The poems in this book tell stories of animals and nature, from two sweaty hippos, a smiling lizard and some creepy crawlers to a few tricky dandelions. At the end of each poem, find out more in an interview with a key character or a list of fascinating facts.

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Matt loves Monster Zap cards. No, no, Matt LOVES Monster Zap cards. He has Monster Zap toys, reads Monster Zap books and wears Monster Zap underwear. Matt and his friends like to trade the cards at school, as the schoolyard is so empty and dirty, there isn't much else for them to do at recess. But when kids start fighting over Monster Zap and the cards are banned, Matt realizes that the school has big problems, maybe even bigger problems than the fights the cards caused. With the help of their teacher, and a superhero in disguise, Matt and his classmates set out to save Monster Zap and end up doing a lot more than that.

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It's Ramadan, a time to focus on good deeds and to fast, and Badir and his brother, Anis, are out for a walk one evening while they wait for their iftar meal. In the park Badir sees a rat. A very, very large rat. He soon learns it’s actually a beaver, an animal that doesn't live in Tunisia, the country Badir and his family have emigrated from. It turns out that some of the neighbors who enjoy the park think this beaver is a bit of a pest, but Badir thinks it's wonderful and learns everything he can about the iconic Canadian animal. When a petition is started to remove the beaver, Badir, who knows firsthand how difficult it is to leave your home behind, rallies his classmates to save it. And with a little help from new friends, the kids learn that collaboration and faith can change the way we think about the world.

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Hyperorganized perfectionist Beatrice More is determined to plan a spectacularly professional birthday party for her little sister, Sophie. But she is foiled at every turn: her mother insists on making a homemade cake (disaster!), her father offers up discount mismatched decorations (debacle!), guests are hard to find in their new neighborhood (dire!), and no gift seems remotely special enough (defeated!). Will Beatrice's organizational skills be enough to turn this party around, or will she need a little help from her friends and maybe even from Sophie herself?

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Lark and Connor are judges for the annual baking contest at the community center. When they arrive, they discover that someone has destroyed a contestant's entry. And not just any contestant’s entry—Sophie's! Sophie is Lark's best friend (she just doesn't know it yet). The twin sleuths can't simply roll with it. To save the contest they'll have to take a whisk risk and start investigating the other contestants. With the timer ticking, Lark and Connor have to find the culprit before someone actually takes the cake.

Lark and the Dessert Disaster is the fourth title in the Lark Ba Detective series, following Lark Holds the Key, Lark and the Diamond Caper and Lark Takes a Bow.

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Inventors invent inventions! That's what Ben and his best friend Jack like to say. So when Ben discovers that Jack's family is planning to move to another city, he decides they should put their inventions to work. The boys figure that if no one buys Jack's house, Jack won't have to move away, so all they need is a plan to scare off potential buyers! Inventors are good at coming up with plans. But when Plans A, B and C fail to bring the results the boys had hoped for, Ben discovers that not everything in life stays the same—and that while change can be hard, sometimes it isn't all bad.

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"A delightful story about best friends and shared visions...Stevenson's message provides comfort while demonstrating problem solving techniques to keep friendship alive even at a distance."

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"Humorous yet poignant, this story highlights the friendship and creativity of two endearing characters...Faithful to the hopes and fears of young children and enhanced with fine pencil drawings, Stevenson's second chapter book about Ben rings true for anyone who has had a friend move away."

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"This book gives early readers an extended reading experience; short chapters provide quick success in reading and make the book easy to read in installments...Children who face a move will find comfort in this enjoyable story of friendship. Young inventors might get some ideas too."

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"[The characters'] plans share a common feature, a quality of dreaming and scheming that seems perfectly age appropriate: Not too well thought out, but very imaginative...Ben and Jack exchange a lot of believable dialogue...Attractive, cheerful black-and-white full-page illustrations appear every few pages...Everything about this [book] is charmingly upbeat...Its winsome attitude makes it fun."

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Justine McKeen talks too much, bosses people around too much, and as everyone soon finds out, she tells the truth, but just not all at once. Justine's trying to save the planet, one person and one cause at a time. Best of all, when she decides to get something done, it involves a whole lot of laughter and fun for everyone.

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"Inventive and intrepid Justine McKeen...finds amusing ways to make classmates and community members more environmentally conscious...Justine is feisty enough to add some flavor to the mix...Brisk, very brief chapters are accompanied by lively full-page black-and-white illustrations...[and] endnotes provide suggestions for environmental projects included in the story...Funnier and fresher than most."

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"Justine and her friends have so much enthusiasm for reusing and recycling...that readers of this book might find themselves looking for ways to recycle in their own lives. Illustrations by Dave Whamond convey the emotion and detail of the scene to help young readers to connect with what they are reading...Recommended."

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"The characters are engaging and their dialogue is brief, humorous and 'kid-friendly.' Large black and white illustrations, comically drawn, enhance the action. This environmental topic is closely connected to the elementary curriculum and the text should prove useful to promote both discussion and ideas."

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What has twenty legs but just one wing? That is part of the riddle Jeremy must solve in this sequel to Jeremy and the Enchanted Theater and Jeremy in the Underworld, if he is to help Mr. Magnus save the Enchanted Theater. However, he will have to captain a ship and face a magical bull to do it.

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"An entertaining read for those students who enjoy fantasy and adventure."

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"…a good early reader for children. Recommended."

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Jake, Tommy and Lexie are on a ski trip. In an attempt to squeeze one last run in for the day, the kids head out on their own to ski down Easy Street. But Lexie and Jake convince Tommy to try Wildcat Run instead. Wildcat Run presents the young skiers with more than they expect, including a cougar sighting. When Lexie has a bad fall, the kids are left stranded on the hill in the fading daylight. Will they be rescued or will they have to spend the night alone on the mountain with a cougar?

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"Children that are just starting to read chapter books will enjoy this...The age range it is intended for will be thrilled with the content. The story flows quickly and is very exciting. There are literally adventures at every turn...This book serves as an example to youngsters of the things that can happen when they go off on their own into the unknown. Perhaps it will prevent some children from venturing off the path or onto a path they are not familiar with and save them from nature."

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"A fantastic new addition to the Orca Echoes series...Bates has crafted a gripping adventure that will definitely pique and keep the interest of both boys and girls. Her prose...will keep children's adrenaline pumping...There are few true adventure books aimed at the early chapter book crowd, and this one proves to be a must have for all collections. The beautifully detailed illustrations by Kasia Charko will draw readers even more deeply into the story. Highly recommended!"

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"A suspenseful book with surprises in every chapter. It is fast-paced and an enjoyable read."

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"Well-written and will definitely appeal to the intended age group. The story is believable, and suspense and tension heighten as the dark closes in on the kids on the hill. The children make some good decisions about keeping safe on the mountain when they get stuck, and, most importantly, they are active participants in their own rescue...Young readers will admire Jake, Lexie and Tommy's tenacity, teamwork and adventurous spirit and look forward to reading about more of their adventures in future books by Bates. Recommended."

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Matt is desperate to fit in at summer camp. One night he gets lost when he goes off on his own to retrieve a forgotten life preserver. A wolf appears and Matt overcomes his fears and follows it. He finds a half-wolf, half-dog pup whose mother is dead. Is the big wolf who guides him the same wolf that his father rescued years before from a trap?

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"An exciting story that boys will love. Recommended."

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