After the death of their parents, five young rats decide to leave the barnyard to make a name for themselves in the big city, facing unscrupulous rivals and dangerous humans along the way.

Best-selling author Rob Reid makes reading aloud to children and teens easy by selecting titles in high-interest topics published between 2000 and 2008.

Daisy, a middle child in the family, feels ignored as nobody seems to listen to her. She becomes assertive to the point where her family does listen.

Harvey is so excited when the mayor appoints him Parade Chairman for a big celebration that he forgets something very important but, fortunately, his dog, Fred, remembers.

When Harvey enters his dog, Fred, in the annual dog show Fred is none too pleased, but when the show is over, Fred does not want to leave.

1910. Pownal, Vermont. At 12, Grace and her best friend Arthur must leave school and go to work as a “doffers” on their mothers’ looms in the mill. Grace’s mother is the best worker, fast and powerful, and Grace desperately wants to help her. But she’s left handed and doffing is a right-handed job. Grace’s every mistake costs her mother, and the family. She only feels capable on Sundays, when she and Arthur receive special lessons from their teacher. Together they write a secret letter to the Child Labor Board about underage children working in Pownal. A few weeks later a man with a camera shows up. It is the famous reformer Lewis Hine, undercover, collecting evidence for the Child Labor Board. Grace’s brief acquaintance with Hine and the photos he takes of her are a gift that changes her sense of herself, her future, and her family’s future.

An epic quest, a dragon, a knight in shining armor—this classic children’s story is the perfect read for 3rd and 4th graders who love medieval fantasy. A magical toy castle plunges 10-year-old William into a wild fantasy adventure—where he discovers the true meaning of courage. When his beloved caretaker Mrs. Phillips tells him she's leaving, William is devastated. Not even her farewell gift of a model medieval castle helps him feel better—though he has to admit it’s fascinating. From the working drawbridge and portcullis to the fully-furnished rooms, it's perfect in every detail. It almost seems magical. And when William looks at the silver knight, the tiny figure comes to life in his hand—and tells him a tale of a wicked sorcerer, a vicious dragon, and a kingdom in need of a hero. Hoping the castle's magic will help him find a way to make his friend stay, William embarks on a daring quest with Sir Simon, the Silver Knight—but he will have to face his own doubts and regrets if he's going to succeed. William’s story continues in The Battle for the Castle, available as a redesigned companion edition.

Author of the;Magic Shop;series and;The Unicorn Chronicles, Bruce Coville has captured the imaginations of young readers for more than 20 years with tales of talking toads, Shakespearean spouting skulls, and dragon hatchlings.