Perfect for fans of Gary D. Schmidt comes the companion to the modern classic Firegirl from acclaimed writer Tony Abbott. Life hasn't been great for Jeff Hicks. After years at his beloved St. Catherine's, he's forced to spend eighth grade in the public middle school, which he hates. He's no longer speaking to his former best friend, Tom Bender, because of "that burned girl" Jessica Feeney. But worst of all, his family is changing, and it's not for the better. When his mom comes home announcing that she's lost her job, Jeff begins to worry about things far beyond his years: How will they pay the rent? Will his absentee dad step up and save the day? Is his mom drinking too much? And ultimately, where will they live? The Great Jeff is a powerful look at the life of a troubled boy who finds his life spiraling out of control.

This poignant novel about a boy's friendship with a burn victim is perfect for fans of R. J. Palacio's Wonder From the moment Jessica arrives, life is never quite the same for Tom and his seventh-grade classmates. They learn that Jessica has been in a fire and was badly burned, and will be attending St. Catherine's will receiving medical treatments. Despite her appearance and the fear she evokes in him and most of the class, Tom slowly develops a tentative friendship with Jessica that changes his life. This quietly powerful novel demonstrates that a small gesture can make a huge impact in someone's life.

This follow-up to Jeff Guinn's bestselling holiday favorites The Autobiography of Santa Claus and How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas takes readers on a sleigh ride through the history of Christmas in America that lands smack-dab in 2006, as a new reality TV show threatens to destroy the true spirit of Christmas. This third installment in Jeff Guinn's bestselling Christmas Chronicles series finds Santa facing perhaps the biggest challenge of his career. As Santa himself relates in this delightful holiday read, the trouble began in 1841, when a Philadelphia merchant named J.W. Parkinson hired a neighbor to dress as Kris Kringle in order to lure shoppers into his dry-goods store. Much to Santa's chagrin, it's been pretty much downhill since. It seems everybody wants a piece of Christmas, and through the years, it has gotten worse—to the point that not a Christmas can go by without phony Santas posing on street corners across the country. But when, in 2006, it's announced that a new reality TV show called The Great Santa Search will feature a competition to find the "real" St. Nicholas, Santa knows it's time to step in! With all the rich historical detail and glorious Christmas cheer that made The Autobiography of Santa Claus and How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas treasured family favorites, The Great Santa Search is destined to become yet another Christmas classic from Jeff Guinn.

-- An enlightened and scientific look at the black bear. -- Over 150 captivating color photos.

In the spirit of Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz, this story introduces readers to the hidden magical—and mysterious—world of gnomes, elves, and trolls. Eleven-year-old Sarah moves with her family from New York City to rural Hadley, Connecticut. She's eager to explore her new home and meet new friends, but she never expected to befriend an old garden gnome. Readers join Sarah as she is drawn into a secret world under our feet. Sarah uses her instincts to calm old rivalries and help the underworld elves, gnomes, and more join her in the upperworld.

The signs of the times are missing apostrophes. The world needed a hero, but how would an editor with no off-switch answer the call? For Jeff Deck, the writing was literally on the wall: “NO TRESSPASSING.” In that moment, his greater purpose became clear. Dark hordes of typos had descended upon civilization… and only he could wield the marker to defeat them. Recruiting his friend Benjamin and other valiant companions, he created the Typo Eradication Advancement League (TEAL). Armed with markers, chalk, and correction fluid, they circumnavigated America, righting the glaring errors displayed in grocery stores, museums, malls, restaurants, mini-golf courses, beaches, and even a national park. Jeff and Benjamin championed the cause of clear communication, blogging about their adventures transforming horor into horror, it’s into its, and coconunut into coconut. But at the Grand Canyon, they took one correction too far: fixing the bad grammar in a fake Native American watchtower. The government charged them with defacing federal property and summoned them to court—with a typo-ridden complaint that claimed that they had violated “criminal statues.” Now the press turned these paragons of punctuation into “grammar vigilantes,” airing errors about their errant errand.. The radiant dream of TEAL would not fade, though. Beneath all those misspelled words and mislaid apostrophes, Jeff and Benjamin unearthed deeper dilemmas about education, race, history, and how we communicate. Ultimately their typo-hunting journey tells a larger story not just of proper punctuation but of the power of language and literacy—and the importance of always taking a second look.

From New York Times bestselling author Jeff Abbott comes a fast paced thriller that will leave you wondering how far you'll go to forget the worst moment in your life. Everyone has a memory they'd like to forget. For federal witness Miles Kendrick, it's the shootout that left his best friend dead -- and Miles a hunted and haunted man. While helping his psychiatrist with a mysterious favor, Miles stumbles upon an illegal research program that could free him -- and millions of others with post-traumatic stress disorder--from crippling memories. But when his doctor ends up dead, Miles must run for his life from a murderous conspiracy that gives new meaning to the word "fear."

The Great Cartoon Directors is the only book to profile the remarkable careers and achievements of the Hollywood cartoon directors of the 1930s, '40s, and '50s whose unique humor has entertained people around the world for seven decades. Nine of the best cartoon directors are featured: Friz Freleng, the creator of Speedy Gonzales, Yosemite Sam, and the Pink Panther; Ub Lwerks, the designer of Mickey Mouse and the wizard behind the first sound animated film, Steamboat Willie ; Chuck Jones, the genius behind Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, the Road Runner and Coyote; William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, who won seven Academy Awards for their Tom and Jerry cartoons; Bob Clampett, who directed Warner Brothers cartoons featuring Porky Pig, Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny, and Tweety; Tex Avery, who revolutionized the theory of cartoon-making, invented Daffy Duck, and introduced Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd to the screen; Walter Lantz, the creator of Woody Woodpecker; and Dave Fleischer, the father of Betty Boop and Popeye.Each chapter surveys the finest work of these directors and takes the reader behind the scenes to learn not only how they came up with their big ideas, but also how they managed to keep their characters fresh, topical, and unpredictable. Many of the directors granted exclusive interviews for the book and provided illustrations from their personal collections. With complete filmographies of each director's work, descriptions of many of their best cartoons, and dozens of sketches, drawings, and stills, The Great Cartoon Directors is a sure treasure trove of animation lore and an in-depth look at the creators of some of America's most beloved cartoons.

"The definitive inside story of the New England Patriots dynasty"--