Most Popular Books by Chris Grabenstein

During rehearsals for a play based on his stepmother''s bestselling children''s books, eleven-year-old Zack discovers that the director is planning to raise a horde of evil specters from the dead by offering up a human sacrifice.

In New York City’s Central Park, remarkable things happen after the sun goes down Nikki Van Wyck knows everything about Central Park. She can tell you how many benches it has, how many acres it is—and exactly where to find an adventure after dark. When she teams up with a few new friends to track down a treasure in the park, her expert knowledge comes in handy. But the place she thought she knew is transformed before her eyes as the statues begin to come to life! It turns out that Central Park has secrets that can’t be found in any guidebook. Magical secrets. And what Nikki thought was just a scavenger hunt is actually much more. Now she’s about to embark on an incredible adventure that will uncover the hidden enchantments in the park she loves—and reveal surprising things about herself, as well.

For anyone who loves cats, dogs (or both!), James Patterson''s most pawsome story ever is set in a society defined by the oldest rivalry in the world: katts versus doggs! Oscar is a happy dogg---a rambunctious kid who loves being a Dogg Scout. Thanks to his family, he knows that snobby katts are good for nothing but chasing up trees. Molly is a clever katt who just knows she''s destined for fame and fortune as an actress. She comes from a family of well-bred katts who despise drooly, disgusting doggs! For their whole lives, Oscar and Molly have been told that katts and dogs hate each other. One day, they each get hopelessly lost in the woods, but those lifelong prejudices flare up when they cross paths. Slowly, they realize that the only way to survive and find their way home is to...work together?! Yeah, that''s not going to happen!

Do you know anyone like Oliver McSnow...who only knows the word NO?! Introducing a story about the AMAZING power of YES! This universally relatable picture book about toddlerhood from the New York Times bestselling team behind No More Naps! will elicit laughs from kids and their grown-ups everywhere! Oliver McSnow ONLY says NO. He says NO so much that his NO starts to grow. And grow and GROW...until that NO is out of control! No baths. No brushing teeth. No cleaning up. No bedtime! Morning, noon, and night—it’s just NO, NO, NOOOOOOOOOO! But then Oliver''s cousin visits. Jess loves the word YES. YES to friends! YES to food. YES to fun! YES, YES, YES, YES, YESSSSS! And suddenly, Oliver''s world gets opened up in a most wonderful way!

"What makes Isaiah so unique? First, his fur is as blue as the sky - which until recently was something he''d never seen, but had read all about. That''s right - Isaiah can read, and write. He can also talk to humans... if any of them are willing to listen! After a dramatic escape from a mysterious laboratory, Isaiah is separated from his ''mischief'' (which is the word for a mouse family) and has to use his special skills to survive in the dangerous outdoors, and hopefully find his missing family. But in a world of cruel cats, hungry owls and terrified people, it''s hard for a young, lone mouse to make it alone. When he meets an equally unusual and lonely human girl named Hailey, the two soon learn that true friendship can transcend all barriers."

Introducing DOG SQUAD, the crime-fighting, tail-wagging, hilarious new series from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello''s Library and coauthor of Max Einstein! When trouble calls . . . it''s DOG SQUAD to the rescue! Duke is not your average dog. Along with his crew, he fights crime and goes on claw-biting adventures helping dogs in peril in the hit streaming sensation--DOG SQUAD! Fred is a pretty average dog. He''s scrappy. He''s loveable. But he''s not brave like his heroes on Dog Squad. Fred looks an awful lot like Duke from Dog Squad though. In fact, when Duke needs a stand-in, Fred''s the perfect choice. But the Dog Squad action doesn''t always stop on screen! When there''s danger in real life, can Fred find the courage to step up and save the day?! It''s all paws on deck in this action-packed, middle grade adventure series just right for anyone who loves dogs--and anyone who loves to laugh! “Doggone fun.”—Kirkus Reviews

A harrowing array of scary stories that all have one thing in common: each either begins or ends with a scream! R.L. Stine--the godfather of Goosebumps--and some of the most popular authors today bring an unrivaled mastery of all things fearsome, frightening, and fantabulous to this terrifying anthology of all-new scary short stories. Scream and Scream Again! is full of twists and turns, dark corners, and devilish revenge. Collected in conjunction with the Mystery Writers of America, this set includes works from New York Times bestselling authors telling tales of wicked ice-cream trucks, time-travelling heroes, witches and warlocks, and of course, haunted houses. Read it if you dare! With twenty never-before-published scary stories from some of the most popular authors today--including Chris Grabenstein, Wendy Corsi Staub, Heather Graham, Peter Lerangis, R.L. Stine, Bruce Hale, Emmy Laybourne, Steve Hockensmith, Lisa Morton, Ray Daniel, Beth Fantaskey, Phil Mathews, Carter Wilson, Doug Levin, Jeff Soloway, Joseph S. Walker, Alison McMahan, Daniel Palmer, Tonya Hurley, and Stephen Ross--it''s sure to leave readers screaming for more.

Dodge missiles, map undersea caves, outrun secret agents, and uncover the ultimate treasure? That’s a day in the life of the Kidds! The Kidd family is on an exciting new mission: use the augmented reality gear their parents created to uncover long-lost treasure. But then their ship, The Lost, explodes in a ball of fire! Now Bick, Beck, Tommy, and Storm are stranded on a raft in the Mediterranean Sea, and their parents have been kidnapped by maniacal treasure hunters. It’s up to the Kidd siblings to follow clues around the globe to uncover an ancient treasure and save their parents . . . before they lose everything!

“Outrageous hijinks and nonstop hilarity—five-stars!” —Lincoln Peirce, author of the Big Nate series From the bestselling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library and co-author with James Patterson of I Funny, House of Robots, and Treasure Hunters, comes a hilarious illustrated series about all the wacky things that happen when you live in a motel! Eleven-year-old P. T. Wilkie may be the greatest storyteller alive. But he knows one thing for a fact: the Wonderland Motel is the best place a kid could ever live! All-you-can-eat poolside ice cream! A snack machine in the living room! A frog slide! A giant rampaging alligator! (Okay, that last one may or may not be made up.) There’s only one thing the Wonderland doesn’t have, though—customers. And if the Wonderland doesn’t get them soon, P.T. and his friend Gloria may have to say goodbye to their beloved motel forever. They need to think BIG. They need to think BOLD. They need an OUTRAGEOUS plan. Luckily for them, Gloria is a business GENIUS, and OUTRAGEOUS is practically P.T.’s middle name. With Gloria’s smarts and P.T.’s world-famous stories and schemes, there’s got to be a way to save the Wonderland! BONUS: Includes fun extras like P. T. Wilkie’s outrageous (and sometimes useful) things you learn living in a motel. Installment 1: How to say “Help! The toilet is clogged!” in over twenty languages! Here''s What People are saying about Welcome to Wonderland! * A New York Times Bestseller * Sunshine State Young Readers Award List * Winner of the Sid Fleischman Humor Award * “Outrageous hijinks and nonstop hilarity—five-stars! Kids who check into this madcap motel will want to stay forever!” —Lincoln Peirce, author of the Big Nate series "So funny I fell off my bed!"--Izzy B., age 10 "Classic Grabenstein. The mystery should satisfy Grabenstein’s “Mr. Lemoncello” followers, and the humor and visuals will appeal to fans of his collaborations with James Patterson. This new series should be a hit."—School Library Journal “A delight. P.T. is a hoot and a half. A funny, madcap dash. Grabenstein . . . threads in a mystery that blooms in the last act and that puts this particular read over the top."—Kirkus Reviews “Charm galore. Easy and breezy, this well-paced novel . . . belongs in the hands of any readers wanting their bad guys bad, their good guys great, and a little of Wonderland’s promised fun in the sun.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

"A fast-paced, science-filled caper." --The Wall Street Journal Max Einstein is the first and only children''s adventure series officially approved by the Albert Einstein Archives. Max Einstein''s typical day is not your average 12-year-old''s. She... - TEACHES classes at a New York college - Dodges KIDNAPPING attempts with her best friends - Goes on SECRET MISSIONS for her billionaire boss - Has a MYSTERIOUS CONNECTION to Albert Einstein Just a day in the life of the Change Makers Institute''s top agent! What does an Irish town and a village in India have in common? A water crisis that only a group of kid geniuses can fix! Max and her CMI friends attempt to use their smarts to find solutions, but it''s hard to save the world when you''re trying not to be kidnapped! A greedy corporation with an eye on capturing Max seems to know their every move. It''s almost like the bad guys have a spy inside the Change Makers...

In this #1 New York Times bestselling novel, get to know Jacky Ha-Ha, a funny class clown who loves to make people laugh—even when everything else in her life feels anything but silly. With her irresistible urge to tell a joke in every situation—even when she really, really shouldn''t—twelve-year-old Jacky Ha-Ha loves to make people laugh. And cracking wise helps distract her from thinking about not-so-funny things in her life, like her mom serving in a dangerous, faraway war, and a dad who''s hardly ever home. But no matter how much fun Jacky has, she can''t seem to escape her worries. So one starlit night, she makes a promise to keep her family together...even if she has to give up the one thing that makes her happy. But can she stop being Jacky Ha-Ha, if that''s who she really is? Bestselling author James Patterson captures the humor, and struggles, of standing out in all the wrongs ways in this tender, laugh-out-loud story introducing hilarious, #1 New York Times bestselling heroine Jacky Ha-Ha. Don''t miss Jacky Ha-Ha''s other hilarious stories: Jacky Ha-Ha: My Life is a Joke and Jacky Ha-Ha Gets the Last Laugh!

The sequel to James Patterson''s Treasure Hunters is another hilarious, hair-raising and highly-illustrated adventure for the First Family of Action! Bick Kidd and his globe-trotting siblings Beck, Storm and Tommy may have completed their first treasure hunt after their father was lost at sea, but their kidnapped mother is still in the hands of nasty pirates. Their search for a rescue plan takes them down the Nile river in Africa, where they''ll have to navigate everything from Egyptian pyramids in the desert to wet-and-wild jungles—not to mention life-threatening encounters with wilderness diseases, angry hippos and some seriously bad guys—in order to find the treasure and save the day.

The Kidds - treasure hunting family extraordinare - are heading to China, on a journey that will lead them beyond the Great Wall and into the underbelly of Berlin. Bick and Beck Kidd are desperately trying to secure the ancient Chinese artefact that will buy their mother''s freedom from renegade pirates. But when the kidnappers force them to locate an even greater treasure - priceless paintings stolen by Nazis, the Kidds must rely on their own cunning and experience to outwit the criminals, all while their mom''s life is on the line.

The world''s #1 bestselling author has teamed up with the world''s most famous genius to entertain, educate and inspire a generation of kids--with the first and only kids'' book series officially approved by the Albert Einstein Archives. Albert Einstein + James Patterson = A Must Read! Max is back with a thrilling new adventure that involves time travel, creepy bad guys, killer drones, and a shocking mystery about her past that she will stop at nothing to solve! Under constant danger of being kidnapped by the shadowy Corporation, Max is on the run from New York to London and beyond. But soon the call comes for the Change Maker kids'' next mission: make sure no kid ever goes hungry again! If anyone can tackle a problem this big, Max and her genius friends can. But mysterious clues about her past keep distracting Max''s focus. She always wanted to know who her parents were and why they abandoned her as a baby. If she manages to build a time machine, she could find them and get all the answers! What''s more important - her past, or the future of the Change Makers?

Do you love DOGS? Do you love CATS? Do you love ADVENTURE? Then put your paws together for DOG SQUAD, the hilarious, crime-fighting middle-grade series from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello''s Library! When trouble calls . . . it’s Dog Squad to the rescue! But when calamity calls . . . call in Cat Crew! Fred, the loveable stray who became the star of the hit streaming sensation, DOG SQUAD, is back and working on a new show—Cat Crew! But wait a second—there’s something funny about these felines! And something suspicious about their animal trainer. Is this cat crew being electronically controlled?!?! And what exactly is the evil trainer plotting? Can Fred save the day . . .and the cats?! It''s time for an all paws on deck top-secret rescue mission! Get ready for book 2 in this action-packed, middle grade series that has kids (and canines) howling with laugher! Nothing''s too ruff for the Dog Squad!

In this funny and paw-some story, lifelong rivals Molly and Oscar are forced to team up and brave the great outdoors and help their families before it’s too late. Wilderness adventurers and expert trackers Molly the katt and Oscar the dogg go camping with their families: parents, siblings, cousins, aunts, and uncles. One big reunion! It would be fun if there weren''t so many rules to follow at the campsite. ATTENTION KATTS AND DOGGS: No crossing the border, or you''ll be asked to leave the Eastern Wilderness Reserve. If you''re still alive. Molly and Oscar must outsmart the rule-makers when they discover that their katt and dogg cousins have run away together—for reasons only Molly and Oscar will understand. Now the clever pair must find and warn their cousins before all four of them are in need of a serious rescue mission.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Escape From Mr. Lemoncello''s Library and coauthor of I Funny and Treasure Hunters, comes a series of spine-tingling mysteries to keep you up long after the lights go out. Zack is about to start at his new school, and his dad, who went there years before, tells Zack the stories of the haunted janitor’s closet, the specter of a dead crossing guard, and the Donnelly brothers, who perished in a suspicious fire. Dad doesn’t know that Zack has already met the Donnellys’ ghosts, who have warned Zack that there is an evil zombie under the school. Zack also learns that while zombies are usually content eating corpses, if they happen to bite someone who isn’t dead, that person also becomes a zombie. Before midterms, Zack is dealing with two zombies, while trying to protect a friend whose curiosity has put him on the zombies’ menu. Once again Chris Grabenstein proves his mastery of frightening and funny tales. Young readers, especially reluctant ones, have found inspiration in his quirky characters and deadly situations.

In this new illustrated middle-grade series from James Patterson, an extraordinary robot signs up for an ordinary fifth grade class... and elementary school will never be the same! It was never easy for Sammy Hayes-Rodriguez to fit in, so he''s dreading the day when his genius mom insists he bring her newest invention to school: a walking, talking robot he calls E âe" for "Error". Sammy''s no stranger to robots âe" his house is full of a colourful cast of them. But this one not only thinks it''s Sammy''s brother... it''s actually even nerdier than Sammy. Will E be Sammy''s one-way ticket to Loserville? Or will he prove to the world that it''s cool to be square? It''s a roller-coaster ride for Sammy to discover the amazing secret E holds that could change his family forever... if all goes well on the trial run!

What Harry Potter did for magic, Max Einstein does for kids'' imaginations! Max leads a group of kid geniuses in this #1 New York Times bestseller officially approved by the Albert Einstein archives. Max Einstein is not your typical genius. She . . . Hacks the computer system at NYU to attend classes Builds inventions to help the homeless And talks to Albert Einstein! (Okay, that''s just in her imagination) But everything changes when Max is recruited by a mysterious organization! Their mission: solve some of the world''s toughest problems using science. She''s helped by a diverse group of young geniuses from around the globe as they invent new ways to power the farthest reaches of the planet. But that''s only if the sinister outfit known only as The Corporation doesn''t get to her first . . . Max Einstein is a heroine for the modern age and will be looked up to by readers for generations to come. "[A] fast-paced, science-filled caper." -- The Wall Street Journal

The sequel to James Patterson''s bestselling series launch Treasure Hunters is another hilarious, hair-raising and highly-illustrated adventure for the First Family of Action! Bick Kidd and his globe-trotting siblings Beck, Storm and Tommy may have completed their first treasure hunt after their father was lost at sea, but their kidnapped mother is still in the hands of nasty pirates. Their search for a rescue plan takes them down the Nile river in Africa, where they''ll have to navigate everything from Egyptian pyramids in the desert to wet-and-wild jungles--not to mention life-threatening encounters with wilderness diseases, angry hippos and some seriously bad guys--in order to find the treasure and save the day.

“Outrageous hijinks and nonstop hilarity—five-stars!" —Lincoln Peirce, author of the Big Nate series From the bestselling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library and coauthor with James Patterson of I Funny, House of Robots, and Treasure Hunters, comes the second hilarious, fun-in-the-sun adventure in his illustrated series about all the wacky things that happen when you live in a motel! There’s always something wacky happening when you live in a motel, and P.T. (named after P. T. Barnum, of course) has grown up at the world’s wackiest! When word gets out that the hottest teen idols in Hollywood (plus current YouTube sensation Kevin the Monkey!) will be filming their next movie—Beach Party Surf Monkey—right in St. Pete’s Beach, Florida, P.T. and his friend Gloria know that the Wonderland would be the perfect location. Now they just have to convince the producers! But when things start to go wrong (crazed fans? missing stars?), it will take all of Gloria’s business genius and P.T.’s wild stories to save the movie before both it and the Wonderland are all washed up! BONUS: Includes fun extras like P.T. and Gloria’s Famous Fact-or-Fiction Quiz: Movie Edition Here''s What People are saying about Welcome to Wonderland! “Outrageous hijinks and nonstop hilarity—five-stars! Kids who check into this madcap motel will want to stay forever!” —Lincoln Peirce, author of the Big Nate series "So funny I fell off my bed!"--Izzy B., age 10 "Classic Grabenstein. The mystery should satisfy Grabenstein’s “Mr. Lemoncello” followers, and the humor and visuals will appeal to fans of his collaborations with James Patterson. This new series should be a hit."—School Library Journal “A delight. P.T. is a hoot and a half. A funny, madcap dash."—Kirkus Reviews “Charm galore. Easy and breezy, this well-paced novel . . . belongs in the hands of any readers wanting their bad guys bad, their good guys great, and a little of Wonderland’s promised fun in the sun.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

In book two of the House of Robots series, it''s ''bot brains versus ''bot brawn in an all-out war! Sammy Hayes-Rodriguez and his "bro-bot" E are making new friends every day as E works as his bedridden sister Maddie''s school proxy. But disaster strikes when E malfunctions just in time to be upstaged by the super-cool new robot on the block-and loses his ability to help Maddie. Now it''s up to Sammy to figure out what''s wrong with E and save his family!

A must-have tie-in edition to the Nickelodeon movie adaptation, coming this fall to TV, starring Casey Simpson of Nickelodeon''s Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn and Breanna Yde of Nickelodeon''s School of Rock! After over 100 weeks on the bestseller list and 42 state award lists, #1 New York Times bestselling author Chris Grabenstein''s Escape from the Lemoncello''s Library is now a Nickelodeon Original Movie! Discover what James Patterson calls "the coolest library in all the world" in this tie-in edition that''s perfect for new Lemoncello readers and longtime fans of the series alike. When Kyle learns that the world''s most famous game maker has designed the town''s new library and is having an invitation-only lock-in on the first night, he is determined to be there. But the tricky part isn''t getting into the library--it''s getting out. Kyle''s going to need all his smarts, because a good roll of the dice or lucky draw of the cards is not enough to win in Mr. Lemoncello''s library. "A worthy successor to the original madman, puzzle-master himself, Willy Wonka." --Booklist, Starred Review

Jacky Ha-Ha is off to theater camp and funnier than ever in this hilarious illustrated novel from James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein''s #1 New York Times bestselling series. Jacky Hart finally knows the thrill of having people laugh with her (not at her). She tries to put her comedy and theater skills to use in her summer job, but the boardwalk crowds aren’t exactly adoring. So Jacky jumps at the opportunity of a lifetime: an all-expense paid trip to theater camp! When Jacky gets to Camp Footlights, she realizes she’s way out of her depth. The highly trained campers all seem to know everything about performing, and exactly how to command the spotlight. All Jacky wants is to prove she fits in, but the more she tries, the more she stands out—and not in a good way. With help from her new friends, can Jacky Ha-Ha earn her place in the spotlight…or will she flop? Packed with illustrations, jokes, and hijinks, the latest book in the #1 bestselling Jacky Ha-Ha series delivers a hilarious and heartwarming dose of summer fun, perfect for reading all year round!

James Patterson''s high-octane sci-fi adventure series comes to a white-knuckle conclusion in the final battle that Daniel X has been waiting for his entire life. In this sixth and final installment of the Daniel X series, the alien-hunting hero is finally ready to take on the biggest threat in the galaxy: The Prayer, the same beast that brutally murdered his parents long ago. But even with his incredible ability to create almost anything, Daniel will have to push his powers beyond the brink in order to bring down a monster that has the powers of a god. This epic showdown of good versus evil is a thrilling finale to the #1 New York Times bestselling series.

The Kidds—treasure hunting family extraordinaire—are heading to China, on a journey that will lead them beyond the Great Wall and into the underbelly of Berlin. Bick and Beck Kidd are desperately trying to secure the ancient Chinese artifact that will buy their mother''s freedom from renegade pirates. But when the kidnappers force them to locate an even greater treasure-priceless paintings stolen by Nazis, the Kidds must rely on their own cunning and experience to outwit the criminals, all while their mom''s life is on the line.

What do you get when you add up 1 middle-school bully 2 bank robbers 57 dogs in peril 4,000 missing dollars and 5 daring troublemakers led by the one and only Riley Mack? 1 crazy caper! In this merry, mischievous romp, master storyteller Chris Grabenstein introduces Riley Mack—a twelve-year-old hometown hero you''ll never forget.

Resolving to become the world''s greatest stand-up comedian despite less-than-funny challenges in his life, wheelchair-bound middle school student Jamie Grimm endures bullying from his mean-spirited cousin and hopes he will be fairly judged when he enters a local comedy contest.

Can I, Jamie Grimm, teach other kids how to be super funny? Think it''s hard being a stand-up comedian in a wheelchair? Try teaching a comedy class to bored middle schoolers! I have no idea where to start. Do I assign homework? Should I give tests? Or do I just fall flat on my face and hope that gets a laugh? Find out if I can handle the toughest gig of my life... or if my class turns out to be the biggest joke of all!