Fifteen-year-old Natalie is obsessed with ballet and plans to spend the entire summer in dance class with her two best friends. But when her mom gets a job out of town, Natalie gets shipped off to stay with cousins she barely knows. Natalie is thrilled when her cousins invite her to join them at the local dance studio. But it turns out it's not a ballet class; it's Irish dance. Skeptical at first, Natalie is surprised to learn she really enjoys the new dance style and agrees to take part in an upcoming competition. But this new passion could result in Natalie having to leave her ballet dreams behind.
Fourteen-year-old Ava is thrilled when she lands a part in a play based on the true story of orphans sent to Canada in the 1800s to work on farms. But is she good enough to hold her own in a professional production? As the rehearsal pressures crank up, Ava struggles with her character, with the vocal demands of outdoor theater and with the annoying ego of her castmate Kiefer. But as she learns more about the historical Lily on which her part is based, things begin to fall into place. Then one bad decision jeopardizes Ava's chances of being able to perform on opening night.
Ten boldly illustrated stories tell classic tales from different cultures of giants, who were usually villains being outwitted and defeated by mythological heroes. Myths include: the hero Heracles versus the hated giant Geryon, and Odysseus versus the giant Cyclops Polyphemus, from Greek mythology; the good-natured giant Finn McCool from Celtic mythology; the Mayan twins versus the destructive mountain giant Cabracan, from Mayan mythology; Sedna, the giant goddess of the sea, from Inuit mythology; and the giant Goliath who was slain by David, from the Bible. Feature boxes add additional details to help readers better understand concepts in the story as well as the time period in which the story was written.
Scaly dragons! A Chinese folktale tells about a grateful dragon who gives a girl an impossible gift. Lily brings Dragon in to school. A little girl follows a treasure map past a dragon! Tex and Indi go to a festival in Chinatown to see a parade and a dancing dragon. What would you do if you met a dragon? Would you try to make friends? Stories by Camille S. Phillips, Lissa Rovetch, Marilyn Kratz, and Eileen Spinelli.
Woof, woof! Mrs. Dooley has six dogs, but her house is too small. What will she do? When everyone else leaves for school, a girl spends her time with her best friend-- a dog named Sam. Rosie the dog loves smelling the neighborhood smells, but nothing smells as good as home. Autumn thinks that when her dog howls, it is a sad sound. However, when she meets Laura and her beagle, she learns that sometimes a howl means something else. Stories by June Swanson, Nancy K. Wallace, Ruth Donnelly, Nancy White Carlstrom, and Erin Berger.
Little worms! Squirmy Wormy and Mortimer are three little worms who know how to have big fun! See what happens when they play jump rope, or when they enter a talent contest. What will they get up to next? Stories by David L. Roper.
Enchanting tales! Jonah shows Linda a magical box! A fable tells of a magical tree that creates moonfish. While trying to learn magic tricks, Rabbit accidentally casts a spell on himself. A boy is rewarded for his good deed with a magical paper boat that promises to save them. Learn about visiting a magical place any time you like. Stories by Marianne Mitchell, Joy Cowley, Maggie Murphy, Marilyn Bolchunos, and Marilyn Kratz.
Happy birthday! Evan's dad is a cake master, so Evan decides he wants to impress his dad with a cake of his own. Will his dad be able to help turn around his "disasterpiece"? Mr. Sippey bakes one of his famous birthday cakes only to find it has gone missing! Where could it be? Matthew is tasked with figuring out a birthday riddle. Eli's birthday is on April Fool's day and he hopes he won't get fooled again this year. Stories by Carolyn Fay, Jane L. Daubitz, Lana Renetzky, and Kate Wilson.
Explore! Spot gets caught in the rain. This silly puppy can't resist playing in a puddle. When Spot hurts his foot, a bandage makes him feel better. Spot watches a caterpillar crawl onto his paw. Spot smells foot prints, where will the trail lead him? Stories by Marileta Robinson and Highlights for Children.
Time for a nap! Spot tries to find a peaceful place to nap. On a sunny day, Spot naps in the shade. Playing with a new toy can be exhausting for a puppy like Spot. Spot wants to take a nap but Splinter wants to play. A fly disturbs Spot as he tries to nap. Stories by Marileta Robinson and Highlights for Children.
Puppy games! Spot loves chasing and catching baseballs. Spot tries to play with a big branch but it is too heavy. Spot meets a beautiful butterfly. Spot explores the woods. Stories by Marileta Robinson and Highlights for Children.
Seasons! Spot wants to play outside but it is too cold. Spot plays in a pile of leave. Spot is playing outside, then the weather begins to change. Spot says hello to spring. Spot enjoys summer. Stories by Marileta Robinson and Highlights for Children.
Get Moving! Spot chases his shadow until they both stop for a rest. Spot knocks down a pail of paint on to himself and leaves, sticks, and a bird nest stick to his body when he runs. Spot chases hi ball around on a windy day. Spot helps a turtle on a journey. The sounds of the forest inspire spot to dance. Stories by Marileta Robinson and Highlights for Children.
Spot is hungry but can't find anything to eat. Spot buries his biscuit to keep it safe. Spot sniffs around outside to capture different scents. Spot hears his favorite sound… dinner! Spot enjoys different times of day. Stories by Marileta Robinson.
Bedtime! Little Bunny tries to be quiet as Baby Bunny naps. Baby Bunny prepares for a sleepover with Squirrel. Little Bunny tries to take a nap. Little Bunny tries to stay up late. Stories by Eileen Spinelli.
Reading! Mike gets his first library card. Megan and her classmates prepare for story time. Tex and Indi join a summer reading program at their local library. Toby writes a book report and learns that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Stories by LaDonna Frankenheim, Marianne Mitchell, Lissa Rovetch, and John J. Bonk.
Imagination! Anita builds a creative fort. A bucket can be anything you desire. Zoey plays dress-up at school. She decides to be a cowgirl and then creatively builds a horse. The read a fun story about misunderstanding idioms and imagination taking over. Stories by Highlights for Children, Alexander Mercer McCarren, and Tiffany Alenefelt.
Cody Smith and his family are new in a small town. When he reads an article about a local woman who collects antique carousel horses and was sold a fake, Cody wants to solve the mystery and find the crook.
The Galaxy Diner is a great place to hang out and looks just like a spaceship, but things really get interesting when a group of friends think they find a real spaceship in the woods.
A chance friendship with an elderly ex-magician helps Jared come to terms with the tensions in his own family.
Two boys harassed by a group of rowdy kids at school get their revenge when they stumble into the school custodian's cleaning closet and find something very unusual.
When Walter overhears a lord's murder, he must reveal the true killer before his innocent friend is convicted.
Kelly, one of a group of students with special needs chosen to participate in Dolphin Dives, finds her voice again after not speaking for three years when one of the animals is threatened by a very angry boy.
When Grady's family moves to a deserted island in the Florida Keys, the family finds more activity than expected as a hurricane comes their way.
T.J. can't believe it when he wins a trip to New York to be a contestant on Whiz Kid. Will he make his family proud?
