I am not alone

Award-winning author Francisco X. Stork revisits some of the themes and ideas that made Marcelo in the Real World such an unforgettable novel. Alberto's life isn't easy: He's an undocumented immigrant from Mexico who lives with his sister's abusive boyfriend-but he'd always accepted his place in the world. Until he starts hearing the voice of a man called Captain America, a voice that wants him to achieve more, no matter the cost. Grace has it all: She has a supportive boyfriend, she's on track to be valedictorian, and she's sure to go to the college of her dreams. Still, nothing feels right to her any more after the divorce of her parents, and feels she needs something more. When Alberto and Grace meet, they have an immediate and electric connection. But when Alberto is present at the scene of a terrible crime, he becomes a suspect. And with his developing schizophrenia, he's not even sure he believes in his own innocence. Can Grace find a way to prove Alberto's innocence to himself and the world? This is a page-turning thriller and a sensitive story about mental health, love, and community that will appeal to anyone who has struggled with their place in the world, from award-winning author Francisco X. Stork. Praise for On the Hook: A Junior Library Guild Selection * "What starts as a quiet drama quickly escalates to a potent, fiery story while remaining a deep meditation about cycles of violence. A staggering and fearless book." - Kirkus Reviews, starred review * "Intense, at times brutal, but so vital for today's polarized society, this book will hopefully encourage readers to have compassion for others, even those with whom they vehemently disagree." - Booklist, starred review * "Unflinching... Hector must decide whether his need for revenge outweighs his desire to heal." - Publishers Weekly, starred review Praise for Illegal: "An eye-opening look at U.S. immigration wrapped inside a tense thriller." - Alan Gratz, New York Times bestselling author of Refugee "With honesty and authenticity, Illegal grapples with questions that we all ask ourselves about the moral inequities of immigration. Heartbreaking, yet hopeful." - Pam Muñoz Ryan, New York Times bestselling author of Echo and Esperanza Rising "Illegal is timely and evocative. Once again, Francisco X. Stork challenges and expands our perceptions of empathy, justice, and what it means to be human." - Sharon Cameron, New York Times bestselling author of The Light in Hidden Places Praise for Disappeared: * "A timely and touching novel that will surely engross fans of true crime stories." - School Library Journal, starred review * "A tense thriller elevated by Stork's nuanced writing and empathy for every character, including the villains-superb." - Kirkus Reviews, starred review Praise for The Memory of Light: *"Accurate, heartbreaking, and hopeful... A beautiful read." - School Library Journal, starred review Praise for Marcelo in the Real World: "[A] brisk, brilliant, unsentimental novel." - Robert Lipsyte, New York Times Book Review * "Stork introduces ethical dilemmas, the possibility of love, and other 'real world' conflicts, all the while preserving the integrity of his characterizations and intensifying the novel's psychological and emotional stakes. Not to be missed." - Publishers Weekly, starred review Francisco X. Stork (he/him) emigrated from Mexico at the age of nine with his mother and his adoptive father. I Am Not Alone is his tenth novel. Other novels include: Marcelo in the Real World, recipient of the Schneider Family Book Award, The Last Summer of the Death Warriors, which received the Elizabeth Walden Award, The Memory of Light, recipient of the Tomás Rivera Award, Disappeared, which received the Young Adult Award from the Texas Institute of Letters and was a Walter Dean Myers Award Honor Book and Illegal, recipient of the In the Margins Award, the Young Adult Award from the Texas Institut