Welcome Summer - Little Scholastic - Nancy Davis

Welcome Summer
Little Scholastic
Nancy Davis (Illustrator)
Scholastic
ISBN 9780545151641

This series is among my children's favorites. My daughter is 3 and a half and my son just past 2. Both of them love these books. The first three books, Welcome Fall, Welcome Spring and Welcome Winter are carried all over the house by my son, and sometimes he begs to take them out with us. I think what he likes most is that each page has a different texture, and that the books all end with the child wrapped in daddy's or mommy's arms. This new one has a girl in it and he calls her by my daughter's name. The artwork is done simply but wonderfully. These books make an excellent collection for young people in your life.

Books in this series:
Welcome Fall
Welcome Winter
Welcome Spring
Welcome Summer

Lion's Lunch - Fiona Tierney and Margaret Chamberlain

Lion's Lunch
Fiona Tierney (Author)
Margaret Chamberlain (Illustrator)
Scholastic
ISBN 9780545176910

This is a great fun book. Sarah is out for a walk when a Lion pounces upon her, because she is in his jungle and not following his rules. He decides he will eat her. But she tells him she can do something he can't, she can draw. It is a fun book about how to be better at being. A great lesson for children of all ages.

Crazy Circus World - Jayce O'Neal and Kate Dwiggins

Crazy Circus World
Jayce O'Neal (Author)
Kate Dwiggins (Illustrator)
Essence Publishing
ISBN 9781554523726

This was a great book to read and fun for my kids and myself. It reads like a cross between Dr. Seuss, Fancy Nancy and Tim Burton. The drawings are mindful of Burton's work or maybe M.C. Escher. The poetic story is of a young boy who is bored and wants more from life than TV and so he creates a magical circus world in his mind, and decides to bring some of the light, fun and adventure to those in his family and the world around him. Wonderfully written and excellently illustrated, it is sure to enthral children of all ages. It will be fun to read again and again.

Kid Builder Tool Belt & 4 Board Books - Salina Yoon

Kid Builder Tool Belt & 4 Board Books
Salina Yoon
Scholastic
ISBN 9780545225915

This is a great little set for young people in your life. It is a cloth tool belt with 4 6-page board books. The board books are shaped like a wrench, hammer, pliers and screw driver. Each board books explains what the tool can do and how to use it. With bright colorful illustrations, this book will be fun to play with again and again.

Busy Day - Under the Sea - Moira Butterfield and Lee Wildish

Busy Day - Under the Sea
Lift the flaps, find the secrets!
Moira Butterfield (Author)
Lee Wildish (Illustrator)
Parragon Publishing
ISBN 9781405492218

This book is full of mermaids, pirates, and all kinds of undersea creatures. It is also full of flaps to be discovered and opened, with different shapes and sizes hidden on almost every page. King Neptune is having a birthday party and is inviting everyone from those who live under the sea to the Pirates from Skull Island. The end of the book has a guide of all the things that were hidden to make sure you found them all. Great fun.

Top 10 Fiction Books of the 1st Quarter 2010

Top 10 fiction books of the first quarter of 2010 are:

1. Geektastic - Holly Black & Cecil Castellucci
2. Thirteen Days to Midnight - Patrick Carman
3. Rose Sees Red - Cecil Castellucci
4. The Poison Eaters - Holly Black
5. White Cat - The Curse Workers Book 1 - Holly Black
6. Lockdown - Escape from Furnace Book 1 - Alexander Gordon Smith
7. The Hunchback Assignments - Arthur Slade
8. The Clone Codes - The McKissacks
9. The Haunting of Derek Stone Books 1-4 - Tony Abbott
10. Iorich - Steven Brust

Looking forward to some of the new stuff coming out over the summer, and don't forget to check out the Scholastic summer reading challange.

Relates Posts: 
Top 10 Fiction Books 1st Quarter 2010
Top 10 Fiction Books 2nd Quarter 2010
Top 10 Reading Goals for 2010
Top 10 Fiction Books 3rd Quarter 2010
Top 10 Fiction Books 4th Quarter 2010
Top Ten Reading Goals For 2010 - Recap
Top 10 Fiction Books 2010
Top 10 Picture Books of 2010
Top 10 Non-Fiction Books of 2010
Top 10 Graphic Novels for 2010
Top Ten Reading Goals For 2011 
Top Ten Fiction Books 1st Quarter 2011
Top Ten Fiction Books 2nd Quarter 2011
Top Ten Reading Goals for 2011 Update 
Top Ten Fiction Books 3rd Quarter 2011 
Top Ten Fictions Books 4th Quarter 2011
Top Ten Fiction Books 2011
Top Ten Reading Goals 2011 - Recap
Top Ten Reading Goals 2012
Top Ten Fiction Books 1st Quarter 2012
Top Ten Fiction Books 2nd Quarter 2012
Top Ten Fiction Books 3rd Quarter 2012
Top Ten Fiction Books  4th Quarter 2012
Top Ten Fiction Books 2012
Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2012
Top Ten Reading Goals 2012 - Recap
Top Ten Reading Goals 2013
Top 10 Fiction Books 1st Quarter 2013
Top 10 Fiction Books 2nd Quarter 2013
Top 10 Books Second Half 2013
Top Ten Fiction Books 2013
Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2013 
Top Ten Books First Quarter 2014
Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2014
Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2014
Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2014
Top Ten Fiction Books 2014
Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2014
Top Ten Books First Quarter 2015
Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2015
Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2015

All Top Ten Lists on Book Reviews and More

Lullaby Moon - Rosie Reeve

Lullaby Moon
Rosie Reeve
Cartwheel Books
An imprint of Scholastic
ISBN 9780545211468

This wonderful oversized board book follows mother and baby moose throughout their day. Lyrically written and with great illustrations, this is a fun book to read together either at bedtime or anytime with your special little ones.

Liar, Liar, Pants On Fire - Gordon Korman

Liar, Liar, Pants On Fire
Gordon Korman
Scholastic
ISBN 9780545990134

Zoe Bent is a liar, and finding life in the 3rd grade very hard. Soon her fibs have turned her whole class against her, and she is feeling frustrated. It has reached a point that even when she tells the truth no one believes her. But she lies because she thinks she has nothing to say; other children wear better clothes, are great at art, are stronger, and she thinks telling big tales will be the only way she can get attention. However, she soon realizes that fibbing is making her life more and more complicated.

This is a great book for young children, in part because children do not need to be taught to lie - most just do it at some point. But this book will teach them the implications about becoming known as a liar. It also teaches them that what matters most is what is inside them not what they say or do. Therefore it is a great book with a valuable lesson.

Books by Gordon Korman:

MacDonald Hall Series:

This Can't Be Happening at Macdonald Hall  (1978)

Go Jump in the Pool (1979)

Beware the Fish!  (1980)

The Wizzle War (1982)

         (formerly The War With Mr. Wizzle)

The Zucchini Warriors (1988)

Light’s Camera, Disaster (1991)

          (aka Macdonald Hall Goes Hollywood)

The Jokes on Us (1995)

          (formerly Something Fishy at Macdonald Hall)

…

Bugs Potter Series:

Who is Bugs Potter? (1980)

Bugs Potter LIVE at Nickaninny (1983)

…

Jeremy Bloom Series:

The D−Poems of Jeremy Bloom (1992)

The Last-Place Sports Poems of Jeremy Bloom (1996)

…

Monday Night Football Series:

The Quarterback Exchange (1997)

Running Back Conversion (1997)

Super Bowl Switch (1997)

Heavy Artillery (1997)

Ultimate Scoring Machine (1998)

NFL Rules! Bloopers, Pranks, Upsets, and Touchdowns (1998)

…

Masterminds Series:

Masterminds (2015)

Masterminds: Criminal Destiny (2016)

Masterminds: Payback (2017)

…

Slapshots Series:

The Stars From Mars (1999)

All-Mars All-Stars/The Dream Team (1999)

The Face-off Phony (2000)

Cup Crazy (2000)

Ouch I got slapped (2023)

…

4-in-1 Slapshots: The Complete Collection (2008)

…

Nose Pickers Series:

Nose Pickers from Outer Space! (1999)

Planet of the Nose Pickers (2000)

Your Mummy Is a Nose Picker (2000)

Invasion of the Nose Pickers (2001)

…

4-in-1 The Ultimate Nose-Picker Collection (2006)

…

Island Series:

Shipwreck (2001)

Survival (2001)

Escape (2001)

…

3-in-1 Island Trilogy Collection (2006)

…

Son of the Mob Series:

Son of the Mob (2002)

Son of the Mob 2: Hollywood Hustle (2004)

…

Everest Series:

The Contest (2002)

The Climb (2002)

The Summit (2002)

…

Everest Trilogy Box Set (2002)

Dive Series:

The Discovery (2003)

The Deep (2003)

The Danger (2003)

…

On the Run Series:

Chasing the Falconers (2005)

The Fugitive Factor (2005)

Now You See Them, Now You Don't (2005)

The Stowaway Solution (2005)

Public Enemies (2005)

Hunting the Hunter (2006)

…

Kidnapped Series:

The Abduction (2006)

The Search (2006)

The Rescue (2006)

…

Swindle Series:

Swindle (2008)

Zoobreak (2009)

Framed (2010)

Showoff (2012)

Hideout (2013)

Jackpot (2014)

Unleashed (2015)

Jingle (2016)

…

Titanic Series:

Unsinkable (2011)

Collision Course (2011)

S.O.S (2011)

…

The 39 Clues Series:

One False Note (2008)

The Emperor's Code (2010)

Vespers Rising (2011)

The Medusa Plot (2011)

Flashpoint (2014)

…

Hypnotists Series:

The Hypnotists (2013)

Memory Maze (2014)

The Dragonfly Effect (2015)

…

Ungifted Series:

Ungifted (2012)

Supergifted (2018)

…

Slacker Series:

Slacker (2016)
Level 13 (2019)

...

Non Series Books:

I Want to Go Home! (1981)

Our Man Weston (1982)

No Coins, Please (1984)

Don't Care High (1985)

Son of Interflux (1986)

A Semester in the Life of a Garbage Bag (1987)

Radio 5th Grade (1989)

Losing Joe's Place (1990)

The Twinkie Squad (1992)

The Toilet Paper Tigers (1993)

Why Did the Underwear Cross the Road (1994)

The Chicken Doesn't Skate (1996)

Liar, Liar Pants on Fire (1997)

The Sixth Grade Nickname Game (1998)

No More Dead Dogs (2000)

Maxx Comedy: The Funniest Kid in America (2003)

Jake, Reinvented (2003)

Born To Rock (2006)

Schooled (2007)

The Juvie Three (2008)

Pop (2009)

Restart (2017)

What's His Face? (2018)

The Unteachables (2019)

Notorious (2019)

War Stories (2020)

Game On (contains The Chicken Doesn’t Skate and The Toilet Paper Tigers (2021)

Unplugged (2021)

Linked (2021)

Operation Do-Over (2022)

The Fort (2022)

The Super Teacher Project (2023)

Mixed Up (2023)

…

The New Baby Calf - Edith Newlin Chase and Barbara Reid

The New Baby Calf
Edith Newlin Chase (Author)
Barbara Reid (Illustrator)
Scholastic
ISBN 9781443100298

Barbara Reid is a world renowned Plasticine artist. In this book she takes a story about the love between a mother cow and her new calf and creates a fun board book for children of all ages. With 15 full pages of illustrations and embellishments on the pages facing the text, this will be a fun book for the young children in your life.

Book written and illustrated by Barbara Reid:
Zoe's Year (2012)
Picture A Tree (2011)
The Party (2010)
Perfect Snow (2009)
Sing a Song of Mother Goose (2007)
Fox Walked Alone (2009)
Read Me A Book (2004)
The Subway Mouse (2003)
Zoe's Rainy Day (1992)
Zoe's Sunny Day (1992)
Zoe's Windy Day (1992)
Zoe's Snowy Day (1992)
The Golden Goose (2000)
Fun With Modelling Clay (1998)
The Party (1997)
First Look Board Books: Acorn to Oak Tree (1999)
First Look Board Books: Seed To Flower (1999)
First Look Board Books: Caterpillar to Butterfly (1999)
First Look Board Books: Tadpole to Frog (1999)
Two By Two (1992)
Sing A Song of Mother Goose (1987)

Book illustrated by Barbara Reid:

Peg & The Yeti (2004)
Gifts (1995)
Effie (1990)
Have You Seen Birds? (1986)
The New Baby Calf (1984)
Jenny Greenteeth (1983)
Mustard (1983)

Books contributed to:
Read Me A Story (2010)
Dream; a Tale of Wonder, Wisdom & Wishes (2004)
Mother Goose: A Canadian Sampler (1994)

Author Profile and Interview with Barbara Reid

When You Reach Me - Rebecca Stead

When You Reach Me
Rebecca Stead
Wendy Lamb Books
an Imprint of Random House
ISBN 9780385737425

I love Madeleine L'Engle and her book A Wrinkle In Time. This book makes numerous references to both. When I met Madeleine L'Engle at a conference a few years ago she stated that her characters are alive to her, and every now and again she will realize something new happened in their life. This book has that feel; as I read it, and even after finishing, I found myself thinking about the characters - where they are now, what they are up to. I think L'Engle would have loved that about this book.

The story takes place in a very small geographic region in New York City, focusing around a 6th grade girl Miranda, her friends and family. She finds a note indicating that the author is trying to save her friend's life and their own life. The author of the note indicates that they know the future and give her dates and times of events yet to happen to prove they are telling the truth. What they are asking for in return is that Miranda tells them her story, specifically that she write it out and when the time comes she will know who to give it to.

The story is wonderfully written from Miranda's perspective, looking back on the past few months. It is about lifting the veil between what we perceive and what is real, what is actual and what is possible. It is about the potential in humans for growth and change. C.S. Lewis stated "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face." This book helps to wipe some of the dirt and grime off the glass and allows us to see a little more clearly. Yes it is true the story became predictable, especially for a fan of L'Engle, but the way it happens still makes it worth reading. It is a wonderful book - a book about hope, a book about change and a book about coming into yourself. If Stead's writings continue to ask questions like this one, does she have the potential to become a favourite author of mine, and maybe even a legend like L'Engle?

The Ghost Road - Derek Stone 4 - Tony Abbott

The Ghost Road
The Haunting of Derek Stone
Book 4
Tony Abbott
Scholastic
ISBN 9780545034326

This series amazed me. I devoured the four books, and was elated by the ending, but left wanting more in the story arc. According to the author's website, that might be possible. We can only hope there will be more books featuring Derek Stone. Derek always thought he was just a normal 14 year-old, but now he knows that is not so. He is being chased by dead people, reanimated by returned souls; he can hear them and feel their presence. He can see ghosts. Along with the reanimated body of his brother and a coma survivor, they are the last hope of humanity. But will he become evil to defeat evil, and will he sacrifice his humanity to save all of humanity? These are questions Derek struggles with in this the fourth book in the Haunting of Derek Stone Series.
These books were great, and they would make an amazing movie or TV mini-series. The story is compelling and highly addictive. You feel for the characters and realize the issues they are struggling with have deep personal consequences. All in all, the four books were riveting.

Tony Abbot amazed me with this series. I could not have told you his name, but I was aware of his series The Secrets of Droon, yet had not read any of them. The fact that he has over 70 books published means that if they are all the calibre of this series I have a lot of good reading ahead of me. Tony Abbott is most known for his Secrets of Droon series and his bestselling novels, Kringle and Firegirl. He is the author of over 70 books, many of which are now on my to-read list.

Haunting of Derek Stone
1. City of the Dead (2009)
2. Bayou Dogs (2009)
3. The Red House (2009)
4. The Ghost Road (2009)
  
Books By Tony Abbott:
Goofballs
1. The Crazy Case of Missing Thunder (2012)
2. The Startling Story of the Stolen Statue (2012)
3. Superhero Silliness (2012)
4. The Mysterious Talent Show Mystery (2013)
5. The Scary Story of the Ha-Ha-Haunted House (2013) 

Underworlds:
1. The Battle Begins (2012)
2. When Monsters Escape (2012)
3. Revenge of the Scorpion King (2013)
4. The Ice Dragon (2013)

Danger Guys
1. Danger Guys (1994)
2. Danger Guys Blast Off (1994)
3. Hollywood Halloween (1994)
4. Danger Guys Hit the Beach (1995)
5. Danger Guys on Ice (1995)
6. Danger Guys and the Golden Lizard (1996)

Time Surfers
1. Space Bingo (1996)
2. Orbit Wipeout! (1995)
3. Mondo Meltdown (1996)
4. Into the Zonk Zone! (1996)
5. Splash Crash (1997)
6. Zero Hour (1997)
7. Shock Wave (1997)
8. Doom Star (1997)

Weird Zone
1. Zombie Surf Commandos from Mars (1996)
2. The Incredible Shrinking Kid (1996)
3. The Beast from Beneath the Cafeteria! (1996)
4. Attack of the Alien Mole Invaders! (1996)
5. The Brain That Wouldn't Obey! (1996)
6. Gigantopus from Planet X! (1997)
7. Cosmic Boy Versus Mezmo Head! (1997)
8. Revenge of the Tiki Men! (1997)

Secrets of Droon
1. The Hidden Stairs and the Magic Carpet (1999)
2. Journey to the Volcano Palace (1999)
3. The Mysterious Island (1999)
4. City in the Clouds (1999)
5. The Great Ice Battle (1999)
6. The Sleeping Giant of Goll (2000)
7. Into the Land of the Lost (2000)
8. The Golden Wasp (2000)
9. Tower of the Elf King (2000)
10. Quest for the Queen (2000)
11. The Hawk Bandits of Tarkoom (2000)
12. Under the Serpent Sea (2001)
13. The Mask of Maliban (2001)
14. Voyage of the Jaffa Wind (2002)
15. The Moon Scroll (2002)
16. The Knights of Silversnow (2002)
Special Edition 1. The Magic Escapes (2002)
17. Dream Thief (2003)
18. Search for the Dragon Ship (2003)
19. The Coiled Viper (2003)
20. In The Ice Caves of Krog (2003)
21. Flight of the Genie (2003)
Special Edition 2. Wizard or Witch? (2004)
22. The Isle of Mists (2004)
23. The Fortress of the Treasure Queen (2004)
24. Race To Doobesh (2005)
25. The Riddle Of Zorfendorf Castle (2005)
Special Edition 3. Voyagers of the Silver Sand (2005)
26. The Moon Dragon (2006)
27. The Chariot of Queen Zara (2006)
28. In the Shadow of Goll (2006)
Special Edition 4. Sorcerer (2006)
29. Pirates of the Purple Dawn (2007)
30. Escape from Jabar-Loo (2007)
31. Queen of Shadowthorn (2007)
Special Edition 5. Moon Magic (2008)
32. Treasure of the Orkins (2008)
33. Flight of the Blue Serpent (2008)
34. In the City of Dreams (2009)
Special Edition 6. Crown of Wizards (2009)
35. The Lost Empire Of Koomba (2009)
36. Knights of the Ruby Wand (2010)
Special Edition 7. The Genie King (2010)
Special Edition 8. The Final Quest (2010)

Don't Touch That Remote
1. Sitcom School (1999)
2. The Fake Teacher (1999)
3. Stinky Business (announced, not published)
4. Freak Week (announced, not published)

Cracked Classics
1. Trapped in Transylvania: Dracula (2002)
2. Mississippi River Blues: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (2002)
3. What a Trip!: Around the World in Eighty Days (2002)
4. Humbug Holiday: A Christmas Carol (2002)

5. X Marks the Spot: Treasure Island (2003)
6. Crushing on a Capulet: Romeo and Juliet (2003)

Haunting of Derek Stone
1. City of the Dead (2009)
2. Bayou Dogs (2009)
3. The Red House (2009)
4. The Ghost Road (2009)

The Copernicus Legacy

The Forbidden Stone (2013)

The Serpent's Curse (2014

Novels
Kringle (2005)
Firegirl (2006)
The Postcard (2008)
Lunch-Box Dream (2011)

Author profile interview with Tony Abbott.

Cardio Confusion – Masons Choice - Tony Horton One on One Volume 2 Disk 9

Tony Horton
One on One
Volume 2 Disk 9
Cardio Confusion - Mason's Choice
Beachbody

This was a great cardio workout. But it is also great for other reasons. I think the greatest strength is that it teaches us how to shake things up. I just started a 3rd round of P90X/One on One Hybrid. I am going to use this concept and pull workouts at random each day from that category for the 90 days. One of the Guys on the Beachbody Message Boards even created a workout Generator along those ideas. I was thinking the same thing as I did this workout the first time. Basically for 30 minutes Tony lets Mason Bendewald pull exercises from a hat. We see those Tony gets and a few that he doesn't. The exercises are pulled from his earlier One on Ones, P90X, P90X+ and Power 90 series. There is a great discussion about the possible exercises on the Beachbody Forums. It is a fun workout, with lots of change ups. It will get your heart going. This is one of my new favourites from Tony Horton.

To find out more about this series or other workouts in the collection follow the links below. I have created a random workout generator that uses 1 on 1's and P90X if your interested.
Volume 1, Disk 1: Plyo Legs
Volume 1, Disk 2: Power 90® Road Warrior
Volume 1, Disk 3: Killer Abs
Volume 1, Disk 4: Just Arms
Volume 1, Disk 5: 30-15: The Upper-Body Massacre
Volume 1, Disk 6: Fountain of Youth
Volume 1, Disk 7: Super Cardio
Volume 1, Disk 8: Mammoth UML
Volume 1, Disk 9: Bun ShaperVolume 1, Disk 10: Medicine Ball Core Cardio
Volume 1, Disk 11: Recovery 4 Results
Volume 1, Disk 12: Diamond Delts
Volume 1, Bonus Disk - Holiday Workout
Volume 2, Bonus Disk - Pay It Forward
Volume 2, Disk 1: Cardio Intervals
Volume 2, Disk 2: Core Ball Sandwich
Volume 2, Disk 3: Patience "Hummingbird"
Volume 2, Disk 4: 10-Minute Crusher Pack
Volume 2, Disk 5: Butt and Belly (I Dare You)Volume 2, Disk 6: Back and BellyVolume 2, Disk 7: On One Leg
Volume 2, Disk 8: Iso Abs
Volume 2, Disk 9: Cardio Confusion - Mason's Choice
Volume 2, Disk 10: 100/30/20
Volume 2, Disk 11: On One Leg 4 legs
Volume 2, Disk 12: Upper Body Balance
Volume 3, Disk 1: Chest, Back & Balls
Volume 3, Disk 2: ARX2 (Ab-Ripper X 2)
Volume 3, Disk 3: Shoulders and Arms MC2Volume 3, Disk 4: Base and Back
Volume 3, Disk 5: MC2
Volume 3, Disk 6: Plyocide
Volume 3, Disk 7: Stretch And Recovery
Volume 3, Disk 8: V Sculpt
Volume 3, Disk 9: Core Synergistics MC2
Volume 3, Disk 10: UBX
Volume 3, Disk 11: PAP
Volume 3, Disk 12: Total Body X









(Disclaimer: I am asked frequently if I am a Beachbody Coach, no I am not, I am just some one who has used their products, P90X, 1on1 with Tony Horton and more and liked them and achieved good results. I am not paid by Beachbody or any of their affiliates. You can see my full disclaimer here.)

This Totally Bites - Poison Apple Book 2 - Ruth Ames

This Totally Bites
Ruth Ames
Poison Apple Book 2
An Imprint of Scholastic
ISBN 9780545208789

In this great new series from Scholastic Press, Scholastic Goes Goth. It is shaping up to be a dark off-shoot of their popular Candy Apple Books. This new series, Poison Apple Books, starts with 2 out this spring, one in August and another in the fall and it looks amazing. These books explore such things as ghosts, vampires, haunting and other darker tales. Unlike most fluffy books for young girls these tales have a little more grit but still have some humour and really fun reads.

Emma-Rose Paley is a twelve year old with a love and fascination with all things dark, from her black and purple wardrobe, to her black shag rug in her room, with pink skull-and-crossbones wallpaper. She is not quite what you expect from a middle grade student. Her mother would prefer if she wore pastels and acted a little more girly, but what can you do with a stubborn girl? Then her great aunt Margo arrives from Transylvania - tall, dark, ageless and cold to the touch. Emma discovers her family comes from Transylvania, and her great aunt looks ageless. She also looks just like Emma-Rose with dark hair, blue eyes and sharp incisors. Emma now thinks that she has uncovered the reason she is so different; she just might be a vampire, just like her great aunt. Soon she hopes so, for she is finding an inner strength from seeing herself as a vampire. She stands up to the class president, plans the school dance, and believes she has been invited to a ritual to turn her from a fledgling into a full fledged vampire. Her best friend Gabby thinks that she is crazy and this causes a rift between them that seems irreparable. While at the library, she meets Henry Greene, a guy from school she likes and who, it appears, is into folklore and legends, and he thinks that she just may have something. This second book out is in a new Scholastic imprint, Poison Apple Books. It is cool, hip, and fills a niche for those attracted to something a little darker at a younger age.

Poison Apple Books:
The Dead End - Mimi McCoy
This Totally Bites! - Ruth Ames
Miss Fortune - Brandi Dougherty
Now You See Me - Jane B. Mason & Sarah Hines Stephens
Midnight Howl - Clare Hutton
Her Evil Twin - Mimi McCoy
Curiosity Killed the Cat - Sierra Harimann
At First Bite - Ruth Ames

Rotten Apple Books:
Mean Ghouls - Staci Deutsch
Zombie Dog - Clare Hutton

Books By Aimee Friedman:
South Beach (2004)
French Kiss (2005)
A Novel Idea (2005)
Hollywood Hills (2007)
The Year My Sister Got Lucky (2008)
Sea Change (2009)

Contributed to:
Mistletoe (2006)
21 Proms

Graphic Novel:
Breaking Up (2007 - with Christine Norrie )

As Ruth Ames:
This Totally Bites - Poison Apple Book 2 (2009)
At First Bite - Poison Apple Book 8 (2011)

Author Profile Interview with Aimee Friedman

The Red House - Derek Stone 3 - Tony Abbott

The Red House
The Haunting of Derek Stone
Book 3
Tony Abbott
Scholastic
ISBN 9780545034319

This third book in the 'Haunting of Derek Stone' series is a roller coaster ride. It is fast-paced and the story arc progresses dramatically. Book 2 Bayou Dogs ends with plans for Derek, his brother and Abby Donner to meet in Baton Rouge. Abby leads them to the school library at the Louisiana State University. There they identify the Red House in the picture from Derek's past.

Other things from Derek's past keep coming to light also, like a mysterious appearance of his mother. While discovering secrets about his family's long history in Louisiana, and part of his legacy as a Longtemps, he also finds out that his great, great grandfather discovered the rift 150 years earlier and managed to find a way to close it. But the three are now pursued by an army of hundreds that have crossed over the rift. Can they find the way to close it? We will need to read on to find out.
Tony Abbot is most known for his Secrets of Droon series and his bestselling novels, Kringle and Firegirl. He is the author of over 70 books.

Haunting of Derek Stone
1. City of the Dead (2009)
2. Bayou Dogs (2009)
3. The Red House (2009)
4. The Ghost Road (2009)

  
Books By Tony Abbott:
Goofballs
1. The Crazy Case of Missing Thunder (2012)
2. The Startling Story of the Stolen Statue (2012)
3. Superhero Silliness (2012)
4. The Mysterious Talent Show Mystery (2013)
5. The Scary Story of the Ha-Ha-Haunted House (2013) 

Underworlds:
1. The Battle Begins (2012)
2. When Monsters Escape (2012)
3. Revenge of the Scorpion King (2013)
4. The Ice Dragon (2013)

Danger Guys
1. Danger Guys (1994)
2. Danger Guys Blast Off (1994)
3. Hollywood Halloween (1994)
4. Danger Guys Hit the Beach (1995)
5. Danger Guys on Ice (1995)
6. Danger Guys and the Golden Lizard (1996)

Time Surfers
1. Space Bingo (1996)
2. Orbit Wipeout! (1995)
3. Mondo Meltdown (1996)
4. Into the Zonk Zone! (1996)
5. Splash Crash (1997)
6. Zero Hour (1997)
7. Shock Wave (1997)
8. Doom Star (1997)

Weird Zone
1. Zombie Surf Commandos from Mars (1996)
2. The Incredible Shrinking Kid (1996)
3. The Beast from Beneath the Cafeteria! (1996)
4. Attack of the Alien Mole Invaders! (1996)
5. The Brain That Wouldn't Obey! (1996)
6. Gigantopus from Planet X! (1997)
7. Cosmic Boy Versus Mezmo Head! (1997)
8. Revenge of the Tiki Men! (1997)

Secrets of Droon
1. The Hidden Stairs and the Magic Carpet (1999)
2. Journey to the Volcano Palace (1999)
3. The Mysterious Island (1999)
4. City in the Clouds (1999)
5. The Great Ice Battle (1999)
6. The Sleeping Giant of Goll (2000)
7. Into the Land of the Lost (2000)
8. The Golden Wasp (2000)
9. Tower of the Elf King (2000)
10. Quest for the Queen (2000)
11. The Hawk Bandits of Tarkoom (2000)
12. Under the Serpent Sea (2001)
13. The Mask of Maliban (2001)
14. Voyage of the Jaffa Wind (2002)
15. The Moon Scroll (2002)
16. The Knights of Silversnow (2002)
Special Edition 1. The Magic Escapes (2002)
17. Dream Thief (2003)
18. Search for the Dragon Ship (2003)
19. The Coiled Viper (2003)
20. In The Ice Caves of Krog (2003)
21. Flight of the Genie (2003)
Special Edition 2. Wizard or Witch? (2004)
22. The Isle of Mists (2004)
23. The Fortress of the Treasure Queen (2004)
24. Race To Doobesh (2005)
25. The Riddle Of Zorfendorf Castle (2005)
Special Edition 3. Voyagers of the Silver Sand (2005)
26. The Moon Dragon (2006)
27. The Chariot of Queen Zara (2006)
28. In the Shadow of Goll (2006)
Special Edition 4. Sorcerer (2006)
29. Pirates of the Purple Dawn (2007)
30. Escape from Jabar-Loo (2007)
31. Queen of Shadowthorn (2007)
Special Edition 5. Moon Magic (2008)
32. Treasure of the Orkins (2008)
33. Flight of the Blue Serpent (2008)
34. In the City of Dreams (2009)
Special Edition 6. Crown of Wizards (2009)
35. The Lost Empire Of Koomba (2009)
36. Knights of the Ruby Wand (2010)
Special Edition 7. The Genie King (2010)
Special Edition 8. The Final Quest (2010)

Don't Touch That Remote
1. Sitcom School (1999)
2. The Fake Teacher (1999)
3. Stinky Business (announced, not published)
4. Freak Week (announced, not published)

Cracked Classics
1. Trapped in Transylvania: Dracula (2002)
2. Mississippi River Blues: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (2002)
3. What a Trip!: Around the World in Eighty Days (2002)
4. Humbug Holiday: A Christmas Carol (2002)

5. X Marks the Spot: Treasure Island (2003)
6. Crushing on a Capulet: Romeo and Juliet (2003)

Haunting of Derek Stone
1. City of the Dead (2009)
2. Bayou Dogs (2009)
3. The Red House (2009)
4. The Ghost Road (2009)

The Copernicus Legacy

The Forbidden Stone (2013)

The Serpent's Curse (2014

Novels
Kringle (2005)
Firegirl (2006)
The Postcard (2008)
Lunch-Box Dream (2011)

Author profile interview with Tony Abbott.

Be Careful What You Wish For - Edited by Lois Metzger

Be Careful What You Wish For
Ten Stories About Wishes
Edited by Lois Metzger
Scholastic
ISBN 9780439933346

This collection of ten short stories is all about wishing. It is also a warning about wishes not always going the way you expect no matter how careful you think you are being. It is also about real wishes, when you are desperate and need help and sometimes it comes through, often from unexpected people. It is a good collection. The contributors are:

Louise Hawes
A. LaFaye
Gail Carson Levine
Patricia McCormick
Andrea Davis Pinkney
Liz Rosenberg
Catherine Stine
Rachael Vail
Deborah Wiles
Jane Yolen
Heidi E.Y. Stemple

And now for a look at each of these pieces and see where a simple wish can take us.

Wish Week
Gail Carson Levine
What would you wish for if you went to a school and everybody in the 6th grade got a wish and knew it would come true? Now you know you need to be careful because you do not want Post Wish Trauma, and your wish will only come true for the week. Or what if you cannot decide on a good safe wish. That is the situation for Tam.

That's the Way the Fortune Cookie Crumbles
Louise Hawes
You think your life stinks. Your older sister got the looks, the brains and the talent. Then one night at dinner you get a fortune cookie different than everybody else's. The owner says it is like a scroll fragment monks use. You think you might have a real wish. What would you wish for - to trade places with your sister, to make her pay? … read and find out.

Our Pig, Satin
Andrea Davis Pinkney
Every day you wish for a pet pig. You dream of the pig, you have conversations with it. Your mother and grandmother mock your dreams and consider you sour when you sit and wish and dream. But maybe wishing isn't so bad after all, especially if you share your wish with a new friend.

Five Djinn in a Bottle
Liz Rosenberg
Five little genies trapped in a jar. One grumpy man trying to make careful wishes. But maybe one genie would be bad enough but trying to outwit five? Heaven help the man.

Black Sheep of the Family
Patricia McCormick
Ever wish one day you would wake up and be told your family wasn't your family? There was a mistake at the hospital, you were adopted. What if it happened your cousin told you that you were, and you started to believe it? How would you determine the truth? Would you try the scientific method?

The Fashion Contest
Catherine Stine
You and your arch rival at school end up in a fashion-walk off for history class. How did you let that happen to your tomboy self? Read and find out.

The Reason I will Love John MacFarlane Jr. Until the Day I Die
Rachael Vail
This is an incredibly moving story. It almost brought me to tears. Who has not been touched by cancer? Best in the bunch.

Be Careful What You Wish For
Jane Yolen and Heidi E.Y. Stemple
How would you react if, when you hit a rock with a Karate punch you woke a Genius Loci? You ask him to fix your family because you just learned that your parents are splitting up. He laughs at you and tells you it isn't his department. But maybe he sends his friend to visit you - a fairy godmother. You know wishes in stories don't often work out the way you expect, so you are very careful about the wording you use. So how come everything seems to be going sideways?

Beggar's Ride
A. LaFaye
You wish your twin brothers would be quiet, or considerate or even just less obnoxious. But then they go missing at a truck stop. Would you really wish them gone?

Star Light, Star Bright
Deborah Wiles
You are poor, at a new school and in a new town. You wish for just one friend, a real friend. What if it seems your wish is coming true? And yet things are not always what they appear. But sometimes, just sometimes, we do realize our wishes. Read and find out how.

This collection was a good collection of short stories, but not really my favorite. I had read another collection Bites! Stories to Sink your Teeth Into, by the same editor. This one is a little too much Chick-lit for me. But good stories overall and would definitely be good for younger female readers. Again, as a tribute to Metzger's editorship, there was not a story that I really didn't enjoy.

The Dead End - Poison Apple Book 1 - Mimi McCoy

The Dead End
Mimi McCoy
Poison Apple Book 1
An Imprint of Scholastic
ISBN 9780545203180

Scholastic goes Goth, or at least dark and scary. This new series by Scholastic Press has some great potential - it looks like a dark off-shoot of their popular Candy Apple Books. This new series from Poison Apple Books starts with 2 out this spring, one in August and another in the fall and it looks amazing. I have read advance copies of the first two and they were great.

Casey Slater had her summer all planned out. She and her best friend knew what they would be doing all summer long and they would be doing it together. Then a few weeks before the end of school her parents tell her they have a surprise. Her parents bought a house in the middle of nowhere in New Hampshire, just outside Stillness. Her parents plan to restore this old creaky and creepy house. Everyone in town believes the house is haunted and soon so does Casey. She finds the diary from a girl who lived there 70 years earlier, Millicent Amelia Hughes, and while reading the journal, finds out Millicent's story and her own apprehension of being haunted are eerily similar. China cabinets fall over, vases explode, and all the electrical devices go on before the house has power. These and other events lead Casey to believe the house is haunted, and that maybe Millicent is out to get her. But things are not always as they appear. To quote the back of the book: "Casey thought she'd be dying of boredom, but now she's scared to death!"

Poison Apple Books:
The Dead End - Mimi McCoy
This Totally Bites! - Ruth Ames
Miss Fortune - Brandi Dougherty
Now You See Me - Jane B. Mason & Sarah Hines Stephens
Midnight Howl - Clare Hutton
Her Evil Twin - Mimi McCoy
Curiosity Killed the Cat - Sierra Harimann
At First Bite - Ruth Ames

Rotten Apple Books:
Mean Ghouls - Staci Deutsch
Zombie Dog - Clare Hutton