Niagara Falls, Or Does It?


Henry Winkler - 2003
     It's science project time in Ms. Adolf's class. This is good news and bad news for Hank-he loves science, but he hates the report part. So Hank turns to TV to take his mind off things. But when the program directory scrolls by too quickly for Hank to know what's on, he decides to take apart the cable box to try to slow down the crawl. Great! Now Hank has found the perfect science project! But what he wasn't counting on was his sister's pet iguana laying eighteen eggs in the disassembled cable box. How is Hank going to get out of this one? Illustrated by Carol Heyer.

The Happy Hollisters


Jerry West - 1953
    First, the moving van carrying their toys and their father's important new invention disappears. Next, they learn that their house may be haunted, with a treasure hidden somewhere inside! Right away they all set out to solve these mysteries. Each one of the Hollister children - Pete (age 12), Pam (10), Ricky (7), Holly (6) and Sue (4) - plays an important role in finding clues, along with their parents who are always ready to join in on the excitement. Even Zip, the collie, and White Nose, the cat, are part of the family, and find thrilling adventures of their own. As the Hollisters explore their new town and make friends, they discover what happened to the moving van, and learn more about the mystery surrounding their new home. Excitement abounds when a secret stairway is discovered. Then, on the trail of a mysterious intruder, their chase leads them to a deserted hut on nearby Blackberry Island. Over seventy action-packed illustrations make the story- and the Hollister family- so vivid that the reader has a feeling of really sharing in on the adventures of this lovable and interesting family.

Ivy and Bean


Annie Barrows - 2006
    But when Bean plays a joke on her sister, Nancy, and has to hide quickly, Ivy comes to the rescue, proving that sometimes the best of friends are people never meant to like each other. Vibrant characters and lots of humor make this a charming and addictive introduction to Ivy and Bean.

The Secret Zoo


Bryan Chick - 2007
    Late at night, monkeys are scaling the walls and searching the neighborhood—but what are they looking for? Noah, his sister Megan, and their best friends, Richie and Ella, live next door to the zoo. Megan is the first to notice the puzzling behavior of some of the animals. One day Megan disappears, and her brother and their friends realize it's up to them to find her. Their only choice is to follow a series of clues and sneak into the zoo. But once inside, will they discover there's much more to the Clarksville City Zoo than they could ever have guessed?

A Horse Called September


Anne Digby - 1978
    Now available as an ebook for the first time, Anne Digby's debut novel is a childhood favourite both with English-speaking readers and with readers of various editions in translation. Other Straw Hat ebook titles for lovers of classic horse stories include Anne Digby's THE QUICKSILVER HORSE and Alan Davidson's QUEEN RIDER.

Sideways Stories from Wayside School


Louis Sachar - 1978
    There was a terrible mistake - Wayside School was built with one classroom on top of another, thirty stories high (The builder said he was sorry.) Maybe that's why all kinds of funny things happened at Wayside-especially on the thirteenth floor.

The Willoughbys


Lois Lowry - 2008
       The Willoughby children—Timothy, twins Barnaby A and Barnaby B, and their sister Jane—are fond all old-fashioned things, but especially old-fashioned adventures. What they aren't fond of, however, are their parents. Truth be told, their parents aren't the fondest of them, either, and they're concocting an evil plan to get rid of their children once and for all!   Both parents and children have plenty of dastardly ideas and tricks up their sleeves. The only thing they don't have is any idea of what lies between them and a happily-ever-after.   Complete with a cheeky glossary and bibliography, this hilarious and wonderfully old-fashioned parody pays playful homage to classic works of children’s literature like Mary Poppins and A Christmas Carol.

Rescue Island


Stone Marshall - 2014
    He wakes up in a strange world and faces two huge surprises... First, his body has transformed. He is no longer a human. He is a Minecraft character! Second, he is totally alone.Will Flynn survive? How did he get in Minecraft? Can he get out? Find out! Read Flynn’s Log 1: Rescue Island, the first book in Stone Marshall's Flynn's Log series.This is a challenging, thought provoking epic adventure series! You will get in the mind of Flynn. You will adore Verve, be uncertain of Zana and wish you could help Flynn. You might even learn a few Minecraft tricks!"In short, this is a great read: ingenious set-up, exciting plot and strong characters." –A Graves

The North Pole Challenge


Kevin George - 2010
    He’s not smart or athletic, he’s shorter than kids five years younger than him and his facial features are so pointy that everyone avoids him. His foster mother constantly warns him to avoid attention, though Flea has no idea who’s after them. But Flea has recently discovered several abilities that change his life forever: snowy weather follows him wherever he goes, he stops snowballs in mid-flight and he builds anything in shop class in the matter of minutes despite his lack of training. An appearance on The Great Build-Off – a popular construction game show – leads him to a magical place he thought existed only in Christmas stories.At the North Pole, Flea feels even more like an outsider. In fact, this storybook village reminds him of every school he’d ever attended, complete with overachievers and underachievers, popular elves and outcasts, even elves who aren’t afraid to march to their own beat. But during his training to become a proper builder elf, he discovers that the North Pole has an arch-nemesis bent on invading the elfish lands and ending Christmas forever. With a war looming against the South Pole, Flea’s sudden appearance at the North Pole is no coincidence, as he questions his role in the fate of the world’s greatest holiday.“The North Pole Challenge” is not your typical Christmas story. Everyone knows about Santa Claus, his elves and the North Pole but this book provides a fresh outlook on the old familiar tales. Imagine Santa Claus as a reclusive loner, Rudolph as a narcissistic whiner, the elves as cruel party animals. And no great story would be complete without an enemy of epic proportions, another familiar Christmas name with a wicked past never before told… Until now...CHECK OUT OTHER BOOKS BY THE AUTHORFLEA'S FIVE CHRISTMASESBOOK ONE - THE NORTH POLE CHALLENGEBOOK TWO - THE RUDOLPH CHALLENGEBOOK THREE - THE JACK FROST CHALLENGEBOOK FOUR - THE FROSTIE CHALLENGE BOOK FIVE - THE SOUTH POLE CHALLENGE

Mercy Watson to the Rescue


Kate DiCamillo - 2005
    and Mrs. Watson, Mercy is not just a pig — she's a porcine wonder. And to the portly and good-natured Mercy, the Watsons are an excellent source of buttered toast, not to mention that buttery-toasty feeling she gets when she snuggles into bed with them. This is not, however, so good for the Watsons' bed. BOOM! CRACK! As the bed and its occupants slowly sink through the floor, Mercy escapes in a flash — "to alert the fire department," her owners assure themselves. But could Mercy possibly have another emergency in mind — like a sudden craving for their neighbors' sugar cookies?

NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society


Michael Buckley - 2009
    With the help of cutting-edge science, their nerdy qualities are enhanced and transformed into incredible abilities. They battle the Hyena, a former junior beauty pageant contestant turned assassin, and an array of James Bond–style villains, each with an evil plan more diabolical and more ridiculous than the last.

Molly of Mars and the Alien Syndicate


Wyatt Davenport - 2014
    Her alien sister, Pirra, and her best friend, Vicky Valentine, are always ready to assist her on her latest adventure. Molly's mother has been coming down hard on her lately and she can't figure out why. She is on her last chance or else. But when she witnesses a kidnapping and no one believes her, her unrelenting determination and undying guilt from the alien war drive her to catch the perpetrators. She grabs her trusty stun gun and she risks everything, including her family to rescue the victims and uncover a dark Martian secret.For ages 10+ (like Harry Potter) Check out www.mollyofmars.com and the all the books in the Molly of Mars series:Molly of Mars and the Alien SyndicateMolly of Mars and the Alien NebulaMolly of Mars and her Alien SisterMolly of Mars and the Alien CreaturesMolly of Mars in Pirra's World: Alien SpacegatesMolly of Mars in Pirra's World: Alien CagesMolly of Mars in Pirra's World: Alien RevoltOr try my other series, Lunara.

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key


Jack Gantos - 1998
    He can't pay attention, he can't follow the rules, and he can't help it -- especially when his meds aren't working. Joey's had problems ever since he was born, problems just like his dad and grandma have. And whether he's wreaking havoc on a class trip or swallowing his house key, Joey's problems are getting worse. In fact, his behavior is so off the wall that his teachers are threatening to send him to the special-ed center downtown.Joey knows he's really a good kid, but no matter how hard he tries to do the right thing, something always seems to go wrong. Will he ever get anything right?

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy


Jeanne Birdsall - 2005
    Best of all is Jeffrey Tifton, son of Arundel’s owner, the perfect companion for their adventures. Icy-hearted Mrs. Tifton is less pleased with the Penderwicks than Jeffrey, and warns the new friends to stay out of trouble. Is that any fun? For sure the summer will be unforgettable.

Woof


Spencer Quinn - 2015
    Bowser is a very handsome and only slightly slobbery dog, and he can smell lots of things. Like bacon. And rawhide chews! And the sweat on humans when they're lying.Birdie Gaux, the girl Bowser lives with, also knows something is wrong. It's not just that her grammy's stuffed prize marlin has been stolen. It's the weird rumor that the marlin is linked to a missing treasure. It's the truck that seems to be following Birdie and the bad feeling on the back of her neck. When Birdie and Bowser start digging into the mystery, not even Bowser's powerful sniffer can smell just how menacing the threat is. And when the danger comes straight for Birdie, Bowser knows it is up to him to sic 'em.