A championship surfer, Jack Lopez accurately depicts the art of surfing in this tale described as The Outsiders for a new age. In the Break tells the story of fifteen year-old Jamie and Juan, best friends who live and breathe surfing. They don't have a care in the world when they're out on the water. But when an argument between Jamie and his abusive step-father comes to blows, Jamie turns to the one person who can help. Together the two (plus Jamie's sister Amber) head for Mexico-surfboards stowed in the back.
Because of a bet, Billy is in the uncomfortable position of having to eat fifteen worms in fifteen days. The worms are supplied by his opponent, whose motto is "The bigger and juicier, the better!" At first Billy's problem is whether or not he can swallow the worm placed before him, even with a choice of condiments from peanut butter to horseradish. But later it looks as if Billy will win, and the challenge becomes getting to the worm to eat it. Billy's family, after checking with the doctor, takes everything in stride. They even help Billy through his gastronomic ordeal, which twists and turns with each new day, leaving the outcome of the bet continually in doubt.
Jennifer Holm's New York Times bestselling, Newbery Honor Winner is the story of a summer of adventures and secrets that will change everything, at a time in America’s history, just after World War II, when being Italian-American meant confronting prejudice because you'd been the enemy not that long ago .
It’s 1953 and 11-year-old Penny dreams of a summer of butter pecan ice cream, swimming, and baseball. But nothing’s that easy in Penny’s family. For starters, she can’t go swimming because her mother’s afraid she’ll catch polio at the pool. To make matters worse, her dog, Scarlett O'Hara, is sick. Her favorite uncle is living in a car. Her best friend is turning into a criminal. And no one will tell Penny the truth about how her father died.
Inspired by three time Newbery Honor winner Jennifer Holm’s own Italian American family, Penny from Heaven is a story about families—about the things that tear them apart and the things that bring them back together.
"Holm impressively wraps pathos with comedy in this coming-of-age story, populated by a cast of vivid characters."—Booklist
In a heartwarming first-person account, dePaola retells his experiences at home and in school when he was a boy. 26 Fairmount Avenue is full of humor, drama, suspense and just the day to day ups and downs of a little boy's life.
In this delightful sequel, award-winning author-illustrator dePaola shares engaging childhood memories about siblings, school, and life as a five-year-old.
Underneath the steps leading down to Eric’s basement is a hidden storage place. It’s dusty and old–nothing special at all. But when Eric, Julie, and Neal all huddle inside the gray room together, something unbelievable happens. A glittering light and then a rainbow-colored staircase appear. As the kids take their very first step down into the mysterious land of Droon, they know that only magic and adventure await them!
Five warm tales about Oliver and the Pig family. Meet Mother Pig, who is all-knowing and always loving. Then there's Father Pig, who is very clever and very kind. Oliver is the adventurous big brother, and finally there's Oliver's little sister, Amanda, who is just learning how to talk. Join the Pig family and find out how every day can be special and fun!
Freckle Juice
Nicky has freckles. They cover his face, his ears, and the whole back of his neck. If Andrew had freckles like Nicky, his mother would never know if his neck was dirty. But how exactly do you get freckles? For fifty cents, know-it-all Sharon has the answer—a secret family freckle recipe. Fifty cents is a lot of money, but Andrew is desperate. It’s not until after he goes home and carefully mixes the strange combination of ingredients that he realizes he might be getting more than he paid for.
The One in the Middle Is the Green Kangaroo
Lately, second-grader Freddy Dissel has that left-out kind of feeling. Life can be lonely when you’re the middle kid in the family and you feel like “the peanut butter part of a sandwich,” squeezed between an older brother and a little sister. But now, for the first time, it's Freddy’s chance to show everyone how special he is and, most of a all, prove it to himself!
Ted Hammond loves a good mystery, andin the spring of his fifth-grade year, he's working on a big one. How can his school in the little town of Plattsford stay open next year if there are going to be only five students? Out here on the Great Plains in western Nebraska, everyone understands that if you lose the school, you lose the town.
But the mystery that has Ted's full attention at the moment is about that face, the face he sees in the upper window of the Andersons' house as he rides past on his paper route. The Andersons moved away two years ago, and their old farmhouse is empty, boarded up tight. At least it's supposed to be.
A shrinking school in a dying town. A face in the window of an empty house. At first these facts don't seem to be related. But Ted Hammond learns that in a very small town, there's no such thing as an isolated event. And the solution of one mystery is often the beginning of another.
Established "Dear America" author Kristiana Gregory kicks off "The Royal Diaries" with the captivating story of a young Cleopatra's life.
While her father is in hiding after attempts on his life, twelve-year-old Cleopatra records in her diary how she fears for her own safety and hopes to survive to become Queen of Egypt some day.
The Grinch, whose heart is two sizes too small, hates Who-ville's holiday celebrations, and plans to steal all the presents to prevent Christmas from coming. To his amazement, Christmas comes anyway, and the Grinch discovers the true meaning of the holiday.
