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Roxie and the Hooligans

Do not panic. Lord Thistlebottom’s Book of Pitfalls and How to Survive Them has taught Roxie Warbler how to handle all sorts of situations. If Roxie’s ever lost in the desert, or buried in an avalanche, or caught in a dust storm, she knows just what to do. But Lord Thistlebottom has no advice to help Roxie deal with Helvetia’s Hooligans, the meanest band of bullies in school.

Then Roxie finds herself stranded on a deserted island with not only the Hooligans but also a pair of crooks on the lam, and her survival skills may just save the day — and turn the Hooligans into surprising allies.

Cuckoo Feathers

Sarah Simpson is her dad’s “Idea Girl,” but right now she doesn’t have any good ideas. Nothing that will make people think she is someone special. Then she remembers something unusual going on outside her kitchen window. Two pigeons keep appearing on the ledge and pecking at the window. Sarah begins to think of them as her pigeons and names them Coo and Cuckoo. She is horrified, however, when they start to build their nest outside the neighbors’ apartment next door.

How could they be so disloyal? Finally Sarah gets a big idea — one that helps her get over this catastrophe!

Eating Enchiladas

Sarah Simpson likes to think of ideas that are anything but ordinary. When her third-grade teacher asks each student to pick a country and give an oral report, Sarah wants her choice to be really special. Maybe she should talk about England, since England has a queen and a castle. But as she learns more, she discovers that England isn’t quite as interesting as she thought. For one thing, the English speak the same language as Americans.

Sarah finally thinks of a new idea when she sleeps over at her friend Mercedes’ apartment and learns wonderful things about Mexico.

Patches and Scratches

Sarah Simpson likes to get big ideas that will solve problems. But her best friend, Peter, presents her with a problem that seems impossible to solve. He wants a dog, but his granny Belle won’t let him have one. She says a dog would be too much work. Sarah tries to convince Peter to get another pet. But nothing works … until a stray cat turns up. Will Peter accept it? Will Granny Belle come around? Finally Sarah comes up with just the right BIG IDEA to solve the problem!

Anyone Can Eat Squid!

Sarah Simpson is tired of being ordinary. The most unusual thing she has ever done is bite the dentist’s fingers. So what can she do to be special? Trade names with her best friend? Eat snails and squid? When Sarah learns that her favorite Chinese restaurant might go out of business, she comes up with a plan. One that makes people want to say, “Here comes Sarah Simpson!” and saves Wongs’ Restaurant, too. In quintessential Phyllis Reynolds Naylor style, this delightful story speaks straight to the heart of kids as they struggle to define themselves.

The Boy with the Helium Head

Jonathan goes to the doctor for a flu shot and accidentally gets shot with a dose of helium. Now all he can do is float around. That’s one way to avoid Duke, the school bully. But how long can Jonathan stay up, up, and away?

All Because I’m Older

John hates that because he is older, he is often blamed for things that his younger brother does. Somehow he gets involved, and then his parents say, “You’re the older brother; you should know better.” And of course no one blames his baby sister for anything. Being older is not always a blessing, especially when you have a little brother like Peter. But then, sometimes, John discovers, it can have advantages too.

Shiloh

NEWBERY MEDAL WINNER

Marty will do anything to save his new friend Shiloh in this Newbery Medal Winning novel from Phyllis Reynolds Naylor.

When Marty Preston comes across a young beagle in the hills behind his home, it’s love at first sight — and also big trouble. It turns out the dog, which Marty names Shiloh, belongs to Judd Travers, who drinks too much and has a gun — and abuses his dogs. So when Shiloh runs away from Judd to Marty, Marty just has to hide him and protect him from Judd. But Marty’s secret becomes too big for him to keep to himself, and it exposes his entire family to Judd’s anger. How far will Marty have to go to make Shiloh his?

Shiloh Season

The favorite dog of fourth-graders everywhere returns in the second Shiloh book, Shiloh Season.

Marty gets to keep Shiloh! He wasn’t able to rescue all the dogs that Judd Travers mistreated, but at least Shiloh is safe . . . right?

Not necessarily, it turns out. With hunting season approaching, Judd has started drinking again, and hunting on the outskirts of Marty’s family property. What if Judd tries to take back Shiloh? What if one of Marty’s sisters gets in the way of Judd’s shotgun? It seems only a matter of time before something goes very wrong.

The thing is, Marty knows a secret about Judd that no one else does, and if anything terrible happens, he will never be able to forgive himself for keeping quiet. Is it time for Marty to speak up? And can he find the courage to do so, before someone he loves gets hurt?

Saving Shiloh

DOES EVERYONE DESERVE A SECOND CHANCE?

Marty’s parents think so — even Judd Travers, whose history of drinking and violence keeps Marty from completely trusting that his beloved dog, Shiloh, will always be safe from Judd.

“Some people just seem to attract trouble,” Marty’s Ma says, and Judd attracts the sort of trouble that makes it hard to believe he’s really changed. First, the police find the body of a man who’d fought with Judd. Then, a vicious attack forces Judd to kill one of his dogs. But just when it seems Judd will never be able to escape the shadow of his past, a dangerous accident gives him the chance to prove himself. Can Judd Travers actually become a hero?

Sixth-grader Marty and his family try to help their rough neighbor, Judd Travers, change his mean ways, even though their West Virginia community continues to expect the worst of him.