Synopses & Reviews
Eight-year-old EllRay is down to one-and-a-half best friends, which leads his little sister to point out the obvious: he needs new friends. A spare, at least. For emergencies. So EllRay decides to audition other boys for the role of Spare Best Friend.
EllRayand#8217;s class is brimming with possibilities, but no one seems to share his exact interests. Whatand#8217;s so great about car parts? And why would anyone think boring instruction manuals are fun to read? But EllRay isnand#8217;t worriedand#151;he can fix any problems once he gets to know each kid. And the only way to get to know them is to come up with fun things to do at recess. When heand#8217;s the Recess King, everyone will want to be his friend!
Review
-Warner is a dead-on observer of playground politics, and has a great ear for dialogue.+ -
School Library JournalReview
"The EllRay Jakes stories are just right for his real-life peers; short enough to be read by kids getting comfortable with chapter books and also enjoyable and authentic."
Review
Praise for EllRay Jakes Walks the Plank by Sally Warner:
"The EllRay Jakes stories are just right for his real-life peers; short enough to be read by kids getting comfortable with chapter books and also enjoyable and authentic." —Kirkus
Review
ONLY EMMA: Junior Library Guild selection, Scholastic Book Club selection, 2007 South Carolina Book Award Nominee; NOT-SO-WEIRD EMMA: Junior Library Guild selection, Scholastic Book Club selection; SUPER EMMA: Junior Library Guild selection; ELLRAY JAKES IS NOT A CHICKEN: Junior Library Guild selection, Scholastic Book Club selection, Texas Bluebonnet Award 2012-13, 2013 California Collections selection, BPL's 2012 Summer Reading List; ELLRAY JAKES IS A ROCK STAR: Junior Library Guild selection, Scholastic Book Club selection; ELLRAY JAKES WALKS THE PLANK: Junior Library Guild selection.
Review
“A lively series… clever plotting… ingenious narration…”—
Publishers Weekly “Hilarious.”—Booklist
ELLRAY JAKES IS NOT A CHICKEN: Junior Library Guild selection, Scholastic Book Club selection, Texas Bluebonnet Award 2012-13, 2013 California Collections selection, BPL's 2012 Summer Reading List; ELLRAY JAKES IS A ROCK STAR: Junior Library Guild selection, Scholastic Book Club selection; ELLRAY JAKES WALKS THE PLANK: Junior Library Guild selection.
Review
and#8220;A lively seriesand#8230; clever plottingand#8230; ingenious narrationand#8230;and#8221;and#8212;
Publishers Weekly and#8220;Hilarious.and#8221;and#8212;Booklist
ELLRAY JAKES IS NOT A CHICKEN: Junior Library Guild selection, Scholastic Book Club selection, Texas Bluebonnet Award 2012-13, 2013 California Collections selection, BPL'sand#160;2012and#160;Summer Reading List; ELLRAY JAKES IS A ROCK STAR: Junior Library Guild selection, Scholastic Book Club selection; ELLRAY JAKES WALKS THE PLANK: Junior Library Guild selection.
Review
PRAISE FOR THE ELLRAY JAKES
Review
ELLRAY JAKES IS NOT A CHICKEN: Junior Library Guild selection, Scholastic Book Club selection, Texas Bluebonnet Award 2012-13, 2013 California Collections selection, BPL's 2012 Summer Reading List; ELLRAY JAKES IS A ROCK STAR: Junior Library Guild selection, Scholastic Book Club selection; ELLRAY JAKES WALKS THE PLANK: Junior Library Guild selection.
Synopsis
Eight-year-old EllRay Jakes is sick of getting picked on. But every time he tries to defend himself against class bully Jared Matthews, EllRay is the one who winds up in trouble. It's just not fair! Then his dad offers him a deal: If EllRay can stay out of trouble for a week, they'll go to Disneyland! But being good for one whole week is not so easy. . . .
This humorous and true-to-life story kicks off the EllRay series, which is just right for boys (and girls!) who are beginning to read chapter books.
Synopsis
EllRay Jakes is tired of being bullied by fellow classmate Jared Matthews. But when EllRay tries to defend himself, he winds up in trouble. Then his dad offers him a deal: If he stays out of trouble for one week, they'll go to Disneyland! EllRay says he can do it. But saying it and doing it are two very different things.
Synopsis
All the boys in EllRay's third-grade class have something they can brag about. Corey's on the swim team, Kevin is super tall, Jared's dad has an ATV. But EllRay's dad is a geologist - not much to brag about. After all, rocks are boring. Then EllRay sees the crystals in his dad's office, and they are really cool looking. If EllRay just "borrows" them to show his classmates, he knows they'd be impressed. And his dad will never have to know. It's a perfect plan . . . until things go awry.
Synopsis
Dead goldfish + bossy girls = big trouble!
Things are going just swimmingly for EllRay. He's getting along with most of the kids at school. He's even getting along with his family. But then everything comes screeching to a halt when his younger sister accidently overfeeds Zippy, the classroom goldfish that EllRay was taking care of over spring vacation. Zippy is a goner. What is EllRay going to tell the kids in his third-grade class? Fortunately, most of them are sympathetic. But not bossy Cynthia. She sees this as an opportunity to blame Ell- Ray for her own mess-ups. Must EllRay now walk the plank for stuff that he didn't do?
Synopsis
Hank is thrilled about the "Best Field Trip of the Year"-everyone from Ms. Adolph's class gets to spend the night on an old-fashioned three-mast sailing ship in New York Harbor! And Hank gets even more excited when the ship's captain chooses him to be the first mate. But being first mate is not all it's cracked up to be, especially for a crazy captain who takes his job a little too seriously. The best field trip of the year is becoming the worst night of Hank's life how's he going to get out of this one?
Synopsis
As soon as Emma McGraw sees Krysten Rodriguez, she knows that Krysten would make a great best friend. Theres just one problem. Emma already has a best friendAnnie Pat! But Emma is sure she wouldnt mind if Emma made a new friend for both of them. And she has to do it fast, before Krysten is taken! Annie Pat should appreciate that, right? Actually, no. Not when Emma is forgetting important plans theyve made together. Suddenly Emma is faced with the prospect of no friends at all!
At once charming, funny, and thoughtful, this fourth book about eightyear- old Emma is sure to find new fans.
Synopsis
Can EllRay master the moves in time to win his friend back? EllRay Jakes may be the shortest kid in his class, and he may get into trouble from time to time, but he can always count on his best friends Kevin and Corey. But lately, Kevin has been skateboarding with the meanest boy in class. Could EllRay be losing one of his friends?
Not giving up without a fight, EllRay asks his older neighbor to show him a few jaw-dropping skateboard moveslike ollies and kickflips. EllRay must learn as many tricks as he can before the secret boys-only third grade skate-off. But will it be enough?
Synopsis
EllRay Jakes may be the shortest kid in his class, and he may get into trouble from time to time, but he can always count on his best friends Kevin and Corey. But lately, Kevin has been skateboarding with the meanest boy in class. Could EllRay be losing one of his friends?and#160;
Not giving up without a fight, EllRay asks his older neighbor to show him a few jaw-dropping skateboard movesand#151;like ollies and kickflips. EllRay must learn as many tricks as he can before the secret boys-only third grade skate-off. But will it be enough?
About the Author
Henry Winkler is an acomplished actor, producer and director. In 2003, Henry added author to his list of acheivements as he co-authored a series of children's books. Inspired by the true life experiences of Henry Winkler, whose undiagnosed dyslexia made him a classic childhood underachiever, the Hank Zipzer series is about the high-spirited and funny adventures of a boy with learning differences.
Henry is married to Stacey Weitzman and they have three children.
Lin Oliver is a writer and producer of movies, books, and television series for children and families. She has created over one hundred episodes of television, four movies, and seven books. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Alan. They have three sons named Theo, Ollie, and Cole, one fluffy dog named Annie, and no iguanas.