“Kids of all stripes will identify with EllRay and his unwittingly hilarious antics.”—BooklistEight-year-old EllRay is down to one-and-a-half best friends, and his little sister points out the obvious: he needs more! So EllRay decides to audition other boys for the part, the way his sister is auditioning for the lead role in her day care’s spring play. Now, EllRay has to come up with fun things to do at recess, because when he’s the Recess King, everyone w...

Small kid. Big Stage.Does EllRay have a talent to put on show for the entire school?When EllRay and his friends hear about the school talent show, they’re not impressed. They’re too old for that stuff. But their teacher, Mrs. Sanchez, isn’t so quick to let her students off the hook. Five students absolutely must try-out, and EllRay somehow ends up being one of them. Now he has to figure out something he’s talented at….like, maybe magic?But now the p...

Emma McGraw just can't sit back and watch someone being teased, especially one of her friends. So when class bully Jared Matthews chooses EllRay Jakes as his next target, Emma can't hold back. But unfortunately for Emma, her good deed is not appreciated. Instead of helping EllRay, Emma just embarrassed him. What boy wants to be "saved" by a girl?! Now everyone is calling her Super Emma, and Jared has set his sights on her. Who will rescue Emma now that Jared is tossing around threats? Her ...

EllRay Jakes is a small kid with big problems!EllRay Jakes may be the smallest kid in his class at Oak Glen Primary School, but he’s also his sister Alfie’s big brother. So when it looks like Alfie is being bossed around by a dragon-like girl at her school, EllRay feels responsible. As her older (and wiser!) brother, shouldn’t he show her that she should stand up for herself?But little sisters and four year old dragons are a bit more complicated than he tho...

Alfie Jakes is starting second grade in the follow-up to Alfie Jakes and the Furry, Purry Secret, perfect for fans of the Judy Moody books!Alfie Jakes's summer was better than she expected. Even though her best friend Lulu was away on vacation, she found a new friend in her next door neighbor, Hanni. Hanni even let her take home a kitten! Now that second grade is about to start and Lulu is back in town, Alfie is worried. All she wants is for her trio to be...

EllRay Jakes finally grows up (a little) by playing basketball in this ninth book in the series.There's a new game in town—basketball! Or in Ellray's case, pre-basketball. Coach Havens has all the third graders dribbling, passing, and shooting, and he's quick to compliment EllRay's skills. No one else seems to notice them, however, and as 'the shortest kid in the class,' EllRay is still chosen last for teams at recess. What's a short guy gotta do to get no...

EllRay Jakes may be the shortest kid in his class, and he may get into trouble from time to time, but he can always count on his best friends Kevin and Corey. But lately, Kevin has been skateboarding with the meanest boy in class. Could EllRay be losing one of his friends?Not giving up without a fight, EllRay asks his older neighbor to show him a few jaw-dropping skateboard moves—like ollies and kickflips. EllRay must learn as many tricks as he can before the secret boys-only third...

emma Mcgraw is slowly making friends at her new school. but when Cynthia calls her weird, emma is shocked. they are supposed to be best friends! in response, emma decides that Cynthias new name should be bossy pants, and she tells everyone in the class. Now the entire third grade is trading nicknames. And while it starts out being funny, emma begins to see the downside of name-calling. but just when she decides its time for apologies, her teacher makes the most dreaded call of a...

The small kid with big problems returns in the seventh book of this beloved series!It’s almost Christmas and school is going great for EllRay. He’s “blending in” just the way he likes. So when his father tells him he should be proud to be part of the African-American “community,” EllRay isn’t so sure he wants to call attention to his differences. After all, he’s only one of two boys in his class with brown skin. And then, totally by accident, he insults the other b...

A novel in words and sketches. ?It?s only temporary,? twelve-year-old Skye McPhee writes in her sketchbook after being shipped off to her gran?s in Sierre Madre, California. After all, her parents have their hands full taking care of her older brother, who?s been severely injured in a car accident. So now Skye is in a new school sketching new kids and trying to stay invisible until she can return home.But her new life starts turning out better than she hoped; she?s making cool frie...

Alfie tries to save Halloween from too many princesses in this fourth book in the Absolutely Alfie series!It's almost Halloween at Alfie's school and everyone is excited to dress up in constumes for the class Halloween party. Shy Bella asks Alfie if she wants to be bunny rabbits together, but then all of Alfie's other friends are going to be princesses! Alfie is so torn. Can she be both . . . and not hurt anyone's feelings? Probably not!

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of The Smoke Thieves by Sally Green, read by Charlie Anson, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Yasmin Paige, Daniel Weyman and Asa Butterfield.A princess, a traitor, a soldier, a hunter and a thief. Five teenagers with the fate of the world in their hands. Five nations destined for conflict.In Brigant, Princess Catherine prepares for a political marriage arranged by her brutal and ambitious father, while h...