And he needs Rex's help . . . A madcap robbery, plenty of sheep and a summer of discoveries come together in this hilarious and moving novel, perfect for fans of Frank Cottrell Boyce, Ross Welford and David Walliams. Praise for David O'Doherty's Danger is Everywhere series:'I dislocated my jaw laughing' Eoin Colfer'Imagine the Mighty Boosh crashed into the Wimpy Kid' The Times'Brilliantly funny' Gransnet

    And he thought to himself that it was probably a very good thing that gorillas didn't know how to cry.Raised in a laboratory, Ortega might seem nearly human to his scientist-caregivers, but to the children at his new school, a talking gorilla is nothing but a freak. Unless he wants to spend the rest of his life locked in a cage, however, Ortega is going to have to change people's minds. More than a comic-adventure novel, Ortega asks the reader to reflect upon the limits of science, imagine how it feels to be profoundly different from those around you and, most of all, consider what it really means to be human.

    A girl shares many experiences with her grandmother over the years, and many times the old woman gives her a small gift to help her remember.

    Drawing on Michael Morpurgo’s own childhood experience of first seeing his real father on television, My Father Is a Polar Bear tells the story of two young brothers rediscovering their birth father in the most unlikely of places – and in an entirely unexpected guise! A warm and delightful tale of family bonds and love told by a master storyteller and beautifully illustrated by a talented new artist.

    With acrobatic catches, clutch hits, dramatic whiffs, and costly errors, this game is full of action. But as the book unfolds, pitch by pitch, a deeper story emerges, with far more at stake: Sam and Mike, best friends, are trying to come to terms with Sam's newly diagnosed cancer. And this baseball diamond becomes the ultimate testing ground of Sam and Mike's remarkable friendship as they strive to find a way to both come out winners.This is for the championship.This is for life."Six Innings" is a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

    Howard, author of Pugs and Kisses and Pugs in a Blanket, delivers more puppy love and friendship mix-ups.Emma's pug, Cupid, has a hidden talent: He is a master at matchmaking! Her pet seems to have a nose for spotting which two people belong together.With the big school dance coming up, Emma decides to use Cupid's powers to find her best friend, Hallie, a date. But as Emma tries to navigate crushes and secrets, she finds that things are a lot more complicated than they seem. And what if Cupid also has a surprising match in mind . . . for Emma herself?

    Friendship fumble!  Ant (short for Samantha) loves playing sporty games with her friends at lunchtime.  But when one of the boys decides she’s too slow to play, Ant feels completely left out.  Can she come up with a plan to turn things around?  Or is Ant doomed to spend a lifetime of lunchtimes alone on the playground?   Over 600,000 GO GIRL! copies in print in Australia!

    But for Elvin Bishop--fourteen, overweight, and a self-proclaimed non-athlete--the summer "retreat" is more like the twenty-one trials of hell. As everyone around him slips smoothly into a slot in his chosen sport, Elvin is pounded on the football field, slammed on the baseball diamond, and tortured on the wrestling mat. An he still can't find a slot.But when his three weeks of torment come to an end, Elvin realizes that he's learned a thing or two. Like the value of a true friend. And the fact that everyone pays their dues sooner or later--even the guys on top.From the acclaimed author of "Shadow Boxer" and "Iceman, " here is a raw, darkly funny story about growing up and finding a place in the world.

    It includes character studies and summaries of the plot with discussions of the major themes, as well as a background to John Steinbeck.

    After months of preparation, they are almost ready for the performance of their lives. Well drilled in their lifts and spins, the two skate like a dream together. But a training accident puts Patric out of action. Laura's dreams are shattered --unless she can find a new partner at the last minute. Laura has seen a boy at the rink with natural talent but no training. Can Scott turn into the perfect partner in just two weeks?

    My best friend had turned pretty.2. She didn't know it yet.3. It wouldn't be long before she did.4. That knowledge would change everything between us.5. And there wasn't a thing I could do about it.It's the first day of seventh grade. Is Jessica Darling doomed for dorkdom?New York Times bestselling author Megan McCafferty's hilarious series opener will have you laughing, cringing, and cheering for Jessica Darling as she learns that being herself beats being popular, pretty & perfect any day.

    Now in his fifth year in the pros with the Philadelphia Sentinels, Nick spends most of his time on the sidelines. He no longer makes winning plays, and when the team visits a hospital, the sick kids would rather talk to the players they've actually heard of. But Nick is unexpectedly thrust back into the spotlight when he witnesses the murder of the new all-star draft pick on the eve of the team's summer minicamp.Nick has no plans to get involved. Despite the murder, his focus is squarely on an uppity rookie player eyeing his roster spot. But after a second attack hits closer to home and the police go after the wrong man, Nick finds himself driven by the chance to be a hero again.In Hangman's Game, Syken offers a seasoned sportswriter's take on the contemporary culture of football and the will to play on despite the game's toll on the body and mind.

    But someone really wants Eddie to shoot an air ball on the big day, and will do anything to sabotage the million dollar shot.

    But his mom won’t reveal anything else. When a team with Cuban players comes into town, Felix wonders if they knew his dad, and sneaks into their locker room to ask. That’s when the players mistake him for their new batboy.To uncover his father’s story, Felix runs away from home to become the team’s batboy. His bittersweet adventure glows with the friendship of a miraculous dog, the warmth of a mother’s love, and the magic of baseball.

    Her beloved grandfather, a traditional Lakota healer, pulls her out of class one snowy morning and takes her on an old-fashioned vision quest in the heart of New York City in hopes of finding the perfect Lakota medicine. It becomes the most magical day ever for eleven-year-old Feather Anderson, the day she saves her little brother’s life. Feather follows in her grandfather’s footsteps of healing as a medicine man and she then earns her newly-given secret Lakota name.