From the author of the Horace & Bunwinkle series comes this hilarious and heartwarming story of forgiveness, trust, and found family, perfect for fans of A Boy Called Bat and Wedgie & Gizmo.
The Great Zoodini--aka Radar the fennec fox--has never fit in. In fact, his only friend is a stuffed rabbit. Ever since his first family abandoned him, he's had one goal: become world famous and show everyone how wrong they were about him. But no matter how many daring escapes Zoodini's tried, he's never even made the Association of Animal-Themed Attractions newsletter.
When his latest escape goes wrong, Zoodini winds up at the Twin Buttes Animal Sanctuary and Drive-In Movie Theater. He can't believe his bad luck. How can he get famous in the middle of nowhere? But the residents--ranging from a pink-obsessed flamingo to an astrology-loving river otter to a grizzly cub who thinks he's a superhero--all seem to like Zoodini. Even more surprising, he likes them too.
Then Zoodini overhears a plot to sell the sanctuary and sees his big chance--breaking out by himself would go unnoticed, but breaking everyone out? That would make him world famous. But what if being famous means losing the only family who's ever accepted him?
The first in a young middle grade animal series in which an anxious Boston Terrier and an exuberant potbellied pig team up to solve crimes in their barnyard--from debut author PJ Gardner, with illustrations by David Mottram.
Perfect for fans of the Mercy Watson series, The Trouble with Chickens, and A Boy Called Bat.
Horace Homer Higgins III despises dirt. And the outdoors. And ducks. But when his person, Ellie, moves to a farm called the Homestead, the anxious Boston Terrier is forced to adapt. As if that isn't enough to strain his nerves, Ellie adopts a perpetually cheerful potbellied pig named Bunwinkle to be his baby sister.
Bunwinkle is delighted to be on the farm despite the stuffiness of her new canine brother. She's sure she'll crack his shell eventually--no one can resist her cuteness for long--especially once they bond over watching a TV pet-tective show.
When the duo discovers that some neighborhood animals have been disappearing, they decide to use their new detective skills to team up to solve this barnyard mystery. Is it a mountain lion? Or their suspiciously shot-loving veterinarians? Only one thing seems certain: if they don't figure it out soon, one of them might be next.
From four award-winning and bestselling middle grade authors comes the writing guide for ages 8-12 that feels like a lively conversation over school lunch.
In Tools, Not Rules: A Writing Guide for Young Creatives, four middle grade authors speak directly to students in grades 3-6, the target audience for their novels. Students will find engaging, short chapters in each of the four authors' unique voices. These are followed by skill-developing and idea-generating writing activities complete with modeling examples.
With advice on everything from finding ideas to actually publishing a book, Tools, Not Rules takes a bite-sized approach to creative writing that both challenges eager writers and heartens hesitant ones. Parents and educators will appreciate the resources to jumpstart their students' imaginations and the mini-lessons built into the pages for classroom use or for fast-finishers. Students will appreciate the personal anecdotes from the authors, candid conversations, and the behind-the-scenes look at how the pros do it.
The final book in a young middle grade mystery-adventure series about Horace, an anxious Boston Terrier, and Bunwinkle, an exuberant potbellied pig, who team up to solve crimes in their barnyard and neighborhood.
In this third mystery, the pet-tective duo must solve a series of crimes at the local Renaissance Faire. Perfect for fans of Mercy Watson, The Trouble with Chickens, and A Boy Called Bat!
Life is never quiet at the Homestead. First, it was disappearing animals, then a power-hungry dairy queen. Now it's a Renaissance Faire, a noisy, stinky spectacle that drives Horace to distraction. Bunwinkle, on the other hand, can't get enough of the festivities--she loves the thrilling jousts, the court intrigue...and especially the pickles on a stick.
But when Eleanor and Clary's ice cream buckets are stolen and several of the food stalls are vandalized, it's clear that there's something fishy going on at the faire. And suddenly the pet-tectives find themselves with a new case on their hands.
One thing's for certain: There's no shortage of suspects. From Wendell, the nosy vegetable vendor, to Dean, the alpaca farmer who's been getting a bit too close to Eleanor, to Uta Hawken, a Shakespeare-spouting red-tailed hawk, the culprit could be anyone.
Can the pet-tectives solve this royally tough case before the faire is ruined...or worse?
The first in a young middle grade animal series in which an anxious Boston Terrier and an exuberant potbellied pig team up to solve crimes in their barnyard--from debut author PJ Gardner, with illustrations by David Mottram.
Perfect for fans of the Mercy Watson series, The Trouble with Chickens, and A Boy Called Bat.
Horace Homer Higgins III despises dirt. And the outdoors. And ducks. But when his person, Ellie, moves to a farm called the Homestead, the anxious Boston Terrier is forced to adapt. As if that isn't enough to strain his nerves, Ellie adopts a perpetually cheerful potbellied pig named Bunwinkle to be his baby sister.
Bunwinkle is delighted to be on the farm despite the stuffiness of her new canine brother. She's sure she'll crack his shell eventually--no one can resist her cuteness for long--especially once they bond over watching a TV pet-tective show.
When the duo discovers that some neighborhood animals have been disappearing, they decide to use their new detective skills to team up to solve this barnyard mystery. Is it a mountain lion? Or their suspiciously shot-loving veterinarians? Only one thing seems certain: if they don't figure it out soon, one of them might be next.
The second book in a young middle grade mystery-adventure series about Horace, an anxious Boston Terrier, and Bunwinkle, an exuberant potbellied pig, who team up to solve crimes in their barnyard and local neighborhood--perfect for fans of Mercy Watson, The Trouble with Chickens, and A Boy Called Bat.
Horace is flying high after solving the pet-tectives' first mystery. But Bunwinkle just hasn't been herself--she's scared all the time and is too embarrassed to tell anyone.
Before they can work on getting Bunwinkle's confidence back, a new case lands in their laps--well, actually their trash cans--when Shoo the raccoon asks for help. The neighborhood humans think he's behind a series of garbage upheavals and home break-ins--but he swears he's innocent. Just because people call him a trash bandit doesn't mean he is one.
To make matters worse, while the pet-tectives are trying to clear Shoo's name, they learn that Eleanor is having money problems. She hopes to solve them by starting a community Farmer's Market in the back field. The neighbors seem excited to help at first but then, one by one, they suddenly drop out.
With time running out, can the pet-tectives solve the mysteries and save Shoo and the Homestead?
The final book in a young middle grade mystery-adventure series about Horace, an anxious Boston Terrier, and Bunwinkle, an exuberant potbellied pig, who team up to solve crimes in their barnyard and neighborhood.
In this third mystery, the pet-tective duo must solve a series of crimes at the local Renaissance Faire. Perfect for fans of Mercy Watson, The Trouble with Chickens, and A Boy Called Bat!
Life is never quiet at the Homestead. First, it was disappearing animals, then a power-hungry dairy queen. Now it's a Renaissance Faire, a noisy, stinky spectacle that drives Horace to distraction. Bunwinkle, on the other hand, can't get enough of the festivities--she loves the thrilling jousts, the court intrigue...and especially the pickles on a stick.
But when Eleanor and Clary's ice cream buckets are stolen and several of the food stalls are vandalized, it's clear that there's something fishy going on at the faire. And suddenly the pet-tectives find themselves with a new case on their hands.
One thing's for certain: There's no shortage of suspects. From Wendell, the nosy vegetable vendor, to Dean, the alpaca farmer who's been getting a bit too close to Eleanor, to Uta Hawken, a Shakespeare-spouting red-tailed hawk, the culprit could be anyone.
Can the pet-tectives solve this royally tough case before the faire is ruined...or worse?