New Releases by Patricia Reilly Giff

A broken fence and an animal on the loose take center stage in book three of the series by a two-time Newbery Honor winning author. Alex loves living on Zoo Lane, especially because he gets to visit his favorite animal in the world: the red panda. When he finds a hole in the zoo''s fence, it presents the perfect opportunity to sneak into the zoo before school to see his beloved furry creatures. What Alex doesn''t realize is that the broken fence will cause more problems than almost getting caught by the security guard. When an animal goes missing in the zoo, can he come clean about the fence? In this third book of the series, two-time Newbery Honor author Patricia Reilly Giff has crafted a lively mystery about conservation, animal care, friendship, and problem-solving. In touch with the programs and initiatives that today''s zoos are undertaking, Giff provides readers with a fresh look at the work of zoologists. Charming line artwork by Abby Carter appears throughout and keeps the story upbeat.

A missing animal at the zoo and strange noises coming from her backyard can mean only one thing for Tori: she''s got a mystery to solve! Tori loves living on Zoo Lane with her family. Who else gets to live at a zoo--and with her cousin Sumiko visiting from Tokyo soon, this is shaping up to be the best summer ever! But when rumors of a missing animal start to spread, Tori wants to help . . . except she doesn''t know which creature is on the loose. An ostrich? A little frog? There''s also a strange noise coming from her backyard. It almost sounds like someone is calling her name! Tori is on the case. In this second book in the illustrated Mysteries on Zoo Lane series, two-time Newbery Honor author Patricia Reilly Giff has crafted a charming story about conservation, animal care, friendship, and problem-solving. In touch with the programs and initiatives that today''s zoos are undertaking, Giff provides readers with a fresh look at the work of zoologists. Charming line artwork by Abby Carter appears throughout and keeps the story upbeat.

A heart-wrenching novel in verse about a poor girl surviving the Irish Land Wars, by a two-time Newbery Honor-winning author. For Anna, the family farm has always been home... But now, things are changing. Anna''s mother has died, and her older siblings have emigrated, leaving Anna and her father to care for a young sister with special needs. And though their family has worked this land for years, they''re in danger of losing it as poor crop yields leave them without money to pay their rent. When a violent encounter with the Lord''s rent collector results in Anna and her father''s arrest, all seems lost. But Anna sees her chance and bolts from the jailhouse. On the run, Anna must rely on her own inner strength to protect her sister--and try to find a way to save her family. Written in verse, A Slip of a Girl is a poignant story of adversity, resilience, and self-determination by a master of historical fiction, painting a haunting history of the tensions in the Irish countryside of the early 1890s, and the aftermath of the Great Famine. A Junior Library Guild Selection A Bank Street Best Book of the Year

In this companion to the Newbery Honor-winning Lily''s Crossing, thirteen-year-old Genevieve risks everything to defy the Nazis and join the French Resistance. Winner of the Christopher Award! It''s not always thinking of being happy. Doing the right thing will make you happy. Despite the farm-work and her irritable grandmother Memé, Genevieve thinks she may have found a new home in Alsace, France, where she spent the summer of 1939. Without much to return to in New York, Gen is ready to see if this new life will make her happy. But then World War II erupts. The Nazis conquer France. Now everyone in Alsace must speak German, act German, and think German--or else. Even worse, a cold Nazi officer has commandeered a room in Memé''s farmhouse--and he can tell that Gen and her grandmother aren''t loyal to the Reich. But Gen won''t be cowed. And when her friend Rémy commits an act of sabotage, she hides him in the last place the Germans will look--in the attic, right above the Nazi''s head. For more thrilling historical fiction, don''t miss Island War, a survival story set in the remote Aleutian Islands, occupied by the Japanese during World War II, and A Slip of a Girl, a novel in verse about the Irish Land War of the late 19th century.

"Judith stopped talking long ago when Mom left her in the care of beloved Aunt Cora. Going back into a regular fifth-grade classroom won''t be easy, but she has her Dog and new friend who will help her through"--

Sirens! A scary sound, especially to Siria, whose brave pop is a firefighter. Siria loves everyone at Pop's city firehouse. She also loves to study the stars. Her mother named her after the brightest start in the winter sky. When Siria hears sirens, she sneaks out to chase the trucks, to bring Pop and the other firefighters luck. She'd be in big trouble if she ever got caught. Good thing her best friend, Douglas, is always by her side. As Christmas approaches, Siria suspects that someone in the neighborhood is setting fires. She has to find out who's doing it. When clues point to a surprising suspect, she realizes that solving this mystery will take all kinds of courage. Patricia Reilly Giff, the author of many beloved and award-winning books, is at her best in this action-packed story. In Winter Sky, friends, family, and a very special dog help Siria see how brave she really is. Nominated to the Arkansas Charlie May Simon Children’s Book Award

Jilli and Jim solve the mystery of the monster in their garden in the third book in the endearing new chapter book series by two-time Newbery Honor Book author Patricia Reilly Giff. It is time to plant a vegetable garden! Best friends Jilli and Jim must keep the bugs and slugs away.Then they can march in the Vegetable Parade at the end of the summer. But what is that HUGE monster plantgrowing in the middle of the garden?Will it eat their vegetables?Will it eat Jilli's dog Fiercely?Will it eat Jilli and Jim?Can Fiercely save them from the monster plant?

An endearing new chapter book series by two-time Newbery Honor author of the bestselling Polk Street series.Jilli and Jim are best of friends. But today, Jim has some news. Something scary is happening next door. Workmen are building something that is big and red. And a woman in a pointy hat is on a ladder painting. Could she be the witch from Hansel and Gretel making a big red gingerbread house?When Jilli's dog Fiercely crawls under the fence and runs into the witch's yard--the children must go over there and rescue him! But a surprise is in store for everyone. The woman is not a witch at all. She's Ms. Berry--the nicest teacher from the school. And soon she will be their teacher! With her characteristic warmth, humor, and irresistible child-friendly drama, Patricia Reilly Giff is at her very best!

When her brother Rob, a Navy cook, goes missing in action during World War II, Jayna, desperate for family, leaves upstate New York and their cranky landlady, accompanied by a turtle and a ghost, to seek their grandmother, who Rob believes may live in Brooklyn. Includes soup recipes.

Charlie has lots of ideas. Need something to go sky high? Ah-ha! The zinger-winger! Need to launch a cheese popper into soup? The amazing popper-upper! But the zinger-winger zings more than wings and the popper-upper plops. Charlie isn't allowed to invent for a week. Meanwhile, the afterschool invention fair is coming up. He needs time to make something special. Good thing he has his friends and Mr. Redfern, another inventor, to help him out.

Rachel, Cassie, and Joey live in the city with their Pop, until Pop''s search for work lands the family on a run down farm. Dreamy Rachel loves to read, and doesn''t know much about the country. Times are hard there, too—the school and library are closed. When Pop gets work near Canada, he has to leave the children on the farm alone. For two months! But Rachel''s the oldest, and she''ll make sure they''re all right. Somehow.

Mitchell really doesn't want to go camping with the other kids at the Zigzag Afternoon Center. Sleeping in the woods with creepy crawly things, coyotes, and bears? Yikes! But his best friend Habib is going, and it's Mitchell's birthday that weekend. He's just got to find a way to be brave, and scare the bears away! As the fifth book in the Zigzag Kids series—which also includes Number One Kid, Big Whopper, Flying Feet, and Star Time—Bears Beware continues to delight readers with award-winning author Patricia Reilly Giff's quirky, lovable group of kids, capturing all the excitement and surprises of new friends and after-school fun.

In the fourth book in the Zigzag Kids series, it's showtime at the Zelda A. Zigzag Afternoon Center. Gina loves to sing and she's determined to be the star of the play. She's already told everybody she knows to come see her. But her friend Destiny wants to be the star, too!

DIVSecond-grader Dawn Bosco puts her mystery-solving skills to the test when her former best friend, Emily Arrow, loses her birthday ring/divDIV /divDIVDawn Bosco and Emily Arrow used to be best friends, until Dawn took Emily’s unicorn. Even though Dawn eventually gave it back, Emily still won’t talk to her./divDIV /divDIVWhen Emily’s blue birthday ring goes missing after art class, the rest of the second grade accuses Dawn of stealing it. Dawn sets out to solve the mystery herself to prove she is innocent—and maybe get her best friend back./divDIV /divDIVThis ebook features an illustrated biography of Patricia Reilly Giff including rare photos from the author’s personal collection./div

DIVDawn Bosco uses math, logic, and her detective skills to return a red purse to its rightful owner/divDIV /divDIVWhen Dawn Bosco finds a red purse on the playground after school one day, she knows she’s also found a new mystery to solve. But after she puts up posters and makes an announcement on the loudspeaker, too many people are trying to claim the purse!/divDIV /divDIVThe only clues are a shopping list, some money, and some dust that looks like cookie crumbs. Dawn will have to figure out the riddle of the purse’s odd contents to find its rightful owner./divDIV /divDIVThis ebook features an illustrated biography of Patricia Reilly Giff including rare photos from the author’s personal collection./div

DIV Powder Puff the cat might be gone forever, unless Dawn can piece together the puzzle One hot summer day, Dawn Bosco’s cat, Powder Puff, jumps into an open car window. Before Dawn can catch up, the driver speeds off! Dawn is sad, but she knows she’s a great detective. It’s up to the Polka Dot Private Eye to track down the car, the driver, and Powder Puff. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Patricia Reilly Giff including rare photos from the author’s personal collection. /div

A day at the beach turns into another mystery for the Polka Dot Private Eye to solve! Dawn Bosco is excited about her trip to the beach. With her Polka Dot Private Eye box and her grandmother''s Marvelous Metal Finder, it''s going to be a great day! There are teenagers at the beach, too. One of them loses her almost-diamond necklace, and she says it''s been stolen. Can Dawn find the thief, or is the necklace gone forever? This ebook features an illustrated biography of Patricia Reilly Giff including rare photos from the author''s personal collection.

When Charlie hears that special buzz in his head, he knows it means one thing: an idea for a new invention. But Charlie's ideas tend to backfire—such as the flying feet that don't really fly. If only Charlie could make his inventions work, people might think he's as special as his older brother, Larry. Then the Zigzag afternoon center organizes a Come as a Character Day, and Charlie gets his chance to shine.

When Mitchell''s father gets a new job and his family moves, he and his sister go to a new school where they must make new friends and adjust to new routines.

Stacy dislikes being partners with the new girl in school--after all; she does so many things so differently--until Stacy discovers that being different can be fun

Sam is almost 11 when he discovers a locked box in the attic above his grandfather Mack’s room, and a piece of paper that says he was kidnapped. There are lots of other words, but Sam has always had trouble reading. He’s desperate to find out who he is, and if his beloved Mack is really his grandfather. At night he’s haunted by dreams of a big castle and a terrifying escape on a boat. Who can he trust to help him read the documents that could unravel the mystery? Then he and the new girl, Caroline, are paired up to work on a school project, building a castle in Mack’s woodworking shop. Caroline loves to read, and she can help. But she’s moving soon, and the two must hurry to discover the truth about Sam.

It''s the first day back to school after winter vacation, and Richard Best is off to a bad start. Who ever heard of a January without any snow? And as usual, he has already forgotten something--the ruler Ms. Rooney had told him to bring for dinosaur day. Luckily Richard finds a ruler in his desk--with a dinosaur''s initials--and he''s sure the ruler is special. And then he finds out it has magic powers. All his wishes begin to come true: Snow stars falling, he remembers to do his homework, and the bully Drake Evans gets sick. But now with Drake sick in bed, Richard begins to worry. His only hope is the magic ruler--but it''s gone. What will help him?

Emily is stuck with crybaby Jill Simon as her "secret Pal" to be kind to for the whole month of December.

It''s September again.What does it mean for Richard "Beast" Best to be left back? It means being teased by his old friends while he''s stuck facing the same old teacher in the same old classroom. He even has to take a special reading class with "babies" like Emily Arrow and Matthew Jackson. And just like last year, he can''t help getting into trouble.But with the help of Mrs. Paris, the reading teacher, Beast starts to enjoy reading and just might find a way to help the second grade win the school banner for best class.

Meggie Dillon's life has been turned upside down by World War II. Meggie's father has announced that they must help the war effort and move to Willow Run, Michigan, where he'll work nights in a factory building important war planes that will help fight the enemy in Europe. Willow Run will be the greatest adventure ever, Meggie thinks. There she meets Patches and Harlan, other kids like her from far-off places whose parents have come here to do their part in the war. And there she faces questions about courage, and what it takes to go into battle, like Eddie, and to keep hope alive on the home front.

Nory Ryan's family has lived on Maidin Bay on the west coast of Ireland for generations, raising a pig and a few chickens, planting potatoes, getting by. Every year Nory's father goes away on a fishing boat and returns with the rent money for the English lord who owns their cottage and fields, the English lord bent upon forcing the Irish from their land so he can tumble the cottages and clear the fields for grazing. Times are never easy on Maidin Bay, but this year, a terrible blight attacks the potatoes. No crop means starvation. Twelve-year-old Nory must summon the courage and ingenuity to find food, to find hope, to find a way to help her family survive.

This “brilliantly told” (New York Times) Newbery Honor Book gives readers a sense of what it was like to be on the American home front while our soldiers were away fighting in World War II. As in past years, Lily will spend the summer in Rockaway, in her family’s summer house by the Atlantic Ocean. But this summer of 1944, World War II has changed everyone’s life. Lily’s best friend, Margaret, has moved to a wartime factory town, and, much worse, Lily’s father is going overseas to the war. There’s no one Lily’s age in Rockaway until the arrival of Albert, a refugee from Hungary with a secret sewn into his coat. Albert has lost most of his family in the war; he’s been through things Lily can’t imagine. But soon they form a special friendship. Now Lily and Albert have secrets to share: They both have told lies, and Lily has told one that may cost Albert his life.

Emily learns the meaning of friendship.

A visit from her Irish cousin during Rosie's plans for a special ballet performance proves that not everyone is perfect.

Assisted by her cat Max, sixth grader Minnie starts up her new detective agency by investigating a kidnapping and a thief who will steal anything, even a hot stove.