“A quarter pound of the low-fat Swiss,” the woman said again. She had been staring at the slicer, shoving imaginary fingers into the opening. You’d have to get someone into the feeding side of the slicer. What pushes another human being to that point of no return? It has to be a strong impulse.

To solve them, you had to understand why they’d occurred. She wanted to solve murders, not commit them. Stevie’s future was predicated on that fact.

Read below an exclusive excerpt from Chapter 1 of 'The Box in the Woods' by Maureen Johnson: Also, I worked at a Wawa – I remember those moments at the slicer.” Or maybe even now, as we slowly come out of lockdown. Or the end of school, when the world shifts and your routine changes. The author adds that, for readers, this is “a relatable feeling, when you’ve done something and you feel you’ve peaked! Then it’s over. She’s just Stevie Bell again, slicing lunchmeat.” “A few winks on the social-media cycle and all that excitement seems to be gone. How I Resist is the kind of book people will be discussing for years to come and a staple on bookshelves for generations.“She’s become the Girl Detective. Not just for a young adult audience, this incredibly impactful collection will appeal to readers of all ages who are feeling adrift and looking for guidance. In How I Resist, readers will find hope and support through voices that are at turns personal, funny, irreverent, and instructive. A collection of essays, songs, illustrations, and interviews about activism and hope, How I Resist features an all-star group of contributors, including, John Paul Brammer, Libba Bray, Lauren Duca, Modern Family's Jesse Tyler Ferguson and his husband Justin Mikita, Alex Gino, Hebh Jamal, Malinda Lo, Dylan Marron, Hamilton star Javier Muñoz, Rosie O'Donnell, Junauda Petrus, Jodi Picoult, Jason Reynolds, Karuna Riazi, Maya Rupert, Dana Schwartz, Dan Sinker, Ali Stroker, Jonny Sun (aka Sabaa Tahir, Shaina Taub, Daniel Watts, Jennifer Weiner, Jacqueline Woodson, and more, all edited and compiled by New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson. To show readers that they are not helpless, and that anyone can be the change. How I Resist is the response, and a way to start the conversation. They're ready to stand up and be heard - but with much to shout about, where they do they begin? What can I do? How can I help? Now, more than ever, young people are motivated to make a difference in a world they're bound to inherit.

How I Resist by Maureen Johnson