Compelling and Controversial....The Melon Boys is a story of the South in the summer of 1968, soon after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Its fictitious account brings to light real events that took place outside the view of TV cameras and the 6 Oclock evening news. This was the South of the migrant worker and sharecropper, where white social backlash exacted a terrible price on ordinary blacks. In turbulent times, everyday life can require great courage, and friendships can lead to ultimate tests of loyalty. For college student Matt Mayer, the job of migrant worker turns into the education of a lifetime in this context. After he befriends two black co-workers, he finds himself in the path of danger more than once. He is quickly driven to decide if he should follow the unwritten rules that dictate day-to-day race relations, or honor the bonds of friendships he has formed. How can a white college student from the Midwest, with little exposure to any race but his own, make sense of the complex social rules of a still segregated South? And, more importantly, how will his experience shape the man he will become?

Be yourself like Molly Lou Melon no matter what a bully may do. Molly Lou Melon is short and clumsy, has buck teeth, and has a voice that sounds like a bullfrog being squeezed by a boa constrictor. She doesn't mind. Her grandmother has always told her to walk proud, smile big, and sing loud, and she takes that advice to heart. But then Molly Lou has to start in a new school. A horrible bully picks on her on the very first day, but Molly Lou Melon knows just what to do about that.

Melonhead, the first book in author Katy Kelly's laugh-out-loud chapter book series, is now in paperback! Adam Melon's friend Lucy Rose gave him a nickname—Melonhead—and it caught on fast. Melonhead is a self-proclaimed inventor. All his life, which is ten years and counting, great ideas have been popping in and out of his melon head. And sometimes they work! This year Melonhead's class is entering an inventing fair, so he and his friend Sam are dreaming up plans. And Capitol Hill has a ton of places to find invention parts. But they have to be sure they find what they need and get home on time with no excuses. That might be hard, because Melonhead and Sam have a way of forgetting. But their work will all pay off if they win first place—they'll be headed to even bigger and better things!

Noura is crazy about watermelon. She wants to eat nothing else, every day, at every meal. In fact, Noura thinks there is no such thing as too much watermelon. Until one night, when the watermelon she has hidden in her room to eat all by herself begins to grow and Noura get taken on a wild watermelon adventure! A story that can be the springboard for a discussion on favorite foods, eating a balanced diet, sharing with others and trying new foods.

The beloved modern classic character, Molly Lou Melon, is tackling the timely topic of speaking up for yourself and others. Molly Lou Melon's mother taught her to use her big voice for good--to speak up for what's right, for those who can't, and even when it's hard. So she does. When school starts and a bully begins teasing everyone, including a new student, Molly Lou knows just what to do. From standing up for a friend to admitting when you've made a mistake, Molly Lou shows us how speaking up is always the right choice. The beloved classic character has another important message to share, and David Catrow's vibrant and spunky illustrations continue to expand Molly Lou's larger-than-life personality.

A creative companion to Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon Molly Lou Melon's grandma taught her to be happy with herself no matter what, but that's not all she learned. Molly Lou heard all about how her grandma didn't have fancy store-bought toys when she was little. She made dolls out of twigs and flowers and created her own fun in her backyard. So Molly Lou does just that, proving that the best thing to play with is a huge imagination!

First, a grocery store robbery occurs. Then, somebody steals Bill Collins's prize watermelon. There's thievery going on near Sugar Creek! And Bill is sure that the Till boys have something to do with it! Poetry and Bill start collecting clues. They find a map of Sugar Creek territory hidden in a floating watermelon and encounter strange happenings in the middle of the night. Join the Sugar Creek Gang as they learn not to jump to conclusions, for some things are not as they appear.

"The expressive male narrator charms the listener by impersonating the characters...Short segments of music and brief sound effects add interest...useful for all reading and listening situations." - Booklist

A touch of history. An Iowa sharecroppers son describes the adventures and vagaries of growing up in the 1930s and 40s and 50s.