New Releases by Patricia Reilly Giff

A biography of the author of the "Little House" books, including the years of her marriage to Almanzo Wilder.

It''s August, and Emily has big plans at the library. She''s going to read lots of books and tack a paper fish next to her name for each one. Then Dawn Bosco says she can read more books than Emily. Not only that, both Emily and Dawn want to keep Pickle Puss, a stray cat thay found. They decide that whoever reads the most books can keep cat. When Emily adds a fish for a book she read along time ago, she has one more fish than Dawn. She knows she''s cheating, but she wants to keep the cat. What a pickle she''s in.

Summertime. It''s hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk. Richard "Beast" Best and Matthew Jackson can''t wait to dive into Emily Arrow''s cool blue pool. But when they get there, Mrs. Arrow tells them that Emily has gone off to summer school. Summer school! How could they forget? That''s exactly where they should be right now. Sitting in class, Beast still thinks summertime is the best time, and he and Matthew can always go swimming in the afternoon. But then Matthew gives Beast some bad news. It''s up to Beast to think of a way to help Matthew fast--before the summer is ruined.

Hurray, it''s June! The last month of school! Emily Arrow and the other children in Ms. Rooney''s room are excited about the class picnic at the park. Mrs. Stewart, the student teacher, is even going to take class pictures. But Emily''s worried. She wants a best friend. It seems everyone has a best friend ecxept her. At the picnic Emily feels so lonely, she wanders off into the woods with Uni, her unicorn. Before she knows it, she''s lost and can''t find her way back. Is the rest of the class having fun? Will they say "cheese" when she''s not there? And even worse, will they leave her in the woods and go home without her?

April is invention month. "We''re going to make our own inventions," says Ms. Rooney, "and work together in groups." Though Emily Arrow knows it''s important for each group to think, listen, and share, she still wishes she were the leader of her invention group. Linda Lorca, the bossy leader, can''t get anyone to cooperate. "Snaggle doodles," Emily says. If the group doesn''t come up with an idea soon, they''ll be the worst group in the class. Meanwhile, Emily is also busy thinking of a wedding present for Ms. Vincent, the student teacher. The wedding is only a few days away. Emily has a lot to do. Can she and her group learn to work together in time?

Follows the humorous mishaps of a second grader who is learning to read.

After having his wallet stolen in a diner, Paul is instrumental in solving a murder.

When his classmates brag that Walter is their star shortstop, Walter makes a cast for his left arm so the kids won''t see what a terrible player he really is.