{"product_id":"firstyear-orientation-isbn-9781536232431","title":"First-Year Orientation","description":"\u003cb\u003eSixteen acclaimed authors—including a National Book Award nominee, a \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e best-selling novelist, and a beloved actress—join forces for a cross-genre YA anthology of linked short stories about the first days of college. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJilly cannot \u003ci\u003ebelieve \u003c\/i\u003eher parents keep showing up at all of her orientation events. (Except, yes, she can totally believe that.) Isaac wants to be known as someone other than the kid who does magic and has an emotional support bunny. Lilly is stuck working at the college bookstore during orientation (but maybe new friends are closer than they appear). Hira, meanwhile, just wants to retire from ghost hunting once and for all, but a spirit in the library’s romance section has other ideas. For their sophomore effort, the contributing editors behind the critically acclaimed \u003ci\u003eBattle of the Bands \u003c\/i\u003eadmit us to opening day at a fictional college, with a collection that makes an ideal high school graduation gift or “summer-before” read. This colorful array of stories spans genres and moods—from humorous to heartfelt to ghostly—tackling with sensitivity, humor, and warmth what it feels like to take those first shaky steps into adulthood.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eWith stories by:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAdi Alsaid\u003c\/b\u003e * \u003cb\u003eAnna Birch\u003c\/b\u003e * \u003cb\u003eBryan Bliss \u003c\/b\u003e* \u003cb\u003eGloria Chao\u003c\/b\u003e * \u003cb\u003eJennifer Chen\u003c\/b\u003e * \u003cb\u003eOlivia A. Cole\u003c\/b\u003e * \u003cb\u003eDana L. Davis\u003c\/b\u003e * \u003cb\u003eKristina Forest\u003c\/b\u003e * \u003cb\u003eLauren Gibaldi\u003c\/b\u003e * \u003cb\u003eKathleen Glasgow \u003c\/b\u003e* \u003cb\u003eSam Maggs\u003c\/b\u003e * \u003cb\u003eFarah Naz Rishi\u003c\/b\u003e * \u003cb\u003eLance Rubin\u003c\/b\u003e * \u003cb\u003eAminah Mae Safi\u003c\/b\u003e * \u003cb\u003eEric Smith\u003c\/b\u003e * \u003cb\u003ePhil Stamper\u003c\/b\u003eCharming. . . The stories explore the push and pull of moving into a new, more independent life stage with humor and compassion, and they portray a wide range of experiences and identities. . . There’s an effortlessness to the representation, with fully fleshed-out characters grappling with their sense of self that isn’t defined by identity politics. . . . By turns realist and surrealist, funny and tender, these stories have something for any teen starting to think about college and will leave them with the reassurance that there’s plenty of magic ahead.\u003cbr\u003e—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThese 16 contemporary stories about the first day of college address the unsettling mix of feelings caused by launching into a new life in an unfamiliar place. . . . The stories are cleverly interlinked, with characters making cameos in other stories or experiencing different sides of the same events. . . A strong short story collection focusing on a life-changing transition.\u003cbr\u003e—Kirkus Reviews\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis title presents readers with 16 short stories which portray 16 different experiences of the first day at college. . . each vignette has a unique voice. . . . may help serve as a foundation for students to foster a sense of empathy within their current and future social circles. . . . All the stories evoke the humor and\/or the raw emotions that totally new environments can bring out in people. The stories are written by a diverse collection of authors and the stories reflect this, representing different groups with voices of authenticity.\u003cbr\u003e—School Library Connection\u003cb\u003eLauren Gibaldi \u003c\/b\u003eis a public librarian and the author of \u003ci\u003eThe Night We Said Yes\u003c\/i\u003e,\u003ci\u003e Autofocus\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eThis Tiny Perfect World\u003c\/i\u003e. She's also a contributing coeditor of the YA anthology \u003ci\u003eBattle of the Bands\u003c\/i\u003e. Lauren Gibaldi lives in Orlando, Florida, with her husband and daughters.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eEric Smith \u003c\/b\u003eis a literary agent and the author of \u003ci\u003eThe Geek’s Guide to Dating\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Girl and the Grove\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eDon’t Read the Comments\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eYou Can Go Your Own Way. \u003c\/i\u003eHe is also a coauthor of \u003ci\u003eJagged Little Pill: The Novel\u003c\/i\u003e and a contributing coeditor of \u003ci\u003eBattle of the Bands\u003c\/i\u003e. Eric Smith lives in Philadelphia with his wife and son.","brand":"Candlewick","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46304758595813,"sku":"NP9781536232431","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781536232431.jpg?v=1769561335","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/firstyear-orientation-isbn-9781536232431","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}