Little Fish learns to jump over the rocks so she can follow Old One, who has come to lead the rainbow trout to warmer waters before the river freezes.
James and his family leave their oceanside home to travel in a covered wagon through the forests of the East to the prairies of the Midwest. Cover-to-Cover Book.
Lizzie Lane is used to life at the top of the food chain. Her near-perfect life is ruined when Rachel, a girl she socially destroyed, exacts her revenge by getting Lizzie in trouble for cheating on a test. Friendless and facing detention, Lizzie obsesses over finding the perfect revenge. When Stella, Lizzie's strange new neighbor, teaches Lizzie about magick, Lizzie can't resist creating a revenge spell. But she forgets the "rule of three," that whatever spell you cast comes back on you three-fold, and her zit spell backfires with dramatic results. When she asks for help from Stella's Baba, the only advice she gets is to "write the lesson of the zit on her heart." Can Lizzie find a way to teach Rachel a lesson without causing permanent disfigurement to herself?
Emery's neighbor, Richard, is the kind of kid who gets under your skin. When Richard suggests a game of "Nicky Nicky Nine Doors," Emery can't come up with a good excuse not to play. Using chocolate bars as "stunt poo," the boys start playing the classic prank of the burning bag on the doorstep, but this game has a modern twist. They videotape their neighbors' reactions. The naked guy and the man in the apron are highly entertaining, but Emery starts to get cold feet when another neighbor is reduced to tears. Emery wants out, but he's not sure how to stop the game without losing face. Soon the game gets serious, and Emery has a lot more to worry about than his reputation.
Sable wears only black and has always felt that doom is near. Lacey wears pink and seeks beauty everywhere. A sadistic art teacher pairs Sable and Lacey together for their final project. The girls have to get to know one another and select a suitable poem for the back of each other's decorative mirror. Sable is less than thrilled at having to spend time with Lacey, who she believes to be nothing more than a brainless doll. As the project progresses, and Sable gets past her resentment, she learns some surprising truths about who Lacey really is. All of Sable's images begin to change, including the one she holds of herself.
Wilf is convinced his parents want nothing to do with him. When he isn't in school, he is left to his own devices or shipped away to camp. But at fifteen, Wilf is adamant that he is too old for summer camp. When his parents ignore his protests and ship him off anyway, he knows how he will get their attention: He will escape from camp by canoe and spend the rest of his vacation alone in the woods, proving to his parents he deserves his independence. His plan begins to unravel when his cabin mate forces Wilf to take him along. Things go from bad to worse when a younger camper follows them and they all end up in a fight for their lives against the unforgiving river.
As much as life has irrevocably changed since the death of his father, much has stayed the same for Cam. He's always had a great deal of responsibility around the house, but the burden is heavier now in combination with the load of grief he's been carrying. After the man who was driving the truck that killed his father turns up at the end of the driveway, Cam feels pressure to keep his family safe as well. He starts to see the man everywhere: at his work, in stores, at his sister's school. Cam needs to know what the man wants from his family, and he starts following his father's killer in search of answers.
With the help of her sister and friend Austin, 12-year-old Anya puts together a kids' summer theater troupe, the Random Farms Kids' Theater, recruiting area kids as actors and crew members for a musical revue. Acting as director, Anya navigates the ups and downs of a showbiz life, including preparing scripts, finding a venue, and handling ticket sales, not to mention calming the actors' insecurities and settling conflicts. It's a lot of responsibility for a 12-year-old but Anya pulls it off. Book 2 opens two days later. Now after a successful first show, Anya turns her attention to the troupe's second show. But trouble rears its head almost immediately when their beloved barn venue is jeopardized. How can they put on a production without a theater? Is the second show doomed before they ever start rehearsal? This series is closely based on the real-life experience of Anya Wallach, who began a summer theater "camp" in her parents' basement when she was just sixteen years old.
In "Who's in Charge" Stella gets a lesson in responsibility when she volunteers to watch her best friends dog, Bella, for a few days. The only problem with this plan is that Stella didn't ask her mother for permission. With new baby Marco at home, Stella's mom already has her hands full. But Grandma agrees its good for Stella to have some responsibility as she's getting older. It looks as though Stella has things under control. It's only for a few days; what could go wrong? When Bella gets loose and runs away, Stella is heartbroken. Will Stella find Bella before Evie gets back? And where does she even start to look? Its just another day in the life of Stella Batts! In this early chapter book series, the ups and downs of Stella's life are charmingly chronicled.
In Needs a New Name, Stella decides to change her name after a boy from her class keeps calling her "Smella." How hard can it be to pick a new name? It's not as easy as it sounds.
At the end of The Pirate Captain's Daughter, Catherine and cabin boy William are marooned on Pox Island by the murderous crew of the pirate ship Reprisal. The young lovers see no hope of escape. In Voyage of the Sea Wolf, the continuing saga of Catherine's sea adventures, she and William are rescured from their island prison by the Sea Wolf, a pirate ship pursuing the Reprisal. Catherine worries that these new pirates will send her back to the island once they discover she's a girl. But then, she meets the captain of the Sea Wolf. A Woman! Surely, Catherine thinks, the bloodshed and brutality she and William experienced aboard the Reprisal can't happen again, especially under the leadership of a female captian. But just as things seem to be going their way, the captain takes a liking to William. Catherine is forbidden to see him. If Catherine and William want to stay together, they must find a way to now escape from the Sea Wolf.
These traditional reads are brimming with spirited characters and positive values--but with a little extra excitement and bite, so hold on to your hats! Written expressly for the middle grade struggling reader, the series does not contain strong language, edgy themes, or dysfunctional families. In fact, family is the main theme of these titles. And one particular Latino family is the focus with their uncanny knack for finding humor, hope, and colorful personalities--even in unusual circumstances. Written at the lowest reading levels, the 50-page story structure is straightforward and moves the reader through the text quickly and efficiently.
Without his bike, Hank was getting bored. Then a new neighbor named Tommy shows up, looking for a pet-sitter for his sheep. He warns Hank that Elmer can open doors. Book #4 in the series.
Yolanda, the biggest know-it-all ever, leaves her beloved fish Yum-Yum under Hank's care. But why didn't Yolanda tell Hank that Yum-Yum was ancient? And will she discover Hank's big secret when she picks up her fish? Book #3 in the series.
When super snooper Joey brings his pot-bellied pig Pickles to stay, Hank never imagined that a pig with a cute name like Pickles could cause so much trouble. Book #2 in the series.
A storm is coming to Storm Cliff Stables, and Gaston the goat is scared. Rain! Lightning! Thunder! Gaston fears he’ll never get to sleep with all that flashing and booming. Luckily, his farmyard friends know just what to do! Aligned to Common Core standards and correlated to state standards.
It’s fall cleanup time at Storm Cliff Stables, and Freckles wants to help! Unfortunately, his ideas for brightening up the place make for a muddy mess instead. Luckily, his farmyard friends know just what to do! Aligned to Common Core standards and correlated to state standards.
Daisy the cow can’t wait to go to the county fair this year. Who doesn’t love winning blue ribbons? But Daisy has a cold. Moo, moo, ahchoo! Luckily, her farmyard friends know just what to do! Aligned to Common Core standards and correlated to state standards.
Pet-sitting sounds easy, but Hank's first customer is huge, homesick Otis. When Janie, Hank's pesky next-door neighbor, tries to help, things spin even more out of control. Book #1 in the series.
Middle graders will laugh and cry with thirteen-year-old Vanessa Martin as she tries to be like Vanessa Williams, the first black Miss America. In this semi-autobiographical debut novel set in 1983, Vanessa Martin's real-life reality of living with family in public housing in Newark, New Jersey is a far cry from the glamorous Miss America stage. She struggles with a mother she barely remembers, a grandfather dealing with addiction and her own battle with self-confidence. But when a new teacher at school coordinates a beauty pageant and convinces Vanessa to enter, Vanessa's view of her own world begins to change. Vanessa discovers that her own self-worth is more than the scores of her talent performance and her interview answers, and that she doesn't need a crown to be comfortable in her own skin and see her own true beauty.
Naima is a talented painter of traditional alpana patterns, which Bangladeshi women and girls paint on their houses for special celebrations. But Naima is not satisfied just painting alpana. She wants to help earn money for her family, like her best friend, Saleem, does for his family. When Naima's rash effort to help puts her family deeper in debt, she draws on her resourceful nature and her talents to bravely save the day. Includes a glossary of Bangla words and an author's note about a changing Bangladesh and microfinance.
In this early reader with five short chapters, emerging readers meet Pig and Goose. Pig is happy. She loves to dance. She loves to eat. But she cannot fly. And she cannot swim. Goose can fly like a bird. Goose can glide across the water beautifully. But he cannot tell stories or host a party like Pig can. Pig and Goose are very different. But what they do have in common is that they like each other. And they love springtime. Simple text and charming illustrations guide beginning readers throughout the story and encourage independent reading.
Ben Mason has always been the star player on East Grover Lake boys’ basketball team. But when a new transfer student takes away the spotlight, Ben is frustrated with his role on the team. After a visit from Sal, owner of Sal’s Used Sporting Goods, he learns about John Stockton, the NBA’s all-time assist leader. Will Ben learn the true meaning of leadership?
To prove she’s still the tech expert at Blue Lake Junior High, Bridget agrees to write a review of a secret cutting-edge tablet that her dad’s company is developing. When Bridget’s post goes viral, however, the secret’s out, and the trouble begins.
As the goalie for the girls’ hockey team, Annie Roger’s keen eyesight is crucial to snagging a speeding slap shot out of the air. On a visit to the eye doctor, she learns that she needs prescription glasses, and her confidence is shattered. But she then she receives a gift from Sal's Used Sporting Goods, a helmet once worn by Canadian double-gold medalist goalie Shannon Szabados. Will it help Annie see things differently?
