New Releases by Betsy Byars

Throughout the year, 12 of Mr. Magro''s students have written about their biggest emergencies and tucked them into The SOS File. Now it''s time to read the stories out loud and try to guess whose contribution has earned extra credit. Illustrations.

Sara''s life has always flowed smoothly, like the gliding swans on the lake, until her little brother Charlie disappears. Then Sara is forced to see her life in a whole new way.

Amen McBee, the youngest of five sisters, gobbles up words the way other children gobble up sweets. She couldn''t be more different from her elder twin sisters Arabella and Annabella-called the Bellas. The mischievous Bellas constantly frighten Amen with stories of Mr. Tominski-the old recluse who lives in the woods nearby and mysteriously tends to a flock of doves. The Bellas insist that Mr. Tominski is a dangerous bogeyman who eats children whole, but Papa vows that the "keeper of the doves" wouldn''t hurt a soul. When tragedy strikes the family Amen must decide once and for all who is right.

Jackson and his friend Goat set out on a series of treasure hunts, armed with maps and a set of clues. But as the boys battle it out - each trying to outsmart the other - Goat''s sister, Rachel, comes up with a prize-winning plan.

Lennie is addicted to television. Even reruns are more exciting than real life, and Lennie likes to pretend he''s the one experiencing the drama. But Lennie''s daydreams lead him into a real situation that could cost him his life—and suddenly he''s in trouble more terrifying and dangerous than anything he''s ever seen on TV. "Byars infuses the story with her special magic. Lennie is a likable, funny, moving, and always entertaining character." –Publishers Weekly

Meet Ant, the little brother who''s big on laughs. In four upbeat stories, Ant and his big brother confront the monster under the bed, recreate the story of the three little pigs, and write a letter to Santa—in July! Sometimes funny, always endearing, Ant is invariably entertaining.? "A great storyteller and a great illustrator are at their very best in this tender, funny easy-to-read."—Booklist, starred review

The Moon that inspires Betsy Byars''s memoir isn''t the one in the sky, but a huge, harmless blacksnake she finds in the rafters of her porch. This meeting begins an exploration of the writing process. With energy, wit, and delight, the Newbery medalist shows how "the good scraps" of her life, from a bully named Bubba to a gift-wrapped dime, weave into her work.

The Golly Sisters, May-May and Rose, share further adventures as they take their traveling show through the West.

Bingo Brown''s work on his definitive "Guide to Romance" hits a snag when his long-distance girlfriend Melissa returns unexpectedly from Oklahoma.

Young love, told by the Newbery Medal-winning author of Summer of the Swans Simon is in fifth grade, and every time he sees Cybil Ackerman, his heart pounds. Falling in love with her was easy, but winning her is not. Simon''s best friend, Tony, is also swooning over Cybil, and he''ll stop at nothing to ruin Simon''s chances of impressing her. When Simon realizes what Tony is up to, the war is on... but only Cybil can decide the outcome. Who will be the lucky winner of Cybil''s heart? "Young love, fifth-grade variety, portrayed with warmth and humor and that extra, penetrating touch one expects of Byars."—Kirkus Reviews An ALA Notable Book

Summary: A boy is puzzled by the comic and confusing questions of youth and worried by disturbing insights into adult conflicts.

When he builds his raft, a twelve-year-old boy never dreams that it will serve as the sole means of escape for him and his grandmother when hostile Indians threaten their prarie cabin.

Kate’s new friend is really out of this world—he’s an alien! When Kate sits down at the computer, nothing seems out of the ordinary. But suddenly a mysterious message flashes up on the screen. Someone who calls himself BB-9 is trying to get through to her. It doesn’t take long for Kate to figure out who BB-9 is—and she’s sure that everyone else will be as excited as she is. But what do you do when you’re about to make headlines . . . and no one believes you? “Readers . . . will be easily hooked on the fascinating sci-fi premise.”—Booklist

Mouse Fawley has just done something very, very dumb. No kid in his right mind would go out of his way to enrage Marv Hammerman, the school bully--but when Mouse saw the picture of the Neanderthal man, he just had to write Marv''s name under it. Too bad Marv was standing right behind him while he was doing it . Now Mouse has to choose between being on the run and being killed by the school bully.

An overweight, sensitive boy gains the insight and strength to overcome his problems through his search for and discovery of a friend''s grandfather, known as the Goat Man.