Derek Fallon discovers all the angst that comes with being twelve—he just wants to feel grown up, but life gets in the way with a series of mishaps that make him look like a baby. He passes out during a worm dissection in science class, falls flat on his face in gym class and gets a fat lip that causes him to lisp all day, and his plans for a monster-truck party turn into a bouncy house disaster. Why isn't being in middle school as great as Derek imagined? Thankfully, with a little help from his friends—and, ironically, a Toys for Tots fundraiser—things seem like they could start shaping up at last. My Life as a Joke by Janet and Jake Tashjian is a Christy Ottaviano Book
Book 7 of the much-loved My Life series that has the irrepressible Derek Fallon starting his own Youtube web series! Derek Fallon finally found something to get excited about at school—an extracurricular class on making videos! Together with his friends Carly, Matt, and Umberto, Derek can’t wait to create his own Youtube web series. But he soon realizes Youtube stardom is a lot of work. On top of that, it’s time for his foster monkey Frank to go to monkey college so Derek must scramble to find a reason for Frank to stay with his family—if only a little while longer. Can Derek solve both problems at once? What if Frank became a part of Derek's Youtube videos? Here's another funny and thoughtful novel in the series that centers around most every tween today’s pastime—Youtube! Christy Ottaviano Books
The year is 1971 and the place is Laurel Canyon, California. Quinn, a fourteen-year-old music "encyclopedia," writes a music column—called "For What It's Worth"—for his school paper. But Quinn's world is about to change when he is faced with helping a war dodger and must make some tough decisions. When he starts receiving cryptic Ouija board messages from Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, and Jimi Hendrix (all members of the 27 Club), he knows he is in over his head. Fortunately for Quinn, his new girlfriend Caroline helps him get a grip and channel his inner self.
Janet and Jake Tashjian’s My Life as a Billionaire is Book 10 in the much-loved, illustrated My Life series. Derek Fallon won the lottery and now gets to split over a billion dollars with a friend—the buying possibilities are endless—skateboards!, sneakers! video games!, a backyard skateboard park!!!—let the shopping begin. But Derek is soon challenged with new obstacles that he hadn’t thought of before. Having money to spend should make his life easier but it’s bringing with it lots of anxiety. It’s up to Derek to find a balance with his newfound wealth, and to consider the best ways to spend his money. Christy Ottaviano Books
Janet and Jake Tashjian team up again in Einstein the Class Hamster, a hilarious new series starring the lovable walking encyclopedia, game show–obsessed Einstein. Einstein the class hamster is from a long line of class hamsters. He knows lots of cool facts about science, art, and history—maybe even more than their sleepy teacher, Ms. Moreno. The class has a chance to compete in a trivia game show contest. But how can they get ready for the contest if Ms. Moreno keeps taking naps instead of teaching? More important, how can Einstein help the class prepare for the contest when the only kid who can hear him is Ned? This title has Common Core connections.
With a distinctive voice full of both humor and realism and a mastery of detail, Janet Tashjian reveals marked insight into the dark corners of a troubled teenager's mind. For as long as Monica Devon can remember, she has been two things: a whiz at making anagrams, and a perfectionist who spends most of her time obsessing about saying and doing the right thing. Now at fourteen, Monica's compulsive habits have spiraled out of control. Seeing no other way out, she creates Multiple Choice, a roulette word game that will force spontaneity into her life, and, she hopes, free her from her obsessions. It seems so easy--create a list of options, choose a Scrabble tile, and carry out the act. At first the game is exciting and somewhat liberating. But soon it starts to go devastatingly wrong. Fortunately for Monica, help is closer than she thinks.
In Book Three of the popular "My Life . . ." series by Janet Tashjian, Derek Fallon's plan to help out a new classmate backfires miserably There's a new kid in Derek Fallon's class. His name is Umberto and he uses a wheelchair. Derek's family is still fostering Frank the monkey, and Derek thinks it would be great to train Frank to assist Umberto. But Derek quickly realizes that Umberto is definitely not looking for any help. Derek soon becomes the butt of Umberto's jokes. On top of that, Umberto starts stealing Derek's cartoon ideas and claiming them as his own. How did Derek get himself into this mess, and how can he find a way out before he is the laughingstock of school? The answer may very well be his cartoon strip—SUPER FRANK! My Life as a Cartoonist features illustrations by Janet Tashjian's son, Jake Tashjian.
Book 8 of the much-loved My Life series Derek Fallon loves making funny memes, but when he finds himself the joke of a viral meme, he realizes how easy it is to offend others using this platform. Derek decides to confront the creator of the hurtful meme, all during the backdrop of a fire evacuation that has put him in the same place as his meme bully. Here is another thoughtful, funny, and timely adventure in the life of the ever-loving, ever-mischievous Derek Fallon. Christy Ottaviano Books
My Life as a Coder is the ninth book in Janet Tashjian's much-loved, diary fiction My Life series starring reluctant reader Derek Fallon, featuring illustrations by Jake Tashjian. Derek Fallon receives an exciting new gift--a laptop! But there's a catch: it has no Wi-Fi so he can't use it for gaming. If he wants to play computer games, he'll have to learn how to code them himself. Another unforgettable adventure awaits in Book 9 of the My Life series, this time involving tech and coding! Christy Ottaviano Books
Jump into Book 3 of this magical middle grade adventure series with Sticker Girl Martina Rivera! A gumball machine robot. Two adorable (and creative) kittens. An unruly ant farm. These are just a few of the new stickers waiting to be peeled off of Martina Rivera’s new magical sticker sheet and SPRING TO LIFE. Student council is keeping Martina busy with a bake sale and cupcake-savvy Bev is excited to help out. The girls advertise their delicious creations and are thrilled to be invited to participate in a web show baking contest. Can Martina balance school and a ruthless cupcake competition, all while keeping her stickers in check? Or is this a recipe for disaster? Christy Ottaviano Books
Twelve-year-old Tru wants two things more than anything else in the world--to find a cure for her twin brother, Eddie, who is developmentally delayed, and to create her own television show. So the day Tru learns about a teen video competition on the local cable network, she knows that this is her change to make both of her dreams come true. But the more she gets involved in the making of her video documentary about Eddie, the more Tru begins to understand his special needs and the complexity of her relationship with him. Eddie seems like a burden from time to time, but he just may be the most important person in Tru's life. Written in the form of a computer diary, this refreshingly humorous novel, narrated by a sassy heroine sensitively portrays the struggles and triumph of living with a sibling with special needs.
Derek Fallon gets the chance of a lifetime—to participate in a gaming company focus group and to test out a new video game called "Arctic Ninja." Together with his friends Carly, Matt, and Umberto, Derek thinks his gaming talents will be showcased. But he soon realizes that everyone has got him beat, including whiz kid El Cid. On top of that, school reading tests have begun and Derek feels doubly off his game. Isn't there anything he's good at?
Summer's finally here, and Derek Fallon is looking forward to pelting the UPS truck with water balloons, climbing onto the garage roof, and conducting silly investigations. But when his parents decide to send him to Learning Camp, Derek's dreams of fun come to an end. Ever since he's been labeled a "reluctant reader," his mom has pushed him to read "real" books-something other than his beloved Calvin & Hobbes. As Derek forges unexpected friendships and uncovers a family secret involving himself (in diapers! no less), he realizes that adventures and surprises are around the corner, complete with curve balls. My Life as a Book is a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
After creating a controversial and hugely popular website, teenager Josh Swensen becomes trapped inside his brilliant creation and must find a way to remain anonymous. I am lying on my bed doing my homework in Greek and Latin roots for Advanced English. 'Ped' for foot, 'homo' for man, 'nym' for name. I sit with the dictionary in front of me, coming up with as many words as I can to complete the assignment. Pedestrian, homicide, pseudonym . . . I have more than thirty of them. By accident -- that's always how these life-changing things happen -- I connect two halves that don't seem like a word until I look it up. 'Pseudo', false; and 'cide,' to kill = pseudocide. To pretend to kill (yourself). I stare at the word for a good long time. Homicide, suicide, genocide: these are words you can find in the newspaper every day. But pseudocide . . . now here was something different. My mind wanders from my homework to the blue cotton threads of my bedspread. Pseudocide. A way to start again as someone completely new, a way to burn the old self and try on a new one. Josh Swensen isn't your average teenager - when he observes America, he sees a powerhouse of consumerism and waste. He's even tried to do something about it, with his start-up controversial website. But when Josh rises to messiah status of the internet world, he discovers that greed and superficiality are not easily escaped. Trapped inside his own creation, Josh feels his only way out is to stage his death and be free of his internet alter-ego, "Larry." But this plan comes with danger, and soon Josh finds himself cut off from the world, with no one to turn to for help. In this suspenseful young adult novel, Janet Tashjian has written a probing tour-de-force.
Derek Fallon gets the opportunity of a lifetime—to be a stunt boy in a major movie featuring a pretty teen starlet. After accepting the job he learns that he is the star's stunt double and must wear a wig! His friends are never going to let him live this down. If that weren't his only problem, his parents are threatening to give away his pet monkey, and his best friend just posted an embarrassing video of him on Youtube. Can life get any worse? Still the irrepressible Derek takes it all in stride and even manages to save the day.
In Einstein the Class Hamster and the Very Real Game Show, the companion to Janet and Jake Tashjian's Einstein the Class Hamster, we follow Ms. Moreno's class as they face off against the students of Crackerjack Elementary on the hit game show Kids Know Stuff. But when Principal Decker sneaks Twinkles the python into the studio, there's widespread panic; the show's host is afraid of snakes and walks off the set. Now is Einstein's chance to shine! With the assistance of a sound engineer who can also hear Einstein, Ned and Marlon help Einstein get ready to host the show and save the day. But something goes wrong. Does Einstein have . . . STAGE FRIGHT? Oh no! Ned and Marlon must find a way to help Einstein and win the game show. This title has Common Core connections.
Jump into Book 2 of this magical middle grade adventure series with Sticker Girl Martina Rivera! A Chipmunk Ballerina. A Treasure Chest Full of Jewels. A Zombie DJ. These are just a few of the many stickers ready to be peeled off Martina Rivera's new sticker sheet and come to life in Book 2 of the Sticker Girl series, Sticker Girl Rules the School. With a newfound confidence in hand, Martina is thinking about running for student council. Of course, her rambunctious sticker sidekick Craig—a talking cupcake—thinks this is a great idea and volunteers her to run for class president. As Martina soon discovers, running a campaign is a piece of cake compared to organizing a class trip and managing a horde of unruly stickers determined to create chaos within her group of friends. A magical new adventure awaits with Sticker Girl! A Christy Ottaviano Book
Larry (otherwise known as Josh) is in the doldrums, but after meeting a spiritual guru at Walden Pond who convinces him to join his study group, he starts to question his grasp of reality.
Book 6 in the bestselling My Life series! Derek Fallon has expanded his taste in cartoons to the world of manga and anime. Together with his friends Carly, Matt, and Umberto, Derek has fun learning about all the cool aspects of ninja culture. When someone starts vandalizing their school with graffiti of a mischievous troll-like figure, these ninjas-in-training are convinced they'll be able to crack the case. But it turns out that being a ninja is a lot more work than they thought, and this adventure brings about new opportunities for Derek to embarrass himself. For once, can he be the hero that saves the day? A Christy Ottaviano Book
Not yet eighteen years old, Josh, a.k.a. Larry, comes out of hiding and returns to public life, this time to run for President as an advocate for issues of concern to youth and to encourage voter turnout.
Derek Fallon gets the opportunity of a lifetime--to be a stunt boy in a major movie featuring a pretty teen starlet. After accepting the job he learns that he is the star's stunt double and must wear a wig! His friends are never going to let him live this down. If that weren't his only problem, his parents are threatening to give away his pet monkey, and his best friend just posted an embarrassing video of him on Youtube. Can life get any worse? Still the irrepressible Derek takes it all in stride and even manages to save the day.
It's another day at Boerring Elementary: Einstein the class hamster, lover of fun facts, is getting ready for his game show when in walks Principal Decker with some bad news. Due to severe budget cuts, the school library will be closed for the rest of the year. How is this possible? The library is the heart of the school! Einstein is determined to find a way to save the library. With the help of Marlon the turtle, his friend Ned, and Ms. Moreno's entire class, plans are put in motion! Janet and Jake Tashjian are back with another winning story starring the lovable walking encyclopedia, Einstein the class hamster. This title has Common Core connections.
Martina's always struggled to carve out her place at school, but she finds tremendous excitement in a treasure all her own: a sticker collection that comes to life!
Included are illustrations explaining how Hannah thinks and reacts, minicomics, and an author’s note explaining that her son, the illustrator of this novel, is on the autism spectrum.... This is an inclusive, fun addition to the middle-school mystery field." ―Booklist "Hannah is a lovable, relatable protagonist…. Her story provides some clever lessons on life’s grey areas, which are universally frustrating (even if they manifest differently for all of us)." —School Library Journal "Hannah Sharpe is courageous, smart, talented, and funny. " —Ethan Long, award-winning creator of The Death and Life of Benny Brooks From the creators of the bestselling My Life series comes a fresh and funny story about Hannah Sharpe—an observant young sleuth on the autism spectrum who likes to solve mysteries by drawing cartoons of her cowboy alter ego, Dusty Pickle—in this colorfully illustrated adventure featuring full-color art on every page. Young cartoonist Hannah Sharpe has many strengths: she’s curious, creative, has an amazing memory, and most important—she notices things. When Doug Williams moves into her family’s Airbnb, Hannah can’t shake the feeling that he’s got something to hide. But his girlfriend, Remy Furtado, couldn’t be nicer or more helpful. As Hannah investigates, often with her sketchbook in hand, she makes a series of unsettling discoveries involving stolen packages, changed keypad codes, and hidden stacks of cash. Can Hannah crack the case and unfold the mystery on her own? Including full-color illustrations with panel art featuring Hannah and her cartoon alter ego, Dusty Pickle, here is a thoughtful and propulsive new book starring a neurodiverse protagonist.
Broken into three short stories of poetry and petty crime, this charming chapter book will have young readers in search of a rhyme in no time. Book 1 in the Marty Frye series! Marty Frye is not your ordinary sleuth. Marty Frye is a poet detective—he makes up rhymes as he solves small crimes. When his friend Emma's diary is missing, Marty is on the case. When Katie's flour is nowhere to be found, Marty tracks it down. And when the brand-new Action Chuck figures mysteriously vanish from the toy store, Marty unravels the mystery. Will there ever be a case too hard for Marty to solve? Or a word too impossible to rhyme? A poet detective saves the day in this first book in the illustrated Marty Frye, Private Eye series. A Christy Ottaviano book Titles in the Marty Frye, Private Eye series: Marty Frye, Private Eye: The Case of the Missing Action Figure Marty Frye, Private Eye: The Case of the Stolen Poodle More from Janet Tashjian: The Einstein the Class Hamster series: Einstein the Class Hamster Einstein the Class Hamster and the Very Real Game Show Einstein the Class Hamster Saves the Library The Sticker Girl series: Sticker Girl Sticker Girl Rules the School The My Life series: My Life as a Book My Life as a Stuntboy My Life as a Cartoonist My Life as a Joke My Life as a Gamer My Life as a Ninja My Life as a Youtuber More from Laurie Keller: The Adventures of Arnie the Doughnut: Arnie, the Doughnut Invasion of the Ufonuts The Spinny Icky Showdown The Scrambled States of America: The Scrambled States of America The Scrambled States of America Talent Show Do Unto Otters Open Wide Grandpa Gazillion's Number Yard Birdy's Smile Book Toys! Fooled You!
Book 2 in the Marty Frye young chapter book mystery series by bestselling author-illustrator team Janet Tashjian and Laurie Keller! In this new collection of mysteries from bestselling author-illustrator team Janet Tashjian and Laurie Keller, everyone’s favorite poet detective is back in action. When the school nurse’s equipment is stolen, Marty tracks it down. When special candy disappears from the store, Marty finds the culprit. And most importantly, when a friend's poodle goes missing, Marty comes to the rescue. But can he still manage to make up rhymes while he solves new crimes? Broken into three short stories, this is an ideal stepping stone to longer chapter books. Young readers will be off in search of a rhyme in no time. A Christy Ottaviano Book
Shes the girl next door, your best friend, your college sweetheart. In its first season, the hit series Felicity made its way into the hearts of millions of TV viewers as they watched Felicity Porter, the bright-eyed 17-year-old star of the show, adjust to the harsh yet bittersweet realities of college life. Now join Felicity as she chronicles her adventures during her first summer break away from college.
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