He really just likes to liven things up at school -- and he's always had plenty of great ideas. When Nick learns some interesting information about how words are created, suddenly he's got the inspiration for his best plan ever...the frindle. Who says a pen has to be called a pen? Why not call it a frindle? Things begin innocently enough as Nick gets his friends to use the new word. Then other people in town start saying frindle. Soon the school is in an uproar, and Nick has become a local hero. His teacher wants Nick to put an end to all this nonsense, but the funny thing is frindle doesn't belong to Nick anymore. The new word is spreading across the country, and there's nothing Nick can do to stop it.
]]>But then Nora gets fed up with the importance everyone attaches to test scores and grades, and she purposely brings home a terrible report card just to prove a point. Suddenly the attention she's successfully avoided all her life is focused on her, and her secret is out. And that's when things start to get really complicated....
]]>Then Zoe has a brilliant idea: Natalie can submit her manuscript under a pen name, with Zoe acting as her literary agent. But it's not easy for two sixth graders to put themselves over as grown-ups, even with some help from a couple of real grown-ups who are supportive but skeptical. The next best-selling school story may be in their hands -- but can Natalie and Zoe pull off their masquerade?
]]>The fifth-grade girls and the fifth-grade boys at Laketon Elementary don't get along very well. But the real problem is that these kids are loud and disorderly. That's why the principal uses her red plastic bullhorn. A lot.
Then one day Dave Packer, a certified loudmouth, bumps into an idea -- a big one that makes him try to keep quiet for a whole day. But what does Dave hear during lunch? A girl, Lynsey Burgess, jabbering away. So Dave breaks his silence and lobs an insult. And those words spark a contest: Which team can say the fewest words during two whole days? And it's the boys against the girls.
How do the teachers react to the silence? What happens when the principal feels she's losing control? And will Dave and Lynsey plunge the whole school into chaos?
This funny and surprising book is about language and thought, about words unspoken, words spoken in anger, and especially about the power of words spoken in kindness...with or without a bullhorn. It's Andrew Clements at his best -- thought-provoking, true-to-life, and very entertaining.
]]>The bad news is that Cara Landry is the new kid at Denton Elementary School. The worse news is that her teacher, Mr. Larson, would rather read the paper and drink coffee than teach his students anything. So Cara decides to give Mr. Larson something else to read -- her own newspaper, The Landry News.
Before she knows it, the whole fifth-grade class is in on the project. But then the principal finds a copy of The Landry News, with unexpected results. Tomorrow's headline: Will Cara's newspaper cost Mr. Larson his job?
]]>The fifth-grade Week in the Woods is a beloved tradition of Hardy Elementary, where Mark Chelmsley (the Fourth) is pretty much killing time before his parents send him off to an exclusive prep school. But then Mark realizes the Week might be a chance to prove to Mr. Maxwell that he's not just another of the slacker rich kids the teacher can't stand.
But it may be too late for Mark to change Mr. Maxwell's opinion of him. On the first day of the Week, the tension between teacher and student explodes, and in a reckless moment, Mark puts not only himself, but also Mr. Maxwell, in grave danger. Can two such strong adversaries work together to save their lives?
]]>Unfortunately, it also led to the perfect punishment. When Jack Rankin gets busted for defacing a school desk with a huge wad of disgusting, watermelon bubble gum, the principal sentences him to three weeks of after-school gum cleanup for the chief custodian. The problem is, Jack's anger at the chief custodian was the reason for his gum project in the first place. The chief custodian happens to be Jack's dad.
But doing time in the school basement after hours reveals some pretty surprising things: about the school, about Jack's father, and about Jack himself.
]]>Hart soon discovers there's a big difference between popularity and leadership, and to his surprise, discovers something else as well -- it's really important to him that this be the best holiday concert ever, and even more important, that it not be the last.
]]>In this remarkable follow-up to the wildly popular Things Not Seen, Andrew Clements brings readers a multi-layered story all about art, friendship, love, and life.
]]>But the mystery that has Ted's full attention at the moment is about that face, the face he sees in the upper window of the Andersons' house as he rides past on his paper route. The Andersons moved away two years ago, and their old farmhouse is empty, boarded up tight. At least it's supposed to be.
A shrinking school in a dying town. A face in the window of an empty house. At first these facts don't seem to be related. But Ted Hammond learns that in a very small town, there's no such thing as an isolated event. And the solution of one mystery is often the beginning of another.
]]>Although it's a drag to be constantly mistaken for each other, in truth, during those first days at a new school, there's nothing better than having a twin brother there with you. But on day one of sixth grade, Ray stays home sick, and Jay is on his own. No big deal. It's a pretty nice school, good kids, too. But Jay quickly discovers a major mistake: No one seems to know a thing about his brother. Ray's not on the attendance lists, doesn't have a locker, doesn't even have a student folder. Jay almost tells the school -- almost -- but then decides that this lost information could be very...useful. And fun.
As Ray and Jay exploit a clerical oversight, they each find new views on friendship, honesty, what it means to be a twin -- and what it means to be yourself. Entertaining, thought-provoking, and true-to-life, this clever novel is classic Andrew Clements times two: twins!
]]>As letters flow back and forth between Illinois and Afghanistan, Abby and Sadeed discover that their letters are crossing more than an ocean. They are crossing a huge cultural divide and a minefield of different lifestyles and traditions. Their growing friendship is also becoming a growing problem for both communities, and some people are not happy. Suddenly things are not so simple.
]]>What can he do? He tries everything he can think of -- from disguising himself with seaweed to burrowing under the ocean floor so he'll look smaller. But something always goes wrong, and lonely Big Al wonders if he'll ever have a single friend. Then one frightening day, when a fishing net captures the other fish, Big Al gets the chance to prove what a wonderful friend he can be!
]]>He's not the toughest kid in fourth grade or the fastest kid or the funniest. But he's got ideas -- big ideas, and boy, does he have stories to tell about what really goes on in school. Like bullies, for instance. Jake wants to know "if everybody who works at school is so smart, how come they can't get rid of the bullies?...Because every year, it's the same thing. Bullies."
So it's up to Jake Drake to take matters into his own hands when Link Baxter, SuperBully, moves into the neighborhood. Link's reign of terror must be stopped...if only Jake can figure out how.
In this new series by the bestselling author of Frindle, The Landry News, and The Janitor's Boy, Jake Drake confronts the problems of school life and finds some surprising solutions!
]]>A WEEK IN THE WOODS
Winner of two state awards
THE SCHOOL STORY
California Young Readers Medal
THE REPORT CARD
People magazine Spring's Best Kids' Book
Parents' Choice Award
Society of School Librarians International Honor Book
]]>The trouble is, to beat the know-it-alls, Jake has to become a know-it-all himself. And he may just lose more than he wins.
]]>If you'd like to see -- actually see, right now, with your own eyes -- what a million looks like, just open this book.
Be prepared to learn some interesting things along the way.
Like how many shoe boxes it would take to make a stack to Mount Everest.
And be prepared to do some number wondering of your own.
But, most of all, be prepared to be amazed.
Because a million is a LOT of dots.
]]>He's ten years old and he already has a full-time job. Because that's how he treats school. Like it's a job. And his teachers are his bosses. Up until now -- fourth grade -- Jake has lucked out in the boss department. All of his teachers have been pretty nice. But Jake is about to have the grumpiest teacher yet, and the worst thing is, she's not even a real teacher. She's a student teacher.
How can Jake make his grumphead student teacher, Miss Bruce, lighten up enough to crack even the littlest smile? Why, by becoming the class clown, that's how. But will Jake take his new act too far?
In this series by the best-selling author of Frindle, The Landry News, The Janitor's Boy, and The School Story, Jake Drake confronts the problems of school life and finds some surprising solutions.
]]>
Jake doesn't mean to be a teacher's pet. Bit somehow everything he does has his teachers singing his praises -- and his classmates rolling their eyes in disgust.
Jake figures a little misbehavior should take care of his goody-goody image, but even his attempts to be bad just seem to make his teacher's praise him more. And now he's been summoned to the principal's office. Has Jake gone too far to prove he's no teacher's pet?
]]>
there was a very clever
fish named Shrimpy.
You could not find
a smarter fish.
But Shrimpy
was also
very,
very
<FONT SIZE="-2">small.
Poor Shrimpy! He wants to be like Big Al, loved and adored by all the other fish. But who would want to be friends with such a teeny, tiny fish? Big Al, that's who! He's big and scary-looking, and he remembers what it was like to be friendless. Still, all the other fish think Shrimpy's just a nuisance. Then one day, when Big Al's life is in danger, Shrimpy is the only one brave enough and smart enough to save the day. Suddenly, everyone can see that friends come in all shapes and sizes and Shrimpy turns out to be the best friend any fish could want!
]]>
• Simple stories
• Increased vocabulary
• Longer sentences
Norman is a dog who cannot see. One day, he is at the beach. He hears a girl in the water calling for help. Can a blind dog save someone's life?
]]>Tara and Tiree, Fearless Friends
Jim loves to go for long walks with his dogs, Tara and Tiree. One cold winter day, Jim falls through the ice on the frozen lake. Tiree tries to save him and falls through the ice too. What will happen if Tara tries to help them both?
]]>• Simple stories
• Increased vocabulary
• Longer sentences
Carol and Ray are very sick. One day, their cat Ringo leads Carol outside. "Meow! Meow!" he says. Ringo digs in some rocks. Why is Ringo digging? What will he find? Ringo is about to save Carol's life!
]]>Dolores is a very timid cat. Her owner, Kyle, keeps a light on all night so she won't be scared. One night Dolores pokes at Kyle's face while he is sleeping. The house is on fire! Can Dolores wake Kyle up in time?
]]>