New Release Books by Chris Grabenstein

Before Mr. Lemoncello became everyone''s favorite game maker, he was a kid who liked to roll the dice. . . . Discover the origins of what James Patterson calls "the coolest library in the world" in this PREQUEL to the New York Times bestselling Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library. Go back to the START and meet thirteen-year-old, PUZZLE-obsessed Luigi Lemoncello! Luigi has a knack for games and puzzles. But sometimes it feels like the cards are stacked against him. UNTIL a carnival arrives in town and Luigi gets the CHANCE OF A LIFETIME—the opportunity to work for the world famous Professor Marvelmous, a dazzling, banana-hat-wearing barker who puts the SHOW in SHOWMAN! When the carnival closes, Professor Marvelmous leaves behind a mysterious puzzle box along with a clue. A clue that will lead Luigi and his friends on a fantastical treasure hunt to a prize beyond anything they could imagine—if they can find it! Can Luigi crack the codes and unlock the box''s secrets? Will there be puzzles? Of course! Balloons? You bet! Will it be fun? Hello! It’s a Lemon-cello! BONUS! Can YOU solve the hidden puzzle inside?! "An ''awesometastic'' lead-in likely to inspire a wave of revisits to the earlier books." —Booklist, starred review

Meet middle schooler Jake McQuade. Jake became the smartest kid in the universe when he accidentally ate a jarful of ingestible knowledge jelly beans. But what happens when those jelly beans fall into the wrong hands?! Readers who enjoy the action of the Last Kids on Earth books will love this fast-paced, spy-packed series that''s a "rollicking good time" (New York Times) by the bestselling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello''s Library! Jake McQuade''s the smartest kid in the universe—or at least he was. But just as his training with the secret agency known as the Consortium is about to start, Jake''s jelly beans go missing! And to make matters worse, they (and Jake''s genius!) might be wearing off right when he needs his smarts most! Jake needs to solve this mystery fast. Who stole the jelly beans and why? Can Jake figure out what''s going on, recover the missing jelly beans, and stop a high-tech heist before it''s too late?! From top-secret hideouts to New York City penthouse apartments to the Statue of Liberty in the middle of the night, get ready to go on a whirlwind, wild-ride adventure filled with supervillains and spies, puzzles and pirates, codes and drones, and much, much more—and don''t miss the first two books in the series—Smartest Kid in the Universe and Genius Camp!

Jacky Ha-Ha is off to theater camp and funnier than ever in this hilarious illustrated novel from James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein''s #1 New York Times bestselling series. Jacky Hart finally knows the thrill of having people laugh with her (not at her). She tries to put her comedy and theater skills to use in her summer job—but the boardwalk crowds aren’t exactly adoring. So Jacky jumps at the opportunity of a lifetime: an all-expense paid trip to theater camp! When Jacky gets to Camp Footlights, she realizes she’s way out of her depth. The highly trained campers all seem to know everything about performing, and exactly how to command the spotlight. All Jacky wants is to prove she fits in, but the more she tries, the more she stands out—and not in a good way. With help from her new friends, can Jacky Ha-Ha earn her place in the spotlight…or will she flop? Packed with illustrations, jokes, and hijinks, the latest book in the #1 bestselling Jacky Ha-Ha series delivers a hilarious and heartwarming dose of summer fun, perfect for reading all year round.

Do you love DOGS? Do you love CATS? Do you love ADVENTURE? Then put your paws together for DOG SQUAD, the hilarious, crime-fighting middle-grade series from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello''s Library! When trouble calls . . . it’s Dog Squad to the rescue! But when calamity calls . . . call in Cat Crew! Fred, the loveable stray who became the star of the hit streaming sensation, DOG SQUAD, is back and working on a new show—Cat Crew! But wait a second—there’s something funny about these felines! And something suspicious about their animal trainer. Is this cat crew being electronically controlled?!?! And what exactly is the evil trainer plotting? Can Fred save the day . . .and the cats?! It''s time for an all paws on deck top-secret rescue mission! Get ready for book 2 in this action-packed, middle grade series that has kids (and canines) howling with laugher! Nothing''s too ruff for the Dog Squad!

Dodge missiles, map undersea caves, outrun secret agents, and uncover the ultimate treasure? That’s a day in the life of the Kidds! The Kidd family is on an exciting new mission: use the augmented reality gear their parents created to uncover long-lost treasure. But then their ship, The Lost, explodes in a ball of fire! Now Bick, Beck, Tommy, and Storm are stranded on a raft in the Mediterranean Sea, and their parents have been kidnapped by maniacal treasure hunters. It’s up to the Kidd siblings to follow clues around the globe to uncover an ancient treasure and save their parents . . . before they lose everything!

Do you know anyone like Oliver McSnow...who only knows the word NO?! Introducing a story about the AMAZING power of YES! This universally relatable picture book about toddlerhood from the New York Times bestselling team behind No More Naps! will elicit laughs from kids and their grown-ups everywhere! Oliver McSnow ONLY says NO. He says NO so much that his NO starts to grow. And grow and GROW...until that NO is out of control! No baths. No brushing teeth. No cleaning up. No bedtime! Morning, noon, and night—it’s just NO, NO, NOOOOOOOOOO! But then Oliver''s cousin visits. Jess loves the word YES. YES to friends! YES to food. YES to fun! YES, YES, YES, YES, YESSSSS! And suddenly, Oliver''s world gets opened up in a most wonderful way!

"Chris Grabenstein just might be the smartest writer for kids in the universe." —James Patterson The Smartest Kid in the Universe goes to genius camp in book two of this action-packed series from the New York Times bestselling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello''s Library! Jake McQuade is the smartest kid in the universe—and he''s back to defend his title! This time, he is heading off to a camp for geniuses sponsored by billionaire tech mogul (and brilliant inventor) Zane Zinkle. But genius camp is not like regular camp. There are limo buses, robot polar bears, and high-tech cabins with high-tech toilets! But it isn’t all fun and brain games at camp, especially when Jake goes up against the artificially intelligent Virtuoso quantum computer—the smartest machine in the universe—which also happens to be Zinkle’s latest genius creation! It''s boy versus bot in this epic showdown packed with s''mores, puzzles, action, adventure, and hilarious, jelly bean-fueled fun! Bonus puzzle included!

Reality TV can be murder in the Jersey Shore mysteries from the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of the Mr. Lemoncello’s Library series. What if a reality TV show like Jersey Shore set up production in the fictional seaside resort Sea Haven? What if hitting the gym, tanning, and doing a little laundry aren’t the only things the contestants get into. By-the-book officer John Ceepak and his wisecracking young partner, Danny Boyle, have to babysit the buff and boozy kids partying it up in a Jersey shore rental house for TV’s summertime hit Fun House while simultaneously trying to stop the rowdy kids from breaking the law up and down the beach. But even Ceepak and Danny can’t stop one young cast member from being murdered - and others from being threatened with the same fate.

“I didn’t do it!” is something cops hear all the time. But when the plea comes from a close friend who’s fallen on hard times, it’s tougher to ignore, especially for young Officer Danny Boyle.It’s the start of another action-packed summer for the wise cracking Boyle and straight-arrow cop (now Chief of Detectives) John Ceepak down the Jersey Shore as they do their best to help Danny’s friend, a young nurse who claims she has been falsely accused of aggravated assault. Ceepak’s unshakable code of honor is tested when he trusts that the nurse is telling the truth. It’s stretched to the limit when one of the nurse’s home health care patients turns up dead. Now Ceepak and Danny must answer the hard and horrible question: “Did we just help a friend get away with murder?”Get ready for another fun and fast-paced page-turner from Anthony and Agatha award-winner Chris Grabenstein.

In this funny and paw-some story, lifelong rivals Molly and Oscar are forced to team up and brave the great outdoors and help their families before it’s too late. Wilderness adventurers and expert trackers Molly the katt and Oscar the dogg go camping with their families: parents, siblings, cousins, aunts, and uncles. One big reunion! It would be fun if there weren''t so many rules to follow at the campsite. ATTENTION KATTS AND DOGGS: No crossing the border, or you''ll be asked to leave the Eastern Wilderness Reserve. If you''re still alive. Molly and Oscar must outsmart the rule-makers when they discover that their katt and dogg cousins have run away together—for reasons only Molly and Oscar will understand. Now the clever pair must find and warn their cousins before all four of them are in need of a serious rescue mission.

Class clown Jacky Hart is back and ready for the best summer ever in James Patterson''s bestselling graphic novel series! But can she juggle family, friends, and work and still find time to act and sing? Living on the shore is all about fun, fun, FUN! With my starring role in the boardwalk''s biggest blockbuster performance, a life of fame and fortune is finally within reach. Until I accidentally lose my job, embarrass myself in front of a crush, AND ruin a friendship, all at the same time. My problems can''t always be laughed away--but I sure am going to try. After all, they didn''t nickname me Jacky Ha-Ha for nothing!

Can you find your way out of what James Patterson calls the "coolest library in the world"? For the first time, you are invited INSIDE Mr. Lemoncello''s one-of-a-kind Gameworks Factory! From the coauthor of I Funny and Max Einstein--and with 100+ weeks on the New York Times bestseller list--the LEMONCELLO books are laugh-out-loud, puzzle-packed MUST-READS for homes and classrooms across America. Far away from his magical library, everyone''s favorite game maker, Luigi Lemoncello, is building something new. Something SECRET. And he''s about to let the world see it. Four lucky kids will win the chance to go inside the new Lemoncello-tastic building on a scavenger hunt that will take them through live-action challenges--skyscraper-size Jenga, dizzying real-life Chutes and Ladders, death-defying games of Rush Hour, and more! Each game will get the players closer to the titanium ticket. And only then will the real secret be revealed. . . . Don''t miss the bonus puzzle in the back! Look for the rest of the puzzle-packed series--Escape from Mr. Lemoncello''s Library, Mr. Lemoncello''s Library Olympics, Mr. Lemoncello''s Great Library Race, and Mr. Lemoncello''s All-Star Breakout Game! PRAISE FOR THE SERIES: 44 STATE AWARD LISTS AND COUNTING 100+ WEEKS ON THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER LIST * "A worthy successor to the original madman puzzle-master himself, Willy Wonka." --Booklist, starred review

Adapted from James Patterson''s #1 New York Times bestselling series, this hilarious and heartwarming graphic novel introduces Jacky Ha-Ha, a class clown who makes people laugh with her so they can''t laugh at her! With her irresistible urge to tell a joke in every situation--even when it''s a bad idea--Jacky Ha-Ha loves to make people laugh. And cracking wise helps distract her from thinking about not-so-funny things in her life, like her mom serving in a dangerous, faraway war, and a dad who''s hardly ever home. But no matter how much fun Jacky has, she can''t entirely escape her worries. So one starlit night, she makes a promise to keep her family together...even if she has to give up the one thing that makes her happy. But can she stop being Jacky Ha-Ha, if that''s who she really is? Bright, funny, and fast-paced artwork will have readers laughing their way through Jacky''s ha-ha-heartwarming story!

When a lifelong friendship just isn''t long enough, two friends connect from beyond the grave in this heartwarming ghost story from a New York Times bestselling author. One minute, Finn was biking home from school, and the next, he was run off the road by a maniac in a big van. Now, he''s a ghost. He can do lots of fun things, like try every ice cream flavor in the store, sneak up on people, and play as many video games as he wants. Finn even has a new ghost friend, Isabella, to show him the ropes. But he also has a lot of BIG questions, like: who wanted him dead? And can he stop the maniac from striking again? Packed with hilarious moments, epic friendships, and fun art, Best Nerds Forever celebrates the nerd in each of us and the joy of living life to its fullest.

Max finally meets her hero, Albert Einstein, as she dashes across glaciers, visits the Great Barrier Reef, and flies a solar-powered jet in a race to stop Global Warming—before it’s too late for Planet Earth. World Champions . . . GET OUTDOORS From racing across glaciers in Greenland and flying in a super fancy solar-powered jet to Hawaii, to visiting the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia and hanging out with a robot named Leo, twelve-year-old genius Max and her friends live for adventure. TAKE ACTION Whenever there''s a problem to solve, the kids work better together. So does an evil group of the rich and powerful, who will do whatever it takes to split the kids up—even as the planet is changing before their eyes. NEVER GIVE UP Max has one more surprise in her playbook, and if she''s going to pull it off, she needs her team around her. Whoever said that kids can''t save the world?

The world''s #1 bestselling author has teamed up with the world''s most famous genius to entertain, educate and inspire a generation of kids--with the first and only kids'' book series officially approved by the Albert Einstein Archives. Albert Einstein + James Patterson = A Must Read! Max is back with a thrilling new adventure that involves time travel, creepy bad guys, killer drones, and a shocking mystery about her past that she will stop at nothing to solve! Under constant danger of being kidnapped by the shadowy Corporation, Max is on the run from New York to London and beyond. But soon the call comes for the Change Maker kids'' next mission: make sure no kid ever goes hungry again! If anyone can tackle a problem this big, Max and her genius friends can. But mysterious clues about her past keep distracting Max''s focus. She always wanted to know who her parents were and why they abandoned her as a baby. If she manages to build a time machine, she could find them and get all the answers! What''s more important - her past, or the future of the Change Makers?

Bestselling author Chris Grabenstein and the Mystery Writers of America bring together twenty peerless puzzles--from bestselling authors such as Peter Lerangis, Stuart Gibbs, Lauren Magaziner, Kate Milford, and, of course, Grabenstein himself--in an anthology of mystery short stories that invite readers to try to unravel the riddles themselves. From tales of hapless superheroes and stolen squirrel monkeys to murderous triplets and haunted basements, these thrilling, puzzling, and hilarious cases have one thing in common--YOU get a chance to be the detective before the author reveals the solution. With twenty never-before-published mystery stories, this collection will leave young detectives sleuthing for more!

With their parents in trouble once again, the Kidds must traverse the Australian Outback, recover a pair of stolen gems, and defeat treasure-hunting pirates to save them! The Kidd family is on their way to Australia to find Lasseter''s Gold when they are challenged by fellow treasure hunter Charlotte Badger, who challenges them to a race to the gold! But when the Kidds pull into port in Australia, their parents are suddenly arrested -- they''ve been framed! It turns out Charlotte Badger is a pirate, and she''s planted a priceless stolen black opal on the Kidds'' ship, The Lost! Now Bick, Beck, Storm, and Tommy have seven days to traverse the Australian Outback, find Charlotte Badger and her pirate cronies, and bring back the evidence that will prove their parents innocent. If they fail, their parents will be found guilty and thrown in prison . . . forever!

Pasha & Poop, two adorable housecats take on Ebeneezer, the Grinch of all Cats. James Patterson’s funniest animal adventure since Katt vs. Dogg. When shelter cats Pasha and Poop move in with their new human family, they find themselves up against a ghostly bully. Scaredy Cat demands they follow his rules or he''ll cause all kinds of trouble-knock over lamps, spill kitty litter, and even get them shipped back to the animal shelter! But Pasha and Poop are stubborn and rebellious. They won''t follow the Scaredy Cat''s ridiculous rules like all of the other pets on the block. Together, they set out to find the truth behind who the Scaredy Cat really is, and how they can end his mischief-making for good.

Can you find your way out of what James Patterson calls the "coolest library in the world"? Kyle Keeley and his friends face their biggest challenge yet when Mr. Lemoncello goes LIVE with his first-ever televised BREAKOUT game! From the coauthor of I Funny and Max Einstein--and with 100+ weeks on the New York Times bestseller list--the LEMONCELLO books are laugh-out-loud, puzzle-packed MUST-READS for homes and classrooms across America. Mr. Lemoncello is leaving the library and going LIVE across the nation with his latest game. Kyle can''t wait to audition, but only a lucky few will get to compete in front of millions of viewers in a completely immersive new breakout game--with real kids as the playing pieces! Nothing is ever as it seems with Mr. Lemoncello, and the clock is ticking! Can Kyle and his friends crack the codes in time to win it all? Don''t miss the bonus puzzle in the back! Look for the rest of the puzzle-packed series--Escape from Mr. Lemoncello''s Library, Mr. Lemoncello''s Library Olympics, Mr. Lemoncello''s Great Library Race, and Mr. Lemoncello and the Titanium Ticket! PRAISE FOR THE SERIES: 44 STATE AWARD LISTS AND COUNTING 100+ WEEKS ON THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER LIST * "A worthy successor to the original madman puzzle-master himself, Willy Wonka." --Booklist, starred review

"Outrageous hijinks and nonstop hilarity--five stars!" --Lincoln Peirce, author of the Big Nate series Take a vacation in a book with this hilarious illustrated middle-grade series by Chris Grabenstein, New York Times bestselling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello''s Library and coauthor with James Patterson of the I Funny and House of Robots series! Welcome to the Wonderland Motel--the funnest place on earth! Contestants, start your engines! The race to be the best on the beach is on, and this year the Wonderland is FINALLY going to win! The competition is fierce! But who needs ROLLER COASTERS and JET PACKS and PIRATES when you have not one but two SECRET WEAPONS? That''s right--P.T. and Gloria, of course! Now they just need to SLEUTH OUT who the secret contest judges are and come up with enough brand-new attractions to WOW them and OUT-FUN the competition! Can they do it? Or will the Wonderland crash and burn? Anything''s possible when you live in the FUNNEST PLACE ON EARTH! Extras include P.T. and Gloria''s famous fact-or-fiction quiz and P.T.''s (Not Exactly) Patented Storytelling Tips! "So funny I fell off my bed!" --Izzy B., age 10

Have you READ the books, PLAYED the games, and SOLVED the puzzles? Mr. Lemoncello''s 4-Book Boxed Set includes four paperback editions of the New York Times bestselling books: Escape From Mr. Lemoncello''s Library, Mr. Lemoncello''s Library Olympics, Mr. Lemoncello''s Great Library Race, and Mr. Lemoncello''s All-Star Breakout Game. Look inside for a poster with fun puzzles and special codes! With over ONE MILLION books sold, the Mr. Lemoncello series is a kid favorite!--provided by publisher.

"Inspirational, commonsensical, and a whole lot of fun." --James Patterson Everyone deserves to shine in this sparkling new book from the New York Times bestselling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello''s Library, Chris Grabenstein, and coauthor J.J. Grabenstein--just right for fans of Word of Mouse and The Fourteenth Goldfish. "Who do you want to be?" asks Mr. Van Deusen. "And not when you grow up. Right here, right now." Shine on! might be the catchphrase of twelve-year-old Piper''s hero--astronaut, astronomer, and television host Nellie Dumont Frisse--but Piper knows the truth: some people are born to shine, and she''s just not one of them. That fact has never been clearer than now, since her dad''s new job has landed them both at Chumley Prep, a posh private school where everyone seems to be the best at something and where Piper definitely doesn''t fit in. Bursting with humor, heart, science, possibilities, and big questions, Shine! is a story about finding your place in the universe--a story about figuring out who you are and who you want to be.