<B>A funny, heavily illustrated new chapter book series about sports and sportsmanship by the acclaimed author of <I>Game Changer</I></B><BR /><BR />Annabella Donatello likes to do everything. She likes to draw, fly kites, play soccer, cook, and eat what she cooks. She even likes to do math! But there are two things she loves most of all: softball and performing. So she's thrilled when she gets cast in the school play, on top of being the star pitcher of her softball team.<BR /><BR /> Unfortunately, her softball coach is less thrilled about Annabella's busy schedule. And with the championships coming up, the pressure is on to make softball her number one priority, even when an important practice conflicts with opening night of the show. To be in two places at once, Annabella hatches a plan that will put all of her softball and acting skills to the test.

Life as an undead fifth grader is pretty good for Arnold. He finally feels like he can embrace both his zombie side (unlimited jellybeans!) and his regular kid side (kickbutt trampoline moves!).And now there's a new zombie in town. Azalea, Arnold's closest friend from the Territory, is living with Evan's family and ready to try out human elementary school. But when Azalea questions whether or not she wants to return to the Territory, Arnold starts having doubts, too. Should he stay— or go?

From the hilarious mind behind the Crimebiters series comes a new trilogy that fans of The Last Kids on Earth will love to pieces (literally). Arnold Z. Ombee has escaped a secret government lab that's developing zombies. Young, scared, and alone, he is found by the Kinders, a warmhearted couple who take him in. The Kinders decide Arnold will become part of their family. They help him disguise his undead appearance and teach him how to act like a human boy. After a lot of practice, he's ready for the ultimate test: Fifth grade!

From the author of the award-winning Game Changer comes a new novel about two student-athletes searching for stardom, a young reporter searching for the truth, and a crosstown basketball rivalry that goes too far. The people of Walthorne love their basketball—and one of the things they love most is the special rivalry between the Walthorne North Middle School Cougars and the Walthorne South Middle School Panthers. As the season begins, two star players are feeling the heat: Austin Chambers, captain of Walthorne North, worries that he's not good enough to live up to his father's legacy, while across town, the brilliantly talented Carter Haswell, captain of Walthorne South, is already under pressure to get a scholarship that might ease his family's financial stress. While both boys do whatever they can to make sure their team wins, Alfie Jenks, a school sports reporter, discovers that behind-the-scenes scandals are just as much a part of youth sports...

A funny, heavily illustrated new chapter book series about sports and sportsmanship by the acclaimed author of Game Changer Ben Cutler loves everything about soccer! He’s got a great team, and they have the best pre-game chants and half-time jokes. He and his best friend, Jay-Jay, even invent dances for when they score a goal! And Ben is good at soccer. Like REALLY good. Too good for a casual rec team. Soon, he’s recruited for a travel team. His new team plays amazingly well, but they take soccer super seriously. No pre-game chants, no juice-box breaks, and the most important rule of all: NO DANCING. Even though his new team is winning all the time, Ben is left to wonder: Is winning all that matters in the end?

The zombie secret is out!Sort of... Scientists at the lab that Arnold escaped from claim they've changed their tune. Instead of creating super zombie soldiers, they just want humans and zombies to be friends.Too good to be true? Probably. But Arnold agrees to help teach other zombies everything he's learned so far about being a real human boy.But there's something that seems strange about these new "zombies" (well, stranger than usual). Arnold knows it's up to him to unearth the secret before it eats him up inside. And outside. And everywhere else.

The CrimeBiters gang got its start with help from my crime-fighting vampire dog, Abby. But now, I'm starting to wonder if she's really a vampire at all. . .That's mystery I'm going to have to solve on my own. The rest of the Crime-biters are pretty busy with their own stuff. Irwin's planning an epic birthday party for the ages, Baxter's worrying about his brother enlisting in the army, and Daisy is cartwheeling her way through cheerleading practice (shudder!).There's only one person I can turn to: the best vampire fiction writer that ever lived, Elroy Evans. He's coming to the nearby COM-MIX convention and I have to ask him the question that's threatening to drive a stake through my heart. Can a dog really be a vampire?

Charlie Joe’s weekly allowance just isn’t cutting it and he desperately needs money to buy a Botman, the latest gadget to sweep his middle school. Only catch is, he wants to earn the money by doing the least amount of work possible. After several failed attempts, including a near disastrous day of dog-walking, Charlie Joe hatches a plan to throw his own bar mitzvah (no gifts please—checks only) even though he’s not Jewish. Hilarity ensues when throwing a fake coming-of-age party turns out to be much harder than it looks.

A star football player watches his father deteriorate from injuries he suffered playing the very same sport Caleb Springer is the up-and-coming star freshman quarterback on the high school football team, which isn't a surprise considering his dad, Sammy Springer, was an NFL superstar and is now the town celebrity. College scouts are already snooping around Caleb, and his future seems set. But just as Caleb’s glory days begin, his dad starts to change. He’s forgetting things and getting angry at random times. Caleb is forced to confront a bleak possibility: The sport that gives him so much status and self-worth might be the cause of his dad’s strange behavior. Will Caleb keep playing the sport of his dreams, even if he knows how dangerous it can be?

Pete Milano has always been the class clown and proud of it. What's the point of having friends if you can't make them laugh, right? Even if doing so does have the unfortunate side effect of constantly getting him into trouble. But, for once, Pete's tricks have led him to just the right place at just the right time. Now he's about to become famous, because he's been asked to audition for the hottest new indie movie with the hottest girl costar. But balancing real life with life on set is way harder than it sounds. Will Pete's newfound fame mean losing his girlfriend and all his friends?

Yes! Graduation day is finally here! Charlie Joe has been waiting for this moment his entire middle school career. This might even be the best day of his life. No more teachers! No more books! Just make it through the ceremony and he's free. But suddenly things around him are starting to change. Words like "responsibility" and "college prep" keep popping out of his friend's mouths. What happened to words like "fun" and "pool party"? And come to think of it, doesn't high school bring more teachers and more books? Maybe this whole growing up thing isn't such a good idea after all. Actually being a kid is pretty darn fun! Surely Charlie Joe can figure out a way to put the brakes on growing up-and fast!

Laura Corbett and Damian White are loners, and not by choice. Kids make fun of smart, sarcastic Laura for her weight and artistic Damian for his tendency to sweat through his shirts. Calista Getz, however—well, everyone agrees that Calista is the prettiest girl in the whole school. Maybe even the whole state. Let's just say that she sits at the popular lunch table. Laura and Damian don't.But when Calista wakes up just before the school dance with the BIGGEST pimple she has EVER seen right in the middle of her face, and her attempts to hide it backfire spectacularly, Laura and Damian are the only ones who don't ignore her. In fact, they seem to see not only past her pimple, but past her popularity, too. Together, they'll challenge the school's status quo in this hilarious, heartfelt novel.

From the author of Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading comes a humorous and illustrated new series about a boy whose new dog may or may not be a crimefighting vampire. Jimmy Bishop loves doing 3 things: 1) Laughing at funny dog videos online,2) watching his favorite show (Stop! Police!) on TV, 3) and reading his favorite vampire book (Fang Goodness) over and over. His self-involved older sister and workaholic Mom think he needs to stop obsessing already! But when his Dad finally allows Jimmy to get a puppy before school starts, everything changes and Jimmy has something new to focus on: his amazing dog, Abby who seems to have some very unusual habits. She sleeps all day but is wired at night, and she runs from the garlic kelp biscuit made by Jimmy's strange new babysitter Mrs. Cragg. There's just something different about Abby. Could she possibly be...a vampire? Jimmy's best friend Irwin thinks Jimmy's being ridiculous, but then when Abby uncovers a real crime in...

Thirteen-year-old Teddy Youngblood is in a coma fighting for his life after an unspecified football injury at training camp. His family and friends flock to his bedside to support his recovery—and to discuss the events leading up to the tragic accident. Was this an inevitable result of playing aviolent sport, or was something more sinister happening on the field that day? Told in an innovative, multimedia format combining dialogue, texts, newspaper articles, transcripts, an online forum, and Teddy's inner thoughts, Game Changer explores the joyous thrills and terrifying risks of America's most popular sport.