Scholastic Book Fairs Podcast

From the acclaimed author of PRISONER B-3087 comes this timely, heart-racing action-adventure about the War on Terror and the bond between brothers. Kamran Smith has it all. He's the star of the football team, dates the most popular girl in school, and can't wait to enlist in the Army like his big brother, Darius. Although Kamran's family hails from Iran, Kamran has always felt 100% American. Accepted. And then everything implodes. Darius is accused of being a terrorist. Kamran refuses to believe it, but the evidence is there - Darius has been filmed making threats against his country, hinting at an upcoming deadly attack. Kamran's friends turn on him - suddenly, in their eyes, he's a terrorist, too. Kamran knows it's up to him to clear his brother's name. In a race against time, Kamran must piece together a series of clues and codes that will lead him to Darius - and the truth. But is it a truth Kamran is ready to face? And is he putting his own life at risk?

Jason Segel, multitalented actor, writer, and musician, teams up with NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Kirsten Miller for NIGHTMARES!, the first book in a trilogy about a boy named Charlie and a group of kids who must face their fears to save their town. Sleeping has never been so scary, and now waking up is even worse! Charlie Laird has several problems: his dad married a woman he is sure moonlights as a witch; he had to move into her purple mansion, which is NOT a place you want to find yourself after dark; he can’t remember the last time sleeping wasn’t a nightmarish prospect. What Charlie doesn’t know is that his problems are about to get a whole lot more real. When nightmares start slipping out of your dreams and into the waking world - that’s a line that should never be crossed. And when your worst nightmares start to come true… well, that’s something only Charlie can face. And he’s going to need all the help he can get, or it might just be lights-out for Charlie Laird. For good.

Prepare to be scared! Come face-to-face with some of the world's most famous monsters and creatures: the Komodo dragon, giant squid, vampire bats, the Minotaur, Hydra, Bigfoot, and Yeti. Are they myth? Or fact? This Scholastic Level 2 Reader explores the reality behind all of the most terrifying monsters using simple text and full-color photos and artwork.

Turn little pouts into big smiles! Mr. Fish is nervously awaiting his first day of school, and he frets about not knowing how to write his name, how to draw shapes, and how to do math - until he’s reassured that school is the perfect place to learn how to master all of these new skills.

When Pete gets a goldfish, he decides to paint a picture of his new pet. Soon, everyone wants one of his cool paintings! But Pete doesn't have enough time to paint one for everybody in town.With help from his mom, Pete finds a groovy solution so that everyone can enjoy a painting. My First I Can Read!™

Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the bravest Chihuahua of them all? Skippyjon Jones, the Siamese cat who thinks he's a dog! While his sisters listen to Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Skippy bounces on his big-boy bed and heads off for the REAL adventure awaiting him in his closet. Once inside, he finds himself in a magical snowy forest of make-believe, where the seven Chimichangos challenge him with his most dangerous task yet: to wake up Nieve Que, the frozen princess, by kissing her! Yuck! Will this hero agree to don a prince’s pantelones and save his poochitos? With rhymes, rollicking wordplay, and mucho fairy tale fun, this fuzzy tale is sure to end happily ever after.

Will the real Judy Moody please stand up? In honor of Backwards Day, Judy Moody decides to turn that frown upside down, make lemonade out of lemons, and be nice to stinky little brothers. In fact, Judy becomes a NOT moody, cool-as-a-cucumber neat freak for one whole entire day. But when her combed hair, matching outfits, and good moods hang around for days after, her friends begin to worry. Could this smiley Judy be an imposter?

Penelope is running out of time! She dreams of being a writer, but how can she pursue her passion when her mother schedules every minute of her life? And how will she ever prove that writing is worthwhile if her mother keeps telling her to "get busy" and "be more productive"? Then one day, Penelope discovers a hole in her schedule - an entire day completely unplanned! - and she mysteriously falls into it. What follows is a mesmerizing journey through the Realm of Possibility, where Penelope sets out to find and free the Great Moodler, the one person who may have the answers she seeks. Along the way, she must face an army of Clockworkers, battle the evil Chronos, take a daring Flight of Fancy, and save herself from the grip of time. Brimming with clever language and masterful wordplay, THE LOST TRACK OF TIME is a high-stakes adventure that will take you to a place where nothing is impossible and every minute doesn't count - people do!

Buzz has a homework assignment to write a fairy tale and he asks Fly Guy to help. Fly Guy doesn't like to think of himself as some of Buzz's suggestions - an ugly troll, a smelly pig herder - so he becomes a handsome prince instead. Prince Fly Guy flies to a dark castle, fends off a giant, and rescues a beautiful princess. Readers will have a happily ever after time reading this fun zany story about Fly Guy's adventure in a fairy tale!

When the Nazis invaded Denmark on the morning of Tuesday, April 9, 1940, the people of this tiny country north of Germany awoke to a devastating surprise. The government of Denmark surrendered quietly, and the Danes were ordered to go about their daily lives as if nothing had changed. But everything HAD changed.

With the rise of the Berlin Wall, twelve-year-old Gerta finds her family suddenly divided. She, her mother, and her brother Fritz live on the eastern side, controlled by the Soviets. Her father and middle brother, who had gone west in search of work, cannot return home. Gerta knows it is dangerous to watch the wall, to think forbidden thoughts of freedom, yet she can't help herself. She sees the East German soldiers with their guns trained on their own citizens; she, her family, her neighbors and friends are prisoners in their own city. But one day, while on her way to school, Gerta spots her father on a viewing platform on the western side, pantomiming a peculiar dance. Then, when she receives a mysterious drawing, Gerta puts two and two together and concludes that her father wants Gerta and Fritz to tunnel beneath the wall, out of East Berlin. However, if they are caught, the consequences will be deadly. No one can be trusted. Will Gerta and her family find their way to freedom?

Discover what caused the war and why it eventually affected every corner of the globe. The key battles, events and figures are all explored and recounted in succinct and easy-to-understand text, while illustrations and photographs bring the past vividly back to life.

This amazing new book uncovers the secrets of the oceans by exploring a remarkable array of sharks and sea creatures. Packed with jaw-dropping facts about animal behavior and anatomy, new 3D illustrations utilize cross-sections and layering to show key anatomical features in detail. With its combination of spectacular photography and clear yet authoritative text, SUPER SHARK ENCYCLOPEDIA is the ultimate visual guide to the oceans' most incredible stories. It showcases record-breaking animals, such as the deadliest predators and the most venomous creatures, and explains how and why their bodies work the way they do.

When Russell entered the race, he knew it was going to be a wild ride. Especially the first race course! He'd been studying up on the Amazon's animals and culture forever. But nothing could prepare him or his teammates for what they'd find in the rain forest: raging rapids, poisonous venom, and sneaky competitors who'd do anything to win. Can the red team work together to make it to the finish line in one piece?

This magical story begins on an island far away, where an imaginary friend is born. He patiently waits his turn to be chosen by a real child, but when he is overlooked time and again, he sets off on an incredible journey to the bustling city, where he finally meets his perfect match and - at long last - is given his special name: Beekle. New York Times bestselling and award-winning author and illustrator Dan Santat combines classic storytelling with breathtaking art, creating an unforgettable tale about friendship, imagination, and the courage to find one's place in the world. Winner of the 2015 Caldecott Medal.

Wolf just can’t catch a break! Ever since the three little pigs started teaching everyone ninja skills, huffing and puffing just hasn’t been enough to scare up a good meal. His craving for meat sends Wolf to classes at the dojo, and soon he’s ready to try out his new moves. A little girl and her tiny granny should be easy targets - right? Not if Little Red has anything to say about it! Kiya!

Jimmy is a bit of a loner. He has one friend, Irwin Wonk, but otherwise he daydreams his way through life by watching dog videos online and police shows on TV and reading vampire fantasies. His self-involved older sister and his workaholic parents barely notice him. Things start to look up for Jimmy when his parents finally allow him to adopt a dog, Abby, who gives Jimmy a new purpose in life. With Abby at his side, Jimmy forms his own little posse that includes: Irwin, the overly talkative brainiac; Daisy Flowers, the new girl in town who’s completely flawless in every way; and a troubled (but reformed) bully, Baxter Baddington. Together, they try to find the balance between living normal lives at home, navigating the usual school issues, and solving an unusual rash of crimes that suddenly afflicts their sleepy little town, Quietville, Connecticut.

Miles Murphy is not happy to be moving to Yawnee Valley, a sleepy town that’s famous for one thing and one thing only: cows. In his old school, everyone knew him as the town’s best prankster, but Miles quickly discovers that Yawnee Valley already has a prankster, and a great one. If Miles is going to take the title from this mystery kid, he is going to have to raise his game. It’s prankster against prankster in an epic war of trickery, until the two finally decide to join forces and pull off the biggest prank ever seen: a prank so huge that it would make the members of the International Order of Disorder proud.

Welcome to the Weenie Zone! WIPEOUT OF THE WIRELESS WEENIES is the seventh collection of scary short stories for middle grade readers by acclaimed author David Lubar. A boy and his family narrowly escape a zombie apocalypse - or do they? A girl neglects her cat’s litter box and finds herself in a heap of trouble. And a group of clicking, scrolling, tapping wireless weenies find themselves on the edge of disaster. Here are thirty-three hilarious and harrowing stories that will scare you, make you laugh, or see the world in a whole new way. Find out where the author got the idea for each story at the end of the book.

There is trouble brewing in the Louisiana swamp - Bowser can smell it. Bowser is a very handsome and only slightly slobbery dog, and he can smell lots of things. Like bacon. And rawhide chews! And the sweat on humans when they're lying. Birdie Gaux, the girl Bowser lives with, also knows something is wrong. It's not just that her grammy's stuffed prize marlin has been stolen. It's the weird rumor that the marlin is linked to a missing treasure. It's the truck that seems to be following Birdie and the bad feeling on the back of her neck. When Birdie and Bowser start digging into the mystery, not even Bowser's powerful sniffer can smell just how menacing the threat is. And when the danger comes straight for Birdie, Bowser knows it up to him to sic 'em!