Melonhead


Book Description

Melonhead, the first book in author Katy Kelly's laugh-out-loud chapter book series, is now in paperback! Adam Melon's friend Lucy Rose gave him a nickname—Melonhead—and it caught on fast. Melonhead is a self-proclaimed inventor. All his life, which is ten years and counting, great ideas have been popping in and out of his melon head. And sometimes they work! This year Melonhead's class is entering an inventing fair, so he and his friend Sam are dreaming up plans. And Capitol Hill has a ton of places to find invention parts. But they have to be sure they find what they need and get home on time with no excuses. That might be hard, because Melonhead and Sam have a way of forgetting. But their work will all pay off if they win first place—they'll be headed to even bigger and better things!




Melonhead and the Big Stink


Book Description

Melonhead is back in action, filled with curiosity, stirring up a little trouble (even though he doesn't mean to), and determined to have a summer of fun! In this second book in the Melonhead chapter book series, Melonhead is still pals with Lucy Rose, but he's not going to Parks & Rec camp this summer. He ruined one of Mrs. Wilkins's favorite garden plants, so his parents have "loaned" him to her to do chores. This is going to mess up his summer plans if he doesn't figure something out. He and Sam need to find a way to get to New York City to see the titan arum "bunga bangkai" plant. It's supposed to be twelve feet tall, weigh a hundred pounds, and smell like dead mammals, plus rot, plus spoiled food. It only blooms once every seven years, and even then only for two days and then it keels over dead. It's the Big Stink of a Lifetime! But Melonhead has to get a few more good deeds out of the way first, and doing chores for Mrs. Wilkins is a good start, even if it wasn't in the plan to begin with!




The Great Stink


Book Description

A Robert F. Sibert Honor Book! Discover the true story about the determined engineer who fixed London’s pollution problem in this funny, accessible nonfiction picture book featuring engaging art from the illustrator of Queen Victoria’s Bathing Machine. It’s the summer of 1858, and London’s River Thames STINKS. What is creating this revolting smell? The answer is gross: the river is full of poop. But the smell isn’t the worst problem. Every few years, cholera breaks out, and thousands of people die. Could there be a connection between the foul water and the deadly disease? One engineer dreams of making London a cleaner, healthier place. His name is Joseph Bazalgette. His grand plan to create a new sewer system to clean the river is an engineering marvel. And his sewers will save lives. Nothing stinky about that. With tips for how to prevent pollution today, this fascinating look at science, history, and what one person can do to create change will impress and astound readers who want to help make their planet a cleaner, happier place to live.




Lucy Rose


Book Description

Lucy Rose records in her diary her special summer plans--to make a keychain for her mother, to help decorate the living room, to prevent her parents' divorce, to vanquish some squirrels, and to enjoy a ninth birthday adventure with her father.




Melonhead and the We-Fix-It Company


Book Description

“Melonhead and his friends inhabit a world . . . where inventiveness and camaraderie reign supreme.” —Kirkus Reviews For fans of Judy Blume's Fudge titles as well as Carl Hiaasen's Hoot. Money. That’s what Melonhead and his best friend, Sam, need. Due to a “situation,” the boys have to pay for something they accidentally ruined. Neither of them receives an allowance, so they create the We-Fix-It Company. When jobs start pouring in, the boys feel like they have all the answers. But they soon run into a problem too big for just the two of them to handle. Luckily, their friends offer to help. With teamwork and the courage to dream big, the kids surprise even themselves and deliver amazing results.




Nightmare Mountain


Book Description

As soon as Molly arrives at her aunt and uncle's ranch in rural Washington, things start to go very wrong. Her cousin hates her on sight. Her aunt falls into a mysterious coma. Then, left alone on the huge property, Molly and her cousin discover an intruder lurking in the barn! Armed and desperate, he drags them to the top of a nearby mountain--and triggers an avalanche with a gunshot. Can they make it down the mountain alive?




Searching for Candlestick Park


Book Description

Life has been tough for Spencer since his dad left. His mom complains constantly, they never seem to have enough money, and they're always having to move. He knows his father works for the Giants baseball team and lives somewhere in San Francisco—and Spencer's sure that if he can somehow get there, his dad will take him in. But California is a long, dangerous way from Seattle if you've only got fourteen dollars, you're twelve, and you're alone.




Nicky Deuce: Home for the Holidays


Book Description

If you ask Nicholas Borelli II--better known as Nicky Deuce--winter in New Jersey is awfully boring compared to summertime in Brooklyn, where he had the best two weeks of his life. Now it's cold out, he's back in school, and he has to live without Grandma Tutti's home cooked Italian meals and Uncle Franklie's funny tough-guy attitude. But not for long! Nicky's father is throwing a New Year's Eve party and the whole family is going to stay at their house and the gang from Brooklyn is coming to visit. By Christmas, Nicky's home is brimming with Brooklyn accents. Grandma Tutti wastes no time taking over the kitchen while Uncle Frankie charms the neighbors and cousin Tommy beats up Dirk Van Allen, the biggest jer in the neighborhood. Suddenly Tommy becomes a local hero but he and Nicky also become the prime target of a bully's revenge. Nicky Deuce is about to find out that winter in New Jersey is anything but boring.




Melonhead and the Later Gator Plan


Book Description

Fun in the sun! For best pals Melonhead and Sam, it’s a winter break with grandparents, which is more fun than you’d think! A comical and heartwarming story about friendship, community, and the special connection between kids and those young at heart! My best pal Sam and I are in Paradise, the community in Florida where my grandparents Nana and Jeep live. We’re staying with them while my dad works and my mom is on a trip with her lady relatives. Everything in Paradise is swank and deluxe, and lots of stuff is “For the Convenience of Our Residents.” We’re sure that means free. We especially like the All-You-Can-Eat Buffet. Since Florida is loaded with animals, we’re going to capture a pet for Sam. We considered a wild piglet or a parrot or an armadillo or an iguana, but we’ve decided to find an alligator egg because it’s easy to carry on an airplane and it can hatch once we’re home. All we have to do is come up with a way to get that egg. Luckily, Sam and I are idea men! Praise for the Melonhead series Melonhead: “Laugh-out-loud funny, rivaling Stink and Fudge in its troublemaker quotient.” —School Library Journal Melonhead and the Big Stink: “The clever dialogue sparkles. A breezy and humorous middle-grade tale.” —Kirkus Reviews Melonhead and the Undercover Operation: “Melonhead’s pure, kid-centric, fun-loving perspective is hard to resist.” —Kirkus Reviews Melonhead and the Vegalicious Disaster: “Melonhead returns with rapid-fire narration and adventure.” —BooklistOnline.com Melonhead and the We-Fix-It Company: “Melonhead and his friends inhabit a world . . . where inventiveness and camaraderie reign supreme.” —Kirkus Reviews




Melonhead and the Vegalicious Disaster


Book Description

Can Adam "Melonhead" Melon, who lives in the Washington, D.C., neighborhood of Capitol Hill, survive his fearsome fifth-grade teacher and his mother's resolution to cook healthy, nutritious meals?