Penny Draws a Secret Adventure
The third book in the humorous, heartfelt, highly illustrated series about a girl who doodles to cope with her anxiety, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Sara Shepard. Little by little, Penny Lowry is making it through the fifth grade--with a bit of help from her friends Maria, Kristian, and Rocco, as well as her lovable dog Cosmo. And there's a lot of change to deal with this year! Penny's newborn twin brother and sister have everyone in her family on their last nerve with their crying. Her friends Maria and Chloe are spending a lot of time together without inviting Penny along, making her worry they might be getting tired of her. And on top of everything, Penny and her friends discover a very old map in her attic that sends them on a wild scavenger hunt all over town in search of treasure! Can Penny get her worries about her friends and family under control, and lead her group of friends to find the hidden treasure?
Penny Draws a Best Friend
A humorous, heartfelt, highly illustrated middle grade series about friendship, feelings, and finding your people, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Sara Shepard. Why does the cubby room always smell like farts? Who etched the words "I Am Bug Man" inside my desk? Why is Mom suddenly acting like she has a secret? Nobody said starting fifth grade would be easy, and Penny Lowry's anxiety means a million questions are always spinning through her thoughts. Luckily she's got a lot to look forward to, like her favorite after-school activity, Art Club, and seeing her best friend Violet again after spending the whole summer apart. The thing is, Violet has been acting weird ever since she got back. She never wants to hang out anymore, says Art Club is for babies, and spends all her time with Riley, the meanest girl in school. Did Penny do something wrong? And if she did, can she undo it? In this hilariously sweet introduction to a lovable kid still figuring out how to manage her anxiety, the author of the #1 bestselling Pretty Little Liars series gets to the heart of how to let go of the friends who aren't right for you . . . and how to make room for the ones who are.
Two Tricksters Find Friendship
To Jessie and Johnny, their friendship is easy. Jessie and Johnny have been inseparable ever since Jessie moved to the small island town during summer break. But as they begin fourth grade together, the new school year gets off to a rocky start when outside pressures and differences in their home lives threaten their friendship. Jessie lives comfortably and never worries about money while Johnny lives with his father and stepmother on the reserve outside of town. With guidance from Raven and spiritual teacher, Steven, the two friends bridge the gaps between them and learn to lean on each other through family troubles and cultural differences.
Telephone of the Tree
An unforgettable story of grief and the support of community as a young girl, faced with aching loss, begins to understand that what we love will always be with us. Ayla and her best friend Kiri have always been tree people. They each have their own special tree, and neighbors and family know that they are most likely to be found within the branches. But after an accident on their street, Kiri has gone somewhere so far away that Ayla can only wait and wait in her birch, longing to be able to talk with Kiri again. Then a mysterious, old-fashioned telephone appears one morning, nestled in the limbs of Ayla's birch tree. Where did it come from? she wonders. And why are people showing up to use this phone to call their loved ones? Especially loved ones who have passed on. All Ayla wants is for Kiri to come home. Until that day comes, she will keep Kiri's things safe. She'll keep her nightmares to herself. And she will not make a call on that telephone.
Penny Draws a School Play
The second book in the humorous, heartfelt, highly illustrated series about a girl who doodles to cope with her anxiety, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Sara Shepard. Halfway through the fifth grade, Penny Lowry is discovering that things are actually going . . . okay! With her friends Maria, Kristian, and Rocco on her side, and her lovable dog Cosmo, she can make it through anything. And when her anxiety comes back, there's always her doodling, or talking to Mrs. Hines, the Feelings Teacher. But big change is around the corner: Penny's family is moving to a new house, her mom is about to give birth to twins, and most stressful of all, she's been tapped for a role in her class play! Rolling with life's surprises isn't Penny's strength. But she's learning . . . one doodle at a time!
You're Out of Luck, Alina Butt
Twelve-year-old Alina is actually looking forward to going back to school. For once, she has some friends to sit beside on the first day. But when Alina walks into her classroom, someone is sitting in her spot and there are no seats left next to her friends. Grade seven is off to a rocky start! Then the teacher announces that the class will be going on a trip to Paris later in the fall. It's an expensive trip, but she's sure that with the right plan, she can convince her strict parents to let her go. What could go wrong? For starters, her passport is expired so she can't go on the trip to Paris. When her new passport does arrive, her parents announce a trip back to Pakistan. At first Alina is miserable, but soon she begins to see that when it comes to the things that matter the most, she might not be so unlucky after all. This is a sequel to the author's first novel, The Unlovable Alina Butt, which was a starred selection for CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens. Praise for The Unlovable Alina Butt "In this charming, tightly plotted debut, Alina's witty, vulnerable narratorial voice guides readers through her intensely authentic personal evolution."--Kirkus Reviews "This charming, eye-opening book highlights not only the struggles of an immigrant girl, but the power that comes from seeing things through someone else's eyes."--School Library Journal (SLJ)
