mothers and sons

"Set in the 1980s in racially and politically turbulent Philadelphia and in the tiny town of Bonaparte, Alabama--about a mother fighting for her sanity and survival"--Provided by publisher.

After a tornado, Axel, who loves birds, finds an injured eaglet, and helps to rescue it--and also helps to resolve the problems in his broken family, and draw his father back home.

"The time for do-overs is over. Ever since she became a parent, Mary Louise Kelly has said 'next year.' Next year will be the year she makes it to her son James's soccer games (which are on weekdays at 4 p.m., right when she is on the air on NPR's 'All Things Considered,' talking to millions of listeners). Drive carpool for her son Alexander? Not if she wants to do that story about Ukraine and interview the secretary of state. Like millions of parents who wrestle with raising children while pursuing a career, she has never been cavalier about these decisions. The bargain she has always made with herself is this: this time I'll get on the plane, and next year I'll find a way to be there for the mom stuff. Well, James and Alexander are now seventeen and fifteen, and a realization has overtaken Mary Louise: her older son will be leaving soon for college. There used to be years to make good on her promises; now, there are months, weeks, minutes. And with the devastating death of her beloved father as well as a surprising turn in her marriage, Mary Louise is facing act three of her life head-on. Mary Louise is coming to grips with the reality every parent faces. Childhood has a definite expiration date. You have only so many years with your kids before they leave your house to build their own lives. It's what every parent is supposed to want, what they raise their children to do. But it is bittersweet. Mary Louise is also dealing with the realities of having aging parents, and that marriages change. This pivotal time brings with it the enormous questions of what you did right and what you did wrong. This chronicle of her eldest child's final year at home, of losing her father, as well as other curve balls thrown at her, is not a definitive answer--not for herself and certainly not for any other parent. But her questions, her issues, [may] resonate with [other parents]. And, yes, especially with mothers, who are judged more harshly by society and, more important, judge themselves more harshly. What would she do if she had to decide all over again?"--Provided by publisher.

A little boy trys to justify all his bad habits to his mother with increasing unlikely explanations.

"When his mother takes in a twelve-year-old foster boy, Jarrett is forced to share his room and his friends with the new boy"--OCLC.

A boy and his inventor mother embark on a journey to other universes in pursuit of the perfect ice cream sundae, with everything on it.

Willow and Mason, two teens who are unceremoniously dragged to Salem, Massachusetts for the summer, meet and help each other figure out their places in the world.

It is time for bed, but Bo is not ready to stop playing, so Mommy joins in the fun with imagination and love, while still guiding Bo through his nighttime routine.

Joaquin Zoido is out and proud of it. And while he knew his dad and sister, Carmen, would be super supportive, he wasn?t quite ready for them to surprise him with a queercea?era, a coming out party to celebrate him. Between all the talks of tastings and venues, and the chirping of his family?s RSVP texts, the question of who will be his chambel?n is on everyone?s minds. What Joaquin is decidedly trying to not think about is whether his mom is going attend or if she?s finally replaced him with her favorite godson, Felix?the boy who made Joaquin realize he was gay and who was his first kiss. But when an impromptu lie snowballs into a full-fledged family-group-chat rumor, every Zoido from Texas to Mexico starts believing that Felix is not only Joaquin?s chambel?n but also his brand-new boyfriend. To avoid the pity and sympathies of an ill-timed breakup, Joaquin and Felix strike a deal?they?ll stay fake boyfriends until the party. Yet, as the day draws nearer and old feelings spark anew, Joaquin will have to decide whether a picture-perfect queercea?era with a fake boyfriend is worth giving up the chance of something real.

Things are getting tense at home for Nicky and Kenny as they wait for a visit from their estranged mother. To escape, they go for a walk on the moors, taking their little Jack Russell terrier with them. But what should have been a laugh, a lark, turns deadly when the weather changes and they are caught in a blizzard. Nothing will ever be quite the same again.