Ann Malaspina

A wizard helps a timid mouse become what he is most of afraid of. But no matter how the mouse changes, he cannot escape who he is inside.

For lovable Zeke the Weather Geek, can a disappointing birthday surprise turn out to be just what saves the day - and prove he has what it takes to be a Weather Warrior? With a weather station in his yard and a weather journal in his pocket, it's no wonder Zeke Abramovich is called Zeke the Weather Geek. It's a nickname he's proud of. But what he really wants is to be a Weather Warrior, which can only happen if he wins Miss Li's Winter Photo Contest. Except none of his perfect photo ideas have panned out. And on top of that, his birthday surprise is a pet lizard, not the Saint Bernard puppy he's been dreaming about. Zeke's Mood Meter plummets to negative 100 degrees. But things may be looking up. A major blizzard is on the way With all that snow, Zeke is sure get a prize-winning photo and Weather Warrior status, right? Along with a hilarious plot and an endearing cast of diverse characters, this fun opening title of a new early chapter book by Joan Axelrod-Contrada and Ann Malaspina, has loads of standout STEAM content on the science of weather. Topics covered, both within the story and in lively between-chapter information segments, include snow and how it's formed, other types of winter precipitation, the water cycle, meteorology, blizzards and climate change. Along with a glossary of weather words and selected sources, the book includes instructions for an experiment, tips on keeping a weather journal and ideas for action to fight climate change. The high-energy, black-and-white art by Paula J. Becker on every spread brings Zeke, and real-world science, to humorous life.

Essie's twin brother Nate died when he fell off the railroad bridge. No one knows why he was up there, or how he fell. After Nate's old dog Apollo spots what looks like a ghost on their morning walk by the river, Essie wants to find out what really happened and why Nate isn't letting go. In the process, maybe she'll be able to stop her parents from blaming each other for Nate's death. To find clues, Essie quits the Camera Club and walks on to the cross-country team her brother was expected to lead to victory this year. She's never competed before, but she and Nate ran together all their lives. When her teammates freeze her out, Essie thinks they know more about Nate's death than they're saying. Essie picks up her camera again. Can she find the truth with her lens? Sometimes it feels like Apollo is the only one with any answers.

Essie's twin brother Nate died when he fell off the railroad bridge. No one knows why he was up there, or how he fell. After Nate's old dog Apollo spots what looks like a ghost on their morning walk by the river, Essie wants to find out what really happened and why Nate isn't letting go. In the process, maybe she'll be able to stop her parents from blaming each other for Nate's death. To find clues, Essie quits the Camera Club and walks on to the cross-country team her brother was expected to lead to victory this year. She's never competed before, but she and Nate ran together all their lives. When her teammates freeze her out, Essie thinks they know more about Nate's death than they're saying. Essie picks up her camera again. Can she find the truth with her lens? Sometimes it feels like Apollo is the only one with any answers.

More wild and wacky weather is in the forecast in the latest installment of this STEAM-centered series.Zeke and his friends have "spring fever" and are excited about the temperature rising, but Zeke's Mood Meter starts to wobble when he notices cracks in the river ice. If the ice melts too quickly, it could turn into a flood When Zeke's favorite meteorologist, Freeze Jones, invites him to join his crew of Weather Watchers, Zeke hopes that will give him the inside scoop on the flood watch. Meanwhile, everyone at school is too focused on the spring play to worry about the potential spring flood. Can Zeke keep his teacher happy while still being an ace Weather Watcher? This is the second book in an early chapter book series starring the lovable Zeke and a diverse cast of his friends and schoolmates. Page-turning adventure is paired with loads of information on the science of weather, both within the story and in informational spreads tucked between chapters. Topics covered include the spring weather cycle, wind jet streams, types of floods, ice jams, flood safety and climate change's influence on flooding. There's also a glossary of weather words and instructions for building a rain gauge at the back of the book. Playful illustrations add humor to the story and help explain the scientific concepts. This is a terrific resource for Earth science classes.

Giant eels have invaded the Jersey Shore town where 12-year-old Liam is spending the summer at Gramps's cottage. The eels chew up postcards in mailboxes, get into Mom's paints, and cause traffic accidents. No one knows why the eels are so enormous, or how to stop them from crawling everywhere. Some answers could lie in the journals Gramps left behind before he died last fall. Does it have to do with the local power plant? Will the stubborn town leaders listen to a couple of kids? Liam and his new friend Ceila set out to crack the mystery of the giant eels, but one wrong step could get them into a world of trouble.

Giant eels have invaded the Jersey Shore town where 12-year-old Liam is spending the summer at Gramps's cottage. The eels chew up postcards in mailboxes, get into Mom's paints, and cause traffic accidents. No one knows why the eels are so enormous, or how to stop them from crawling everywhere. Some answers could lie in the journals Gramps left behind before he died last fall. Does it have to do with the local power plant? Will the stubborn town leaders listen to a couple of kids? Liam and his new friend Ceila set out to crack the mystery of the giant eels, but one wrong step could get them into a world of trouble.

Kiki is a teen artist living with her Greek-American family in Queens. After a man with mental illness is killed by police, protests fill the streets. Kiki's into art, not activism, and would rather observe from the sidelines than participate, but she reluctantly joins her friends on a march. She is shocked when a protester lifts up a photograph of her brother, Stavros, and one word--#Murderer. Stavros, a police rookie in his first week on the job, says he was just defending himself. But Kiki's friends, and thousands of protesters, news reporters, and politicians, say he should be in jail. Kiki must decide who to believe, and what to do about it. Even artists can't stand on the sidelines forever.

Explores global traditions surrounding the loss of first teeth, including the tooth fairy, the tooth mouse, and beliefs to make teeth strong. Additional features to aid comprehension include a table of contents, a phonetic glossary, informative captions, detailed maps, sources for further research, an index, and introductions to the author and illustrator.

It's 1942. Sam's class is knitting socks for soldiers and Sam is a terrible knitter. Keiko is a good knitter, but some kids at school don't want anything to do with her because the Japanese have bombed Pearl Harbor and her family is Japanese American. When Keiko's family is forced to move to a camp for Japanese Americans, can Sam find a way to demonstrate his friendship?

Have you ever wondered about the events that laid the foundations of the United States of America? This title explores the tax policies and the colonies' frustrations leading up to the Boston Tea Party. Special features include sidebars, infographics, on-page definitions, online search sidebar, further evidence sidebar and primary sources. This title also includes a timeline, glossary, Web links, index, and common core activities. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Core Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

On November 5, 1872, Susan B. Anthony made history--and broke the law--when she voted in the US presidential election, a privilege that had been reserved for men. She was arrested, tried, and found guilty: "The greatest outrage History every witnessed," she wrote in her journal. It wasn't until 1920 that women were granted the right to vote, but the civil rights victory would not have been possible without Susan B. Anthony's leadership and passion to stand up for what was right.

"Bare feet shouldn't fly. Long legs shouldn't spin. Braids shouldn't flap in the wind. 'Sit on the porch and be a lady, ' Papa scolded Alice." In Alice's Georgia hometown, there was no track where an African-American girl could practice, so she made her own crossbar with sticks and rags. With the support of her coach, friends, and community, Alice started to win medals. Her dream to compete at the Olympics came true in 1948. This is an inspiring free-verse story of the first African-American woman to win an Olympic gold medal. Photos of Alice Coachman are also included