Fifth grader Pixie Piper has always known that she was a little different. She has a mop of wild hair that won't stay put, her best friend is a boy, and to top it all off, she's constantly coming up with rhymes and poems that just seem to pop out of her. Then when Pixie thinks it can't get any worse, she finds out that she actually is different–she's a real-life descendant of Mother Goose!
This surprising and clever novel features family, friendship, poetry, a toilet museum, just the right amount of magic, a goose, a fox, and a beautiful golden retriever puppy.
“[An] engaging fantasy… Middle-grade readers will enjoy this book with its hints of magic, well-limned characters, and that totally appealing gosling.” (Kirkus Reviews)
“A fresh new addition to middle grade stories of magic and friendship, recommended for fans of Kathryn Littlewood’s ‘Bliss Bakery’ series and Chris Colfer’s ‘Land of Stories’ series.” (School Library Journal)
Pixie Piper and her best friend, Gray, are off to Chuckling Goose Farm, where descendants of Mother Goose spend the summer learning to master their magic. The farm seems safe, but when Pixie finds a shard of glass that belongs to her old enemy, she begins to worry that the Sinister Sister isn't as banished as she'd hoped.
With multigenerational characters, an emphasis on family, a powerful portrayal of grade-school friendships, and lots of poetry, this is a truly original fairy-tale retelling.
"Sweet, silly, and just scary enough." (Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books)
Now that they're in fourth grade, Finch and his three buddies are afraid their days of playing superheroes are over. Then a strange voice in Finn's head announces it can turn ordinary mortals into superheroes–for real! The voice belongs to the old cape Finn's mom bought him in kindergarten . Only now, it wants to be called the Thinking Cape. Will its super powers help the boys fulfill their dreams?
The realistic setting, believable banter between friends and siblings, and moderate suspense contribute to the success of this briskly paced story for middle-grade readers. Realistic fiction with just a touch of fantasy--or imaginative play--this is a nice reminder that boys have relationship problems too. (Kirkus Reviews)
After Lee comes upon a mysterious house on Avenue J, she is greeted by its young resident, Polly, who invites her to participate in adventures that involve Peter Pan, a group of dangerous pirates, a shipwreck, and flying lessons.
This tender novel explores how clashing values, religions and cultures affect a Jewish girl growing up in Brooklyn in 1960....Shalant achieves a delicate balance between heart-wrenching events and uplifting scenes that convey the girls' sense of tolerance and compassion. With the story's hint of magic, the author invites readers to open their minds and look beyond appearances. (Publishers Weekly)
All Bartleby has ever known is life in his plastic bowl. Then his boy chucks him into the big water place. There Bartleby faces challenges both fearful and thrilling. He also meets another discarded pet–Seezer, an alligator whose true home is the Mighty Mississippi, too. Seezer wants Bartleby to help him seek out the great river. But can a small turtle trust a growing alligator?
Shalant's novel is a sweet, warm allegory about the pains of growing up. Bartleby struggles with staying away from his humans and feels the pain of heartache when they seem to abandon him. A gentle story with an ethical and likable main character dealing with his own uniqueness (School Library Journal) Shalant presents a delightful fantasy about a pet turtle named Bartleby who wants to return to his home in the Mississippi (Kirkus Reviews)
Zachary Moore is fed up with being the puniest guy in sixth grade. Nothing helps–not even working out with his best friend, Duncan West. His latest humiliation by "Lizard Lips" Monroe is the last straw. So Zach secretly begins taking tae kwon do lessons from a girl in his class. That's when his friendship with Dunk starts getting weird.
This is a laugh-out-loud story about growing up male, written without a trace of condescension. The dialogue captures how boys tease and play on the edge of hostility; how loyalty and jealousy can get in each other's way, even with best friends; what it feels like to be on the verge of adolescence, dreaming of girls, discovering the wonder that "females were made so...intelligently! " (Booklist)