Middle Reader

New York Times bestselling author Andy Griffiths invites readers to come hang out with him and his friend Terry in their 78-Story Treehouse--the sixth book in the illustrated chapter book series filled with Andy and Terry's signature slapstick humor!

Andy and Terry live in a 78-story treehouse. (It used to be a 65-story treehouse, but they just keep building more levels!) It has a drive-thru car wash, a courtroom with a robot judge called Edward Gavelhead, a scribbletorium, a combining machine, an ALL-BALL sports stadium, a high-security potato chip storage facility, and an open-air movie theatre with a super-giant screen . . . which is a very useful thing to have now that Terry's going to be a big-shot movie star!

After Andy gets cut out of the movie, he and Terry have a big fight and decide they don't want to be best friends anymore. But with a herd of sneaky spy cows out to steal all their story ideas, can Andy and Terry make up before it's too late?

Praise for the Treehouse series:

Anarchic absurdity at its best. . . . Denton's manic cartooning captures every twist and turn in hilarious detail. --Publishers Weekly, starred review, on The 13-Story Treehouse

Will appeal to fans of Jeff Kinney and Dav Pilkey. . . . The wonderfully random slapstick humor is tailor-made for reluctant readers. . . . A treat for all. --Booklist on The 13-Story Treehouse

Read the whole series!
The 13-Story Treehouse
The 26-Story Treehouse
The 39-Story Treehouse
The 52-Story Treehouse
The 65-Story Treehouse
The 78-Story Treehouse

As she did in Roller Girl, Victoria Jamieson perfectly--and authentically--captures the bittersweetness of middle school life with humor, warmth, and understanding.

Some characters become your friends for life. That's how it was for me with Betsy-Tacy.--Judy Blume

With a Foreword by Anna Quindlen

The final two books in Maud Hart Lovelace's beloved Betsy-Tacy series: Betsy and the Great World and Betsy's Wedding, in one volume featuring the original cover illustration from Betsy and the Great World, along with a foreword by New York Times bestselling author Anna Quindlen.

"There are three authors whose body of work I have re-read more than once over my adult life: Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, and Maud Hart Lovelace." --Anna Quindlen

"Slipping into a Betsy book is like slipping into a favorite pair of well-worn slippers: It's always a pleasure to live in Betsy's world for a little while, to experience her simple joys, but also her (thankfully short-lived) sorrows." --Meg Cabot

"I re-read these books every year, marveling at how a world so quaint - Shirtwaists! Pompadours! Merry Widow hats! - can feature a heroine who is undeniably modern."



--Laura Lippman

Betsy-Tacy did all kinds of things. They made a playhouse from a piano box. They went to their first day of school together and even sat in the same seat. They rode in the milkman's wagon. And Betsy made up wonderful stories that they kept as their own special secrets. Then they met Tib, who came to share in their games.

Ever since their first publication in the 1940s, the Betsy-Tacy stories have been loved by each generation of young readers.

"A novel about a soccer-obsessed tween boy written entirely in verse? In a word, yes. Kwame Alexander has the magic to pull off this unlikely feat, both as a poet and as a storyteller. " -- The Chicago Tribune

Can't nobody stop you
Can't nobody cop you...

In this follow-up to Newbery-winner The Crossover, soccer, family, love, and friendship take center stage. Twelve-year-old Nick learns the power of words as he wrestles with problems at home, stands up to a bully, and tries to impress the girl of his dreams. Helping him along are his best friend and sometimes teammate Coby, and The Mac, a rapping librarian who gives Nick inspiring books to read.

This electric and heartfelt novel-in-verse by poet Kwame Alexander bends and breaks as it captures all the thrills and setbacks, action and emotion of a World Cup match! Now in paperback.

There once was a frozen forest so cold, you could feel it through the soles of your boots. It was a strange place where some kisses broke enchantments and others began them. Many said witches lived there -- some with cold hearts, others with hot ovens and ugly appetites -- and also dwarves in tiny houses made of stones. In this icy wood, a stepmother might eat a girl's heart to restore her own beauty, while a woodcutter might become stupid with grief at the death of his donkey. Here a princess with too many dresses grows spiteful out of loneliness, while a mistreated girl who is kind to a crone finds pearls dropping from her mouth whenever she speaks. With empathy and an ear for emotion, Emily Jenkins retells seven fairy tales in contemporary language that reveals both the pathos and humor of some of our most beloved stories. Charming illustrations by Rohan Daniel Eason add whimsical details that enhance every new reading.

The game is truly afoot in this quirky caper involving blood-sucking leeches, an asthmatic pug, smoke bombs, secret elevators, diabolical disguises, and wicked word-play.

Praise for The Case of the Missing Moonstone

An enjoyable plot, resourceful heroines and fun writing. --Wall Street Journal

Smart and witty. . . . The detectives in training use quick thinking, book smarts, and social know-how to find a stolen gemstone. Comical narration and dialogue will charm readers thoroughly. --Publishers Weekly

Praise for The Case of the Girl in Grey

Mystery fans ... will relish the girls' romp around the stately home; discovery of an encrypted clue (in the crypt, of course); and unraveling of the mystery.--Booklist

"Equal parts laughs and adventure, this lively mystery will keep you guessing till the end!" -Discovery Girls

This hilarious final installment in the Charlie Joe Jackson series written by Tommy Greenwald and illustrated by J. P. Coovert is infused with nostalgia and just the right amount of chaos.

Yes! Graduation day is finally here!

Charlie Joe has been waiting for this moment his entire middle school career. This might even be the best day of his life. No more teachers! No more books! Just make it through the ceremony and he's free. But suddenly things around him are starting to change. Words like "responsibility" and "college prep" keep popping out of his friend's mouths. What happened to words like "fun" and "pool party"? And come to think of it, doesn't high school bring more teachers and more books? Maybe this whole growing up thing isn't such a good idea after all. Actually being a kid is pretty darn fun! Surely Charlie Joe can figure out a way to put the brakes on growing up-and fast!

With laugh-out-loud humor and quirky illustrations, this book is perfect for reluctant readers.

Books in the Charlie Joe Jackson series:
Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading
Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Extra Credit
Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Summer Vacation
Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Making Money
Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Planet Girl
Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Growing Up

Don't forget Charlie Joe's friends!
Katie Friedman Gives Up Texting! (And Lives to Tell About It.)
Jack Strong Takes a Stand
Pete Milano's Guide to Being a Movie Star

More from Tommy Greenwald:
The Real Us

The launch of an exciting and innovatively illustrated new series narrated by an unforgettable kid every family can relate to

It's a new school year, and Greg Heffley finds himself thrust into middle school, where undersized weaklings share the hallways with kids who are taller, meaner, and already shaving. The hazards of growing up before you're ready are uniquely revealed through words and drawings as Greg records them in his diary.

In book one of this debut series, Greg is happy to have Rowley, his sidekick, along for the ride. But when Rowley's star starts to rise, Greg tries to use his best friend's newfound popularity to his own advantage, kicking off a chain of events that will test their friendship in hilarious fashion.

Author/illustrator Jeff Kinney recalls the growing pains of school life and introduces a new kind of hero who epitomizes the challenges of being a kid. As Greg says in his diary, "Just don't expect me to be all 'Dear Diary' this and 'Dear Diary' that." Luckily for us, what Greg Heffley says he won't do and what he actually does are two very different things.

Since its launch in May 2004 on Funbrain.com, the Web version of Diary of a Wimpy Kid has been viewed by 20 million unique online readers. This year, it is averaging 70,000 readers a day. F&P level: T

Each kindness makes the world a little better

This unforgettable book is written and illustrated by the award-winning team that created The Other Side and the Caldecott Honor winner Coming On Home Soon. With its powerful anti-bullying message and striking art, it will resonate with readers long after they've put it down.

Chloe and her friends won't play with the new girl, Maya. Every time Maya tries to join Chloe and her friends, they reject her. Eventually Maya stops coming to school. When Chloe's teacher gives a lesson about how even small acts of kindness can change the world, Chloe is stung by the lost opportunity for friendship, and thinks about how much better it could have been if she'd shown a little kindness toward Maya.

An enchanting tale with a fabulous monster, engaging characters, and plenty of mermaid magic, this second fantasy about Emily Windsnap is filled with charm and warmth.

A field trip to a mysterious island quickly turns into an adventure when Emily and Aaron discover a ghostly ship that no one else can see. Searching for answers only leads to more questions -- until Emily and her friends uncover the story of a ship caught between land and sea, day and night . . . life and death. Only Emily, with her ability to transform from mermaid to human, can enter Atlantis to try to bring the ship's passengers back before the portal is closed forever. Will she be able to resist the allure of Atlantis and return home before it's too late?

The heartwarming and memorable Newbery Honor-winning book about finding family in the unlikeliest places, featuring artwork by beloved illustrator Garth Williams. This classic middle grade novel is a welcome and meaningful read, especially at Christmastime.

Armand, an old man living on the streets of Paris, relishes his solitary life in the beautiful city. He is happy with his carefree existence, begging and doing odd jobs to keep himself warm and fed. With simple pleasures and no cares, what more could he need?

Then one day just before Christmas, Armand returns to his favorite spot beneath the bridge to find three cold and hungry children. Although he has no interest in children, Armand soon finds himself caring for the small family. It does not take Armand very long to realize that he must do whatever it takes to get them a real home.

Children will treasure this warm and funny adventure of family, freedom, and Santa Claus. The book includes illustrations by Garth Williams, the acclaimed illustrator of E. B. White's Charlotte's Web and Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series.

More clever science experiments, funny jokes, and robot hijinks await readers in book three of the New York Times bestselling Frank Einstein chapter book series from the mad scientist team of Jon Scieszka and Brian Biggs. The perfect combination to engage and entertain readers, the series features real science facts with adventure and humor, making these books ideal for STEM education. This latest installment examines the quest to unlock the power behind the science of "the human body."

Kid-genius and inventor Frank Einstein loves figuring out how the world works by creating household contraptions that are part science, part imagination, and definitely unusual. In the series opener, an uneventful experiment in his garage-lab, a lightning storm, and a flash of electricity bring Frank's inventions--the robots Klink and Klank--to life! Not exactly the ideal lab partners, the wisecracking Klink and the overly expressive Klank nonetheless help Frank attempt to perfect his inventions. In the third book in the series, Frank creates the BrainTurbo to power-boost the human body and help his baseball-pitching pal Janegoodall make the team. But when Klank goes missing, they must first rescue their robot pal and stop T. Edison--Frank's classmate and archrival--from stealing their latest invention and using it against them!

Integrating real science facts with wacky humor, a silly cast of characters, and science fiction, this uniquely engaging series is an irresistible chemical reaction for middle-grade readers. With easy-to-read language and graphic illustrations on almost every page, this chapter book series is a must for reluctant readers. The Frank Einstein series encourages middle-grade readers to question the way things work and to discover how they, too, can experiment with science. In a starred review, Kirkus Reviews raves, "This buoyant, tongue-in-cheek celebration of the impulse to 'keep asking questions and finding your own answers' fires on all cylinders," while Publishers Weekly says that the series "proves that science can be as fun as it is important and useful."

Look for all twelve of Humphrey's adventures!

Eel has troubles of his own: As an orphan and a "mudlark," he spends his days in the filthy River Thames, searching for bits of things to sell. He's being hunted by Fisheye Bill Tyler, and a nastier man never walked the streets of London. And he's got a secret that costs him four precious shillings a week to keep safe. But even for Eel, things aren't so bad until that fateful August day in 1854--the day the deadly cholera epidemic ("blue death") comes to Broad Street.

Everyone believes that cholera is spread through poisonous air. But one man, Dr. John Snow, has a different theory. As the epidemic surges, it's up to Eel and his best friend, Florrie, to gather evidence to prove Dr. Snow's theory--before the entire neighborhood is wiped out.

"Hopkinson illuminates a pivotal chapter in the history of public health. . . . Accessible . . . and entertaining." --School Library Journal, Starred

"For [readers] who love suspense, drama, and mystery." --TIME for Kids

Calling all basketball fans! Return to the court in this action-packed Sports Story Series book from Washington Post KidsPost columnist and author Fred Bowen - perfect for fans of Mike Lupica and Tim Green.

"Reads like a successful drive to the hoop--quick, purposeful, and effective." ―Booklist

Brett Carter, the Wildcats' star forward, is a hotshot on his basketball team--or at least he was. After missing an easy layup shot at the buzzer in one of the most important games of the season, he feels like a total loser. And things only get worse from there...

At his best friend's birthday party at a rock-climbing center, Brett freezes on the wall. Then he blows an easy question in the American history bee at school. And when he gets back on the court, he can't get rid of this terrible pounding in his chest. Brett is losing his confidence fast. With the championship game is coming up, can he overcome his fears and play like a "winner" again?

In the afterword, author Fred Bowen shares real stories of well-known players and their hard-fought comebacks.

Discussion Guide available.

The war against Voldemort is not going well; even the Muggles have been affected. Dumbledore is absent from Hogwarts for long stretches of time, and the Order of the Phoenix has already suffered losses.
And yet . . . As with all wars, life goes on. Sixth-year students learn to Apparate. Teenagers flirt and fight and fall in love. Harry receives some extraordinary help in Potions from the mysterious Half-Blood Prince. And with Dumbledore's guidance, he seeks out the full, complex story of the boy who became Lord Voldemort -- and thus finds what may be his only vulnerability.