Child Friendship

Bixby Alexander Tam (nicknamed Bat) has been the caretaker for Thor, the best skunk kit in the world...but the last day of third grade is quickly approaching, and Thor is almost ready to be released into the wild. The end of school also means that Bat has to say good-bye to his favorite teacher, and he worries about the summer care of Babycakes, their adorable class pet. Not only that, but his best friend is leaving for a long vacation in Canada. Summer promises good things, too, like working with his mom at the vet clinic and hanging out with his sister, Janie.

It’s Nikki Maxwell’s birthday! Will it be a blast or a bust? Find out in the 13th installment of the blockbuster number-one New York Times best-selling Dork Diaries series!

Carson Mastick is entering his senior year of high school and desperate to make his mark, on the reservation and off. A rock band - and winning the local Battle of the Bands, with its first prize of a trip to New York City - is his best shot. But things keep getting in the way. Small matters like the lack of an actual band, or the fact that his brother just got shot confronting the racist owner of a local restaurant.

Big Nate is going for broke! Mighty Jefferson Middle School always wins. Then Nate decides it's time to go from zeroes to heroes! Will Nate crack under the pressure of the "Ultimate Snowdown"? Or lead P.S. 38 to its biggest victory ever?

One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, Will Grayson crosses paths with...Will Grayson. Two teens with the same name, running in two very different circles, suddenly find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, and culminating in epic turns-of-heart and the most fabulous musical ever to grace the high school stage.

After the holidays, Humphrey is shocked by a big surprise in Room 26—a new class pet! Humphrey tries to be welcoming, but Og the frog doesn't respond to any of his friendly squeaks or visits (remember, he has a lock-that-doesn't-lock). Plus, the students are so interested in Og, they almost stop paying attention to Humphrey altogether. Humphrey doesn't like the mad-bad-sad feelings he's had since Og came, but luckily he still gets to have adventures with different kids on the weekends. Friendship can be tricky, but Humphrey is an intrepid problem-solver.

Claudia's not worried when she hears her newest baby-sitting charge, Betsy, is a great practical joker. After all, how much harm can one girl do? As it turns out - plenty! Claudia breaks her leg because of one of Betsy's mean jokes...and now she's talking about quitting the club. Baby-sitting might be too dangerous. The rest of the BSC decides that Betsy needs to be taught a lesson - and the joke war is on!

Mr Stink stank. He also stunk. And if it was correct English to say he stinked, then he stinked as well.... Chloe sees Mr Stink every day, but she’s never spoken to him - which isn’t surprising, because he’s a tramp and he stinks. But there’s more to Mr Stink than meets the eye (or nose), and before she knows it, Chloe has an unusual new friend hiding in her garden shed.

John "Spud" Milton takes his first hilarious steps toward manhood in this delicious, laugh-out-loud boarding school romp, full of midnight swims, raging hormones, and catastrophic holidays that will leave the entire family in hysterics and thirsty for more!

Stacey's parents are getting a divorce. Stacey is sad and angry, and she has a big decision to make - stay in New York with her father, or move back to Stoneybrook with her mother.

Herc Beal knows who he's named after—a mythical hero—but he's no superhero. He's the smallest kid in his class. So when his homeroom teacher at his new middle school gives him the assignment of duplicating the mythical Hercules's amazing feats in real life, he's skeptical. After all, there are no Nemean Lions on Cape Cod—and not a single Hydra in sight.

Hardly a day passes without Trille and Lena inventing some kind of adventure that often ends in trouble. Whether it's coaxing a cow onto a boat or tobogganing down the steepest and iciest hill with a chicken, there is always a thrill - and sometimes an injury - to be had. Trille loves to share everything with Lena, even Auntie Granny's waffles, which make everything just perfect. But when Lena has to move away, and Auntie Granny leaves the world, it sometimes seems nothing will ever be right again.

In the final book of the Wizard for Hire trilogy, Ozzy and his friend (and Rin’s daughter), Sigi, are in danger. They are still being hunted by Ray, the power-mad villain who will stop at nothing to find the formula to the mind-controlling discipline serum - one that Ozzy’s parents created and injected into him. Knowing the dangers that lie ahead, Rin introduces Ozzy to four more friends who also claim magical, wizard-like abilities. Again, Ozzy has no reason to believe that magic exists or that Rin’s eccentric friends can help.

Willa and her friends have a powerful magic inside of them-they each have the ability to transform into a Glitter Dragon Girl. They can breathe glittery fire, soar through the air, and communicate with all the creatures who live in the Magic Forest. The troublesome Shadow Sprites are after the Tree Queen's magic again, and it can only be saved by a special potion. The Dragon Girls must work together to gather all of the ingredients. Willa is leading their quest, but she's scared of what might happen if they don't succeed.

"Beep! Beep! Beep!" Meet Blue. A muddy country road is no match for this little pick up - that is, until he gets stuck while pushing a dump truck out of the muck. Luckily, Blue has made a pack of farm animal friends along his route. And they're willing to whatever it takes to get their pal back on the road. Filled with truck sounds and animals noises, here is a rollicking homage to the power of friendship and the rewards of helping others.

When Nate's asked to befriend a new student, he's all for it - until he actually meets the kid. Is Nate stuck with a fun sponge? Or will his new buddy be the life of the party? For fans of the hilarious Diary of a Wimpy Kid series: Meet Big Nate, PS 38's record-setting ringleader and definitely NOT the teacher's pet.

Becca Singer is having the Worst Day Ever. Her best friend, Harper, dumped her, and Becca is totally friendless and alone. Then the box arrives in the mail. Inside the box? One bracelet, plus a mysterious note telling Becca to make a wish. So Becca puts on the bracelet—why not, right?—and wishes to have friends. Lots of friends. So many friends. And just like that, the magic works. Suddenly, EVERYONE wants to be Becca's BFF, from all the kids at school to the teachers (!) to her own mom (!!).

It's eighth grade and Christina and her besties, Megan and Leanne, are once again going through the brutal trials of cheerleading tryouts. This year, Christina feels more confident: She dresses in her own style and has amazing friends, even her first crush. But what if the girls don't all make the squad? Worse than that, Christina learns her parents' marriage is collapsing. Suddenly, her family, her future, and her identity seem in total freefall. Can she keep it together and still make her cheerleading dreams come true?

Dear Diary.... Bess and I were thrilled to bump into our old buddy, Maggie Rogers, a promising young dancer who is in River Heights to perform a lead role in Sleeping Beauty. But someone's out to get Maggie. First, her phone was tampered with, making her late for rehearsal. Then her face was violently scratched out on the show's posters, and her dressing room was trashed beyond belief. I'm determined to find out who's trying to sabotage my friend's career.

The Cul-de-Sac Kids is a lighthearted chapter-book series for young listeners written by the talented Beverly Lewis. Each book centers on the often-humorous escapades of these endearing neighborhood friends as they learn together the value of friendship and faith. An enjoyable book for both parents and kids! Volume One includes The Double Dabble Surprise, The Chicken Pox Panic, The Crazy Christmas Angel Mystery, No Grown-Ups Allowed, Frog Power, and The Mystery of Case D. Luc.