Shaun David Hutchinson

A Junior Library Guild Selection “Surreal, brainy, and totally captivating.” —Booklist (starred review) “Provocative and moving.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) “Hutchinson artfully blends the realistic and the surreal.” —School Library Journal (starred review) From the critically acclaimed author of We Are the Ants and At the Edge of the Universe comes a mind-bending, riveting novel about a teen who was born to a virgin mother and realizes she has the power to heal—but that power comes at a huge cost. Sixteen-year-old Elena Mendoza is the product of a virgin birth. This can be scientifically explained (it’s called parthenogenesis), but what can’t be explained is how Elena is able to heal Freddie, the girl she’s had a crush on for years, from a gunshot wound in a Starbucks parking lot. Or why the boy who shot Freddie, David Combs, disappeared from the same parking lot minutes later after getting sucked up into the clouds. Other things that can’t be explained are the talking girl on the front of a tampon box, or the reasons that David Combs shot Freddie in the first place. As more unbelievable things occur, and Elena continues to perform miracles, the only remaining explanation is the least logical of all—that the world is actually coming to an end, and Elena is possibly the only one who can do something about it.

Critically acclaimed author of We Are the Ants--described as having "hints of Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five" (School Library Journal)--opens up about what led to an attempted suicide in his teens, and his path back from the experience." I wasn't depressed because I was gay. I was depressed and gay." Shaun David Hutchinson was nineteen. Confused. Struggling to find the vocabulary to understand and accept who he was and how he fit into a community in which he couldn't see himself. The voice of depression told him that he would never be loved or wanted, while powerful and hurtful messages from society told him that being gay meant love and happiness weren't for him. A million moments large and small over the years all came together to convince Shaun that he couldn't keep going, that he had no future. And so he followed through on trying to make that a reality. Thankfully Shaun survived, and over time, came to embrace how grateful he is and how to find self-acceptance. In this courageous and deeply honest memoir, Shaun takes readers through the journey of what brought him to the edge, and what has helped him truly believe that it does get better.

" P]rofound...a triumph--a full-throated howl to the moon to remind us why we choose to survive and thrive." --Brendan Kiely, New York Times bestselling author of Tradition "Razor-sharp, deeply revealing, and brutally honest...emotionally raw and deeply insightful." --Booklist (starred review) The critically acclaimed author of We Are the Ants opens up about what led to an attempted suicide in his teens, and his path back from the experience. "I wasn't depressed because I was gay. I was depressed and gay." Shaun David Hutchinson was nineteen. Confused. Struggling to find the vocabulary to understand and accept who he was and how he fit into a community in which he couldn't see himself. The voice of depression told him that he would never be loved or wanted, while powerful and hurtful messages from society told him that being gay meant love and happiness weren't for him. A million moments large and small over the years all came together to convince Shaun that he couldn't keep going, that he had no future. And so he followed through on trying to make that a reality. Thankfully Shaun survived, and over time, came to embrace how grateful he is and how to find self-acceptance. In this courageous and deeply honest memoir, Shaun takes readers through the journey of what brought him to the edge, and what has helped him truly believe that it does get better.

**Hypable's Most Anticipated Queer YA Books of 2019**Book Riot's 25 YA Book to Add to Your Winter TBR and Most Anticipated 2019 LGBTQ Reads**BookBub's Best Teen Books Coming Out in 2019** "A fearless and brutal look at friendships...you will laugh, rage, and mourn its loss when it's over." --Justina Ireland, New York Times bestselling author of Dread Nation "Simultaneously hilarious and moving, weird and wonderful." --Jeff Zentner, Morris Award-winning author of The Serpent King Six Feet Under meets Pushing Daisies in this quirky, heartfelt story about two teens who are granted extra time to resolve what was left unfinished after one of them suddenly dies. A good friend will bury your body, a best friend will dig you back up. Dino doesn't mind spending time with the dead. His parents own a funeral home, and death is literally the family business. He's just not used to them talking back. Until Dino's ex-best friend July dies suddenly--and then comes back to life. Except not exactly. Somehow July is not quite alive, and not quite dead. As Dino and July attempt to figure out what's happening, they must also confront why and how their friendship ended so badly, and what they have left to understand about themselves, each other, and all those grand mysteries of life. Critically acclaimed author Shaun Hutchinson delivers another wholly unique novel blending the real and surreal while reminding all of us what it is to love someone through and around our faults.

A Hypable Most Anticipated Queer YA Book of 2019 A Book Riot YA Book to Add to Your Winter TBR and Most Anticipated 2019 LGBTQ Read A BookBub Best Teen Book Coming Out in 2019 A YALSA 2020 Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers "A fearless and brutal look at friendships...you will laugh, rage, and mourn its loss when it's over." --Justina Ireland, New York Times bestselling author of Dread Nation "Simultaneously hilarious and moving, weird and wonderful." --Jeff Zentner, Morris Award-winning author of The Serpent King Six Feet Under meets Pushing Daisies in this quirky, heartfelt story about two teens who are granted extra time to resolve what was left unfinished after one of them suddenly dies. A good friend will bury your body, a best friend will dig you back up. Dino doesn't mind spending time with the dead. His parents own a funeral home, and death is literally the family business. He's just not used to them talking back. Until Dino's ex-best friend July dies suddenly--and then comes back to life. Except not exactly. Somehow July is not quite alive, and not quite dead. As Dino and July attempt to figure out what's happening, they must also confront why and how their friendship ended so badly, and what they have left to understand about themselves, each other, and all those grand mysteries of life. Critically acclaimed author Shaun Hutchinson delivers another wholly unique novel blending the real and surreal while reminding all of us what it is to love someone through and around our faults.

A heartbreaking yet uplifting story about a boy who has lost everything but finds new hope drawing in the shadows of a hospital. Features a thirty-two-page graphic novel. Andrew Brawley was supposed to die that night, just like the rest of his family. Now he lives in the hospital, serving food in the cafeteria, hanging out with the nurses, sleeping in a forgotten supply closet. Drew blends in to near invisibility, hiding from his past, his guilt, and those who are trying to find him. His only solace is in the world of the superhero he's created--Patient F. Then, one night, Rusty is wheeled into the ER, half his body burned by hateful classmates. Rusty's agony is like a beacon for Drew, pulling them together through all their pain and grief. In Rusty, Drew sees hope, happiness, and a future for both of them. A future outside of the hospital, and away from their painful pasts. But to save Rusty, Drew will have to confront death, and life might get worse before it gets better. And by telling the truth about who he really is, Drew risks any chance of a future...for both of them.

A Time Best YA Book of All Time (2021) From the "author to watch" (Kirkus Reviews) of The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley comes a brand-new novel about a teenage boy who must decide whether or not the world is worth saving. Henry Denton has spent years being periodically abducted by aliens. Then the aliens give him an ultimatum: The world will end in 144 days, and all Henry has to do to stop it is push a big red button. Only he isn't sure he wants to. After all, life hasn't been great for Henry. His mom is a struggling waitress held together by a thin layer of cigarette smoke. His brother is a jobless dropout who just knocked someone up. His grandmother is slowly losing herself to Alzheimer's. And Henry is still dealing with the grief of his boyfriend's suicide last year. Wiping the slate clean sounds like a pretty good choice to him. But Henry is a scientist first, and facing the question thoroughly and logically, he begins to look for pros and cons: in the bully who is his perpetual one-night stand, in the best friend who betrayed him, in the brilliant and mysterious boy who walked into the wrong class. Weighing the pain and the joy that surrounds him, Henry is left with the ultimate choice: push the button and save the planet and everyone on it...or let the world--and his pain--be destroyed forever.

There's more than one way to get the girl in this fun and fast-paced novel about one epic party and a kiss that could change everything. Tonight's the night: Simon's big chance to finally get with Cassie. Cassie, who he's loved for ages. Cassie, who is newly boyfriend-free. Cassie, who just happens to be throwing the biggest party of the year. Simon's plan is simple: He'll go to the party, she'll fall in love with him, they'll make out like crazy, and the night will be a complete success. But things don't ever go as planned...especially when it comes to Cassie. In two alternating plotlines, Simon goes after the girl of his dreams and stumbles toward his destiny. It's one night, one party, and a thousand ways for things to go wrong...but a million ways for them to go right.

There's more than one way to get the girl in this fun and fast-paced novel about one epic party and a kiss that could change everything. Tonight's the night: Simon's big chance to finally get with Cassie. Cassie, who he's loved for ages. Cassie, who is newly boyfriend-free. Cassie, who just happens to be throwing the biggest party of the year. Simon's plan is simple: He'll go to the party, she'll fall in love with him, they'll make out like crazy, and the night will be a complete success. But things don't ever go as planned...especially when it comes to Cassie. In two alternating plotlines, Simon goes after the girl of his dreams and stumbles toward his destiny. It's one night, one party, and a thousand ways for things to go wrong...but a million ways for them to go right.