But upon arrival at Luke's Aunt Dagmar's, they can tell they're not welcome. Because gold has just been discovered near Sutter's Mill, the children strike out for the fields, hoping some “quick money” will provide a doctor for Ma and a permanent home for the Kendalls. But all isn't easy in the goldfields. The work is hard, Luke gets “gold fever,” and they hear rumors of children being kidnapped. Then Kini and Sarah disappear! As Abby searches desperately for the missing children, she discovers that God knows the desires of our hearts—and never deserts us.

    But when horrible Mr Thomas from the council insists it must go to the next person on the waiting list, Kirsty is determined to find a way to keep her promise.

    Even though he's the only boy at home, it always feels like no one ever remembers him. His sisters are everywhere! Lulu is the smart one, India is the creative one, and Belly . . . well, Belly is the naked one. And the baby. School isn't much better. There, he's the shortest kid in the entire class.But now the manny is the Dalinger's new babysitter, and things are starting to look up. It seems as though the manny always knows the right thing to do. Not everyone likes the manny as much as Keats does, however. Lulu finds the manny embarrassing, and she's started to make a list of all the crazy things that he does, such as serenading the kids with "La Cucaracha" from the front yard or wearing underwear on his head or meeting the school bus with Belly, dressed as limo drivers. Keats is worried. What if Lulu's "Manny Files" makes his parents fire the manny? Who will teach him how to be interesting then?

    These classic tales are as fresh and lively as when they were first written. Young readers will love discovering Milly-Molly-Mandy for the first time in a dainty, accessible format - they're sure to want to collect other titles in this charming series.

    Thirteen-year-old Rowan and his eleven-year-old sister Nina, still bereft by the death of their mother the year before, experience an unusual adventure through time when they come to stay with their two eccentric great-aunts in a small town on the Maine coast.

    Houndsley is an excellent cook. Catina thinks Houndsley is a wonder. Houndsley thinks Catina is a very good friend. So what should Houndsley say about Catina's seventy-four-chapter memoir? And can Catina find the right words of comfort for Houndsley after the big cooking contest fiasco? James Howe's funny and endearing world of ginger tea, no-bean chili, and firefly watching is brought to life in cozy watercolors by Marie-Louise Gay in this tender chapter book about what it means to be friends.

    This magnificent edition contains all four of Gulliver's extraordinary voyages. Travel to Lilliput. land of the small, Brobdingnag, land of giants, to Laputa, where inhabitants need to be hit on the head with sticks to remind them to talk; Glubbdubdrib, island of ghosts and magicians; and the kingdom of the Houyhnhnm, where horses rule over humans.Award-winning author Martin Jenkins has skilfully adapted the original novel, remaining true to its tone and humour while making it accessible to younger readers. In this he is brilliantly assisted by Kate Greenaway Medallist Chris Riddell, who brings to life the people, creatures and kingdoms of Swift's searing imagination in wonderful panoramic detail. A tour de force of design and illustration, this is a peerless introduction to one of the English language's most popular stories."Glorious" - The Guardian"Deliciously quirky" - The Times

    Instead, he has a brand-new stepfamily and a new house far away from his friends; and his bedroom window faces a seven-foot castle that marks the eight eenth hole of his stepfather's miniature golf course. Can Wedge really respect a man who wears a plastic crown and calls himself "King"? It's a lot to deal with, but Wedge may not have a choice. If he wants to be happy, he'll have to accept his new life -- crazy as it is.

    Libby is filled with excitement as she and her granddad pick out two calves for her to raise on her family's cattle farm, in hopes of winning the annual steer competition. Against her father's advice, Libby gives the calves names, even though both steers will eventually be auctioned off. After a few months of preparing for the Practical County Fair, Libby finds that she is growing closer to her steers with each passing day, and the pressure to win Grand Champion is mounting.Luckily, Libby can count on her best friend to get her through most of the county fair chaos. Yet once reality sets in and she realizes that her steers will soon be sold to the highest bidder, the chaos in Libby's heart becomestoo much to bear.Michelle Houts lives on a grain and livestock farm in West Central Ohio with her husband and three children. This is her first novel.

    As the events and characters of Sashie's past come to life, Rachel discovers a distant country and time, a time when Jews were forced to serve in the Czar's armies or were murdered in pogroms, a time when nine-year-old Sashie devised a wonderful plan to save her family from danger. . . .

    And now they are to be step-sister and brother. Even worse, something very weird is happening to the worms Rory keeps as pets. But what happens when the Slobberers escape during the wedding is only the beginning.

    She figures her worrying works like a whisper in God's ear – if Cara's concerned about car crashes, kidnappings, or murders, she lets God know, and he alwaysspares her. But Cara never thought to worry about a fire. And one night while she's sleeping at a friend's house, her house catches fire, and her mother and younger sister are both killed.Throughout shiva, the initial Jewish mourning period, Cara can't help wondering about God's role in the tragedy. And what is her father's role in her life now? He walks around like a ghostand refuses to talk about the fire. Cara longs for her family and her home, where sweet smells filled the house as Cara's mom filled orders for her catering business, Julia's Kitchen. Then oneday a call comes in for a cookie order, and Cara gets a wild idea. Maybe by bringing back Julia's Kitchen, she can find a way to reconnect with everything she's lost.Complete with a glossary of Hebrew and Yiddish terms and a recipe for chocolate chip cookies, this debut novel is a joyous tribute to the resiliency of the human spirit.Julia's Kitchen is a 2007 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

    What will she be like, and will they be friends? But when Isabelle starts being really mean, Zoe has to choose between being mean too, or standing tall and being a good friend.  Over one million GO GIRL! copies in print in Australia!

    She thought her summer on the family farm would be full of work and play with her best friend, Rachel, and her other best friend, her dog, Maizey. However, Elizabeth didn't anticipate the Harmony Farms Corporation moving to her town. Her world starts to crumble as her best friend moves away and her parents whisper of farmers selling their land and the effects this factory farm operation could have on them. When she thinks things can't get much worse, she meets the most unusual creature, Gaia, the living entity of the Earth. Strange things begin to happen to her, around her, and through her! Elizabeth discovers that with these new powers comes responsibility. A dire mistake makes Elizabeth wonder if meeting Gaia has been a blessing or a curse. Will Elizabeth have the strength to fight a large corporation? Or will her upstate New York home be spoiled by profit driven pork production that fouls the air, land, and water?

    The Big Cheese, leader of the Mouse Nation, has orders: follow that girl-even if it means high-tailing it to Megan's new home on the other side of the country. While Megan struggles as the new girl, the mice watch, waiting for their chance. But when they tell Megan the biggest secret in the history of the world-mice have evolved, and they need her help-she isn't sure anyone will believe her. With all of Mouse Nation behind her, Megan could become the most powerful girl alive, but just how will she create a Thumptop for every mouse? Brought to life with whimsical illustrations, Prudence Breitrose's debut novel is full of charm and adventure and will captivate today's computer-savvy middle-graders.