Half Magic

It all begins with a strange coin on a sun-warmed sidewalk. Jane finds the coin, and becasue she and her sblings are having the worst, most dreadfully boring summer ever, she idly wishes something exciting would happen. And something does: Her wish is granted. Or not quite. Only half of her wish comes true. It turns out the coin grants wishes--but only by half, so that you must wish for twice as much as you want. Wishing for two times some things is a cinch, but other doubled wishes only cause twice as much trouble. What is half of twice a talking cat? Or to be half-again twice not-here? And how do you double your most heartfelt wish, the one you care about so much it has to be perfect?

The Time Garden

While spending the summer in a house by the sea, four cousins-- Roger, Ann, Eliza, and Jack-- discover a bank of wild thyme whose magic propels them on a series of adventures back and forth through time.

Knight's Castle

Four cousins, Roger, Ann, Eliza, and Jack, have an extraordinary summer when they find themselves transported back to the days of Robin Hood and Ivanhoe.

The Escape of the Deadly Dinosaur ― USA

In The Escape of the Deadly Dinosaur, Jack zooms to the city that never sleeps to try to solve the mystery of the missing Allosaurus toe. Starting at the Natural History Museum, Jack's detection takes him to a competitive grade-schooler determined to win the science fair with his experiment crossing his own dog with the DNA from the bone of a dangerous, carnivorous dinosaur. Soon the gargantuan creature is terrorizing New Yorkers and Jack must stop him before he devours the animals in the Central Park zoo!

The Missing Marlin

Mike and Kate are in Miami visiting Kate's Uncle Oliver--and the Miami Marlins ballpark, of course! Uncle Oliver is in charge of keeping the new fish tanks at the ballpark fully stocked, but strange things keep happening. Kate swears she saw an endangered sea turtle in one of the tanks. Then some of Uncle Oliver's rare fish go missing, including his favorite, Marlin. Something fishy is going on in Miami! The Missing Marlin includes several pages of "Dugout Notes," fun facts about Miami's recently built ballpark with its homerun statue, fish tanks, and swimming pool. Cross Ron Roy's A to Z Mystery series with Matt Christopher's sports books and you get the Ballpark Mysteries: fun, puzzling whodunits aimed at the younger brothers and sisters of John Feinstein fans.

Andrew Lost in the Kitchen

Ten-year-old Andrew invents a shrinking machine that allows him some unusual and instructive lessons in science from a unique vantage point.

Holes

Winner of the Newbery Medal and the National Book Award! This #1 New York Times bestselling, modern classic in which boys are forced to dig holes day in and day out is now available with a splashy new look. Stanley Yelnats is under a curse. A curse that began with his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather and has since followed generations of Yelnatses. Now Stanley has been unjustly sent to a boys' detention center, Camp Green Lake, where the boys build character by spending all day, every day digging holes exactly five feet wide and five feet deep. There is no lake at Camp Green Lake. But there are an awful lot of holes. It doesn't take long for Stanley to realize there's more than character improvement going on at Camp Green Lake. The boys are digging holes because the warden is looking for something. But what could be buried under a dried-up lake? Stanley tries to dig up the truth in this inventive and darkly humorous tale of crime and punishment--and redemption. Includes a double bonus: an excerpt from Small Steps, the follow-up to Holes, as well as an excerpt from Louis Sachar's new middle-grade novel, Fuzzy Mud.

Mrs. Meyer Is on Fire!

The students of Ella Mentry School are learning about fire safety. Mrs. Meyer of the local fire department has been brought in to teach the students, but she is the weirdest safety expert in the world. She likes fire just a little too much. Will Mrs. Meyer catch on fire? Will she retire? What will transpire? Perfect for reluctant readers and word lovers alike, Dan Gutman's hugely popular My Weird School series has something for everyone. Don't miss the hilarious adventures of A.J. and the gang.

Marco? Polo!

Joe, Fred, and Sam embark on their 16th time warp adventure, which takes them to 13th-century China. They encounter sandstorms, desert bandits, a smelly camel, strange horoscopes, the emperor, and a very famous explorer named Marco Polo.

The Cardinals Caper

It's a special day in St. Louis, and there's a pregame celebration with Clydesdale horses that drive around the edge of the stadium before the game. Mike and Kate get to meet the horses and the Dalmatian that rides along. Then, during the game, they find out the Dalmatian is missing. They rush to investigate and find a ransom note. The criminal will return the dog if they can get one of St. Louis's World Series trophies! Can Mike and Kate catch the crook and rescue the pup?

Dr. Seuss the Great Doodler

A Step 3 Biography Reader about Theodor Geisel and his transformation from a doodler into the beloved Dr. Seuss. Little Ted Geisel always had a sketchpad and pencil in hand. He was a Boy Scout with a penchant for creating zany creatures. He grew up with a love of books and words from his mother, and his inventor father spawned a wildly imaginative and perfectionist side. It's no wonder that these qualities led to the beloved work of Dr. Seuss, the Great Doodler. Follow his career as an ad man, political cartoonist, creator of forty-five indelible children's books, and Pulitzer Prize winner. Not bad for a lifelong doodler! Includes fun facts and several of Dr. Seuss's original sketches and artwork! Step 3 Readers feature engaging characters in easy-to-follow plots about popular topics. For children who are ready to read on their own.

Season of the Sandstorms (Original MTH #34, Merlin Mission #6)

Now You See Me .... Now You Don't

When Zack accidentally drinks invisible ink, he worries about missing his only chance to get his picture in the paper if the new ice cream flavor he and Spencer invented wins the local Len and Larry's Ice Cream contest.

Sammy Keyes And The Skeleton Man

On Halloween night, seventh-grader Sammy stumbles onto a mystery involving a 20-year-old family feud and some heirlooms stolen by a man in a skeleton costume.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Harry Potter has never been the star of a Quidditch team, scoring points while riding a broom far above the ground. He knows no spells, has never helped to hatch a dragon, and has never worn a cloak of invisibility. All he knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley — a great big swollen spoiled bully. Harry's room is a tiny closet at the foot of the stairs, and he hasn't had a birthday party in eleven years. But all that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to an incredible place that Harry — and anyone who reads about him — will find unforgettable. For it's here that he finds not only friends, aerial sports, and magic in everything from classes to meals, but a great destiny that's been waiting for him...if Harry can survive the encounter.