example-rich, hands-on guide Learn how to efficiently monitor Docker containers and get an edge over other administrators while maintaining apps on these containers Who This Book Is For This book is for DevOps engineers and system administrators who manage Docker containers and want to better manage these containers using expert techniques and methods and better maintain applications built on Docker. What You Will Learn Discover the tools built into Docker to gain an insight into your containers’ performance Augment Docker’s built-in tools with modern tools such as cAdvisor from Google, SysDig by Draios, and Soundcloud’s Prometheus Integrate the monitoring of your containers with more traditional monitoring solutions such as Zabbix Take advantage of the various SaaS offerings from third parties to move monitoring away from your local infrastructure and into the cloud Discover the various ways to ship your applications’ logs from the container to a central logging service Get the most out of your application and resources with the right implementation of your monitoring method In Detail This book will show you how monitoring containers and keeping a keen eye on the working of applications helps improve the overall performance of the applications that run on Docker. With the increased adoption of Docker containers, the need to monitor which containers are running, what resources they are consuming, and how these factors affect the overall performance of the system has become the need of the moment. This book covers monitoring containers using Docker's native monitoring functions, various plugins, as well as third-party tools that help in monitoring. Well start with how to obtain detailed stats for active containers, resources consumed, and container behavior. We also show you how to use these stats to improve the overall performance of the system. Next, you will learn how to use SysDig to both view your containers performance metrics in real time and record sessions to query later. By the end of this book, you will have a complete knowledge of how to implement monitoring for your containerized applications and make the most of the metrics you are collecting Style and approach This is an easy-to-follow guide with plenty of hands-on examples that can be executed both on your local machine and externally hosted services.

Rule #3: Don't stare at invisible faeries.Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty—especially if they learn of her Sight—and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens.Rule #2: Don't speak to invisible faeries.Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer.Rule #1: Don't ever attract their attention.But it's too late. Keenan is the Summer King who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost—regardless of her plans or desires.Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything.Faerie intrigue, mortal love, and the clash of ancient rules and modern expectations swirl together in Melissa Marr's stunning 21st century faery tale.

When Aunt Tabby and Uncle Drac head off to Transylvania, Araminta is upset—they're going to be away on her birthday. However, when it turns out that her almost-grown-up cousin, Mathilda, will be babysitting, it seems things couldn't get any better. But Mathilda's brought along trouble: two rowdy teenage ghosts, Ned and Jed, who listen to no one. It's a disaster! Can the girls figure out a way to get Ned and Jed out of the house for good?

Spencer almost drowns in a surfing accident when a sparkling, golden girl saves him with a kiss of life before she suddenly disappears. Where did this dream girl come from, and will she return?Lilly rescues a boy from nearly drowning and dangerously steps out of her own watery world. Curious to explore this forbidden land, she's gotta find her handsome Earthdude.A silver heart locket is their only clue.Ellen Schreiber revamps a classic favorite with a funky magical romance that shows what transpires when boy meets girl, but discovers girl is really a . . .

In her small town, dubbed "Dullsville," sixteen-year-old Raven -- a vampire-crazed goth-girl -- is an outcast. But not for long...The intriguing and rumored-to-be haunted mansion on top of Benson Hill has stood vacant and boarded-up for years. That is, until its mysteriously strange new occupants move in. Who are these creepy people -- especially the handsome, dark, and elusive Alexander SterlingOr rather, what are theyCould the town prattle actually ring trueAre they vampiresRaven, who secretly covets a vampire kiss, both at the risk of her own mortality and Alexander's loving trust, is dying to uncover the truth.Ellen Schreiber's spooky and stirring romance tells the story of two outsiders who fall in love in a town where conformity reigns, and ends with a shocking surprise.

What happens when two besties become full-blown worsties?Avalon Greene rules the fashion scene at her sunny SoCal middle school with a diamond-clad fist, calling out classmates for their fashion-do's and most unfortunate clothes-pas. She's determined to host the social event of the season—a soiree in honor of her forever-friendship with Halley! Unfortunately, Halley's new look is one thing Avalon just can't celebrate. . . .Halley Brandon is just back from art camp and can't wait to share her funky new style with her best friend, Avalon. But when Avalon cries fashion foul, Halley realizes her best friend's true colors may clash with her own. Has their ultra-fabulous friendship finally gone out of style?From sharing custody of their puppy, Pucci, to drawing up a list of who gets which friends, Avalon and Halley discover what happens when you battle the person who knows everything about you—and isn't afraid to use your secrets to get what she wants.Best friends. Worst enemies. Frenemies.

From besties to worsties and back again . . .Team Avalon:For Avalon, staying on top of trends has never been a problem—until her fellow cheerleaders decide that her BFF Halley is definitely out this season. Now Avalon must choose between the frenemy who embarrassed her in front of everyone or the new friends who stood by her. vs.Team Halley:Halley thinks she's got it all: her forever-friend Avalon, her new bestie Sofee, and the hottest fall wardrobe at Seaview Middle School. Her life is a total YES. But when Sofee spies Avalon flirting with Halley's crush, will it be World War Halvalon all over again?

When shy, ten-year-old Lucy comes to live with her aunt and uncle at their mission school, she's surprised at the number of harsh rules and restrictions imposed on the children. Why, she wonders, should the Indians have to do all the changingAnd why is her aunt so strict with themThen a girl called Raven runs away in protest, and Lucy knows she must overcome her timidity and stand up to her aunt—no matter what the consequences. Once again Gloria Whelan has taken a chapter from our past and transformed it into gripping, accessible, historically accurate fiction.

It's the summer of 1942. At her grandparents' island cottage in Michigan, 14–year–old Belle excitedly awaits the arrival of her exotic older cousin, Carolyn. Belle's expecting worldly sophistication and French style. But Carolyn brings much more than that: she carries the troubling reality of the World War that is ravaging her home. Turtle Island will never be the same again. Set against the backdrop of breezy island cottages, this heartrending tale from National Book Award medalist Gloria Whelan is the story of a beautiful place and a special friendship–and how events thousands of miles away shaped them both.

Marigold's new pet firefly, Flash, is the perfect companion. He's sweet and affectionate and just the right size to cuddle with. All the students at Mistress Lily's Fairy School soon grow to love him. But when Flash goes missing, Marigold is heartbroken! Will she ever find him?

Princess Tansy knows that whenever something terrible occurs in her kingdom, the ogre gets the blame. Yet anyone who challenges him is turned to stone! Tansy's two oldest brothers have been forbidden to fight the ogre, but they're determined to try. Can Tansy and her friends save the boys from a horrible fate?

THE ONCE FERTILE EARTH OF DORA HENRY'S CHILDHOOD HAS BEEN UNDERVALUED AND OVERDEVELOPED. NOW NATURE, APPARENTLY, HAS DECIDED TO FIGHT BACK. Police officer Dora Henry is investigating the bizarre murders of three geneticists. Meanwhile, strange things are happening everywhere she turns. Weeds are becoming trees; trees are becoming forests. Overnight, a city is being transformed into a wild and verdant place. And, strangest of all, Dora can somehow communicate with the rampaging flora. A potential civilization-ending catastrophe is in the making. The bearer Dora gets to a murderer--and to the truth--the more seemingly disparate events begin to entwine. And the answers she seeks today to the salvation of humankind may lie in afar distant future. . .one which is suddenly much closer than anyone imagines. An exhilarating and enchanting novel that deftly combines fantastic invention with insight and a social conscience, from one of the most lyrical and important voices in contemporary speculative fiction.THE ONCE FERTILE EARTH OF DORA HENRYS CHILDHOOD HAS BEEN UNDERVALUED AND OVERDEVELOPED. NOW NATURE, APPARENTLY, HAS DECIDED TO FIGHT BACK.Police officer Dora Henry is investigating the bizarre murders of three geneticists. Meanwhile, strange things are happening everywhere she turns. Weeds are becoming trees; trees are becoming forests. Overnight, a city is being transformed into a wild and verdant place.And, strangest of all, Dora can somehow communicate with the rampaging flora.A potential civilization-ending catastrophe is in the making. The bearer Dora gets to a murderer--and to the truth--the more seemingly disparate events begin to entwine. And the answers she seeks today to the salvation of humankind may lie in afar distant future. . .one which is suddenly much closer than anyone imagines.An exhilarating and enchanting novel that deftly combines fantastic invention with insight and a social conscience, from one of the most lyrical and important voices in contemporary speculative fiction.

In New York Times bestselling author Kim Harrison's most complex and nuanced adventure yet, bounty hunter and witch Rachel Morgan fights a deadly battle—mind, body, and soul Black Magic SanctionRachel Morgan has fought and hunted vampires, werewolves, banshees, demons, and other supernatural dangers as both witch and bounty hunter—and lived to tell the tale. But she's never faced off against her own kind . . . until now. Denounced and shunned for dealing with demons and black magic, her best hope is life imprisonment—at worst, a forced lobotomy and genetic slavery. Only her enemies are strong enough to help her win her freedom, but trust comes hard when it hinges on the unscrupulous tycoon Trent Kalamack, the demon Algaliarept, and an ex-boyfriend turned thief. It takes a witch to catch a witch, but survival bears a heavy price.

The first book in the epic saga of humankind's war of transcendenceThere is a milestone in the evolution of every sentient race, a Tech Singularity Event, when the species achieves transcendence through its technological advances. Now the creatures known as humans are near this momentous turning point.But an armed threat is approaching from deepest space, determined to prevent humankind from crossing over that boundary—by total annihilation if necessary.To the Sh'daar, the driving technologies of transcendent change are anathema and must be obliterated from the universe—along with those who would employ them. As their great warships destroy everything in their path en route to the Sol system, the human Confederation government falls into dangerous disarray. There is but one hope, and it rests with a rogue Navy Admiral, commander of the kilometer-long star carrier America, as he leads his courageous fighters deep into enemy space towards humankind's greatest conflict—and quite possibly its last.

From the author of the critically acclaimed novel A Brother's Blood, comes a haunting story about an Irish housekeeper who must discover the truth when her friend, the parish priest, is accused of horrible crimes.Maggie Quinn has had her share of misfortune: Having grown up poor and fatherless in Galway, she was forced to quit school early and find work to support her ailing mother and her own child. But when a tragedy of her own making strikes, it is too much for her to bear. Plagued by feelings of guilt and sorrow and by losing her faith in God, she runs from her past; first by fleeing Ireland for America and later by drowning her sorrows with the bottle. Maggie hits rock bottom when she makes an unsuccessful suicide attempt.While recuperating in a hospital bed, she meets the remarkable Father Jack Devlin. With his compassion and love, Maggie once more finds her faith and a reason to live.For the past eighteen years, Maggie has devoted herself to the man who saved her life. But now Father Jack, the beloved if controversial priest in the small town of Hebron Falls, Massachusetts, is accused of having done terrible things to altar boys many years before. At first Maggie is convinced that the accusations are only lies brought out by Father Jack's enemies. Yet as she sifts through the memories of her life with Father Jack, doubts begin to emerge: Could she have been blind to a darker side of her friend all these yearsAnd when new information surfaces regarding the unsolved murder of a young altar boy with possible links to Father Jack, her faith is once again put to the test. Maggie must search her memory and her heart to help her decide what to believe. The Blind Side of the Heart poignantly captures one woman's struggle to remain loyal to a friend while at the same time she is forced to examine her conscience to arrive at the truth.

"I can't just storm in and proclaim my intentions. I can't ‘steal' you away. I just have to wait and hope that, someday, you'll ask," Tamani said."And if I don't?" Laurel said, her voice barely above a whisper."Then I guess I'll be waiting forever."Although Laurel has come to accept her true identity as a faerie, she refuses to turn her back on her human life—and especially her boyfriend, David—to return to the faerie world.But when she is summoned to Avalon, Laurel's feelings for the charismatic faerie sentry Tamani are undeniable. She is forced to make a choice—a choice that could break her heart.

When something is most important to me and I do not want to lose it, I gather it into a poem. It is said that women must employ the needle and not the pen. But I will be a Poet! That's who I am!Before she was an iconic American poet, Emily Dickinson was a spirited girl eager to find her place in the world. Expected by family and friends to mold to the prescribed role for women in mid-1800s New England, Emily was challenged to define herself on her own terms.Award-winning author Barbara Dana brilliantly imagines the girlhood of this extraordinary young woman, capturing the cadences of her unique voice and bringing her to radiant life.