New Releases by Nancy Krulik

When Sparky''s owner leaves him with no one to play with, Sparky decides to beat the boredom with a bite of his magic bone. He finds himself in Washington, DC, among statues, a monument that looks like a giant stick, and a big white house with a huge yard (that he isn''t allowed to play in). His new dog friend says he''s happy roaming the city without his family, but Sparky isn''t so sure he feels the same. Tag along as Sparky explores the United States capital--and tries not to get caught!

Sparky, the cute, loveable sheepdog puppy, is off to Rome! Upon his arrival, he buries his bone and begins to explore the city. He wanders into the Largo di Torre Argentina--the coolest place he''s seen yet. Until he notices...it''s filled with cats! And one of them has his bone! Sparky must chase two conniving cats around Trevi Fountain, through the Borghese Gardens, and into the Colosseum to try to get his bone back. Will he be able to outsmart the cats, or will he have to stay in Rome forever?

Sent to the backyard for breaking a tick-tock-ticking toy, Sparky (an adorable but clumsy sheepdog puppy) immediately begins his favorite activity: diggety-dig-digging. Little does he know, he''s about to dig up the most amazing toy ever--a magic bone! With one bite into that sparkling bone, Sparky is magically transported to London, where he makes new friends, sees the sights, and gets into a bit of trouble. Join Sparky on his adventure to see how he escapes and makes it back home!

In the newest installment of Nancy Krulik''s popular series, George Brown, Class Clown, George''s very own teacher is competing in a televised dance competition. Of course, her students get to watch the taping in the studio. And who happens to make a guest appearance? You guessed it--the Super Burp! And, unfortunately, he isn''t a bit camera shy!

George Brown is stricken with a case of magic burps, tries to contain them during the school talent show, and disastrously attempts to run a lemonade stand.

When George Brown spends the day at a water park, he ends up making a huge splash, just not the kind he intended. That''s because trouble follows him like a shadow. It''s not his fault. Really! Poor George is at the mercy of magic burps, burps that make him do wild and crazy things. Perfect for reluctant readers, this funny chapter book series is illustrated with more than forty black-and-white drawings that mirror the goofy mayhem.

Katie is learning about the Pilgrims in preparation for Turkey Day (aka Thanksgiving). Her class visits a reconstructed Pilgrim village where all the "inhabitants" portray a 17th century character. Can you guess what''s coming? The magic wind, of course, transforming 21st-century Katie into Patience Mitchell, who is supposed to know all about spinning wool and making cornhusk dolls. In the second adventure, a family trip to New York City finds Katie switcheroo-ed into one of the performers at the Macy''s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Here''s two for-one fun for all of Katie''s many fans

The annual talent show at Shirley S. Sugarman Elementary School is in just a few weeks, and George signs up to be a stagehand. He is determined to do a good job because the new, improved George is responsible and helpful and glad to pitch in. So is comic mayhem coming? Oh yeah, absolutely! But leave it to Nancy Krulik to devise an unexpected way for disaster to strike and bring down the curtain.

The first day at a new school is always the hardest, right? No, not always as George finds out the hard way. On the second day at…Sugarman Elementary School, he is suddenly seized by uncontrollable burps, burps so loud they practically break the sound barrier, burps that make him do wild and crazy stuff and land him in trouble with a capital T. One thing is for sure: these are not normal burps, they are magic burps—and they must be stopped! But how?

The beginning band has a concert coming up, and Suzanne convinces Katie that she has to look her best for the big night. And that includes a new haircut from Cherrydale''s newest - and sparkliest - hair salon. But when the magic wind switcheroos Katie into Suzanne''s stylist right before Suzanne''s own cut, Katie is left in one hairy situation!

HE''S DIESEL POWERED! Vin Diesel''s come a long way since his syage debut at the age of seven -- a gig he was offered after getting caught breaking into a New York City theater! But these days Vin''s getting noticed for other talents -- and this time they''re legal. There is more to Vin than his pumped-up action-hero exterior. He''s a serious actor who''s written, directed and produced films that have been screened at the most prestigious film festivals in the world. Vin''s got the skills and determination that took him from earning $20 a week to $20 million a film, and he knew he would be a star all along...He was just waiting for the rest of us to figure it out.

When Katie sees toy bats hanging from the ceiling of class 4A, she thinks they?re Halloween decorations until Mr. G shows up and explains the class is going to study nocturnal animals. A visit to the zoo starts out way cool but quickly goes downhill: Suzanne and Becky won?t stop fighting and then Katie finds herself hanging upside down inside the Bat Cave. Katie has really gone batty this time!

Becky is taking riding lessons at the Cherrydale Stables. That''s not news to Katie or her friends: In fact, they are sick of hearing about horses and sick of hearing Becky brag about what a great rider she is. Still, Katie convinces everyone to go to the horse show where Becky wins a medal in the first event, showmanship. The event looks pretty easy. However, Katie gets to see what it''s like from the horse''s perspective when suddenly she''s switcherooed into Becky''s horse Brownie.

Alana loves her dog-walking job, but it blows her mind to see how pampered these pooches are. Her newest clients actually feed their poodle steak and treat her to massages at a doggie spa! Alana can''t make heads or tails of why anyone would do this -- or why she complains to hunky handyman Connor and not her boyfriend, Sammy. When Sammy starts keeping her on an awfully tight leash, Alana wonders whether Connor might be a better match for her. But Alana''s puppy love comes to a screeching halt when she learns that Connor isn''t who she thought he was. Is Alana barking up the wrong tree with him, too?

Angie can''t wait to bounce this mill town she''s been living in. At least she''s got her friends, the guys who live to ride and grind. And her job painting custom boards at Sk8 4Ever. Then one day Carter walks into the shop. He''s all Abercrombie, and she''s black hoodies. But it''s hot in therre. Carter offers to help Angie with her dream: to take her art to NYC. She really believes in Carter, but then she learns the truth about his family -- something that turns Love & Sk8 into Love vs. Sk8.

It’s baseball season, and Katie and her friends are busy rooting for their favorite team, the Cherrydale Porcupines. Katie loves the team, but can’t understand why her friends are so obsessed with the team’s star shortstop, Mike Reed; she prefers the old shortstop who now sits on the bench every game. But when Katie is switcherooed into the team’s star shortstop, she learns that she should never judge someone until she’s standing in their size-12 baseball cleats!

Class 4A is studying reptiles, which makes class pet Slinky the snake a minor celebrity. The whole class collects worms from the field to feed to Slinky as a treat, but Katie refuses—she’s a vegetarian! Then when the magic wind appears, Katie learns what it’s like to be in someone else’s skin—scaly snake skin to be exact!

Katie’s On Thin Ice when an Olympic ice skater comes to town. When Katie turns into the skater during her performance, she really hits the ice—on her bottom, hard. Then when Katie figures out a way to fix this mess, the magic wind comes back and turns her into a famous snowboarder. But suddenly it’s Katie who is Going Downhill! That’s two snow shows she’s ruined in one week. Katie’s hilarious escapades in these two stories make this Super Special a perfect way to chase away the winter blues!

The fourth grade is studying fish, and that means a trip to the Cherrydale Aquarium! Everything is going along just swimmingly until Ms. Sweet drops her brand-new engagement ring into the tank—and Katie turns into a fish! Now she’s stuck in a tank and she’s all wet. Well, at least she can try to find Ms. Sweet’s ring . . . although that may be difficult when Katie the clown fish is being chased by a shark!

Katie is so excited for her two-week stay at sleepaway camp! Friends, activities, Color War, s’mores . . . and wild animals???? But Katie can’t go anywhere without the magic wind following her—even to camp! Have twice the summer fun with twice the switcheroos in Katie Kazoo’s newest Super Special!

Katie is psyched For The Parent-Kid Olympics at school, but it her parents will be out of town. Katie''s grandfather is coming instead. Now, Katie is worried because of Pops''s age. Then the magic wind arrives just in time to cause more trouble.

When Miriam gets Suzanne’s role in the school play (that is, the role Suzanne thinks belongs to her), Katie knows there will be trouble. But she certainly doesn’t plan on being involved in it! Unfortunately, the magic wind has plans of its own—it turns Katie into Miriam just before the show! Katie doesn’t know the lines and she can’t sing. Will the show go on? Will it go on with Suzanne instead?

Joyce Kilmer Middle School is turned upside-down after the debut of a gossip column that has the power to turn friends into enemies.

Katie Carew (nicknamed Katie Kazoo by the class bully) always wished that she could be anyone but herself. Now her wish has come true - and she keeps turning into other people! When Katie gets caught breaking the rules, first passing a note, and later with a cell phone (that isn''t even her''s!), she loses her recess for the day. She''s had it with the school rules! When she turns into the principal, Mr. Kane, she makes a new rule - that there are no rules! Things get out of hand and Katie turns back into herself before she can fix things. The real Mr. Kane loses his job because the parents and teachers are so angry. Will Katie be able to make things right and get Mr. Kane his job back? Illustrated by John and Wendy.

Katie and her friend George try to spice up the school day by playing a few practical jokes. Using a special kit full of whoopee cushions, pepper gum, and a water-spraying camera, the two kids make a splash pulling off gag after gag. But then Katie turns into George—just as he gets blamed for all the trouble! How will Katie get out of this one?

Katie can’t wait for the holidays. There are so many things to look forward to! Her motorcycle-riding grandma is coming to visit, class 4A is having a Secret Santa grab bag, and it’s almost time for Cherrydale’s annual holiday lights display contest. But even the busy holiday season doesn’t stop the magic wind! Join Katie in these three separate holiday stories and find out how she handles the holiday hijinks!

Katie can''t wait to go on a European vacation with her family! She''s so excited to see new things and learn how people in other countries live. But she realizes that traveling abroad is harder than she thought, especially when you don''t speak another language! And to make matters worse, the magic wind appears four times—turning her into a Buckingham Palace guard, a flamenco dancer in Spain, a gondola driver in Venice, and an artist in Paris! Will Katie be able to handle this vacation chaos?!

Katie can''t wait for her favorite author, Nellie Farrow, to come visit her class and tell them all about her new book. But when Katie starts working on a cool new website with Suzanne, she forgets to read the book! Then Katie turns into Nellie, just when she''s about to give her presentation! Will Katie be able to turn things from wrong to write?

Katie and Suzanne are so excited-they won tickets to see their favorite rock group, the Bayside Boys, at the Cherrydale Arena! And not only do they get to see the show, but they get to attend the dress rehearsal and go backstage to hang out with the group! But when the magic wind turns Katie into one of the band members in the middle of the rehearsal, she manages to break up the band just before the big show! Will Katie be able to get the Bayside Boys back together again?

It’s February and love is in the air! Everyone in the fourth grade is getting into the Valentine spirit. The kids are making cards, and are ordering personalized candy hearts from Cinnamon’s Candy Shop, the new candy store in the mall. But Katie has had enough—she is definitely not into all this mushy gushy stuff! So Katie makes a decision: there’ll be no Valentine’s Day for her this year. But then Katie turns into Cinnamon, the candy store owner. And the personalized hearts she makes up are...well...not exactly to order! By doing this, she practically ruins Valentine’s Day for everyone. Will Katie have a change of heart and save the day?