New Releases by Dan Gutman

A.J. and his friends may have thought Ella Mentry School was weird, but they''re in for a big surprise. Principal Stoker has to choose two students to send to Ella Mentry''s rival school--Dirk School--for a month. Guess who she picks? Now, A.J. and Andrea are learning from Mrs. Towne, who is a real-life clown! But what can they do if Mrs. Towne isn''t as happy as her makeup--and joking around--makes her seem?

From the author of the My Weird School books, an adventure story that spans centuries and continents. In Central Park, New York, stands Cleopatra’s Needle. But what do you know about? Did you know that thousands of people worked in 1461 BCE to build it? Then hundreds more moved it, and erected it in Alexandria, where it stood for 3,000 years? So how did a monolith weighing over 200 tons get moved all the way to New York City—and in the 19th Century, no less? In this historical fiction account by bestselling author Dan Gutman, five kids who watched the Needle at each phase of its history recount the daring story of how something that seemed to be impossible –and that nearly ended in disaster—finally succeeded against all odds. Including photos, diagrams, and illustrations, this book will leave history lovers and fans of problem solving astounded at all that was accomplished. And best of all, it will leave middle grade readers feeling they’ve just watched a really good movie—they’ll hardly even realize they were reading. A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

With more than 30 million books sold, the My Weird School series really gets kids reading! It’s time to catch a leprechaun in this holiday-themed My Weird School Special from New York Times bestselling author Dan Gutman and veteran illustrator Jim Paillot. A.J. and the gang are celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day with all the classic activities. But when A.J. spots a little man dressed head-to-toe in green sneaking around, it can only mean one thing: a real-life leprechaun! And one that’s wreaking havoc all around the school! Will the Ella Mentry School kids be able to catch the leprechaun before he causes even more trouble? With Dan Gutman’s signature kid-friendly sense of humor and Jim Paillot’s fun illustrations, this is one weird Saint Patrick’s Day special you won’t want to miss—featuring bonus trivia, games, puzzles, and more!

Graphic novel fans, prepare yourselves for a trip you won’t soon forget! New York Times bestselling author Dan Gutman and veteran illustrator Jim Paillot have brought you a second zany My Weird School graphic novel! A.J. and his friends have the chance to win a trip to Dizzyland—if they can finish 5,000 books first. Dr. Carbles, the evil president of the Board of Education, doesn’t think they can do it. But the Ella Mentry School kids are nothing if not determined! Will they achieve their theme park dreams? Or does Dr. Carbles have other plans for the school? Full of visual gags, fun pop culture references, and hilarious full-color illustrations, this is the weirdest graphic novel in the history of the world! With more than 30 million books sold, the My Weird School series really gets kids reading!

From the best-selling author behind My Weird School: a quirky new biography series that casts fresh light on high-interest historic figures. Did you know that Albert Einstein was a high school dropout, and that he failed his physics class when he finally made it to college? Or that when he died, his brain and eyeballs were removed from his body? Ever wondered why his hair looked so wild? Siblings Paige and Turner do—and they’ve collected some of the kookiest and most unusual facts about the world-famous scientist, from his childhood and school days through his time studying relativity and working on the atomic bomb. Narrated by the two spirited siblings and animated by Allison Steinfeld’s upbeat illustrations, Albert Einstein Was a Dope? expertly balances authoritative information with Dan Gutman’s signature zany humor.

Harry has always admired the famous escape artist Houdini. And when Houdini asks for help in coming back to life, it seems like an amazing chance...or could it be Houdini''s greatest trick of all? Eleven-year-old Harry Mancini is NOT Harry Houdini--the famous escape artist who died in 1926. But Harry DOES live in Houdini''s old New York City home, and he definitely knows everything there is to know about Houdini''s life. What is he supposed to do, then, when someone starts texting him claiming that they''re Houdini, communicating from beyond the grave? Respond, of course. It''s hard for Harry to believe that Houdini is really contacting him, but this Houdini texts the secrets to all of the escape tricks the dead Houdini used to do. What''s more, Houdini''s offering Harry a chance to go back in time and experience it for himself. Should Harry ignore what must be a hoax? Or should he give it a try and take Houdini up on this death-defying offer? Dan Gutman is the award-winning author of series including My Weird School, The Genius Files, and the baseball card series, including Honus & Me. He uses his writing powers for good once again in this exciting new middle grade novel. Named a New York State Great Read by the Empire State Center for the Book!

Summer vacation is almost here, and A.J. is dreaming about all the fun things he''ll do. But A.J.''s dream about the greatest summer ever quickly turns into a nightmare when three familiar spirits appear to show him summers past, present, and yet to co

With more than 30 million books sold, the My Weird School series really gets kids reading! In this eleventh book in the My Weirdest School series, local ice-cream man Mr. Will is bringing delicious treats to Ella Mentry School! But Dr. Carbles has banned desserts forever and will stop at nothing to ensure that no one breaks the rules. Will A.J. and the gang ever get to enjoy the sweet taste of a push-up pop again?! Perfect for reluctant readers and all kids hungry for funny school stories, Dan Gutman’s hugely popular My Weird School chapter book series has something for everyone. Don’t miss the hilarious adventures of A.J. and the gang!

One day at recess, Rappy the dinosaur gets taken by aliens on a U.F.O. ride. The head alien, Janet, wants Rappy to live with her—on Mars! Will Rappy stay in space to roam, or will he rap his way back home? Beginning readers will love rapping along as Rappy goes on an out-of-this-world adventure. This rhyming Level Two I Can Read is geared for kids who read on their own but still need a little help.

With more than 30 million books sold, the My Weird School series really gets kids reading! In this ninth book in the new My Weirdest School series, Miss Universe is coming to Ella Mentry School! Her real name is Miss Tracy, and she''s a retired scientist who will teach the students about planets and the solar system. But what happens when A.J. is cast as the planet Uranus in the school play? Perfect for reluctant readers and word lovers alike, Dan Gutman’s hugely popular My Weird School chapter book series has something for everyone. Don’t miss the hilarious adventures of A.J. and the gang!

A new series of Level Two I Can Read titles based on Dan Gutman’s My Weird School series, which has sold more than 11 million books! Mr. Cooper''s class is getting a pet! Alexia hopes it is something cool, like a snake. But is she ready to take care of the pet, or will it be one weird mess? Join A.J. and the gang from Ella Mentry School as they show young readers why they attend the weirdest—and most fun!—school around. My Weird School: Class Pet Mess is a Level Two I Can Read book, geared for kids who read on their own but still need a little help.

This fun Level Two I Can Read book, geared toward kids who read on their own but still need a little help, is based on Dan Gutman’s My Weird School series, which has sold more than 12 million books! A.J. and Andrea are taking a class trip to the museum! Their museum guide has been warned that one of them might misbehave. But who will it be? Join A.J. and Andrea from Ella Mentry School on this hilarious field trip as they show young readers why they attend the weirdest—and most fun!—school around.

With more than 30 million books sold, the My Weird School series really gets kids reading! In this fifth book in the laugh-out-loud My Weirdest School series, the students of Ella Mentry School are in for a surprise. Mr. Cooper is sick, and that means A.J. and the gang are getting a substitute teacher—crazy Miss Daisy! Now that she’s back, she’s weirder than ever. Instead of learning, she wants the kids to eat bonbons all day. And she thinks that germs are out to get her. Will third grade ever be normal again? Perfect for reluctant readers and word lovers alike, Dan Gutman''s hugely popular My Weird School series has something for everyone. Don''t miss the hilarious adventures of A.J. and the gang!

When the students of Ella Mentry School receive a million-dollar donation and vote to create an in-school, state-of-the-art TV station so the morning announcements can be broadcast to all the classes, A.J. and the gang wonder about the agenda of their new teacher, Ms. Cuddy, who decides the announcement ratings are too low and has some quirky ideas about how to increase the station''s popularity.

With more than 30 million books sold, the My Weird School series really gets kids reading! For A.J. and the gang at Ella Mentry School, weirdness and fun are all part of the routine. In this tenth book in the outrageously funny My Weirder School series, Principal Klutz thinks the kids at Ella Mentry School need to learn some self-defense moves. But the guy he hired—Mr. Jack—thinks he''s an action hero! He spends all his time looking in the mirror. He does everything in slow motion. How are the kids supposed to learn anything? Perfect for reluctant readers and word lovers alike, My Weird School has something for everyone.

A hurricane ends A.J.''s vacation in Bermuda early and forces him and his family to stay at Andrea''s house, where he fights with Andrea and has to go back-to-school shopping. Then their parents send them to the weirdest day camp ever.

With more than 30 million books sold, the My Weird School series really gets kids reading! In this ninth book in the My Weirder School series, it''s time for the annual Ella Mentry School fund-raiser, and guess who''s in charge? Alexia''s mom, Ms. Sue! She has the teachers selling everything from summer sausages and cheesy popcorn to dead goldfish in plastic bags to raise money for new playground equipment. But what happens when Ms. Sue crosses the line? Somebody''s going to end up in the big house (and by "big house," we don''t mean a big house!). Perfect for reluctant readers and word lovers alike, Dan Gutman’s hugely popular My Weird School series has something for everyone. Don’t miss the hilarious adventures of A.J. and the gang.

With more than 12 million books sold, the My Weird School series really gets kids reading! It''s Christmas, and you know what that means! Santa Claus is coming to town! Or at least to the local mall. But what happens when kid rapper Cray-Z gives a Christmas concert at the same mall and all his fans go bananas? One thing''s for sure—if A.J. and the gang from Ella Mentry School want to save the day, they will need a Christmas miracle. Bestselling author Dan Gutman brings his kid-friendly sense of humor to this special series of after-school, holiday-themed chapter books featuring hilarious stories and thirty-two pages of games, puzzles, and more. This is one weird Christmas special you won’t want to miss! Perfect for holiday reading Filled with joy, wonder, and the spirit of the season A delightful Christmas gift for readers everywhere

A fun, funny, and informative guide to the weird world of American politics How does the president get his job? How do people know who will win an election before everybody’s voted? Do the candidates hate each other? Dan Gutman takes on his strangest subject ever: the American political system. Reaching through history from the days of the founding fathers to today’s voting system, Gutman tackles complex subjects in a clear, easy-to-understand way. Even grown-ups will find something in here that they’ve never learned before. Politics are a crazy game, and with Dan Gutman teaching you the rules, you’re going to have a blast learning how to play.

With more than 30 million books sold, the My Weird School series really gets kids reading! In this fifth book in the My Weirder School series, the hot new reality show, The Real Teachers of Ella Mentry, is filming at school. Everybody wants to win the TV show''s grand prize! The weird director, Ms. Beard, tells the teachers and students to act normal. Yeah, like that''s gonna happen! Perfect for reluctant readers and word lovers alike, Dan Gutman''s hugely popular My Weird School series has something for everyone. Don''t miss the hilarious adventures of A.J. and the gang.

"My fellow Americans, When I was running for President, I said you should vote for me because I didn''t know anything about politics . . . or how to raise taxes . . . or how to ruin the economy. I didn''t know how to get us into a war. I said you should vote for me because I didn''t know anything. Well, that was two months ago, and I''m very proud to say that . . . I still don''t know anything. Let''s face it: I''m a kid. I''m going to need a lot of help. Here''s the deal I offer America: I''ll help all of you if you all help me!"

With more than 1.5 million books sold, the Baseball Card Adventures series brings the greatest players in history to life! Joe "Stosh" Stoshack has an incredible ability. He can travel through time using baseball cards. But the FBI has learned of his talent, and now they have a mission for him: go back to 1941 and warn President Roosevelt about the attack on Pearl Harbor! Stosh is reluctant, until he finds out that his "ticket" to 1941 is a Ted Williams card. Williams was one of the greatest hitters of all time, even though he lost years of his career to serve in the Marines. How many more home runs would the Splendid Splinter have hit if he had those years back? What if Stosh can prevent the attack on Pearl Harbor and convince Williams not to serve in the military? With black-and-white photographs and stats throughout, plus back matter separating fact from fiction, Ted & Me is the perfect mix of history and action for every young baseball fan.

Don’t miss out on an exciting new My Weird School ebook collection, complete with the first four books in Dan Gutman’s seriously hilarious and seriously zany series. The collection includes My Weird School #1: Miss Daisy Is Crazy!, My Weird School #2: Mr. Klutz Is Nuts!, My Weird School #3: Mrs. Roopy Is Loopy!, My Weird School #4: Ms. Hannah Is Bananas!, and a bunch of seriously strange activities. The activities include a checklist, a maze, and a word scramble. Meet a teacher who eats bonbons, a principal who kisses pigs, a librarian who thinks she''s George Washington, and an art teacher who dresses up in pot holders! They''re all inside this collection! They must be getting pretty crowded in there!

The Spy Who Jumped Off the Screen

Doing homework becomes a thing of the past! Meet the D Squad, a foursome of fifth graders at the Grand Canyon School made up of a geek, a class clown, a teacher''s pet, and a slacker. They are bound together by one very big secret: the homework machine. Because the machine, code-named Belch, is doing their homework for them, they start spending a lot of time together, attracting a lot of attention. And attention is exactly what you don''t want when you are keeping a secret. Before long, things start to get out of control, and Belch becomes much more powerful than they ever imagined. Now the kids are in a race against their own creation, and the loser could end up in jail...or worse!

When Joe Stoshack hears about Shoeless Joe Jackson -- and the gambling scandal that destroyed the star player''s career -- he knows what he has to do. If he travels back in time with a 1919 baseball card in his hand, he just might be able to prevent the infamous Black Sox Scandal from ever taking place. And if he could do that, Shoeless Joe Jackson would finally take his rightful place in the Baseball Hall of Fame. But can Stosh prevent that tempting envelope full of money from making its way to Shoeless Joe''s hotel room before the big game?

He was the world''s greatest athlete, and a hero—until his medals were taken away. Stosh is shocked when his enemy, Bobby Fuller, begs him for a favor. He wants Stosh to take him back in time to meet Native American Jim Thorpe—an Olympic champion who lost his medals in a scandal. Thorpe went on to play professional baseball and football, but he could never again achieve such fame. His name was disgraced. Join Stosh and Fuller on a quest to save Jim''s reputation. You''ll meet Christy Mathewson, John McGraw, and the rest of the New York Giants in this eighth exciting, action-packed baseball card adventure!

It’s the last day of school before Christmas vacation and Alex, Chase, and the rest of Mrs. Walter’s fifth-grade class couldn’t wish more for the final bell to ring. But the day takes a crazy turn when a mysterious meteorite crashes through the classroom window—and a genie pops out! Bob, as he’s called, is willing to grant only one wish for the class to share, and if they can’t agree on something before the bell rings in an hour, they’ll get nothing at all. What follows is a debate that is at turns thought-provoking and hilarious—and at all times irresistible.