Most Popular Books by Ronald Kidd

A short memoir about the miraculous story of our daughter Maggie’s birth

A Simon & Schuster eBook. Simon & Schuster has a great book for every reader.

2019 Paterson Prize for Books for Young People Honor Book 2019 Jefferson Cup Award Honor Book for Young Readers The Best Children''s Books of the Year 2019, Bank Street College STARRED REVIEW! "Beautiful and intelligent historical fiction in the vein of Christopher Paul Curtis, Vince Vawter, and Mildred D. Taylor. A must-have for school and public library collections."—School Library Journal starred review Nate''s family has a secret, and it''s wrapped up in a song. The problem is, his preacher father hates music, and when he catches Nate hanging around downtown Bristol with musicians like Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family, he comes down hard on him. So Nate sets out in search of himself and the song he thinks will heal his family. Set during the "big bang" of country music in the late 1920s, Nate''s journey of self-discovery parallels that of a region finding its voice for the first time.

In Memphis in the 1950''s, fifteen-year-old Johnny is introduced to the blues when he ventures to the infamous Beale Street and establishes a friendship with the up-and-coming young musician Elvis Presley.

Nominee: 2018 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award Finalist—Best Juvenile Edgar Allan Poe''s greatest stories are coming to life, and it''s not a good thing. There''s something odd about the house David Cray and his mom moved into following his parents’ split. Sure, it’s old and battered and a little off-kilter, but that’s not all. With so many nooks and crannies, it seems like the walls were built to keep things hidden—or maybe from getting out. David’s suspicions are confirmed when he uncovers a secret room that looks like it hasn’t been touched in ages. Inside, an ancient desk and carving of a raven beckon to him. Suddenly, disaster seems to follow him everywhere, and he starts to notice connections between the terrible events happening around him and the stories of Edgar Allan Poe. Has David unleashed a dark force by opening the room? Or has the room awakened something in David that he doesn’t recognize?

2016-2017 Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award Master List 2016 Best Children''s Book of the Year—Historical Fiction List, Bank Street College 2016 Paterson Prize for Books for Young People Grades 4-6 2017-2018 Indiana Young Hoosier Book Award Master List Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People 2016—CBC/NCSS 2018-2019 Volunteer State Book Award Middle School List STARRED REVIEW! "Kidd writes with insight and restraint, creating a richly layered opus that hits every note to perfection...Beautifully written and earnestly delivered, the novel rolls to an inexorable, stunning conclusion readers won''t soon forget."—Kirkus Reviews starred review STARRED REVIEW! "Along the way, Billie comes to grips with her own prejudices, inherited from her parents, in a way that is both lyrical and honest. In a year in which news events have made it clear that the civil rights movement is far from over, titles like Kidd''s have special resonance. His focus on a lesser-known historical event provides a window into the past..."—Booklist starred review Thirteen-year-old Billie Sims doesn''t think her hometown of Anniston, Alabama, should be segregated, but few of the town''s residents share her opinion. As equality spreads across the country and the Civil Rights Movement gathers momentum, Billie can''t help but feel stuck—and helpless—in a stubborn town too set in its ways to realize that the world is passing it by. So when Billie learns that the Freedom Riders, a group of peace activists riding interstate buses to protest segregation, will be traveling through Anniston on their way to Montgomery, she thinks that maybe change is finally coming and her quiet little town will shed itself of its antiquated views. But what starts as a series of angry grumbles soon turns to brutality as Anniston residents show just how deep their racism runs. The Freedom Riders will resume their ride to Montgomery, and Billie is now faced with a choice: stand idly by in silence or take a stand for what she believes in. Through her own decisions and actions and a few unlikely friendships, Billie is about to come to grips with the deep-seated prejudice of those she once thought she knew, and with her own inherent racism that she didn''t even know she had.

Scooby-Doo and the gang visit the local carnival, hoping to take a break from detective work. Not so! Strange and scary things happen, and--before they know it--the gang is smack in the middle of another mystery. Full-color illustrations.

Jeremy controls the dreams of City dwellers to keep the earth safe. But then he sees Callie dreaming of singing and begins to wonder if there is more to life than being safe. Everyone in the City is assigned a job by the choosers—keeper, catcher, computer. Callie Crawford is a computer. She works with numbers: putting them together, taking them apart. Her work is important, but sometimes she wants more. Jeremy Finn is a dreambender. His job is to adjust people''s dreams. He and others like him quietly remove thoughts of music and art to keep the people in the City from becoming too focused on themselves and their own feelings rather than on the world. They need to keep the world safe from another Warming. But Jeremy thinks music is beautiful, and when he pops into a dream of Callie singing, he becomes fascinated with her. He begins to wonder if there is more to life than being safe. Defying his community and the role they have established for him, he sets off to find her in the real world. Together, they will challenge their world''s expectations. But how far will they go to achieve their own dreams?

What would it be like if you lived in the White House? Dee Dee, Jose, and Annie are about to find out! When their class takes a field trip to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the three accidentally knock George Washington out of his portrait and into real life, which turns their everyday tour into an unexpected adventure! As they try to get the nation''s first President back into his painting, the kids come across other famous White House residents, including Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln, Dolley Madison, and Jackie Kennedy. Through their madcap journey, they realize that the White House isn''t just a tourist attraction--it''s also a home.

It''s 1955, and Paul and his friends are excited when filming of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" begins in their small California town. But they soon become involved in a conspiracy that puts them in real danger.

A four-foot-two sixth grader gets pointers from his handsome older brother on handling women, and tries them out on his classmates.

Two teenagers in a youth orchestra try to solve the mysterious kidnapping of their sponsor.

The littlest angel tries to earn an new undented halo, but keeps getting into trouble. But he befriends a lonely newcomer.

Steve and Blue discover how to put on a play.

A novel for the intermediate grades dealing with friendship.

Two inseparable thirteen-year-old friends confront death when one''s illness is diagnosed as leukemia.

Danny''s determination to get a mysterious piano player to join his band leads to an act of heroism.

When Duke was losing, it was easy for Bump to be mean, but when the tides turned, Bump didn''t like that he was lonely. When Duke offers him a piece of a pie, they become friends.