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This Is How We Fly
by Anna Meriano*"Truly enchanting."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)A loose retelling of Cinderella, about a high-school graduate who--after getting grounded for the whole summer--joins a local Quidditch league and finds her footing, perfect for fans of Dumplin', Fangirl, and everyone who's read and adored Harry Potter. 17-year-old vegan feminist Ellen Lopez-Rourke has one muggy Houston summer left before college. She plans to spend every last moment with her two best friends before they go off to the opposite ends of Texas for school. But when Ellen is grounded for the entire summer by her (sometimes) evil stepmother, all her plans are thrown out the window. Determined to do something with her time, Ellen (with the help of BFF Melissa) convinces her parents to let her join the local muggle Quidditch team. An all-gender, full-contact game, Quidditch isn't quite what Ellen expects. There's no flying, no magic, just a bunch of scrappy players holding PVC pipe between their legs and throwing dodgeballs. Suddenly Ellen is thrown into the very different world of sports: her life is all practices, training, and running with a group of Harry Potter fans. Even as Melissa pulls away to pursue new relationships and their other BFF Xiumiao seems more interested in moving on from high school (and from Ellen), Ellen is steadily finding a place among her teammates. Maybe Quidditch is where she belongs. But with her home life and friend troubles quickly spinning out of control--Ellen must fight for the future that she wants, now she's playing for keeps. Filled with heart and humor, Anna Meriano's YA debut is perfect for fans of Dumplin' and Hot Dog Girl.Praise for This is How We Fly:*"Readers will find much to appreciate about Ellen's fresh, relatable journey to define herself on her own terms." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)"A timely coming-of-age story with a unique Quidditch twist."--School Library Journal "Anna Meriano's This is How We Fly is a delightful treat of a book that will make you want to grab your broom and go! A story of a young woman at a crossroads summer, this tale tackles the growing pains of late adolescence - family struggles, changing friendships, new crushes - with so much grace and heart. See you on the pitch!" - Jennifer Mathieu, author of The Liars of Mariposa Island and Moxie"This is How We Fly breathes new life into a sport and retelling we think we know and lets them bake beneath the Texas sun. Anna Meriano has written one of the most authentic teen voice I've read in years."--Nina Moreno, author of Don't Date Rosa Santos"This is How We Fly is, at its heart, about fierce friendships, flirty beaters, and firsts. Anna Meriano takes the magical fairytale of Cinderella and gives it a bookish twist. Ellen is an existential crisis on a broom and I love her." - Ashley Poston, National Bestselling Author of Geekerella"Meriano adeptly weaves questions of identity, friendship and family into this delightful summer tale about the thrilling world of club Quidditch. At times both hilarious and heartbreaking, this incredible story is sure to leave you flying high."--Jennifer Dugan, author of Hot Dog Girl and Verona Comics
This Is How We Love
by Lisa MooreFrom the celebrated author of February and Caught comes an exhilarating new novel that asks: What makes a family? How does it shape us? And can we ever really choose who we love? As the snowstorm of the century rages toward Newfoundland, twenty-one-year-old Xavier is beaten and stabbed in a vicious attack. His mother, Jules, must fight her way through the shuttered streets of St. John’s to reach the hospital where Xavier lies unconscious. When a video of the attack surfaces, Jules struggles to make sense of what she sees in the footage — and of what she can’t quite make out. While Xavier’s story unfolds, so, too, do the stories that brought him there. Here, across families and generations, are stories of mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers; of children cared for, neglected, lost, and re-found; of selfless generosity and reluctant debt. Above all, Moore, in the inimitable largesse of her art, paints a shimmering portrait of the sacrifice, pain, and wild joy of loving. A tour de force of storytelling and craft, This is How We Love brings us a cast of characters so rich and true they could only have been written by Lisa Moore.
This Is How We Play: A Celebration of Disability and Adaptation
by Jessica Slice Caroline CuppA jubilant, inclusive, luminously illustrated picture book that features families at play, each with a family member who has a disability.With love and adaptation, this is how we play! This joyful read-aloud with an empowering refrain, from disability rights activists Jessica Slice and Caroline Cupp, demystifies and respects how disabled people and their families use adaptive, imaginative, and considerate play so everyone can join in the fun.Back matter consists of a kid-friendly guide to thinking, learning, and talking about disability; a glossary of the different disabilities represented throughout the book; and a guide for grown-ups on ways to encourage discussions about disabilities with the children in their lives. Throughout, This Is How We Play centers, affirms, and encourages the disabled children and adults who are already doing the challenging work of advocating for themselves and finding strength in community.
This Is Just a Test: A Novel
by Madelyn Rosenberg Wendy Wan-Long ShangRosenberg and Wan-Long Shang tell the story of a boy caught in the middle of cultures, friends, and growing up Chinese-Jewish-American in this hilariously witty and heartwarming coming-of-age.David Da-Wei Horowitz has a lot on his plate. Preparing for his upcoming bar mitzvah would be enough work even if it didn't involve trying to please his Jewish and Chinese grandmothers, who argue about everything. But David just wants everyone to be happy.That includes his friend Scott, who is determined to win their upcoming trivia tournament but doesn't like their teammate -- and David's best friend -- Hector. Scott and David begin digging a fallout shelter just in case this Cold War stuff with the Soviets turns south... but David's not so convinced he wants to spend forever in an underground bunker with Scott. Maybe it would be better if Hector and Kelli Ann came with them. But that would mean David has to figure out how to stand up for Hector and talk to Kelli Ann. Some days, surviving nuclear war feels like the least of David's problems.
This Is Me: A Story of Who We Are and Where We Came From
by Jamie Lee Curtis Laura Cornell<p>From the #1 New York Times bestselling creative team of Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell comes a timely picture book about immigration. Raising important identity issues like “Where did we come from?” and “Who are we?” This Is Me is as delightful as it is important, sure to stimulate dinner table conversation. <p>In This Is Me a teacher tells her class about her great-grandmother’s dislocating journey from home to a new country with nothing but a small suitcase to bring along. And she asks: What would you pack? What are the things you love best? What says “This is me!” With its lively, rhyming language and endearing illustrations, it’s a book to read again and again, imagining the lives of the different characters, finding new details in the art, thinking about what it would be like to move someplace completely different. </p>
This Is Mouse: An Adventure in Sewing
by Brenna MaloneyMake your own story-time pals! Did you ever wish that your story-time friends would come to life? With this book, they can! Mouse visits a lot of places in this story. He gets to know elephants and snakes in Africa. Bunnies pull his sled in Antarctica. He even soars up to outer space in a spaceship! Easy instructions will show you how to make Mouse, his clothes, and all his friends. Play along with the story, starring your new fuzzy pals! • 26 easy projects show you how to make your own stuffed animals! • Mouse's clothes and friends are fun to make and super cute! • Make everything Mouse needs for his trips!
This Is My Daughter: A Novel
by Roxana RobinsonA New York Times Notable Book: A luminous, deeply affecting story of divorce, remarriage, and parenthood. Peter and Emma, two single parents who have found love again after failed first marriages, dream of a peaceful and happy blended family with each of their daughters under one roof. They navigate this treacherous territory with the best of intentions, but face resistance from the girls, who, like many children of divorce, find their relationships tinged by grief, anger, and resentment. Emma&’s three-year-old daughter, Tess, takes to the arrangement while Amanda, Peter&’s sullen and unhappy seven-year-old, views it as a disaster rather than a fresh start. Over the course of this emotional powerhouse of a novel, Amanda becomes increasingly hostile and alienated—until one night she commits an act that threatens the already fragile bonds of the fledgling family. Set on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, This Is My Daughter is a skillful and sensitive portrayal of the challenges facing modern families from master of the contemporary novel Roxana Robinson, whose acute observations of domestic life invite comparison to John Cheever and Henry James.
This Is Not How I Thought It Would Be
by Kristin MaschkaAn important look at motherhood and family dynamics in the 21st century?by the national spokesperson of Mothers & More. Kristin Maschka, past president of Mothers & More, a national organization with more than 140 chapters across the country, shines a spotlight on the complex issues mothers face?at work, in their homes, their lives, and with their partners? and shows how the hidden assumptions that society, the media, public policy, and women themselves hold about motherhood can sabotage a mother?s happiness. Maschka weaves together her own story, anecdotes from mothers all over the country, and a deep knowledge of history and society to offer mothers a comforting, often funny read that helps them see themselves and the world around them in a whole new way. At the same time she provides specific actions women can take today to remodel motherhood to live the lives they always thought they would.
This Is Not Your City: Stories
by Caitlin Horrocks"How can a first book arrive with such advanced understanding of all the beautiful and sometimes shaded echelons of hope in which we live our lives? Caitlin Horrocks is a stunning writer and these stories mark a brilliant debut. She knows language and she knows people and I am grateful for this book."-Ron CarlsonEleven women confront dramas both everyday and outlandish in Caitlin Horrocks' This Is Not Your City. In stories as darkly comic as they are unflinching, people isolated by geography, emotion, or circumstance cut imperfect paths to peace-they have no other choice. A Russian mail-order bride in Finland is rendered silent by her dislocation and loss of language, the mother of a severely disabled boy writes him postcards he'll never read on a cruise ship held hostage by pirates, and an Iowa actuary wanders among the reincarnations of those she's known in her 127 lives. Horrocks' women find no simple escapes, and their acts of faith and acts of imagination in making do are as shrewd as they are surprising.Caitlin Horrocks lives in Michigan, by way of Ohio, Arizona, England, Finland, and the Czech Republic. Her stories have appeared in The Best American Short Stories 2011, The PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories 2009, The Pushcart Prize XXXV, The Paris Review, Tin House, and The Southern Review. Recently, she won the $10,000 Plimpton Prize from The Paris Review. She teaches at Grand Valley State University.
This Is Not a Drill
by K. A. HoltThe first rule of lockdown: Find a safe place to hide.Ava is having a really bad day. Her parents are getting divorced. She just had a big argument with her two best friends. And she forgot to charge her phone… again.To top it all off, while she is hiding out in the bathroom over lunch, the alarm goes off for a lockdown drill. Ava knows the rules. She has to get herself into a classroom, turn the ringer off on her phone, lock the door, and cover the windows. But all of the rooms have already been locked from the inside and there is no one in the halls.Pretty soon she realizes there is an intruder in the building. This isn’t a drill.From the author of From Me to You and House Arrest, comes this timely book that explores both the effect of school lockdown drills and the relatable struggles of modern middle grade friendship.
This Is Not a Novel: A Novel
by Jennifer JohnstonGrappling with the loss of her brother three decades prior, a woman digs into her family&’s past and uncovers generations of betrayal, half-truths, and secrecyImogen&’s brother, Johnny, disappeared thirty years ago, ostensibly the victim of a drowning accident—a story to which everyone but Imogen subscribes. Johnny was too good of a swimmer, she reasons, and his body was never found. Imogen alone believes that he is still alive. To get to the truth, she dives into her memory and her family&’s history, all the way back to World War I–era Ireland and the long-buried events that forever changed them. Lyrical, gripping, and compact, This Is Not a Novel is Imogen&’s first-person account of her search. Portrayed through fragments of memory, letters, and poetry, the book is not only a retelling—it is an appeal to Johnny, wherever he is, to come back home.
This Is Not a Personal Statement
by Tracy BaduaAdmission meets American Panda in this propulsive, poignant YA contemporary novel about a teen who, after getting rejected from her dream college, forges her own acceptance and commits to living a lie. Perfect for fans of Mary H.K. Choi! At sixteen, Perla is the youngest graduating senior of the hypercompetitive Monte Verde High. Praised—and not-so-quietly bashed—as “Perfect Perlie Perez,” Perla knows all the late nights, social isolation, and crushing stress will be worth it when she gets into the college of her (and her parents’) dreams: Delmont University. Then Perla doesn’t get in, and her meticulously planned future shatters. In a panic, she forges her own acceptance letter, and next thing she knows, she’s heading to Delmont for real, acceptance or not. Soon, Perla is breaking into dorm rooms, crashing classes, and dodging questions from new friends about her lack of a student ID. Her plan? Gather on-the-ground intel to beef up her application and reapply spring semester before she’s caught. But as her guilty conscience grows and campus security looms large, Perla starts to wonder if her plan will really succeed—and if this dream she’s worked for her entire life is something she even wants. From rising star Tracy Badua comes a gripping, incisive tale of acceptance, self-discovery, and the infinite possibilities that await when we embrace our imperfections.
This Is Not the Abby Show
by Debbie Reed FischerFans of Joey Pigza, Meg Cabot, and Because of Mr. Terupt will root for hilarious, one-of-a-kind Abby as she navigates ADHD, middle school, family, and friendships. Abby was born for the spotlight. Now it's her time to shine! Abby is twice exceptional--she is gifted in math and science, and she has ADHD. Normally, she has everything pretty-much-sorta-kinda under control. But when Abby makes one HUGE mistake that leads to "The Night That Ruined My Life," or "TNTRML," she lands in summer school. Abby thinks the other summer school kids are going to be total weirdos. And what with her parents' new rules, plus all the fuss over her brother's bar mitzvah, her life is turning into a complete disaster. But as Abby learns to communicate better and finds friends who love her for who she is, she discovers that her biggest weaknesses could be her greatest assets. Hilarious and heartwarming, This Is Not the Abby Show is for everyone who knows that standing out is way more fun than blending in.
This Is Not the End: A Novel
by Sidney BellSometimes love finds you when and where you least expect it.Discover a new way of looking at family and happily ever after in this hopeful and deeply emotional novel, This Is Not the End.Zacary Trevor is the love of Anya Alexander&’s life. Their sometimes tumultuous marriage has survived ups, downs, and all the in-betweens. With successful careers, a lovely home, and a beautiful child, domestic bliss is a hard-earned reality for two people whose hedonistic days are in the not-so-distant past. They&’re happy.Zac&’s best friend, the deeply reserved Cal Keller is the foundation of Zac's career and was the most important relationship of his life until Anya and their son came along. Anya can&’t help but gravitate towards Cal, even if they don&’t always get along. Even more, she&’s drawn to the Zac she sees when he&’s with Cal—a careful, cautious version of her husband, someone with hidden thoughts and desires kept secret even from her.It's a risk inviting Cal into their home.Zac should resist. He knows he should. But he can't. The idea at the life the three of them could have together is exhilarating. Redefining family might just be worth the risk.Previously published
This Is Not the End: A Polyamorous Love Story
by Sidney BellSometimes love finds you when you least expect it.A bold and deeply emotional novel, This Is Not the End marks a new way of looking at love, family, and happily-ever-after.Zacary Trevor is the love of Anya Alexander’s life. Their sometimes tumultuous marriage has survived ups, downs, and all the in-betweens. With successful careers, a lovely home, and a beautiful child, domestic bliss is a hard-earned reality for two people whose hedonistic days are in the not-so-distant past. They’re happy.Enter Zac’s best friend, the deeply reserved Cal Keller. Zac’s friendship with Cal is the foundation of his career and—until Anya and their son came along—the most important relationship of his life. Cal’s a cipher, someone Anya can’t help but gravitate to, even if they don’t always get along. Even more, she’s drawn to the Zac she sees when he’s with Cal—a careful, cautious version of her husband, someone with hidden thoughts and desires kept secret even from her.Inviting Cal into their home, deeper into their life, is a risk.Zac should say no. He knows he should. But he doesn’t. From the first, the hint at the life the three of them could have together is exhilarating. And finding a new definition for family just might be worth the risk to every bond that exists between them.
This Is Only a Test (Break Away Book Club Edition)
by B. J. HollarsThe Truman Capote Prize-winning author &“provides an offbeat look at the fragility of human life and our resilience when faced with death&” (Kirkus). On April 27, 2011, just days after learning of their pregnancy, B. J. Hollars, his wife, and their future son endured the onslaught of an EF-4 tornado. There, while huddled in a bathtub in their Alabama home, mortality flashed before their eyes. With the last of his computer battery, Hollars began recounting the experience, and would continue to do so in the following years, writing his way out of one disaster only to find himself caught up in another. In this collection of personal essays, Hollars faces tornadoes, drownings, and nuclear catastrophes. These experiences force him to acknowledge the inexplicable while he attempts to overcome his greatest fear—the impossibility of protecting his newborn son from the world&’s cruelties. Through his and others&’ stories, Hollars creates a constellation of grief, tapping into the rarely acknowledged intersection between fatherhood and fear, sacrifice and safety, and the humbling effect of losing control of our lives.
This Is Our Baby, Born Today
by Varsha BajajA baby is born and the world rejoices!With a loving mama, a trumpeting herd, curious cousins, and even some dancing peacocks heralding this little one&’s arrival, it is apparent that the joy and wonder a new baby brings is shared by all! Varsha Bajaj&’s lilting prose and Eliza Wheeler&’s enchanting scenes of a wide-eyed baby elephant and its smitten family celebrate the importance of family and community in every child&’s life. Set in the lush wilds of India, this is an endearing, beautifully illustrated tribute to little ones getting their first warm welcome to the world.
This Is Ridiculous, This Is Amazing: Parenthood in 71 Lists
by Jason Good&“Hands down, the best humor book about family life I have ever read.&” —Nikki Knepper, author of Moms Who Drink and Swear Comedian/blogger/family man Jason Good delivers a laugh-out-loud reminder that everything is easier and more fun when approached with a sense of humor—especially parenting. Each list in this book captures a perfect (or perfectly terrible) aspect of parenthood while at the same time wholeheartedly embracing every moment: &“You Deserve a Break&” offers ideas for downtime, such as giving blood and untangling cords, while &“Self-Help from a Three-Year-Old&” collects such wisdom as &“If you fall down, stay down. Someone will pick you up eventually.&” Sweet, sincere, and painfully funny, This is Ridiculous, This is Amazing is ideal for parents who could use a laugh—and isn&’t that every single one of them? &“His blog is great, but his first book is even better.&” —Parade &“Parents will appreciate Good&’s offbeat outlook and quirky one-liners.&” —Publishers Weekly
This Is Salvaged: Stories
by Vauhini VaraWinner of the High Plains Book Award Longlisted for the Story Prize and the Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award One of The New Yorker’s Best Books of the Year "Masterfully makes anew what it feels like to be alive.” —Jonathan Escoffery, The New York Times Book ReviewPushing intimacy to its limits in prose of unearthly beauty, Vauhini Vara explores the nature of being a child, parent, friend, sibling, neighbor, or lover, and the relationships between self and others. A young girl reads the encyclopedia to her elderly neighbor, who is descending into dementia. A pair of teenagers seek intimacy as phone-sex operators. A competitive sibling tries to rise above the drunken mess of her own life to become a loving aunt. One sister consumes the ashes of another. And, in the title story, an experimental artist takes on his most ambitious project yet: constructing a life-size ark according to the Bible’s specifications. In a world defined by estrangement, where is communion to be found? The characters in This Is Salvaged, unmoored in turbulence, are searching fervently for meaning, through one another.
This Is So Awkward: Modern Puberty Explained
by Cara Natterson Vanessa Kroll BennettNATIONAL BESTSELLER • The ultimate guide for adults helping tweens and teens navigate the rollercoaster of puberty.&“An accessible, enjoyable, and detailed road map for addressing even the most delicate topics with confidence and compassion.&”—Lisa Damour, PhD, author of Untangled, Under Pressure, and The Emotional Lives of TeenagersAlmost everything about puberty has changed since today&’s adults went through it. It starts, on average, two years earlier and stretches through high school . . . and for some, beyond. Gens Z and Alpha are also contending with a whole host of thorny issues that parents didn&’t experience in their own youth but nonetheless need to understand: everything from social media and easy-access pornography to gender identities and new or newly-potent drugs. Talking about any of this is like puberty itself: Awkward! But it&’s also critical for the health, happiness, and safety of today&’s kids.Bewildered adults have begged for reliable and relatable information about the modern adolescent experience. This Is So Awkward answers their call. Written by a pediatrician and a puberty educator—together the hosts of a lively and popular podcast on puberty, and moms to six teens between them—this is the handbook everyone has been searching for, and includes:• Pointed advice about how to talk to kids about almost anything: acne, body odor, growth spurts, eating disorders, mood swings, sexuality, and more.• Science-based explanations for all of puberty&’s physical, emotional, and social changes, including the many ways hormones affect kids both above and below the neck.• What adults needs to know about today&’s teen culture: their mental health drivers, the un-gendering of body image issues, the ways they think about sexual orientation, and more. • Invaluable commentary straight from young adults just out the other side of adolescence that highlights what they wish the adults in their lives had known or done differently.Eye-opening and reassuring, This Is So Awkward will help adults understand the turbulent pubescent decade and become confident guides for today&’s kids.
This Is So Not Happening (He's So/She's So #3)
by Kieran ScottAfter their long summer apart, Ally and Jake were hoping for a drama-free senior year. Easier said than done. Chloe is pregnant. And she says that Jake is the father. It was a one-time thing, and Ally and Jake can get through it, right? But Ally’s willingness to make it work is tested when Jake starts blowing her off to go to doctor’s appointments with Chloe, and Ally joins the school play—and meets a cute guy. After everything they’ve been through, can Ally and Jake get out of Orchard Hill with their relationship intact? The gossip-fueled action of She’s So Dead to Us and He’s So Not Worth It comes full circle in this can’t-miss conclusion to a popular trilogy.
This Is What Happy Looks Like
by Jennifer E. SmithIf fate sent you an email, would you answer?<P><P> When teenage movie star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O'Neill an email about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for their names or backgrounds. <P> Then Graham finds out that Ellie's Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs?<P> Winner of Pacific Northwest Library Association's Young Reader's Choice Senior Award
This Is What It Feels Like
by Rebecca BarrowThis tender story of friendship, music, and ferocious love asks: what will you fight for, if not yourself? You Don’t Know Me But I Know You author Rebecca Barrow’s next book is perfect for fans of Katie Cotugno and Emery Lord.Who cares that the prize for the Sun City Originals contest is fifteen grand? Not Dia, that’s for sure. Because Dia knows that without a band, she hasn’t got a shot at winning. Because ever since Hanna’s drinking took over her life, Dia and Jules haven’t been in it. And because ever since Hanna left—well, there hasn’t been a band. It used to be the three of them, Dia, Jules, and Hanna, messing around and making music and planning for the future. But that was then, and this is now—and now means a baby, a failed relationship, a stint in rehab, all kinds of off beats that have interrupted the rhythm of their friendship. But like the lyrics of a song you used to play on repeat, there’s no forgetting a best friend. And for Dia, Jules, and Hanna, this impossible challenge—to ignore the past, in order to jump start the future—will only become possible if they finally make peace with the girls they once were, and the girls they are finally letting themselves be.
This Is Where I Leave You
by Jonathan TropperThe death of Judd Foxman's father marks the first time that the entire Foxman family-including Judd's mother, brothers, and sister-have been together in years. Conspicuously absent: Judd's wife, Jen, whose fourteen-month affair with Judd's radio-shock-jock boss has recently become painfully public. Simultaneously mourning the death of his father and the demise of his marriage, Judd joins the rest of the Foxmans as they reluctantly submit to their patriarch's dying request: to spend the seven days following the funeral together. In the same house. Like a family. As the week quickly spins out of control, longstanding grudges resurface, secrets are revealed, and old passions reawakened. For Judd, it's a weeklong attempt to make sense of the mess his life has become while trying in vain not to get sucked into the regressive battles of his madly dysfunctional family. All of which would be hard enough without the bomb Jen dropped the day Judd's father died: She's pregnant. This Is Where I Leave Youis Jonathan Tropper's most accomplished work to date, a riotously funny, emotionally raw novel about love, marriage, divorce, family, and the ties that bind-whether we like it or not.
This Is Where I Leave You
by Jonathan TropperA side-splitting and heartbreaking tale, soon to be a major Hollywood movie starring Tina Fey, Connie Britton and Jason Bateman.Poor Judd Foxman returns home early to find his wife in bed with his boss - in the act. He now faces the twin threats of both divorce and unemployment. His misery is compounded further with the sudden death of his father.He is then asked to come and 'sit Shiva' for his newly deceased parent with his angry, screwed-up and somewhat estranged brothers and sisters in his childhood home. It is there he must confront who he really is and - more importantly - who he can become.Funny, moving, powerful and poignant, THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU is the fabulous follow-up to HOW TO TALK TO A WIDOWER and Jonathan Tropper at his best.