Nina LaCour

You go through life thinking there’s so much you need…Until you leave with only your phone, your wallet, and a picture of your mother. Marin hasn’t spoken to anyone from her old life since the day she left everything behind. No one knows the truth about those final weeks. Not even her best friend, Mabel. But even thousands of miles away from the California coast, at college in New York, Marin still feels the pull of the life and tragedy she’s tried to outrun. Now, months later, alone in an emptied dorm for winter break, Marin waits. Mabel is coming to visit, and Marin will be forced to face everything that’s been left unsaid and finally confront the loneliness that has made a home in her heart.

An arresting story about starting over after a friend’s suicide, from a breakthrough new voice in YA fiction.dear caitlin, there are so many things that i want so badly to tell you but i just can’t.Devastating, hopeful, hopeless, playful . . . in words and illustrations, Ingrid left behind a painful farewell in her journal for Caitlin. Now Caitlin is left alone, by loss and by choice, struggling to find renewed hope in the wake of her best friend’s suicide. With the help of family and newfound friends, Caitlin will encounter first love, broaden her horizons, and start to realize that true friendship didn’t die with Ingrid. And the journal which once seemed only to chronicle Ingrid’s descent into depression, becomes the tool by which Caitlin once again reaches out to all those who loved Ingrid—and Caitlin herself.

A love letter to the craft and romance of film and fate in front of—and behind—the camera from the award-winning author of Hold Still. A wunderkind young set designer, Emi has already started to find her way in the competitive Hollywood film world. Emi is a film buff and a true romantic, but her real-life relationships are a mess. She has desperately gone back to the same girl too many times to mention. But then a mysterious letter from a silver screen legend leads Emi to Ava. Ava is unlike anyone Emi has ever met. She has a tumultuous, not-so-glamorous past, and lives an unconventional life. She’s enigmatic…. She’s beautiful. And she is about to expand Emi’s understanding of family, acceptance, and true romance.

The debut adult novel by the bestselling and award-winning YA author Nina LaCour, following two women on a star-crossed journey toward each otherWhen Sara Foster runs away from home at sixteen, she leaves behind not only the losses that have shattered her world but the girl she once was, capable of trust and intimacy. Years later, in Los Angeles, she is a sought-after bartender, renowned as much for her brilliant cocktails as for the mystery that clings to her. Across the city, Emilie Dubois is in a holding pattern. In her seventh year and fifth major as an undergraduate, she yearns for the beauty and community her Creole grandparents cultivated but is unable to commit. On a whim, she takes a job arranging flowers at the glamorous restaurant Yerba Buena and embarks on an affair with the married owner.When Sara catches sight of Emilie one morning at Yerba Buena, their connection is immediate. But the damage both women carry, and the choices they have made, pulls them apart again and again. When Sara's old life catches up to her, upending everything she thought she wanted just as Emilie has finally gained her own sense of purpose, they must decide if their love is more powerful than their pasts.At once exquisite and expansive, astonishing in its humanity and heart, Yerba Buena is a love story for our time and a propulsive journey through the lives of two women finding their way in the world.

Who knows you well? Your best friend? Your boyfriend or girlfriend? A stranger you meet on a crazy night? No one, really?Mark and Kate have sat next to each other for an entire year, but have never spoken. For whatever reason, their paths outside of class have never crossed.That is, until Kate spots Mark miles away from home, out in the city for a wild, unexpected night. Kate is lost, having just run away from a chance to finally meet the girl she has been in love with from afar. Mark, meanwhile, is in love with his best friend Ryan, who may or may not feel the same way.When Kate and Mark meet up, little do they know how important they will become to each other—and how, in a very short time, they will know each other better than any of the people who are supposed to know them more.Told in alternating points of view by Nina LaCour and David Levithan, You Know Me Well is a story about navigating the joys and heartaches of first love, one truth at a time.

Nina LaCour delivers another emotional knockout with Watch Over Me, the eagerly anticipated follow-up to the Printz Award-winning We Are Okay.Mila is used to being alone. Maybe that’s why she said yes to the opportunity: living in this remote place, among the flowers and the fog and the crash of waves far below.But she hadn’t known about the ghosts.Newly graduated from high school, Mila has aged out of the foster care system. So when she’s offered a job and a place to stay at a farm on an isolated part of the Northern California Coast, she immediately accepts. Maybe she will finally find a new home, a real home. The farm is a refuge, but also haunted by the past traumas its young residents have come to escape. And Mila’s own terrible memories are starting to rise to the surface.Watch Over Me is another stunner from Printz Award-Winning author Nina LaCour, whose empathetic, lyrical prose is at the heart of this modern ghost story of resilience and rebirth.

Colby and Bev have a long-standing pact: graduate, hit the road with Bev's band, and then spend the year wandering around Europe. But moments after the tour kicks off, Bev makes a shocking announcement: she's abandoning their plans - and Colby - to start college in the fall. But the show must go on and The Disenchantments weave through the Pacific Northwest, playing in small towns and dingy venues, while roadie- Colby struggles to deal with Bev's already-growing distance and the most important question of all: what's next? Morris Award–finalist Nina LaCour draws together the beauty and influences of music and art to brilliantly capture a group of friends on the brink of the rest of their lives.

A little girl stays home with Mama when Mommy goes off on a work trip in this tender, inviting story that will resonate with every child who has missed a parent.For one little girl, there’s no place she’d rather be than sitting between Mama and Mommy. So when Mommy goes away on a work trip, it’s tricky to find a good place at the table. As the days go by, Mama brings her to the library, they watch movies, and all of them talk on the phone, but she still misses Mommy as deep as the ocean and as high as an astronaut up in the stars. As they pass by a beautiful garden, the girl gets an idea…but when Mommy finally comes home, it takes a minute to shake off the empty feeling she felt all week before leaning in for a kiss. Michael L. Printz Award winner Nina LaCour thoughtfully renders a familiar, touching story of a child who misses a parent, illustrated by Kaylani Juanita, whose distinctive style brings charm and playfulness to this delightful family of three.

A charming new chapter book by bestselling author Nina LaCour.Welcome to 1106 Wildflower Place: It is no ordinary apartment house, but you, reader, are no ordinary visitor. So, please, come in!Two new tenants have just arrived, and nine-year-old Ella is determined to help them settle in. Who better to teach them about the glitchy lights and the nighttime noises? After all, Ella knows all the neighbors. Well, almost all. No one has met the mysterious Robinsons who live on the top floor. Will a special neighborly celebration change all that? This bighearted chapter book by bestselling author Nina LaCour, highlighted by lively illustrations throughout, celebrates community, friendship, family, and home. It is a place of walking dogs that aren’t yours, keeping surprises secret, and making everyone feel welcome.Here, the eccentric joy of Armistead Maupin’s Tales of The City merges seamlessly with the antic fun of Ivy + Bean, the family tenderness of The Penderwicks, and the madcap adventure of Eloise in an irresistible story that will leave you eager for the next one!BESTSELLING, AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR: Nina LaCour is a highly acclaimed author of both YA and adult novels. This is her first novel for younger readers and a terrific introduction of a talented writer to the next generation.HILARIOUSLY UNIVERSAL: Ella is a strong protagonist that readers of all ages and genders will love. She is bighearted, curious, and just a tad mischievous.DIVERSE CAST OF CHARACTERS: Featuring many different family structures, this story is wonderfully diverse and inclusive. Any reader can imagine themselves living at 1106 Wildflower Place.DRAWN FROM AUTHOR’S PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: The charming characters and their stories were conjured by LaCour and her young daughter during the long walks they took through San Francisco during the early days of Covid-19 and inspired by the people they encountered along the way.Perfect for:Parents, teachers, and librariansGift-givers looking for entertaining chapter books for kids who enjoy stories full of humor and heartReaders who love such bestselling book series as Ivy + Bean, Clementine, Judy Moody, and Junie B. Jones

A gentle story of connection and loss finds a promise in memories after a young child loses her constant companion.With a good friend like Loonie the yellow balloon, anything is possible. From neighborhood walks to reading aloud in bed to dance parties in your room, Loonie makes each activity a little brighter, a little fuller of sunshine. But as one child discovers with sadness, when it’s time for Loonie to float away home, the sunshine goes, too. It’s not as fun to have a dance party alone. And while tending to the garden helps a little bit, the world outside the window is silent and gray. Until, one day, as flowers start to push up from the soil, big and full of hope, the memory of Loonie begins to emerge in unexpected places. With tender empathy, and charming and whimsical art by Ashling Lindsay, Printz Award winner Nina LaCour illuminates the childhood companions that bring a little magic to the world.

From the award-winning author of Hold Still comes an achingly beautiful novel about grief and the enduring power of friendship.You go through life thinking there’s so much you need. . . . Until you leave with only your phone, your wallet, and a picture of your mother.Marin hasn’t spoken to anyone from her old life since the day she left everything behind. No one knows the truth about those final weeks. Not even her best friend Mabel. But even thousands of miles away from the California coast, at college in New York, Marin still feels the pull of the life and tragedy she’s tried to outrun. Now, months later, alone in an emptied dorm for winter break, Marin waits. Mabel is coming to visit and Marin will be forced to face everything that’s been left unsaid and finally confront the loneliness that has made a home in her heart.

An adorable and reassuring book for kids who are starting school for the first time, and a funny look at the similarities and differences between kindergarten and doggie daycareIt's the first day of kid school for Sammy and the first day of puppy school for Sunny. They both feel nervous, but they end up having a great time-- making friends, playing and napping, and learning all sorts of new things.That afternoon, they tell Mom and each other all about day one, Sammy with words and Sunny in his own special way. But what will happen on day two? Sammy wonders. And readers are in for a very funny surprise!

The second book in bestselling author Nina LaCour’s delightful chapter book series for young readers.“LaCour’s … series is cozy and classic-feeling … Ella’s curiosity and gregariousness are infectious, and she’ll easily sweep readers into her charming world.” ―BooklistElla and her neighbors on Poppy Hill are back with more mischief and bighearted fun!The apartment house on Poppy Hill is inhabited by residents who are as much family as they are neighbors. Luckily, nine-year-old Ella is there to help everyone through all their ups and downs. She knows about the glitchy lights, the nighttime noises, the secret spaces, and each neighbor’s hopes and dreams. She even knows the mysterious Robinsons, who live on the top floor and are now her silent partners in making sure that the apartment house is the perfect place to live.Highlighted by lively illustrations throughout, the second book in the Ella Josephine series by bestselling author Nina LaCour celebrates community, friendship, family, and home. It is a place of noticing the small details that make a difference, keeping surprises secret, and making everyone feel welcome. Here, the eccentric joy of Armistead Maupin’s Tales of The City merges seamlessly with the antic fun of Ivy + Bean, the family tenderness of The Penderwicks, and the madcap adventure of Eloise in an irresistible book that will leave readers eager for the next one!BEST CHILDREN’S The Apartment House on Poppy Hill, the first book in the series, got lots of love from readers and reviewers who celebrated its charm, diversity, and heartwarming storyline! It was named an Amazon Best Book of the Month and one of the Top 20 Children’s Books (Ages 6-8).AWARD-WINNING Nina LaCour is a highly acclaimed author of bestselling YA and adult novels. This is her first series for younger readers. The charming characters and their stories were conjured by LaCour and her young daughter during the long walks they took through San Francisco during the early days of Covid-19 and inspired by the people they encountered along the way. HILARIOUSLY Ella is a strong protagonist that readers of all ages and genders will love. She is bighearted, curious, and just a tad mischievous.DIVERSE CAST OF Featuring many different family structures, this story is wonderfully diverse and inclusive. Any reader can imagine themselves living at 1106 Wildflower Place.Perfect teachers, and librariansReaders who love Nina LaCour’s books and such bestselling series as Ivy + Bean, Clementine, Judy Moody, and Junie B. JonesGift-givers looking for entertaining chapter books for kids who enjoy stories full of humor and heart

From bestselling author Nina LaCour comes a sweeping family saga that wrestles with themes of self-discovery and love in all forms, inspired by the author's own Creole familyNew Orleans, 1944. Odette has always been one of the Honore sisters, glamorous and admired in their Creole community. But while Odette’s older sisters are content to be wives and mothers, Odette has always wanted something else. It is only with her beloved cousin, Delphine, that Odette can tell her secret: she is in love with a woman, and she longs to be an artist. Delphine has a secret lover, too, a white man. In the hidden garden they’ve discovered, Odette and Delphine can dream of futures full of passion and freedom.But five years later, Odette's life is nothing like what she'd planned. She's a widowed mother, living in Los Angeles, and she and Delphine, who is passing as white, have spiraled away from each other. When Delphine reaches a breaking point, Odette must make a shattering choice to try to hold her family together.Profound and expansive, a story of love and longing, art and motherhood, friendship and desire, Meet Me in the Garden is a decades-spanning tour de force, inspired by the author’s family and tracing the history of the Great Migration.

The third book in bestselling and Lambda Literary Award-winning author Nina LaCour’s delightful chapter book series for young readers.“Readers will want to move in here and meet these folks.”—Kirkus ReviewsElla Josephine is back! And ready for more adventures with her wonderfully eclectic neighbors in their bright pink home on Poppy Hill. She has a secret surprise for Cleo that will make the opening day of Poppy Hill Records a smashing success, helps Jacques understand that art is everywhere, and discovers that even when a campout doesn’t go as planned, it can still be perfect—especially on Poppy Hill.Highlighted by lively illustrations throughout, the Ella Josephine series celebrates community, friendship, family, and home. A fan favorite from the start, it’s the first chapter book series from the acclaimed author of picture books, adult literary fiction, and YA novels, including We Are Okay, recipient of the Michael L. Printz Award from the American Library Association, which is awarded annually to the best book written for young adults.EVERYONE LOVES ELLA The Apartment House on Poppy Hill, the first book in the series, was celebrated for its charm, diversity, and heartwarming storylines.Winner of the 2024 Lambada Literary Award for LGBTQ+ Children’s LiteratureA Junior Library Guild selectionA Kids’ Indie Next selectionAn Amazon Best Children’s Books of the Year (Ages 6-8)A San Francisco Chronicle 10 Best Children’s Books to GiftA We Are Teachers 60 Best Second Grade Books to Update Your LibraryCHAPTER BOOK READERS LOVE A SERIES: Newly independent and emerging readers love to immerse themselves in familiar characters and places. Ella is a strong protagonist that readers of all ages and genders will love. She is bighearted, curious, and just a tad mischievous.DIVERSE CAST OF Featuring many different family structures, this story is wonderfully diverse and inclusive. Any reader can imagine themselves living at 1106 Wildflower Place. The series combines the eccentric joy of Armistead Maupin’s Tales of The City and the fun of Ivy + Bean.INSPIRED BY AUTHOR’S The charming characters and their stories were conjured by LaCour and her young daughter during the long walks they took through San Francisco during the early days of Covid-19 and inspired by the people they encountered along the way.Perfect teachers, and librariansReaders who love Nina LaCour’s books and such bestselling series as Ivy + Bean, Clementine, Judy Moody, and Junie B. JonesGift-givers looking for entertaining chapter books for kids who enjoy stories full of humor and heart