Book picks similar to
Comeback Kids by Mike Lupica


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The Super Duper Princess Heroes: How It All Started


Sanjay Nambiar - 2013
    Placing the tiaras upon their heads, they transform from regular girls into Super Duper Princess Heroes! Their new powers, however, come with strings attached: to keep the magic going, the girls need to help others, work together as a team, and always be humble about their abilities. Can these awesome girls rise to the challenge and help save the world? Through fun and adventure, the story of the Super Duper Princess Heroes conveys positive messages to young girls about independence, strength, teamwork, and responsibility, demonstrating how some princesses might have higher aspirations than wearing fancy gowns and glittering jewelry.

A Stick Is an Excellent Thing: Poems Celebrating Outdoor Play


Marilyn Singer - 2012
     The trappings of childhood change from generation to generation, but there are some timeless activities that every kid loves. Marilyn Singer and LeUyen Pham celebrate these universal types of play, from organized games such as hide-and-seek and hopscotch to imaginative play such as making mud soup or turning a stick into a magic wand. Lyrical poems and bold illustrations capture the energy of a group of children in one neighborhood as they amuse themselves over the course of a summer day. At a time when childhood obesity rates are soaring and money is tight for many families, here is a book that invites readers to join in the fun of active play with games that cost nothing.

First Week, Worst Week


Raymond Bean - 2011
    The books are written with you in mind. They're fast paced, have quick chapters (we promise), and are shorter than the average book (you're welcome).Book # 1, First Week, Worst Week is a quick and fun read. Give it a try. It will be over before you know it.Justin is not a fan of school. The last few days of summer are quickly vanishing. His mom is in full blown back to school mode, and he can't do anything to stop it. Over the final forty eight hours of summer he's been dragged shoe shopping, clothes shopping, and the worst store shopping of all, school supply shopping.The first three days of school only get worse when he loses his pet snake, all the money in his savings account, and nearly his own life.Oh, and he has the meanest teacher in the whole school, Mrs. Cliff. She's been around so long she taught his dad when he was a kid. The thought of spending a whole school year in her class makes him want to hop the first bus to Canada. Unfortunately, he can't afford a bus ticket to Canada, so he'll just have to suck it up.

The Raft


S.A. Bodeen - 2012
    She's taken the flight from Honolulu to the Midway Atoll, a group of Pacific islands where her parents live, many times. When she has to get to Midway in a hurry after a visit with her aunt in Hawaii, she gets on the next cargo flight at the last minute. She knows the pilot, but on this flight, there's a new co-pilot named Max. All systems are go until a storm hits during the flight. The only passenger, Robie doesn't panic until the engine suddenly cuts out and Max shouts at her to put on a life jacket and she sees him struggle with a raft.And then...she's in the water. Fighting for her life. Max pulls her onto the raft, and that's when the real terror begins. They have no water. Their only food is a bag of Skittles. There are sharks. There is an island. But there's no sign of help on the way.

The Secret Kingdom


Jenny Nimmo - 2011
    At his birth, a forest jinni bestows magical gifts upon him: a cloak made by the last moon spider and a potion called Alixir. When the peaceful land is attacked, Timoken and his sister, Zobayda, must find a new kingdom to call home. Together, with only the magical gifts and a talking camel, the siblings set off.In this brand-new series, bestselling author Jenny Nimmo takes readers on an extraordinary quest with one of her most powerful and mysterious characters, the one who started it all for Charlie Bone and the children of the Red King.

Frankie vs the Pirate Pillagers


Frank Lampard - 2013
    

Finding Buck McHenry


Alfred Slote - 1991
    Seeking solace at the baseball-card shop, he makes a startling hypothesis: 'Buck McHenry,' star pitcher [of the Negro Leagues], could be school custodian Mack Henry. Mr. Henry's identity, in doubt through much of the book, provides a mystery, a bittersweet revelation, and a satisfyingly dramatic denouement. The characterizations are pungent, the action (on and off the diamond) involving. A solid, rewarding story." —K. Finalist, 1992 Edgar Allan Poe Award, Juvenile Category (Mystery Writers of America)Children's Choices for 1992 (IRA/CBC)

Baseball in April and Other Stories


Gary Soto - 1990
    Crooked teeth, ponytailed girls, embarrassing grandfathers, imposter Barbies, annoying brothers, Little League tryouts, and karate lessons weave the colorful fabric of Soto’s world. The smart, tough, vulnerable kids in these stories are Latino, but their dreams and desires belong to all of us. Glossary of Spanish terms included.Awards: ALA Best Book for Young Adults, Booklist Editors’ Choice, Horn Book Fanfare Selection, Judy Lopez Memorial Honor Book, Parenting Magazine’s Reading Magic Award, John and Patricia Beatty Award