- Table View
- List View
Ratty
by Suzanne SelforsAn Amazon Best Book of the Month!This heartwarming tale by bestselling author Suzanne Selfors is about the unlikely friendship between a boy who is cursed to look like a rat and a girl who loathes rodents. This instant classic is perfect for fans of The One and Only Ivan, A Wolf Called Wander, and Flora & Ulysses.Ratty Barclay wasn't supposed to be born a four-foot-tall, walking, talking rodent, but thanks to the Barclay family curse, he's had to live in hiding from the rest of the world. All he wants for his thirteenth birthday is to return to his family's abandoned estate on Fairweather Island to somehow break the curse. Then he'll finally get to live his life as a four-foot-tall, walking, talking, human boy.Edweena Gup, the granddaughter of the Barclays' groundskeeper, has dedicated her life to being a Rat-Catcher Extraordinaire like her great-great-great grandmother before her. It doesn't matter that Fairweather Island has been rat-free for over a hundred years—she's determined to make sure everyone is prepared for their imminent return. And when she spots a human-sized rat lurking on the Barclay grounds, her worst fears are confirmed.Though it seems like Ratty and Edweena are destined to be enemies, they have a lot in common—they're both lonely and misunderstood. But will they be able to overcome their fears of each other and maybe even become . . . friends?
Countdown to Yesterday
by Shirley MarrRebecca Stead&’s The List of Things That Will Not Change gets a &“Space Oddity&” sci-fi twist in this moving middle grade novel about one boy&’s journey to go back in time to prevent his parents&’ divorce.The present is the last place James wants to be. Since his parents have separated, he&’s been living two different lives and neither of them add up to the great one he used to have. He thinks about his Top Six memories and wonders if he can go back. During National Science Week, James meets the enigmatic Yan, a girl who looks at the world with x-ray eyes, and discovers that time travel might be possible after all. The two budding scientists&’ quest to restore James&’s lost past brings them into contact with retro Australian Women&’s Weekly birthday cakes, old Commodore computers, chaotic rideshare vehicles of the future, and spacemen. But as they get closer to their goal, James is forced to consider that his favorite moments from his personal history may not be as perfect as he remembers them.
Perry Homer Ruins Everything
by Beth VrabelA boy and his con artist family&’s rascally ways keep them on a never-ending vacation full of rip-offs and schemes, leaving him to wonder if it&’s too late to change his fate in this funny, hijinks-filled middle grade romp.Perry Homer is bad news, just like the rest of his troublemaking family. His parents skip out on restaurant bills. Uncle Manny uses his legal training to get free stuff. Perry&’s cousins use their coding skills to scam people. On a disastrous vacation to Lindsborg, &“the nicest town in America,&” Perry&’s siblings steal their new favorite toys from local businesses and set the town&’s whimsical Swedish decorations ablaze. The Homers are worthy of the nickname the local news gives them—the Bad Family—and they&’re having a blast. Perry thinks he could be good. His favorite teacher, Miss Penelope, recommended him for a scholarship at the prestigious Ithaca School, and it&’s his chance to change things. He just has to get home from Lindsborg and show up for the interview. Still, that&’s easier said than done. After the Homers get kicked off their plane, Perry comes up with one last scheme to keep them pointed toward home. But can Perry really make it to Ithaca—or is it his fate to ruin everything?
Wat Takes His Shot: The Life & Legacy of Basketball Hero Wataru Misaka
by Cheryl KimThe stirring biography of Japanese American basketball star Wataru Misaka--the first person of color to play in the NBA!As a kid, Wataru Misaka channeled his endless energy into playing sports. Every Sunday, he raced to the park where his Japanese American community came together to play basketball. Wat wasn't the tallest on the team, but he was fast and loved the game! Encouraged by his father to always do his best, Wat applied this mentality to every aspect and challenge in his life. Wat was a college student when the US government forced more than 122,000 Japanese Americans living on the West Coast into incarceration camps during WWII. He overcame racism and segregation to join his college's basketball team but despite Wat's impressive skills, he was treated as an outsider because he was Japanese American. Wat kept his eye on the ball, and his team-player mentality made him shine on and off the court. He became an inspiration to his Japanese American community. After helping Utah University's basketball team win the national championship in 1947, Wat was drafted by the New York Knicks, making him the first person of color to play in the NBA. Wat's motivational story of rising to any challenge and bringing your best to everything you do is a reminder of the power we each have to inspire others--if we just take our shot!
The Girl Who Kept the Castle
by Ryan GraudinNevermoor meets Howl’s Moving Castle in this engaging fantasy—the first in a duology—from acclaimed author Ryan Graudin. Perfect for fans of wizards, dragons, magical castles, spectacular spells, and a spunky cat who may not be what he seems. Wizard West was dead for nearly an entire day before he noticed. And it is up to Faye, the daughter of West’s groundskeeper, to inform the wizard that he is a ghost who has lost all of his magical powers. (But not before the wizard tries transforming her into a cat!) To make matters worse, the enchanted castle of Celurdur—the only home that Faye has ever known—will fall apart at the next full moon if its foundation spells can’t be renewed.After (sort of) accepting his demise, West decides to host a competition to choose his successor. Faye finds herself fighting to keep the tournament running smoothly behind the scenes: putting out kitchen fires, feeding the compost dragon, and making sure competitors stay away from the cockatrice pen. But killer roosters soon become the least of her worries. A servant of the evil Shadow Queen has sabotaged the contest—set on destroying not just Celurdur but the entire kingdom of Solum. It is up to Faye to stop him, but she’ll need more than a mop. Will a maid’s magic be enough to save everything she loves from utter destruction?
Shipwrecked (The Islanders #3)
by Mary Alice MonroeJake, Macon, and Lovie fight to survive at sea in this third high-stakes adventure in the middle grade, New York Times bestselling The Islanders series by Mary Alice Monroe!Jake Potter&’s biggest dream finally comes true: he gets his very own boat! And it&’s just in time for another summer of fun on Dewees Island with his best friends, Macon and Lovie. But on their very first fishing trip, the engine dies, and the three friends find themselves adrift at sea. When a storm carries them to a small, uninhabited island far from Dewees, the kids must use every ounce of their strength, courage, and knowledge to survive as they wait for rescue. Will their friendship survive the ultimate test?
Breaking into Sunlight
by John CochranThis powerful and compassionate book follows a family&’s journey through the turbulence of parental addiction—and the moments of connection and healing that break through the dark days. Reese is a seventh-grader in rural North Carolina who loves drawing, basketball, his hardworking mom, and his charming, charismatic dad. But then one day, he comes home to his worst nightmare – his dad on the floor, lips turning blue, overdosed. Again. Reese calls 911 and gets his dad out of danger, and he expects to go on as before. But for his mom, this is the breaking point, and she declares that she and Reese are leaving until Reese&’s dad gets real help with his addiction. They move to a rundown trailer outside of town, where Reese is furious with his mom, scared for his dad, and terrified his friends will find out. Then he meets Meg and Charlie, who have likewise been stranded by circumstances beyond their control. As the trio explores the blackwater river that runs nearby, Reese discovers new beauty and joy in nature and these fresh connections. His dad is also doing better, holding things together, and talking to his mom again. But how long can the good times last? And what will Reese do if — when — they end? In the United States today, an estimated one in eight kids live with a parent with a substance-abuse problem. Written with bracing honesty, deep sympathy, and tenderness for all its characters, Breaking into Sunlight offers readers a powerful affirmation that no one is alone.
The Last Apple Tree
by Claudia MillsWhen feuding neighbors Sonnet and Zeke are paired up for a class project, they unearth a secret that could uproot Sonnet&’s family—or allow it to finally heal and grow.Twelve-year-old Sonnet&’s family has just moved across the country to live with her grandfather after her nana dies. Gramps&’s once-impressive apple orchard has been razed for a housing development, with only one heirloom tree left. Sonnet doesn&’t want to think about how Gramps and his tree are both growing old—she just wants everything to be okay.Sonnet is not okay with her neighbor, Zeke, a boy her age who gets on her bad side and stays there when he tries to choose her grandpa to interview for an oral history assignment. Zeke irks Sonnet with his prying questions, bringing out the sad side of Gramps she&’d rather not see. Meanwhile, Sonnet joins the Green Club at school and without talking to Zeke about it, she asks his activist father to speak at the Arbor Day assembly—a collision of worlds that Zeke wanted more than anything to avoid. But when the interviews uncover a buried tragedy that concerns Sonnet's mother, and an emergency forces Sonnet and Zeke to cooperate again, Sonnet learns not just to accept Zeke as he is, but also that sometimes forgetting isn't the solution—even when remembering seems harder.Award-winning author Claudia Mills brings enormous compassion and depth to this novel of unlikely friendship and generational memory.A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
Super Slugger (Cal Ripken Jr.'s All Stars #2)
by Cal Ripken Jr.Cody Parker is the new kid in school. He's overweight, scared and hates his new life in Dullsville, Maryland, aka Baltimore, where he's a target okay, a big target for brutal teasing. But he loves baseball. And despite his size, he plays third base like a dream. Too bad he's competing for the starting job on the Orioles of the Dulaney Babe Ruth League against budding hoodlum Dante Rizzo, who vows to squeeze Cody's head like a grape if he beats him out. Life gets even more complicated when Cody's school, York Middle, is beset by a rash of mysterious thefts, a crime wave that threatens to sideline Cody and ruin a golden season for the Orioles. Will Cody ever succeed in getting people to see him for who he really is?
Juneberry Blue
by Candice RansomTaking inspiration from Sleeping Beauty and charming small towns, this contemporary magical realism novel includes a mistaken destiny, a dying town, and a determined ghost cat.Eleven-year-old Andie Jennings, of Morning Glory, Virginia (population: 8), is set to inherit her family's magic on Midsummer's Eve. And Andie plans to use it to bring her dad home for good from his long-haul trucking job. Except her gift doesn&’t come.But when a see-through cat starts following her, Andie realizes she didn't fail to get her magic at all. Her gift just isn&’t what anyone expected. Turns out, her new ability to communicate with the ghosts she can suddenly see may be the very thing that Morning Glory—and her own family—needs.Inspired by storytelling and tales passed down through generations, Juneberry Blue celebrates the importance of listening to stories--and the people who tell them.
Anatomy of Lost Things
by Shawn K. StoutA laugh-through-your-tears middle grade novel about what it&’s like to lose something precious. For fans of the Three Rancheros series by Kate DiCamillo.A necklace. A bugle. A lion statue. What do they have to do with each other? Absolutely nothing unless you&’re Tildy, Leon, or Nell. These items matter an awful lot to them. Not because of what they are, but what—and who—they represent.Anatomy of Lost Things shares the crisscrossing stories of Tildy, Leon, and Nell, of the impossible losses they&’ve each recently faced, and the unexpected histories of their prized objects. Written with heartbreaking honesty and humor, this novel unfolds in the tender space that exists between staggering loss and the start of recovery, and it finds plenty of hope and laughter waiting there.
Spellbinders: Break the Game (Spellbinders #2)
by Andrew AuseonIt takes more than magic to make a hero, in the next installment of this hilarious and epic illustrated series. One not-so-chosen champion and his mystical friends must cross the multiverse and harness a dangerous power to defeat a mysterious new enemy."My favorite new fantasy series.&”—Max Brallier, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Last Kids on Earth seriesAfter leveling up from basement roleplaying games to saving an entire magical realm, 12-year-old Ben isn&’t happy returning to his ordinary life of homework and chores. So when his very un-magical LARP session is crashed by monstrous frog-men from another dimension, he can't wait to get back into hero mode.Someone is after all the Spellbinder&’s books, which grant the users — including Ben — epic reality-shifting powers. Ben, Niara, Merv, Drake, and their new friend Agnes must embark on an epic quest to save the books and their owners. But while hopping across different realms may be Ben&’s idea of a totally awesome spring break, it&’s tough to be an ordinary kid among extraordinary heroes. Especially when fighting for the fate of the universe seems to consist mostly of finding fun new ways to get them all killed, from zombie rats to pool noodle squids, to a mysterious Big Bad controlling everything from behind the scenes. How do you win the game when someone else is rolling the dice?
Structured Literacy Interventions: Teaching Students with Reading Difficulties, Grades K-6 (The Guilford Series on Intensive Instruction)
by Louise Spear-SwerlingComprehensive and evidence-based, Structured Literacy (SL) approaches place a high value on explicit, systematic, and sequential instruction. This book brings together leading experts to present a wealth of SL interventions for different components of literacy. Chapters describe instructional strategies for supporting phonological awareness, basic and multisyllabic word decoding, spelling, reading fluency, vocabulary, oral and reading comprehension, and written expression, especially for at-risk readers and those with disabilities. Including case studies, sample intervention activities, lesson plans, and end-of-chapter application activities, the book contains reproducible tools that can be downloaded and printed in a convenient 8½&“ x 11&” size. An NCTQ Exemplary Text for Reading Instruction See also Louise Spear-Swerling's authored volume, The Structured Literacy Planner: Designing Interventions for Common Reading Difficulties, Grades 1–9, which provides blueprints for tailoring interventions based on a learner's reading profile.
Adolescent Literacies: A Handbook of Practice-Based Research
by Kathleen A. Hinchman and Deborah A. ApplemanShowcasing cutting-edge findings on adolescent literacy teaching and learning, this unique handbook is grounded in the realities of students' daily lives. It highlights research methods and instructional approaches that capitalize on adolescents' interests, knowledge, and new literacies. Attention is given to how race, gender, language, and other dimensions of identity--along with curriculum and teaching methods--shape youths' literacy development and engagement. The volume explores innovative ways that educators are using a variety of multimodal texts, from textbooks to graphic novels and digital productions. It reviews a range of pedagogical approaches; key topics include collaborative inquiry, argumentation, close reading, and composition.
The Great Bear: The Misewa Saga, Book Two (The Misewa Saga #2)
by David A. RobertsonIn this second book in the Narnia-inspired Indigenous middle-grade fantasy series, Eli and Morgan journey once more to Misewa, travelling back in time.Back at home after their first adventure in the Barren Grounds, Eli and Morgan each struggle with personal issues: Eli is being bullied at school, and tries to hide it from Morgan, while Morgan has to make an important decision about her birth mother. They turn to the place where they know they can learn the most, and make the journey to Misewa to visit their animal friends. This time they travel back in time and meet a young fisher that might just be their lost friend. But they discover that the village is once again in peril, and they must dig deep within themselves to find the strength to protect their beloved friends. Can they carry this strength back home to face their own challenges?
State of the Union: A Fina Mendoza Mystery (The Fina Mendoza Mysteries #2)
by Kitty Felde"A lively, diverse mystery with enjoyable, informative plotting and a relatable young female protagonist." – KIRKUS REVIEWS Fina Mendoza, the 10-year-old daughter of a congressman, solves mysteries inside the U.S. Capitol with help from a big orange dog named Senator Something. Fina's latest case: find the mysterious bird that pooped on the president's head during the State of the Union address. Is it Chickcharney, the legendary bird from the Caribbean? Did it fly to Washington D.C. with a secret message for the president? Or Congress? Or is the message for Fina from her mom who passed away not so many months ago? As Fina searches for clues, readers get a glimpse behind the scenes of American democracy, including a Congressional battle over immigration reform. There's another battle in her multigenerational home when Fina's grandmother Abuelita is nearly arrested at an immigration protest. Can Fina find Chickcharney and discover its secret message? The Fina Mendoza Mysteries, enhanced by supplemental materials and curriculum, provide a multidisciplinary introduction to civics education for elementary school readers. "The West Wing" meets Nancy Drew.
The Horrible Bag of Terrible Things #1 (The Horrible Bag Series #1)
by Rob RenzettiFrom the creator of My Life As a Teenage Robot comes a middle-grade horror story about a horrible bag, the spine-chilling world hidden within it, and a terrifying adventure into the world of GrahBhag.Perfect for fans of Coraline, the Spiderwick Chronicles, and Small Spaces.When Zenith finds a strange, unsettling bag at his front door, he's not sure where it came from or who sent it to him. He knows better than to expect his overprotective older sister Apogee to help him figure it out, because ever since she became a teenager, she's been acting more like a parent to him than a sibling. But he certainly did not expect for a horrifying spiderlike creature to emerge from the bag, kidnap Apogee, and drag her inside to the equally horrifying and unsettling world of GrahBhag. Zenith sets off into the bag to bring her back but soon finds a bizarre realm where malicious forests, a trio of blood-drinking mouths, and a sentient sawdust-stuffed giant are lurking within the seams. And from every corner of the world come whispers of the Great Wurm, an eldritch horror with a godlike hold over the creatures of GrahBhag, who seems to have a dark, insidious purpose for Apogee. With the help of a greedy, earwax-nibbling gargoyle, Zenith will have to save Apogee from the Great Wurm and help them both escape the horrible bag before it's too late. With a combination of dry, absurdist humor and no-holds-barred horror, Rob Renzetti has crafted a delightfully imaginative fantasy world that will hook readers as surely as it will send chills down their spines.
Conservation Canines: How Dogs Work for the Environment (Orca Wild #7)
by Isabelle GrocKey Selling Points The book examines how dogs are chosen and trained for conservation work and details the kind of work they do all over the world, in Africa, Italy, Portugal, France, Australia, Haida Gwaii and the United States. The author is a highly respected photojournalist, filmmaker and the author of Gone is Gone: Wildlife Under Threat and Sea Otters: A Survival Story, which are also part of the Orca Wild series. Isabelle Groc's stunning photos of working dogs give the book a hands-on feel. For fans of the TV show Dogs With Jobs—but for the environment! Includes a foreword by award-winning actor, director, producer and author Anjelica Huston.
Haunted Hospital (Orca Currents)
by Marty ChanIs this place actually haunted by ghosts? Or something even more terrifying? Xander thinks the George Wickerman Hospital would be the perfect setting for Spirits and Specters, a role-playing game where players go on “missions” to find evidence of paranormal activities. According to local legend, tuberculosis patients were used as test subjects in medical experiments that ended tragically, and their disfigured ghosts walk the hallways of this now-abandoned building. What better location to go ghost hunting? Even though they didn’t really believe the rumors, Xander and his friends soon begin to suspect that they are not alone. This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! Orca Book Publishers is pleased to offer Haunted Hospital in two accessible editions. The audiobook features alternate text descriptions of images, including the cover. The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.
Three Good Things (Orca Currents)
by Lois PetersonLeni has lived in so many different places in the last few years that she’s not surprised when her mom wakes her in the middle of the night and tells her to pack up her things. The reason for this move? Her mom tells her they have won the lottery, and they have to go underground. Leni is still not surprised when they end up in a filthy motel. But when Leni makes a new friend and tries to explain their lifestyle, she begins to understand just how messed up her life has become. This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.
Fish Out of Water (Orca Currents)
by Joanne LevyTwelve-year-old Fishel (Fish) Rosner doesn’t like regular “boy” things. He hates sports and would prefer to read or do crafts instead of climbing trees or riding dirt bikes with his friends. He also loves to dance. But all his interests are considered “girly.” Fish doesn’t get why that’s a bad thing. He’s just interested in different things than other boys. When he asks his Bubby to teach him to knit, she tells him to go play outside. When he begs his mom to take him to Zumba, she enrolls him in water polo instead. Why does everyone else get to decide what Fish should or shouldn't do? This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.
The Wherewood (Orca Currents)
by Gabrielle PrendergastFourteen-year-old Blue (a human) should be upset that his new friends Salix (a Nixie) and Finola (a Faerie) have tricked him into going on another adventure into the Faerieland. But he's actually quite excited. Especially since their quest to find the way back to Salix's homeland takes them through the Wherewood, a magical region where lost things go. They encounter confused pets, misplaced homework assignments and mountains of odd socks. But when a misstep leads Blue into the forsaken Witherwood, he comes face to face with an old enemy. And Olea, the cursed former queen of Nearwood, will not let Blue go so easily this time. This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! This is the second book in the Faerie Woods series, following The Crosswood.
Shatterproof (Orca Currents)
by Jocelyn ShipleyThirteen-year-old Nate needs a break from looking after his newly disabled mom. One day when Nate's mom thinks he's at a cross-country meet, he goes to the mall with a friend he's forbidden to have contact with. At the skate shop he sees a new board he can't afford but has to have, and Nate gets talked into running a scam. It turns out Nate looks a lot like a teen TV star filming in the area. So he and his buddy get girls to pay cash to be extras on set. It's all fine until Nate meets a girl he really likes. Nate knows he has to tell her the truth, but he's not sure he has what it takes to come clean. This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.
Skate Freak: (skate Freak) (Orca Currents)
by Lesley ChoyceDorf is all about skateboarding and so far that's worked out fine. But now that he's in a new city, the terrain has changed. He's no longer free to skateboard where he wishes, school is more difficult, and his passion for skateboarding garners him the nickname and reputation of a freak. With daring stunts he gains the grudging respect of local troublemakers, but he needs to tap into another kind of courage to effect real change. This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible. Also available in French.
Jelly Roll (Orca Currents)
by Mere JoyceWhen Jenny and Austin end up at a March Break leadership camp together, Jenny thinks her week will be miserable. At school, Jenny Royce is bullied by Grade A Jerk Austin Parks. And now, not only is her tormentor spending March Break at the same retreat, she and Austin are grouped together for the camp’s main assignment! They have to run a stall at a local farmer’s market. The market could be a lot of fun. But when Jenny learns that Austin wants their group’s project to fail, she has to decide if she can risk standing up to him. This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.