Synopses & Reviews
Rah rah grrr! We're the fighting fur! The Wagstaff Dogs have lost every game this season. Until Martha finds themand#160;the perfect coach . . . Carolina! She knows all the plays and can handleand#160;a football like a pro.and#160;But football justand#160;doesn't go with her girly-girl image. Can Martha convince Carolina to help, even if Tiffany Blatsky might see her?
This Level 2 Green Light Reader based on the popular PBSand#160;TV series Martha Speaksand#160;is all about teamwork and following your passions, even when you're nervous about what others might think. Includes a "Toss Up" word game about sports words that have double meanings, such asand#160;"pass," "tackle," and "huddle." Go, Dogs!
Review
"Kadir Nelson's illustrations...are terrific. Rose is just the right combination of tough little girl and superhero."
Review
andquot;Full-color, detailed watercolor illustrations show a welcome cast of ethnically diverse characters. This new offering is tailor-made for children who are ready for books they can read independently with confidence.andquot;
andmdash;Kirkus
Review
andquot;This new offering is tailor-made for children who are ready for books they can read independently with confidence . . .Full-color, detailed watercolor illustrations show a welcome cast of ethnically diverse characters.andquot;and#160;and#160;
-- Kirkus Reviews andquot;This friendly, multicultural neighborhood is where many children liveandhellip;or wish they lived.andquot;and#160; -- Kirkus Reviews
andquot;Short chapters, heavy on dialogue, emphasize the growing relationships among friends and family, and clear, emphatic statements suit this selection for beginning readers ready for a slightly more developed story line.andquot;and#160; -- School Library Journal
and#160;
Review
andquot;Full-color, detailed watercollor illustrations show a welcome cast of ethnically diverse characters. This new offering is tailor-made for children who are ready for books they can read independently with confidence.andquot;
andmdash;Kirkus
andquot;Ink-and-watercolor illustrations provide helpful visual cues while capturing the autumnal atmosphere and the distinct facial expressions of the multicultural cast...This approachable story will be rewarding for kids just getting into independent reading.andquot;
andmdash;Booklist
Synopsis
When Mortimer's parents allow him to bring home Mr. Lester's seemingly innocent classroom plant for vacation, he finds that when you give a living thing love, you just don't know where it will lead!
Synopsis
The neighborhood block party is today. Jada and Jamal Perkins are super excited. Their best friends, Carlita Garcia and Josh Cornell, are on their way over. Mr. Perkins promised them a BIG surprise. Thump Thump Thump Bump Bump Bump The surprise is thumping and bumping its way around the Perkinses' backyard. What could it be? And how will the Bradford Street Buddies get a surprise that BIG to the block party?
Synopsis
Mortimer Henryson
loves Plantzilla, the plant he's been taking care of all year in his third-grade classroom. He loves him so much, he takes him home for summer vacation. What could go wrong with a . . . plant? But life in the Henryson household soon takes a strange turn. A pot roast disappears, then steaks from the grill--and where has Mrs. Henryson's prize Chihuahua gone?
In this hilarious story told ingeniously through letters, Jerdine Nolen and David Catrow team up to show that when there's enough love, even the most unlikely character can become part of a family.
Synopsis
When a dragon hatches on her paand#8217;s farm, a young girl finds a best friend. At first Ma and Pa are wary of Hank, but itand#8217;s not long before they see him as their daughter does--and welcome the baby dragon into their family. As it turns out, Hank is not cut out for farm life, but still, he warms the hearts of those around him and leaves a legacy that no one will ever forget.
Synopsis
Meet Thunder Rose . . . a force to be reckoned with!
Synopsis
On a dark night of howling rain and booming thunder, Jackson and Millicent MacGruder welcome a new baby girl into their lives. Imagine their surprise when she sits up, thanks them for bringing her into the world, and informs them that she's quite partial to the name Rose.
So begins the story of Thunder Rose, who drinks her milk straight from the cow and prefers the company of her bull, Tater, to any kitten or puppy. Rose is capturing outlaws by the time she's a teenager, but she always has time to find joy in a song. Jerdine Nolen and Kadir Nelson have created a tall tale--and a powerful new African American heroine--to delight readers of all ages.
Synopsis
Meet Max and Jax in their first adventure, as they anxiously await the bell on the last day of second grade. Sure to win the hearts of readers who love
George and Martha and
Frog and Toad.
Synopsis
Meet Max and Jax as they anxiously await the bell on the last day of second grade. The twins kick off the summer with a slumber party for Jax and a special fishing trip for Max. But even though their adventures don't go exactly as they'd planned, Max and Jax come to realize that being a twin means always having a
very special friend.
Jerdine Nolenand#8217;s fun-to-read text and Karen Lee Schmidtand#8217;s cheerful illustrations harmonize gaily in a warm, engaging story that will encourage children who are eager to read--and that will have proud new readers looking forward to more fun with Max and Jax.
Synopsis
Lauren's love for pickles is what makes her special . . . so what happens when everyone else falls in love with them, too?
Synopsis
Lauren McGill is just
mad about pickles. She decorates her room in every shade of pickle green and has her very own pickle costume. When her teacher announces a field trip to a pickle factory, Lauren is the only one in her class who cares about going . . . until everyone discovers how delicious pickles truly are. Suddenly, everyone in Lauren's world loves pickles. But where does that leave Lauren?
Jerdine Nolen's delightful text and Debbie Tilley's hilarious illustrations harmonize gloriously in a story that reveals it's what's inside that makes you different--and that sharing the things you love can be a joy.
Synopsis
Welcome to the neighborhood!and#160;Join twins Jada and Jamal, and their best friends, Carlita and Josh, for Bradford Street'sand#160;fall block party. Beginning and newly independent readers are in forand#160;a surprise of prehistoric proportions as they explore this fun-filledand#160;multicultural neighborhoodand#160;brimming with community spirit.and#160;and#160;
Synopsis
A Level 2 Green Light Reader all about football and the Wagstaff Dogs' unlikely coach: girly-girl Carolina! This early reader based on the popular PBS TV show Martha Speaks features a "Toss Up" word game about sports words that have double-meanings like "pass," "tackle," and "huddle."
and#160;
About the Author
Susan Meddaugh was born and raised in Montclair, New Jersey. She graduated from Wheaton College, where she studied French literature and fine arts. After working briefly with an advertising agency in New York, she moved to Boston and worked at a publishing company for ten years, first as a designer, then art editor, and finally as art director. While there, she did the illustrations for Good Stones (Houghton Mifflin) by Anne Epstein, and then decided to strike out on her own as a freelance illustrator and creator of children's books. Since that time, Susan has written and illustrated many popular books for children, including Martha Speaks, which was chosen as a New York Times Best Illustrated Book for 1992. In 1998 she was awarded the New England Book Award, given by the New England Booksellers Association to recognize a body of work. Her work also was acknowledged with a New York Times Best Illustrated Award. She lives in Sherborn, Massachusetts.