It's hard enough for Eve to adjust to a new high school without the extra weight she's gained over the summer. Her best friend is ashamed to hang out with her, and she's become the focus of a schoolmate's cruelty. Determined not to be "that pathetic fat girl" at school, Eve struggles with a diet and forces herself to join a mentoring program. The diet only makes her food obsessed, and she feels she is failing as a mentor. How can a lonely fat girl gain the confidence she needs to succeed?

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"Any teenage girls who have felt insecure or excluded will enjoy, and be inspired by, Eve no matter what they think of her weight…Readers will devour Blob in the same way Eve devours chocolate bars: after a taste you won't be able to stop until it's finished. Blob should be required reading for tween and teenage girls, or anyone who has ever been a teenager. Highly Recommended."

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"Readers will relate to Eve's story."

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"Examines a very common struggle…Wishinsky's character feels the frustration of dieting but learns to handle her situation in a healthy way, both physically and mentally. She provides teens with a positive role model for dealing with a weight issue."

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"Wishinsky captures the often brutal high school environment very well...The storyline is fast-paced and interesting while being written at a readability level which will appeal to those who struggle with reading. Eve's predicament reflects the issues that many young women in middle and high school have body image."

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The year is 1909 and Joseph has just immigrated to the United States from Russia. He thinks that life in New York City will be wonderful, but he has not bargained for the challenges of learning English and of resisting the pressures to skip school, steal and fight to earn a place among the boys in his neighbourhood. Just Call Me Joe presents a full picture of life in New York City for the working poor. Anna, Joe's older sister, struggles to cope with the terrible factory conditions of the time. Aunt Sophie must take in boarders to make ends meet. And Joseph must both accept change and remain true to himself in a new city with new challenges.

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When Renata is chosen to play the lead role in the school musical, students who used to ignore her start saying hello and congratulating her in the hall. She is happy until it becomes evident that Karin, a wealthy girl who expected to get the lead role, will go to great lengths to ruin Renata's reputation.

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"A great addition to any collection looking for something new to offer its reluctant readers."

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"Well-written and authentic...An excellent choice for reluctant readers in middle school."

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"A daring, accessible piece of work."

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"A fast, manageable read, along with relevant age-appropriate themes and an absorbing storyline."

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"The author captures the quicksilver pace of change and delivers an important lesson without making it feel like a preachy moral."

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Charlotte Summers is sure that summer camp is going to be a disaster. And she’s right. But it’s not as disastrous for her as it is for her counselor, Abby. Abby has no control over the girls in her charge. The control is held by the cabin’s mean girl. Charlotte realizes that she could tip the balance of power and unseat the bully, but does she have the courage to go for it?

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"Wishinsky captures the brutal reality of bullying in a camp environment very well."

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"Features compelling characters and realistic dialogue."

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"In direct, simple prose, Wishinsky relates the dark side of camp life when campers can't stand up to the bully. However, she also describes Charlotte's success at friendship and self-defense...[T]his high interest book will appeal to reluctant readers."

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Kate is determined to win her spelling club's spelling bee, but the competition is fierce. She can almost put up with Violet's relentless claims of superior spelling ability, but when Kate and Jake begin to fight with each other, Kate is miserable. She wants to win the contest, but she doesn't want to lose her best friend.

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"This story adds a humorous side to the hard work of studying spelling."

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"Louise-Andrée Laliberté's pencil sketches add depth and realism to the characters' emotions and personalities and the setting."

"Highly Recommended."

"Wishinksy and Laliberté's work provides young children with the opportunity to experience their school and family lives from the distance of literature."

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"The dialogue flows easily. The conversations and thoughts ring true of any student, whether preparing for a contest or just a weekly spelling test. Fast paced, the suspense builds as the contest approaches."

"Illustrator Louise-Andrée Laliberté adds an extra dimension with her whimsical, black and white pencil drawings."

". . . this book will be a popular addition to the elementary school library or classroom collection."

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"This work of fiction is an ideal tool for primary students learning to spell."

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Kate has decided on a pirate theme for her party. She thinks that seven is going to be the best age to be. Her friend Jake is going to teach her to ride a two-wheeler. And her party is going to be fabulous. That is, until Violet starts spreading stories. Kate goes right on with her planning, but she is worried. When Violet is the only one to show up on the big day, Kate thinks that her worst fears have come true.

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"An engaging story with which new readers can easily identify....School and public libraries, plus classroom collections, should add A Noodle Up Your Nose to serve the newly emerging independent reader who wants the challenge of moving on to chapter books."

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"Many young children will take great pleasure from Kate's perseverance and indomitable spirit as she plans a truly excellent pirate-theme party...A good choice for readers who are becoming confident with beginning novels."

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"Will resonate with young readers, but parents will identify with the turmoil and energy as well."

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"Laliberte's cartoony illustrations ooze personality."

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"Creating suspense around the eventual outcome and incorporating a clever twist into the story's resolution, Wishinsky affirms the value of friendship in resolving Kate's dilemma."

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Lawrence hates being teased about his dimples, but nothing he does seems to make any difference. Joe goes right on teasing him, and the teasing gets meaner and meaner. Finally, Lawrence notices something about his friend Stewart that may provide the tool he needs to tease-proof himself once and for all.

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"A very good choice for beginning readers. Recommended."

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Don't be afraid to try! Make connections! Be persistent! Ask questions and never take no for an answer! Learn the secrets and amazing stories of successful inventors!

How to Become an Accidental Genius is full of inspiring tales of famous and lesser-known inventors who have changed the world, from George Washington Carver, Mary Anderson (inventor of the windshield wiper) and inventor and actress Hedy Lamarr to Frank Epperson (of Popsicle fame) and Mary Sherman Morgan (The Woman Who Saved the U.S. Space Race). Readers will be amazed at the inventiveness of these geniuses. The book focuses on inventors from North America but includes stories from around the world. Organized into eleven chapters that highlight the qualities inventors have in common, the book also features profiles of inventive kids and teenagers.

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