Chris Baron – författare

"Beautifully written, brilliant, and necessary," (Matt de la Pena, Newbery Medalist), here is a body-positive book about how a boy deals with fat-shaming. Ari has body-image issues. After a move across the country, his parents work selling and promoting his mother''s paintings and sculptures. Ari''s bohemian mother needs space to create, and his father is gone for long stretches of time on "sales" trips. Meanwhile, Ari makes new friends: Pick, the gamer; the artsy Jorge, and the troubled Lisa. He is also relentlessly bullied because he''s overweight, but he can''t tell his parents—they''re simply not around enough to listen.After an upsetting incident, Ari''s mom suggests he go on a diet, and she gives him a book to help. But the book—and the diet—can’t fix everything. As Ari faces the demise of his parents'' marriage, he also feels himself changing, both emotionally and physically. Here is a much-needed story about accepting the imperfect in oneself and in life.

"Highly recommended... Perfect for readers of Wonder and Erin Entrada Kelly''s Hello, Universe."— Booklist magazine, starred reviewEtan has stopped speaking since his mother left. His father and grandfather don’t know how to help him. His friends have given up on him.When Etan is asked to deliver a grocery order to the outskirts of town, he realizes he’s at the home of Malia Agbayani, also known as the Creature. Malia stopped going to school when her acute eczema spread to her face, and the bullying became too much.As the two become friends, other kids tease Etan for knowing the Creature. But he believes he might have a cure for Malia’s condition, if only he can convince his family and hers to believe it too. Even if it works, will these two outcasts find where they fit in?

The Gray is a sensitively told middle grade story from Chris Baron about living with anxiety and finding ways to cope.It’s been a tough year for Sasha—he’s been bullied at his middle school and his anxiety, which he calls the Gray, is growing. Sasha’s dad tells him to “toughen up”—and he does, but with unfortunate, hurtful results. His parents and therapist agree that a summer in the country with his aunt might be the best medicine, but it’s the last place he wants to be. He''ll be away from his best friend, video games, and stuck in the house that reminds him of his beloved uncle who died two years earlier.His aunt is supportive, and there are lots of places to explore, and even some potential new friends. When Sasha is introduced at a local ranch to a horse coincidentally--incredibly--nicknamed the Gray, he feels he''s found a kindred spirit.But his own Gray is ever-present. When one of his new friends disappears, Sasha discovers that the country is wilder and more mysterious than he imagined. He tries to muster enough courage to help in the search . . . but will the Gray hold him back?

As a community recovers from a devastating wildfire, two friends find their way back to each other and their homes, by award-winning author Chris Baron.Perfect for fans of Alan Gratz and Lauren Tarshis.Finn and his friend, nicknamed Rabbit, live in a rural area that''s been hit hard by wildfires. Families were displaced and school was interrupted. Moreover, their beloved forest is suffering -- animals and plants haven''t been able to come back, and the two friends wonder if there''s anything they can do to help. Rabbit''s uncle, a science teacher, is part of a study that may help bring the forest back to life, but Finn and Rabbit wonder if the forest can wait. And what if another fire comes in the meantime? They believe a small part of the forest -- the forest heart -- that survived the wildfire may hold the key to regrowth, but first, they have to find it and then convince the adults around them to listen.For any young person who''s ever felt powerless against the world, here is a story about two kids doing all they can to understand their natural world and preserve it.