Family Reader

My name is Amber Alessandra Leola Kimiko Miyamoto. I have no idea why my parents gave me all those hideous names, but they must have wanted to ruin my life, and you know what? They did an amazing job. As a half-Japanese, half-Italian girl with a ridiculous name, Amber's not feeling molto bene (very good) about making friends at her new school. But the hardest thing about being Amber is that a part of her is missing. Her dad. He left when she was little, and he isn't coming back.

The intersection of motherhood and creative life is explored in these writings on mothering that turn the spotlight from the child to the mother herself. Here, in memoirs, testimonials, diaries, essays, and fiction, mothers describe firsthand the changes brought to their lives by pregnancy, childbirth, and mothering.

Simone is a mind reader. She knows a great many things, but she can't seem to remember anything about her past. So when she gets the chance to search for her family, she sets off to finally find her home. When she stumbles across a man with two minds inside him - the real one, shoved deep down, and one of a body walker, someone who can take over a person's body against their will - Simone is even more eager to leave her old life behind.

It's almost the end of the school year, and Room Nine is taking a field trip to a farm! There's lots of fun farm stuff there, like a real actual barn and a real actual farmer. There are even real alive animals you can pet! Only, where's the gift shop? That's what Junie B. Jones would like to know. Surely no one would want Junie B. to go home empty-handed.

Haley Braddock has never given the BSC much of a hassle before. But now she's out of control! After Claudia catches Haley in a lie - and Haley gets grounded for it - this formerly quiet BSC charge turns against Claudia in a big way.

Save the birds! Save the trees! That's what the cubs are saying around Bear Country. If Squire Grizzly gets his way and cuts down the trees in Birder's Woods, the yellow popinjays will have nowhere to rest. They could disappear forever. It's up to the cubs to save this important part of nature before it's too late!

Summer is over, and Dad begins his important position at an Indiana hospital. Like it or not, Bloomington is the Baxter Family’s new home. As school starts, everyone finds reasons to be excited about the move. Everyone, that is, except Ashley. Ashley desperately misses the home and friends she left behind. As she realizes her siblings have their struggles, too, she can’t help but wonder if unlikely friends can be the best friends of all? And could time and love from her family be enough to make a house feel like home?

Sam, Otter, Atim, and Chickadee are four inseparable cousins growing up on the Windy Lake First Nation. Nicknamed the Mighty Muskrats for their habit of laughing, fighting, and exploring together, the cousins find that each new adventure adds to their reputation. When a visiting archeologist goes missing, the cousins decide to solve the mystery of his disappearance.

Sasquatch! That's who Judy looks like in her school picture. Antarctica! That's where Judy's been sent three times in a single sour-ball week to chill out. Can Judy's mood get any worse? Well, duh! Of course it can. Unless…it's Backward Day! That means it's time for Judy to turn that frown upside down, make lemonade out of lemons, and be nice to stinky little brothers. Can she stay in a good-not-bad mood for an entire day? How about seven whole days? Will her friends freak out when they see a tidy, on-time Judy who smells like cupcake lip gloss?

When the Moody family drops anchor on “Artichoke” Island, they are greeted by the mysterious Cap’n Weevil, a one-eyed buccaneer with a scraggly beard and a treasure map. Before you can say “Davy Jones’s Locker,” Stink and Judy are racing in search of gold. But they’re not the only salty dogs lookin’ for loot. Can Scurvy Stink and Mad Molly beat out their rivals? Not unless they can find the hidden clues, crack the secret codes, and solve the tricky puzzles - before time runs out! Aaarrr!

Beware! There is pancake batter in the air! It's a battle for the better batter. Will Betty beat Baxter, or Baxter beat Betty?

Grandpa is having a birthday party, and it's Meg's job to do the grocery shopping. Will she find her way through the maze of aisles and rows using Mom's map? Or will she and her list get lost?

Chester’s mom teaches him a song about fireflies. Learn the song along with Chester. One, two, three.…

Things are changing in Bloomington for the Baxters. When Ashley’s teacher, Mr. Garrett, takes a month off work for the birth of his baby, the intimidating Ms. Stritch takes his place. Ashley tries but can’t seem to crack the new teacher’s tough exterior. Meanwhile, Brooke struggles when a popular girl excludes her at lunch, Erin adjusts to getting glasses, and when Kari is given a dance solo for the upcoming recital, she takes her success a little too seriously.

It's a special day on the Inkwell Isles: Elder Kettle's birthday! Yes, sirree, it's a very special day. So Cuphead and Mugman need to find the perfect gift to honor their beloved mentor. But along the way, the brothers and their new friend Ms. Chalice are captivated by the sights and sounds of the carnival that just rolled into town. Despite Elder Kettle's warning that the attraction is filled with liars and thieves, the trio gets reeled in.

Charles and Lizzie Peterson love puppies. They want a puppy of their own more than just about anything. They know dogs are a lot of work. But their mom still doesn't think their family is ready for a puppy. Then, Goldie arrives. She is a sweet golden retriever that needs a home. Goldie is very young. She doesn't know how to be a good puppy yet. Will Charles and Lizzie be able to help her?

Meet Weir Do. No, that's not a typo, that's his name! Weir Do's the new kid in school. With an unforgettable name, a crazy family, and some seriously weird habits, fitting in won't be easy...but it will be funny!

Sometimes, 12-year-old Donte wishes he were invisible. As one of the few black boys at Middlefield Prep, most of the students don't look like him. They don't like him either. Dubbing him "Black Brother", Donte's teachers and classmates make it clear they wish he were more like his lighter-skinned brother, Trey. When he's bullied and framed by the captain of the fencing team, "King" Alan, he's suspended from school and arrested for something he didn't do.

School science camp is a few weeks away, but Ashley and Kari Baxter have very different feelings about going. With the help of their siblings, Kari and Ashley prepare for wild experiments and the challenges of the great outdoors, and together they learn what it means to plan for an experience they won’t forget.

Lizzie and Charles Peterson love puppies. Even though they finally have their very own puppy, Buddy, Lizzie still can't get enough time with dogs. She helps her Aunt Amanda at her doggie day care center as often as she can. At the doggie day care, Lizzie meets a pesky but lovable pug named Pugsley. Pugsley is adorable, but he didn't earn the nickname Mr. Pest for nothing and his owners decide he's too much of a handful to keep!