From Newbery-winning author Betsy Byars comes a story full of "poignancy, perception, and humor" (The Chicago Tribune), about three foster kids who learn what it takes to make a family. You can't always decide where life will take you—especially when you're a kid. Carlie knows she's got no say in what happens to her. Stuck in a foster home with two other kids, Harvey and Thomas J, she's just a pinball being bounced from bumper to bumper. As soon as you get settled, somebody puts another coin in the machine and off you go again. But against her will and her better judgment, Carlie and the boys become friends. And all three of them start to see that they can take control of their own lives.

When Skanda's father Toby dies, estranged from Skanda's mother and from the India he once loved, it falls to Skanda to return his body to his birthplace. This is a journey that takes him halfway around the world and deep within three generations of his family, whose fractures, frailties and toxic legacies he has always sought to elude. Both an intimate portrait of a marriage and its aftershocks, and a panoramic vision of India's half-century - in which a rapacious new energy supplants an ineffectual elite - 'The way things were' is an epic novel about the pressures of history upon the present moment. It is also a meditation on the stories we tell and the stories we forget; their tenderness and violence in forging bonds and in breaking them apart. Set in modern Delhi and at flashpoints from the past four decades, fusing private and political, classical and contemporary to thrilling effect, this book confirms Aatish Taseer as one of the most arresting voices of his generation.

In 1976, champion player Roger Sharpe stepped up to a pinball machine in a Manhattan courtroom. He was there to challenge the citywide ban on pinball by proving this was a game of skill, not chance. Sharpe pulled back the plunger and released, and the fate of this industry and artform hung in the balance.0Thus opens Jon Chad's comprehensive graphic guide to the history of the captivating, capricious-and at times infuriating!-game of pinball. Tracing pinball's roots back to the Court of King Louis XIV and right up to the present day, Chad captures not just the history of the game but also the artistry, cultural significance, and even the physics.

Fifty vintage and contemporary pinballs are showcased, each with its own chapter outlining special features, historical information, game trivia, game rules, collectibility, graphic images, and current value. Over 600 full color photographs provide a complete visual of each game. Whole machine shots, close-ups, and ball's-eye-view images put enthusiasts right into the action. A must for pinball collectors, graphic artists, historians, and devotees of coin operated amusement games.

The Moon that inspires Betsy Byars's memoir isn't the one in the sky, but a huge, harmless blacksnake she finds in the rafters of her porch. This meeting begins an exploration of the writing process. With energy, wit, and delight, the Newbery medalist shows how "the good scraps" of her life, from a bully named Bubba to a gift-wrapped dime, weave into her work.

From Newbery Medal-winning author Betsy Byars comes a sweet, entertaining story that will touch the heart of dog lovers at any age. A tornado appears in the distance, and the family quickly gathers into the storm cellar. The storm rages outside, but Pete, the farmhand, knows this is the perfect time to tell his stories about a dog named Tornado. Blown into their lives by a twister when Pete was a boy, Tornado was no ordinary dog—he played card tricks, saved a turtle’s life, and had a rivalry with the family cat. Forgetting their fear, the family hangs on every word of Pete’s stories—both happy and sad—of this remarkable dog.

Ahh-Ahh-Ahh-Ahhhh! Dorothy knows she could make a great Tarzan in the class play, even if she is a girl. When she gets up to introduce the world to her primal yell, something comes over her -- something wild and untamed. She gets the part, but Dorothy's not the only one with jungle fever. Her Tarzan yell seems to have an effect on all nearby animals, and when the circus comes to town the night of the class play, things start to get a whole lot wilder! Betsy Byars is one of the most celebrated and beloved writers of children's books today.

Sent to spend the summer in the country, three foster children and an older woman recovering from a serious accident are abandoned by their slovenly caretaker and must try to survive on their own.

Describes pinball machines both vintage and contemporary and 50 games. Each chapter outlines a game's special features, historical background, game rules, graphic images, collectibility and current value.

A funny introduction to pioneer life, perfect for classrooms and homeschoolers The Golly Sisters are heading west. They’ve got new dresses and the best show on either side of the Mississippi. But can they keep their act together long enough to get this show on the road? Find out in this hilarious tale of the old west! The Golly Sisters Go West by Newbery medalist Betsy Byars is a Level Three I Can Read, which means it contains a complex plot and challenging vocabulary—just right for the newly independent reader. As Carol Hurst's BooksInTheClassroom site comments: "Byars has the ability to construct believable, often loveable characters who face some of life's greatest hurdles. Her humor is visible everywhere as is her empathy with the difficulties faced by many children. She writes for many ages and her easy to read books are wonderful fare."