Special Collections
Browse by Lexile: 500L - 590L
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Heidi Heckelbeck and the Tie-Dyed Bunny
by Wanda CovenHeidi brings home the class bunny over Easter weekend—and finds herself in a magical, colorful mess!Easter is just a few days away and Heidi Heckelbeck can’t wait! The holiday weekend is even more special because it’s Heidi’s turn to take home Maggie, the school’s bunny. But when Heidi takes Maggie out of her cage, trouble follows. Maggie escapes from Heidi’s arms and runs through all of the Easter egg dye! Will Heidi figure out how to un-tie-dye the colorful bunny before she has to take her back to school?With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, the Heidi Heckelbeck chapter books are perfect for beginning readers.
The Pet War
by Allan WoodrowTHE PET WAR is a hilarious story about the timeless battles of dog vs. cat, brother vs. sister, know-it-all vs. know-nothing. Eleven-year-old Otto wants a dog. His twelve-year-old perfect sister, Lexi, wants a cat. Their mother, who works very long hours as a nurse, wants neither. Pets are expensive so who's going to pay for everything? And what happens to the pet when the siblings are at their dad's for the weekend? Otto has an idea. What if he got a job and earned enough money to pay for the dog? Then Lexi has to open her big mouth. She proposes that whichever sibling can raise enough money first will decide which pet they get. Oddly enough, their mom and dad agree. With Otto and Lexi each out to defeat the other, their business plans become more elaborate and involved. As the competition gets fiercer, the stakes get higher, and the battle lines have been drawn, so let the Pet War begin. . . .
Dance Off
by Macky Pamintuan and Carolyn KeeneDance fever has hit River Heights!
Kids Can Dance, the famous reality tv show, is holding auditions at River Heights Elementary. Nancy and her friends are eager to try out, and meet the famous host, Bryce Brown.
But when something goes wrong with every dancer's equipment, music, or routine, could someone be trying to ruin the River Heights try-outs? Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew are on the case!
Princess Mix-up Mystery
by Carolyn Keene and Macky PamintuanNancy, Bess, and George have won the contest of a lifetime - a day of royal treatments at Prissy Princess Parlor! They couldn't be more thrilled.
But some of their classmates are jealous, and the owner of the local yoga studio, located above the parlor, thinks the new salon will disrupt his calm atmosphere.
When their makeovers are sabotaged, who is to blame? With so many potential suspects, the Clue Crew has their work cut out for them. It's time to put down the hair spray and crack this case!
Unicorn Uproar
by Macky Pamintuan and Carolyn KeeneThe Great Unicorn Caper!
Sparkle the unicorn has gone missing from the town's medieval festival. Did third-grade diva Destiny Delgado or the mischievous Toby Leo steal Sparkle?
Or did the wand Nancy bought from the fortune-teller make Sparkle disappear?
Once again it's up to Nancy, Bess, and George to look for clues and find the culprit. Follow the Clue Crew as they solve this magical mystery!
The Halloween Hoax
by Carolyn Keene and Macky PamintuanBoo! The Clue Crew is in for a fright!
It's Halloween in River Heights! The girls can't wait to go trick-or- treating and are busy getting their costumes ready. They also can't wait for the Halloween special of their favorite TV show. They even get the chance to visit the TV studio while the show is being taped!
But soon after they arrive, Nancy is spooked. With all the scary noises the Clue Crew keeps hearing and the creepy shadows that seem to be lurking, it seems like the studio is haunted! Is it just Halloween jitters...or are there really such things as ghosts?
Lights, Camera ... Cats!
by Carolyn Keene and Macky PamintuanThe Clue Crew is seeing stars! Look out -- the Clue Crew is headed to Hollywood! Carson Drew's client invited him to the set of a new movie -- starring the most famous cat in Hollywood, Fluffington!
The girls are thrilled when Mr. Drew asks them to come along. They get their first taste of a real movie set and are even cast as extras in the film. Plus they get to pet Fluffington as much as they want. But then Fluffington vanishes.
When no one can find the famous feline, the Clue Crew springs into action -- because a movie is not a movie without its star!
Horrible Harry and the Triple Revenge
by Suzy KlineHorrible Harry has caused a lot of trouble at school, but this time, he?s taken it to a new level. When Sid ruins an origami insect Song Lee made, Harry defends her?by targeting Sid for some serious revenge. No one knows when, where, or how, but Harry is determined to get back at Sid! Will it be on Pajama Day, when the kids wear their PJs to school? Will it happen in Room 3B? Or will Harry?s horrible plan mean Sid is the only one not invited to Harry?s ninth birthday party? .
Horrible Harry and the Ant Invasion
by Suzy KlineIt's a busy time in Room 2B. An ant observation project is beginning, Miss Mackle is teaching square dancing, and class pictures are being taken. Then one of the fish from the 2B fish tank goes belly-up! Is Harry to blame? .
I Survived Hurricane Katrina, 2005
by Lauren Tarshis and Scott DawsonThe horror of Hurricane Katrina is brought vividly to life in this fictional account of a boy, a dog, and the storm of the century.
Barry's family tries to evacuate before Hurricane Katrina hits their home in New Orleans. But when Barry's little sister gets terribly sick, they're forced to stay home and wait out the storm.
At first, Katrina doesn't seem to be as bad as predicted. But overnight the levees break, and Barry's world is literally torn apart. He's swept away by the floodwaters, away from his family. Can he survive the storm of the century -- alone?
I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912
by Lauren TarshisThe most terrifying events in history are brought vividly to life in this new fictional series! In book 1, ten-year-old George is trapped on the Titanic -- how will he survive?
Ten-year-old George Calder can't believe his luck -- he and his little sister, Phoebe, are on the famous Titanic, crossing the ocean with their Aunt Daisy. The ship is full of exciting places to explore, but when George ventures into the first class storage cabin, a terrible boom shakes the entire boat. Suddenly, water is everywhere, and George's life changes forever.
Lauren Tarshis brings history's most exciting and terrifying events to life in this new fictional series. Readers will be transported by stories of amazing kids and how they survived!
The Littles
by John PetersonThe adventures of a tiny family who live within the walls of the Bigg's house. Here's the tiny family that always ends up in king-sized trouble, the Littles have adventures galore in the land of the Biggs.
The Viper's Nest
by Peter LerangisThe most dangerous secret in Amy and Dan's past is unveiled in Book 7 of the #1 New York Times bestselling series. It's no longer a game. The body count is rising. Shaken by recent events, Amy and Dan flee to an exotic land and trace the footsteps of their most formidable ancestor yet: a military leader of mythic proportions. Yet just as the siblings begin to master the art of ancient warfare, they confront a dangerous enemy that can't be felled with a sword: the truth. With the stakes higher than ever, Amy and Dan uncover a devastating secret that changes everything
Mysteries According to Humphrey
by Betty G. BirneyMrs. Brisbane is missing! She just didn't show up in Room 26 one morning and no one told Humphrey why.
The class has a substitute teacher, called Mr. E., but he's no Mrs. Brisbane.
Humphrey has just learned about Sherlock Holmes, so he vows to be just as SMART-SMART-SMART about collecting clues and following leads to solve the mystery of Mrs. Brisbane (and a few others along the way).
Nominated for twenty-four state awards and the winner of seven, the Humphrey series is a hit across the country.
Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great
by Judy BlumeSheila Tubman sometimes wonders who she really is: the outgoing, witty, and capable Sheila the Great, or the secret Sheila, who's afraid of the dark, spiders, swimming, and dogs.When her family spends the summer in Tarrytown, Sheila has to face some of her worst fears. Not only does a dog come with the rented house, but her parents expect Sheila to take swimming lessons! Sheila does her best to pretend she's an expert at everything, but she knows she isn't fooling her new best friend, Mouse Ellis, who happens to be a crackerjack swimmer and a dog lover.What will it take for Sheila to admit to the Tarrytown kids -- and to herself -- that she's only human?
Ms. Hannah Is Bananas!
by Dan Gutman and Jim PaillotMs. Hannah wears dresses made out of potholders and collects garbage instead of throwing it out. Plus she's making A.J. be partners with smelly Andrea. This is the worst art class ever!
Commander Toad and the Intergalactic Spy
by Jane YolenCommander Toad and the crew of Star Warts are asked to rout out Tip Toad, Space Fleet's greatest and most elusive spy.
The War that Saved My Life
by Kimberly Brubaker BradleyAn exceptionally moving story of triumph against all odds set during World War 2, from the acclaimed author of Jefferson's Sons and for fans of Number the Stars. Nine-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada's twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn't waste a minute--she sneaks out to join him. So begins a new adventure of Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan--and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother? This masterful work of historical fiction is equal parts adventure and a moving tale of family and identity--a classic in the making.
Winner of the Newbery Medal
Winner of the Schneider Family Book Award
Nominee for the 2018 Young Reader's Choice Award (Pacific Northwest Library Association)
The Colossus Rises
by Peter LerangisPercy Jackson meets Indiana Jones in master storyteller and 39 Clues author Peter Lerangis’s epic Seven Wonders series.
The Colossus Rises is the first installment of the bestselling five-book series chronicling the story of Jack McKinley, an ordinary kid with an extraordinary problem. In a few months, he’s going to die—unless he finds seven magic Loculi that have been hidden in the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Young readers will learn all about the history and mysteries of the ancient world while savoring this unputdownable story from first page to last.
Heidi Heckelbeck Has a Secret
by Wanda Coven and Priscilla BurrisIntroducing Heidi Heckelbeck--a brand-new young chapter-book series with witchy whimsy!Now readers between the ages of five and seven can read chapter books tailor-made for a younger level of reading comprehension. Heavily illustrated with large type, Little Simon's young chapter books let young readers feel like they are reading a "grown-up" format with subject, text, and illustrations geared specifically for their own age groups!Heidi Heckelbeck seems like any other eight-year-old, but she has a secret: She's a witch in disguise. Careful to keep her powers hidden (but excited to use them all the same), Heidi's learning to live like any other kid--who just happens to be witch. And with easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, Heidi Heckelbeck chapter books are perfect for beginning readers.Heidi and her brother Henry have always been homeschooled--until now. But Heidi is not happy about attending Brewster Elementary, especially not when meanie Melanie Maplethorpe turns Heidi's first day of school into a nightmare by announcing that Heidi is smelly and ruining her art project. Heidi feels horrible and never wants to go back to school--but while sulking in her room at home, she remembers her special medallion and Book of Spells. With a little bit of carefully concealed magic, Heidi might be able to give Melanie a taste of her own medicine....
The Fighting Ground
by AviApril 3, 1778
He may be just thirteen, but Jonathan knows he's ready to go to the war against the British. He can handle a gun. He yearns to battle for glory, just like his brother and cousin.So when Jonathan hears the tavern bell toll, calling men to fight, he runs to join them. He doesn't realize that in just twenty-four hours, his life will be forever altered -- by the war, by his fellow soldiers, and by the terrible choices he must make.
Winner of the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction
The Circus Scare
by Carolyn Keene and Macky PamintuanCome one, come all! The circus is coming to River Heights! The flyers claim this circus will be the biggest and best show around, with the funniest clowns, the cutest animals, and the most daring acrobats.
Nancy and the Clue Crew can't wait to see it! But when the performers are forced to go on without some very important props, Nancy begins to wonder, Is someone clowning around with this circus? She's not sure, but one thing is certain -- what Nancy and the Clue Crew discover proves that the circus really is the greatest show on Earth!
Horrible Harry and the Hallway Bully
by Amy Wummer and Suzy KlineNearly every kid in Room 3B is trying to get picked for the South School Safety Patrol Squad--especially Harry. Harry wants a star badge just like his grandpa's, so he works extra hard to be the perfect student: hanging up his jacket neatly, organizing the crayons in rainbow order, and--his favorite part--cleaning up sticky noodles off the floor after lunch. But Doug thinks someone is taking the power of Safety Patrol too far, maybe even using it to cheat at the Spring Book Fair Raffle! This is Harry's chance to stop the horrible bully and prove that he deserves a special star. Can he do it?
Horrible Harry on the Ropes
by Suzy KlineNormally, Harry loves gym class, and is better than the rest of Room 3B at just about every activity. But he's dreading the newest challenge-the climbing rope-especially since Sid is great at it. At first, Harry isn't even willing to try out the rope. But when a special valentine that Song Lee makes for him goes missing, Harry has to conquer his fears to prove who took it. Will he be able to climb up the rope? Or will his Valentine's Day end horribly?
Horrible Harry and the Drop of Doom
by Suzy KlineIt's the last day of second grade for the kids in Room 2B! Everyone's excited about Song Lee's end-of-the-year party at Mountainside Park. Harry can't wait for the scary rides, so when Sidney dares him to go on the newest one he quickly accepts. But then he realizes that this ride has the one and only horrible thing he hates. Will Sidney show everyone Harry's a yellow canary? And will Harry have to live through third grade at Sid's mercy? As always, Harry's appeal is that he's both gross and vulnerable.