New Releases by Patricia Reilly

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.

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.

Newbery Honor–winning author Patricia Reilly Giff tells a vivid, contemporary story about a remarkable boy who risks everything for his family and a bold girl who helps him. At home in Mexico, Mateo knows where he belongs: with Mami, Abuelita, little brother Lucas, and big brother Julian. When Julian leaves to work in el Norte, the United States, Mateo misses him. And when the family stops hearing from Julian, Mateo knows he has to find his beloved brother. With only his old notebook and a backpack, Mateo heads for the border, where dangers await: robbers, and the border police, who will send him back home or perhaps even put him in prison. On his journey, Mateo meets Angel, a smart, mysterious girl who can guide his crossing. Angel is tough; so is Mateo, and his memories of his loving family sustain him. Because no matter what happens, he can’t go home until he finds Julian.

"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?

The endearing new chapter book series by two-time Newbery Honor Book author Patricia Reilly Giff. Take one girl with a big imagination.Add one frisky dog with a nose for trouble.And get ready for an irresistible adventure!Fiercely has run away again. And Jilli is sure that the fox from her favorite book is loose in her neighborhood! Now Jilli and her best friend, Jim, must find Fiercely and save him from the fox! Will they make it in time?Two-time Newbery Honor Book author Patricia Reilly Giff and veteran illustrator Diane Palmisciano have created a charming book filled with "shivery" fun and delicious surprises!

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.

When the Timpanzi Tigers challenge the Zigzag Zebras to a race, Gina worries because she knows she is not a fast runner, but the whole school seems to be counting on her to win.

Extensive reading improves fluency and there is a real need in the ELT classroom for contemporary graded material that will motivate students to read. Glee - Summer Break is based on the hit US TV show which has proved hugely popular with teenagers.

When Destiny Washington gets the notion that everyone''s favorite teacher, Ms. Katz, is going to be dismissed from the Zigzag Afternoon Center, she and classmate Yolanda think of several ways to save her.

It’s August 1941, and Brick and Mariel both love the Brooklyn Dodgers. Brick listens to their games on the radio in Windy Hill, in upstate New York, where his family has an apple orchard; Mariel, once a polio patient in the hospital in Windy Hill, lives in Brooklyn near the Dodgers’ home, Ebbets Field. She was adopted by Loretta, a nurse at the hospital, and has never known what happened to her own mother. Someday, somehow, she plans to return to Windy Hill and find out. When a fire destroys their orchard, Brick’s parents must leave the farm to find work. They send him to live in Brooklyn with their friend Loretta, even though Brick knows that their elderly neighbors need his help to pick what’s left of the apples. The only good thing about Brooklyn is seeing the Dodgers play–that, and his friendship with Mariel. Maybe, together, they’ll find a way to return to Windy Hill, save the harvest, and learn the truth about Mariel’s past.

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!

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.

The author of the beloved Kids of the Polk Street School series introduces a new generation of readers to a multicultural group of kids who enjoy all the activities of an after-school center. I''M #1! That’s what Mitchell McCabe’s favorite T-shirt says. He''d like to be Number One at the Zigzag Afternoon Center, where there are lots of fun activities to choose from: swimming, nature walks, field trips, art, even homework help. And YAY—there''s snack time! But Mitchell is worried. What if he''s the only kid who doesn’t get a prize on Prize Day? Luckily, Mitchell realizes he''s a winner at something terrific. In this delightful new series, award-winning author Patricia Reilly Giff introduces readers to a quirky, lovable group of kids, capturing all the excitement and surprises of new friends and after-school fun.

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

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 Newbery Honor book about a girl who has never known family fighting for her first true home “will leave readers . . . satisfied” (Kirkus Reviews). A Kirkus Reviews Best Middle Grade Book of the Century Hollis Woods is the place where a baby was abandoned is the baby’s name is an artist is now a twelve-year-old girl who’s been in so many foster homes she can hardly remember them all. When Hollis is sent to Josie, an elderly artist who is quirky and affectionate, she wants to stay. But Josie is growing more forgetful every day. If Social Services finds out, they’ll take Hollis away and move Josie into a home. Well, Hollis Woods won’t let anyone separate them. She’s escaped the system before; this time, she’s taking Josie with her. Still, even as she plans her future with Josie, Hollis dreams of the past summer with the Regans, fixing each special moment of her days with them in pictures she’ll never forget. Patricia Reilly Giff captures the yearning for a place to belong in this warmhearted story, which stresses the importance of artistic vision, creativity, and above all, family.

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 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.

Brooklyn, 1875: Bird Mallon lives on Water Street where you can see the huge towers of the bridge to Manhattan being built. Bird wants nothing more in life than to be brave enough to be a healer, like her mother, Nory, to help her sister Annie find love, and to convince her brother, Hughie, to stop fighting for money with his street gang. And of course, she wishes that a girl would move into the empty apartment upstairs so that she can have a new friend close by. But Thomas Neary and his Pop move in upstairs. Thomas who writes about his life in his journal--his father who spends each night at the Tavern down the street, the mother he wishes he had, and the Mallon family downstairs that he desperately wants to be a part of. Thomas, who has a secret that only Bird suspects, and who turns out to be the best friend Bird could ever have.

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.

Making friends with the new girl in her class is hard for Emily after she replaces Emily as the fastest runner and steals her lucky unicorn.

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.

Rosie is thrilled when Miss Deirdre chooses Cinderella as the class ballet. Rosie knows the performance will make the perfect birthday present for her grandfather. But he''s planning to go to England! Can Rosie convince him to stay?"Fans of Giff''s ''Kids of the Polk Street School'' series will find Athe Rosie books? to be a good next step."-- School Library Journal

Emily learns the meaning of friendship.

Simple Spanish lessons are incorporated into this story about Sarah''s surprise birthday party for Anna.

Benjamin''s Christmas is not turning out well--until he catches some of the season''s spirit from Seǫra Sanchez, his new neighbor from Ecuador.