Family Reader

Brooke is the perfect older sister. For that reason, Kari and Ashley work hard to make their parents just as proud of them as they are of Brooke. Each girl has her own talents. Brooke is an excellent student. Kari is a great soccer player. Ashley, a talented artist. And they are always there for each other. But when the news comes that Dr. Baxter is moving the family from Ann Arbor to Bloomington, Indiana, and the Baxters need to leave the only home and friends they’ve ever known, no one is happy.

Teaching your child to read is monstrously important, and there's no better way to do it than with everyday opportunities for laughter and play. Bringing Up Bookmonsters is full of fun ways to build literacy at home - no flashcards or timers required! Feed your budding bookmonster's brain as you: Turn storytime into playtime to build comprehension; get giggling with games and jokes that reinforce spelling; converse at family meals with varied vocabulary; satisfy your bookmonster's cravings with books they are sure to devour; and more!

Mitch and Amy both think being twins is fun, but that doesn't stop them from squabbling. Amy is good at reading. Mitch is a math whiz. Amy likes to play pretend. Mitch would rather skateboard. They never want to watch the same television show. And they always try to get the better of each other.

A lot has changed for Kate in a year. She and Tom are now full-fledged conductors of the steam-powered, animal-saving Great Secret Intercontinental Railway. Life is good! Or good-ish, anyway. Her uncle Herbert has gone missing, and the worsening climate means that there are more and more animals that need help all the time. How many times does Kate have to save the world before it stays saved?

The second book in the classic Just William series, read by Martin Jarvis. It was on Christmas Day that the centipede appeared on Aunt Evangeline's plate, the library clock was found mysteriously dismantled, and the conjuring trick with the egg went disastrously wrong. But as William's Aunt Lucy told him, 'A Busy Day is a Happy Day' - and William is always eager to please adults. The terror of the Brown family is back, leaving a trail of havoc behind him - with the very best of intentions.

Sixteen-year-old Maya Krishnan is fiercely protective of her friends, immigrant community, and single mother, but she knows better than to rock the boat in her conservative Florida suburb. Her classmate Juneau Zale is the polar opposite: she’s a wealthy white heartbreaker who won’t think twice before capsizing that boat. When Juneau invites Maya to join the Pugilists—a secret society of artists, vandals, and mischief-makers who fight for justice at their school—Maya descends into the world of change-making and resistance.

Children's Favourites is a delightful compilation of old time radio stories and songs.

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?

Growing up, Cori, Maz, and Sam were inseparable best friends, sharing their love for pop culture, Halloween, and arcade games. Now it’s 1992, Sam has been missing for five years, and Cori and Maz aren’t speaking anymore. How could they be, when Cori is sure Sam is dead, and Maz has good reason to believe he was kidnapped by a supernatural pinball machine? These days, all Maz wants to do is party and run away from his past. Meanwhile, Cori hides under the bubblegum veneer of a high school queen bee. But then Sam returns—still twelve years old, while his best friends are now seventeen.

It is only after the sudden death of his wife, Birgit, that Kaspar discovers the price she paid years earlier when she fled East Germany to join him: she had to abandon her baby. Shattered by grief, yet animated by a new hope, Kaspar closes up his bookshop in present day Berlin and sets off to find her lost child in the east. His search leads him to a rural community of neo-Nazis, intent on reclaiming and settling ancestral lands to the East. Among them, Kaspar encounters Svenja, a woman whose eyes, hair, and even voice remind him of Birgit.

Pinky Pye is a smart and vibrant black cat. She can play games and even type on a typewriter! When the Pye family finds her, they know they can never let her go. This fun-filled story features a cheerful reading from acclaimed narrator Kate Forbes.

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.

Fern and Howard are off to camp to learn the art of being Anybodies. But Camp Happy Sunshine Good Times is not what they expected: The bus driver is blind, the counselors have beaks, and a vicious mole is on the loose, attacking campers! Fern and Howard are coping as best they can — but why oh why is it that every time Fern shakes a book, a message in a bottle plops out? The messages are urgent: "Save us, Fern!" "We need you!" They are all signed by the Nobodies. But who are these mysterious Nobodies, and what do they want from Fern?

As part of her exciting film course, Stacey is making a documentary about teen life in Stoneybrook. The movie creates a conflict with friendships when Stacey pursues tell-all interviews with her friends and enemies.

Thirteen-year-old Nikki Doyle's dreams of becoming a basketball great feel within reach when she's selected to play on an elite-level club team. But in a league with taller, stronger, and faster girls, Nikki suddenly isn't the best point guard. In fact, she's no longer a point guard at all, which leaves her struggling to figure out who she is and how she fits in.

J.D. is a barber battle champion. He's graduated from home haircuts to having a regular chair at the neighborhood shop, Hart and Son, and he's making enough money to keep his candy jar stocked and his comic book collection growing. And yet, J.D. knows it's time for his next challenge. He doesn't just want to be the best barber in Meridian, Mississippi - he wants to be the best barber in the state...and maybe the country!

Eleven-year-old Nicholas Vargas thinks his sucky life has been turned upside down. His developer father has remarried and moved his new wife and daughter into his home in the soon-to-be-completed Melgrove Hollow. So, not only has Nick lost his bedroom to his wacko new step-sister, Laurie (who lugs around this huge book about faeries and wishes her name was Lauranathana...C'mon! How lame is that?!), but his father actually wants him to spend time with her.

A slumber party over at Lucille's richie nanna's big giant house is sure to be a dream come true for Junie B.! 'Cause what could possibly go wrong?

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.

This book covers fascinating origin stories of 55 everyday items that were invented by accident; that is, the inventor did not expect to make the product when the product was discovered. Not only will this book share amazing stories about everyday products, but it will also inspire you. We all encounter things that go wrong, and this book reminds us that when life gives lemons, we can make lemonade. (Seriously, pink lemonade was made by accident—listen to the story inside.) Each story is written to encourage kids and adults to be curious and be inspired to create.