Book Finder

Tuesday McGillycuddy, first introduced in Finding Serendipity is back to save stories from colliding and writers from being hurt when thrown far away from where they start. 

Can Suzannah bear to let Paloma, the puppy she’s cared for ever since she arrived at the shelter, be adopted into a permanent home? Her dilemma is happily resolved in the latest installment of the Shelter Pet Squad. Information about shelter dog adoptions is included at book’s end.

Move over Nancy Drew; Sophie – better known as Sesame – Seade is on the job! Here, Sesame and her friend, Jeremy, solve the mystery of why the rowing team is getting sick. Told with humor and solid pacing, this is sure to engage light mystery fans.

Marvin, James’ beetle friend, goes collecting (finding useful things for their cupboard home) when he must get his human friend to help his injured uncle. Even though Marvin is a beetle, his emotions are as human as James’ in this well paced, generously illustrated and thoroughly engaging novel.

Rabbit’s carefully planned sleepover with Robot doesn’t work out exactly as he imagined in this offbeat tale about two comically mismatched friends — a rabbit who likes to be in control and an obliging robot who calmly keeps their friendship humming.

Will Timmy and Total no longer be detecting partners? Readers will find out the fate of the dynamic duo in this fourth, funny, highly illustrated and certainly not final installment in the Timmy Failure series.

In Timmy and Total Failure’s third adventure, the detective and his sidekick vie with their arch nemesis to find the mythical, magical, “Miracle Project.” The Miracle Project, they think, assures the finder of an “A” (with multiple pluses, of course) in all schoolwork.

Timmy Failure and his trusty sidekick, Total, are back for another adventure. Here, Timmy and Total are on the trail of a stolen globe.

Timmy is an imaginative (if delusional) 11-year old who fancies himself a stellar detective with his sidekick, Total (a 1500-pound polar bear) at his side. Fans of heavily illustrated, almost graphic novels are sure to respond to the dark humor in this first of a series about Timmy and his antics

In this peek into the secret lives of toys, three beloved playthings participate in a series of small adventures. StingRay is a plush stuffed animal who enjoys acting the know-it-all. Lumphy is a tough little buffalo who doesnt mind the occasional cuddle. And Plastic (whose physical appearance is kept mysterious for quite some time) is a sensible bouncy ball. The first book in the Toys trilogy.

Nory, Elliott, Andres, and Bax are just four of the students in Dunwiddle Magic School’s Upside-Down Magic class. In their classroom, lessons are unconventional, students are unpredictable, and magic has a tendency to turn wonky at the worst possible moments. This is the first book in an offbeat series about a group of misfits who set out to prove that life on the other side of ordinary has its charms.

Before she married Martin Luther King, Coretta Scott was known for her beautiful singing voice – and for her willingness to stand up for what was right. This installment of the series is similar in appearance and appeal as women from different historical times and places share the series title in common; each were “Women Who Broke the Rules.”

While at a sleepover at Nan’s house, Lulu must keep her hamster safe from Nan’s cats – and a secret from rodent-fearing Nan. Lulu’s latest adventure can stand alone and is as gently humorous and graciously illustrated as others in the series.

Animal control officer Francine Poulet has a crisis of confidence when the animal comes out on top after Francine’s first encounter with the screaming “ghost” raccoon. Humor abounds in both the story and illustrations in this rollicking and very satisfying saga.

Glimpse stories from the childhoods of well-known athletes from a variety of sports. People range from Babe Ruth to Yao Ming, Julie Krone to Tiger Woods with lots in between. Cartoon illustrations are sprinkled throughout for an inviting package that ends with a bibliography and an index.

Boy genius, Frank Einstein, and friends explore energy and other science topics as they relate to their everyday interests. The latest in the series is filled will wordplay, science ideas and additional silliness to engage even the most reluctant readers. The heavily illustrated book will not disappoint Frank Einstein fans.

Eight year old Jacque Papier wonders why he is ignored by everyone; is it because they dislike him? However, he learns that he isn’t quite real. Does an imaginary friend exist if no one imagines him? Readers will certainly find Jacque, his imaginary associates as well as the more tangible characters authentic in this gentle and wise “memoir.”

Emily doesn’t mind her family’s annual move because San Francisco is home to Garrison Griswold, book publisher. But there’s a nefarious plot against Griswold, creator of Book Scavenger. How will Emily and her new friend, James, solve the mystery? Find out in this fast-paced, often funny, sometimes tense mystery-adventure.

Strange and humorous adventures begin when Rory and his nemesis, Tommy-Lee, are placed in a secret isolation ward when they turn bright green from a strange ailment. Rory’s understated narration reveals likeable, quirky characters in unlikely but engaging circumstances.

In his old school, everyone knew Miles Murphy 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. (Goodreads)

Hank is a second-grade kid who doesn’t try to be funny, but he somehow always makes the kids in his class laugh. He’s pretty bad at memorizing stuff, and spelling is his worst subject. (But so are math and reading!) Hank’s class is putting on a play, and Hank wants the lead part: Aqua Fly. But he freezes in his audition and can only buzz like a fly. His teacher creates a special part for Hank, a silent bookmark. This may seem like an insignificant role, but when his enemy, Nick McKelty, freezes during the performance, it’s up to Hank to save the play! This is the first book in the Here’s Hank series.

In this Magic Tree House story, Jack and Annie’s vacation in the glorious waters off Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula doesn’t turn out quite like they expect. An encounter with sharks and with a Mayan girl plus a bit of magic create another satisfying, fantastical adventure in the series. A companion book, Sharks and other Predators (opens in a new window) helps readers separate fact from fiction.

Stout Sam and his deckhand Pip live comfortably on their island enjoying whatever the sea washes to their shore. When they find a pig in a barrel on the beach, they name her Julie. Sam and Pip soon discover she has a special talent learned from pirates who want their treasure-locating pig back. This madcap adventure punctuated by full-color illustration is sure to make young readers laugh out loud.

Farmer Tubb wants to sell Ace and his siblings when they reach eight weeks of age. Can Ace, a very bright porker, save them all?