This week the kids at the Zigzag Afternoon Center are being creative, and trying new things. But that's not so easy for Destiny. All of her ideas turn into disasters—until she finds out what a good poet she is.  The sixth book in award-winning author Patricia Reilly Giff's Zigzag Kids series captures all the excitement of new friends and after-school fun.

When Charlie hears that special buzz in his head, he knows it means one thing: an idea for a new invention. But Charlie's ideas tend to backfire—such as the flying feet that don't really fly. If only Charlie could make his inventions work, people might think he's as special as his older brother, Larry. Then the Zigzag afternoon center organizes a Come as a Character Day, and Charlie gets his chance to shine. From the Hardcover edition.

Two-time-Newberry-Honor-winner Patricia Reilly Giff's Hunter Moran hunts for a long-buried treasure--tearing up the town and getting into some tight spots in the process in a humorous and heartwarming third book about Hunter. A companion to Hunter Moran Saves the Universe and Hunter Moran Hangs Out.

It’s August 1941, and Brick and Mariel both love the Brooklyn Dodgers. Brick listens to their games on the radio in Windy Hill, in upstate New York, where his family has an apple orchard; Mariel, once a polio patient in the hospital in Windy Hill, lives in Brooklyn near the Dodgers’ home, Ebbets Field. She was adopted by Loretta, a nurse at the hospital, and has never known what happened to her own mother. Someday, somehow, she plans to return to Windy Hill and find out. When a fire destroys their orchard, Brick’s parents must leave the farm to find work. They send him to live in Brooklyn with their friend Loretta, even though Brick knows that their elderly neighbors need his help to pick what’s left of the apples. The only good thing about Brooklyn is seeing the Dodgers play–that, and his friendship with Mariel. Maybe, together, they’ll find a way to return to Windy Hill, save the harvest, and learn the truth about Mariel’s past. From the Hardcover edition.

April is invention month. "We're going to  make our own inventions," says Ms. Rooney, "and  work together in  groups." Though Emily Arrow knows it's important for each  group to think, listen, and share, she still wishes  she were the leader of her invention group. Linda  Lorca, the bossy leader, can't get anyone to  cooperate. "Snaggle doodles," Emily says. If  the group doesn't come up with an idea soon,  they'll be the worst group in the  class. Meanwhile, Emily is also busy thinking of a  wedding present for Ms. Vincent, the student teacher.  The wedding is only a few days away. Emily has a lot  to do. Can she and her group learn to work  together in time? From the Trade Paperback edition.

It's the first day back to school after winter vacation, and Richard Best is off to a bad start. Who ever heard of a January without any snow? And as usual, he has already forgotten something--the ruler Ms. Rooney had told him to bring for dinosaur day. Luckily Richard finds a ruler in his desk--with a dinosaur's initials--and he's sure the ruler is special. And then he finds out it has magic powers. All his wishes begin to come true: Snow stars falling, he remembers to do his homework, and the bully Drake Evans gets sick. But now with Drake sick in bed, Richard begins to worry. His only hope is the magic ruler--but it's gone. What will help him? From the Trade Paperback edition.

There’s a thief at Camp Wild-in-the-Woods, and it’s up to Dawn Bosco to catch her!   Dawn Bosco and Jill Simon are going away to Camp Wild-in-the-Woods for the first time. There will be horseback riding and swimming and walks in the woods and cookouts with marshmallows. But the other girls at camp, the ones from the Coolidge School, don’t seem very friendly. And then someone steals Dawn’s mirror and special pin, the ones her grandmother gave her. Dawn’s summer will be ruined if she doesn’t find the thief—and soon! This ebook features an illustrated biography of Patricia Reilly Giff including rare photos from the author’s personal collection.

Charlie has lots of ideas. Need something to go sky high? Ah-ha! The zinger-winger! Need to launch a cheese popper into soup? The amazing popper-upper! But the zinger-winger zings more than wings and the popper-upper plops. Charlie isn't allowed to invent for a week. Meanwhile, the afterschool invention fair is coming up. He needs time to make something special. Good thing he has his friends and Mr. Redfern, another inventor, to help him out.

SEWING! NO ONE could hate it more than Dina Kirk. Endless tiny stitches, button holes, darts. Since she was tiny, she’s worked in her family’s dressmaking business, where the sewing machine is a cranky member of the family. When 13-year-old Dina leaves her small town in Germany to join her uncle’s family in Brooklyn, she turns her back on sewing. Never again! But looking for a job leads her right back to the sewing machine. Why did she ever leave home? Here she is, still with a needle and thread—and homesick to boot. She didn’t know she could be this homesick, but she didn’t know she could be so brave either, as she is standing up to an epidemic or a fire. She didn’t know she could grow so close to her new family or to Johann, the young man from the tailor’s shop. And she didn’t know that sewing would reveal her own wonderful talent—and her future. In Dina, the beloved writer Patricia Reilly Giff has created one of her most engaging and vital heroines. Readers will enjoy seeing 1870s Brooklyn through Dina’s eyes, and share her excitement as she discovers a new world. From the Hardcover edition.

A broken fence and an animal on the loose take center stage in book three of the series from a two-time Newbery Honor winning author.Alex loves living on Zoo Lane, especially because he gets to visit his favorite animal in the world: the red panda. When he finds a hole in the zoo's fence, it presents the perfect opportunity to sneak into the zoo before school to see his beloved furry creatures. What Alex doesn't realize is that the broken fence will cause more problems than almost getting caught by the security guard. When an animal goes missing in the zoo, can he come clean about the fence?In this third book of the series, two-time Newbery Honor author Patricia Reilly Giff has crafted a lively mystery about conservation, animal care, friendship, and problem-solving. In touch with the programs and initiatives that today's zoos are undertaking, Giff provides readers with a fresh look at the work of zoologists. Charming line artwork by Abby Carter appears...

It's August, and Emily has big plans at the library. She's going to read lots of books and tack a paper fish next to her name for each one. Then Dawn Bosco says she can read more books than Emily. Not only that, both Emily and Dawn want to keep Pickle Puss, a stray cat thay found. They decide that whoever reads the most books can keep cat. When Emily adds a fish for a book she read along time ago, she has one more fish than Dawn. She knows she's cheating, but she wants to keep the cat. What a pickle she's in. From the Trade Paperback edition.

Solve mysteries at a city zoo with a diverse group of kids in this illustrated chapter book from a two-time Newbery Honor author.Lions and tigers for neighbors? That doesn't bother Luke at all. It's making new friends that scares him. Not only has Luke had to move from Florida to New York because of his dad's new job as a zoo doctor, but he's also had to leave behind his best friend—his abuelo.When Luke discovers that there are other kids also living on Zoo Lane and that one of them might be the owner of a mysterious zebra-printed box left outside his house, he wonders if just maybe he can make friends and solve a mystery in this wild new place.In this first book of the series, two-time Newbery Honor author Patricia Reilly Giff has crafted a charming story about conservation, animal care, friendship, and problem-solving. In touch with the programs and initiatives that today's zoos are undertaking, Giff provides readers with a fresh look at the work...

A story of the American Revolution from two-time Newbery Honor–winning author Patricia Reilly Giff. While staying with her aunt, Elizabeth finds something remarkable: a drawing. It hangs on the wall, a portrait of her ancestor, Eliza, known as Zee. She looks like Elizabeth. The girls’ lives intertwine as Elizabeth’s present-day story alternates with Zee’s, which takes place during the American Revolution. Zee is dreamy, and hopeful for the future—until the Revolution tears apart her family and her community in upstate New York. Left on her own, she struggles to survive and to follow her father and brother into battle. Zee’s story has been waiting to be rediscovered by the right person. As Elizabeth learns about Zee, and walks where Zee once walked and battles raged, the past becomes as vivid and real as the present. In this beautifully crafted, affecting novel from beloved author Patricia Reilly Giff, the lives of two girls reflect one another as each finds her own inner strengths. From the Hardcover edition.

Newbery Honor–winning author Patricia Reilly Giff writes a tender, timeless story about a girl who stopped speaking long ago, and how she finds her way back to her voice. Judith lives with her beloved aunt Cora and her faithful Dog on a beautiful island. Years ago, when her mother left, Judith stopped talking. Now she communicates entirely through gestures and taps, and by drawing cartoons, speaking only when she’s alone—or with Dog. This year, Judith faces a big change—leaving her small, special classroom for a regular fifth-grade class. She likes her new teacher, and finds a maybe-friend in a boy named Mason. But Jubilee’s wandering feet won’t stop until they find her mother. And now she discovers that her mother has moved back to the mainland, nearby. If Jubilee finds her, will her mother’s love be what she needs to speak again? Judith’s cartoons are sprinkled throughout.

Second-grader Dawn Bosco puts her mystery-solving skills to the test when her former best friend, Emily Arrow, loses her birthday ring Dawn Bosco and Emily Arrow used to be best friends, until Dawn took Emily’s unicorn. Even though Dawn eventually gave it back, Emily still won’t talk to her. When Emily’s blue birthday ring goes missing after art class, the rest of the second grade accuses Dawn of stealing it. Dawn sets out to solve the mystery herself to prove she is innocent—and maybe get her best friend back. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Patricia Reilly Giff including rare photos from the author’s personal collection.