In this sequel to "The Neddiad," the ghosts of Los Angeles are disappearing right and left. Iggy Birnbaum is determined to get to the bottom of this mystery, no matter what Neddie Wentworthstein and Seamus Finn say. Illustrations.

Bestselling author Daniel Pinkwater's story of how Neddie, a shaman, a ghost, three pals, and a maneuver known as the French substitution determine the fate of the world. Melvin the Shaman. Sandor Eucalyptus. Billy the Phantom Bellboy. Daniel Pinkwater's weird and wonderful tale of Neddie Wentworthstein's quest to save civilization features some of the most unique heroes and villains a reader could hope to meet. Despite the heavy responsibility that Neddie must carry (not every kid is charged with rescuing humankind from doom), his story is hilarious, warm, welcoming, and sweet.

A wild new adventure from the author of The Yggyssey—“Pinkwater may be my single most favorite writer in the entire world” (Cory Doctorow). Big Audrey is a girl . . . with cat’s whiskers . . . and sort of cat’s eyes. But is there another cat-whiskered, sort of cat-eyed girl? Big Audrey waves goodbye to her friends Iggy, Neddie, Seamus, and Crazy Wig, in Los Angeles—and hitches a ride with bongo-playing-while-driving Marlon Brando across the country to Poughkeepsie, New York, city of mystery. She finds she has questions needing answers—and a bit of inter-plane-of-existence traveling to do. Readers who love the strange, the offbeat, and the just plain kooky will want to tag along with Big Audrey and her telepathic friend, Molly, on this “vastly entertaining” (Kirkus Reviews) road trip, as they try to solve the mystery of the cat-whiskered doppelganger . . . “Every character they encounter is crazier than the next—a 114-year-old woman named Chicken Nancy; a Catskill Mountain Giant; members of a secret brotherhood from an alternate Poughkeepsie—and every chance encounter leads them to another zany adventure. Mixing the absurd with the profound, Pinkwater’s odd narration will have even the most serious readers laughing at the chaos.” —Booklist

Want to identify fiction books that boys in grades three through nine will find irresistible? This guide reveals dozens of worthwhile recommendations in categories ranging from adventure stories and sports novels to horror, humorous, and science fiction books. In Get Those Guys Reading!: Fiction and Series Books that Boys Will Love, authors Kathleen A. Baxter and Marcia A. Kochel provide compelling and current reading suggestions for younger boys—information that educators, librarians, and parents alike are desperate for. Comprising titles that are almost all well-reviewed in at least one major professional journal, or that are such big hits with kids that they've received the "stamp of approval" from the most important reviewers, this book will be invaluable to anyone whose goal is to help boys develop a healthy enthusiasm for reading. It includes chapters on adventure books; animal stories; graphic novels; historical fiction; humorous books; mystery, horror, and suspense titles; science fiction and fantasy; and sports novels. Within each chapter, the selections are further divided into books for younger readers (grades 3–6) and titles for older boys in grades 5–8. Elementary and middle school librarians and teachers, public librarians, Title One teachers, and parents of boys in grades 3–9 will all benefit greatly from having this book at hand.

Another Pinkwaterpalooza, jam-packed with off-beat characters and wild happenings for a one-of-a-kind coming of age adventure!

A comprehensive study of children's fantasy literature across the English-speaking world, from the sixteenth century to the present.

With entries that range from specific works to authors, folklore, and popular culture (including music, film, television, urban legend, and gaming), this book provides a single-volume resource on all things ghostly in the United States and in other countries. The concept of ghosts has been an ongoing and universal element in human culture as far back as recorded history can document. In more modern popular culture and entertainment, ghosts are a popular mainstay—from A Christmas Carol and Casper the Friendly Ghost to The Amityville Horror, Ghostbusters, Poltergeist, The Sixth Sense, and Ghost Whisperer. This book comprehensively examines ghost and spirit phenomena in all its incarnations to provide readers with a holistic perspective on the subject. It presents insightful information about the contribution of a specific work or author to establish or further the evolution of ghost lore, rather than concentrating solely on the film, literature, music, or folklore itself. The book focuses on ghosts in western culture but also provides information about spirit phenomena and lore in international settings, as many of the trends in popular culture dealing with ghosts and spirits are informed by authors and filmmakers from Germany, Japan, Korea, and the United Kingdom. The writers and editors are experts and scholars in the field and enthusiastic fans of ghost lore, ghost films, ghost hunting, and urban legends, resulting in entries that are informative and engaging—and make this the most complete and current resource on ghost and spirit lore available.

Inspired by real events, this story told in English, Spanish, and Yiddish is a witty, warm, and beautiful tale about an escaped chicken who finds adventure and love in Brooklyn. Full color.

An intimate group portrait of contemporary Hudson Valley writers.

Set in the 1950s in Chicago, Robert Nifkin tells his highly unorthodox high school experiences in the form of a college application essay.