New Release Books by James Preller

Girl bullies, internet bullying, and substance use are themes in this James Preller middle grade standalone companion to Bystander Mary O’Malley is tired of keeping secrets. Secrets like her older brother, Jonny’s, drug use. Starting seventh grade is tough enough without the upheaval her brother is bringing to their family. It seems the only person who might understand is Griffen Connolly, whose older sister runs with Jonny in the wrong crowd. Mary thought Griff was too cool, too popular for her. But now he wants to hang out with her, and listen. When two girls Mary thought were her friends decide to slam another girl online, Mary tries to look the other way. Then the girls turn on Mary, and suddenly, she doesn’t have a safety zone. Her brother is out of control, her family’s energies are all spent on him. There is only one person she can turn to. But can she trust Griff? Or is he one of the bullies?

With gorgeous multimedia paintings-and-collages by acclaimed artist Mary GrandPre, James Preller's All Welcome Here promises to be an evergreen gift picture book for children about to take the big leap into their first days of school. The bus door swishes Open, an invitation. Someone is not sure . . . The first day of school and all its excitement, challenges, and yes, anxieties, are celebrated here in connected haiku poems. A diverse cast of characters all start—and finish—their first days of school, and have experiences that all children will relate to.

Told in alternating points-of-view, James Preller's powerful middle-grade survival story will have readers on the edge of their seats. Carter and his older sister Grace thought the hike with their dad and their dog would be uneventful. If anything, they figured it was Dad’s way of getting them off their screens for a while. But the hike on Blood Mountain turns ominous, as the siblings are separated from their father, and soon, battling the elements. They are lost. They are being hunted, but who will reach them first? The young ranger leading the search? Or the mysterious mountain man who has gone off the grid?

Featuring friendship, school, family, and a diverse community, these early illustrated chapter book Jigsaw Jones Mysteries from James Preller have it all. It's the biggest—okay the most stressful—night of the year . . . Parents' Night! And Geetha Nair's painting has just gone missing. The stakes are high, but Jigsaw Jones and Mila Yeh have never encountered a mystery they couldn't solve. Can they track down their friend's art in time for the most important show of the year in The Case of the Vanishing Painting? James Preller's wry, witty, Jigsaw Jones books are once again available to inspire the next generation of young readers, featuring both new titles and classroom classics!

Featuring friendship, school, family, and a diverse community, these early illustrated chapter book Jigsaw Jones Mysteries from James Preller have it all. Is there a bear loose in the woods by Jigsaw Jones' town? For once this second-grade detective and his partner Mila Yeh might be out of their depth! One way or another, these two young sleuths will get to the bottom of who, or what, is growling and snapping in those woods in The Case of the Bear Scare. James Preller's wry, witty, Jigsaw Jones books are once again available to inspire the next generation of young readers, featuring both new titles and classroom classics!

Featuring friendship, school, family, and a diverse community, these early illustrated chapter book Jigsaw Jones Mysteries from James Preller have it all. When a new kid moves into town, he brings with him a mystery as big as his house! Reggie Armitage the III has found a box with a list of codes and a golden skeleton key—but he has no idea what the key opens or how to crack the code. It's a good thing 2nd-grade sleuths, Jigsaw Jones and Mila Yeh, are investigating The Case of the Golden Key. James Preller's wry, witty, Jigsaw Jones books are once again available to inspire the next generation of young readers, featuring both new titles and classroom classics!

Featuring friendship, school, family, and a diverse community, these early illustrated chapter book Jigsaw Jones Mysteries from James Preller have it all. Jigsaw Jones and Mila Yeh have solved many cases involving stolen or missing items. But when the search for Kim's necklace turns up more than they bargained for, Jigsaw can't trust his eyes. Did the scarecrow on Ms. Rigby's lawn just . . . move? Find out more in The Case of the Haunted Scarecrow. James Preller's wry, witty, Jigsaw Jones books are once again available to inspire the next generation of young readers, featuring both new titles and classroom classics!

The Big Idea Gang is buzzing with excitement! They're going to show Clay Elementary just how important bees can be in this chapter book series about making a case—and making a difference—by the author of Jigsaw Jones. After Kym and Lizzie get the awesome opportunity to visit a bee colony, they realize all the wonderful things bees do! But how can it be that these amazing insects are disappearing? And what will happen to our food chain without the great pollinators buzzing about? If only everyone else at Clay Elementary could understand how important the bees are for the environment! Now that's a big idea that needs to be shared! With the help of Connor and Deon, Kym and Lizzie set out to show their school the beauty of bees, and use their powers of persuasion to make a difference in the world.

Third-graders Deon, Kym, Lizzy, and Connor, armed with Miss Zips' persuasive tips, set out to convince the PTA to use their cash surplus to put a "buddy bench" on the playground.

Includes an excerpt from The case from outer space.

Second-grade detectives Jigsaw and Mila are hired by their classmate, Solofsky, who was accused of stealing a prize medal from a pet store.

Featuring friendship, school, family, and a diverse community, these early illustrated chapter books from James Preller have it all. Got a mystery to solve? Jigsaw Jones is on the case. When Bigs Maloney finds a cryptic note in room 201 that supposedly leads to buried treasure, only Jigsaw can crack the riddle. Soon, the whole class is counting on him and Mila to strike gold. But one clue leads to another and when Jigsaw finally finds the treasure, it's not exactly what anybody expected. James Preller's wry, witty Jigsaw Jones books are once again available to inspire the next generation of young readers, featuring both new titles and classroom classics! This title has Common Core connections.

Someone's been stealing from the lost and found. But the strangest part of this mystery is what they've been stealing. Not mittens, or books, or water bottles--only hats! Just when Jigsaw comes up with a plan to catch this hat burglar in the act, the

Featuring friendship, school, family, and a diverse community, these early illustrated chapter books from James Preller have it all. Got a mystery to solve? Jigsaw Jones is on the case. Anything that ever goes missing or lost, Jigsaw and his partner, Mila, can find. Then, during a magic show, they watch a toy dinosaur disappear, right in front of their eyes! Even the magician can't seem to bring it back. Luckily Jigsaw doesn't believe in magic, and he's determined to find that dinosaur! James Preller's wry, witty, Jigsaw Jones books are once again available to inspire the next generation of young readers, featuring both new titles and classroom classics!

After becoming undead, a boy tries to survive middle school. Adrian Lazarus has met with a curious fate. He’s returned from the dead (after a bad bike accident, no helmet), yet not a lot has changed. He’s always been an outcast. But it’s not just being a zombie that makes Adrian feel different. He notices the world has changed, too: bees are vanishing, forest fires are burning, super-flus are spreading. The holographic advertisements in the night sky assure people that all is well. Adrian and his friends – a beekeeping boy, a mysterious new girl, and a seventh-grade sleuth – aren’t so sure. When they discover a birdlike drone has been spying on Adrian, the clues lead to two powerful corporate moguls. What do they really want? James Preller brings his singular humor to Better Off Undead, a middle-grade zombie story that's about fitting in as much as it's about the end of the world. This title has Common Core connections.

Second-grade detectives Jigsaw, Mila, and their friends follow clues after Bigs Maloney's sneakers are stolen just before a boys versus girls football challenge.

Jigsaw Jones is back! A brand new original mystery, The Case of the Hat Burglar is the newest installment of the Jigsaw Jones chapter book series by James Preller. Someone’s been stealing from the lost and found. But the strangest part of this mystery is what they’ve been stealing. Not mittens, or books, or water bottles—only hats! Just when Jigsaw comes up with a plan to catch this hat burglar in the act, the mystery thief strikes again right under his nose! Will this be the first case Jigsaw and Mila can’t solve? Sure to delight and intrigue young minds in equal measure, this never-before-published mystery chapter book is full of charming illustrations and James Preller's signature humor and warmth.

James Preller's wry, witty, Jigsaw Jones chapter book mysteries are once again available to inspire the next generation of young readers, featuring both new titles and classroom classics! The Case of the Bicycle Bandit Why would anyone steal an old hunk of junk? Ralphie Jordan loves his beat-up bike, Old Rusty. The tires are bent, spokes are missing, and the chain keeps falling off. But Ralphie wouldn't trade it for any other. Then Old Rusty goes missing just outside the library, and Ralphie is devastated. It's up to Jigsaw and Mila to find out who stole it—and the thief may be closer than anyone would have guessed!

James Preller's wry, witty, Jigsaw Jones chapter book mysteries are once again available to inspire the next generation of young readers, featuring both new titles and classroom classics! The Case of the Mummy Mystery It all started with a dare. . . . Only Joey Pignattano would agree to eat a worm in exchange for a dollar. Problem is, he doesn't trust Bobby Solofsky to hold up his end of the deal. So he's hired Jigsaw Jones and Mila Yeh to make sure Bobby keeps his word. But when the worm goes missing and the primary suspect is a mummy—on Halloween of all days!—Jigsaw Jones is the only one who can solve the case!

Second-grade detectives Jigsaw, Mila, and their friends follow clues when a girl reports seeing a glow-in-the-dark ghost dancing at night in their school.

Will has no choice. His father drags him along on a wilderness adventure in the footsteps of legendary explorers Lewis and Clark--whether he likes it or not. All the while, Will senses that something about this trip isn't quite right. Along the journey, Will meets fascinating strangers and experiences new thrills, including mountain cliffs, whitewater rapids, and a heart-hammering bear encounter. It is a journey into the soul of America's past, and the meaning of family in the future. In the end, Will must face his own, life-changing test of courage. This title has Common Core connections.

From James Preller, the author of Bystander, another unflinching book about bullying and its fallout. The summer before school starts, Sam's friend and classmate Morgan Mallen kills herself. Morgan had been bullied. Maybe she kissed the wrong boy. Or said the wrong thing. What about that selfie that made the rounds? Morgan was this, and Morgan was that. But who really knows what happened? As Sam explores the events leading up to the tragedy, he must face a difficult and life-changing question: Why did he keep his friendship with Morgan a secret? And could he have done something-anything-to prevent her final actions? This title has Common Core connections.

Can their friendship survive the fifth grade? Spider Stevens and Trey Cooper have lived next door to each other their entire lives. Their houses are on the odd-numbered side of Maple Street, which seems just about right. Because, well, Trey Cooper is a little odd himself. It didn't matter when they were little kids -- you know, way back in second grade. And it doesn't matter so much when they're at home on Maple Street. That's just Trey being Trey. But it matters in the fifth grade. The whole class thinks Trey is weird. Does that mean Spider has to turn his back on his oldest friend?

Siblings Malik and Tiana Rice love to play treasure hunt, but when they find a locked box buried behind a deserted house, their enjoyment turns to horror.

Welcome. Have a seat. The wolves will wait. Let us tell you a story. But be warned. Nightmareland isn't just any tale. This is a Scary Tale. Meet Aaron Wheeler, who just got a strange, new video game. A game that sucks Aaron right in. All alone, caught in a snowstorm, a howl comes from the nearby woods. And there is no way out.... Prepare yourself for the next installment of James Preller's heart-poundingly scary chapter book series filled with dark and creepy illustrations from acclaimed artist Iacopo Bruno.

Ahoy, mateys! It's time for recess, and the schoolyard is teeming with young pirates who are ready for action. Who will rule the stormy seas of the playground? Recess has never been such an adventure!

The summer before his senior year, Jude (yes, he's named after the Beatles song) gets his first job, falls in love for the first time, and starts to break away from his parents. Jude's house is kept dark, and no one talks much—it's been that way since his little sister drowned in a swimming pool seven years ago when Jude was supposed to be watching her. Now, Jude is finally, finally starting to live. Really live. And then, life spins out of control. Again. Acclaimed author James Preller explores life, death, love, faith, and resilience in his first young adult novel that will grip readers from the book's dramatic first few pages to its emotional end.

On the first day of first grade, an imaginative young pirate and his crew find treasures abound at school, from boarding a big yellow "boat" and plank walking at recess to exploring pages of treasure at the library.