Best Selling Books by Joan Holub

Pandora is quite an inquisitive Goddess Girl—but she could stand to be more cautious. Pandora is one of the few mortals at Mount Olympus Academy—and probably the most curious of all the students in school. Her quizzical nature is famous—not that she thinks there is anything wrong with being curious, of course! When a godboy named Epimetheus brings a mysterious and fantastical box to school, Pandora’s curiosity is piqued. And when it unexpectedly lands in her lap—literally—she can’t help but take a look at what’s inside. What could be the harm in that? But little does she know that opening the box will open up more trouble than she thought….

Priding herself on having the most up-to-date information about everyone at Mount Olympus Academy, gossipy Pheme sends VIP messages that linger in cloud letters above her head, a habit that raises the ire of her fellow goddesses.

Athletic Artemis rails against the all-boys'' Olympic Games at Mount Olympus Academy, which leaves her at odds with her twin brother, Apollo, while a mortal boy named Actaeon catches her eye.

Medusa is the ultimate mean girl in this series that blends modern drama with ancient myths. Well researched and true to the original myths, each volume in the Goddess Girls series addresses contemporary issues, like friendships and relationships, from a classically accurate—and entertaining—perspective. In Medusa the Mean, Medusa is sick and tired of being the only mortal at Mount Olympus Academy. Not only is she surrounded by beautiful, powerful, immortal classmates, but she also has snakes for hair and a reputation for being mean. Immortality, she thinks, will solve everything. So when she finds out about a necklace that promises just that, she’s sure it will help her get the two things she covets most: to be as popular as the four Goddess Girls and to have her supercrush, Poseidon, finally notice her. But when the necklace brings about popularity in the totally wrong way, things go from bad to worse. Can Medusa overcome her “meanie” status and prove that there’s more to her that meets the eye?

Iris has a rainbow of colorful experiences, from visiting the Underworld to conversing with her crush in this Goddess Girls adventure. Iris is the most colorful goddess girl at Mount Olympus Academy. In fact, her hair and delicate wings can change color according to her mood! When Principal Zeus entrusts her with the job of fetching some magic water, Iris is tickled pink—until she realizes she’ll have to get the water from the gray, gloomy River Styx in the Underworld! And when Iris figures out how to create magical rainbow slides that will allow her to travel from Mount Olympus to Earth and back in a flash, she suddenly becomes a messenger in high demand. All the while, Iris wonders whether her crush, Zephyrus, has caught wind of her infatuation, or if he’s into her BFF instead. Either way, Iris is determined she won’t go green with envy!

The Goddess Girls by put a modern spin on classic Greek myths. This title focuses on Athena, goddess of wisdom.

For an extra credit project, Aphrodite begins a club for matchmaking mortals, which brings her to Egypt and face-to-face with her competition, the Egyptian goddess Isis.

After a bit of thought, Hestia jotted down five simple things she had always wanted to do but never had the guts to: Sit with someone new at lunch, stand up for someone, talk to a boy, try something I''d normally say no to and take a truly big, bold cooking risk! Would this prove to be the recipe for change?

In order to fit in at Mount Olympus Academy, new girl and forest-mountain nymph Echo copies the mannerisms of all the other students, but instead of ingratiating herself to her classmates, it only seems to grate on them.

Athena''s arrogance throws a wrench into her plans to improve King Minos''s labyrinth.

Meet Cassandra, the newest student at Mount Olympus Academy! She has an amazing talent—but will her new friends believe her? This Goddess Girls story is based on the myth of Cassandra, who has the gift of seeing the future—except no one believes her. Can Apollo, the god of prophecy, help his new crush?

Medusa discovers that having the golden “King Midas” touch has its ups and downs in the sixteenth Goddess Girls adventure. When Medusa suddenly becomes able to turn objects into gold just by touching them, she is thrilled. Gold, gold, everywhere! But it’s not just objects that become golden—it’s also food, and, even people! Her new ability turns out to be more dangerous than delightful, but can she do anything to reverse it?

A little red pencil embarks on a creative writing adventure in this delightfully illustrated children’s book with “style, humor, and solid writing advice” (Publishers Weekly, starred review). At the Pencilvania School, all the young pencils are given a writing assignment. With a basket of nouns, Little Red embarks on the storytelling path, discovering the joys of creative writing. But when she gets tangled in a run-on sentence full of descriptive adjectives, she must escape a dangerous encounter with the pencil sharpener, Wolf 3000! Acclaimed writer Joan Holub and Caldecott Honoree Melissa Sweet team up in this hilarious and exuberant retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. “The artwork—which integrates written text in a variety of lettering styles—fills the pages with a riot of color, shape, movement and design… Every writers’ group should start with this story.” (Kirkus, starred review). A Kirkus Best Children’s Books of 2013

Zero. Zip. Zilch. Nada. That''s what all the other numbers think of Zero. He doesn''t add anything in addition. He''s of no use in division. And don''t even ask what he does in multiplication. (Hint: Poof!) But Zero knows he''s worth a lot, and when the other numbers get into trouble, he swoops in to prove that his talents are innumerable.

Calliope, the muse of epic poetry, has trouble putting her bright and fun ideas into action in this twentieth Goddess girls adventure! Ever since she inspired Homer to write his epic works, Calliope feels like she has a lot to live up to! It doesn’t help that, despite her success, she always feels like she is in the shadows of her older, mega-talented sisters. When Calliope is invited to Mount Olympus Academy, she knows this is her chance to prove to everyone what she’s made of. But after struggling to come up with the perfect idea for her first big school project, Calliope decides she needs a roomie to help keep her on task and study, just like her sisters did for her back home. There’s just one problem: everyone already seems to be paired up. Can Calliope find her own inspiration, the perfect roommate, and her own spotlight at MOA?

When Orpheus, a charming mortal musician, arrives at Mount Olympus Academy, he asks Persephone to help reunite him with his lost love, Eurydice, but trying to manipulate the rules of the underworld puts her at odds with her boyfriend, Hades.

After pulling a magical thunderbolt from a stone, ten-year-old Zeus goes on the adventure of a lifetime in this thrilling start to a brand-new series! The terrible Titans—merciless giants who enjoy snacking on humans—have dominated the earth and put the world into chaos. But their rule is about to be put to the test as a group of young Olympians discover their powers and prepare to righteously rule the universe.... Ten-year-old Zeus is mystified (and super-annoyed) by the fact that he keeps getting hit by lightening. Every. Single. Year. He also longs for adventure, as he has never been far from the cave where he grew up. Zeus gets his wish—and a lot more than he bargained for—when he is kidnapped by dangerous, giant Titans! In self-defense, Zeus grabs the first thing he sees—an actual thunderbolt he pulls from a stone that is covered in mysterious markings. Zeus is the only one who can decipher the markings, and sets off on a quest to rescue his fellow Olympians from the evil Cronus. Armed with his trusty thunderbolt (named Bolt, of course), Zeus is on an adventure of a lifetime—and a journey to fulfill his destiny as King of the Gods.

When a mermaid named Amphitrite arrives at Mount Olympus Academy, she finds herself falling for Poseidon, but his quirks may be too much for her.

A clash between the Titans and The Olympians at sea leaves Zeus and his friends shipwrecked—and in a tidal wave of trouble—in this Heroes in Training adventure. After an encounter with Uranus, God of the Sky (and father of the Titans), the Olympians find themselves in the middle of a battle between two big-time Titans. On Cronus’s orders, Titan Oceanus dives into the sea and causes it to turn even stormier. He’s heading straight for the Olympians’ boat, planning to capsize it, no doubt. Just when it looks like the Olympians are done for, Zeus throws his thunderbolt high and causes a huge battle in the sky between the Titans. As broken stars and hunks of clouds crash to earth and into the sea around the Olympians and their ship, they manage to escape—thanks to some help from Zeus’s medallion and guide, Chip—but find themselves shipwrecked. And as Uranus’s stars begin to fall in the ocean, the huge splash makes a wave of bubbles that heads for the shore of the island where the Olympians and their ship are trapped. And Zeus has a feeling those bubbles mean trouble…

The Heroes in Training are entering the Underworld—if Hades can conquer his canine fears, that is. The Underworld usually isn’t really meant to be a fun place—but tell that to Hades! He loves the dark and the stinky smell of sulfur. However, there is one thing that Hades is not a fan of: dogs. And when Zeus and his fellow Olympians encounter Cerberus—a snarling, three-headed dog—Hades must conquer his fears and tame the hound so everyone can continue into the Underworld and deposit their Titan prisoner, Oceanus, back where he belongs! But with magical water that causes forgetfulness, hot beds of lava, and another epic battle with two more Titans standing in their way, will Zeus and his heroes make it out of the Underworld with everyone intact?

Get to know Persephone, the Queen of the Underworld, in this twenty-sixth Goddess Girls adventure!

Artemis, goddess of the hunt, is always perceived as the bravest goddess girl at Mount Olympus Academy. What her classmates and best friends don''t realize is that sometimes she''s not as courageous as she looks.

It''s picture day at the dog park. But before the first photo can be taken, an exuberant pack of pups needs a bit of grooming. So they’re off to Shampoodle, the local pet salon, where the eager dogs simply cannot sit still. And when some curious cats stop by, things go from messy to mayhem. Shampoodle is perfect for animal lovers and children who are just starting to read on their own, taking their cues from lively art and bubbly, rhymed text. Step 2 Readers use basic vocabulary and short sentences to tell simple stories. For children who recognize familiar words and can sound out new words with help.

Meet the treacherous Alpheus in this twenty-eighth Goddess Girls adventure! After the sneaky river god Alpheus takes a precious cup from a river nymph, it’s up to Artemis to get it back! When Alpheus challenges Artemis to a surprisingly easy bet, with the winner getting the cup, Artemis thinks it’s too good to be true—and realizes Alpheus will stop at nothing to win. Can Artemis be a hero to her friends?

Elpis, a hope-spreading bubble, is given the chance to become the Spirit of Hope at Mount Olympus Academy if she can prove herself as a human girl among the students, but quickly realizes that being a human girl comes with some challenges.

Get to know Eos, the Goddess of Dawn, in this twenty-fourth Goddess Girls adventure!

Zeus and the rest of the Olympians try to rescue Artemis from the clutches of a Titan named Crius who has her under a sleeping spell.

What makes the great white shark (one of) the greatest fish in the sea? FIN-d out in this hilarious fish-out-of-water story that''s perfect for Shark Week and all year-round! "Don''t miss this one." -School Library Journal, Starred Review Hi! I am Great White Shark, and if you get this book, you''ll read all about ME--the greatest shark in the sea! Not so fast! Greenland Shark here, and as the oldest shark in this book, that makes me the greatest. Did someone say fast? I''m Mako Shark, and I''m the fastest shark in this book! Eat my bubbles! Wow, I''m Hammerhead Shark. You don''t need my special eyes to see that there are lots of great sharks in this book. Sink your teeth into it now! New York Times bestselling author Joan Holub makes a splash with bestselling illustrator Laurie Keller to deliver an entertaining undersea story filled with the greatest shark facts in the ocean!

A heat wave induced by the rule of Hyperion compels Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades to search for answers about why the titan is overheating the world, a mystery that is complicated by their efforts to rescue Hera and outmaneuver the minions of their nemesis, Cronus.

The ants are hard at work in their classroom on a big Valentine''s Day card! They will add lace and glue and stars. But who will they send it to? The Ant Hill kids list all of the possibilities before settling on one lucky person: their teacher!

In this fairy tale retelling, Sleeping Beauty goes to boarding school and must find protection from an evil curse. Sleeping Beauty—who just goes by her middle name, Rose—has always been a daredevil. But according to her fairy tale, after her twelfth birthday Rose must avoid all sharp objects. That isn’t easy at Grimm Academy, where enchanted items can also be dangerous. Rose will have to stay wide awake to keep out of trouble-and to find her magic charm!

A construction site crew is busy at work in this rhyming Step 1 story. As the work continues readers are in for a surprise--the "crew" is actually a group of young friends engaged in a fun day of dramatic play. Two sheets of vehicle-themed stickers are included. It''s a natural for young readers who love to build and are fans of vehicles that dig, scoop, and sometimes go ka-boom!

Zeus, Hera and Poseidon set sail to search for magical trident, but Poseidon can''t swim and gets seasick.

The first-ever standalone superspecial in the Goddess Girls series—let the games begin! Athena, Medusa, Artemis, and Persephone are sick and tired of being left out of the annual boys-only Olympic Games. Their solution? The Girl Games! But as the Goddess Girls work to make their dream into a reality, they come up against plenty of chaos and competition. Told in alternating points of view, this superspecial is packed with Olympic spirit!

Eager to prove herself to her brothers and overcome her challenges with fuzzy vision, Cyclops tries to prove herself by making a bow and arrow for Goddess Girl Artemis.

Her excitement at having a pen pal quickly turns to disappointment when Daisy, a second-grader, receives some unwelcome news about this new "friend."

In this fairy tale retelling, Goldilocks hopes to prove herself a worthy friend by infiltrating an evil organization and saving the day. Once upon a time, in faraway Grimmlandia . . . Goldilocks is so eager to make friends at Grimm Academy, she’s even tempted to accept an invitation to join E.V.I.L.—it’s just nice to be included! But she doesn’t want to be a villain. Can Goldie get inside the secret society and do some good?

The Olympians must face the fierce giant Typhon in order to find magic seeds that will help grow the earth after the terrible drought brought upon the land by Hyperion.

Join little Artemis for a sweet, Wizard of Ozu00ad–inspired adventure in this fourth Little Goddess Girls story—part of the Aladdin QUIX line! All Artemis wants is the gift of courage. There are a lot of scary things out there! With the help of her new friends—Athena, Persephone, and Aphrodite—Artemis hopes she can ask the super-duper-powerful Zeus to help her be a little less afraid. But the mean green girl, Medusa, has other plans. Can Artemis dig deep, be brave, and help her friends find their way to Sparkle City? With the help of some animals who aren’t what they seem, Artemis just might end up being an unexpected hero!

From the authors of the Goddess Girls series comes the third book in a series steeped in Norse mythology, magic, adventure, and friendship. Twelve-year-old Idun is the goddess of youth, and her magical and deliciously sweet golden apples are what keep all of the academy’s gods and goddesses healthy and youthful. They grow year-round—even in winter snow—in one very special grove in Asgard. But when the mischievous Loki ends up making a bet that jeopardizes Idun—and her powerful apples—she must figure out a way to protect herself and her magical orchards from a giant who wants those apples all to himself! Can Idun save the apples—and the gods and goddesses who rely on them—from the two bad seeds at Asgard Academy?